SERG Overview

The Sediment Ecology Research Group (SERG), known popularly as "The Mud Lab" of the Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews specialises in the investigation of the ecology of aquatic systems, with emphasis on marine and estuarine coasts, shallow marine systems and salt marshes. These depositional systems are of international importance with regard to their ecology and for the ecosystem services that they provide. However, they are often under significant industrial and demographic pressure and are continually responding to natural and anthropogenic changes. A current major issue is the impact of global climate change on these sensitive systems. The SERG group has been working in The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, France, The USA and the UK to investigate the ecology and dynamics of these important systems. In addition the group has recently formed an alliance with the CEH, Edinburgh to examine anthropogenic problems in fresh water systems and has conducted work on lake, loch and riverine environments.

In summary, SERG studies aspect of ecophysiology (primary production, carbon flux), ecology (Biodiversity-functionality relationships, microphytobenthos and macrofauna diversity) and sedimentology (stability and erosion of sediments) of aquatic systems.
The group uses advanced techniques including low-temperature scanning electron microscopy, PAM Fluorescence, in situ microcosm and mesocosms studies, HPLC and flume systems. In addition, the group is interested in the physical dynamics and erosion of these unstable systems. This research has often included the development of new equipment (e.g CSM system) to examine the physics and biology of the environment. This work is of global importance for attempts to model the erosion, distribution and transport of sediments and is now contributing toward the theoretical debate on the role of habitat modification in the evolutionary theory of niche construction.