Research

Research profile and key words

  • Invertebrate communities in lakes and streams
  • Species-environment relations, multivariate numerical and statistical analyses
  • Subfossil insect communities, palaeoecology, Chironomidae
  • Quantitative reconstruction models, eutrophication, temperature, climate, subfossil midges (Chironomidae)
  • Limnology and quantitative palaeoecology of West Greenland lakes
  • Biomonitoring, long term monitoring



Short research summary 1995 - 2010

 

I have used multivariate numerical analysis in the study of biological species communities in marine and freshwater systems. My research activities have concentrated on (1) understanding how the physical and biological components of aquatic ecosystems (lakes, streams and spring-brooks) influence the distribution and diversity of the macroinvertebrate communities, and (2) how the lakes sedimentary records (palaeo-ecology) can be used to study natural long-term (millennia) and recent (decades to centuries) human-induced environmental change on local and regional scales. My work has primarily included the use of chironomid and Cladocera remains in lake sediments to quantitatively reconstruct environmental variables such as trophic conditions (lake-water chlorophyll concentrations, total phosphorus) in Denmark, and climate conditions (surface-water temperatures) in West Greenland. An important branch in the research was to extend the bridge between neo-limnology and palaeo-ecology by fine-tuning the reconstruction models to species-specific physiological optima (e.g. oxygen consumption, temperature preferences) measured directly under controlled laboratory experiments with living invertebrates. Stable Isotope analyses were likewise conducted at species level in order to create quantitative palaeo-reconstruction models for inference of long-term changes in lake functional- and trophic structures.


Publications


Vidal N., Amsinck S.L., Gonçalves V., Azevedo J.M.N., Johansson L.S., Christoffersen K.S., Lauridsen T.L., Søndergaard M., Bjerring R., Landkildehus F., Brodersen K.P., Meerhoff M. and Jeppesen E. (2021) Food webs and fish size patterns in insular lakes partially support climate-related features in continental lakes. Water, 13: xx-xx:  doi.org/10.3390/w13101380


Medeiros A.S., Milošević D., Francis D.R., Maddison E., Woodroffe S., Long A., Walker I.R., Hamerlík L., Quinlan R., Langdon P., Brodersen K.P. & Axford Y. (2020) Arctic chironomids of the northwest North Atlantic reflect environmental and biogeographic gradients. Journal of Biogeography XX: xx-xx. Online pdf.


Jacobsen D., Wiberg-Larsen P., Brodersen K.P., Birkholm Hansen S., Lindegaard C., Friberg N. Dall P.C., Kirkegaard J., Skriver J. & Toman M. (2020) Macroinvertebrate communities along the main stem and tributaries of a pre-Alpine river: composition responds to altitude, richness does not. Limnologica, 84: xx-xx. Online pdf.


Winkel A., Visser E.J.W., Colmer T.D., Brodersen K.P., Voesenek L.A.C.J., Sand-Jensen K. & Pedersen O. (2016) Leaf gas films, underwater photosynthesis and plant species distributions in a flood gradient. Plant, Cell and Environment, 39 (7): 1537–1548. DOI: 10.1111/pce.12717 online.

 

Reuss N.S., Hamerlik L., Velle, G., Michelsen A., Pedersen O. & Brodersen K.P. (2014) Microhabitat influence on chironomid community structure and stable isotope signatures in West Greenland lakes. Hydrobiologia, 730 (1): 59-77. online pdf.


Reuss N.S., Hamerlik L., Velle G., Michelsen A., Pedersen O. & Brodersen K.P. (2013) Stable isotopes reveal that chironomids occupy several trophic levels within West Greenland lakes: Implications for food web studies. Limnology and Oceanography, 58 (3): 1023-1034. online pdf.

 

Velle G., Brodersen K.P., Birks H.J.B. & Willassen, E. (2012) Inconsistent results should not be overlooked: A reply to Brooks et al. 2012. The Holocene, 22: 1501 - 1508. online pdf.

 

Tolonen K.T., Brodersen K.P., Kleisborg T.A., Holmgren, K., Dahlberg M., Hamerlik L. & Hämäläinen, H. (2012) Phantom midge-based models for inferring past fish abundances. Journal of Paleolimnology, 47 (4): 531-547. online pdf.

 

Pulido C., Sand-Jensen K., Lucassen E.C.H.E.T, Roelofs J.G.M., Brodersen K.P. & Pedersen O. (2012) Improved prediction of vegetation composition in NW European softwater lakes by combining location, water and sediment chemistry. Aquatic Sciences, 74 (2): 351-360. online pdf.

 

Vermonden K., Brodersen K.P., Jacobsen D., van Kleef H., van der Velde G. & Leuven R.S.E.W. (2011) The influence of environmental factors and dredging on chironomid larval diversity in urban drainage systems in polders strongly influenced by seepage from large rivers. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 30, No. 4: 1074-1092. online.

