Dr. Tom Shatwell
Scientist
Contact
Department Lake Research
Helmholtz-Centre
for
Environmental Research - UFZ
Brückstr. 3a, 39114 Magdeburg,
Germany
Tel: +49 391 810 9440
Fax: +49 391 810 9150
tom.shatwell@ufz.de

Academic positions
Since 2019
Research scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany.
2013 - 2018
Postdoc, Leibniz-Institut for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany.
2014 - 2015
Guest scientist, Photobiology Lab, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA
2007 - 2013
PhD at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, and at the Humboldt University, Berlin.
Education
2007 - 2013
PhD (Doctor rerum naturalium) in Biology (Ecology) at the Humboldt University, Berlin (grade: magna cum laude). Topic: Interactive effects of nutrients and physical factors on the growth of phytoplankton.
2003 - 2006
Master of Science, Ecological Engineering, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
1994 - 1998
Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering (First Class Honours) at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Research interests
Topics: Ecology and physics of lakes and reservoirs, particularly the interactions between lake physics, phytoplankton ecology and biogeochemistry. Another core theme is how climate warming, eutrophication, and anthropogenic stressors affect lakes and reservoirs.
Methods: ecological and hydrodynamic modelling, minimal or conceptual models, statistical modelling, laboratory experiments (especially cultivation of phytoplankton), field campaigns and analysis of long-term data.
- Stratification and mixing of lakes
- Light and nutrient limitation of phytoplankton, including physiology and its mathematical description
- Influence of vertical mixing on phytoplankton
- Influence of phytoplankton and water transparency on mixing
- Influence of light pollution on biological interactions
- Oxygen and nutrient dynamics of lakes and reservoirs
- Climate change
Projects
DYNAMO (UFZ funded PhD cohort)
Events as dynamic drivers of pollutant transport, turnover and export in catchments - from monitoring to models
ISIMIP
The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project - Lake Sector
DIABLO (DFG funded)
Winter diatom blooms and their effect on lake ecosystems
Research profiles
Publications
2023 (8)
- Adrian, R., Gsell, A.S., Shatwell, T., Scharfenberger, U. (2023):
Linking theory with empirical data: Improving prediction through mechanistic understanding of lake ecosystem complexity under global change
Fundam. Appl. Limnol. 196 (3-4), 179 - 194
full text (doi) - Bucher, S.F., Uhde, L., Weigelt, A., Cesarz, S., Eisenhauer, N., Gebler, A., Kyba, C., Römermann, C., Shatwell, T., Hines, J. (2023):
Artificial light at night decreases plant diversity and performance in experimental grassland communities
Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B-Biol. Sci. 378 (1892), art. 20220358
full text (doi) - Dyer, A., Ryser, R., Brose, U., Amyntas, A., Bodnar, N., Boy, T., Bucher, S.F., Cesarz, S., Eisenhauer, N., Gebler, A., Hines, J., Kyba, C.C.M., Menz, M.H.M., Rackwitz, K., Shatwell, T., Terlau, J.F., Hirt, M.R. (2023):
Insect communities under skyglow: diffuse night-time illuminance induces spatio-temporal shifts in movement and predation
Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B-Biol. Sci. 378 (1892), art. 20220359
full text (doi) - Evens, R., Lathouwers, M., Pradervand, J.-N., Jechow, A., Kyba, C.C.M., Shatwell, T., Jacot, A., Ulenaers, E., Kempenaers, B., Eens, M. (2023):
Skyglow relieves a crepuscular bird from visual constraints on being active
Sci. Total Environ. 900 , art. 165760
full text (doi) - Gai, B., Sun, J., Lin, B., Li, Y., Mi, C., Shatwell, T. (2023):
Vertical mixing and horizontal transport unravel phytoplankton blooms in a large riverine reservoir
J. Hydrol. 627, Part B , art. 130430
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Rinke, K., Shatwell, T. (2023):
Optimizing selective withdrawal strategies to mitigate hypoxia under water-level reduction in Germany's largest drinking water reservoir
