Research team at the Seagrass Ecology Lab (Kristineberg)

People

Visiting Scientists
Students

Visiting Scientists

Dr. Nuria Marbà, Dr. Julia Máñez & Ángeles Feria
2024. Researchers, Spanish Research Council (CSIC-IMEDEA), Spain
Lucía Rodríguez-Arias
2024. PhD student. Spanish Research Council (CSIC-Blanes), Spain
Dr. Rocío Jiménez Ramos & Dr. Luis Gonzalo Egea
2021 and 2024. Postdoc, University of Cadiz, Spain

Eelgrass implication on carbon remineralisation: insights from DOC refractoriness by natural bacterial assemblages

Read more about Rocio Jimenez Ramos and Luis Gonzalo Egea research during their visit to Kristineberg:

Egea LG, Infantes E, Jiménez-Ramos R (2023) Loss of POC and DOC on seagrass sediments by hydrodynamics. Science of the Total Environment, 901:165976.
Elvira Mayol
2024. PhD student, Spanish Research Council (CSIC-IMEDEA), Spain

Effects of moderate meadow fragmentation and hydrodynamics to the water oxygenation by the seagrass Posidonia oceanica
Julia Castro
2023. PhD student, Spanish Research Council (CSIC-IMEDEA), Spain

Julia Castro’s research work: Assessing fish populations and habitat complexity using stereo-video cameras
Theodor Kindeberg
2022. PhD student, Lund University, Sweden

Changes in Net ecosystem metabolism after seagrass is restored (EcoRestore)

Read more about Theodor Kinderberg research during his visit to Kristineberg:

Kindeberg T, Attard KM, Hüller J, Müller J, Quintana CO, Infantes E (2023) Structural complexity and benthic metabolism: resolving the links between carbon cycling and biodiversity in restored seagrass meadows. Biogeoscience, doi.org/10.5194/bg-2023-173
Dr. Milica Stankovic
2022. Researcher, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Towards coastal habitat mapping automatization using drones, satellites and machine learning
Aina Barcelona
2021-2022. PhD student, University of Girona, Spain

Role of submerged vegetation on wave hydrodynamics

More details on Aina Barcelona research during their visit to Kristineberg…

Barcelona A, Colomer J, Serra T, Cossa D, Infantes E. The role of epiphytes on particle capture by seagrass canopies. Marine Environmental Research, 192: 106238
Dr. Karl Attard
2021-2022. Assistant Professor at University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Long-term data series of eddy-covariance on shallow marine ecosystems

Read more about Karl Attard research during his visit to Kristineberg:

Kindeberg T, Attard KM, Hüller J, Müller J, Quintana CO, Infantes E (2023) Structural complexity and benthic metabolism: resolving the links between carbon cycling and biodiversity in restored seagrass meadows. Biogeoscience, doi.org/10.5194/bg-2023-173
Prof. Scott V. Edwards
2021. Professor, Harvard University, USA

New insights into population dynamics studies using drones and macine learning

More details on Scotts Edwards research during his visit to Kristineberg…

Infantes E, Carroll D, Silva WTAK, Harkonen T, Edwards S, Harding KC (2022) An automated work-flow for pinniped surveys: a new tool for monitoring population dynamics. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10:905309.
Anne Brauer and Philipp Süble
2021. Phd Student, University of Greifswald, Germany

The role of the microbiome of Zostera marina shoots, seeds and sediments during restoration.
Dr. Rodrigo Riera and Dr. Joana Vasconcelos
2018 & 2021. Assistant Proffesor. University of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain

Regime shifts in eelgrass communities: Historical trends in in epifauna and infauna communities between 1997 and 2018

More details on Rodrigo Riera and Dr. Joana Vasconcelos research during their visit to Kristineberg…

Riera R, Vasconcelos J, Baden S, Gerhardt L, Sousa R, Infantes E. (2020) Regime shift in Zostera marina epifauna. 21-year comparative study in the Swedish Skagerrak. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 158: 111434
Dr. Camilla Gustafsson and Dr. Anna Villas
2020. Postdoc, Tvärminne marine station, Helsinki University, Finland

Facilitators for seagrass growth? The role of infauna biodiversity versus biomass
Dr. Karine Gagnon
2019. Post-doc at Åbo Akademi, Finland

How eelgrass restoration can improve and revitalize coastal biodiversity?

We transplanted eelgrass shoots in plots with different configurations (continuous vs. checkerboard patterns with three patch sizes), and we followed the colonisation of invertebrates (biodiversity and functional diversity) during the first two growing seasons. We found rapid faunal colonisation following the transplantation of eelgrass shoots in all plots, with both invertebrate densities reaching 50-80% of the reference meadow after only one growing season (3 months).

