Maria Eggertsen

In my research, I am interested in how marine organisms—primarily fish—their distribution patterns, and habitats interact and influence one another, and how ecological functionality varies across seascapes and in relation to different factors, such as human impact. My current research focuses largely on fish and the structuring role of predatory fish in ecosystems, as well as small-scale fisheries and various management measures such as marine reserves. I work in both northern waters and tropical regions. A large part of my previous research has focused on tropical macroalgae, invasive species, and their environmental impacts in coral reef environments. I hope that our work at SLU Aqua will contribute to something positive for our amazing oceans.

Follow the links below to read more about the research projects I am part of! You can also find me on:

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria-Eggertsen

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6013iYIAAAAJ&hl=en

Eggertsen M, Fumo JT, Rasmusson LM, Bergström U, Smith CM, Sherwood AR (2025). Non-native ecologically successful algae in the Hawaiian archipelago have highly competitive traits but low functional diversity. Biological Invasions, 27(6), 148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-025-03600-w

Wilson SK, Fulton CJ, Graham NAJ, A. Abesamis R, Berkström C, Coker DJ,
Depczynski M, Evans RD, Fisher R, Goetze J, Hoey A, Holmes TH, Kulbicki M, Noble M,
Robinson James PW, Bradley M, Åkerlund C, Barrett LT, Bucol AA, Birt MJ, Chacin DH,
Chong-Seng KM, Eggertsen L, Eggertsen M, Ellis D, Leung PTY, Lam PKS, van Lier J,
Matis PA, Pérez-Matus A, Piggott CVH, Radford BT, Tano S, Tinkler P (2022). The
contribution of macroalgae-associated fishes to small-scale tropical reef fisheries. Fish
and Fisheries, https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12653

Eggertsen M, Larsson J, Porseryd T, Åkerlund C, Chacin DH, Berkström C, ... & Halling C (2021). Coral-macroalgal interactions: Herbivory and substrate type influence growth of the macroalgae Eucheuma denticulatum (NL Burman) Collins & Hervey, 1917 on a tropical coral reef. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 542, 151606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151606

Eggertsen M, Tano SA, Chacin DH, Eklöf JS, Larsson J, Berkström C, ... & Halling C (2021). Different environmental variables predict distribution and cover of the introduced red seaweed Eucheuma denticulatum in two geographical locations. Biological Invasions, 23, 1049-1067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02417-z

Eggertsen M, Chacin DH, van Lier J, Eggertsen L, Fulton CJ, Wilson S, ... & Berkström C. (2020). Seascape configuration and fine-scale habitat complexity shape parrotfish distribution and function across a coral reef lagoon. Diversity, 12(10), 391. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12100391

Eggertsen M, Eriksson H, Slater M, Raymond C, de la Torre-Castro M (2020). Economic value of small-scale sea cucumber fisheries under two contrasting management regimes. Ecology and Society, 25(2), doi.org/10.5751/ES-11436-250220

Eggertsen M, Halling C (2020). Knowledge gaps and management recommendations for sustainable farming of an introduced red macroalgae in the Western Indian Ocean. Ambio 114, doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01319-7

Chacin DH, Stallings CD, Eggertsen M, Åkerlund C, Halling C, Berkström C. (2020). Altered tropical seascapes influence patterns of fish assemblage and ecological functions in the Western Indian Ocean. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 12479. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68904-4

Fulton CJ, Berkström C, Wilson SK, Abesamis, RA, Bradley M, Åkerlund C, Barett LT, Bucol AA, Chacin DH, Chong-Seng KM, Coker DJ, Depczynski M, Eggertsen L, Eggertsen M, Ellis D, Evans RD, Graham NAJ, Hoey AS, Holmes TH, Kulbicki M, Leung PTY, Lam PKS, van Lier J, Matis PA, Noble MM, Pérez-Matus A, Piggott C, Radford BT, Tano S, Tinkler, P. (2020). Macroalgal meadow habitats support fish and fisheries in diverse tropical seascapes. Fish and Fisheries, 21(4), 700-717. doi.org/10.1111/faf.12455

Eggertsen M, Chacin DH, Åkerlund C, Halling C, Berkström C (2019). Contrasting distribution and foraging patterns of herbivorous and detritivorous fishes across multiple habitats in a tropical seascape. Marine biology, 166(4), 51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3498-0

Tano SA, Eggertsen M, Wikström SA, Berkström C, Buriyo AS, Halling C (2017). Tropical seaweed beds are important habitats for mobile invertebrate epifauna. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.10.010 

Tano SA, Eggertsen M, Wikström SA, Berkström C, Buriyo AS, Halling C. (2017). Tropical seaweed beds as important habitats for juvenile fish. Marine and Freshwater Research, 68(10), 1921-1934. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF16153

Gullström M, Lyimo LD, Dahl M, Samuelsson GS, Eggertsen M, Anderberg E, Rasmusson LM, Linderholm HW, Knudby A, Bandeira S, Mtwana Nordlund L, Björk M (2017). Blue carbon storage in tropical seagrass meadows relates to carbonate stock dynamics, plant-sediment processes and landscape context: Insights from the Western Indian Ocean. Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1007/s10021-017-0170-8

Bergström U, Berkström C, Sköld M, Börjesson P, Eggertsen M, Fetterplace L, Florin AB, Fredriksson R, Fredriksson S, Kraufvelin P, Lundström K (2022). Long-term effects of no-take zones in Swedish waters. Aqua reports, (2022: 20), doi.org/10.54612/a.10da2mgf51

2024- Researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources, Marine Conservation and Planning, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

2023-2024: Post doctoral position. Weeding in the Coral Garden – towards an increased understanding of detrimental algal blooms on coral reefs. SLU Aqua & University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

2021 – 2022: Researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources, Marine Conservation and Planning, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

2015-2020: PhD in Marine Ecology at Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University. “Introduced and indigenous macroalgae – ecological effects, functions and regulating factors in tropical seascapes”