Karen Diele
Marine Biologist
ABOUT
- BORN
1933
Hamburg, Germany - RESIDENCE
Edinburgh, UK
Australia
South America
Brazil
COMPOSITION
A Lament for Invertebrates
Written in: 2017 Performed by: Frances M LynchWhen I first met Karen Diele I was struck by her passion for her work both here in Scotland and in Brazil. She opened my eyes to an underwater world full of sound – some of which may be dangerous! Her research with her colleagues Edward Bolger, Dr Rob Briers, Dr Mark Hartl, Petra Harsanyi, Dr Ted Henry, Nick Mackay-Roberts, Dr Sonja Rueckert, Kevin Scott, Matthew Wales at Edinburgh Napier University and St Abbs Marine Station forms the basis of the text – a series of questions they are addressing about the effects of noise on sea creatures. The underwater sea world, also inspired by discussions with geo-physicist Dr Lara Kalnins includes the children of Primary 6, Canal View Primary school making sounds like the pistol crab, pile drivers and the final bubble curtain (made with a mixture of vocal sounds and straws in bottles of water) which helps reduce sound underwater.
Education
Karen grew up and attended schools in Hamburg, Stockholm and Duesseldorf. She studied Biology MSc in Wuerzburg and gained a Doctoral Degree in Bremen.
Scientific Achievement
Karen has uncovered the many facets of the life of the ecologically and commercially important Brazilian mangrove crab Ucides cordatus, caranguejo-uçá. She has published over 45 scientific articles with colleagues and students and described the linkage of the crabs’ reproduction with geophysical cycles, including the Syzygy Tide Inequality Cycle.
Occupation
She currently holds a position as a Reader in Marine Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University and is Co-Director of Research at St Abbs Marine Station.
Quirky Fact
Karen prefers to honour her father's date of birth, rather than provide her own, which is one quirky fact.
Karen prefers to honour her father's date of birth, rather than provide her own, which is one quirky fact.
Her Story
Until 2012, when Karen took up her current position in Scotland, her research focussed on Tropical Marine Ecology and she has worked and lived in Brazil for more than 10 years. In Scotland, she initiated a new research group to investigate the effects of natural and anthropogenic sound on temperate marine invertebrates such as crabs, mussels, squids, sea urchins. In the future, she will also study the role and effects of sound on tropical fauna, including her Brazilian mangrove crabs.