Read more about Karine Gagnon research during her visit to Kristineberg:

Gagnon K, Bocoum E-H, Chen CY, Baden SP, Moksnes P-O, Infantes E (2023) Rapid faunal colonisation and recovery of biodiversity and functional diversity following eelgrass restoration. Restoration Ecology, doi.org/10.1111/rec.13887
Dr. Carmen de los Santos
2019. Post-doc, Centro de Ciências do Mar, University of Algarve, Portugal

Fate of micro-plastic particles in coastal vegetation

More details on Carmen de los Santos research during her visit to Kristineberg…

de los Santos C, Krång A-S, Infantes E (2021) Microplastic retention by marine vegetated canopies: simulations with seagrass meadows in a hydraulic flume. Environmental Pollution, 269: 116050
Alyson Lowell and Claudia Hill
2019. PhD Student. Stony Brook University, New York, USA

Effect of ocean acidification in eelgrass seed germination and seed infection by Phytophthora gemini

More details on Alyson and Claudia research during their visit to Kristineberg…

Lowell A, Infantes E, Puishys L, Hill CEL, Ramesh K, Peterson BJ, Cebrian J, Dupont S, Cox TE (2021) How does ocean acidification affect the early life history of Zostera marina? A series of experiments find parental carryover can benefit viability or germination. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021(8):762086
Dr. Tjisse van der Heide
2018. Senior Researcher. Netherlands Institute of Ecology. NIOZ-Texel, Netherlands

Role of seagrass roots and erosion of coastal areas

More details on Tjisse research during his visits to Kristineberg…

Infantes E, Hoeks S, Adams MP, van der Heide T, van Katwijk M, Bouma TJ (2022) Seagrass roots strongly reduce cliff erosion rates in sandy sediments. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 700:1-12
Dr. Christoffer Boström and Lukas Meysick
2017-2018. Associate Professor at Åbo Akademi University, Finland

The influence of hydrodynamics and ecosystem engineers on eelgrass seed trapping

We tested the single and synergistic effects of three commonly distributed ecosystem engineers eelgrass (Zostera marina), oysters (Magellana gigas) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) on trapping of Z. marina seeds in a hydraulic flume under currents. Our results suggest that seed retention increases with habitat complexity and further reveal insights into the underlying mechanisms.

More details on Christoffer and Lukas research during their visits to Kristineberg…

Meysick L, Infantes E, Boström C. (2019) The influence of hydrodynamics and ecosystem engineers on eelgrass seed trapping. PLoS ONE 14(9): e0222020.

Meysick L, Infantes E, Rugiu L, Gagnon K, Boström C. (2022) Coastal ecosystem engineers and their impact on sediment dynamics: Eelgrass-bivalve interactions under wave exposure. Limnology and Oceanography, 67(3): 621-633.
Jaco de Smit
2017-2018. PhD Student. Netherlands Institute of Ecology. NIOZ-Yerseke, Netherlands

Sediment erosion using innovative underwater field wave and current flumes

More details on Jaco de Smit research during his visit to Kristineberg…

de Smit, Bin Mohd Noo MS, Infantes E, Bouma TJ (2021) Quantifying the resilience of seagrass to climate change: combining in-situ wave-erosion experiments with data-driven modelling. Limnology and Oceanography. DOI: 10.1002/lno.11865
Dr. Erin Cox
2017-2018. Post-doc, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Alabama, USA

Ocean acidification and seagrass flowering, seed germination and seedling development.

More details on Erin’s research during her visit to Kristineberg…

Lowell A, Infantes E, Puishys L, Hill CEL, Ramesh K, Peterson BJ, Cebrian J, Dupont S, Cox TE (2021) How does ocean acidification affect the early life history of Zostera marina? A series of experiments find parental carryover can benefit viability or germination. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021(8):762086
Dr. Inés Castejón
2017-2018. Postdoc, Mediterranean Institute of Advance Studies, CSIC, Spain

Pipe-fish behavior and habitat preferences under hydrodynamics conditions (currents and waves) using a hydraulic flume

More details on Inés Castejón research during her visit to Kristineberg…

Castejón-Silvo I, Terrados J, Nguyen T, Jutfelt F, Infantes E. Increased energy expenditure is an indirect effect of habitat structural complexity loss. Functional Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13876
Dr. Matthew Adams
2017. Research Fellow. University of Queensland, Australia

