The research in the Centre is stuctured in three main programmes, although individual projects may span programmes.

Within each of the three main research programmes in the Centre, research is centred around several themes. The themes are of different complexity of organization. Some support many different research projects, including post-graduate student research projects and research being done by senior research staff in the Centre. Other themes support few projects at this stage. Many research staff and a few students do research across a number of themes or programmes, thus maintaining the integration of research in the Centre. Some projects are expanding and developing over many years. Others are completed within a relatively short time because they are student projects, or they involve research in response to specific problems brought to the Centre by outside bodies.

• Theme 1A: Ecological patterns and processes on intertidal and subtidal rocky habitats
• Theme 1B: Ecological patterns and processes in intertidal and subtidal soft-sediment habitats
• Theme 1C: Development of new methodologies of measurement of ecological structure and function

• Theme 2A: Effects of urban structures and associated activities
• Theme 2B: Effects of fishing, aquaculture and associated activities
• Theme 2C: Effects of water-borne contaminants
• Theme 2D: Development of new methodologies for measurement of anthropogenic disturbances

• Theme 3A: Restoration of intertidal and subtidal habitats
• Theme 3B: Restoration of wetlands
• Theme 3C: Changing urban structures as a form of restoration
• Theme 3D: Development of new methodologies for measurement of restoration