Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sciences
Stephanie.Sargeant@uwe.ac.uk
Research interests: Aquatic ecology; microbial ecology; marine biogeochemistry; marine microbial ecology; carbon cycling; environmental DNA; microplastic pollution; river health
My research expertise centres around the health of aquatic systems, from freshwaters to marine environments, from microbial processing to fish ecology and aquaculture. I have specific interests in the water quality and health of our freshwaters, the microbial turnover and cycling of carbon compounds in aquatic systems, (rivers to open ocean) and implications of pollution-based inputs, including excess nutrients and microplastics as well as human induced climate change.
Recent work includes exploring the relationship between fluorescent dissolved organic matter processing (FDOM) and rates of bacterial productivity in UK rivers, and quantifying the impact of climate change (rising temperatures and pH) on greenhouse gas production of marine algae in the Arctic Ocean. I also have work exploring the development of biofilms on plastic pollution in rivers and the ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics and plasticisers on marine algae, freshwater plants, invertebrates and microbial communities. In addition, I’m also interested in how environmental DNA can be used to help support the health of aquatic ecosystems and have helped develop a range of environmental DNA approaches for detection of aquatic critically endangered species, including the European Eel, African Penguin and Lemur Leaf Frog for use as ecological monitoring tools and conservation-based approaches.
In addition to my research interests I’m passionate about supporting the next generation of scientists, engaging a diverse range of communities in environmental science and working to provide solutions to environmental issues.
Publications
Kalogianni, E., Zogaris, S., Leris, I., Laschou, S., Zimmerman, B., Meek, S., Sargeant, S., Weldon, L., Steer, M. (2023). New boundaries: Redefining the geographical range of a threatened fish through environmental DNA survey. Environmental DNA. DOI: 10.1002/edn3.428
Perrin, E. M., Thorn, R., Sargeant, S. L., Attridge, J. W., & Reynolds, D. M. (2022). The in situ Production of Aquatic Fluorescent Organic Matter in a Simulated Freshwater Laboratory Model. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 817976. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.817976
Weldon, L., O-Leary, C., Steer, M., Newton, L., Macdonald, H., Sargeant, S. (2020). A comparison of European eel Anguilla anguilla eDNA concentrations to fyke net catches in five Irish lakes. Environmental DNA.
Sargeant, SL; Murrell, JC; Nightingale, PD; Dixon, JL. 2018 Basin-scale variability of microbial methanol uptake in the Atlantic Ocean. Biogeosciences, 15. 5155-5167. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5155-2018
Sargeant SL, Murrell JC, Nightingale PD, Dixon JL (2016) Seasonal variability in microbial methanol utilisation in coastal waters of the western English Channel. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 550:53-64. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11705
Dixon JL, Beale R, Sargeant SL, Tarran GA and Nightingale PD (2014) Microbial acetone oxidation in coastal seawater. Front. Microbiol. 5:243. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00243
Dixon, J., Sargeant, S., Nightingale, P. et al. Gradients in microbial methanol uptake: productive coastal upwelling waters to oligotrophic gyres in the Atlantic Ocean. ISME J 7, 568–580 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.130