Dr. Mary Alkins-Koo

Senior Lecturer in Zoology

staff listing

Contact Information

Department of Life Sciences
The University of The West Indies
St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Location:
1st Floor, Natural Sciences Building, New Wing

Tel: 1(868) 662-2002 Ext.3094
Fax: 1(868) 663-5241

Send an Email

Educational Background:

• PhD (Zoology) U.W.I., St Augustine 1988
• MSc (Conservation) University College London 1977
• BSc (First Class Honours) U.W.I., St Augustine 1975

Areas of Expertise/Research Interests:

• 1997-2004: Member, Board of Management of the Asa Wright Nature Centre
• Member, Advisory Committee, Programme in Environment and Resource Education (IERE), The Cropper Foundation

Current Graduate students:

• Sharda Surujdeo-Maharaj (Ph.D.) - Heavy metals in rivers of Trinidad and Tobago
• Sarsha Lall-Soobrattee (M.Phil.) - Aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna of Nariva Swamp

On-going Research Projects:

• Ecological assessment and monitoring of rivers of Trinidad and Tobago
• Patterns of distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in Northern Range rivers
• Preparation of identification keys for the freshwater invertebrates of Trinidad & Tobago
• Historical background and bibliography of research conducted at the William Beebe Tropical Research Station (Simla), Arima Valley, Trinidad
• Development of case studies for teaching environmental science at secondary and tertiary levels

Selected Publications:

• Turner, D., D.D. Williams & M. Alkins-Koo. 2008. Longitudinal changes in benthic community composition in four neotropical streams. Caribbean Journal of Science 44(3): 380-394.
• Rostant, L.V., M. Alkins-Koo & D. P. Maitland. 2008. Growth and maturity in the manicou crab Eudaniela garmani (Brachyura, Pseudothelphusidae) from Trinidad, West Indies. Journal of Crustacean Biology 28(3): 485-493.
• Alkins-Koo, M.  2008. Freshwater ecosystems and industrial development in the southwest peninsula of Trinidad. Chapter 10 (pp. 147-160) in M. Khare, C. Sankat, G. Shrivastava & C. Venkobachar. (Eds) Aluminium Smelting: Health, Environment and Engineering Perspectives. Ian Randle, Kingston.
• Agard, J., M. Alkins-Koo, A. Cropper, K. Garcia, F. Homer, & S. Maharaj. 2005. Report of the Assessment of the Northern Range, Trinidad and Tobago: People and the Northern Range. State of the Environment Report 2004. Environmental Management Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
• Alkins-Koo, M. 2000 Reproductive timing of fishes in a tropical intermittent stream. Environmental Biology of Fishes 57: 49-66.
• Botosaneanu, L. & M. Alkins-Koo. 1993. The Caddis Flies (Insecta: Trichoptera) of Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. Bulletin de L'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Entomologie 63: 5-45.
• Gilliam, J.F., D.F. Fraser & M. Alkins-Koo. 1993. Structure of a tropical fish community: a role for biotic interactions. Ecology 74(6): 1856-1870.
• Nieser, N. & M. Alkins-Koo. 1991. The Water Bugs of Trinidad & Tobago. Occasional Paper 9, Zoology Department, U.W.I., St Augustine, 127pp.

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