EXPERTISE

• Interdisciplinary ecosystem research with experience in more than 100 research and development projects,

• Advisory services for administrative authorities as well as for research institutes, NGOs and companies

• Cooperation with journalists on current environmental issues, in particular invasive species and warfare-related hazardous sites in the seas

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• Reviewer for international project proposals and for twenty scientific journals (u.a. Botanica marina, Estuaries, Journal of Plankton Research, Journal of Sea Research).

         

Currently, I am mainly concerned with the following three topics:
Invasive alien species
	The colonisation of new habitats by alien species has always been part of natural evolutionary processes. Today, however, anthropogenic vectors (shipping, canals, imports, etc.) increasingly enable the overcoming of natural barriers to dispersal, resulting in an increased introduction of alien species. Globally, 'alien species' are considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. My professional focus: Invasiveness assessments Management concepts Environmental monitoring (on land, under water) Documentation
Warfare-related hazardous sites in the seas
	Direct acts of war resulted in large quantities of explosive ordnance entering the seas. In addition, directly after the end of both World Wars, a total of around 2 million tonnes of conventional ammunition as well as smaller quantities of chemical warfare agents were dumped in the German coastal waters of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. To this day, accidents with these munitions have occurred time and again, especially among beach visitors and fishermen. Many explosive ordnance found also show clear corrosion damage with small to large leaks, resulting in the continuous release of considerable quantities of pollutants. However, their effects on the environment and humans have been insufficiently studied so far. My professional focus: Historical research and documentation Risk analyses, safety and clearance concepts Diving expeditions Public relations
Underwater archaeology
	Underwater archaeology is an exceptionally multifaceted discipline of ancient research. Every diver can come into contact with it unexpectedly, as many unknown cultural assets are still waiting to be discovered in our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. In order to protect and research our cultural heritage, I regularly participate, a.o., in professional excavation campaigns of Roman and medieval wrecks in the Adriatic Sea as a member of the Association for the Promotion of Underwater Archaeology (FUWA e.V.) in cooperation with the University of Zadar in Croatia. My professional focus: Diving exploration of historical wrecks Excavation campaigns Application of prospection techniques