Currently, my rearch focuses largely on Norwegian coastal waters and to some degree polar ecosystems (Barents Sea). I am the principal investigator in a recently funded research project (PELAGIC, Norwegian Research Council) where our primary objective is to assess how temperature and water clarity affects planktonic size structure, dynamics and the competitive relationship between visual and tactile planktivore predators in coastal ecosystems. I also work with integrated ecosystem assessments (IEA) and ecosystem risk assessments (ERA), aiming at strengthening the ecosystem approach to marine management. I am part of the NORWECOM.E2E modelling team at the IMR and collaborate in model development and analyses, in particular to individual-based modelling of key calanoid copepods in the Nordic Seas.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
2021 - Research Scientist, Institute of Marine Research
2019 - 2021 Postdoctoral research fellow, Nansen Legacy project/Institute of Marine Research
2016 - 2019 PhD candidate, Institute of Marine Research
2013 - 2016 Consultant, Norwegian Trekking Association (Den Norske Turistforening, DNT)
2009 - 2012 HR advisor, Norsk Gjenvinning corporation
EDUCATION:
2016 - 2019 PhD in marine ecology, University of Bergen
2008 - 2009 Master in European Business (junior MBA), ESCP Europe
2006 - 2007 MSc in Fisheries Biology and Management, University of Bergen
2002 - 2005 Bachelor in General Biology, University of Bergen
PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
2023 - 2027 Project leader for PELAGIC: Plankont size and plaktivore competition along the Norwegian coast and fjords: ecological implications of warmer and darker waters. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
2022 - 2023 Work package leader in CoastRisk, IMR strategic institute project. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
2019 - 2022 Main developer of C. glacialis indivdual-based model, Nansen Legacy project. Funder: Norwegian Research Council.
OTHER RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:
2023 Invited co-chair of session "Natural disasters, multiple stressors and cumulative impacts along sub-arctic and arctic coasts", ESSAS Annual Science Conference.
2022 - 2023 Invited guest editor for Nansen Legacy special issue "Seasonality and interannual variability of physical, chemical and biological states and processes in the northern Barents Sea and adjacent areas", Progress in Oceanography.
2022- Chair-invited member of the ICES Working Group on Integrative, Physical-biological and Ecosystem Modelling.
2021 Invited member of the science committee for Arctic Frontiers 2021 session 5 "The coupled Arctic ecosystem - lessons learned from recent international campaigns.
2020 - 2021 Invited member of "Vest ut og Fram", network for females working in industries and research institutions within the ocean and energy sectors. Organizer: Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap (VIS). Funder: Norwegian Research Council and Vestland fylkeskommune.
PUBLICATIONS:
Planque B., Aarflot J. M., Buttay L, Carroll J., Frasner F., Hansen C., Husson B., Langangen Ø., Lindstrøm U., Pedersen T., Primicerio R., Sivel E., Skogen M. D., Strombom E., Stige L. C., Varpe Ø., Yoccoz N. G. 2022. A standard protocol for describing the evaluation of ecological models. Ecological Modelling 471, 110059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110059.
Aarflot J. M., Hjøllo S. S., Strand E., Skogen M. D. 2022. Transportation and predation control structures the distribution of a key calanoid in the Nordic Seas. Progress in Oceanography 202: 102761. doi: 10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102761
Skjoldal H. R., Aarflot J. M., Bagøien E., Skagseth Ø., Rønning J., Lien V. S. 2021. Seasonal and interannual variability in abundance and population development of Calanus finmarchicus at the western entrance to the Barents Sea, 1995-2019. Progress in Oceanography 195: 102574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2021.102574
Aarflot J. M., Dalpadado P. and Fiksen Ø. 2020. Foraging success in planktivorous fish increases with topographic blockage of prey distributions. Marine Ecology Progress Series 644: 129-142. doi: 10.3354/meps13343
Aarflot J. M., Aksnes D. L., Opdal A. F., Skjoldal H. R. and Fiksen Ø. 2019. Caught in broad daylight: Topographic constraints on zooplankton depth distributions. Limnology and Oceanography 64 (3): 849-859. doi: 10.1002/lno.11079.
Aarflot J. M., Skjoldal H. R., Dalpadado P., Skern-Mauritzen M. 2018. Contribution of Calanus species to the mesozooplankton biomass in the Barents Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 75 (7): 2342-2354. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsx221.
Myrseth J., Enberg K., Heino M. and Fiksen Ø. 2011. Do accurate stock estimates increase harvest and reduce variability in fisheries yield? Natural Resource Modelling 24: 222-241.
REPORTS:
Hansen C., Aarflot J. M., Eriksen E., Husson B., Fauchald P., Johansen G. O., Jørgensen L. L., van der Meeren G., Mikkelsen N., Ottersen G., von Quillfeldt C. H., Skern-Mauritzen M. 2022. Samlet påvirkning i foreslåtte særlige verdifulle og sårbare områder i norske havområder. Rapport fra havforskningen 2022-46.
SELECTED POPULAR OUTREACH:
2022 NorFishing, popular science outreach at Forskningstorget. Organizer: Norwegian Research Council.
2022 Arendalsuken, invited speaker. Organizer: Institute of Marine Research.
2022 Newspaper interview Verdens Gang (VG, online edition)
2021 Arendalsuken, invited participant to public debate. Organizer: Norwegian Polar Institute.
2021 Pint of Science, invited speaker. Organizer: Pint of Science Bergen
2020 Research elevator pitch, YouTube and Facebook. Organizer: Nansen Legacy project.
2019 Newspaper chronicle, Aftenposten (printed edition)
2018 Participant in "Researcher Grand Prix". Organizer: Forskningsdagene i Bergen/NRK