Research interests

My primary research interest revolves around trophic interactions in aquatic communities and the ecology of freshwater ecosystems. I am especially interested in how animals affect nutrient dynamics in aquatic ecosystems as well as in how species interactions and species invasions affect community structure and ecosystem function.  Biological invasions can trigger evolutionary process and bring organisms into contact that have no shared evolutionary history, leading to new interactions between native and alien prey and predator species. My approach includes a combination of field and laboratory experiments along with comparative sampling and meta-analysis of published studies. Using mussels, mysids, migratory salmonids, crayfish, and both native and exotic fish as model species, I am evaluating:

• how predator diversity and species interactions affect functioning of ecosystems
• how grazers and predators play an important role in recycling and transporting of nutrient in aquatic ecosystems
• how successful invaders evolve adaptive responses to predators and how they tackle ecological barriers in novel ecosystems
• how invasive species affect different trophic levels in aquatic ecosystems

Understanding these ecological relationships is important for developing an ecosystem-based approach to management of aquatic resources. 

Scientific publications

Naddafi R., Goedkoop W., Grandin U, and Eklöv P. (2012) Variation in tissue stoichiometry and condition of zebra mussels in invaded Swedish lakes. Biological Invasions, DOI 10.1007/s10530-012-0218-9.

Naddafi R., Blenckner T., Eklöv P., Pettersson K. (2011) Physical and chemical properties determine zebra mussel invasion success in lakes. Hydrobiologia, 669: 227–236.

Goedkoop W., Naddafi R., and Grandin U. (2011) Retention of N and P by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas) and its quantitative role in the nutrient budget of eutrophic Lake Ekoln, Sweden, Biological Invasions, 13: 1077-1088.

Naddafi R., Pettersson K., Eklöv P. (2010) Predation and physical environment structure the density and population size structure of zebra mussels. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 29, 444-453.

Naddafi R., Eklöv P., and Pettersson K. (2009). Stoichiometric constraints do not limit successful invaders: zebra mussels in Swedish lakes. PLoS ONE, 4 (4):1-8.

Naddafi R., Pettersson K., and Eklöv P. (2008). Effect of zebra mussel, an exotic freshwater species, on seston stoichiometry. Limnology and Oceanography, 53: 1973–1987.

Naddafi R., Pettersson K., Eklöv P. and (2007). The effect of seasonal variation in selective feeding by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on phytoplankton community composition. Freshwater Biology, 52: 823–842.

Naddafi R., Eklöv P., and Pettersson K. (2007). Non-lethal predator effects on the feeding rate and prey selection of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). Oikos, 116: 1289–1298.

Naddafi R., Abdoli A., Kiabi B.H., Amiri B.M, Karami M. (2005). Age, growth and reproduction of the Caspian roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, in the Anzali and Gomishan wetlands, North Iran, Journal of Applied Ichthyology 21: 492-497.

Naddafi R.,  Amiri B.M., Karami M, Kiabi B.H, Abdoli A. (2002). A study of some biological characters of roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, in Gomishan wetland, Iranian Journal of Fisheries science, 11: 103-126.

Naddafi R.,  Amiri B.M, Karami M, Kiabi B.H, Abdoli A. (2002). A study of some ecological and biological characters of roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, in Anzali wetland, Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 55: 225-241.

Naddafi R., Amiri B.M, Kiabi B.H, Abdoli A. (2001). A comparative study of morphometric and meristic characters of the Caspian roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, in Gorgan-Rud estuary and Anzali wetland, Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 54: 383-399.

Reports

Rudstam L., Walsh M. G., Weidel B. C., Lantry B. F., Johnson T., Naddafi R.,  Boscarino, B., (2011). Forecasting ecosystem effects of a new invader, Hemimysis anomala, in Lake Ontario, New York Sea Grant Completion Report. 

Naddafi R., (2009) European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), an invasive species in North America: distribution, environmental requirements, and impacts. Cornell university, 1–15pp.

Naddafi R. (2007) The Invasion of the Zebra Mussel - Effects on Phytoplankton Community Structure and Ecosystem Function. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. PhD thesis. 1–54 pp.

Naddafi R. (2001). A study of age, growth and reproduction of the roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, in the southern Caspian Sea, University of Tehran. M.Sc. thesis. 1–120 pp.

Naddafi R. (1998). Principles of design for culturing cold-water fishes in a closed circuit system from the ecological perspectives. Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, B.Sc. thesis. 1–112 pp.