Meet the team

I studied Biological Sciences at Exeter University. I wrote my dissertation on rocky shore ecology, specifically how the variable morphology of coralline algae caused by wave action affects the distribution and abundance of rocky shore communities.

After Exeter I worked for the marine environmental consultancy company Unicomarine Ltd where I developed skills in taxonomy and survey work.

I studied for a PhD at the University of Southampton. I worked on species specialist to coastal saline lagoons. My main areas of interest here were how the physiological rates and reproductive investment of these animals vary in relation to the unusual physicochemical characteristics of coastal lagoons.

I am currently a Post-doctoral research fellow on the SERPENT Project, specifically working on Statoil funded research. This has taken me on offshore visits to oil rigs in the North Sea, Norwegian Basin, Faroe-Shetland Channel, North Atlantic west of Ireland and the Mediterranean off Egypt.

Research interests

I am interested in how environmental changes affect ecosystems. I am using my role in SERPENT to make use of ROV technology to assess the anthropogenic impacts of deep-water exploration drilling on the benthic megafauna. Of particular importance is understanding the recovery of these sites over time.

SERPENT Field work

Publications

Gates, A. R., Jones, D. O. B., Cartes, J. E. (accepted) In situ video observations of benthic megafauna and fishes from the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea off Egypt. African Journal of Marine Science.

Jones, D. O. B., Mrabure, C. & Gates, A. R. (2011) Using industrial remotely operated vehicles in stand-by time for deep-water biodiversity assessment: a case study from offshore Nigeria. Proceedings of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference, Denver, Colorado, USA, 30 October–2 November 2011. SPE 146439

Hughes, S. J. M., Jones, D. O. B., Hauton, C., Gates, A. R. & Hawkins, L. E. (2010) An assessment of drilling disturbance on Echinus acutus var. norvegicus based on in-situ observations and experiments using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 395(1-2): 37-47.

Jones, D. O. B. and Gates, A. R. (2010) Deep-sea life of Scotland and Norway. Ophiura press, UK. ISBN 978-0-9565832-0-8

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Assessing The Effects Of Hydrocarbon Drilling Activity on Deep-Water Megafauna In The Northern North Atlantic. A Rapid Universal Assessment Method? Proceedings of the SPE International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment, 12–14 April 2010, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. SPE 126841

Jones, D. O. B., Park, I. F. J. & Gates, A. R. (2008) Techniques for Monitoring the Recovery of Deep, Cold-Water Habitats Following Physical Disturbance From Drilling Discharges. Proceedings of the SPE International Conference on Health, Safety, and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, 15-17 April 2008, Nice, France. 111629-MS.

Gates, A. R. (2007) The physiological ecology of the specialist lagoon amphipod, Gammarus insensibilis. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.

Cruise Reports

Gates, A.R., Jones, D.O.B., Benfield, M., Roterman, C.N., Kroeger, K. (2011) SERPENT Cruise Reports 2008-2010. National Oceanography Centre Cruise Report No. 02. 509pp.

Gates, A.R., Jones, D.O.B., Benfield, M., Kaariainen, J.I. (2008) SERPENT Cruise Reports 2007. National Oceanography Centre, Southampton Cruise Reports Series No. 30. 158pp.

SERPENT Science Reports

Gates, A. R. & Jones, D. O. B (2010) Recovery at Morvin: SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 74pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 86)

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) OMV Tornado SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 84pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 82)

Jones, D. O. B., Roterman, C. N. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Chevron Rosebank SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 48pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 81)

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Shell South Uist SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 37pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 80)

Jones, D. O. B., Roterman, C. N. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Shell Gro SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 42pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 79)

Gates, A. R. & Jones, D. O. B. (2010) Lancaster SERPENT visit report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 71pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 78)

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Total Usan Nigeria SERPENT biodiversity survey report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 96pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 77)

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Total Akpo Nigeria SERPENT report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 21pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 76)

Jones, D. O. B. & Gates, A. R. (2010) Chevron Rosebank North SERPENT final report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 35pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 75)

Gates, A. R. & Jones, D. O. B. (2010) Cashel SERPENT visit report. Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 35pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 74)

Gates, A. R. & Jones, D. O. B. (2010) Asterix SERPENT visit report Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 49pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 73)

Gates, A. R. & Jones, D. O. B. (2010) Haklang SERPENT visit report Southampton, UK: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, 29pp. (National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, No. 72)

Gates, A. R. and Jones, D. (2008) Ragnarokk SERPENT visit report. Southampton, UK, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, 29pp. National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; 43

Gates, A. R., Jones, D. O. B.(2008) Midnattsol SERPENT visit report and initial presentation of results. National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 42

Gates, A. R., Jones, D. O. B.& Kaariainen, J. (2008) Orphan Basin SERPENT Final Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 41

Jones, D. O. B.& Gates, A. R. (2008) Orca SERPENT Field Visit Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 40

Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., & Kaariainen, J. (2008) Tornerose SERPENT Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 39

Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., & Kaariainen, J. (2008) Brugdan SERPENT Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 38

Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., & Kaariainen, J. (2008) Edvarda SERPENT Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 37

Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., & Kaariainen, J., (2008) Morvin SERPENT Report, National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 36

Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., & Kaariainen, J. (2008) Uranus SERPENT report. National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report; No. 35

SERPENT Annual Reports

Curry, R. A., Jones, D. O. B., Gates, A. R., Benfield, M. and Thompson, M. (2009) SERPENT Annual Report 2008 Southampton, UK, SERPENT Project Office c/o National Oceanography Centre Southampton, 30pp

Curry, R., Jones, D.O.B., Gates, A.R., Benfield, M., Smith, T., Murty, S., Guerin, A.J., Martinez, I. and Pile, A. SERPENT Team (2008) SERPENT Annual Report 2007. Southampton, UK, SERPENT Project Office c/o National Oceanography Centre Southampton, 30pp

Jones, D.O.B., Gates, A.R., Maclaren, E.K., Kaariainen, J.I., Benfield, M., Pile, A.J. and Wigham, B. SERPENT Team (2007) SERPENT Annual Report 2006. Southampton, UK, SERPENT Project Office c/o National Oceanography Centre Southampton, 30pp

SERPENT Conference and Outreach Presentations

Gates, A.R. Deep-sea Exploration: The SERPENT Project and deep-sea ecology. Earth Systems Science Summer School 2012 (ES4). NOC. (27 March 2012)

Gates, A.R. & Slightam, C. SERPENT - Hurricane Collaboration: Lancaster & Whirlwind 2009-2011. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Aberdeen. (21 December 2011)

Gates, A.R. Deep-sea Exploration: The SERPENT Project. Perrins School ROV Day, NOC. (28 July 2011).

Gates, A.R. SERPENT Research Highlights and Future Directions. Transocean, Aberdeen Altens Thistle Hotel, (21 July 2011)

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B., Deepwater Exploration: Deep-sea Ecology at Oil and Gas Exploration Sites in Norway and Beyond. Stavanger, Norway. (7 June 2011)

Gates, A.R., Jones, D.O.B. & Kroeger, K. SERPENT-HEX Collaboration, Lancaster & Whirlwind. NOC, (17 February 2011).

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. SERPENT Statoil Collaboration. Trondheim, Norway. (21 October 2010).

Gates, A.R. Disturbance and Recovery from Drilling Disturbance in the Norwegian Sea: Results from the SERPENT Project. Forum for Environmental Monitoring, Climate and Pollution Agency, Oslo, Norway (20 October 2010)

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. (2010) Recovery of deep-water megafaunal assemblages from anthropogenic disturbance in the Norwegian Sea.  12th International Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, Reykjavik, Iceland. Symposium Program and Book of Abstracts. p.121 (Poster presentation).

Gates, A.R. Deep-sea Exploration: The SERPENT Project. Ballard School Spring Lecture Series. (2 March 2010).

Gates, A.R. The SERPENT Project: International Experience in Collaborative Environmental Projects. Programma de Biodiversidade Bacia de Santos, Rio de Janiero, Brazil. (22-23 September 2009)

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. Effects of Drilling on Deep-Water Seabed Communities. IADC Environmental Conference & Exhibition, Clarion Hotel, Stevanger, Norway. (12 May 2009)

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. SERPENT Statoil Collaboration. Trondheim, Norway. (26 January 2009).

Gates, A.R. Jones DOB, Pullen K. (2009) The use of measures of meiofaunal functional diversity to monitor anthropogenic impacts on Arctic benthic habitats. Arctic Frontiers. Poster presentation (January 2009). Poster presentation.

Jones DOB & Gates, A.R. (2009) Recovery of deep-water megafaunal assemblages from anthropogenic disturbance in Arctic waters. Arctic Frontiers. Poster presentation (January 2009). Poster presentation.

Gates, A.R. The SERPENT Project. Society for Underwater Technology AGM. HQS Wellington, London. (11 December 2008).

Gates, A.R. & Curry, R. SERPENT Missions to Rosebank. Chevron Environment Week. Chevron, Aberdeen. (10 July 2008).

Gates, A.R. SERPENT Missions to Rosebank. Chevron "Lunch & Learn", Chevron, Aberdeen. (March 2008).

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. SERPENT Statoil Collaboration. NOC. (10-11 April 2008).

Gates, A.R. & Pullen, K. J. (2008) Responses of meiofaunal assemblages to the impact of exploratory hydrocarbon drilling in the Barents Sea. Arctic Frontiers. Challenges for oil and gas development in the Arctic. Abstracts p.105 Poster presentation (20-25 January 2008).

Gates, A.R. & Jones, D.O.B. SERPENT Statoil Collaboration. Trondheim, Norway. (17 September 2007).