Speaker: Dr. Hilmar Hofmann, Assistant Professor, Liminological Institute, University of Konstanz

Title: Effects of physical processes in lake ecosystems

Date: July 3rd, 2019, 2:30 – 3:30 PM

Location: Rm. 101, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies

 

Bio 

Dr. Hilmar Hofmann is Assistant Professor in the Environmental Physics Group and Academic Councilor at the Limnological Institute of the University of Konstanz, Germany. The Limnological Institute is one of the top institutions for Limnology within Germany and Europe and the new Research Training Group (R3) was just established which comprises more than 15 PhD candidates who investigate responses to biotic and abiotic changes, resilience and reversibility of lake ecosystems in a team.

Dr. Hofmann’s research is based on multidisciplinary approaches in the field of environmental physics that links his expertise in physical limnology and environmental sciences with related disciplines (e.g., freshwater ecology, geochemistry, microbial ecology, ecotoxicology and climatology). His research is based on intensive empirical field investigations that he combines with numerical modelling to allow for generalization of the results in space and time. His main research interests are:

  • Shallow water processes, e.g. surface waves, currents, sediment dynamics, effects on biota;
  • Large- and small scale transport processes 
  • GHG-emissions and budget from/in lakes;
  • Growth, migration and distribution of plankton as well as lake metabolism 

The aim of his research is a process based and mechanic understanding of the dynamic interactions within aquatic ecosystems from a physical perspective (e.g., the role of physical processes on distribution of nutrients, dissolved substances and particles and interactions of organisms within the ecosystem).