Asst/Prof Paul Thomson

Research Assistant Professor
School of Environmental Systems Engineering

Contact details

Address

School of Environmental Systems Engineering
The University of Western Australia (M470)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

6488 8023

Email

paul.thomson@uwa.edu.au

Qualifications

BAppSc C.Qld, DPhil Tas.

Key research

Marine microbes (marine bacteria,viruses, and single-celled plants and animals) recycle nutrients and form the biomass at the base of the food chain that supports all higher animals. My studies look at factors effecting the distribution and abundance of marine microbes. These factors include the physical environment (oceanography), interactions between the microbes themselves (the ‘Microbial Loop’), and impacts such as ocean acidification and, in surface waters, enhanced UV-B radiation. I am also interested in microbial diversity and functionality in sediments, particularly in areas impacted by drilling, and the role microbes may play in sediment remediation following disturbance.

Publications

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., Myer, L. (in prep). Effects of ocean acidification on natural Antarctic marine microbial communities.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., van den Enden, R., Pearce, I., Seuront, L., Paterson, J.S. and Williams, G. (2010) Distribution and abundance of marine microbes in the Southern Ocean between 30 and 80°E longitude. Deep Sea Research II, 57:9-10, 815-827.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T, Cadman .N. (2008). Seasonal changes in effects of ambient UVR on natural communities of Antarctic marine protists. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 52:131-147.

Thomson, P.G., McMinn, A, Kiessling, I, Watson. M and Goldsworthy, P.M. (2006). Composition and succession of dinoflagellates and chrysophytes in the upper fast ice of Davis Station, East Antarctica. Polar Biology 29:4 337- 345.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., Cadman, N (2006). Seasonal changes in the effects of UV radiation on Antarctic marine microbes. Australian Antarctic Magazine 11:8-9.

Thomson, P.G., Nichols, P., Wright, S.W., Skerratt, J and McMinn, A (2004). Antarctic distribution, pigment and lipid composition and molecular taxonomy of the brine dinoflagellate, Polarella glacialis. Journal of Phycology 40:5.

Hanson, C.E., Mun Woo, L., Thomson, P.G., Pattiaratchi, C.B., (in prep). Observing the oceans with gliders: techniques for data visualisation and analysis. Oceanography.

Evans, C., Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., van den Enden, R., Witte, H., Brussaard, C.P.D. (2011). Microbial biogeography of the Australian Southern Ocean during SAZ-Sense. Deep Sea Research II, 58, 2150-2161.

Pearce I., Davidson A.T., Thomson P.G., Wright S.W., van den Enden R. (2011). Marine microbial ecology in the Sub-Antarctic Zone: rates of bacterial and phytoplankton growth and grazing by heterotrophic protists. Deep Sea Research II, 58, 2248-2259.

Pearce, I,. Davidson, A.T., Thomson, P.G., Wright, S.W. and van den Enden, R.L. (2010). Protozoan grazing in the Southern Ocean between 30 and 80oE longitude. Deep Sea Research II, 57 (9-10): 849-862.

Seuront, L., Leterme, S.C., Mitchell, J.G., Ashcroft, D., Noble, W., Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., van den Enden, R., Scott, F.J., Wright, S.W., Chapperon, C., Newton, K., Crib, N. (2010). Role of microbial and phytoplanktonic communities in the control of seawater viscosity off West Antarctica (30-80° E). Deep Sea Research II, 57, 877-886.

Piquet, A.M.T, Bolhuis, H, Davidson, A.T, Thomson, P.G., Buma, A.G.J (2008). Diversity and community analysis of Antarctic marine microbial eukaryotes under manipulated environmental UV radiation. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 66(2), pp 352-366.

Nicol, S., Kawaguchi, S., Jarvis, T. Williams, G., Bindoff, N. L., Thiele, D., Schwartz, J., Davidson, A., Wright, S., Gedamke, J. and Thomson, P.G (2006). An overview of a large ecosystem survey of the South West Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean (CCAMLR Division 58.4.2). CCAMLR WG-EMM-06/15 Agenda Item 4. 42 pp.

Davidson, A.T., Thomson, P.G., Westwood, K.J. and van den Enden, R. (2004). Estimation of bacterioplankton activity in Tasmanian coastal waters and between Tasmania and Antarctica using stains. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 37:33-45.

