Maria Kahlert
Presentation
I am Associate Professor in biology, and working as senior researcher at the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment in the Ecology and Biodiversity Division. My work includes the use of benthic algae for freshwater monitoring and assessment. You can read more about my background in my presentation for the International Society for Diatom Research (ISDR).
Research
My research is focused on gaining a better knowledge of benthic freshwater algae, especially of the group of diatoms, including their taxonomy, ecology and biodiversity, for a further development of methods to be used e.g. in the European Water Framework Directive, or the EU biodiversity strategy. I am by training a "green biologist", but started to dive into the interesting world of molecular methods as well.
Research projects
- AquaBioEx (FORMAS): How to protect what we do not know we have: Identifying, understanding and managing aquatic biodiversity in intensively managed forests and under an increasingly extreme climate
- DNAquaIMG (Biodiversa+) - Innovating transnational aquatic biodiversity monitoring using high-throughput DNA tools and automated image recognition
- FRESHBAR – Barcoding of freshwater organisms for improved assessment of biodiversity
- Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Freshwater Ecosystem Monitoring Group (FEMG)
Environment analysis
I am the contact person regarding diatoms as bioindicators in national & regional monitoring programmes (Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM/HaV & regional water authorities).
I founded NorBAF - the Nordic-Baltic Network for Benthic Algae in Freshwater - to harmonize diatom identification across the Nordic region. We perform diatom intercalibration excercises every 3rd year.
I am active in the Freshwater Ecosystem Monitoring Group (FEMG) of CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna), developing long-term freshwater monitoring across the Arctic.
It is important to standardize methods to ensure harmonized results. Therefore, I am active member of the Swedish, European, and International Standardization committees (SIS, CEN and ISO).
Read more about freshwater benthic diatoms as biomonitoring tools here!
Teaching
Director of study: Graduate school 'Focus on soils and water' (FoSW)
Course leader BI1377 Biologisk mångfald i sötvatten
Background
2009 Associate Prof. in Biology with Specialization in Ecology at SLU
2001 Ph.D. in Limnology at Uppsala University
1995 Diploma in Zoology at the University of Cologne, Germany
Supervision
PhD students
Ina Bloch (assistent supervisor)
Steffi Gottschalk (main supervisor)
Sophie Gröndahl (University of Cologne, DE) (assistent supervisor)
Alexander Feckler (assistent supervisor)
Bonnie Bailet (main supervisor)
Cedric Åkermark (assistent supervisor)
Postdocs
François Keck