Prof. Laurence Carvalho

Keywords: freshwater ecology, lakes, eutrophication, climate change, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, harmful algal blooms, WFD, Water Framework Directive, natural capital, ecosystem services, connectivity

I have worked on freshwaters from around the world for over 25 years and have published over 65 ISI papers (h-index 28, >2560 citations) and >75 reports on a range of issues related to water quality, algal blooms and the monitoring and management of water resources. I have particular expertise in biological responses to environmental change in lakes and reservoirs, particularly phytoplankton and harmful algal blooms of cyanobacteria. I was responsible for delivering legally-adopted UK and European water quality targets and phytoplankton assessment schemes for the WFD. I study water quality responses to eutrophication, climate change and river basin management measures.  I carry out this research, often collaboratively, analysing UK, European or global-scale datasets and combine these broad-scale studies with experiments in mesocosms and detailed time-series studies from CEH’s long-term lake monitoring programmes, particularly at Loch Leven, Scotland.

Current projects include a global analysis of harmful algal blooms, a new smartphone app for citizen recording of harmful algal blooms, managing impacts of multiple stressors on freshwaters, a case-study of ecosystem services at Loch Leven, and the importance of connectivity in freshwater ecosystems