 

Brodersen, K.P., Velle, G. & Hamerlik, L. (2011) Dead heads at high altitude: Summary from the 10th Workshop on Subfossil Chironomidae, Finse, Norway, 2011. Chironomus Newsletter on Chironomidae Research, 24: 8-10. online pdf.

 

Čejka T., Hamerlík L. & Brodersen K.P. (2011) A historic castle garden as a refuge for terrestrial molluscan fauna (Frederiksborg Castle Gardens, Hillerød, Denmark). Flora og Fauna, 117 (3-4): 69-75.

 

Hamerlík L., Jacobsen D. & Brodersen K.P. (2011) Low species richness of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Neotropical artificial urban water bodies. Urban Ecosystems, 14 (3): 457 – 468. DOI 10.1007/s11252-011-0163-x

 

Hamerlík L. & Brodersen K.P. (2011) Are fountains islands in the “urban sea”? Vesmír 90 (141): 38-40.

 

Ryves D.B., Mills K., Bennike O., Brodersen K.P., Lamb A.L., Leng M.J., Russell J.M. & Ssemmanda I. (2011) Environmental change over the last millennium recorded in two contrasting crater lakes in western Uganda, eastern Africa (Lakes Kasenda and Wandakara). Quaternary Science Reviews 30: 555-569. online pdf.

 

Hamerlík L., Brodersen K.P. & Biba S. (2010). First records of non-biting midges Orthocladius (Eudactylocladius) fuscimanus (Kieffer) and Paratanytarsus grimmii (Schneider) (Diptera: Chironomidae) for Denmark with notes on ecology and distribution in artificial habitats. Studia Dipterologica. 17 (1/2): 33-36. online pdf.

 

Velle G., Brodersen K.P., Birks H.J.B. and Willassen E. (2010) Midges as indicator species: lessons for palaeoecology. The Holocene 20: 989 - 1002. online pdf.

 

Hamerlík L., Christoffersen K. & Brodersen K.P. (2010) Short comment on chironomid assemblages and stratigraphy of high altitude lakes from Tibet. Chironomus Newsletter on Chironomidae Research 23: 20-24. online pdf.

 

Sand-Jensen K., Baastrup-Spohr L., Winkel A., Lindskov Møller, C., Borum J., Brodersen K.P., Lindell T. & Stæhr,P.A. (2010) Ett kalkbrott på Ölands alvar – en stenöken med knivskarpa miljögränser. Svensk Botanisk Tidsskrift 104: 23-32. online pdf.

 

Hamerlik L. & Brodersen K.P. (2010) Non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) from fountains of two European cities: micro-scale island biogeography. Aquatic Insects, 32: 67-79. online.

 

Brodersen, K.P., Velle, G. & Reuss, N.S. (2009) Trends and development in chironomid palaeoecology: Summary from the 9th Workshop on Subfossil Chironomidae. Chironomus 22: 5-7. online pdf.

 

Jacobsen D & Brodersen K.P. (2008) Are altitudinal limits of equatorial stream insects reflected in their respiratory performance? Freshwater Biology, 53: 2295 - 2308. online.

 

Brodersen K.P., Pedersen O., Walker I.R. & Jensen M.T. (2008) Respiration of midges (Diptera; Chironomidae) in British Columbian lakes: oxy-regulation, temperature and their role as palaeo-indicators. Freshwater Biology, 53 (3), 593-602. online pdf.

 

Anderson N.J., Brodersen K.P, Ryves D.B., McGowan S., Johansson L.S., Jeppesen E., & Leng M.J. (2008) Climate versus in-lake processes as controls on the development of community structure in a low-arctic lake (South-West Greenland). Ecosystems 11: 307–324. online pdf.

 

Brodersen K.P. (2008) S.J. Brooks, P.G. Langdon & O. Heiri, The Identification and Use of Palaearctic Chironomidae Larvae in Palaeoecology. QRA Technical Guide No. 10. Book Review, Journal of Paleolimnology, 40: 751-753. online.

 

Sand-Jensen K., Pedersen N.L., Thorsgaard I., Moeslund B., Borum J. & Brodersen K.P. (2008) 100 years of vegetation decline and recovery in Lake Fure, Denmark. Journal of Ecology 96: 260-271. online pdf.

 

Brodersen, K.P. (2007) Chironomids (Diptera) from sub-saline lakes in West Greenland: diversity, assemblage structure and respiratory adaptation. In: T. Andersen (ed.) Contributions to the Systematics and Ecology of Aquatic Diptera - A Tribute to Ole A. Saether. The Caddis Press. p. 61-68. online pdf.

