Research
With my research I am aiming to advance the adaptation and recovery of reef habitats in the face of climate change. My focus lies on the ecophysiology of benthic organisms (i.e., tropical & cold-water corals, crustaceous coralline algae), and how they are affected by cumulative local (i.e., sediment & light) and global (i.e., ocean warming & acidification) changes. I have conceptualised, conducted, and analysed original studies which culminated into multiple first-authored manuscripts published in high-impact scientific journals.
Key Publications
Climate change doubles sedimentation-induced coral recruit mortality
First-Author
- Recruits grown under future climate are twice as sensitive to sediment deposition.
- Older recruits survive higher sediment depositions events.
- Only recruits grown in current climate survive the highest realistic sedimentation.
Effects of climate change and light limitation on coral recruits
First-Author
- Light limitation as caused by suspended sediments (land runoff & dredging) decreases the recruit survival, size and Symbiodiniaceae densities.
- Only older recruits are affected by light limitation due to their reliance on photosynthesis.
- Recruits grown under future climate are more sensitive to light limitation.
Morphological stasis masks ecologically divergent coral species on tropical reefs
Co-Author
- Widespread Indo-Pacific coral represents a cryptic species complex.
- Substantial ecological differentiation despite ancient morphological stasis.
- Current taxonomic framework for corals underestimates ecologically relevant diversity.
Physiological adaptations of mesophotic corals across a depth gradient
Master's Thesis
- Across an 80 m depth gradient, Pachyseris speciosa decreases its tissue thickness and rearranges the Symbiodiniaceae cells to mono-layers for reduced self-shading.
- In contrast, Leptoseris spp. decreases the Symbiodiniaceae size to reduce self-shading.
- Both genera reduce the quantity of photo-protective pigments for increased photosynthetic productivity.
Rising temperatures and sea-ice-free winters affect the succession of Arctic macrozoobenthic soft-sediment communities (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard)
First-Author
- Disturbed (e.g., iceberg scouring) Arctic macrozoobenthic soft-sediment communities do not recover to the original community complexity within 5-years.
- A shift from pioneering towards specialised, as well as from surface detritivores towards
subsurface detritivores taxa was observed. - The ecological succession followed the facilitation and inhibition succession model.