Feedbacks between hydrodynamics-sediment-plants

More details on Matthew Adams research…

Adams M, Ghisalberti M, Lowe R, Callaghan DP, Baird M, Infantes E, O’Brien K. (2018) Water residence time controls the feedback between seagrass, sediment and light: implications for restoration. Advances in Water Research, 117: 14-26
Dr. Maike Paul and Jutta Meyer
2016-2017. Research Fellow. Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany

Seagrass biomechanics: Salinity and temperature effects on plant vitality and stiffness
Dr. Fabio Badalamenti and Dr. Arturo Zenone
2016-2017. Researcher at the National Research Council, Italy

Influence of multi-scale substrate complexity on Posidonia oceanica seedling anchorage ability and tolerance to hydrodynamic disturbance

More details on Fabio and Arturo research during their visit to Kristineberg…

Zenone A, Badalamenti F, Alagna A, Gorb SN, Infantes E (2022) Assessing tolerance to the hydrodynamic exposure of Posidonia oceanica seedlings anchored to rocky substrates. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2022(8):788448
Dr. Jorge Terrados
2016. Researcher at the Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies, CSIC, Spain

Seed and seedling dispersal: Hydrodynamics and substratum effects on three seagrass species

More details on Joger research during his visit to Kristineberg…

Pereda-Briones L, Infantes E, Orfila A, Tomas F, Terrados J. (2018) Dispersal of seagrass propagules: substratum and hydrodynamic effects. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 593: 47-59
Martin Dahl
2016. PhD Student. Stockholm University, Sweden

Carbon storage on Zostera marina beds: Hydrodynamics properties as drivers behind carbon storage variation

To estimate hydrodynamic impacts on the resuspension of organic carbon (C_org) in seagrass-vegetated sediments, we exposed plots of Zostera marina (with different biomass, shoot densities and sediment properties) to gradually increased current flow velocities ranging from low (5 cm s^–1) to high (26 cm s^–1) in a hydraulic flume. We found that higher flow velocities substantially increased (by more than three-fold) the proportion of C_orgin the suspended sediment resulting in a loss of up to 5.5 ± 1.7 % (mean ± SE) C_org from the surface sediment.

More details on Martin Dahl research during his visit to Kristineberg…

Dahl M, Infantes E, Clevesjö R, Linderholm HW, Björk M, Gullström M (2018) Increased current flow enhances the risk of organic carbon loss from Zostera marina sediments: Insights from a flume experiment. Limnology and Oceanography 63(6): 2793-2805
Dr. Elena Bañares España
2015. Lecturer at Malaga University, Spain

Zostera marina restoration in the South Spanish coast: Zostera marina seed banks.
Laura Pereda
2015-2016. PhD Student. Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies, CSIC, Spain

Combined effect of hydrodynamics and substratum type on Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa early life stages

I quantified the dispersal of propagules of three seagrass species (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera marina) over substrata of different complexities (sand, coarse gravel, and P. oceanica matte of different shoot abundances) under unidirectional flow in a hydraulic flume.

More details on Laura Pereda research during her visit to Kristineberg…

Pereda-Briones L, Infantes E, Orfila A, Tomas F, Terrados J. (2018) Dispersal of seagrass propagules: substratum and hydrodynamic effects. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 593: 47-59
Dr. Tom van Engeland
2013. Post-Doc. Netherlands Institute of Ecology. NIOZ-Yerseke, Netherlands

Eddy-correlation on shallow coastal ecosystems.

Eddy correlation

Students

Damboia Cossa
2018-2024. PhD Student. University of Gothenburg & Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique

Ecological drivers in seagrass meadows in Mozambique: An approach for effective conservation and restoration
Sebastià Enault
2024-2025. Master Student. University of Gothenburg
Karl Karlsson
2022-2024. Research Assistant. University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Nadine Plata Klingler
2023 and 2024. Internship from Ghent University, IMBRSEA program and Gothenburg University
Marit Claβen
2024. Internship from BioLabs, Juelich, Germany
Ali Ademi
2024. Internship from BioLabs, Juelich, Germany
Eva Pagan
2022-2023. Master Student. University of Gothenburg

Innovative approaches to study marine mammal populations using drones and machine learning
Stefan Gelderie
2023. Internship from BioLabs, Juelich, Germany
Fantine Soulat
2023. Internship from Ghent University, IMBRSEA program
Michael Gitzen
2022. Internship form Biolabs, Juelich, Germany
Pascal Fischer
2022. Internship from BioLabs, Juelich, Germany
Marvin Lehmann
2022. Master student from Geomar, Kiel, Germany
Abril Reynes Cardona
2022. Internship from Ghent, IMBRSEA
Kirsten Wohak
2022. Internship from Ghent, IMBRSEA
Jakub Przybyla
2022. Bachelor project, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Chen Chiau Yu
2020-2021. Master Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Biodiversity changes after seagrass restoration
- Dugong ingestion of plastic litter
Frederik Walters
2021. Master Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Gabriel Pasquier
2020. Master Student. University of Bordeaux, France

