Dr. Alexandra Blöcker

My research interests lie in the abrupt and dynamic world of fish stocks, why so called regime shifts occur and whether these are irreversible. I combine quantitative and qualitative research methods to determine the regime shifts’ effects and consequences for socio-ecological systems and fisheries management.

2019-2023: I am involved in the SeaUseTip project (funded by the BMBF), which studies tipping points and the vulnerability of the socio-ecological system in the North Sea. SeaUseTip is a collaboration between the Thuenen Institute, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon and the University of Hamburg. Our work package focuses on tipping points and regime shifts in North Sea fish stocks and their implications for the socio-ecological system.

Blöcker, A. M., Sguotti, C., & Möllmann, C. (2023). Discontinuous dynamics in North Sea cod Gadus morhua caused by ecosystem change. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 713, 133-149.

Blöcker, A. M., Gutte, H. M., Bender, R. L., Otto, S. A., Sguotti, C., & Möllmann, C. (2023). Regime shift dynamics, tipping points and the success of fisheries management. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 289

Sguotti, C., Blöcker, A. M., Färber, L., Blanz, B., Cormier, R., Diekmann, R., ... & Möllmann, C. (2022). Irreversibility of regime shifts in the North Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 945204.

Moullec, F., Asselot, R., Auch, D., Blöcker, A. M., Börner, G., Färber, L., ... & Pellerin, F. (2021). Identifying and addressing the anthropogenic drivers of global change in the North Sea: a systematic map protocol. Environmental Evidence, 10(1), 1-11.

Schwermer, H., Blöcker, A. M., Möllmann, C., & Döring, M. (2021). The ‘cod-multiple’: Modes of Existence of Fish, Science and People. Sustainability, 13(21), 12229.

Newell, S. L., Nagabhatla, N., Doubleday, N. C., & Bloecker, A. M. (2019). The potential for locally managed marine area (LMMAs) as a participatory strategy for coastal and marine ecosystems-the global commons. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 12(04), 47-62.

Straatsma, M. W., Bloecker, A. M., Lenders, H. R., Leuven, R. S., & Kleinhans, M. G. (2017). Biodiversity recovery following delta-wide measures for flood risk reduction. Science Advances, 3(11), e1602762.

2019-2023: PhD in Biology, Regime Shifts in North Sea fish species, Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Science, University of Hamburg, Germany

2014-2016: MSc in Biology, Sustainable Use of Marine Ecosystem Services in Inhambane (Mozambique), Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands

2011-2014: BSc in Biology, Visual effects of aircrafts on feeding behaviour of kestrels, Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands