Tom Shatwell
Müggelseedamm 301, 12587 Berlin
Profile
I study lakes and how they respond to global change, like climate warming and eutrophication. My main interest is in the dynamics and species composition of phytoplankton, and how these interact with the physical and biogeochemical environment in lakes. For this I use a combination of numerical modelling, analysis of field data and long-term monitoring observations, as well as lab experiments with phytoplankon cultures.
Professional experience
Since 2026: Research Group Leader at IGB, Berlin, Germany
2024 – 2026: Professor of Aquatic Ecology, Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Höxter, Germany
2019 – 2024: Researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
2014 – 2015: Guest scientist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Maryland, USA
2010 – 2018: Doctoral and postdoctoral Researcher at IGB, Berlin, Germany.
Education
2013: PhD (Dr. rer. Nat.) in Ecology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
2006: MSc Ecological Engineering, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, Germany
1998: BSc. Civil Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Publications
Publications (2008-2025)
Gai, B., Kumar, R., Hüesker, F., Mi, C., Kong, X., Boehrer, B., Rinke, K., Shatwell, T. Catchments amplify reservoir thermal response to climate warming (2025). Water Resources Research, e2023WR036808. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036808.
Fárez‐Román, V., K. Rinke, S. Dunker, H. Hampel, and T. Shatwell (2025). Phytoplankton community dynamics and vertical nutrient fluxes during the winter‐to‐spring transition in a monomictic temperate reservoir. Limnology and Oceanography, 70:1678-1692. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.70082.
Van Velzen, E., Wollrab, S., Kerimoglu, O., Gaedke, U., Grossart, H.-P., Kasada, M., Klip, H. C. L., Moorthi, S., Shatwell, T., Thongthaisong, P., Prowe, A. E. F (2025). Flexibility in aquatic food web interactions: linking scales and approaches. Ecosystems, 28:23, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-025-00968-7.
Kirillin, G. B., T. Shatwell, and A. S. Izhitskiy (2025). Consequences of the Aral Sea restoration for its present physical state: temperature, mixing, and oxygen regime. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 29:3569–3588. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3569-2025.
Mi, C., T. Shatwell, X. Kong, and K. Rinke (2025). Cascading climate effects in deep reservoirs: Full assessment of physical and biogeochemical dynamics under ensemble climate projections and ways towards adaptation, Ambio, 54: 385-401, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01950-0.
Fonvielle J., Thuile Bistarelli L., Tao Y., Woodhouse J.N., Shatwell T., Villalba L.A., Berger, C. C. M. Kyba, J. C. Nejstgaard, A. Jechow, F. Kupprat, S. Stephan, T. J. W. Walles, S. Wollrab, F. Hölker, T. Dittmar, M. O. Gessner, G. A. Singer, and H.-P. Grossart (2025). Skyglow increases cyanobacteria abundance and organic matter cycling in lakes, Water Research 278: 123315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.123315.
Boehrer, B., T. Shatwell, A. Damoah, P. Aurich, M. Determann, P. Sanful, and W. Von Tümpling (2025). Gas accumulation in Lake Bosumtwi deep waters and its potential to contribute to fish kills. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 32:5371–5380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36032-z.
Hubig, A., A. Musolff, T. Shatwell, M. Weitere, A. Wachholz, P. Ebeling, and U. Scharfenberger (2025). Linking spatial patterns of chlorophyll a and phosphorus concentrations: River length and upstream lakes control realized eutrophication in German rivers. Water Research 287:124372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.124372.
Damoah, A., P. Sanful, T. A. Davidson, D. Trolle, A. Nielsen, T. Shatwell, and B. Boehrer. 2025. Changes in the stratification and mixing patterns of Lake Bosumtwi due to climate warming. Fundamental and Applied Limnology:293–310. https://doi.org/10.1127/fal/1527.
Determann, M., Musolff, A., Frassl, M., Rinke, K., Shatwell, T. Nutrient retention in a small reservoir under changed variability of inflow nutrient concentration (2024). Inland Waters. https://doi.org/10.1080/20442041.2024.2305105
Gai, B., Boehrer, B., Lin, B., Shatwell, T. Vertical water age and water renewal in a large riverine reservoir (2024). Journal of Hydrology, 631, 130701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130701.
