Research Interests
Aquatic ecology;
community ecology; limnology; phytoplankton ecology, physiology and
evolution; biogeochemical impacts of phytoplankton; global change
Current Research
I am interested in how
the interplay of biotic and abiotic factors structures phytoplankton
communities in both freshwater and marine environments. Currently our
lab focuses on the following questions:
Effects of Temporal and Spatial
Heterogeneity on Phytoplankton Communities
We have been looking
at how fluctuating resources such as light and nutrients affect
competition and coexistence in phytoplankton. We are also interested in
identifying and testing the mechanisms leading to heterogeneous vertical
distributions of phytoplankton, such as subsurface chlorophyll maxima.
Ecological Traits, Trade-offs and
Community Structure
We seek to understand
how ecological traits and trade-offs determine plankton community
structure under different environmental conditions. Using laboratory
experiments and data analysis, we characterize growth and resource
utilization traits, trade-offs and ecological strategies of major
phytoplankton functional groups from both freshwater and marine
environments. We then use mechanistic models to explain and predict the
occurrence and dominance of these phytoplankton groups. We test model
predictions in laboratory experiments with phytoplankton communities.
Global Change and Harmful Algal Blooms
I have a keen interest
in how different aspects of the human-induced global change will impact
aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton communities in particular. Among the
factors we have been looking at are the increased ultraviolet (UV)
radiation and the increased concentration of greenhouse gases changing
temperature, precipitation and water circulation. Using experiments and
models we investigate how these factors may alter phytoplankton
community structure and dynamics. One of our current projects is to determine how various aspects of global change such as climate alterations and changes in nutrient loading may increase the frequency and severity of Harmful Algal Blooms.
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Litchman, E., C.A. Klausmeier, O.M. Schofield and P.G. Falkowski. 2007. The role of functional traits and trade-offs in structuring phytoplankton communities: scaling from cellular to ecosystem level. Ecology Letters , 10: 1170-1181.
Litchman, E. Resource competition and the ecological success of phytoplankton. 2007. In: P.G. Falkowski and A.H. Knoll (Eds) Evolution of Primary Producers in the Sea . Elsevier. pp. 351-375.
Litchman, E., C.A. Klausmeier, J.R. Miller, O.M. Schofield and P.G. Falkowski. 2006. Multi-nutrient, multi-group model of present and future oceanic phytoplankton communities. Biogeosciences, 3: 585-606.
Kay, A.D., I.W. Ashton, E. Gorokhova, A.J. Kerkhoff, A. Liess and
E. Litchman. 2005. Toward a stoichiometric framework for evolutionary
biology. Oikos, 109: 6-17.
Klausmeier, C.A., E. Litchman, T. Daufresne and S.A. Levin. 2004.
Optimal N:P stoichiometry of phytoplankton. Nature, 429:
171-174.
Litchman, E., C.A. Klausmeier and P. Bossard. 2004. Phytoplankton
nutrient competition under dynamic light regimes. Limnology and
Oceanography, 49: 1457-1462.
Klausmeier, C.A., E. Litchman
and S.A. Levin. 2004. Phytoplankton
growth and stoichiometry under multiple nutrient limitation.
Limnology and Oceanography, 49: 1463-1470.
Litchman, E. 2003. Competition and coexistence of phytoplankton under
fluctuating light: experiments with two cyanobacteria. Aquatic
Microbial Ecology, 31: 241-248.
Litchman, E., D. Steiner and P. Bossard. 2003. Photosynthetic and growth
responses of three freshwater algae to phosphorus limitation and
daylength. Freshwater Biology, 48: 2141-2148.
Litchman, E., P.J. Neale and A.T. Banaszak. 2002. Increased sensitivity
to ultraviolet radiation in nitrogen-limited dinoflagellates:
photoprotection and repair. Limnology and Oceanography,
47: 86-94.
Klausmeier, C.A. and E. Litchman. 2001. Algal games: the vertical
distribution of phytoplankton in poorly mixed water columns.
Limnology and Oceanography, 46: 1998-2007.
Neale, P.J., E. Litchman, C. Sobrino, C. Callieri, G. Morabito, V.
Montecino, Y. Huot, P. Bossard, C. Lehmann and D. Steiner. 2001.
Quantifying the response of phytoplankton photosynthesis to ultraviolet
radiation: biological weighting functions versus in situ
measurements in two Swiss lakes. Aquatic Sciences, 63:
265-285.
Litchman, E. and C.A. Klausmeier. 2001. Competition of phytoplankton
under fluctuating light. American Naturalist, 157:
170-187.
Litchman, E. 1998. Population and community responses of phytoplankton
to fluctuating light. Oecologia, 117: 247-257.
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