 

Brodersen, K.P., Quinlan, R. (2006) Midges as palaeoindicators of lake productivity, eutrophication and hypolimnetic oxygen. Quaternary Science Reviews 25: 1995 - 2012. online.

 

Langdon, P.G., Ruiz, Z., Brodersen, K.P. & Foster, I.D.L. (2006) Assessing lake eutrophication using chironomids: understanding the nature of community response in different lake types. Freshwater Biology 51: 562-577. online pdf.

 

Bennike, O., Brodersen, K.P., Jeppesen, E. & Walker, I.R. (2004) Aquatic Invertebrates and High Latitude Paleolimnology. In: Pienitz, R., Douglas, M.S.V. & Smol, J.P. (eds.) Long-term Environmental Change in Arctic and Antarctic Lakes. Springer, Netherlands. pp. 159–186. online.

 

Brodersen K.P., O. Pedersen, C. Lindegaard & K. Hamburger (2004) Chironomids (Diptera) and oxy-regulatory capacity: An experimental approach to paleolimnological interpretation. Limnology and Oceanography 49: 1549-1559. online pdf.

 

Brodersen K.P. & O. Bennike (2003) Interglacial Chironomidae (Diptera) from Thule, Northwest Greenland: matching modern analogues to fossil assemblages. Boreas 32: 560-565. online.

 

Brodersen K.P. & N.J. Anderson (2002) Distribution of chironomids (Diptera) in low arctic West Greenland lakes: trophic conditions, temperature and environmental reconstruction. Freshwater Biology 47: 1137-1157. online pdf.

 

Brodersen K.P., C. Lindegaard & N.J. Anderson (2001) Holocene temperature and environmental reconstruction from lake sediments in the Søndre Strømfjord region, southern West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 189: 59-64.  Download from GEUS homepage.

 

Anderson N.J & K.P. Brodersen (2001) Determining the date of ice-melt for low Arctic lakes along Søndre Strømfjord, southern West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 189: 54-58. Download from GEUS homepage.

 

Brodersen, K.P., N.J. Anderson & B.V. Odgaard (2001) Long-term trends in the profundal chironomid-fauna in nitrogen-limited Lake Esrom, Denmark: a combined palaeolimnological/historical approach. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, 150: 393-409. online. pdf

 

Brodersen, K.P., B. Odgaard, O. Vestergaard & N.J. Anderson (2001) Chironomid stratigraphy in the shallow and eutrophic Lake Søbygaard, Denmark: chironomid-macrophyte co-occurrence. Freshwater Biology, 46: 253-267. online pdf.

 

Lindegaard, C. & K.P. Brodersen (2000) The influence of temperature on emergence periods of Chironomidae (Diptera) from a shallow Danish lake. In O. Hoffrichter (ed.) Late 20th Century Research on Chironomidae: an Anthology from the 13th International Symposium on Chironomidae. Aachen, pp. 313-324. pdf

 

Brodersen, K.P. & N.J. Anderson (2000) Subfossil insect remains (Chironomidae) and lake water temperature inference in the Sisimiut-Kangerlussuaq region, southern West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 186: 78-82. Download from GEUS homepage.

 

Wiberg-Larsen, P., K.P. Brodersen, S. Birkholm, P.N. Grøn & J. Skriver (2000) Species richness and assemblage structure of Trichoptera in Danish streams. Freshwater Biology 43: 633-647. online pdf.

 

Brodersen, K.P. & C. Lindegaard (1999) Classification, assessment and trophic reconstruction of Danish lakes using chironomids. Freshwater Biology 42: 143-157. online pdf.

 

Brodersen, K.P. & C. Lindegaard (1999) Mass occurrence and sporadic distribution of Corynocera ambigua Zetterstedt (Diptera, Chironomidae) in Danish lakes. Neo- and palaeolimnological records. Journal of Paleolimnology 22: 41-52. online pdf.

 

Lindegaard, C., K.P. Brodersen, P. Wiberg-Larsen & J. Skriver (1998) Multivariate analysis of macrofaunal communities in Danish springs and springbrooks. In L. Botosaneanu (ed.) Studies in Crenobiology - The biology of spring and spring brooks. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, pp 201-219.

 

Brodersen, K.P., P.C. Dall & C. Lindegaard (1998) The fauna in the upper stony littoral of Danish lakes: macroinvertebrates as trophic indicators. Freshwater Biology 39: 577-592. online.

 

Brodersen, K.P., M.C. Whiteside & C. Lindegaard (1998) Reconstruction of trophic state in Danish lakes using subfossil chydorid (Cladocera) assemblages. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences  55: 1093-1103. online pdf.

 

Brodersen, K.P. (1998) Macroinvertebrate communities in Danish Lakes. Classification and trophic reconstruction. Ph.D.-thesis, University of Copenhagen. pdf

 

Middelboe, A.L., K. Sand-Jensen & K.P. Brodersen (1997) Patterns of macroalgal distribution in the Kattegat-Baltic region. Phycologia 36: 208-219. online.