Fernandes, Taynara de Souza; Shatwell, Tom; Schultze, Martin; Determann, Maria; Mi, Chenxi; Rinke, Karsten. How efficient are pre-dams as reservoir guardians? A long-term study on nutrient retention (2024). Water Research, 272, 122864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122864
Cao, Y., Scharfenberger, U., Shatwell, T., Adrian, A., Agasild, H., Angeler, D. G., Beklioğlu, M., Ayşe ldil Çakıroğlu, Josef Hejzlar, Eva Papastergiadou, Michal Šorf, Kostas Stefanidis, Martin Søndergaard, Priit Zingel, Erik Jeppesen. Predicting Daily Net Ecosystem Production in Shallow Lakes from Dissolved Oxygen Saturation Levels – A Pan-European Mesocosm Experiment and Modelling Approach (2024). Hydrobiologia, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05714-z.
Graeber D., McCarthy, M., Shatwell, T., Borchardt, D., Jeppesen, E., Sondergaard, M., Lauridsen, T., Davidson, T. Consistent stoichiometric long-term relationships between nutrients and chlorophyll-a across lakes (2024). Nature Communications 15, 809, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45115-3.
La Fuente, S., Jennings, E., Lenters, J., Verburg, P., Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., Couture, R.-M., Côté, M., Råman Vinnå, C. L., Woolway, R. I. Increasing warm-season evaporation rates across European lakes under climate change (2024). Climatic Change, 177, 173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-024-03830-2).
Shikhani, M., Feldbauer, J., Ladwig, R., Mercado-Bettín, D., Moore, T. N., Gevorgyan, A., Misakyan, A., Mi, C., Schultze, M., Boehrer, B., Shatwell. T., Barfus, K., Rinke, K. Combining a Multi-Lake Model Ensemble and a Multi-Domain CORDEX Climate Data Ensemble for Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Lake Sevan (2024). Water Resources Research 60, e2023WR036511. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036511
Gai, B., Jian, S., Lin, B., Li, Y., Mi, C., Shatwell, T. Vertical mixing and horizontal transport unravel phytoplankton blooms in a large riverine reservoir (2023). Journal of Hydrology 627: 130430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130430.
Mi, C., Rinke, K., Shatwell, T. Optimizing selective withdrawal strategies to mitigate hypoxia under water-level reduction in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir. Journal of Environmental Sciences. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2023.06.025.
Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Rinke, K. Full assessment of physical, chemical and biological climate impacts on Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir until 2100 including ways towards adaptation (2023). Ambio. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130430.
Adrian, R., Gsell, A., Shatwell, T., Scharfenberger, U. Linking theory with empirical data: Improving prediction through mechanistic understanding of lake ecosystem complexity under global change (2023). Fundamental and Applied Limnology, 196: 179-194. doi: https://doi.org/10.1127/fal/2022/1457.
Evens, R., Lathouwers, M., Pradervand, J.-N., Jechow, A., Kyba, C. C. M., Shatwell, T., Jacot, A., Ulenaers, E., Kempenaers, B., Eens, E. Skyglow relieves a crepuscular bird from visual constraints. Science of the Total Environment, 900 165760. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165760.
Bucher, S. F., Uhde, L., Weigelt, A., Cesarz, S., Eisenhauer, N., Gebler, A., Kyba, C., Römermann, C., Shatwell, T., Hines, J. Artificial light at night (ALAN) decreases plant diversity and performance in experimental grassland communities (2023). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 378: 20220358. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0358.
Dyer, A., Ryser, R., Brose, U., Amyntas, A., Bodnar, N., Boy, T., Bucher, S. F., Cesarz, S., Eisenhauer, N., Gebler, A., Hines, J., Kyba, C.C.M., Menz, M. h., M., Rackwitz, K., Shatwell, T., Terlau, J. F., Hirt, M. R., Skyglow induces spatiotemporal shifts in movement and predation of insect communities (2023). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 378: 20220359. http://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0359.
Mi, C., Hamilton, D. P., Frassl, M. A., Shatwell, T., Kong, X., Boehrer, B., Li, Y., Donner, J., Rinke, R. Controlling blooms of Planktothrix rubescens by optimized metalimnetic water withdrawal: a modelling study on adaptive reservoir operation (2022). Environmental Sciences Europe, 34, 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00683-3
Kong, X. Z., S. Ghaffar, M. Determann, K. Friese, S. Jomaa, C. X. Mi, T. Shatwell, K. Rinke & M. Rode, 2022. Reservoir water quality deterioration due to deforestation emphasizes the indirect effects of global change (2022). Water Research 221 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118721.
La Fuente, S., Jennings, E., Gal, G., Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., Ladwig, R., Moore, T., Couture, R-M., Côté, M., Råman Vinnå, C. L., Woolway, R. I. Multi-model projections of future evaporation in a sub-tropical lake (2022). J. Hydrology, 615: 128729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128729.
