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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop

@amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social

1.1K followers 320 following 15K posts

Expat plankton ecologist who loves music, travel, red wine and my cats. I work at the science and policy interface, in marine conservation.

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Environmental science 59%

Geography 19%

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Feb 10

New paper alert! Our recent review paper highlights novel #plankton monitoring technologies which are changing the way we understand our oceans, and presents a set of recommendations for integrating these technologies with existing long-term monitoring programmes: doi.org/10.1016/j.oc...

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Aug 5

Well done!! That's really amazing - so productive.

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Jul 28

🌊 Want to combine postgraduate research with advanced diving training?
Our new MRes Scientific Diving at @PlymUni offers unique, field-intensive marine science experience for the next gen of ocean explorers. Field course in Bali!
www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/post...
#MarineScience #ScientificDiving

MRes Scientific Diving

Learn the skills you need to be a professional scientific diver on the only masters level scientific diving programme in the world and contribute to our...

www.plymouth.ac.uk

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Jul 28

Oceanic fronts alter phytoplankton composition, not just biomass.
18 years of satellite data show increased diatoms and decreased prokaryotes at fronts.
Results suggest fronts function as diatom refuges under climate change.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...

Shift in phytoplankton community composition over fronts - Communications Earth & Environment

A greater proportion of diatoms rather than prokaryotes occur at oceanic fronts, indicating the significant role oceanic fronts play in plankton community composition, according to an analysis of ocea...

www.nature.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Jul 1

www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/tiny-oc...

Tiny ocean migrants play a massive role in Southern Ocean carbon storage

University of Plymouth news: Researchers from the University were involved in a new study which reveals for the first time that zooplankton migration...

www.plymouth.ac.uk

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Jun 24

Such BS. How??

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Jun 24

A proposed levy on tuition fees could help “demonstrate the contribution” that international students make to the UK, the skills minister has said. @helenpacker.bsky.social reports
#AcademicSky

Levy would ‘demonstrate value’ of foreign students, says minister

Jacqui Smith downplays impact of graduate visa changes as proposal to take cut of overseas tuition fees still being explored

www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Jun 24

A proposed levy on tuition fees could help “demonstrate the contribution” that international students make to the UK, the skills minister has said. @helenpacker.bsky.social reports
#AcademicSky

Levy would ‘demonstrate value’ of foreign students, says minister

Jacqui Smith downplays impact of graduate visa changes as proposal to take cut of overseas tuition fees still being explored

www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Pippa J. Moore, Allan D. McDevitt, Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop

Louise Firth @louisefirth.bsky.social · Jun 24

Come join us as a #Postdoc on BLUESHORES 🇪🇺 project in Cork 🇮🇪 to test novel nature based solutions to coastal defence 🌊 on saltmarshes 🌱. Start date: 1st Sept. Duration: 28mo. Salary: €45-52k. Deadline 10th July. Partnership with @ucc.ie, Uni Padua 🇮🇹 & NIOZ. 🇳🇱 universityvacancies.com/university-c...

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Jun 6

I wish I could've stayed to chat. I can't wait to see the paper that comes from your work. Very cool.

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · May 30

Congratulations, Taylor. We are so happy for you 🫶

Taylor Swift News @taylorswifteras.bsky.social · May 30

Breaking 🚨: Taylor Swift happily announces that she now owns all of her albums, including her 6 initial ones. Read More: taylorswift.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · May 30

Rep TV doesn't even exist????

Reposted by Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop

Taylor Swift News @taylorswifteras.bsky.social · May 30

Read 👓: Taylor's Announcement to owning her masters. 💚💛💜❤️🩵🤍

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Reposted by Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop

Taylor Swift News @taylorswifteras.bsky.social · May 30

Breaking 🚨: Taylor Swift happily announces that she now owns all of her albums, including her 6 initial ones. Read More: taylorswift.com

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · May 29

Five ways to inspire ocean connection: reflections from my 40-year marine ecology career from @martinattrill.bsky.social . Such good lessons!
theconversation.com/five-ways-to...

Five ways to inspire ocean connection: reflections from my 40-year marine ecology career

Sharing the stories of progress and innovation that show how our patches of the sea are recovering can show what’s possible and inspire further positive action.

theconversation.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · May 16

marinescience.blog.gov.uk/2025/05/16/t...

What can you do to help manage invasive and non-native species?

The importance of reporting marine non-native species - what can you do?

Throughout this year’s Invasive Species Week, an annual event organised by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat (GB NNSS), we have explored the many detrimental impacts invasive non-native species ca...

marinescience.blog.gov.uk

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · May 13

marinescience.blog.gov.uk/2025/05/13/i...

Monitoring plankton is critical for protecting the Irish Sea! Great blog by friends at @afbini.gov.uk , @thembauk.bsky.social , @cefasgovuk.bsky.social and the Environment Agency.

