Understanding how species distributions will change is one of the most prescient questions in biology. This is key information to help scientists, conservationists and policy makers better predict future patterns of biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Investigations into how species physiologies are correlated with their environment, and the mechanisms underlying these correlations, are a crucial part of improving these predictions. The majority of recent shifts in species ranges have been correlated with increasing surface temperature, highlighting the key effect of temperature on ectotherms. However, multiple factors, such as ocean acidification and salinity, are likely to interact with changes in temperature, leading to shifts in the ecological balance.
Latitudinal gradients which incorporate a number of overlapping species ranges are “natural laboratories” for investigating the link between environmental variability and physiological flexibility. Recent advances in understanding the importance of aerobic capacity in setting temperature limits provide a framework for testing the physiological capacity of species that can be applied across these gradients. However, the importance of these mechanisms at different scales needs further investigation as we extrapolate from laboratory experiments to field scenarios. I use a combination of whole animal (e.g. behaviour and reproduction) and tissue biochemistry assays (e.g. metabolic pathways) to investigate the scale at which environmental variability best determines physiological flexibility.
Dr Amanda Bates, University of Tasmania, Australia
Dr Piero Calosi, University of Plymouth, UK
Dr. Rob Day, University of Melbourne, Australia
Dr Karen von Juterzenka, University of Bogor, Java,
Dr Claudio Gonzalez-wevar, University of Magallanes
Dr Miles Lamare, University of Otago, New Zealand
Dr Patricio Manriquez, Universidad Austral de Chile
Dr Tan Koh Siang, Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore
Mathews, R., Peck, L., Barnes, D., Morley, S., & Flint, G. (2025). Marine benthic biodiversity survey comprising seabed video and imagery from Rothera Point, November 2023 to February 2024 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2c313c0b-7cf4-4206-8cd1-adc8d0530794
Mathews, R., Peck, L., Barnes, D., Morley, S., & Flint, G. (2025). Conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) data from Rothera Point, Antarctica, November 2023 to February 2024 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/454dc5c6-0375-4497-bb76-6664620f708f
Frontier, N., Marlow, J., Giles, A., Clark, M., Morley, S., & Peck, L. (2024). In situ growth and physiological data from two Antarctic anemone species, Isotealia antarctica and Urticinopsis antarctica at Rothera Research Station (2020-2023) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/221909cf-eac3-4a64-b1d0-3c1cdccdfe3c
Morley, S., Campanella, F., Baylis, A., Barnes, D., Bell, J., Bennison, A., Collins, M., Glass, T., Martin, S., Whomersley, P., Young, E., & Schofield, A. (2024). Fisheries acoustic data, whale and bird data from two transits from the Falkland Islands to Tristan da Cunha during March 2018 (RRS James Clark Ross) and March 2019 (RRS Discovery) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/db06c590-4f6d-4a8a-9b8c-ce45204103c1
Morley, S., Bates, A., Clark, M., Fitzcharles, E., Smith, R., Stainthorp, R., & Peck, L. (2024). Acclimation and acclimatisation of marine ectotherms collected at Rothera Research Station and Scott Base in Antarctica between 2004 and 2015 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/60b777b4-0bd6-48c3-a301-c700854fbfa1
Morley, S., Souster, T., Gerrish, L., Vause, B., Peck, L., & Barnes, D. (2022). Blue carbon data for marine invertebrates living on soft substrata (20m South Cove and Hangar Cove) and Rocky substrata (Cheshire Island) around Rothera Point Antarctica (2013-2015). (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/f3fe6bff-fefd-48d4-8024-dfb3e33a818f
Morley, S., Navarro, J., Ortiz, A., Detree, C., Gerrish, L., Gonzalez-Wevar, C., & Bates, A. (2021). Thermal physiology of the Patagonian limpet Nacella deaurata (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/c093ea38-a23d-4669-b88d-462bb49769d2
Fremand, A., Pettafor, A., Evans, D., Howard, F., Morley, S., & Bell, J. (2021). Gridded bathymetric compilation of Tristan da Cunha from multibeam echosounder data collected by multiple vessels (1996-2019) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/181c6078-b470-4382-9425-bb8329e45d94
Morley, S., Peck, L., Sunday, J., Heiser, S., & Bates, A. (2018). Physiological acclimation and predicted persistence of species across the globe (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK. https://doi.org/10.5285/bb356c9e-b2f2-4364-badf-0ce16fb540d3
Peck, L., Morley, S., Clark, M., Tyler, P., & Grange, L. (2018). Long-term gonad status for Antarctic benthic marine invertebrates – Rothera Station (Version 1) [Data set]. Polar Data Centre; British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council; Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK. https://doi.org/10.5285/d05fb53f-9277-459f-ab85-e260981c643d
Morley, S., Peck, L., Sunday, J., Heiser, S., & Bates, A. (2018). Acclimation potential of global ectothermic species, collated from literature, 1960 to 2015 (Version 1) [Data set]. Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK. https://doi.org/10.5285/20010bfb-c6d3-430f-b1f7-d16790ab8359
Morley, S., & Suckling, C. (2014). Energy budget acclimation data for long term combined pH and temperature stressors in adult Antarctic urchins, Sterechinus neumayeri (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/f8f45574-ee63-4dcb-bdf6-8c291bb65793
Suckling, C. (2014). Data from long-term study into the effects of temperature and pH stressors on Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/677d189b-0251-4785-bfd0-5a26b81c16e1
The field department have estimate the use of 400 flags on station with ~ 1,000 flags deployed into the field each year. We have conducted a preliminary trial by testing different material types (cotton canvas and Ventile) at select sites around Rothera.
