Dr. Nessa O'Connor
Associate Professor, Zoology
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Emmett Duffy, J. and Stachowicz, J.J. and Reynolds, P.L. and Hovel, K.A. and Jahnke, M. and Sotka, E.E. and Bostrom, C. and Boyer, K.E. and Cusson, M. and Eklof, J. and Engelen, A.H. and Eriksson, B.K. and Joel Fodrie, F. and Griffin, J.N. and Hereu, C.M. and Hori, M. and Randall Hughes, A. and Ivanov, M.V. and Jorgensen, P. and Kruschel, C. and Lee, K.-S. and Lefcheck, J.S. and Moksnes, P.-O. and Nakaoka, M. and O'Connor, M.I. and O'Connor, N.E. and Orth, R.J. and Peterson, B.J. and Reiss, H. and Reiss, K. and Paul Richardson, J. and Rossi, F. and Ruesink, J.L. and Schultz, S.T. and Thormar, J. and Tomas, F. and Unsworth, R. and Voigt, E. and Whalen, M.A. and Ziegler, S.L. and Olsen, J.L., A Pleistocene legacy structures variation in modern seagrass ecosystems, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, (32), 2022
Hovel, Kevin A., Duffy, J. Emmett, Stachowicz, John J., Reynolds, Pamela, Boström, Christoffer, Boyer, Katharyn E., Cimon, Stéphanie, Cusson, Mathieu, Fodrie, Fredrick Joel, Gagnon, Karine, Hereu, Clara M., Hori, Masakazu, Jorgensen, Pablo, Kruschel, Claudia, Lee, Kun"Seop, Nakaoka, Masahiro, O"Connor, Nessa E., Rossi, Francesca, Ruesink, Jennifer, Tomas, Fiona, Ziegler, Shelby, Joint effects of patch edges and habitat degradation on faunal predation risk in a widespread marine foundation species, Ecology, 102, (5), 2021
Firth, Louise B., Curd, Amelia, Hawkins, Stephen J., Knights, Antony M., Blaze, Julie A., Burrows, Michael T., Dubois, Stanislas F., Edwards, Hugh, Foggo, Andy, Gribben, Paul E., Grant, Lisa, Harris, Daniel, Mieszkowska, Nova, Nunes, Flavia L.D., Nunn, Julia D., Power, Anne Marie, O'Riordan, Ruth M., McGrath, David, Simkanin, Christina, O'Connor, Nessa E., On the diversity and distribution of a data deficient habitat in a poorly mapped region: The case of Sabellaria alveolata L. in Ireland, Marine Environmental Research, 169, 2021, p105344
Gilson, AR, Smale, DA, Burrows, MT, O"Connor, NE, Spatio-temporal variability in the deposition of beach-cast kelp (wrack) and inter-specific differences in degradation rates, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 674, 2021, p89-102
Abby R. Gilson, Dan A. Smale, Nessa O"Connor, Ocean warming and species range shifts affect rates of ecosystem functioning by altering consumer"resource interactions, Ecology, 2021
Louise B. Firth, Daniel Harris, Julie A. Blaze, Martin P. Marzloff, Aurélien Boyé, Peter I. Miller, Amelia Curd, Mickaël Vasquez, Julia D. Nunn, Nessa E. O"Connor, Anne Marie Power, Nova Mieszkowska, Ruth M. O"Riordan, Michael T. Burrows, Lucy M. Bricheno, Antony M. Knights, Flavia L. D. Nunes, François Bordeyne, Laura E. Bush, James E. Byers, Carmen David, Andrew J. Davies, Stanislas F. Dubois, Hugh Edwards, Andy Foggo, Lisa Grant, J. A. Mattias Green, Paul E. Gribben, Fernando P. Lima, David McGrath, Laure M. L. J. Noël, Rui Seabra, Christina Simkanin, Stephen J. Hawkins, Enrico Pirotta, Specific niche requirements underpin multidecadal range edge stability, but may introduce barriers for climate change adaptation, Diversity and Distributions, 2021
Zwerschke, N., Eagling, L., Roberts, D. & O'Connor, N. E., Can an invasive species compensate for the loss of a declining native species? Functional similarity of native and introduced oysters, Marine environmental research, 153, 2020, p104793-
Bertolini, C., Montgomery, W. I., & O'Connor, N.E., Edge effects are not linked to key ecological processes in a fragmented biogenic reef, Estuaries and Coasts, 43, 2020, p708 - 721
