I study size-dependent interactions within and between fish species and effects of fishing and climate change on population dynamics and ecological processes
The central theme of my research is the role of size‑structured trophic interactions in shaping population and community dynamics in aquatic ecosystems. I focus on the emergent consequences of variability in size‑dependent resource use and resource availability for fish growth, size distributions, recruitment processes, and fish population dynamics in both lake and marine environments.
My work adopts a process‑based mechanistic approach, integrating size -structured theory, field observations, and empirical data to investigate how individual‑level interactions scale up to influence population‑level outcomes. A core component examines cannibalism and intraguild predation, with special emphasis on interactions between piscivorous fishes and smaller prey fish. These studies aim to elucidate how size asymmetries and prey use impact growth rates size distributions and fish population abundances.
More recent research has expanded to address how spatial habitat heterogeneity and ecosystem geometry influence size‑structured dynamics. Specifically, I investigate how lake bathymetry and habitat‑specific primary production impact ontogenetic niche shifts, growth rates, and size structure in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations. In parallel, I examine how the availability and connectivity of juvenile stream habitats affect early growth conditions and subsequently shape lake living brown trout size structure and abundances.
Current and ongoing studies apply intraguild predation theory to understand the combined impacts of fish invasions and climate change on Arctic freshwater ecosystems. By integrating theoretical predictions with empirical data, this work explores how invasive small sized minnows interact with warming temperatures to alter trophic interactions.