Angelika Graiff

Dr. Angelika Graiff is a Researcher at the University of Rostock's Institute for Biological Sciences, specializing in Applied Ecology and Phycology. Since 2018, she has coordinated the DFG Priority Program 1158 on Antarctic Research and has been actively involved in multiple climate change impact studies on marine macroalgae, particularly focusing on Baltic Sea ecosystems.

Education:

• Dissertation (2015): 'Seasonal responses of a keystone macrophyte community in the western Baltic Sea to ocean warming and acidification', University of Rostock
• Master of Science in Marine Biology (2010-2012), University of Rostock
• Biology Diploma (2003-2010) with focus on Animal Ecology & Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg

Dr. Graiff's research centers on the physiological responses of marine macroalgae to climate change stressors, with particular expertise in ecological modeling of benthic ecosystems. Her work integrates field studies, laboratory experiments, and computational modeling to understand how ocean warming and acidification affect kelp and other foundational macroalgal species. She has developed prognostic box models to simulate macroalgal growth and has extensively studied the carbon budget and photosynthetic performance of key species like Fucus vesiculosus and Laminaria digitata under changing environmental conditions.

Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on seasonal variation in macroalgal responses to climate stressors, with recent work expanding to include Arctic isolates and big data approaches in polar science. The research shows how interactive stressors produce complex, sometimes counterintuitive effects that vary significantly across seasons and geographic regions.

Dr. Graiff has secured funding from major organizations including DFG (German Research Foundation), BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research), DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation), and international programs like FONDECYT and DAAD. She collaborates extensively with researchers across Europe and South America.

As a member of the Phycology Section of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, she actively contributes to the scientific community. Her international research stays in Chile, Spain, Namibia, and Malaysia reflect her global collaborative approach to marine ecological research.