Javier Atalah
Marine Ecologist – Biosecurity and Invasive Species
Qualifications
- PhD (Marine Ecology). University College Dublin, Ireland, 2009
- MSc (Marine Science). University of Auckland, 2006
- BSc (Hons, Marine Biology). University of Valparaíso, Chile, 2002
Role at Cawthron
Javier is a marine ecologist within the biosecurity team of the Coastal and Freshwater Group. He is involved in a range of coastal management projects, with a recent focus on invasive species.
Javier also contributes to other Cawthron projects on the effects of anthropogenic activities on coastal ecosystems.
Technical skills, experience and interests
- Development of marine pest biocontrol tools
- Assessment of human impacts on coastal ecosystems
- Ecology of coastal ecosystems
- Measurement of biodiversity and water quality
- Invasion of non-indigenous species on these ecosystems.
View Javier's ResearchGate and GoogleScholar profiles
Publication links
- Berthelsen A, Atalah J, Clark D, Goodwin E, Patterson M and Sinner J 2018. Relationships between biotic indices, multiple stressors and natural variability in New Zealand estuaries. Ecological Indicators. Volume 85. Pages 634-643.
- McAllister TG, Wood SA, Atalah J and Hawes I 2018. Spatiotemporal dynamics of Phormidium cover and anatoxin concentrations in eight New Zealand rivers with contrasting nutrient and flow regimes. Science of The Total Environment. Volume 612. Pages 71-80.
- Ellis JI, Clark D, Atalah J, Jiang W, Taiapa C, Patterson M, Sinner J and Hewitt J 2017. Multiple stressor effects on marine infauna: responses of estuarine taxa and functional traits to sedimentation, nutrient and metal loading. Scientific Reports. Volume 7, Issue 1. Page 12013.
- Schimanski KB, Goldstien SJ, Hopkins GA, Atalah J and Floerl O 2017. Life history stage and vessel voyage profile can influence shipping-mediated propagule pressure of non-indigenous biofouling species. Biological Invasions. Volume 15, Issue 7. Pages 2089-2099.
- Forrest BM and Atalah J 2017. Significant impact from blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis biofouling on aquaculture production of green-lipped mussels in New Zealand. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. Volume 9. Pages 115-126.
- Atalah J, Rabel H and Forrest BM 2017. Modelling long-term recruitment patterns of blue mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis: a biofouling pest of green-lipped mussel aquaculture in New Zealand. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. Volume 9. Pages 103-114.
- Wood SA, Atalah J, Wagenhoff A, Brown L, Doehring KAM, Young RG and Hawes I 2017. Effect of river flow, temperature, and water chemistry on proliferations of the benthic anatoxin-producing cyanobacterium Phormidium. Freshwater Science. Volume 36, Issue 1. Pages 63-76.
- Wood SA, Borges H, Puddick J, Biessy L, Atalah J, Hawes I, Dietrich DR and Hamilton DP 2016. Contrasting cyanobacterial communities and microcystin concentrations in summers with extreme weather events: Insights into potential effects of climate change. Hydrobiologia. Volume 785. Pages 71-89.
- Biessy L, Atalah J, Beuzenberg V, Kuhajek J and Wood SA 2016. Measuring the influence of nutrients and river water on the photosynthetic efficiency of Didymosphenia geminata using pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry. Diatom Research, 2016. Online.
- Atalah J, Newcombe EM and Zaiko A 2016. Biocontrol of fouling pests: effect of diversity, identity and density of control agents. Marine Environmental Research. Volume 115. Pages 20-27.
- Shearer KA and Atalah J 2015. Influence of the Taharua River on the upper Mohaka River food. Prepared for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. 27 pages plus appendices.
- Atalah J, Hopkins GA, Fletcher LM , Castinel A and Forrest BM 2015. Concepts for biocontrol in marine environments: is there a way forward. Management of Biological Invasions 6: Pages 1-12.
- Pochon X, Atalah J, Wood SA, Hopkins GA and Boedeker C 2015. Cladophora ruchingeri (C.Agardh) Kützing, 1845 (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta): a new biofouling pest of green-lipped mussel Perna canaliculus. Aquatic Invasions, 10 (2), 123-133.
- Atalah J, Newcombe EM, Hopkins GA and Forrest BM 2014. Potential biocontrol agents for biofouling on artificial structures. Biofouling Sep 2014: 30(8):999-1010. doi: 10.1080/08927014.2014.956734.
- Newcombe EM, Poutama M, Allen C, Smith H, Clark D, Atalah J, Spinks A, Ellis J and Sinner J 2014. Kaimoana on beaches from Hokio to Otaki, Horowhenua. Prepared for Taiao Raukawa and Manaaki Taha Moana. 40 pages plus appendices.
- Atalah J, Hopkins GA and Forrest BM 2013. Augmentative biocontrol in natural marine habitats: Persistence, spread and non-target effects of the sea urchin evechinus chloroticus. PLoS ONE 8(11): e80365.
- Fletcher LM , Forrest BM, Atalah J and Bell J 2013. Reproductive seasonality of the invasive ascidian Didemnum vexillum in New Zealand and implications for shellfish aquaculture. Aquaculture Environment Interactions 3(3): 197-211.
- Atalah J, Fitch J, Coughlan J, Chopelet J, Coscia I and Farrell E 2013. Diversity of demersal and megafaunal assemblages inhabiting sandbanks of the Irish Sea. Marine Biodiversity 43(2): 121-132.
- Atalah J, Bennett H, Hopkins GA and Forrest BM 2013. Evaluation of the sea anemone Anthothoe albocincta as an augmentative biocontrol agent for biofouling on artificial structures. Biofouling 29 (5): 559-571.
- Atalah J and Crowe TP 2012. Nutrient enrichment and variation in community structure on rocky shores: The potential of molluscan assemblages for biomonitoring. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 99: 162-170.
- Atalah J, Kelly-Quinn M, Irvine K and Crowe TP 2010. Impacts of invasion by Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas,1771) on the performance of macroinvertebrate assessment tools for eutrophication pressure in lakes. Hydrobiologia 654:237-251.
- Atalah J and Crowe TP 2010. Combined effects of nutrient enrichment, sedimentation and grazer loss on rock pool assemblages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 388:51-57.
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+64 3 548 2319 ext 376
javier.atalah@cawthron.org.nz