White, Lydia, O"Connor, Nessa E., Yang, Qiang, Emmerson, Mark C., Donohue, Ian, Individual species provide multifaceted contributions to the stability of ecosystems, Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4, (12), 2020, p1594-1601
Whalen, Matthew A., Whippo, Ross D. B., Stachowicz, John J., York, Paul H., Aiello, Erin, Alcoverro, Teresa, Altieri, Andrew H., Benedetti-Cecchi, Lisandro, Bertolini, Camilla, Bresch, Midoli, Bulleri, Fabio, Carnell, Paul E., Cimon, Stéphanie, Connolly, Rod M., Cusson, Mathieu, Diskin, Meredith S., D"Souza, Elrika, Flores, Augusto A. V., Fodrie, F. Joel, Galloway, Aaron W. E., Gaskins, Leo C., Graham, Olivia J., Hanley, Torrance C., Henderson, Christopher J., Hereu, Clara M., Hessing-Lewis, Margot, Hovel, Kevin A., Hughes, Brent B., Hughes, A. Randall, Hultgren, Kristin M., Jänes, Holger, Janiak, Dean S., Johnston, Lane N., Jorgensen, Pablo, Kelaher, Brendan P., Kruschel, Claudia, Lanham, Brendan S., Lee, Kun-Seop, Lefcheck, Jonathan S., Lozano-Álvarez, Enrique, Macreadie, Peter I., Monteith, Zachary L., O"Connor, Nessa E., Olds, Andrew D., O"Leary, Jennifer K., Patrick, Christopher J., Pino, Oscar, Poore, Alistair G. B., Rasheed, Michael A., Raymond, Wendel W., Reiss, Katrin, Rhoades, O. Kennedy, Robinson, Max T., Ross, Paige G., Rossi, Francesca, Schlacher, Thomas A., Seemann, Janina, Silliman, Brian R., Smee, Delbert L., Thiel, Martin, Unsworth, Richard K. F., van Tussenbroek, Brigitta I., Vergés, Adriana, Yeager, Mallarie E., Yednock, Bree K., Ziegler, Shelby L., Duffy, J. Emmett, Climate drives the geography of marine consumption by changing predator communities, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117, (45), 2020, p28160-28166
Harford, Niamh, O"Connor, Nessa, Taylor, David, Impact resistance of limpet shells: a study of local adaptations, Applied Physics A, 126, (9), 2020
Magill, C. L., Maggs, C. A. M., Johnson, M. P. & O'Connor, N.E., Sustainable harvesting of the ecosystem engineer Corallina officinalis for biomaterials, Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 2019, p285-
Hunter, W. R., Ogle, N. & O'Connor, N.E., Warming affects predatory faunal impacts upon microbial carbon cycling, Functional Ecology, 2019
Bertolini C., Montgomery W.I., O'Connor N.E., Habitat with small inter-structural spaces promotes mussel survival and reef generation, Marine Biology, 165, (10), 2018
Reddin, C. J., Bothwell, J. H., O'Connor, N. E., Harrod, C. , The effects of spatial scale and isoscape on consumer isotopic niche width, Functional Ecology, 2018
Van Der Molen, J. and Ruardij, P. and Mooney, K. and Kerrison, P. and O'Connor, N.E. and Gorman, E. and Timmermans, K. and Wright, S. and Kelly, M. and Hughes, A.D. and Capuzzo, E., Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters, Biogeosciences, 15, (4), 2018, p1123-1147
Zwerschke N., van Rein H., Harrod C., Reddin C., Emmerson M.C., Roberts D., O'Connor N.E., Competition between co-occurring invasive and native consumers switches between habitats, Functional Ecology, 32, (12), 2018, p2717 - 2729, p2717-2729
van der Molen, J., Ruardij, P., Mooney, K., Kerrison, P., O'Connor, N. E., Gorman, E., Timmermans, K., Wright, S., Kelly, M., Hughes, A. D., Capuzzo, E., Modelling potential production and environmental effects of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters, Biogeosciences, 2018
White, L.J., Donohue, I., Emmerson, M.C. & O'Connor, N. E., Combined effects of warming and nutrients on marine communities are moderated by predators and vary across functional groups, Global Change Biology, 24, 2018, 5853 - 5866