Golub, M., W. Thiery, R. Marcé, D. Pierson, I. Vanderkelen, D. Mercado-Bettin, R. I. Woolway, L. Grant, E. Jennings, B. M. Kraemer, J. Schewe, F. Zhao, K. Frieler, M. Mengel, V. Y. Bogomolov, D. Bouffard, M. Côté, R. M. Couture, A. V. Debolskiy, B. Droppers, G. Gal, M. Guo, A. B. G. Janssen, G. Kirillin, R. Ladwig, M. Magee, T. Moore, M. Perroud, S. Piccolroaz, L. Raaman Vinnaa, M. Schmid, T. Shatwell, V. M. Stepanenko, Z. Tan, B. Woodward, H. Yao, R. Adrian, M. Allan, O. Anneville, L. Arvola, K. Atkins, L. Boegman, C. Carey, K. Christianson, E. de Eyto, C. DeGasperi, M. Grechushnikova, J. Hejzlar, K. Joehnk, I. D. Jones, A. Laas, E. B. Mackay, I. Mammarella, H. Markensten, C. McBride, D. Özkundakci, M. Potes, K. Rinke, D. Robertson, J. A. Rusak, R. Salgado, L. van der Linden, P. Verburg, D. Wain, N. K. Ward, S. Wollrab & G. Zdorovennova, 2022. A framework for ensemble modelling of climate change impacts on lakes worldwide: the ISIMIP Lake Sector. Geosci Model Dev 15:4597-4623 doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4597-2022.
Woolway, R.I., Jennings, E., Shatwell, T., Golub, M., Pierson, D.C., Maberly, S.C. (2021). Lake heatwaves under climate change. Nature 589, 402-407. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03119-1.
Kong, X., M. Seewald, T. Dadi, K. Friese, C. Mi, B. Boehrer, M. Schultze, K. Rinke & T. Shatwell (2021). Unravelling winter diatom blooms in temperate lakes using high frequency data and ecological modeling. Water Research: 116681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116681.
Shikhani, M., Mi, C., Gevorgyan, A., Gevorgyan, G., Misakyan, A., Azizyan, L., Barfus, K., Schultze, M., Shatwell, T., Rinke, K., (2021). Simulating thermal dynamics of the largest lake in the Caucasus region: The mountain Lake Sevan. Journal of Limnology https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2021.2024.
Jechow, A., G. Schreck, C. C. M. Kyba, S. A. Berger, L. T. Bistarelli, M. Bodenlos, M. O. Gessner, H.-P. Grossart, F. Kupprat, J. C. Nejstgaard, A. Pansch, A. Penske, M. Sachtleben, T. Shatwell, G. A. Singer, S. Stephan, T. J. W. Walles, S. Wollrab, K. M. Zielinska-Dabkowska & F. Hölker, 2021. Design and implementation of an illumination system to mimic skyglow at ecosystem level in a large-scale lake enclosure facility. Scientific Reports 11:23478 doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02772-4.
Kirillin, G. B., Shatwell, T., Wen, L. (2021). Ice-Covered Lakes of Tibetan Plateau as Solar Heat Collectors. Geophysical Research Letters 48: e2021GL093429. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL093429.
Woolway, R.I., Debolskiy, A., Golub, M., Mercado-Bettin, D., Perroud, M., Stepanenko, V., Tan, Z., Grant, L., Ladwig, R., Mesman, J., Moore, T., Shatwell, T., Vanderkelen, I., Marce, R., Pierson, D.C., Thiery, W., Jennings, E. (2021). Phenological shifts in lake stratification under climate change, Nature Communications 12, 2318. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22657-4.
Moore, T. N., Mesman, J., Ladwig, R., Feldbauer, J., Olsson, F., Pilla, R., Shatwell, T., Venkiteswaran, J., Delany, A., Dugan, H., Rose, K., Read, J. (2021). LakeEnsemblR: An R package that facilitates ensemble modelling of lakes. Environmental Modelling & Software 143: 105101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105101.
Graeber, D., Tenzin, Y., Stutter, M., Weigelhofer, G., Shatwell, T., von Tümpling, W., Tittel, J., Wachholz, A., Borchardt, D. (2021). Bioavailable DOC: reactive nutrient ratios control heterotrophic nutrient assimilation—An experimental proof of the macronutrient-access hypothesis. Biogeochemistry 155: 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-021-00809-4.
Mi. C., Shatwell T., Ma, J., Xu, Y., Su, F., Rinke, K (2020). Ensemble warming projections in Germany's largest drinking water reservoir and potential adaptation strategies. Science of the Total Environment 748: 141366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141366.
