Carlotta Matilde Mariafrancesca Meriggi

Carlotta Matilde Mariafrancesca Meriggi serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, conducting critical research on environmental drivers affecting coastal ecosystems in the Skagerrak and North Sea regions.

Her academic foundation includes:

• PhD in Biology (Ecology specialization) from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU Uppsala), focusing on predictive modeling of invasive cyanobacterium Raphidiopsis raciborskii expansion in Swedish lakes
• MSc in Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management from Wageningen University, featuring thesis research on tidal effects on PAH bioaccumulation in marine bivalves and coral restoration fieldwork in Kenya
• BSc in Biology from University of Pavia with thesis examining alien species in Venice Lagoon's benthic communities

Dr. Meriggi's research program investigates how anthropogenic stressors and climate change alter phytoplankton diversity and community structure in aquatic systems. Her methodological approach integrates field surveys across diverse ecosystems—from Swedish lakes to Malaysian coral reefs—with experimental studies and predictive ecological modeling to assess invasion risks under changing environmental conditions. This transdisciplinary work bridges marine biology, environmental toxicology, and climate science to address urgent conservation challenges.

Her 2024 publication in Aquatic Invasions represents a significant contribution to understanding temperature and nutrient ratio effects on cyanobacterial invasion success, demonstrating how anthropogenic nutrient loading combined with warming waters creates favorable conditions for harmful algal blooms. This research establishes critical thresholds for ecosystem management while advancing predictive frameworks in invasion biology.

Fieldwork conducted across three continents—including coral and seagrass surveys at Malaysia's Perhentian Marine Research Station and experimental studies in African coastal ecosystems—provides the empirical foundation for her current Norwegian-based research on North Sea coastal dynamics. Her work maintains strong international collaboration networks spanning European, Asian, and African research institutions.