Deep-sea coral biologist
Specialisation: Stylasterid corals, commonly called lace-corals or hydrocorals

Image credit: Mathias Hune

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Narissa's PhD focused on coral reef connectivity in Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) of the Sub­-Antarctic, Antarctic, South America and the Patagonian fjords and extends post-PhD to geographic localities in Australia, including the Great Australian Bight and seamounts south of Tasmania.  

​Images: captured by Mathias Hune during field work on the stylasterid coral Errina antarctica in the Chilean fjords of Patagonia in 2012. 

Image credit: Mathias Hune

Antarctic Marine Science
Flagship project: Antarctic Blue Carbon

Narissa collaborates on the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) project Antarctic Seabed Carbon Capture and Change (ASCCC) which aims to investigate and understand the role of polar and sub-polar seabeds in the carbon cycle, particularly in response to climate change, and to progress conservation measures to protect biodiversity inherent to the healthy function of the ocean. 
​Initial research by the ASCCC project suggests that coastal areas of the Antarctic are absorbing and storing more 'blue carbon'; the carbon captured in oceans and coastal ecosystems by living organisms stored in the form of biomass. Thus, as the climate warms, a negative feedback loop against atmospheric carbon may provide the mechanism to increase oceanic carbon uptake. This boost to carbon storage could form the largest negative feedback against climate change on Earth.

Perspective: Increasing blue carbon around Antarctica is an ecosystem service of considerable societal and economic value worth protecting

Image credit: Camille Moreau and Bernabé Moreno

Graphic by Stacey McCormack from Visual Knowledge

Falkland Kelp eDNA project launch in Monaco for Ocean Week - March 23rd 2023

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Hear my 100 Climate Conversation - Australia's most ambitious climate-focused cultural project. Listen here :-)