Nicole Aberle-Malzahn
Nicole Aberle-Malzahn
nicole.aberle-malzahn@ntnu.no
About
Current teaching and research fields
I am a biological oceanographer with strong interests in plankton ecology. My focuses are on phytoplankton-microzooplankton interactions and the role of heterotrophic protists in modulating and controlling phytoplankton blooms. Further, the transfer of matter and energy from one trophic level to the next and the role of micro-/protozooplankton (e.g. ciliates and heterotrophic dinoflagellates) as a trophic intermediary between microbial and traditional food webs are of major interest. In this context, I focus mainly on the top-down control of microzooplankton by consumers such as mesozooplankton and ichthyoplankton.
Further, predator-prey interactions in the plankton in relation to changes in abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, light, nutrients) are major topics during my past and present research. Core questions of my current work is how climate change (global warming and ocean acidification) affects plankton diversity and marine food webs. While my main emphasis was originally on temperate marine ecosystems, the responses of plankton communities to future ocean conditions at low and high latitude regions are important aspects of my past and present research activities.
Approaches addressed range from field surveys to experimental marine ecology. To simulate future ocean conditions, small-scale laboratory experiments or large-scale indoor or outdoor mesocosms are set-up. The aim is to create near-natural conditions by using e.g. natural plankton communities and applying different stressors to the system (e.g. changes in temperature, pH, salinity, light or nutrients).
My main teaching activities at the Department of Biology at NTNU, take place within the Master program ‘Ocean Resources' (MSOCEAN) where I act as course responsible for BI3061/BI8061 ‘Biological Oceanography’. Further, I am involved in the BSc courses 'Marine Ecology' (BI2060) and 'Marine Biodiversity' (BI2036) at Department of Biology and the MSc courses 'Experimental Marine Methods' and 'Freshwater Ecology' (BI3037) at Department of Biology and 'Sustainable Use of Marine Resources' (TMR 4137) at Department of Marine Technology.
Past research activities
I studied biology with an emphasis on biological oceanography at Kiel University from 1994 to 2000. During my diploma thesis at the Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (Bremen, Germany), I focused on the responses of deep-sea benthic communities to a phytodetritus pulse using stable isotope techniques. Thereafter, I started a PhD project at the Max-Planck Institute for Limnology (Ploen, Germany) and the Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) focusing on a comparison between microphytobenthic communities in marine and freshwater systems and on the role of benthic microalgae as food for consumers. After the completion of my PhD in 2004, I started a Postdoc position at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany (2004-2006). During that time, I started to focus on planktonic systems with an emphasis on lower food-web dynamics and the impact of changes in abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, nutrients). From 2006-2015 I worked as a research associate at the Biologische Anstalt Helgoland (BAH), Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) where I focused mainly on food-web interactions in the plankton and especially the role of microzooplankton as a trophic intermediary between primary producers and consumers. Further, alterations in the planktonic food web resulting from changes in environmental conditions (e.g. global warming, ocean acidification) were of relevance during my past and present research.
Thomson Reuters ResearcherID: C-7366-2014
Research Gate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicole_Aberle
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3254-5710
Associate Editor of the journal 'Marine Biology' (Springer)
Publications
2025
-
Geißel, Jan Phillipp;
Espinosa-Novo, Noé;
Giménez, Luis;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Meeren, Gro Ingleid van der;
Rautenberger, Ralf.
(2025)
Trends in Early Larval Traits of a Global Invader at Home Across a Latitudinal Gradient: The European Shore Crab Carcinus maenas.
Journal of Biogeography
Academic article
-
Geißel, Jan Phillipp;
Espinosa-Novo, Noé;
Giménez, Luis;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Meeren, Gro Ingleid van der;
Harzsch, Steffen.
(2025)
Larval Physiological Responses to Temperature Across the European Distribution Range of a Global Invader at Home: The Shore Crab Carcinus maenas.
Ecology and Evolution
Academic article
2022
-
Bils, Franziska;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Damme, Cindy J.G. Van;
Peck, Myron A.;
Moyano, Marta.
(2022)
Role of protozooplankton in the diet of North Sea autumn spawning herring (Clupea harengus) larvae.
Marine Biology
Academic article
2021
-
Rekstad, Mathias;
Sanna, Majaneva;
Borgersen, Åshild Løvås;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole.
(2021)
Occurrence and Habitat Characteristics of Aurelia sp. Polyps in a High-Latitude Fjord.
Frontiers in Marine Science
Academic article
2019
-
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Piontkovski, SA.
(2019)
Seasonal dynamics of microzooplankton communities in the Sea of Oman (Arabian Sea).
Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management
Academic article
-
Alguero-Muniz, Maria;
Horn, Henriette G.;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Spisla, Carsten;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Bach, Lennart T..
(2019)
Analyzing the Impacts of Elevated-CO2 Levels on the Development of a Subtropical Zooplankton Community During Oligotrophic Conditions and Simulated Upwelling.
Frontiers in Marine Science
Academic article
2018
-
Yunes, Dunia Rios;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole.
(2018)
The impact of high CO2 and low pH on the organic carbon characterization.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Masters thesis
-
Riebesell, Ulf;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Achterberg, Eric P.;
Algueró-Muniz, Marina;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Arístegui, Javier.
(2018)
Toxic algal bloom induced by ocean acidification disrupts the pelagic food web.
Nature Climate Change
Academic article
2017
-
Bils, Franziska;
Moyano, Marta;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Hufnagl, Marc;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Peck, Myron A..
(2017)
Exploring the microzooplankton–ichthyoplankton link: a combined field and modeling study of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the Irish Sea.