J. Environ. Sci.
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Rinke, K. (2023):
Cascading climate effects in deep reservoirs: Full assessment of physical and biogeochemical dynamics under ensemble climate projections and ways towards adaptation
Ambio
full text (doi) - Rinke, K., Schultze, M., Thober, S., Mi, C., Cöster, D., Shatwell, T. (2023):
Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf Talsperren und mögliche Anpassungsstrategien
WasserWirtschaft 113 (6), 20 - 23
full text (doi)
2022 (6)
- Golub, M., Thiery, W., Marcé, R., Pierson, D., Vanderkelen, I., Mercado-Bettin, D., Woolway, R.I., Grant, L., Jennings, E., Kraemer, B.M., Schewe, J., Zhao, F., Frieler, K., Mengel, M., Bogomolov, V.Y., Bouffard, D., Côté, M., Couture, R.-M., Debolskiy, A.V., Droppers, B., Gal, G., Guo, M., Janssen, A.B.G., Kirillin, G., Ladwig, R., Magee, M., Moore, T., Perroud, M., Piccolroaz, S., Vinnaa, L.R., Schmid, M., Shatwell, T., Stepanenko, V.M., Tan, Z., Woodward, B., Yao, H., Adrian, R., Allan, M., Anneville, O., Arvola, L., Atkins, K., Boegman, L., Carey, C., Christianson, K., de Eyto, E., DeGasperi, C., Grechushnikova, M., Hejzlar, J., Markensten, H., McBride, C., Özkundakci, D., Potes, M., Rinke, K., Robertson, D., Rusak, J.A., Salgado, R., van der Linden, L., Verburg, P., Wain, D., Ward, N.K., Wollrab, S., Zdorovennova, G. (2022):
A framework for ensemble modelling of climate change impacts on lakes worldwide: the ISIMIP Lake Sector
Geosci. Model Dev. 15 (11), 4597 - 4623
full text (doi) - Kong, X., Ghaffar, S., Determann, M., Friese, K., Jomaa, S., Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Rinke, K., Rode, M. (2022):
Reservoir water quality deterioration due to deforestation emphasizes the indirect effects of global change
Water Res. 221 , art. 118721
full text (doi) - Kong, X., Ghaffar, S., Determann, M., Friese, K., Jomaa, S., Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Rinke, K., Rode, M. (2022):
Reservoir water quality deterioration due to deforestation emphasizes the indirect effects of global change [Data set]. In Water Research (1.0, Vol. 221, Number 118721)
ZENODO 10.5281/zenodo.6617108 - La Fuente, S., Jennings, E., Gal, G., Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., Ladwig, R., Moore, T., Couture, R.-M., Côté, M., Vinnå, C.L.R., Woolway, R.I. (2022):
Multi-model projections of future evaporation in a sub-tropical lake
J. Hydrol. 615 , art. 128729
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Hamilton, D.P., Frassl, M.A., Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Boehrer, B., Li, Y., Donner, J., Rinke, K. (2022):
Controlling blooms of Planktothrix rubescens by optimized metalimnetic water withdrawal: a modelling study on adaptive reservoir operation
Environ. Sci. Eur. 34 , art. 34
full text (doi) - Shikhani, M., Mi, C., Gevorgyan, A., Gevorgyan, G., Misakyan, A., Azizyan, L., Barfus, K., Schultze, M., Shatwell, T., Rinke, K. (2022):
Simulating thermal dynamics of the largest lake in the Caucasus region: The mountain Lake Sevan
J. Limnol. 81 (S1), art. 2024
full text (doi)
2021 (9)
- Graeber, D., Tenzin, Y., Stutter, M., Weigelhofer, G., Shatwell, T., von Tümpling, W., Tittel, J., Wachholz, A., Borchardt, D. (2021):
Bioavailable DOC: reactive nutrient ratios control heterotrophic nutrient assimilation—An experimental proof of the macronutrient-access hypothesis
Biogeochemistry 155 (1), 1 - 20
full text (doi) - Jechow, A., Schreck, G., Kyba, C.C.M., Berger, S.A., Bistarelli, L.T., Bodenlos, M., Gessner, M.O., Grossart, H.-P., Kupprat, F., Nejstgaard, J.C., Pansch, A., Penske, A., Sachtleben, M., Shatwell, T., Singer, G.A., Stephan, S., Walles, T.J.W., Wollrab, S., Zielinska-Dabkowska, K., Hölker, F. (2021):