Integrated marine monitoring to protect the Irish Sea

By Michelle Devlin, Naomi Greenwood, Carolyn Graves, Robert Brookes (Cefas), Mike Best (EA), Eugene O’Kane, Adam Mellor (AFBI), Mark Charlesworth (NRW), David Johns (MBA) Monitoring water quality and ...

marinescience.blog.gov.uk

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 16

I've never felt threatened or unsafe around a trans woman. I have, many times, felt scared around men. No, it's not all men, but, yes, it is almost always men.

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 16

Trans rights are human rights. This is not protecting anyone, it's taking away rights. This is so infuriating.

apnews.com/article/uk-s...

UK's top court says definition of a woman is based on biological sex and excludes transgender people

The U.K. Supreme Court ruled that a woman is someone born biologically female, excluding transgender people from the legal definition in a long-running dispute between a feminist group and the Scottis...

apnews.com

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 10

Are you looking for paid research experience? Check out these opportunities from NERC. Number 14 is plankton!

nercdtp.esc.cam.ac.uk/programme/re...

REPS projects 2025 | Cambridge NERC Doctoral Landscape Awards (Training Partnerships)

Projects for NERC -funded Research Experience Placements (REPs) 2025 The 15 projects open for applications are listed here. Please email [email protected] if you have any problems opening the pr...

nercdtp.esc.cam.ac.uk

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 9

Have you ever heard of milky seas? They are a rare kind of bacterial bioluminescence that span huge areas of the oceans. I'm in Nat Geo today gushing about how cool they are 😄 I hope to get to see one someday!

www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...

These glowing seas have baffled sailors for centuries. Science may finally have answers.

"Milky seas” are one of the rarest reported forms of bioluminescence. A new scientific database may finally reveal the secrets of this ghostly phenomenon.

www.nationalgeographic.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 8

It's just the normal spring bloom, I think. What is remarkable is the cloud freeness of the sky :) I do think the plankton are quite enjoying the sun, too.

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 8

That's the key thing!

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 8

Don't blame the plankton - it's Big Sugar and poor nutrient management that are at fault!

www.independent.co.uk/news/science...

Dolphins are starving to death in Florida. An algae bloom is to blame

Too many nutrients can cause microscopic marine algae to grow out of control with harmful effects on animals and people

www.independent.co.uk

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Apr 8

Oh hai there, phytoplankton. Looking good.

www.copernicus.eu/en/media/ima...

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 28

We don't deserve this beautiful planet.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans – report

Sweeping synthesis of 2,000 global studies leaves no doubt about scale of problem and role of humans, say experts

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 24

BUT HER EMAILS www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025.... 😡😡😡😡

White House inadvertently texted top-secret Yemen war plans to journalist

Senior Trump cabinet members copied Atlantic journalist into chat used to discuss secret strikes against Houthis

www.theguardian.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 24

New paper: Local ecological knowledge of fishers is even more accurate than official government maps for identifying seagrass habitats, with fishers knowing where seagrass meadows are with an average accuracy of 78%! @plymuni.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Is sparse local ecological knowledge accurate enough for policy? A seagrass mapping case study from five Greek islands in the Eastern Aegean Sea

www.sciencedirect.com

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Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 21

Good to luck to anyone travelling by air today 🤞

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Travel chaos as Heathrow airport closes after blaze at electrical substation

More than 1,300 flights expected to be affected after airport closes down for all of Friday due to a substation fire

www.theguardian.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 18

His story chokes me up every time. We learned about Chris Lemons in my Drive Medical Technician course. There's still no explanation for why he lived. I could never be a sat diver.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

At the bottom of the North Sea, out of air and with no hope of rescue, I said goodbye to all my dreams

Diver Chris Lemons was 300ft beneath the surface when he lost contact with his colleagues, their support ship – and his air supply. How did he escape that ‘dark, lonely’ place?

www.theguardian.com

Dr Abigail McQuatters-Gollop @amcquatters-gollop.bsky.social · Mar 10

Oh, Arkansas. I love you, but why is it never good news?

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · Mar 10

NEW (from me): Arkansas Republicans are adopting a barrage of new laws that will grind popular initiatives into the ground.

They managed to knock off an abortion rights measure in 2024. Many organizers told me this is the death of direct democracy in the state going forward, including for abortion.

“It Just Feels Like Death”: Barrage of New Rules Target Arkansas Ballot Initiatives - Bolts

It’s a familiar sight in Arkansas: Canvassers stop passersby in front of a local grocery store or town library and ask them if they’d be willing to sign a petition... Read More

boltsmag.org

Reposted by Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop

Hugo Tagholm @hugotagholm.bsky.social · Mar 10

This tragic event shows once again that dangerous spills occur everywhere Big Oil goes. We are now seeing toxic oil pouring from the 183-metre-long tanker into – or very near – marine protected areas. @oceana.bsky.social @oceanauk.bsky.social

⚠️⚠️⚠️

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