Dr Emma Rocke
Phone: 072 4262807
Email: emma.rocke@uct.ac.za
Research Interests: Marine microbial ecology, genetic variation in marine ecosystems, big data bioinformatics.
Biography:
BSc Ecology (Honours), Concordia University, Montreal
MSc in Environmental Technology and International Affairs, Technical University of Vienna & Diplomatic Academy of Vienna
PhD in Marine microbial Ecology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Thesis Title: Marine Molecular Ecology of Protist diversity in Coastal hypoxic environments.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape Town
Research interests
I am a marine microbiologist with a particular interest in microbial community dynamics in ocean ecosystems. I strive for a holistic approach to answering scientific questions through collaborations with microbiologists, ecologists, engineers and physical oceanographers. I have spent the last 8 years focusing on the Southern Benguela Upwelling region, with a specific focus on how the resident microbial community is affecting critical nutrient cycling here.
Publications:
Rocke, E., Jing, H., Liu, H. (2012). Phylogenetic composition and distribution of picoeukaryotes in the hypoxic
northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. MicrobiologyOpen, 2(1) 130-143.
Rocke, E ., Liu, H. (2013) Respiration, Growth and Grazing rates of three Ciliate species in Hypoxic conditions.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 85 (2014), pp. 410-417 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.04.050
Bernhard, J.M., Kormas, K., Pachiadaki, M.G., Rocke, E., Beaudoin, D.J., Morrison, C., Visscher, P.Y., Cobban,
A., Starczak, V.R., Edgcomb, V.P. (2014) Benthic protists and fungi of Mediterranean deep hypersaline anoxic
basin redoxcline sediments. Frontiers Microbiology, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00605
Rocke, E ., Jing, H., Liu, H. (2015). Effects of Hypoxia on the Phylogenetic composition and Species
Distribution of Protists in a Subtropical Harbour. Microbial Ecology, DOI 10.1007/s00248-016-0751-7
Rocke, E ., Pachiadicki, M.G., Kujawinski, E.B., Edgcomb, V.P. (2015) Protist Community Grazing on Prokaryotic
Prey in Deep Ocean Water Masses. PLOSONE 10:4
Jing, HM., Rocke, E., Xia, XM., Kong, L., Liu, HB. (2015) Protist communities in a marine oxygen minimum
zone off Costa Rica by 454 pyrosequencing. In review: Biogeosciences Discuss.
Rocke, E. , Noyon, M., Roberts, M. (2020) Picoplankton and Nanoplankton composition on and around a
seamount, affected by an eddy dipole south of Madagascar. Deep Sea Research II.
Rocke, E ., Gebe, Z., Cheung, I., Dames, N., Liu. HB., Moloney, C. (2020) Marine Microbial Community
Composition During the Upwelling Season in the Southern Benguela. Frontiers in Marine Science.
Malongweni, N., Giering,S., Noyon, M., & Roberts, M.J., Rocke, E. (2022) Vertical biogeochemical fluxes on the
Agulhas bank and its possible implication for the benthic nepheloid layer. In review. Deep Sea Research II.