Helen Peat

Head of Polar Data Centre

Helen Peat

Team

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Helen Peat

Biography

I am responsible for the UK Polar Data Centre which is the focal point for Arctic and Antarctic environmental data management in the UK. The data centre comprises a team of data managers that manage biological, marine, physical and geophysical data  collected in polar regions and supports UK researchers in complying with national and international data legislation and policy. I am the UK representative on the SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management.

I have over 20 years experience using Oracle RDBMS, SQL, Oracle form and report tools, and more recently Application Express to design web front ends to Oracle databases both for data entry and data retrieval. Some of the databases and interfaces I have developed include:

  • The Antarctic Plant Database – a database of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic plant specimens;
  • Krillbase – a database of krill abundances and length frequencies;
  • Higher Predator Monitoring data – a database of long-term higher predator monitoring data conducted by the British Antarctic Survey at a variety of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic localities including data on population size, breeding success, diet and weight;
  • Rothera Oceanographic and Biological Time Series data – a database of long-term measurements of sea ice, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, pH and macronutrients (N, P, Si) in the water column at Ryder Bay, Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

Employment

2018- present Head of the UK Polar Data Centre, British Antarctic Survey

2004-2018 Senior data manager (band 5), British Antarctic Survey

1993-2004 Data manager (band 6), British Antarctic Survey

1989-1993 Reasearch Assistant, Dept of Biological Sciences, University of York

Education

1989-1992 D. Phil, University of York, Thesis entitled:  Ecological Flora Database of the British Isles

1988-1989 MSc Information Studies, University of Sheffield

1984-1987 BSc Biology, University of York

Research interests

Collaborations

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2024

Blair, Gordon S. ORCIDORCID record for Gordon S. Blair, Baker, Garry, Bee, Emma, Bowie, Jo, Byrne, James ORCIDORCID record for James Byrne, Darroch, Louise, Fremand, Alice ORCIDORCID record for Alice Fremand, Garland, Wendy, Harrison, Kathryn, Heaven, Rachel, Ten Hoopen, Petra ORCIDORCID record for Petra Ten Hoopen, Juckes, Martin, Kingdon, Andy ORCIDORCID record for Andy Kingdon, Kingston, Richard, Kokkinaki, Alexandra, Lewis, Edd ORCIDORCID record for Edd Lewis, MacRae, Molly, Mobbs, Stephen, Moncoiffe, Gwenaelle, Pascoe, Charlotte, Passmore, James, Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat, Pepler, Sam, Shepherd, Andy, Siddorn, John ORCIDORCID record for John Siddorn, Snaith, Helen, Tate, Alex ORCIDORCID record for Alex Tate, Townsend, Poppy, Walsh, Colm, Watkins, John ORCIDORCID record for John Watkins. (2024) Contributions to the development of the next-generation NERC Environmental Data Service: Building Interoperability – a NERC Data Commons RoadMap. , UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, 123 pp. (.)

2023

Venables, Hugh, Meredith, Michael P. ORCIDORCID record for Michael P. Meredith, Hendry, Katharine R. ORCIDORCID record for Katharine R. Hendry, ten Hoopen, Petra ORCIDORCID record for Petra ten Hoopen, Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat, Chapman, Alice, Beaumont, Jennifer, Piper, Rayner, Miller, Andrew J., Mann, Paul, Rossetti, Helen, Massey, Ali, Souster, Terri ORCIDORCID record for Terri Souster, Reeves, Simon, Fenton, Mairi, Heiser, Sabrina, Pountney, Sam, Reed, Sarah, Waring, Zoë, Clark, Marlon, Bolton, Emma, Mathews, Ryan, London, Hollie, Clement, Alice, Stuart, Emma, Reichardt, Aurelia, Brandon, Mark, Leng, Melanie ORCIDORCID record for Melanie Leng, Arrowsmith, Carol, Annett, Amber, Henley, Sian F., Clarke, Andrew ORCIDORCID record for Andrew Clarke. (2023) Sustained, year-round oceanographic measurements from Rothera Research Station, Antarctica, 1997-2017. Scientific Data, 10 (). pp. 10.1038/s41597-023-02172-5

2022

ten Hoopen, Petra ORCIDORCID record for Petra ten Hoopen, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Ward, Peter, Tarling, Geraint A. ORCIDORCID record for Geraint A. Tarling. (2022) Polar biodiversity data: from a national marine platform to a global data portal. Patterns, 3 (). 8 pp. 10.1016/j.patter.2022.100566

Frémand, Alice C. ORCIDORCID record for Alice C. Frémand, Bodart, Julien A. ORCIDORCID record for Julien A. Bodart, Jordan, Tom A. ORCIDORCID record for Tom A. Jordan, Ferraccioli, Fausto ORCIDORCID record for Fausto Ferraccioli, Robinson, Carl ORCIDORCID record for Carl Robinson, Corr, Hugh F.J., Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Bingham, Robert G., Vaughan, David G. ORCIDORCID record for David G. Vaughan. (2022) British Antarctic Survey’s aerogeophysical data: releasing 25 years of airborne gravity, magnetic, and radar datasets over Antarctica. Earth System Science Data, 14 (). pp. 10.5194/essd-14-3379-2022

