Sophie Leterme
Lecturer in Biological Oceanography
Areas of expertise:
Biological Oceanography
Phytoplankton Ecology
Biophysical couplings
Modeling
Countries of work experience:
France, United kingdom, Australia
Experience and qualifications:
I have 7 years of experience in marine biology and biological oceanography. My research activities are fully related to phytoplankton dynamics, taxonomy, biology and ecology. My work involves field, laboratory and numerical investigations, which have been conducted in a wide range of environments. These include coastal waters (eastern English Channel, Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf), open Ocean (North Sea, North Atlantic, Southern Ocean), estuaries (Port River), mangrove (St Kilda), coral reefs (French Polynesia) and lagoons (French Polynesia, The Coorong). The core of my publication record (12 articles published in international peer reviewed journals, 1 compiled textbook, 1 co-authored book chapter, 7 scientific reports) and of my oral presentations (21 international conferences and 10 invited seminars) are based on phytoplankton.
After graduating from the University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, Sophie completed her PhD in 2006 at the University of Plymouth (UK) on the multi-scale variability in phytoplankton populations of the North Atlantic basin from the eddy to the global scale. Her work is highly trans–disciplinary and involves constant interactions between field and laboratory works, numerical analysis and modeling.
Professional appointments:
2008–present: Lecturer (Biological Oceanography), Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
2006–2008: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
Selected recent publications:
Schapira M., Buscot M.J., Leterme S.C., Pollet T., Chapperon C. & Seuront L. (2008) Distribution of microbial communities along a salinity gradient in a hypersaline coastal lagoon. Aquatic Microbial Ecology (accepted).
Seuront L., Leterme S.C., Seymour J., Mitchell J.G., Ashcroft D., Noble W., Thomson P., Davidson A., van den Enden R., Wright S.W., Schapira M., Chapperon C. & Cribb N. (2008) Role of microbial and phytoplanktonic communities in the control of seawater viscosity off West Antarctica (30-80° E). Deep-Sea Research II (accepted).
Kesaulya I., Leterme S.C., Mitchell J.G. & Seuront L. (2008) The impact of Phaeocystis globosa derived-foam formation on Chlorophyll concentration and seawater viscosity in the inshore and offshore waters of the Eastern English Channel. Oceanologia 50(2): 167-182.
Leterme S.C., Pingree R.D., Skogen M.D, Seuront L., Reid P.C. & Attrill M.J. (2008) Decadal fluctuations in North Atlantic water inflow in the North Sea between 1958-2003: impacts on temperature and phytoplankton populations. Oceanologia 50(1): 59-72.
Leterme S.C. & Pingree R.D. (2008) The Gulf Stream, Rings and North Atlantic Eddy structure from remote sensing (Altimeter and SeaWiFS). Journal of Marine Systems 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2005.11.022.
Seuront L. & Leterme S.C. (2007) Increase in zooplankton behavioral stress in response to short-term exposure to hydrocarbon contamination. The Open Oceanography Journal 1: 1-7.
Leterme S.C. & Pingree R.D. (2007) Structure of phytoplankton (Continuous Plankton Recorder and SeaWiFS) and impact of climate in the Northwest Atlantic Shelves. Ocean Science 3: 105-116.
Gieskes W.W.C., Leterme S.C., Peletier H., Edwards M. & Reid P.C. (2007) Annual variation of Phaeocystis colonies Atlantic-wide since 1948, and influence of Atlantic Ocean water in the eutrophic “hotspot” North Sea. Biogeochemistry 10.1007/s10533-007-9082-6.
Leterme S.C., Seuront L. & Edwards M. (2006) Differential contribution of diatoms and dinoflagellates to phytoplankton biomass in the NE Atlantic and the North Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 312: 57-65.
Edwards M., Johns D.G., Leterme S.C., Svendsen E. & Richardson A.J. (2006) Regional climate change and meso-scale Harmful Algal Bloom ‘hotspots’ in the northeast Atlantic. Limnology & Oceanography 51(2): 820-829.
Leterme S.C. & Pingree R.D. (2006) Structure of phytoplankton (Continuous Plankton Recorder and SeaWiFS) and impact of climate in the Northwest Atlantic Shelves. Ocean Science Discussion 3: 1871-1900.
Contact:
Dr. Sophie Leterme
Oceanography
SARDI Aquatic Sciences
Tel: 08 8201 5184
Fax: 08 8201 3015
Email: sophie.leterme@flinders.edu.au