Dr Kelly Macleod (Senior Research Scientist)

Kelly has extensive experience of applied research of marine mammal populations, particularly estimating animal abundance, utilising up-to-date field and analytical techniques. She also has considerable project management skills developed through her roles with national and international projects.

  • Spatial and temporal distribution of marine mammals: Studied the distribution of cetaceans off the west of Scotland in relation to environmental factors for the purpose of investigating use to marine management strategies. Data collection using ship-based surveys and interpretation using GIS and statistical modelling. Line Transect Survey design: proficient user of Distance software for design of distance sampling line transect surveys for PhD research and major international cetacean surveys of European Atlantic waters (SCANS-II and CODA).

 

  • Abundance Estimation: extensive experience of analysing distance sampling data using conventional and advanced distance sampling methods (Mark-recapture distance sampling and Density Surface Modelling) for abundance estimation.

 

  • Monitoring Anthropogenic impacts on marine mammals: multiple projects advising best approaches for baseline monitoring and assessing impacts of industrial (oil and gas) and marine renewable energy to marine mammals.

 

  • Project management: notably, two international projects i) Life Nature funded SCANS-II project (Euro 3.3m) and the ii) CODA project (Euro 2.4m)

 

Publications

 

Leaper, R., Burt, L., Gillespie, D and Macleod, K. In Press. Comparisons of measured and estimated distances and angles from sightings surveys. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management

Gillespie, D., Leaper, R., Gordon, J and Macleod, K. In Press. An Integrated Data Collection System for Line Transect Surveys. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management

Jewell, R., Thomas, L., Quick, N., Macleod, K., Kaschner, K., Hastie, G.; Hammond, P. S. 209. Relating cetacean population trends to oil and gas E&P sound production. 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Quebec City, 12 – 16 October 2009.

SCANS-II 2008. 2008. Small Cetaceans in the European Atlantic and North Sea (SCANS-II). Final report to the European Commission LIFE Nature programme on project LIFE04NAT/GB/000245.

Macleod, K., Burt, M, L., Cañadas, A, Rogan, E., Santos, B., Uriarte, A., Van Canneyt, O, Vazques A and Hammond PS. 2008. Distribution and Abundance of large baleen whales in the European Atlantic. Paper SC/61/RMP10 prepared for the 2008 Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission

Smith, D.W., Walker, D., Tetley, M. J. and Macleod, K. 2008. Predictive habitat suitability mapping of common dolphins and fin whales in the Bay of Biscay. European Research on Cetaceans 21. Proc. 21st Ann. Conf. ECS. Holland. 10-12 March 2008. European Cetacean Society.

Walker, D., Tetley, M. J., Joergensen, M. and Macleod, K. 2008. Predictive habitat suitability mapping of beaked whales in the Southern Atlantic and Antarctica. European Research on Cetaceans 21. Proc. 21st Ann. Conf. ECS. Holland. 10-12 March 2008. European Cetacean Society.

Kiszka, J, Macleod, K., Van Canneyt, O, Walker, D. and Ridoux, V. 2007. Distribution, encounter rates, and habitat characteristics of toothed cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay and adjacent waters from platform-of-opportunity data. ICES Journal of Marine Science 64(5):1033-1043.

Macleod, K., Simmonds, M. P. and Murray, E. 2006. Abundance of fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and sei whales (B. borealis) amid oil exploration and development off northwest Scotland. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 8(3):247-254.

Macleod, K. 2004. The abundance of white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) in offshore waters of northwest Scotland. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 6(1): 33-40

Macleod K, Fairbairns R, Fairbairns B, Gill A, Gordon J, Blair-Myers C, Parsons ECM. 2004. The seasonal distribution of the    minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in relation to physiographic factors and potential prey off the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Marine Ecology Progress Series 277:263-274

Macleod, K., Simmonds, M., Murray, E. 2003. Summer distribution and relative abundance of cetacean populations off northwest Scotland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association UK. 83:1187-92

Macleod, K. 2001. The spatial and temporal distribution of cetaceans off the west coast of Scotland in relation to environmental factors: the implications for marine management. PhD Thesis, University of Greenwich, London. December, 2001.

 

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