Dr. Mary Alkins-Koo

Lecturer (Zoology)

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:

• Inventory and distribution of freshwater macroinvertebrates particularly the aquatic insects of Trinidad & Tobago.
• The assessment and monitoring of anthropogenic impacts in freshwaters.
• Member, Advisory Committee, Programme in Environment and Resource Education (IERE), The Cropper Foundation

Courses Offered:

• General Ecology & Biometry
• Freshwater Biology
• Humans & the Environment 

Current Graduate students:

• Natalie Boodram (Ph.D.) Composition, Structure and Spatial Characteristics of Riparian Vegetation in Trinidad: A Baseline for Conservation and Restoration Planning [University of Florida, U.S.A.]
• Lester Doodnath (M.Phil.) - Population and foraging ecology of birds in the Caroni rice fields of Trinidad
• Sarsha Lall-Soobrattee (M.Phil.) - Aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna of Nariva Swamp (With Prof. P.R. Bacon, Life Sciences Department)
• Floyd Lucas (M.Phil.) - A watershed approach to the assessment of human impacts on rivers in the Northern Range, Trinidad
• Lorraine Maharaj (Ph.D.) - Benthic macroinvertebrate community responses to anthropogenic impacts in the rivers of Trinidad
• Shobha Maharaj (M.Phil.) Land use change impacts on aquatic ecosystems in the Arima Valley, Trinidad
• Sharda Surujdeo-Maharaj (Ph.D.) - Bioaccumulation of heavy metals by benthic macroinvertebrates in the rivers of Trinidad. (With Dr I. Chang Yen, Chemistry Department)

On-going Research Projects:

• Distribution patterns of benthic macroinvertebrates in the Guanapo River, Trinidad.
• Preparation of identification keys for the immature Trichoptera of Trinidad & Tobago.
• Historical background and bibliography of research conducted at the William Beebe Tropical Research Station (Simla), Arima Valley, Trinidad.

Selected Publications:

• 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.

• Alkins-Koo, M. 1998. Status report on Caribbean riverine systems and coarse-scale assessment of conservation priorities. pp.39-40, in D. Olson et al. (eds.) Freshwater Biodiversity of Latin America and the Caribbean: A conservation assessment. Biodiversity Support Program, Washington D.C.

• Maharaj, L.D. & M. Alkins-Koo. 1997. Seasonal occurrence of caddisflies and population dynamics of Helicopsyche margaritensis Botosaneanu in Trinidad, West Indies. pp.277-282 in R.W. Holzenthal & O.S. Flint Jr (Eds). Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Trichoptera, Ohio Biological Survey Special Publication.

• 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.