In my role as an Ecosystem Scientist with Parks Canada, I conduct scientific research in support of the National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCA) program. Scientific advice is required to help address a wide variety of NMCA planning and management issues. My Adjunct position with UVIC Geography is a great way to combine theoretical research with application to real-world issues. I am interested in three major aspects of marine protected areas research: 1) assessing, monitoring and conserving marine biodiversity, 2) examining issues related to zoning within MPAs, and networking among MPAs, and 3) applying GIS-based and ecosystem models to recover and conserve marine species-at-risk.

I have a doctorate in biological oceanography from the University of British Columbia (1994). My research focused on the development of an ecosystem model to examine the interactions between ocean climate and fish production on the southwestern Vancouver Island continental shelf.  I have been an adjunct with the Department since 2000, and presently supervise or co-supervise 3 M.Sc. students, and I am on the committee of 4 other M.Sc. students. Projects include a wide variety of topics including monitoring fish diversity in Zostera marina beds, using GIS-models to predict critical forging habitats of Marbled Murrelets, and understanding relationships between oceanography and phytoplankton species diversity.  There are many possible opportunities to conduct broad-based marine conservation research with Parks Canada, and I look forward to interacting with new graduate students and colleagues in the MPA research group.

Graduate Students:
Trevor Haynes
Kate Leatherbarrow

Publications:

Conference Presentations

Leatherbarrow, K., P. Dearden and C. Robinson. Environmental Impacts of Recreational Boating in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada. Puget Sound Georgia Basin Research Conference, Seattle, Washington, USA (March 29-31, 2005).

Conference Proceedings

Yakimishyn, Y.L., C.L.K. Robinson, P. Dearden. 2004. The utility of beach seining for assessing fish diversity in eelgrass beds of Pacific Coastal National Park Reserves. Managing Protected Areas in a Changing World, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Science and Management of Protected Areas.

Robinson, C.L.K. 2001. Monitoring the ocean climate of coastal regions adjacent to Pacific Rim and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserves.  In Bondrup-Nielsen et al (eds) 2001, Managing Protected Areas in a Changing World, Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Science and Management of Protected Areas.

Tomascik, T., C.L.K. Robinson and A. Solomon. 2001. The Ecological Effectiveness of Temperate Marine Protected Areas: in search of empirical evidence. In Bondrup-Nielsen et al (eds) 2001, Managing Protected Areas in a Changing World, Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Science and Management of Protected Areas.

Journals

Robinson, C.L.K., J. Morrison, and M.G.G. Foreman. 2005. Oceanographic connectivity among marine protected areas on the north coast of British Columbia, Canada. Accepted in Canada Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Robinson, C.L.K., J.F.R. Gower, and G.A. Borstad. 2004. Twenty years of satellite observations describing phytoplankton blooms in seas adjacent to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Canada. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing 30:36-43.

Robinson, C.L.K. 2001. Climate-driven ecosystem models: A new tool for understanding variability in coastal marine ecosystems. Research Links Vol 8(3).

Tomascik, T. and C.L.K. Robinson. 2001. The Use of Recreational SCUBA Diving Surveys in the Southern Gulf Islands NMCA Feasibility Study. Research Links Vol 8(3).

Robinson, C.L.K. 2000. The consumption of euphausiids by the pelagic fish community off southwestern Vancouver Island. J. Plankton Research 22: 1649-1662.

Robinson, C.L.K. and D.M. Ware. 1999. Simulated and observed response of the southwest Vancouver Island pelagic ecosystem to oceanic conditions in the 1990s. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 56:2433-2443.

Wada, T, D.M. Ware, M. Kashiwai, and C.L.K. Robinson. 1998. Response of plankton and fish production dynamics to sardine abundance regimes shifts in the Oyashio Current region. Memoirs of the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University 45(1):123-130.

Books

Johannes, M.R.S, K.D. Hyatt and C.L.K. Robinson. 1999. The history of resource use in the Kennedy watershed of Clayoquot Sound and the recent development of information and community perspectives to guide salmon stock rebuilding. P. 134-143. In confronting Uncertainty: Managing change in water resources and the environment. Canadian Water Resource Association, British Columbia, Richmond. BC.