Small-scale transport of microplastics: the role of rocks, oysters and hydrodynamics on particle trapping

The aim of the study is to understand how different plastic particles, such as pellets and fibers, behave in a coastal shore environment composed of oysters or rocks. Using a hydraulic flume at Kristineberg I quantify the role of bottom complexities on particle trapping exposed to hydrodynamic regimes.
Lea Stolpman
2019-2020. Master Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Tipping points for ecological restoration: Water quality and plant survival

My project aims to quantify different scenarios to improve the water quality of the bay of Askeron using ecological modeling. I will assess how adding coarse sand in a degraded bay could reduce sediment resuspension of glacial clay to allow restore the vegetation that used to grow in the bay. I am using DHI Mike3 model with the Ecolab module and field data obtained during the summer of 2019.
Henrik Möller
2019. Bachellor student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden

How turbidity plumes of sediment develop under increasing wave exposure in the field?
Nicolina Andersson
2019. Bachellor Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Sand-capping as a method to reduce sediment resuspension and restore eelgrass in Sweden

My project aims to evaluate i) how waves and currents affect sediment transport and resuspension to improve eelgrass restoration, and ii) when eelgrass is planted or established how it can reduce flow conditions.
Elena Tamarit
2017-2019. MsC. Research Assistant. University of Gothenburg , Sweden.
Alice Dhurlaborde
2018. Internship. Université Catholique de Lyon, France

Developing techniques for coastal mapping using drones

Coastal mapping of Kosterhavet National Park, Gullmars Fjord and Marstrand area combining underwater video cameras and drones.
Nino Erlandsson
2018. Internship. University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Romaric Jac
2018. Internship. Le Cnam Intechmer, France
Sven Gerlach
2018. Intership from BioLabs, Juliech, Germany
Than Nguyen
2017. Internship. Université Catholique de Lyon, ESTBB, France
Niklas Warwas
2017. Master Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Feedbacks of the shore-crab (Carcinus maenas) on eelgrass (Zostera marina): Factors to be considered.

My project focuses on the impact of the shore-crab (Carcinus maenas) on eelgrass. Shore-crabs can have deleterious impacts by preying eelgass seeds and shoots. I will investigate if this behavior is hunger motivated or part of social behavior. Furthermore, I will test if planting high shoot densities can be a mean to coupe with crab damage. I will address this question using laboratory experiments and cages in the field.
Beatriz Marín Díaz
2016-17. Master Student. University of Barcelona, Spain

Impact of hydrodynamics on sediment resuspension, light reduction and seagrass development

In my project I am studying how waves affect sediment resuspension, turbidity and light in the presence and absence of the seagrass Zostera marina. In the project I am using a wave flume located at Kristineberg station. I am also doing a review on the causes preventing seagrass restoration.

Read the resulting full scientific article here
Katerina Bengtsson Kupcik
2016-17. Master Student. University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Interactions between the invasive Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and native seagrass Zostera marina

My master project focuses on two species living in Swedish coastal waters, the native seagrass species Zostera marina and the invasive oyster species Crassostrea gigas. My aims are to establish the degree of coexistence between Crassostrea gigas and Zostera marina along the West Swedish coast; to detect whereas the niches of the two species overlap, in sites they do coexist; and to determine, if the interactions between Z. marina and C. gigas is beneficiary or harmful to the seagrass.
Laura Dijkhuizen
2016. Master Student. University of Utrech, Netherlands

Seagrass and sediment erosion interactions in Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima

I am interested in the role of seagrass in reducing sediment erosion by waves. In this study, I use a wave flume to assess how two seagrass species; Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima, influence the erosion of vertical sediment edges. I aim to establish in which environmental factors are more important to reduce erosion of seagrass beds edges, such as biomass, sediment composition and wave exposure.
Selwyn Hoeks
2016. Master Student. Radboud University, Netherlands

Role Zostera marina roots and rhizomes on sediment erosion
Tristan Alison
2016. Master Student. National Institute of Agronomy and Food science, France

Mapping of seagrass beds with aereal photography using drones
Margaux D'Ambly
2015. Internship. Université Catholique de Lyon, ESTBB, France

Sediment resuspension and settling velocities in seagrass beds
Caroline Crouzy
2014. Internship. Université Catholique de Lyon, ESTBB, France

Zostera marina seed predation by the shore crab Carcinus maenas