Aidan Hunter
Ecological Modeller
Team
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Aidan Hunter
Ecological Modeller
Biography
I am an ecological modeller researching impacts of marine micro-plastics upon the zooplankton-mediated carbon pump by using data to inform simulations of plastic-zooplankton interactions. I acquired my PhD in fish population modelling from the University of Strathclyde mathematics department in 2017. Then, as a post-doc researcher, I developed models of marine ecosystems and plankton dynamics at the Universities of Strathclyde and Southampton, before moving to BAS to work in the CUPIDO project.
Research interests
My current research, modelling zooplankton interactions with micro-plastic, aims to quantify this pollutant’s impact upon carbon export in the Southern Ocean. This involves creating models to simulate zooplankton dynamics and carbon fluxes, and using data to tune these models to specific study systems.
More generally, I’m interested in ecological modelling, particularly models that explicitly represent direct human impacts such as harvesting or pollution.
Data assimilation methods to tune ecological models – my favourites are Bayesian algorithms.
Collaborations
Publications from NERC Open Research Archive
2025
Tarling, Geraint A. ORCID record for Geraint A. Tarling, Abrahamsen, E. Povl ORCID record for E. Povl Abrahamsen, Aksenov, Yevgeny ORCID record for Yevgeny Aksenov, Anderson, Madeline P.B.C. ORCID record for Madeline P.B.C. Anderson, Arrowsmith, Carol, Baker, Chelsey A. ORCID record for Chelsey A. Baker, Barry, Chris ORCID record for Chris Barry, Belcher, Anna ORCID record for Anna Belcher, Benavides, Mar, Bischof, Milo J.D., Boland, Emma J.D. ORCID record for Emma J.D. Boland, Bowes, Mike ORCID record for Mike Bowes, Brearley, J. Alexander ORCID record for J. Alexander Brearley, Brown, Peter J. ORCID record for Peter J. Brown, Burson, Amanda ORCID record for Amanda Burson, Buzzard, Sammie C., Callaghan, Nathan ORCID record for Nathan Callaghan, Coët, Arthur, Cook, Kathryn B. ORCID record for Kathryn B. Cook, Coombs, Sarah, Evans, Chris D. ORCID record for Chris D. Evans, Fielding, Sophie ORCID record for Sophie Fielding, Ford, Elaina, Fournier, Isabelle ORCID record for Isabelle Fournier, Freer, Jennifer J. ORCID record for Jennifer J. Freer, Garcia-Martin, E. Elena ORCID record for E. Elena Garcia-Martin, Ghosh, V.R. Dipin, Giering, Sarah L.C. ORCID record for Sarah L.C. Giering, Grant, Alanna ORCID record for Alanna Grant, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Hamilton, Ruta, Hendry, Katherine R. ORCID record for Katherine R. Hendry, Hill, Simeon L. ORCID record for Simeon L. Hill, Hubot, Nathan, Hunter, Aidan ORCID record for Aidan Hunter, Johnston, Nadine M. ORCID record for Nadine M. Johnston, Katavouta, Anna ORCID record for Anna Katavouta, Kitson, Ezra ORCID record for Ezra Kitson, Leng, Melanie J. ORCID record for Melanie J. Leng, Lewis, Isabel H., Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Lofts, Stephen ORCID record for Stephen Lofts, Manno, Clara ORCID record for Clara Manno, Martin, Adrian P. ORCID record for Adrian P. Martin, Marzocchi, Alice ORCID record for Alice Marzocchi, Mawji, Edward, Mayor, Daniel J. ORCID record for Daniel J. Mayor, McKenzie, Rebecca M., Meijers, Andrew J.S. ORCID record for Andrew J.S. Meijers, Meredith, Michael P. ORCID record for Michael P. Meredith, Munday, David R. ORCID record for David R. Munday, Pereira, M. Glória ORCID record for M. Glória Pereira, O'Brien, Alexandra V.E. ORCID record for Alexandra V.E. O'Brien, Olszewska, Justyna P. ORCID record for Justyna P. Olszewska, Painter, Stuart C., Palmieri, Julien ORCID record for Julien Palmieri, Patel, Shailee, Pickard, Amy E. ORCID record for Amy E. Pickard, Richt, Jessica J.R., Rynders, Stefanie ORCID record for Stefanie Rynders, Sanders, Rachael N.C. ORCID record for Rachael N.C. Sanders, Saunders, Ryan A. ORCID record for Ryan A. Saunders, Shepherd, Andrew, Slater, Thomas, Spears, Bryan M. ORCID record for Bryan M. Spears, Stowasser, Gabriele ORCID record for Gabriele Stowasser, Swiggs, Amy E., Taylor, Laura R., ten Hoopen, Petra ORCID record for Petra ten Hoopen, Thorpe, Sally E. ORCID record for Sally E. Thorpe, Timms-Wilson, Tracey M., van Soest, Maud A.J., Venables, Hugh J. ORCID record for Hugh J. Venables, Wright, Zoe, Yool, Andrew ORCID record for Andrew Yool, Young, Emma ORCID record for Emma Young. (2025) BIOPOLE: biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning in changing polar systems and their global impacts. Research Ideas & Outcomes, 11 (). pp. 10.3897/rio.11.e163757
2024
Hunter, Aidan ORCID record for Aidan Hunter, Thorpe, Sally E. ORCID record for Sally E. Thorpe, McCarthy, Arlie H. ORCID record for Arlie H. McCarthy, Manno, Clara ORCID record for Clara Manno. (2024) Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact. Scientific Reports, 14 (). 12 pp. 10.1038/s41598-024-79816-y
Lampe, Vanessa, Hunter, Aidan ORCID record for Aidan Hunter, Ward, Ben Andrew, Nöthig, Eva‐Maria, Engel, Anja, Ellingsen, Ingrid Helene, Schartau, Markus. (2024) A Lagrangian Model‐Based Analysis of Protist Plankton Variability and Its Impact on Organic Matter Dynamics Along Transit Pathways Through the Fram Strait. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129 (). 32 pp. 10.1029/2024JC021254
2023
Béjard, Thibauld M., Rigual-Hernández, Andrés S., Flores, José A., Tarruella, Javier P., Durrieu de Madron, Xavier, Cacho, Isabel, Haghipour, Neghar, Hunter, Aidan ORCID record for Aidan Hunter, Sierro, Francisco J.. (2023) Calcification response of planktic foraminifera to environmental change in the western Mediterranean Sea during the industrial era. Biogeosciences, 20 (). pp. 10.5194/bg-20-1505-2023