Algal/Marine Plant Ecology

Dr Dagmar Stengel’s research interests include the ecology of algae including seaweeds and microalgae, lichens (e.g. maritime and coastal lichens) and their algal partners (photobionts), and seagrasses.

Recent project have focused on the ecology of rocky shores, specifically on seaweeds (e.g. intertidal fucoids such as Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus species), Himanthalia elongata (‘Sea Spaghetti’), kelps forests, rock pool ecology, and marine lichen communities.

Of particular interest are environmental impacts (e.g. pollutants/contaminants), natural stressors, climate change, water quality effects and impacts of harvesting/sustainable management of seaweed resources.

Current and recent research projects

• Seaweed Resource Assessment: e.g. Development of a methodology of seaweed distribution (Marine Institute Cullen Fellowship Tom Rossiter)
• Kelp forest ecology
• Ecology of rockpool communities (e.g. PhD Ciaran Loughnane)
• Ocean Acidification – impacts on coastal ecosystems
• Effect of climate change and impacts of harvesting (e.g. PhD Christine Eschmann)
• Ecology of seagrasses (e.g. PhD Student Pedro Beca): seasonal and spatial distribution and productivity of Z. marina; modelling distribution and climate change effects
• Ecology of coastal lichens (e.g. PhD Niall Higgins)
• Invasive seaweeds (e.g. MSc Julia Baer)
• Assessing recent trends in nutrient inputs to estuarine waters and their ecological effect. (EPA-STRIVE Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dr Sorcha Ni Longphuirt) 
• Release and exudation of organic compounds from marine macro- and microalgae and implications for climate change and biomonitoring (e.g. PhD Merry Zacharias)
• FLIM: Functioning of Local and Invasive Macroalgae: Carbon and Nitrogen Budgets and Climate Change (IRCSET postdoc Dr Sorcha Ní Longphuirt 

Related publications

O’Dowd C, Ceburnis D, Ovadnevaite J, Bialek J, Stengel, DB, Zacharias M., Nitschke U, Connan S, Rinaldi M, Fuzzi S., Decesari S, Facchini MC, Marullo S, Santoleri R, Dell’Anno A, Corinaldesi C, Tangherlini M and Danovaro R. (2015) Connecting marine productivity to sea-spray via nanoscale biological processes: Phytoplankton Dance or Death Disco? Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 14883 doi:10.1038/srep14883

Ní Longphuirt S, Shane O’Boyle S, Wilkes R, Dabrowski T, Stengel DB. (2015). Influence of Hydrological Regime in Determining the Response of Macroalgal Blooms to Nutrient Loading in Two Irish Estuaries. Estuaries and Coasts, DOI 10.1007/s12237-015-0009-5

Ní Longphuirt S, O'Boyle S, Stengel DB (2015) Environmental response of an Irish estuary to changing land management practices.Science of the Total Environment, 521–522,388-399.

Higgins NF, Connan S and Stengel DB (2015). Factors influencing the distribution of coastal lichens Hydropunctaria maura andWahlenbergiella mucosa. Marine Ecology doi: 10.1111/maec.12239

Baer J, and Stengel DB (2014). Can native epiphytes affect establishment success of the alien seaweed Sargassum muticum(Phaeophyceae)? Biology And Environment-Proceedings of The Royal Irish Academy, 114B: 41-52

Ní Longphuirt S, Eschmann C, Russell C. and Stengel DB.  (2013). Seasonal and species-specific response of five brown macroalgae to high atmospheric CO₂. Marine Ecology Progress Series, doi 10.3354/meps10570.

Ashu-Ayem ER, Nitschke U, Monahan C, Chen J, Darby SB, Smith PD, O’Dowd CD, Stengel DB, Venables DS. (2012). Coastal iodine emissions: Part 1. Release of I₂ by Laminaria digitata in chamber experiments. Environmental Science and Technology, DOI: 10.1021/es204534v.

Monahan C, Ashu-Ayem ER, Nitschke U, Darby SB, Smith PD, Stengel DB, Venables DS, and O’Dowd CD. (2012). Coastal Iodine Emissions: Part 2. Chamber experiments of particle formation from Laminaria digitata-derived and laboratory- generated I₂. Environmental Science and Technology, dx.doi.org/10.1021/es3011805.

Ní Longphuirt S, Stengel D, O’Dowd C and McGovern E. (2010). Ocean Acidification – an emerging threat to our marine environment. Marine Foresight Series No. 6, Marine Institute, Ireland. 98pp. (download pdf)  

Baer J and Stengel DB (2010). Variability in growth, development and reproduction of the non-native seaweed Sargassum muticum (Phaeophyceae) on the Irish west coast. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 90(4): 185-194. 

Stengel DB, Zacharias M and Connan S. (2008). Exchange at the Air-Sea Interface: Air Quality and Climate ImpactS (EASI-AQCIS) - Marine algal biological cycling. SOLAS – Ireland National Report 2008 (B.Ward, Ed.). Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Studies Ireland. ISBN: 978-0-9553862-4-4. pp. 27-35.

Morrison L, Baumann HA and Stengel DB. (2007). An assessment of metal contamination along the Irish coast using the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucales, Phaeophyceae). Environmental Pollution, 152, 293-303.

Stengel DB, Wilkes RJ and Guiry MD. (1999). Seasonal growth and recruitment of Himanthalia elongata (Fucales, Phaeophycota) in different habitats on the Irish west coast. European Journal of Phycology 34 (2):213-221.  

Stengel DB and Dring MJ. (1998). Seasonal variation in the pigment content and photosynthesis of different thallus regions of Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucales, Phaeophyta) in relation to position in the canopy. Phycologia 37:259-268.  

Stengel DB and Dring MJ.  (1997). Morphology and in situ growth rates of plants of Ascophyllum nodosum (Phaeophyta) from different shore levels and responses of plants to vertical transplantation. European Journal of Phycology 32:193-202. 

For more details and full publications see and academic profile.