Sheina Marshall

Sheina Macalister Marshall (20 April 1896 – 7 April 1977) was a Scottish marine biologist who studied plant and animal plankton. She was an authority on the copepod Calanus. She worked at the Marine Biological Station at Millport, Cumbrae in Scotland from 1922-1964.

Early life and education Sheina Marshall was born on 20 April 1896 in Rothesay, Scotland, the second daughter of three, to Jean Colville (née Binnie, born 1861/2) and John Nairn Marshall (born 1860) of Mount Stuart House. Marshall's father, a general practitioner, had an interest in natural history and encouraged his daughters' interest in the subject.

Initially Marshall was educated by governesses, later attending Rothesay Academy and St Margaret's School in Polmont. In 1914 she entered the University of Glasgow to study for a BSc in Zoology, botany and physiology. After an interruption in her studies due to World War I she graduated with honours in 1919. She held a Carnegie Fellowship at the University from 1920 to 1922 and worked with the professor of zoology, John Graham Kerr.

Marshall studied the marine food chain, in particular copepods. This became her life's work. She collaborated for almost 40 years with the chemist, Andrew Picken Orr. Together they studied the plankton and phytoplankton in and around the river Clyde and Loch Striven. They authored several books and many papers together. She also examined the effect of fertilizers on marine productivity at Loch Craiglin.

Personal life and death

Outside her work she enjoyed walking, foreign travel, needlework, poetry and music. She was considered hospitable, dignified and generous.

She died of a heart attack at Lady Margaret Hospital, Millport, Cumbrae on 7 April 1977.

She was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1966.

Works Marshall wrote over 60 scientific articles. 'The Food of Calanus finmarchicus during 1923', Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK, Vol. 12 (1924), 473-79. On the Biology of Calanus finmarchicus. VIII., 1955 (with Andrew Picken Orr) The Biology of a Marine Copepod, 1955 (with Andrew Picken Orr) 'Respiration and Feeding in Copepods', Advances in Marine Biology, 1973 'An account of the Marine Station at Millport', started before her death this book was edited by J. A. Allen and published in 1987