Kyba, C.C.M, Conrad, J, Shatwell, T. (2020): Lunar illuminated fraction is a poor proxy for moonlight exposure. Nature Ecology and Evolution 4: 318-319. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1096-7.
Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Ma, J., Wentzky, V., Boehrer, B., Xu, Y., Rinke, K. (2020). The formation of a metalimnetic oxygen minimum exemplifies how ecosystem dynamics shape biogeochemical processes: A modelling study. Water Research 175: 115701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.115701.
Shatwell, T., Thiery, W., Kirillin, G. (2019). Future projections of temperature and mixing regime of European temperate lakes. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 23: 1533-1551. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1533-2019.
Shatwell, T., Köhler, J. (2019). Decreased nitrogen loading controls summer cyanobacterial blooms without promoting nitrogen-fixing taxa: long-term response of a shallow lake. Limnology and Oceanography, 64: S166-S178. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11002.
Köhler, J., Wang, L., Guislain, A., Shatwell, T. (2018). Influence of vertical mixing on light-dependency of phytoplankton growth. Limnology and Oceanography, 63: 1165-1167. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10761.
Bruce, L.C., Frassl, M.A., Arhonditsis, et al. (2018). A multi-lake comparative analysis of the General Lake Model (GLM): Stress-testing across a global observatory network. Environ. Model. Software 102, 274-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.11.016.
Kirillin, G., Wen, L., Shatwell, T. (2017). Seasonal thermal regime and climatic trends in lakes of the Tibetan Highlands. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21, 1895-1909. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1895-2017.
Kasprzak, P., Shatwell, T., Gessner, M.O., Gonsiorczyk, T., Kirillin, G., Selmeczy, G., Padisák, J., Engelhardt, C. (2017). Extreme Weather Event Triggers Cascade Towards Extreme Turbidity in a Clear-water Lake. Ecosystems, 20, 1407-1420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-017-0121-4.
Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T. (2016). Generalized scaling of seasonal thermal stratification in lakes. Earth-Science Reviews 161, 179-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.08.008.
Shatwell, T., Adrian, R., Kirillin, G. (2016). Planktonic events may cause polymictic-dimictic regime shifts in temperate lakes. Scientific Reports 6, 24361. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep24361.
Müller, F., Bergmann, M., Dannowski, R., Dippner, J.W., Gnauck, A., Haase, P., Jochimsen, M.C., Kasprzak, P., Kröncke, I., Kümmerlin, R., Küster, M., Lischeid, G., Meesenburg, H., Merz, C., Millat, G., Müller, J., Padisák, J., Schimming, C.G., Schubert, H., Schult, M., Selmeczy, G., Shatwell, T., Stoll, S., Schwabe, M., Soltwedel, T., Straile, D., Theuerkauf, M. (2016). Assessing resilience in long-term ecological data sets. Ecological Indicators 65, 10-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.066.
Zak, D., Reuter, H., Augustin, J., Shatwell, T., Barth, M., Gelbrecht, J., McInnes, R.J. (2015). Changes of the CO2 and CH4 production potential of rewetted fens in the perspective of temporal vegetation shifts. Biogeosciences 12, 2455-2468. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2455-2015.
Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch, A. (2014). Temperature and photoperiod interactions with phosphorus-limited growth and competition of two diatoms. PLoS ONE 9, e102367. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102367.
Zak, D., Gelbrecht, J., Zerbe, S., Shatwell, T., Barth, M., Cabezas, A., Steffenhagen, P. (2014). How helophytes influence the phosphorus cycle in degraded inundated peat soils - Implications for fen restoration. Ecological Engineering 66, 82-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2013.10.003.
Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch, A. (2013). Temperature and photoperiod interactions with silicon-limited growth and competition of two diatoms. Journal of Plankton Research 35, 957-971. https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbt058.
Kirillin, G., Shatwell, T., Kasprzak, P. (2013). Consequences of thermal pollution from a nuclear plant on lake temperature and mixing regime. Journal of Hydrology 496, 47-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.05.023.
Shatwell, T., Nicklisch, A., Köhler, J. (2012). Temperature and photoperiod effects on phytoplankton growing under simulated mixed layer light fluctuations. Limnology and Oceanography 57, 541-553. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2012.57.2.0541.
Shatwell, T., Köhler, J., Nicklisch, A. (2008). Warming promotes cold-adapted phytoplankton in temperate lakes and opens a loophole for Oscillatoriales in spring. Global Change Biology 14, 2194-2200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01630.x.
Nicklisch, A., Shatwell, T., Köhler, J. (2008). Analysis and modelling of the interactive effects of temperature and light on phytoplankton growth and relevance for the spring bloom. Journal of Plankton Research 30, 75-91. https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbm099.