Design and implementation of an illumination system to mimic skyglow at ecosystem level in a large-scale lake enclosure facility
Sci. Rep. 11 , art. 23478
full text (doi) - Kirillin, G.B., Shatwell, T., Wen, L. (2021):
Ice-covered lakes of Tibetan Plateau as solar heat collectors
Geophys. Res. Lett. 48 (14), e2021GL093429
full text (doi) - Kong, X., Seewald, M., Dadi, T., Friese, K., Mi, C., Boehrer, B., Schultze, M., Rinke, K., Shatwell, T. (2021):
Unravelling winter diatom blooms in temperate lakes using high frequency data and ecological modeling
Water Res. 190 , art. 116681
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Frassl, M., Hamilton, D., Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Boehrer, B., Li, Y., Rinke, K. (2021):
Controlling metalimnetic bloom of Planktothrix rubescens by a novel water withdrawal strategy: a modelling study
EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021
EGUsphere
Copernicus Publications, p. EGU21-4053
full text (doi) - Moore, T.N., Mesman, J.P., Ladwig, R., Feldbauer, J., Olsson, F., Pilla, R.M., Shatwell, T., Venkiteswaran, J.J., Delany, A.D., Dugan, H., Rose, K.C., Read, J.S. (2021):
LakeEnsemblR: An R package that facilitates ensemble modelling of lakes
Environ. Modell. Softw. 143 , art. 105101
full text (doi) - Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Seewald, M., Dadi, T., Friese, K., Mi, C., Boehrer, B., Schultze, M., Rinke, K. (2021):
Unravelling winter diatom blooms in temperate lakes using high frequency data and ecological modeling
EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021
EGUsphere
Copernicus Publications, p. EGU21-8051
full text (doi) - Woolway, R.I., Jennings, E., Shatwell, T., Golub, M., Pierson, D.C., Maberly, S.C. (2021):
Lake heatwaves under climate change
Nature 589 (7842), 402 - 407
full text (doi) - Woolway, R.I., Sharma, S., Weyhenmeyer, G.A., Debolskiy, A., Golub, M., Mercado-Bettín, D., Perroud, M., Stepanenko, V., Tan, Z., Grant, L., Ladwig, R., Mesman, J., Moore, T.N., Shatwell, T., Vanderkelen, I., Austin, J.A., DeGasperi, C.L., Dokulil, M., La Fuente, S., Mackay, E.B., Schladow, S.G., Watanabe, S., Marcé, R., Pierson, D.C., Thiery, W., Jennings, E. (2021):
Phenological shifts in lake stratification under climate change
Nat. Commun. 12 , art. 2318
full text (doi)
2020 (3)
- Kyba, C.C.M., Conrad, J., Shatwell, T. (2020):
Lunar illuminated fraction is a poor proxy for moonlight exposure
Nat. Ecol. Evol. 4 (3), 318 - 319
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Ma, J., Wentzky, V.C., Boehrer, B., Xu, Y., Rinke, K. (2020):
The formation of a metalimnetic oxygen minimum exemplifies how ecosystem dynamics shape biogeochemical processes: A modelling study
Water Res. 175 , art. 115701
full text (doi) - Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Ma, J., Xu, Y., Su, F., Rinke, K. (2020):
Ensemble warming projections in Germany's largest drinking water reservoir and potential adaptation strategies
Sci. Total Environ. 748 , art. 141366
full text (doi)
2019 (1)
- Shatwell, T., Thiery, W., Kirillin, G. (2019):
Future projections of temperature and mixing regime of European temperate lakes
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 23 (3), 1533 - 1551
full text (doi)
Other publications
- Shatwell, T., Köhler, J. (2019):
Decreased nitrogen loading controls summer cyanobacterial blooms without promoting nitrogen-fixing taxa: Long-term response of a shallow lake.