Goldsworthy, P.M. and Thomson, P.G. (2000). An extreme inland breeding locality of snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea) in the southern Prince Charles Mountains, Antarctica. Polar Biology 23:717-720.

McMinn, A., Hallegraeff, G.M., Thomson, P.G., Jenkinson, A.V. and Heijnis, H. (1997). Cyst and radionucleotide evidence for the recent introduction of the toxic dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum into Tasmania waters. Marine Ecology Progress Series 161:165-172.

Selected Conference Abstracts and Proceedings

Thomson, P.G., Driessen, D., Doblin, M., Clementson, L., and Thompson, P. 2012. Picoplankton abundance from IMOS National Reference Stations mark seasonal changes and extreme weather events in Australian coastal waters. Australian Marine Science Association, National Conference, 1 - 5 July, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., de Sala, M., Westwood, K., van den Enden, R., and Maher, L. 2010. Ocean acidification changes the composition of bloom communities of Antarctic marine microbes. XXXI SCAR Open Science Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 2010.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T ., Wright, S.W., Westwood, K., van den Enden, R., Johnson, R. and de Salas, M. 2010. Effects of Ocean Acidification on Coastal Antarctic Marine Microbes. A Taste of Ice, Antarctica New Zealand, Annual Conference, 5-7th July, 2010.

Thomson, P.G. 2010. Invited seminar. Phytoplankton and microbial research from the far south…and thoughts for the far north. Norwegian Polar Institute, 12th May, 2010.

Trull, T.W., Bowie, A.R., Davidson, A.T., Griffiths, F.B., Thomson, P.G., Rintoul, S.R., Tilbrook, B., Wright, S.W. and the SAZ-SENSE team (2008). The Australian SAZ-SENSE study of the sensitivity of the Sub-Antarctic Zone to climate change: an introduction. Effects of climate change on the World’s Oceans, International Symposium, 19th -23rd May, 2008, Gijón, Spain.

Thomson P.G., Davidson, A.T and Cadman, N (2006). Effects of ozone depletion on natural communities of Antarctic marine protists. SCAR Open Science Conference on Antarctica in the Earth System, 12 – 14th July 2006, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T., and Pearce, I. (2005). Do leaky marine bacteria holiday in the Southern Ocean? Marine Flow Cytometry Plenary Session, 2005 International Society for Analytical Cytology (ISAC) Samuel A Latt Conference ‘Stem Cells in the Age of Fluorescence Technology’, and the annual conference of the Australian Stem Cell Centre. Jupiter’s Casino, Gold Coast, Queensland, November 6-9 2005.

Thomson, P.G., Davidson, A.T, van den Enden, R. and Crossley, C. (2002). Bacterial viability and activity in the Southern Ocean. ASCMAP Bremerhaven. April 15-21, 2002 p15.

Thomson, P.G. and McMinn, A (1998). The effects of UV radiation on fast ice brine communities. SCAR VII International Biology Symposium, Antarctic Ecosystems: models for wider ecological understandings, 31 August - 4 September 1999, Christchurch. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23:92.

Thomson, P.G, McMinn, A., Hallegraeff, G.M., Heijnis, H. and Jackson, A (1996). Gymnodinium catenatum - Introduced pest or resurrected native? Australian Marine Science Association, National Conference, 1 - 13 July, Hobart, Tasmania.

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Deep Sea Biologist and Assistant Research Professor with Sea Serpent, a collaboration between UWA and other Australian universities and various oil and gas partners.

Previous positions

Research Assistant Professor, Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders, University of Western Australia, Perth WA, June 2011 - June 2012.
Marine Microbial Biologist, Australian Antarctic Division, September 2000 – 2011.
Marine Biologist, Electron Microscopy Unit, Australian Antarctic Division, May - August 2000.
Level A Academic Lecturer, CQU, Rockhampton, QLD, 1995 - 1992
Instructor/Research Technician, CQU, Rockhampton, QLD, 1992 - 1989

Current external positions

IMOS/CSIRO National Reference Station picoplankton analysis contract

Current projects

1. Microbial diversity in deep sea sediments
2. Picoplankton abundance at IMOS NRS stations around Australia
3. Effects of ocean acidification on marine microbes in Antarctic coasstal waters and the Southern Ocean

Research profile

Research profile and publications