Dr. Christine Ramsay

Areas of Expertise

• Marine ecology, environmental science, invasion biology and anthropogenic impacts of humans on coastal environments

Education

• B.S. in biology, Providence College (2008)
• M.S. in biological sciences, University of Rhode Island (2011)
• Ph.D. in ecology, evolution and marine biology, Northeastern University (2015)

What's My Why?

I strive to share my passion for coastal ecology and plant biology through research and teaching opportunities that are broadly based around getting students to discover and appreciate the natural world around them. Through hands-on, interactive classroom, field and laboratory work, I encourage active learning, often taking students outside on Salve's campus at the mouth of Narragansett Bay. My research lab focuses on the anthropogenic impacts humans are having on coastal environments and how we can mitigate these effects, with a focus on marine plants and seaweeds. I can often be found with my students collecting samples of plants and animals on the nearby sandy beaches during low tide, measuring biodiversity in various salt marsh habitats or setting out experimental plots on local rocky shores. 

Selected Publications

Hughes, A.R., T.C. Hanley, A.F.P Moore, C. Ramsay-Newton, R.A. Zerebecki, E.E. Sotka. (2018) Predicting the sensitivity of marine populations to rising temperatures. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: doi: 10.1002/fee.1986

Thornber, C.S., M. Guidone. C. Deacutis, L. Green, C.N. Ramsay. (2017) Spatial and temporal variability in macroalgal blooms in a eutrophied coastal estuary. Harmful Algae 68: 82-96.

Ramsay-Newton, C.N., A. Drouin, M.E.S. Bracken, A.R. Hughes. (2017) Species, community, and ecosystem-level responses following the invasion of the red alga Dasysiphonia japonica to the western North Atlantic. Biological Invasions 19: 537-547. doi: 10/1007/s10530-016-1323-y

Newton, C., M.E.S. Bracken, M. McConville**, K. Rodrigue**, and C.S. Thornber. (2013) Invasion of the red seaweed Heterosiphonia japonica spans biogeographical provinces in the western North Atlantic Ocean. PLoS ONE 8(4): e62261. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062261.