Algal Blooms, Phytoplankton population genetics, and Adaptation

My research focuses on the ecology and evolution of phytoplankton (also known as microalgae). In particular, I study the processes underlying phytoplankton blooms and their geographic distribution (biogeography). I investigate these processes at the population level by examining genetic diversity within species, population genetic structure, and local adaptation.

Together with my research group and collaborators, I am currently focusing on when and why cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) form toxic blooms. Specifically, we study the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Microcystis, which is found in many lakes, including drinking water reservoirs. We investigate the environmental conditions that favor toxic strains of Microcystis over non-toxic strains. We are also interested in understanding how rearrangements in the Microcystis genome are linked to the occurrence of toxic and non-toxic strains. In particular, we study so-called transposable elements (“jumping genes”) and how they contribute to generating genetic variation within the genome.

My previous research has focused on understanding population genetic structure, dispersal, and differentiation in dinoflagellates (which have undergone recent speciation), Gonyostomum semen, which causes problems in freshwater ecosystems, and Chlamydomonas, a common genus of green algae.