Name:  Victoria Hobson Email:  v.j.hobson@swansea.ac.uk     Tel:  + 44 (0)1792 602950

Research Interests

My current research focuses on assessing the broadscale distribution and abundance of jellyfish in coastal seas. Several survey methods are used, including: aerial surveys, ferry surveys and net/plankton tows. I am particularly interested in how jellyfish respond to varying environmental conditions and understanding their movements in apparently featureless surroundings, like the ocean. Jellyfish movements are investigated in relation to a number of environmental factors using a variety of remote data collection technologies (such as satellite tracking, archival data loggers, acoustic detection and tracking) and remote sensing imagery and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Other research interests include the foraging behaviour and habitat-use of sea turtles and teleost fish.

Selected publications     

• Schofield G, Hobson VJ, Lilley MKS, Katselidis KA, Bishop CA, Brwon P, Hays GC (2010) Inter-annual variability in the home range of breeding turtles: implications for current and future conservation management. Biol Cons 143:722-730
• Fossette S, Hobson VJ, Girard C, Calmettes B, Gaspar P, Georges J-Y, Hays GC (2010) Spatio-temporal foraging patterns in Atlantic leatherback turtles. J Marine Sys 81:225-234
• Hobson VJ, Righton D, Metcalfe JD, Hays GC (2009) Link between vertical and horizontal movement patterns of cod in the North Sea. Aquatic Biol 5:133-142
• Hobson VJ, McMahon CR, Richardson A, Hays GC (2008) Ocean surface warming: The North Atlantic remains within the envelope of previous recorded conditions. Deep-Sea Res I 55:155-162
• Hobson VJ, Righton D, Metcalfe JD, Hays GC (2007) Vertical movements of North Sea cod. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 347:101-110
• Hays GC, Hobson VJ, Metcalfe JD, Righton D, Sims DW (2006) Flexible foraging movements of leatherback turtles across the North Atlantic Ocean. Ecology 87:2647-2656

Projects

• EcoJel – Managing the opportunities and detrimental impacts of jellyfish in the Irish Sea
• Jellytracking
• Turtle projects

Collaborators         

• Dr Tom Doyle (CMRC, University College Cork, Ireland)
• Dr Julian Metcalfe (Cefas)
• Dr David Righton (Cefas)

Funding

European Union Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Ireland Wales Programme 2007-2013 - Interreg 4A.