I am a marine biologist with a broad interest in physiology, ecology, conservation, and aquaculture. Most of my research focuses on how environmental stress affects fishes, particularly their early life stages.

I currently work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology in Bremerhaven, Germany. In previous postdoctoral research stays, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (DFG), I worked with partners at the ARC Centre of Coral Reef Science (James Cook University) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville, Australia.

Interests
  • Aquatic ecophysiology
  • Environmental science
  • Conservation
  • Aquaculture
Education

  • Doctor of Natural Sciences

    University of Hamburg, 02/2016

  • Diploma (MSc equivalent) in Biology

    University of Hamburg, 12/2009

Skills

R
Statistics
Data visualization
Linux
Scientific writing
Media editing

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology
Research associate
Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology
August 2021 – Present Bremerhaven, Germany

Tasks include

  • Conservation aquaculture experiments with European smelt
  • Developing circular concepts for establishing novel fish feeds
 
 
 
 
 
James Cook University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Research associate
James Cook University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
July 2016 – December 2020 Townsville, Australia

Research fellowships to investigate

  • Swimming performance and upper thermal limits of tropical fishes during early life
  • Effects of combined climate change stressors on tropical fish larvae
 
 
 
 
 
Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology
Research assistant
Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology
May 2014 – December 2015 Hamburg, Germany

Project tasks in AutoMAt included

  • Developing a hyperbaric swimming respirometer for European eels
  • Securing a follow-up grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG)
 
 
 
 
 
University of Hamburg
Research assistant
University of Hamburg
October 2012 – April 2014 Hamburg, Germany

Project tasks in VECTORS included

  • Experimental research on how environmental change affects fish early life stages

Gallery

Herring caught in the English Channel on board the Dutch fishery research vessel Tridens.
Beneath the Waves shortfilm festival in Hamburg (hosted 2013-2015) with [Deepwave](https://www.deepwave.org/?lang=en) and [Friedrich Ebert Stiftung](https://www.fes.de/julius-leber-forum). Image credit: [Thomas Berroth](http://www.thomasberroth.de/).
Fish swimming and biomechanics course at Friday Harbor Laboratories ([FHL](https://fhl.uw.edu/)), University of Washington.
[Society for Experimental Biology's](https://www.sebiology.org/) Annual Conference 2018 (Florence, Italy).
More on fish locomotion or just a wine bottle lable combining some of my favourite interests.
Fish swimming experiments at the [National Sea Simulator](https://www.aims.gov.au/about/facilities/national-sea-simulator), a research aquarium facility at the [Australian Institute of Marine Science](https://www.aims.gov.au/).
Experimental setup for rearing fish under simulated climate change conditions at the [National Sea Simulator](https://www.aims.gov.au/about/facilities/national-sea-simulator).
Street art in Cairns (Australia) visualizing effects of climate change on tropical coral reefs. Evil Bleach mural by [Daniel Wallwork](https://seawalls.org/mural/evil-bleach/).
Hatching European smelt embryo. Find out more about this research [_here_](/publication/journal-article/2023-reiser-et-al-aq-liv-res/)

Recent Publications

Quickly discover relevant content by filtering publications.
Rapid physiological and transcriptomic changes associated with oxygen delivery in larval anemonefish suggest a role in adaptation to life on hypoxic coral reefs
The successful dispersal of coral reef fish populations relies on the high swimming abilities of pelagic larvae and - once settled to a reef habitat - the ability to endure hypoxia at night. This study used swimming respirometry and transcriptomics to examine the physiological mechanisms underlying the transition of cinnamon anemonefish larvae from pelagic to benthic life stages. The results suggest that changes in gene expression of oxygen-binding proteins may play a crucial role in successful larval recruitment, which has implications for understanding the connectivity of coral reef fish populations.
Adam T. Downie, Sjannie Lefevre, Björn Illing, Jessica Harris, Michael D. Jarrold, Mark I. McCormick, Göran E. Nilsson, Jodie L. Rummer
PDF Cite
Rapid physiological and transcriptomic changes associated with oxygen delivery in larval anemonefish suggest a role in adaptation to life on hypoxic coral reefs
First steps towards mass rearing of European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus, L.) using conventional hatchery equipment
The European smelt is a crucial species in lake and river ecosystems, but declines in several riverine habitats have been reported recently. To investigate potential causes, experimental research on the early life stages is necessary, requiring knowledge on artificial propagation and rearing. The study presents a simplified protocol for mass-rearing European smelt using conventional hatchery equipment and decapsulated artemia cysts for first feeding, allowing large quantities of larvae for further experimental studies.
Stefan Reiser, Timo Michels, Björn Illing
PDF Cite
First steps towards mass rearing of European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus, L.) using conventional hatchery equipment
Caught in the middle: bottom-up and top-down processes impacting recruitment in a small pelagic fish
Fisheries scientists aim to understand the factors that cause fluctuations in fish populations, but this is challenging due to the complex interactions between factors that vary across time and space. The Western Baltic Spring-Spawning (WBSS) herring is an example of a fish population whose low recruitment levels have prompted intense research. A holistic approach that combines field, experimental, and modeling efforts is needed to gain a mechanistic understanding of the recruitment drivers, and the study suggests specific research topics for addressing knowledge gaps in this area.
Marta Moyano, Björn Illing, Anna Akimova, Katharina Alter, Valerio Bartolino, Gregor Börner, Catriona Clemmesen, Annegret Finke, Tomas Gröhsler, Paul Kotterba, Lina Livdane, Felix Mittermayer, Dorothee Mol, Lena von Nordheim, Myron A. Peck, Matthias Schaber, Patrick Polte
PDF Cite
Caught in the middle: bottom-up and top-down processes impacting recruitment in a small pelagic fish
Coral reef fishes in a multi-stressor world
Coral reefs and their associated fish communities are among the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, but they are under threat from multiple stressors, many of which are driven by human activities. To better understand the threats facing coral reef fishes, 875 studies conducted between 1979 and 2020 were reviewed, examining their physiological responses to various abiotic and biotic stressors. The book chapter highlights the need for continued research and technological advances to better understand and mitigate the impacts of stressors on coral reef ecosystems, in order to protect their biodiversity and ecological function in the face of ongoing global change.
Jodie L. Rummer, Björn Illing
PDF Cite
Coral reef fishes in a multi-stressor world
Limiting motorboat noise on coral reefs boosts fish reproductive success
Anthropogenic noise has negative impacts on animal reproductive success, and protecting habitats from noise pollution may help improve it. The study used a season-long field manipulation on the Great Barrier Reef to demonstrate that limiting motorboat activity on reefs leads to increased fish offspring survival. A complementary laboratory experiment and the field study suggest that the improved reproductive success is due to improvements in parental care and offspring length, highlighting the potential benefits of noise mitigation for enhancing ecosystem resilience.
Sophie L. Nedelec, Andrew N. Redford, Peter Gatenby, Isla Keesje Davidson, Laura Velasquez Jimenez, Maggie Travis, Katherine E. Chapman, Kieran P. McCloskey, Timothy A.C. Lamont, Björn Illing, Mark I. McCormick, Stephen D. Simpson
PDF Cite
Limiting motorboat noise on coral reefs boosts fish reproductive success
See all publications

Popular Topics

aquaculture Atlantic herring climate change conservation Conservation Physiology in Action coral reef fish coral reef fishes ecophysiology endocrinology European eel European plaice European smelt fish larvae metabolism method development recruitment review swimming performance systematic review thermal tolerance

Contact

  • [email protected]
  • Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Herwigstr. 31, Bremerhaven, 27572