Dr Carol Sparling (Senior Research Scientist)
Carol has extensive experience of studying marine mammals and in particular pinniped behaviour and physiology and has 3 years experience as a Senior Ecologist in a commercial consultancy environment. Through a combination of these Carol has developed a range of practical, analytical and management skills to lead, manage and carry out a variety of desk and field based research.
- Seal Biology: Carried out a PhD and postdoctoral research on the engergetics, diving and foraging behaviour of seals. Extensive experience of fieldwork, capture, tagging and handling of seals.
- Project Management: Budget control, logistic, analysis and report production for sereral academic and commerical project.
- Development of standardised managment system: Quality, Environment and Health & Safety.
Publications
Sparling C. E., D. Thompson, M. A. Fedak, S. L. Gallon, J. R. Speakman . (2008) Estimating field metabolic rates of pinnipeds: doubly labelled water gets the seal of approval. Functional Ecology, Volume 22, Issue 2, Pages: 245-254
Sparling C.E., Fedak MA, Thompson D. (2007) Eat now, pay later? Evidence of deferred food-processing costs in diving seals. Biology Letters 2007 Feb 22;3(1):94-8.
Sparling, C.E., Georges J.Y., Gallon S.L., Fedak M.A. & Thompson D. (2007) How long does a dive last? Foraging decisions by breath-hold divers in a patchy environment: a test of a simple model. Animal Behaviour. 74:207-218.
Sparling, C.E., John R. Speakman, M A Fedak (2006) Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder?; Journal of Comparative Physiology B Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology; 176:505-512
Sparling C.E. & Fedak M.A. (2004) The metabolic rate of captive grey seals during voluntary diving. Journal of Experimental Biology. 207 1615-1624
Sparling C.E. & Smout, S.C. (2003) Population energy budget for UK North Sea grey seals. SCOS Briefing paper 03/09
Gallon S.L., Sparling C.E., Georges J.Y., Fedak M.A., Biuw M., Thompson D. (2007) How fast does a seal swim? Variations in swimming behaviour under differing foraging conditions. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210(18):3285-94.
Iverson, S.J., Sparling, C.E., Williams, T.E., Lang, S.L.C. and Bowen, D.W. (2010) Measurement of Individual and Population Energetics of Marine Mammals. In Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques. Edited by Boyd, I.L., Bowen, W.D., & Iverson, S.J. Techniques in Ecology and Conservation, Oxford University Press, UK. 448pp.
McCafferty, D.J. Currie, J. and Sparling, C.E. (2007). The effect of instrument attachment on the surface temperature of juvenile grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) as measured by infrared thermography. Deep Sea Research II 54 (3-4): 424-436.
Paterson, W., Pomeroy, P. P. Sparling C.E., Moss S., Thompson, D., Currie J.I. & McCafferty D.J. (In Press) Assessment of flipper tag site healing in grey seal pups using thermography. Marine Mammal Science.
