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Peter Todd Assistant Professor Contact Information: Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 Tel: 65161034 Fax: 67792486 Email: dbspat@nus.edu.sg

Teaching Areas:

LSM4261 - Marine Biology
LSM4263 - Field Studies in Biodiversity
SSS1207 - Natural Heritage of Singapore
GE2018/SSA2215 - The Biophysical Environment of Singapore

Research Areas:

Marine Biology, Evolutionary Ecology, Phenotypic Plasticity, Camouflage and Functional Morphology.

Research Interests:

As an ecologist and SCUBA diver it was almost inevitable that I should end up studying coral reefs. I conducted my PhD here in Singapore on phenotypic plasticity in scleractinian (stony) corals; an extension of earlier work I did on intraspecific variation and symmetry in corals. After my PhD I spent two years in Scotland where I focused on crypsis and polymorphism in the shore crab Carcinus maenas (the only corals in those chilly waters are deep in the sea!). Since returning to Singapore I have also started work on the autecology of giant clams. Much of my research has involves extensive fieldwork and experimentation, sometimes requiring the development of novel methods and techniques for investigating morphology, patterning, and behaviour. Data sets are frequently large and complex, making them highly suitable for exploration with multivariate ordination statistics.

Editorial Activities:

Associate Editor - Raffles Bulletin of Zoology
Review Editor - Aquatic Biology
Editorial Board Member - Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
International Advisory Board Member - Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography

Referee for the following ISI-listed journals: Marine Ecology Progress Series, Marine Biology, Coral Reefs, Functional Ecology, Journal of Marine Science and Environment, Journal of Crustacean Biology, International Journal of Oceans and Oceanography, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, Ocean and Coastal Management, Journal of Fish Biology, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, and Hydrobiologia.

Selected Publications:

1. Todd, P.A. (2008) Morphological plasticity in scleractinian corals. Biological Reviews. DOI:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2008.00045.x  

2. Guest, J.R., Todd, P.A., Goh, E., Reddy, K.P. and Sivalonganathan, B. (2008) Can giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) populations be restored in Singapore’s heavily sedimented waters? Aquatic Conservation. DOI:10.1002/aqc.888

3. Han, L., Todd, P.A., Chou, L.M., Yap, V.B. and Sivalonganathan, B. (2008) The defensive role of scutes in juvenile fluted giant clams (Tridacna squamosa). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 359: 77-83

4. Todd, P.A. and Ladle, R.J. (2008) Citations: poor practices by authors reduce their value Nature. 451: 244

5. Huang, D., Meier, R., Todd, P.A. and Chou, L.M. (2008) Slow mitochondrial COI sequence evolution at the base of the metazoan tree and its implications for DNA barcoding. Journal of Molecular Evolution66:167-174  

6. Todd, P.A. and Ladle, R.J. (2008) Hidden dangers of a 'citation culture'. Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics. 8:13-16  

7. Huang H., Todd, P.A. and Yeo D. C. J. (2007) Inter- and intraspecific variations in the facial colours of mangrove Perisesarma crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Sesarmidae). Hydrobiologia. 598: 361-371

8. Todd, P.A., Yeo, D.C.J., Li, D. and  Ladle, R.J. (2007) Citing practices in ecology: can we believe our own words? Oikos. 116: 1599-1601  

9. Huang, D., Todd, P.A. and Guest, J.R. (2007) Locomotion and aggregation in the fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa L.). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 342: 269-281.

10. Ladle, R.J. and Todd, P.A. (2006) A developmental model for predicting handedness frequencies in crabs. Acta Oecologica. 30(03): 283-287  

11. Todd, P.A., Briers, R.A., Ladle, R.J., Middleton, F. (2006) Phenotype-environment matching in the shore crab (Carcinus maenas). Marine Biology. 148: 1357-1367.  

12. Brian, J.V., Fernandes, T., Ladle, R.J., Todd, P.A. (2006) Patterns of morphological and genetic variability in UK populations of the shore crab (Carcinus maenas L.). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 329: 47-54.

13. Todd, P.A. and Chou, L.M. (2005) A Tale of Survival: Labrador Park, Singapore. Coral Reefs. 24 (3): 391-391.

14. Todd, P.A., Ladle, R.J., Briers, R. and Brunton, A. (2005) Quantifying two-dimensional dichromatic patterns using a photographic technique: case study on the shore crab (Carcinus maenas, L.). Ecological Research. 20 (4): 497-502.

15. Todd, P.A., Ladle, R.J., Lewin-Koh, N.J.I. and Chou, L.M. (2004) Flesh or Bone? Quantifying small-scale coral morphology using with-tissue and without-tissue techniques. Marine Biology.145 (2): 323-328.

16. Todd, P.A., Sidle, R.C. and Lewin-Koh, N.J.I. (2004) An aquarium experiment for identifying the physical factors inducing morphological change in two massive scleractinian corals.Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 299 (1): 97-133.

17. Todd, P.A., Ladle, R.J., Lewin-Koh, N.J.I. and Chou, L.M. (2004) Genotype x environment interactions in transplanted clones of the massive corals Favia speciosa and Diploastrea heliopora. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 271: 167-182.

18. Todd, P.A., Sidle, R.C. and Chou, L.M. (2002) Plastic corals from Singapore 2. Coral Reefs. 21 (4): 407-408.

19. Todd, P.A., Sidle, R.C. and Chou, L.M. (2002) Plastic corals from Singapore 1. Coral Reefs. 21 (4): 391-392.

20. Todd, P.A., Sanderson, P.G. and Chou, L.M. (2001) Small-scale variation in the scleractinian coral Favia speciosa (Dana, 1846) around Singapore. Hydrobiologia. 444: 227-235.