Journal of Plankton Research
Academic article
2016
-
Horn, Henriette G.;
Sander, Nils;
Stuhr, Annegret;
Algueró-Muñiz, Maria;
Bach, Lennart T.;
Löder, Martin G.J..
(2016)
Low CO2 sensitivity of microzooplankton
communities in the Gullmar Fjord, Skagerrak:
Evidence from a long-term mesocosm study.
PLOS ONE
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Geißel, Jan Phillipp;
Espinosa-Novo, Noé;
Giménez, Luis;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Meeren, Gro Ingleid van der;
Rautenberger, Ralf.
(2025)
Trends in Early Larval Traits of a Global Invader at Home Across a Latitudinal Gradient: The European Shore Crab Carcinus maenas.
Journal of Biogeography
Academic article
-
Geißel, Jan Phillipp;
Espinosa-Novo, Noé;
Giménez, Luis;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Meeren, Gro Ingleid van der;
Harzsch, Steffen.
(2025)
Larval Physiological Responses to Temperature Across the European Distribution Range of a Global Invader at Home: The Shore Crab Carcinus maenas.
Ecology and Evolution
Academic article
-
Bils, Franziska;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Damme, Cindy J.G. Van;
Peck, Myron A.;
Moyano, Marta.
(2022)
Role of protozooplankton in the diet of North Sea autumn spawning herring (Clupea harengus) larvae.
Marine Biology
Academic article
-
Rekstad, Mathias;
Sanna, Majaneva;
Borgersen, Åshild Løvås;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole.
(2021)
Occurrence and Habitat Characteristics of Aurelia sp. Polyps in a High-Latitude Fjord.
Frontiers in Marine Science
Academic article
-
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Piontkovski, SA.
(2019)
Seasonal dynamics of microzooplankton communities in the Sea of Oman (Arabian Sea).
Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management
Academic article
-
Alguero-Muniz, Maria;
Horn, Henriette G.;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Spisla, Carsten;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Bach, Lennart T..
(2019)
Analyzing the Impacts of Elevated-CO2 Levels on the Development of a Subtropical Zooplankton Community During Oligotrophic Conditions and Simulated Upwelling.
Frontiers in Marine Science
Academic article
-
Riebesell, Ulf;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Achterberg, Eric P.;
Algueró-Muniz, Marina;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Arístegui, Javier.
(2018)
Toxic algal bloom induced by ocean acidification disrupts the pelagic food web.
Nature Climate Change
Academic article
-
Bils, Franziska;
Moyano, Marta;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole;
Hufnagl, Marc;
Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago;
Peck, Myron A..
(2017)
Exploring the microzooplankton–ichthyoplankton link: a combined field and modeling study of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the Irish Sea.
Journal of Plankton Research
Academic article
-
Horn, Henriette G.;
Sander, Nils;
Stuhr, Annegret;
Algueró-Muñiz, Maria;
Bach, Lennart T.;
Löder, Martin G.J..
(2016)
Low CO2 sensitivity of microzooplankton
communities in the Gullmar Fjord, Skagerrak:
Evidence from a long-term mesocosm study.
PLOS ONE
Academic article
Report
-
Yunes, Dunia Rios;
Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole.
(2018)
The impact of high CO2 and low pH on the organic carbon characterization.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Masters thesis
Teaching
Courses
Outreach
2023
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Academic lectureSalganik, Evgenii; Müller, Oliver; Olsen, Lasse Mork; Gardner, Jessie; Lange, Benjamin Allen; Gradinger, Rolf Rudolf. (2023) Hidden in Plain Sight – New Insights on Arctic Sea-Ice Ridges from the MOSAiC Expedition – an Overview. the Nansen Legacy Symposium , Tromsø, Norway 07.11.2023 - 09.11.2023
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PosterHatlebakk, Maja Karoline Viddal; Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole. (2023) Growth and Grazing in the planktonic food web: a comparison between two years of contrasting summer ice conditions in the Barents Sea. Gordon Research Conference Polar Marine Science , Ventura, California 05.03.2023 - 10.03.2023
2021
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InterviewNancy, Bazilchuk; Geir, Johnsen; Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole; Arne, Johansen Tor; Annette, Stahl. (2021) A robotic microplankton sniffer dog. https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2021/05/a-robotic-microplan https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2021/05/a-robotic-microplan [Internet] 27.05.2021
2019
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LectureSanna, Majaneva; Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole. (2019) Jellyfish in marine ecosystems and their potential as a valuable and sustainable marine resource: A GoJelly perspective. Åpen dag IBI , Trondheim 20.03.2019 - 20.03.2019
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InterviewAberle-Malzahn, Nicole; Nancy, Bazilchuk. (2019) Six years into the ice — and beyond. Norwegian SciTech news Norwegian SciTech news [Journal] 26.09.2019
2018
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InterviewAberle-Malzahn, Nicole; Stippkugel, Angela. (2018) Kule beitedyr. https://forskning.no/forste-tokt-med-kronprins-haakon-blogg/ https://forskning.no/forste-tokt-med-kronprins-haakon-blogg/ [Internet] 20.08.2018
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InterviewAberle-Malzahn, Nicole; Bazilchuk, Nancy Reney. (2018) Ocean acidification stimulates mass development of toxic algae. Gemini Research News Gemini Research News [Journal] 19.12.2018
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InterviewOpheim, Aagot; Tiller, Rachel; Slizyte, Rasa; Aberle-Malzahn, Nicole; Borgersen, Åshild Løvås. (2018) Maneter skal fange mikroplast. https://www.adressa.no/pluss/nyheter/2018/05/21/Maneter-skal https://www.adressa.no/pluss/nyheter/2018/05/21/Maneter-skal [Journal] 21.05.2018