 

Brodersen, K.P. & C. Lindegaard (1997) Significance of subfossile chironomid remains in classification of shallow lakes. Hydrobiologia 342/343: 125-132. online.

 

Lindegaard, C. & K.P. Brodersen (1995) Distribution of Chironomidae (Diptera) in the river continuum. In P. Cranston (ed.) Chironomids: From genes to ecosystems, CSIRO Publications, Melbourne, pp. 257-271. pdf

 

Brodersen, K.P. (1995) The effect of wind exposure and filamentous algae on the distribution of surf zone macroinvertebrates in Lake Esrom, Denmark. Hydrobiologia 297: 131-148. online pdf.

 

Other publications


Brodersen K.P., K. Vesterager & C. Bruun Manscher (2017) Feltundersøgelser og naturvejledning med gymnasieklasser. Naturvejleder, 26 (2): 15-17. online pdf


Vesterager, K., C. Bruun Manscher & K.P. Brodersen (2017) Udskolingselever på naturskolen. Naturvejleder, 26 (2): 24-26. online pdf

 

Brodersen K.P. (2013) Fra billevæddeløb til biodiversitet. Naturvejleder, 22 (3): 23-26. online pdf

 

Brodersen K.P. & Rasmussen P. (2013) Spor fra fortiden. Naturvejleder, 22 (1): 21-25. online pdf.

 

Brodersen K.P. (2010) Tal på biodiversiteten. Naturvejleder, 19 (3): 30-35. online pdf.

 

Susanne L. Amsinck, Erik Jeppesen, Frank Landkildehus, Kirsten Christoffersen, Klaus Peter Brodersen, Liselotte Sander Johansson, Theresa Buchaca Estany, Mark Ventura & Tue Skov (2007) Galathea-3. Søers Biologi – status og tilbageblik. Vand og Jord, 3: 95-98.

 

Pedersen O & Brodersen K.P. (2007) World field report #8. AQUA JOURNAL 141: 48. link in Japanese

 

Pedersen O & Brodersen K.P. (2007) World field report #7. AQUA JOURNAL 139: 48-49. link in Japanese

 

Brodersen K.P. (2006) Bundfauna i Furesø. Restaurering af Furesø - en næringsrig sø nær København. Konferencesammendrag, p. 32-33.

 

Christoffersen K, K.P. Brodersen & D.B. Ryves (2004) Palæolimnologisk undersøgelse af sedimentet i Frederiksborg Slotssø. Datarapport, Ferskvandsbiologisk Laboratorium. pdf.

 

Pedersen O. & K.P. Brodersen (2003) Fantastiske undervandslandskaber i arktiske søer. Urt 27, 118-122. online pdf.

 

Pedersen O. & K.P. Brodersen (2003) Spectacular underwater landscapes of arctic lakes. The Aquatic Gardener 16, 20-27. online pdf.

 

Pedersen O. & K.P. Brodersen (2003) Die atemberaubenden Unterwasserlandschaften arktischer See. Aqua Planta 28, 44-51. online pdf.

 

Amsinck, S.L., Johansson, L.S., Bjerring, R., Jeppesen, E., Søndergaard, M., Jensen, J.P., Jensen, K., Bradshaw, E., Anderson, N.J., Bennike, O., Nielsen, A.B., Rasmussen, P., Ryves, D., Stavngaard, B., Brodersen, K.P., McGowan, S., Odgaard, B.V. & Wolin, J. (2003): Vandrammedirektivet og danske søer. Del 2: Palæoøkologiske undersøgelser. Danmarks Miljøundersøgelser. - Faglig rapport fra DMU 476: 120 pp. online pdf.

 

Wiberg-Larsen P., K.P. Brodersen, S. Birkholm, P.N. Grøn & J. Skriver (1999) Vårfluer - biodiversitet i danske vandløb. Vand & Jord 2: 51-54.

 

Odgaard, B., J. Anderson, E. Jeppesen, K.P. Brodersen, P. Rasmussen (1997) Lavvandede søers miljøhistorie. Vand & Jord 6: 244-249.

 

Agger, C.T., H. Kaas, F. Knipschildt, K.P. Brodersen, K. Dahl, B. Rasmussen, J. Nørrevang Jensen, D. Krause-Jensen, P. Bondo Christensen (1994) Marine områder - Fjorde, kyster og åbent hav. Vandmiljøplanens overvågningsprogram 1993. Danmarks Miljøundersøgelser. - Faglig rapport fra DMU, nr. 117

 

Brodersen, K.P. (1994) Subfossile dansemyg i sø-sedimenter. Miljøforskning 12: 12-15.

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