Prof. Dr. Christian Möllmann

My research focuses on direct and indirect effects of climate-induced variability and change as well as fisheries on the structure and function of marine foodwebs. I am especially interested in the dynamics and interactions of fish and zooplankton populations. Within this field I conduct studies on the effect of trends in physics and zooplankton on recruitment and growth of marine fish populations, and the occurrence and causes of ecosystem reorganizations such as regime shifts and trophic cascades in marine ecosystems. My present research combines statistical analyses of long-term data series, field-based process studies, and modelling techniques. The ultimate goal of my work is the integration of environmental processes into an ecosystem-based management of marine resources.

University education

1989-1990: Training in Basic Biology, University of Giessen.

1990-1996: Training in Biology with focus on Fisheries Biology, Marine Zoology and Physical Oceanography, University of Kiel.

1996: Diploma (equiv. M.Sc.). Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel. Thesis topic: “Consumption of zooplankton by the populations of herring and sprat in the Central Baltic Sea.” Supervisors: Profs. D. Schnack and H. Rosenthal, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel.

2002: Dr. rer. nat. (equiv. Ph.D.). Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel. Thesis topic: “The influence of hydrography and predation by herring (Clupea harengus) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus) on mesozooplankton long-term dynamics in the Central Baltic Sea”. Supervisors: Profs. D. Schnack and J. Lenz, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel.

Employment

1996–2003: Project Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel.

2003-2004: Project Scientist at the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Charlottenlund, Denmark.

2004-2006: Research Scientist at the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Charlottenlund, Denmark.

2006: Senior Scientist at the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Charlottenlund, Denmark

July 2006- April 2008: Senior Scientist at the Institute of Hydrobiology and Fishery Science, University of Hamburg, Germany

since May 2008: Professor at the Institute for Hydrobiology and Fishery Science, University of Hamburg, Germany

LENFEST Fishery Ecosystem Taks Force. (Website)

BMBF-funded Research project: AWA – „Ecosystem Approach to the management of fisheries and the marine environment in West African waters" ( AWA )

BMBF-funded Research project: NOAH – „North Sea Observation and Assessment of Habitats" ( NOAH )

BONUS ERA-NET Project: INSPIRE – "INtegrating SPatIal pRocesses into Ecosystem models for sustainable utilization of fish resources" ( INSPIRE )

BMELV-funded Research project: UFO – „Entwicklung eines nicht-invasiven, akustisch-optischen Unterwasser-Fisch-Observatoriums“.

EU-funded Research project: EURO-BASIN – „European Union Basin-scale Analysis, Synthesis and Integration” (www.euro-basin.eu)

BMBF-funded Research project: GENUS II – „Geochemistry and Ecology of the Namibian Upwelling System" (www.genus.zmaw.de)

EU-funded Research project: MYFISH – "Maximising yield of fisheries while balancing ecosystem, economic and social concern" (www.myfishproject.eu)

German Research Foundation – University of Hamburg’s cluster of excellence: CLISAP "Integrated Climate System Analysis and Prediction" (www.clisap.de)

EU-funded Research project: FACTS – „Forage fish interactions” (www.facts-project.eu )

BONUS ERA-NET Project: AMBER – "Assessment and Modelling of Baltic Ecosystem Response" (www.io-warnemuende.de/amber.html)

MarinERA-Net Project: ECODRIVE – „Ecosystem Change in the North Sea: Processes, Drivers, Future Scenarios (www.marinera.net)

EU-funded Research Project: UNCOVER – „Understanding the Mechanisms of stock recovery” (www.uncover.eu)

EU-funded Research project: RECLAIM – „REsolving CLimAtic IMpacts on fish stocks” (www.climateandfish.eu)

Full publication list available here:

RECENT PUBLICATIONS/Research articles

Bernreuther M, Peters J, Möllmann C, Renz J, Dutz J, Herrmann JP, Temming A (2018): Trophic decoupling of mesozooplankton production and the pelagic planktivores sprat Sprattus sprattus and herring Clupea harengus in the Central Baltic Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 592: 181-196. DOI: 10.3354/meps12512

Frelat R, Orio A, Casini M, Lehmann A, Mérigot B, Otto SA, Sguotti C, Möllmann C (2018). A three-dimensional view on biodiversity changes: spatial, temporal and functional perspectives on fish communities in the Baltic Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 1-13. DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsy027

Tiedemann M, Fock HO, Döring J, Badji LB, Möllmann C (2018): Water masses and oceanic eddy regulation of larval fish assemblages along the Cape Verde Frontal Zone. Journal of Marine Systems 183: 42-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2018.03.004

Levin PS, Essington TE, Marshall KN, Koehn LE, Anderson LG, Bundy A, Carothers C, Coleman F, Gerber LR, Grabowski JH, Houde E, Jensen OP, Möllmann C, Rose K, Sanchirico JN, Smith ADM (2018): Building effective fishery ecosystem plans 92: 48-57.  DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2018.01.019

