Since 2005 employed as a Marine Ecologist in the Ecosystems Programme at BAS

Previous appointments:

2002-2005 Post graduate research assistant, University of Aberdeen and FRS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen . Collection and analysis of biological and fisheries data on cephalopod species, heavy metal analysis of cephalopod tissues and trophic ecology of deep-sea fish.

Post-school education:

2004 PhD Squid and their prey: insights from fatty acid and stable isotope analysis, University of Aberdeen
1999 MSc (Diplom) Zoology with Marine Biology and Oceanography, Christian-Albrecht-Universität, Kiel, Germany.

Research interests

My research focuses on marine food webs, their functioning and connectivity. I have mainly worked on the pelagic ecosystem but have also begun to study bentho-pelagic coupling in Antarctic and temperate shelf systems. To investigate trophic interactions in these communities I apply biochemical methods such as stable isotope and fatty acid analysis. Most recently I have used a novel suite of lipid biomarkers, highly branched isoprenoids (HBIs), in order to study the contribution of ice-algae to Antarctic marine food webs. I am also involved in studying the role of zooplankton in the carbon flux to deep water in the Southern Ocean.

• Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., & Tarling, G. (2026). The taxonomic composition, abundance and wet weight of macrozooplankton and micronekton captured by an RMT8 net during surveys of the Western Core Box (South Georgia), 2009-2019 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/967411bd-0a07-49fd-ad52-2bec65781ce7

• Tarling, G., Mayor, D., Atherden, F., Jenkins, H., Castellani, C., Belcher, A., Freer, J., Grigor, J., Stowasser, G., Hunter, A., Conway, D., & Pond, D. (2026). Epi- and mesopelagic mesozooplankton depth-discrete distribution and abundance between Greenland and Svalbard (2018 and 2019) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/69eb8320-9d2b-4cc1-818a-83d14c15c491

• Buss, D., O’Connell, T., Evans, S., Kneale, C., Osborn, J., Atmore, L., Sremba, A., Baker, C., Dunn, M., Goodall-Copestake, W., Martin, A., Kitchener, A., Stowasser, G., Weir, C., & Jackson, J. (2025). Stable Isotope Analysis of Historical Whale Bone Collagen from the South Atlantic (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/b0830de0-46e9-49c7-aa73-68c8f662d659

• Fielding, S., Enderlein, P., Stowasser, G., Tarling, G., & Manno, C. (2022). Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) biomass density estimates derived from acoustic backscatter data collected in the Western Core Box survey, South Georgia, South Atlantic: 1996 – 2019 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/e85a9312-8531-4261-a2f6-1c58f40cfc71

• Tarling, G., Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Saunders, R., Fowler, V., & ten Hoopen, P. (2021). Epi- and mesopelagic mesozooplankton depth-discrete distribution and abundance across Polar Frontal Zone in Southern Ocean Atlantic sector (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/f8058937-5b63-49a1-b445-cf60707b8b65

• Collins, M., Piatkowski, U., & Saunders, R. (2021). Distribution of mesopelagic fish in the Scotia Sea from RMT25 and pelagic trawls deployed from RRS James Clark Ross and RRS John Biscoe (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/f4dfc0ee-4f61-47c5-a5a8-238e02ff2fdd

• Belcher, A. (2021). Antarctic krill reflectance measurements – Spectroradiometer data (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/54643342-f2ed-43f4-ada2-87e81181ff88

• Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Belcher, A., Mayor, D., Cook, K., Hubot, N., Saunders, R., & Tarling, G. (2020). Macrozooplankton and nekton vertical distribution and abundance in the Benguela Current region, May-June 2018 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/bfd7eb53-d07a-46e0-a185-54d7c4a829e2

• Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Belcher, A., Mayor, D., Cook, K., & Tarling, G. (2020). Macrozooplankton and nekton vertical distribution and abundance at the sustained observation location P3 in the northern Scotia Sea (Southern Ocean) during November and December 2017 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/e184e81a-e43c-424e-abec-122036ee2cfd

• Collins, M., Shreeve, R., Stowasser, G., Foster, E., & Saunders, R. (2020). Conventional stomachs contents data for mesopelagic fish collected from the Scotia Sea between 2004-2009 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/1f70d2a9-b0d7-4403-bcb9-2cd884222a9c

• Dornan, T., Fielding, S., Saunders, R., & Stowasser, G. (2019). Acoustic backscatter data and RMT25 abundance and biomass data for Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean 2006, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/e15d622c-5c7e-45e9-b127-f27def94bbe8

• Tarling, G., Enderlein, P., Fielding, S., Stowasser, G., & Manno, C. (2017). Deep sediment trap (3700m) mooring data collected during multiple marine cruise in the Southern Ocean north-west of South Georgia from November 2006 onwards (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00952

• Tarling, G., Enderlein, P., Fielding, S., Stowasser, G., & Manno, C. (2017). Deep sediment trap (3200m) mooring data collected during multiple marine cruise in the Southern Ocean south-west of South Georgia from April 2007 onwards (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00953

1. PRESCIENT

   PRESCIENT supports long-term, strategically important measurements and capabilities for the wider science community.

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2. Conservation and leadership in Southern Ocean ecosystems

   CONSEC explores how climate change and human activity are transforming the Southern Ocean, guiding global science and conservation.

   Read more of: Conservation and leadership in Southern Ocean ecosystems

   

3. Greenland’s Past, Our Future

   KANG-GLAC studies past and present glacier-ocean changes in southeast Greenland to predict how ice loss will affect ocean circulation, ecosystems and climate.

   Read more of: Greenland’s Past, Our Future

   

4. Biogeochemical processes in polar ecosystems

   BIOPOLE studies how climate change is affecting the release of nutrients from the polar regions, and their redistribution around the world’s oceans.

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5. Impact of Plastic in the Polar Regions

   This project investigated plastic pollution across Arctic and Antarctic environments. Scientists collected water, ice, and sediment samples to quantify macro and microplastic pollution, track its sources, and assess its impact on polar wildlife.

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6. National Capability for Global Challenges

   Polar Expertise – Supporting Development

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7. Scotia Sea open-ocean biological laboratories

   SCOOBIES makes long-term observations of key Earth system indicators in the Southern Ocean. These observations are vital for both UK and global science.

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8. Carbon in the twilight zone

   COMICS studied how carbon moves through the ocean’s ‘twilight zone’, the area between 100m and 1000m below the surface. This zone plays a key role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels.

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9. Krill Hotspots

   The aim of this project is to understand the biological and physical factors that produce the very large swarms of krill, or “krill hotspots” that are found in the South Orkneys region.

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1. BAS staff awarded the Polar Medal 2025

   Congratulations to British Antarctic Survey staff who have been awarded a Polar Medal in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List for their contributions to improving our understanding of Antarctica, through scientific or technical work in or about the polar regions.

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2. Krill provide a highway for ocean carbon storage

   Large krill swarms in the Southern Ocean could help remove additional carbon from the atmosphere, in a way that is currently ‘hidden’ in global models. Scientists knew that the carbon-rich […]

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3. Humpback whales return to South Georgia

   A new study shows the welcome return of humpback whales to the waters around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia after a century of commercial whaling decimated their populations. The […]

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4. Celebrating International Day of Women & Girls in Science

   International Day of Women and Girls in Science today (11 February) is a celebration of women and girls in science and is organised by UNESCO and UN-Women. To mark this […]

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