Dr James Strong

James is a marine ecologist and the leader of the Seafloor Ecosystems Group at NOC. His primary interests are the mapping and spatial modelling of marine species and habitats on the seabed. This includes the use of both optical (images from satellites, planes and drones) and acoustic remote sensing (i.e. sonars on ships and autonomous platforms), with detail groun-dtruthing data, to produce marine habitat maps. These maps are used for landscape ecology and marine management. James is currently examining new mapping methodologies to augment traditional approaches and outputs to marine habitat mapping. Other current research interests include landscape ecology analysis (e.g. aspects of functional connectivity in collocated temperate habitats) as well as progressing quantitative assessments of cumulative impacts with climate change pressures. James current works on several habitat mapping related programmes such as the NERC-funded CHAMFER (coastal collocation and shore protection, CFLOOR (carbon flux in fished habitats), ECOWind (benthic impacts of OWF) and FOCUS (novel template mapping of habitats). He has just completed a six-year term (maximum term) as the chairperson for the ICES Working Group on Marine Habitat Mapping and is currently the co-chair of the Working Group on Marine Habitat Mapping commissioned by the European Marine Board.