Beukhof E, Frelat R.,  Pécuchet L, Fock H, Punzón A, Sólmundsson J., Möllmann C, Lindegren M. (2017) Marine fish traits follow fast-slow continuum along coastal-offshore gradient. Poster session presented at 3rd International Workshop on Trait-based Approaches to Ocean Life, Bergen, Norway. Online verfügbar unter: http://orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/139197122/Publishers_version.pdf

Emeis KC, Bockelmann F, Winter C, Brockmeyer B, Kröncke I, Kraus G, Diekmann R, Möllmann C, Witt C (2016) NOAH North Sea Observation and Assessment of Habitats – Synthese. Zwischenbericht 01.04. – 31.12.2016. BMBF-FONA Verbundprojekt. https://www.noah-project.de/imperia/md/content/noah/noah_verbund__03f0742__zwischenbericht_2017-final-30-04-17.pdf

Frelat R , Lindegren M, Denker T, Floeter F, Fock HO, Sguotti C, Stäbler M, Otto SA, Möllmann C (2017) Community ecology in 3D: Tensor decomposition reveals spatio-temporal dynamics of large ecological communities. PlosONE; doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188205

Floeter J, Beusekom JEE, Auch D, Callies U, Carpenter J, Dudeck T, Eberle S, Eckhardt A, Gloe D, Hänselmann K, Hufnagl M,  Janßen S, Lenhart H,  Möller KO, North RP, Pohlmann T, Riethmüller R, Schulz S, Spreizenbarth S, Temming A, Walter B, Zielinski O, Möllmann C (2017). Pelagic effects of offshore wind farm foundations in the stratified North Sea. Progress in Oceanography 156: 154-173.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2017.07.003.

Marshall KN, Levin PS, Essington TE, Koehn LE, Anderson LG, Bundy A, Carothers C, Coleman F, Gerber LR, Grabowski JH, Houde E, Jensen OP, Möllmann C, Rose K, Sanchirico JN, Smith ADM (2017) Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management for Social–Ecological Systems: Renewing the Focus in the United States with Next Generation Fishery Ecosystem Plans. Conservation Letters, DOI: 10.1111/conl.12367

Tiedemann M, Fock MO, Brehmer P, Döring J, Möllmann C (2017) Does upwelling intensity determine larval fish habitats in upwelling ecosystems? The case of Senegal and Mauritania. Fisheries Oceanography, 114: 655–667.

Rambo H, Stelzenmüller V, Greenstreet SPR and Möllmann C (2017) Mapping fish community biodiversity for European marine policy requirements. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 74: 2223-2238

Lynam CP, Llope M, Möllmann C, Helaouët P, Bayliss-Brown GA and Stenseth NC (2017) Interaction between top-down and bottom-up control in marine food webs: how the North Sea integrates fishing and temperature change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114: 1952-1957.

Voss R, Quaas MF, Stoeven MT, Schmidt JO, Tomczak MT, Möllmann C (2017) Ecological-Economic Fisheries Management Advice—Quantification of Potential Benefits for the Case of the Eastern Baltic Cod Fishery. Frontiers in Marine Science, doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00209

Lynam CP, Uusitalo L, Patrício J, Piroddi C, Queirós AM, Teixeira H, Rossberg AG, Sagarminaga Y, Hyder K, Niquil N, Möllmann C, Wilson C, Chust G, Galparsoro I, Forster R, Veríssimo H, Tedesco L, Revilla M and Neville S (2016) Uses of Innovative Modeling Tools within the Implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Front. Mar. Sci. 3:182. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00182

Blenckner T, Llope M, Möllmann C, Voss R, Quaas MF, Casini M, Lindegren M, Folke C, Stenseth NC (2015) Climate and fishing steer ecosystem regeneration to uncertain economic futures Proceedings Royal Society B 282: 20142809.

Möller KO, Schmidt JO, St John M, Temming A, Diekmann R, Peters J, Floeter J, Sell AF, Herrmann JP, Möllmann C (2015) Effects of climate-induced habitat changes on a key zooplankton species. Journal of Plankton Research 37: 530-541

Möllmann C, Folke C, Edwards M, Conversi A (2015) Marine regime shifts around the globe: theory, drivers and impacts. Philosophical Transactions Royal Society B 370: 20130260

Conversi A, Dakos V, Gardmark A, Ling S, Folke C, Mumby PJ, Greene C, Edwards M, Blenckner T, Casini M, Pershing A, Möllmann C (2015) A holistic view of marine regime shifts. Philosophical Transactions Royal Society B 370: 20130279.

Levin PS, Möllmann C (2015) Marine ecosystem regime shifts: challenges and opportunities for ecosystem-based management. Philosophical Transactions Royal Society B 370: 20130275.