This three-year project aims to leave a legacy of robust information about the marine ecosystem as well as oceanographic and food web modelling that will provide the scientific information necessary to develop policies to manage marine ecosystem resources, especially those relating to food security and eco-tourism.
Polar Expertise – Supporting Development
The key objective is to identify and implement management techniques which will as far as possible be sympathetic to wildlife and encourage native species, in order to sustain and enhance biodiversity at BAS Cambridge.
A research project studying temperature tolerances of over 20 Antarctic marine invertebrate species at Rothera Research Station.
Since Near-shore Marine Biology was moved to Rothera in 1997, we have been conducting biological long-term monitoring in both the marine and terrestrial environments. These represent some of the longest continuous datasets in the Southern Ocean.
Baseline study to monitor how marine biodiversity will respond to climate change
The heated settlement panels project tested how marine life responded to warmer oceans. The focus was on the waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth
AIMS gathers baseline scientific data on Ascension Island’s globally important marine wildlife and fisheries to help the island government manage and conserve its marine resources.
NC-ODA, Polar expertise supporting development. WP leader, South Atlantic Islands
EU-RISE, CoastCarb. WP leader
In the latest of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) blog series on the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network, we hear from Simon Morley, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) […]
Join us for Protecting Our Planet Day (POP23), an engaging live-streamed event tailored for schools. The full-day program features live link-up sessions with inspiring experts dedicated to addressing climate change […]
Rock lobsters may have lived further north in the past, and may be vulnerable to climate change in the future, according to a new study published this month (March 2021). […]
The UK Prime Minister has announced today (Friday 13 November) a new Marine Protected Zone around the overseas territory of the island of Tristan da Cunha. The move is part […]
An underwater mountain double the height of the UK’s Ben Nevis has been added to a global map of the seafloor during a research cruise to investigate the marine environment […]
A new study reveals how marine life around Antarctica will fare in an ocean which has declining levels of oxygen. Writing in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society […]
A team of scientists set sail this week (12 March) for the remote South Atlantic islands of Tristan da Cunha and St Helena. This mission is part of BAS’ commitment […]
A new study of the animals living in polar oceans reveals which are most at risk from climate change. The study is published today (17 January) in Frontiers in Marine […]
The amount of plastic washing up onto the shores of remote South Atlantic islands is 10 times greater than it was a decade ago, according to new research published today […]
A team of scientists on board the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) has conducted marine biodiversity research around the Island of St Helena with a team of UK based and […]
The RRS James Clark Ross left the Falkland Islands yesterday (15th March) and is travelling towards Tristan Da Cunha, with expected arrival on the 22nd March. The vessel will survey […]
For nearly 50 years, researchers have been stumped as to why sea shells from warm tropical waters are comparatively larger than their cold water relatives. New research, led by the […]
A team of scientists has discovered that a 1°C rise in local sea temperature has massive impacts on an Antarctic marine community. These new results are published this week (31 […]
Supporting near-shore marine biology
Sea urchins from Antarctica show adaptation to ocean acidification A study of sea urchins from the Antarctic Peninsula has revealed an ability to adapt to changing conditions such as rising […]
New study helps predict impact of ocean acidification on shellfish An international study to understand and predict the likely impact of ocean acidification on shellfish and other marine organisms living […]
I completed my PhD in larval fish physiology, registered at the University of Liverpool with research conducted at the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences in Oban. My career has developed through the ecophysiology of bryozoans, in response to temperature and oxygen, before a stint as senior wintering scientist at the British Antarctic Survey’s fisheries research laboratory in the Sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. This lead to my current position as an ecophysiologist at BAS. I am also a BAS Innovation Champion for the Biodiversity Evolution and Adaptations Team within BAS. My aim for innovation is to connect our research on cold environment adaptation to wider applications with added value to society.
Education
BSc, Marine biology (hons.), University of Liverpool. May 1991
MSc, Applied Fish Biology, University of Plymouth. October 1992
PhD, University of Liverpool. 1998.
Employment History
Jan 2004-present Ecophysiolgist at the BAS.
Jan 2001 – Dec 2003 Senior wintering scientist at the British Antarctic Survey’s applied fishery laboratory at the Island of South Georgia
May 1998 – Jan. 2001 Ecophysiologist (PDRA) at University of Wales – Bangor
April 1993 – March 1998 Ecophysiologist (RA) at Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
October 1992-April 1993 Larval fish histology (RA) at Plymouth Marine Laboratory