Mooney K.M., Beatty G.E., Elsasser B., Follis E.S., Kregting L., O'Connor N.E., Riddell G.E., Provan J., Hierarchical structuring of genetic variation at differing geographic scales in the cultivated sugar kelp Saccharina latissima, Marine Environmental Research, 2018, p108 - 115, p108-115
Zwerschke, N., Kochmann, J., Ashton, E. C., Crowe, T. P., Roberts, D., O'Connor, N. E., Co-occurrence of native Ostrea edulis and non-native Crassostrea gigas revealed by monitoring of intertidal oyster populations, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2018
Reynolds, P.L., Stachowicz, J.J., Hovel, K., Boström, C., Boyer, K., Cusson, M., Eklöf, J.S., Engel, F.G., Engelen, A.H., Eriksson, B.K., Fodrie, F.J., Griffin, J.N., Hereu, C.M., Hori, M., Hanley, T.C., Ivanov, M., Jorgensen, P., Kruschel, C., Lee, K.-S., McGlathery, K., Moksnes, P.-O., Nakaoka, M., O'Connor, M.I., O'Connor, N.E., Orth, R.J., Rossi, F., Ruesink, J., Sotka, E.E., Thormar, J., Tomas, F., Unsworth, R.K.F., Whalen, M.A., Duffy, J.E., Latitude, temperature, and habitat complexity predict predation pressure in eelgrass beds across the Northern Hemisphere, Ecology, 99, (1), 2018, p29-35
Firth, L.B., Grant, L.M., Crowe, T.P., Ellis, J.S., Wiler, C., Convery, C., O'Connor, N.E., Factors affecting the prevalence of the trematode parasite Echinostephilla patellae (Lebour, 1911) in the limpet Patella vulgata (L.), Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2017
Donohue, I., Petchey, O. L., Kéfi, S., Génin, A., Jackson, A. L., Yang, Q., O'Connor, N. E., Loss of predator species, not intermediate consumers, triggers rapid and dramatic extinction cascades, Global Change Biology, 23, 2017, p2962 - 2972
Bertolini, C., Geraldi, N.R., Montgomery, W.I., O'Connor, N.E., Substratum type and conspecific density as drivers of mussel patch formation, Journal of Sea Research, 121, 2017, p24-32
Geraldi, N.R., Bertolini, C., Emmerson, M.C., Roberts, D., Sigwart, J.D., O'Connor, N.E., Aggregations of brittle stars can perform similar ecological roles as mussel reefs, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 563, 2017, p157-167
Green, D.S., Boots, B., O'Connor, N.E., Thompson, R., Microplastics Affect the Ecological Functioning of an Important Biogenic Habitat, Environmental Science and Technology, 51, (1), 2017, p68-77
Vye, S.R., Emmerson, M.C., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Cumulative effects of multiple stressors: An invasive oyster and nutrient enrichment reduce subsequent invasive barnacle recruitment, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 486, 2017, p322-327
Kyle, R., Reid, N., O'Connor, N., Roberts, D., Development of release methods for captive-bred freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera, Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 27, (2), 2017, p492-501
Calderwood, J., O'Connor, N.E., Roberts, D., Efficiency of starfish mopping in reducing predation on cultivated benthic mussels (Mytilus edulis Linnaeus), Aquaculture, 452, 2016, p88-96
Calderwood, J., O'Connor, N.E., Roberts, D., Breaking and entering: Examining the role of stress and aerial exposure in predator-prey relationships between the common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) and cultivated blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), Aquaculture, 452, 2016, p217-223
