I have broad research interests but mostly focus on using acoustic techniques to quantify zooplankton distribution and behaviour as a function of the environment in which they live, with a particular focus on light.
I am interested in how Arctic ecosystems are changing with reducing sea ice and increasing temperatures. I have used life-history modelling approaches to look at overwintering strategies of Arctic zooplankton. I have conducted fieldwork, primarily from the Arctic but also on the west of Scotland, on both ship-based and land-based surveys.
Current research projects
Impacts of Artificial Light At Night In the Sea (ALANIS). Funded by JPI Oceans. July 2025-
Optimisation of the Kongsfjorden Rijpfjorden Observatory Program (opKROP). Funded by the Research Council of Norway. January 2024 - June 2027
Past highlight projects
Arctic ABC. Funded by the Research Council of Norway 2016-19: I am working on the use of acoustic data to observe zooplankton responses, and also tying in observational science with modelling work.
Arctic PRIZE. Funded by NERC 2017-20: For WP4 (Led by Kim Last) I provide integration of the quantitative aspects of zooplankton behaviour developed from acoustic data in WP4 into the trait-based modelling programme.
Circadian rhythms of Arctic zooplankton from polar twilight to polar night – patterns, processes, and ecosystem implications (CircA). Funded by the Research Council of Norway 2012-15. Read the final CircA report.
Benjamins, S., Williamson, B., Billing, S-L., Yuan, Z., Maurizio, C., Fox, C., Hobbs, L., Masden, E.A., Cottier-Cook, E.J., Wilson, B. 2024. Potential environmental impacts of floating solar photovoltaic systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 199: 114463
Coguiec, E., Last, K.S., Cohen, J.H., Hobbs, L., Choquet, M., Ershova, E., Berge, J., Daase, M. 2023. Photoperiodism and overwintering in boreal and sub-Arctic Calanus finmarchicus populations. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 712: 49-65
Häfker, N.S., Connan-McGinty, S., Hobbs, L., McKee, D., Cohen, J.H., Last, K.S. 2022. Animal behavior is central in shaping the realized diel light niche. Communications Biology, 5: 562.
Dybwad, C., Lalande, C., Bodur, Y.V., Henley, S.F., Cottier, F., Ershova, E.A., Hobbs, L., Last, K.S., Dabrowska, A.M., Reigstad, M. The Influence of Sea Ice Cover and Atlantic Water Advection on Annual Particle Export North of Svalbard. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127: e2022JC018897
Castellani, G., Veyssiére, G., Karcher, M., Stroeve, J., Banas, N., Bouman, H., Brierley, A., Connan, S., Cottier, F., Grosse, F., Hobbs, L., Katlein, C., Light, B., McKee, D., Orkney, A., Proud, R., Schourup-Kristensen, V. 2022. Shine a light: Underwater light and its ecological implications in a changing Arctic Ocean. Ambio, 51: 307-317.
Cohen, J.H., Last, K.S., Charpentier, C.L., Cottier, F.R., Daase, M., Hobbs, L., Johnsen, G., Berge, J. 2021. Photophysiological cycles in Arctic krill are entrained by weak miday twilight during the Polar Night. PLOS Biology, 19(10): e3001413.
Hobbs L, Banas NS, Cohen JH, Cottier FR, Berge J, Varpe Ø (2021) A marine zooplankton community vertically structured by light across diel to interannual timescales. Biol. Lett. 20200810. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0810
Hobbs L, Banas NS, Cottier FR, Berge J and Daase M (2020) Eat or Sleep: Availability of Winter Prey Explains Mid-Winter and Spring Activity in an Arctic Calanus Population. Front. Mar. Sci. 7:541564. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.541564
Henley SF, Porter M, Hobbs L, Braun J, Guillaume-Castel R, Venables EJ, Dumont J, Cottier F (2020) Nitrate supply and uptake in the Atlantic Arctic sea ice zone:seasonal cycle, mechanisms and drivers. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 378: 20190361. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2019.0361
Hobbs, L.J., Cottier, F.R., Last, K.S., Berge, J. (2018) Pan-Arctic diel vertical migration during the polar night. Marine Ecology Progress Series. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12753
Darnis, G., Hobbs, L.J., Geoffroy, M., Grenvald, J.C., Renaud, P.E., Berge, J., Cottier, F., Kristiansen, S., Daase, E., Søreide, J.E., Wold, A., Morata, N, Gabrielsen, T. 2017. From polar night to midnight sun: Diel vertical migration, metabolism and biogeochemical role of zooplankton in a high Arctic fjord (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard). Limnology and Oceanography. 62(4), 1586-1605.
Grenvald, J.C., Callesen, T.A., Daase, M., Hobbs, L.J., Darnis, G., Renaud, P.E., Cottier, F., Nielsen, T.G., Berge, J. 2016. Plankton community composition and vertical migration during polar night in Kongsfjorden. Polar Biology. 39(10), 1879-1895.
Last, K.S., Hobbs, L.J., Berge, J., Brierley, A.S., Cottier, F.R. 2016. Moonlight Drives Ocean-Scale Mass Vertical Migration of Zooplankton during the Arctic Winter. Current Biology. 26(2): 244-251.
Lecturing
BSc Marine Science: Year 4 Polar Seas. Module Leader
BSc Marine Science: Year 3 Literature Review. Module Leader
BSc Marine Science: Year 1 Data Science 1: R course lead
BSc Marine Science: Year 4 Behaviour and Biological Clocks: Lecturer
BSc Marine Science: Year 4 Defining the Marine Carbon Cycle: Lecturer
BSc Marine Science: Year 4 Dissertation: Supervisor
IDCORE: Lecturer
University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS): Guest lecturer (2016, 2018)
University of Glasgow: Guest lecturer (2016)
List of current research students
Kay Ihle: Lighting up zooplankton - mapping marine light using robotics. PhD 2023-27. UHI
Alumni research students
Estelle Coguiec: Zooplankton seasonality at high latitudes: from community to behaviour. PhD. University of Tromsø
Angus Aldis: Testing if Antarctic krill depth change is based on solar elevation and latitude. MSc 2021-22. University of Aberdeen.
Professional memberships and roles
UK Arctic and Antarctic Partnership: Committee member 2022-
Scottish Arctic Network: Committee member 2023-
Relevant research expeditions
2025 Ny Ålesund Research Station, Svalbard
2018 Research cruise on board Helmer Hanssen, Svalbard
2013 Research cruise on board Helmer Hanssen, Svalbard
2012 Research cruise on board Helmer Hanssen, Svalbard
2010 Expedition to Baffin Island, Arctic Canada
Outreach / public engagement
Conducted outreach visits to >25 schools
Ran polar science weekend events at science centres across the UK
Prizes and awards
Winner of ASL Environmental Sciences early career competition, awarded load of state-of-the-art echosounder for deployment in Lake Victoria (Kenya), 2019
Best talk, Edinburgh Arctic Research Network, 2019
UHI Postgraduate Student of the Year 2016
Roland Levinsky Memorial Fund award winner for Baffin Island project, 2010
Employment history
Since 2024: Lecturer in Arctic Marine Science. SAMS
Since 2024: Adjunct Researcher. UiT The Arctic University of Norway
2021-24: Senior PDRA. SAMS
2016-21: PDRA. SAMS & University of Strathclyde
2011-12: Education Manager. Education Through Expeditions
Qualifications
2016 PhD Marine Science. University of Aberdeen
2012 MSc Applied Marine Science. University of Plymouth
2010 BSc (Hons) Marine Biology and Oceanography. University of Plymouth