Limnology and Oceanography. 64, S166-S178. - Köhler, J., Wang, L., Guislain, A., Shatwell, T., (2019):
Influence of vertical mixing on light-dependency of phytoplankton growth.
Limnology and Oceanography, 63, 1156-1167. - Bruce, L.C., Frassl, M.A., Arhonditsis, et al.,
(2018):
A multi-lake comparative analysis of the General Lake Model (GLM): Stress-testing across a global observatory network.
Environ. Model. Software 102, 274-291. - Kirillin, G., Wen, L., Shatwell, T., (2017):
Seasonal thermal regime and climatic trends in lakes of the Tibetan Highlands.
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21, 1895-1909. - Kasprzak, P., Shatwell, T., Gessner, M.O., Gonsiorczyk, T., Kirillin, G.,
Selmeczy, G., Padisák, J., Engelhardt, C., (2017):
Extreme Weather Event Triggers Cascade Towards Extreme Turbidity in a Clear-water Lake.
Ecosystems, 20, 1407-1420. - Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., (2016):
Generalized scaling of seasonal thermal stratification in lakes.
Earth-Science Reviews 161, 179-190. - Shatwell,
T., Adrian, R., Kirillin, G., (2016):
Planktonic events may cause polymictic-dimictic regime shifts in temperate lakes.
Scientific Reports 6, 24361. - Müller, F., Bergmann, M., Dannowski, R., Dippner,
J.W., Gnauck, A., Haase, P., Jochimsen, M.C., Kasprzak, P., Kröncke, I.,
Kümmerlin, R., Küster, M., Lischeid, G., Meesenburg, H., Merz, C., Millat, G.,
Müller, J., Padisák, J., Schimming, C.G., Schubert, H., Schult, M., Selmeczy,
G., Shatwell, T., Stoll, S.,
Schwabe, M., Soltwedel, T., Straile, D., Theuerkauf, M., (2016):
Assessing resilience in long-term ecological data sets.
Ecological Indicators 65, 10-43. - Zak, D., Reuter, H., Augustin, J., Shatwell, T., Barth, M., Gelbrecht, J.,
McInnes, R.J., (2015):
Changes of the CO2 and CH4 production potential of rewetted fens in the perspective of temporal vegetation shifts.
Biogeosciences 12, 2455-2468. - Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch,
A., (2014):
Temperature and photoperiod interactions with phosphorus-limited growth and competition of two diatoms.
PLoS ONE 9, e102367. - Zak, D., Gelbrecht, J., Zerbe, S., Shatwell, T., Barth, M., Cabezas, A.,
Steffenhagen, P., (2014):
How helophytes influence the phosphorus cycle in degraded inundated peat soils - Implications for fen restoration.
Ecological Engineering 66, 82-90. - Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch, A. (2013):
Temperature and photoperiod interactions with silicon-limited growth and competition of two diatoms.
Journal of Plankton Research 35, 957-971. - Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., Kasprzak, P., (2013):
Consequences of thermal pollution from a nuclear plant on lake temperature and mixing regime.
Journal of Hydrology 496, 47-56. - Shatwell, T., Nicklisch, A., Köhler,
J., (2012):
Temperature and photoperiod effects on phytoplankton growing under simulated mixed layer light fluctuations.
Limnology and Oceanography 57, 541-553. - Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch,
A., (2008):
Warming promotes cold-adapted phytoplankton in temperate lakes and opens a loophole for Oscillatoriales in spring.
Global Change Biology 14, 2194-2200. - Nicklisch, A., Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., (2008):
Analysis and modelling of the interactive effects of temperature and light on phytoplankton growth and relevance for the spring bloom.
Journal of Plankton Research 30, 75-91.