Craig Stevens

NIWA Greta Point

Address:
Private Bag 14901, Wellington
301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington
Phone +64 4 386 0565
Fax +64 4 386 0574
Email: c.stevens@niwa.cri.nz

I'm interested in the connection between physical and biological processes at the "individual scale" in a sub/intertidal context. This involves relating small-scale fluid mechanics to likely ecological drivers. Boundary-layer processes and wave-plant interactions are overarching themes. We are presently exploring how microscopic seaweed propagules actually manage to find and stay attached to rocky shorelines. We use a range of techniques including insitu observations, laboratory experiments and a suite of numerical approaches.

Selected Publications

Plew, DR; RH Spigel, CL Stevens, RI Nokes, and MJ Davidson. 2006.
Stratified flow interactions with a suspended canopy, Environ. Fluid
Mech. 6: 519-539. http://www.springerlink.com/content/j081551w2114j585/

Harder, D.L.; Stevens, C.L.; Speck, T.; Hurd, C.L.^ 2005. The role of
blade buoyancy and reconfiguration in the mechanical adaptation of
wave-exposed seaweeds, SEB Book on Biomechanics and Ecology, pg 61-84.

Stevens, C.L. Schiel D.R., Taylor, D.I., Delaux, S., Smith, M. 2006, Characterisation of wave-influenced macroalgal propagule settlement, submitted to J. Marine Systems, Sept 2006.

Plew, DR; RH Spigel, CL Stevens, RI Nokes, and MJ Davidson. 2006. Stratified flow interactions with a suspended canopy, to appear Jour. Env. Fluid Mech.

Harder, D.L.; Stevens, C.L.; Speck, T.; Hurd, C.L. 2005. The role of blade buoyancy and reconfiguration in the mechanical adaptation of wave-exposed seaweeds, conditionally accepted for the SEB Book on Biomechanics and Ecology, Jan. 2005.

Ackerman, J.D. , C. L. Stevens and C. L. Hurd (2004) Special issue: biophysical factors affecting the growth and survival of aquatic organisms, Jour. Marine Systems, 49, 1-2.

Stevens, C.L., C.L. Hurd, M.J. Smith, 2004. An idealised model of interaction between fronds of the large seaweed Durvillaea antarctica, Jour. Marine Systems, 49, 145-156.

Stevens, C.L., C.L. Hurd and P.E. Isachsen 2003 Modeling Diffusion Boundary-Layers in Subtidal Macroalgal Canopies: The Response to Waves and Currents, Aquatic Sciences, 65, 81-91.

Stevens, C.L., C.L. Hurd & M.J. Smith 2002 Field Measurement of the Dynamics of the Bull Kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Heriot, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 269(2), 147-171.

Stevens, C.L., C.L. Hurd & M.J. Smith, 2001 Water Motion Relative to Subtidal Kelp Fronds, Limnology and Oceanography 46(3), 668-678.

Stevens, C. and C.L. Hurd 1997 Boundary-layers around aquatic macrophytes Hydrobiologia, 346, 119-128.

Hurd, C.L. and C.L. Stevens 1997 Flow visualization around single and multiple-bladed seaweeds with varying morphologies J. Phycol. Vol. 33, No. 3, 360-367. (nominated for 1997 J. Phycol. Provasoli Award).

Hurd, C.L., C. Stevens, B. Laval, P.J. Harrison and G.A. Lawrence 1997 Visualization of seawater flow around morphologically distinct forms of Macrocystis integrifolia from wave-sheltered and exposed sites, Limnol. and Oceanogr. 42(1) 156-163.