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Ann Larsson

Professor

Department of Marine Sciences
Telephone
+46 31-786 96 13
+46 766-22 96 13
Mail
ann.larsson@marine.gu.se
Visiting address
Laboratorievägen 10
45296 Strömstad
Postal address
Tjärnö marina laboratorium
45296 Strömstad

About Ann Larsson

My main research interest is in marine ecology specializing in biohydrodynamics, marine invertebrate larval biology, and cold-water coral ecology. In the interdisciplinary research at the interface of physics and biology, I investigate the effects of currents and turbulence on organisms in different life stages and the resulting consequences on ecological interactions. Larval ecology including the effect of larval properties and larval behaviour on dispersal and recruitment patterns I also find very intriguing. My research career has lately concentrated on cold-water coral ecology, with emphasis on reproduction, recruitment and restoration. In most parts of my research, my biophysical and hydrodynamical knowledge is integrated. My main approach to answer research questions is experimental.

 

During the last 5 years, I’ve been involved in several projects concentrating on reproduction, larval ecology, and restoration of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum pertusum. I’ve been part of the EU H2020 iAtlantic project on assessing the effects of anthropogenic impacts on large scale circulation patterns and deep-sea fauna in the Atlantic. My work has included studying the responses of D. pertusum embryo and larvae to warming, acidification, microplastics, and exposure to resuspended bottom sediment and particles from deep sea mining. I’ve further investigated factors affecting reproduction and restoration of D. pertusum in the Biodiversa Water JPI project RESTORESEAS. In the largest project EU LIFE Lophelia (2019–2025) led by the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland, we have performed research and developed a restoration method using artificial reefs targeting recruitment of D. pertusum larvae (https://www.lifelophelia.se/en/). We further mapped former and presently living reefs in the Swedish part of Skagerrak and measured environmental parameters of importance to coral health. The developed method was implemented by deployment of 160 custom made artificial reefs on six locations in 2024.