Dr Molly James joined the Marine Ecosystem Modelling Group at PML in October 2020. She has a degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography and a PhD in Marine Sciences, both awarded by Plymouth University. Her research focussed on incorporating larval behaviours in biophysical models of larval transport that best reflect in-situ observations of vertical distribution patterns. During her PhD she developed novel methods of parameterising behaviour in Lagrangian particle trackers, based on a “pattern-matching’ approach as opposed to lab-based observations of larval swimming.
Molly’s research interests span a range of topics, including marine ecology, spatial connectivity, species distributions, and small-scale bio-physical interactions. At PML, Molly is currently working with FVCOM and the particle tracking model PyLag to explore both larval dispersal and pollutant pathways in various locations.
Selected Publications
- James, M.K., Polton, J.A., Brereton, A.R., Howell, K.L., Nimmo-Smith, W.A.M. and Knights, A.M., 2019. Reverse engineering field-derived vertical distribution profiles to infer larval swimming behaviors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(24), pp.11818-11823.