Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Lavinia Stokes
Lavinia is doing a Bachelor of Conservation Biology (Hons) at the University of Wollongong. Her diverse research interests span behavioural ecology, the impacts of climate change, and the effects of anthropogenic pollutants. Lavinia recently completed a research project for SAEF, focusing on establishing long-term monitoring systems to evaluate the impacts of climate change on moss health in Antarctica. With a profound passion for the ocean and marine life, Lavinia actively volunteers in marine conservation research initiatives including projects based in the Maldives, Madagascar, and Raja Ampat. Lavinia's supervisors are Dr Katharina J Peters and Prof Karen Stockin.
Research
As apex- and mesopredators, the ecology and life history of cetaceans cause them to accumulate high concentrations of pollutants. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminant of concern, but their levels within marine mammals has only been studied in selected populations, and no published data currently exist in Australia. Lavinia's project investigates PFAS levels in different dolphin species in Australia and assess their levels in relation to those of wider oceanic populations.