Clarke, Andrew ORCIDORCID record for Andrew Clarke, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat. (2022) Seasonal and interannual variability of feeding in Antarctic benthos. Limnology and Oceanography, 67 (). pp. 10.1002/lno.12048

2017

Atkinson, Angus, Hill, Simeon L. ORCIDORCID record for Simeon L. Hill, Pakhomov, Evgeny A., Siegel, Volker, Anadon, Ricardo, Chiba, Sanae, Daly, Kendra L., Downie, Rod, Fielding, Sophie ORCIDORCID record for Sophie Fielding, Fretwell, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Fretwell, Gerrish, Laura ORCIDORCID record for Laura Gerrish, Hosie, Graham W., Jessopp, Mark J., Kawaguchi, So, Krafft, Bjørn A., Loeb, Valerie, Nishikawa, Jun, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Reiss, Christian S., Ross, Robin M., Quetin, Langdon B., Schmidt, Katrin, Steinberg, Deborah K., Subramaniam, Roshni C., Tarling, Geraint A. ORCIDORCID record for Geraint A. Tarling, Ward, Peter. (2017) KRILLBASE: a circumpolar database of Antarctic krill and salp numerical densities, 1926–2016. Earth System Science Data, 9 (). pp. doi:10.5194/essd-9-193-2017

Waluda, Claire M. ORCIDORCID record for Claire M. Waluda, Hill, Simeon L. ORCIDORCID record for Simeon L. Hill, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Trathan, Philip N. ORCIDORCID record for Philip N. Trathan. (2017) Long term variability in the diet and reproductive performance of penguins at Bird Island, South Georgia. Marine Biology, 164 (). pp. 10.1007/s00227-016-3067-8

2016

Tarling, G.A. ORCIDORCID record for G.A. Tarling, Hill, S. ORCIDORCID record for S. Hill, Peat, H. ORCIDORCID record for H. Peat, Fielding, S. ORCIDORCID record for S. Fielding, Reiss, C., Atkinson, A.. (2016) Growth and shrinkage in Antarctic krill Euphausia superba is sex-dependent. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 547 (). pp. 10.3354/meps11634

2015

Afanasyev, Vsevolod, Buldyrev, S.V., Dunn, Michael ORCIDORCID record for Michael Dunn, Robst, Jeremy, Preston, Mark, Bremner, Steven, Briggs, Dirk, Brown, Ruth, Adlard, Stacey, Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat. (2015) Increasing accuracy: a new design and algorithm for automatically measuring weights, travel direction and radio frequency identification (RFID) of penguins.. PLoS One, 10 (). pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0126292

2014

Horswill, Catharine ORCIDORCID record for Catharine Horswill, Matthiopoulos, Jason, Green, Jonathan A., Meredith, Michael P. ORCIDORCID record for Michael P. Meredith, Forcada, Jaume ORCIDORCID record for Jaume Forcada, Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat, Preston, Mark, Trathan, Phil N. ORCIDORCID record for Phil N. Trathan, Ratcliffe, Norman ORCIDORCID record for Norman Ratcliffe. (2014) Survival in macaroni penguins and the relative importance of different drivers: individual traits, predation pressure and environmental variability. Journal of Animal Ecology, 83 (). pp. 10.1111/1365-2656.12229

2013

Purvis, O.W., Convey, P. ORCIDORCID record for P. Convey, Flowerdew, M.J., Peat, H.J. ORCIDORCID record for H.J. Peat, Najorka, J., Kearsley, A.. (2013) Iron localization in Acarospora colonizing schist on Signy Island. Antarctic Science, 25 (). pp. doi:10.1017/S0954102012000582

2012

Terauds, Aleks, Chown, Steven L., Morgan, Fraser, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Watts, David J., Keys, Harry, Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey, Bergstrom, Dana M.. (2012) Conservation biogeography of the Antarctic. Diversity and Distributions, 18 (). pp. 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00925.x

Waluda, Claire M. ORCIDORCID record for Claire M. Waluda, Hill, Simeon L. ORCIDORCID record for Simeon L. Hill, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Trathan, Philip N. ORCIDORCID record for Philip N. Trathan. (2012) Diet variability and reproductive performance of macaroni penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus at Bird Island, South Georgia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 466 (). pp. 10.3354/meps09930

2011

Fretwell, Peter T. ORCIDORCID record for Peter T. Fretwell, Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey, Fleming, Andrew H. ORCIDORCID record for Andrew H. Fleming, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Hughes, Kevin A. ORCIDORCID record for Kevin A. Hughes. (2011) Detecting and mapping vegetation distribution on the Antarctic Peninsula from remote sensing data. Polar Biology, 34 (). pp. 10.1007/s00300-010-0880-2

2007

Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Clarke, Andrew ORCIDORCID record for Andrew Clarke, Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey. (2007) Diversity and biogeography of the Antarctic flora. Journal of Biogeography, 34 (). pp. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2006.01565.x

2006

Trathan, P.N. ORCIDORCID record for P.N. Trathan, Green, C., Tanton, J., Peat, H. ORCIDORCID record for H. Peat, Poncet, J., Morton, A.. (2006) Foraging dynamics of macaroni penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus at South Georgia during brood-guard. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 323 (). pp. doi:10.3354/meps3232339

2005

Newsham, K.K. ORCIDORCID record for K.K. Newsham, Geissler, P.A., Nicolson, M.J., Peat, H.J. ORCIDORCID record for H.J. Peat, Lewis-Smith, R.I.. (2005) Sequential reduction of UV-B radiation in the field alters the pigmentation of an Antarctic leafy liverwort. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 54 (). pp. doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2004.05.006

2003

Quayle, Wendy C., Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey, Peck, Lloyd S. ORCIDORCID record for Lloyd S. Peck, Ellis-Evans, Cynan J., Butler, Helen G., Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat. (2003) Ecological responses of maritime Antarctic lakes to regional climate change. Antarctic Research Series, 79 (). pp.

Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey, Block, William, Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat. (2003) Soil arthropods as indicators of water stress in Antarctic terrestrial habitats?. Global Change Biology, 9 (). pp. 10.1046/j.1529-8817.2003.00691.x

2002

George, Alison L., Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat, Buma, Anita G.J.. (2002) Evaluation of DNA dosimetry to assess ozone-mediated variability of biologically harmful radiation in Antarctica. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 76 (). pp. 10.1562/0031-8655(2002)076<0274:EODDTA>2.0.CO;2

Quayle, Wendy C., Peck, Lloyd S. ORCIDORCID record for Lloyd S. Peck, Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat, Ellis-Evans, J.C., Harrigan, P. Richard. (2002) Extreme responses to climate change in Antarctic lakes. Science, 295 (). pp. 10.1126/science.1064074

Newsham, K.K. ORCIDORCID record for K.K. Newsham, Hodgson, D.A. ORCIDORCID record for D.A. Hodgson, Murray, A.W.A., Peat, H.J. ORCIDORCID record for H.J. Peat, Smith, R.I. Lewis. (2002) Response of two Antarctic bryophytes to stratospheric ozone depletion. Global Change Biology, 8 (). pp. 10.1046/j.1365-2486.2002.00509.x

2001

Rozema, J., Noordijk, A.J., Broekman, R.A., van Beem, A., Meijkamp, B.M., de Bakker, N.V.J., van de Staaij, J.W.M., Stroetenga, M., Bohncke, S.J.P., Konert, M., Kars, S., Peat, Helen ORCIDORCID record for Helen Peat, Smith, R.I.L., Convey, Peter ORCIDORCID record for Peter Convey. (2001) (Poly)phenolic compounds in pollen and spores of antarctic plants as indicators of solar UV-B: a new proxy for the reconstruction of past solar UV-B?. Plant Ecology, 154 (). pp. doi:10.1023/A:1012913608353

2000

Convey, P. ORCIDORCID record for P. Convey, Smith, R.I.L., Peat, H.J. ORCIDORCID record for H.J. Peat, Pugh, P.J.A.. (2000) The terrestrial biota of Charcot Island, eastern Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica: an example of extreme isolation. Antarctic Science, 12 (). pp. doi:10.1017/S095410200000047X

Convey, P. ORCIDORCID record for P. Convey, Smith, R.I.L., Hodgson, D.A. ORCIDORCID record for D.A. Hodgson, Peat, H.P. ORCIDORCID record for H.P. Peat. (2000) The flora of the South Sandwich Islands, with particular reference to the influence of geothermal heating. Journal of Biogeography, 27 (). pp. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.2000.00512.x

1998

Peat, Helen J. ORCIDORCID record for Helen J. Peat. (1998) The Antarctic Plant Database: a specimen and literature based information system. Taxon, 47 (). pp.

1997

Peat, H.J. ORCIDORCID record for H.J. Peat. (1997) Botany, plant ecology and the environment. In: Wyatt, H.V. (eds.). Information sources in the life sciences, London, Bowker Saur, pp.

  • Evaluating climate change risks to Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish
  • DI4EDS
  • Port Lockroy Data Portal
  • Building data resources for managing the South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area
  • KRILLBASE
  • Herbarium Collection
  • Botany, plant ecology and the environment

2019

Herbarium
Facility

2017

New study reveals what penguins eat
News 15 February, 2017