Fisher JAD, Casini M, Frank KT, Möllmann C, Leggett WC, Daskalov G (2015) The importance of within-system spatial variation in drivers of marine ecosystem regime shifts. Philosophical Transactions Royal Society B 370: 20130271.

Emeis KC, van Beusekom J, Callies U, Ebinghaus R, Kannen A, Kraus G, Kröncke I, Lenhart H, Lorkowski I, Matthis V, Möllmann C, Pätsch J, Scharfe M, Thomas H, Weisse R, Zorita E (2014) The North Sea — A shelf sea in the Anthropocene. Journal of Marine Systems 141:18-3

Möllmann C, Lindegren M, Blenckner T, Bergstrom L, Casini M, Diekmann R, Flinkman J, Müller-Karulis B, Neuenfeldt S, Schmidt JO, Tomczak M, Voss R, Gardmark A (2014) Implementing ecosystem-based fisheries management: from single-species to integrated ecosystem assessment and advice for Baltic Sea fish stocks. ICES Journal of Marine Science 71:1187-1197

Voss R, Quaas MF, Schmidt JO, Tahvonen O, Lindegren M, Möllmann C (2014) Assessing social - ecological trade-offs to advance ecosystem-based fisheries management. PloS one 9:e107811

Walther YM, Möllmann C (2014) Bringing integrated ecosystem assessments to real life: a scientific framework for ICES. ICES Journal of Marine Science 71:1183-1186

Otto SA, Diekmann R, Flinkman J, Kornilovs G, Möllmann C (2014) Habitat heterogeneity determines climate impact on zooplankton community structure and dynamics. PloS one 9:e90875

Otto SA, Kornilovs G, Llope M, Möllmann C (2014) Interactions among density, climate, and food web effects determine long-term life cycle dynamics of a key copepod. Marine Ecology Progress Series 498: 73-84

Möllmann C, Köster FW (2002). Population dynamics of calanoid copepods and the implications of their predation by clupeid fish in the Central Baltic Sea. Journal of Plankton Research 24 (10): 959–978 . doi: 10.1093/plankt/24.10.959 

Symposium - Baltic - a small sea with big management problems: "Regime Shifts Induced by Climate and Overfishing in the Baltic Sea“. Gdynia, Poland, 05.10.2016.

ICES Annual Science Conference: "Integrating environmental change and socio-economic considerations into operational fish stock advice“. Riga, Latvia, 20.09.2016.

ICES Annual Science Conference: "Using expert knowledge for food web modelling – a Baltic fuzzy logic experiment“. Copenhagen, Denmark, 24.09.2015.

ICES Annual Science Conference: "A DEMOnstration Exercise of Integrated Ecosystem Assessment and Advice for Baltic Sea fish stocks". La Coruna, Spain, 18.09.2014.

IMBER Open Science Conference Future Oceans: "Socio-economic implications of the Baltic Sea regime shift and feedbacks to the ecosystem". Bergen, Norway, 23.06.2014.

Academy of Sciences, North Rhine Westphalia: "Effects of climate change on structure and function of marine ecosystems". Düsseldorf, Germany, 20.03.2014.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: "Cod and Copepod - Two of a kind?" (Invited), La Jolla, California, USA, 01.05.2013.

2nd ICES/PICES/IOC Symposium on "Effects of Climate Change on the World´s Oceans: "Climate and anthropogenic effects on structure and functioning of the North Sea ecosystem". Yeosu, Korea, 15.05.2012.

2nd ICES/PICES/IOC Symposium on "Effects of Climate Change on the World´s Oceans: "Multi-level oscillating trophodynamic control causes regime shifts in large marine ecosystem". Yeosu, Korea, 18.05.2012.

4th International SIZEMIC Workshop "Changing Climate, Physiological Adaptation, Ecosystem Resilience & Body Size Constraints": "Large?scale Reorganizations in North Atlantic Marine Ecosystems" (Invited). Hamburg, Germany, 13.04.2011.

NAFO Scientific Council and its Standing Committees meeting: "Towards the ecosystem approach - using ecosystem process knowledge in Eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua callarias L.) stock assessment" (Invited). Braunschweig, Germany, 04.06.2011.

European Parliament Directorate General for Iinternal Policies; Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies; Fisheries. Workshop on "Regime Shifts in Marine Ecosystems: How Overfishing can Provoke Sudden Ecosystem Changes": "Ecosystem Regime Shifts triggered by Overfishing" (Invited). Brussels, Belgium, 20.12.2011.

Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation - Estuaries and Coasts in a Changing World: "Reorganization of Central Baltic Sea foodweb structure and function due to multiple external stressors" (Invited). Portland, Oregon, 03.11.2009.

3rd GLOBEC Open Science Meeting - Marine ecosystems: from function to prediction: "Climate-induced synchronous Regime Shifts along environmental and diversity gradients in Baltic Sea sub-systems". Victoria, B.C., Canada, 25.06.2009.