Firth, L. B., Knights, T. M., Bridger, D., Evans, A., Mieskowska, N., Moore, P. J., O'Connor, N. E., Sheehan, E. V., Thompson, R. C., Hawkins, S. J., Ocean sprawl: challenges and opportunities for biodiversity management in a changing world, Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 54, 2016, p189 - 262
Zwerschke, N., Emmerson, M.C., Roberts, D., O'Connor, N.E., Benthic assemblages associated with native and non-native oysters are similar, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 111, (1-2), 2016, p305-310
Donohue, I., Hillebrand, H., Montoya, J.M.; Petchey, O.L., Pimm, S.L., Fowler, M.S., Healy, K., Jackson, A.L., Lurgi, M., McClean, D., O'Connor, N.E., O'Gorman, E.J. & Yang, Q., Navigating the complexity of ecological stability, Ecology Letters, 19, 2016, p1072 - 1085
Mrowicki, R.J., O'Connor, N.E. & Donohue, I., Temporal variability of a single population can determine the vulnerability of communities to perturbations, Journal of Ecology, 104, 2016, p887 - 897
Reddin, C.J., O'Connor, N.E., Harrod, C., Living to the range limit: Consumer isotopic variation increases with environmental stress, PeerJ, 2016, (6), 2016
Vye, S.R., Emmerson, M.C., Arenas, F., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Stressor intensity determines antagonistic interactions between species invasion and multiple stressor effects on ecosystem functioning, Oikos, 124, (8), 2015, p1005-1012
Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Predation in the marine intertidal amphipod Echinogammarus marinus Leach: Implications of inter- and intra-individual variation, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 462, 2015, p50-54
Reddin, C.J., Docmac, F., O'Connor, N.E., Bothwell, J.H., Harrod, C., Coastal upwelling drives intertidal assemblage structure and trophic ecology, PLoS ONE, 10, (7), 2015
Calderwood, J., O'Connor, N.E., Roberts, D., Effects of baited crab pots on cultivated mussel (Mytilus edulis) survival rates, ICES Journal of Marine Science, 72, (6), 2015, p1802-1810
Mrowicki, R.J., Maggs, C.A., O'Connor, N.E., Consistent effects of consumer species loss across different habitats, Oikos, 124, (12), 2015, p1555-1563
Calderwood, J., O'Connor, N.E., Roberts, D., The effects of transportation stress and barnacle fouling on predation rates of starfish (Asterias rubens) on mussels (Mytilus edulis), Aquaculture, 444, 2015, p108-113
O'Connor, N.E., Bracken, M.E.S., Crowe, T.P. & Donohue, I., Nutrient enrichment alters the consequences of species loss, Journal of Ecology, 103, 2015, p862-870
Mrowicki, R.J., O'Connor, N.E., Wave action modifies the effects of consumer diversity and warming on algal assemblages, Ecology, 96, (4), 2015, p1020-1029
Calderwood, J., O'Connor, N.E., Sigwart, J.D., Roberts, D., Determining optimal duration of seed translocation periods for benthic mussel (Mytilus edulis) cultivation using physiological and behavioural measures of stress, Aquaculture, 434, 2014, p288-295
Mrowicki, R.J., Maggs, C.A., O'Connor, N.E., Does wave exposure determine the interactive effects of losing key grazers and ecosystem engineers?, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 461, 2014, p416-424
O'Connor, N.E., Emmerson, M.C., Crowe, T.P. & Donohue, I., Distinguishing between direct and indirect effects of predators in complex ecosystems, Journal of Animal Ecology, 82, 2013, p438-448
O'Connor, N.E. & Donohue, I. , Environmental context determines multi-trophic effects of consumer species loss, Global Change Biology, 19, 2013, p431-440
Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Trait-mediated indirect interactions in a marine intertidal system as quantified by functional responses, Oikos, 122, (11), 2013, p1521-1531
Donohue, I., Petchey, O.L., Montoya, J.M., Jackson, A.L., McNally, L., Viana, M., Healy, K., Lurgi, M., O'Connor, N.E. & Emmerson, M.C., On the dimensionality of ecological stability, Ecology Letters, 16, 2013, p421 - 429
Smale, D.A., Burrows, M.T., Moore, P., O'Connor, N., Hawkins, S.J., Threats and knowledge gaps for ecosystem services provided by kelp forests: A northeast Atlantic perspective, Ecology and Evolution, 3, (11), 2013, p4016-4038
Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Born to kill: Predatory functional responses of the littoral amphipod Echinogammarus marinus Leach throughout its life history, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 439, 2013, p92-99
O'Connor, N.E., Impacts of sewage outfalls on rocky shores: Incorporating scale, biotic assemblage structure and variability into monitoring tools, Ecological Indicators, 29, 2013, p501-509
Matias, M.G., Chapman, M.G., Underwood, A.J., O'Connor, N.E., Increasing density of rare species of intertidal gastropods: Tests of competitive ability compared with common species, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 453, 2012, p107-116
Reality check: issues of scale and abstraction in biodiversity research, and potential solutions in, editor(s)Paterson, D. M., Aspden, R. J. A. & Solan, M. , Marine biodiversity futures and ecosystem functioning: Frameworks, methodologies and integration, Oxford University Press, 2012, pp185 - 199, [Crowe, T. P., Bracken, M. E. & O'Connor, N. E. ]
Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A., O'Connor, N.E., Haddaway, N.R., Farnsworth, K.D., Functional responses of the intertidal amphipod Echinogammarus marinus: Effects of prey supply, model selection and habitat complexity, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 468, 2012, p191-202
O'Connor, N.E., Donohue, I., Crowe, T.P. & Emmerson, M.C., Importance of consumers on exposed and sheltered rocky shores, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 443, 2011, p65 - 75
O'Connor, N.E., Shore exposure affects mussel population structure and mediates the effect of epibiotic algae on mussel survival in SW Ireland, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 87, (1), 2010, p83-91
O'Connor, N.E., Grabowski, J.H., Ladwig, L.M., Bruno, J.F., Simulated predator extinctions: Predator identity affects survival and recruitment of oysters, Ecology, 89, (2), 2008, p428-438
O'Connor, N.E., Crowe, T.P., Do mussel patches provide a refuge for algae from grazing gastropods?, Journal of Molluscan Studies, 74, (1), 2008, p75-78
O'Connor, N.E., Crowe, T.P., Biodiversity among mussels: Separating the influence of sizes of mussels from the ages of patches, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 87, (2), 2007, p551-557
O'Connor, N.E., Bruno, J.F., Predatory fish loss affects the structure and functioning of a model marine food web, Oikos, 116, (12), 2007, p2027-2038
O'Connor, N.E., Crowe, T.P., McGrath, D., Effects of epibiotic algae on the survival, biomass and recruitment of mussels, Mytilus L. (Bivalvia: Mollusca), Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 328, (2), 2006, p265-276
O'Connor, N. E. & Crowe, T. P. , Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: distinguishing between effects of the number of species and their identities., Ecology , 86 , 2005, p1783 - 1796.
O'Connor, N.E., Crowe, T.P., Biodiversity loss and ecosystem functioning: Distinguishing between number and identity of species, Ecology, 86, (7), 2005, p1783-1796