This page lists a few more details in addition to my official homepage.

Contact

  • Position: Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter (Senior Scientist)
  • Postal Address: Institut für Hydrobiologie / TU Dresden / 01062 Dresden
  • Visiting Address: Institut für Hydrobiologie / Zellescher Weg 40 (Drudebau), room 72a / 01217 Dresden
  • Tel. +49 351 463 34954, Fax +49 351 463 37108
  • email: thomas.petzoldt at tu-dresden.de

CV

  • 1983 - 1988: study of biology at Rostock University and Technische Universität Dresden
  • Diploma degree about statistical data analysis and Monte Carlo simulation with an ecological lake model (model SALMO)
  • 1988 - 1996: scientific assistant and “computer person” at the Institute of Hydrobiology
  • 1996: PhD about short-term predictability of phytoplankton blooms with different model approaches (statistical, neural networks, fuzzy logic, differential equations)
  • Since 1996: scientist at the Institute of Hydrobiology: teaching, research projects, computer network

Teaching

  • Ecological Statistics and Systems Analysis (in German, Master Hydrobiology, 10cp)
  • Applied Statistics (in English, Master Hydroscience and Engineering, 5cp)
  • Participation in several limnological lab and field courses about ecology of lakes and reservoirs for Bachelor Hydrosciences, Bachelor Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Master Hydrobiology and Master Hydroscience and Engineering

Research Interests

  • Process-based dynamical modeling
    • lake food webs, coupling with hydrophysical drivers
    • eutrophication control, especially role of phosphorus and nitrogen
    • effect of climate warming on aquatic systems, especially drinking water reservoirs
    • cyanobacteria and toxic metabolites
  • Experimental data analysis and statistical modelling
    • ecological stability of benthic communities
    • evolution and spread of antibiotic resistances
  • Development of open source tools for an efficient implementation of ecological models

Our modelling technology depends on the question. We use differential equations and individual-based simulations but also statistical models and machine learning. The size of the models varies from very simple “toy models” up to models at the ecosystem level (e.g. coupled lake models).

Publications

See one of the following dictionaries:

Code

Current Research Projects

Finished Projects

  • MoBI-aqua Cross-border monitoring of biological invasions for conservation of native aquatic biodiversity
  • NITROLIMIT - Nitrogen limitation in freshwaters - Is nitrogen reduction ecologically meaningful and economically feasible?
    • Part: Lake Modelling - Direct and indirect effects of N-load and N-turnover on lake ecosystems
  • Development of an hydrophysical-ecological coupled reservoir model system (Joint Project GETAS)
  • Integrated management of multi-purpose drinking water reservoirs (Joint Project IntegTA)
  • International Water Alliance Saxony IWAS, Regional Projekt Ukraine
  • Ecological role of the secondary metabolite “Microcystin”
  • Model-aided analysis of climate change impacts on planktonic food webs (part of the DFG program AQUASHIFT)
  • … see also: research page of the limnology workgroup

Memberships

  • Member of the German Limnological Society (DGL) and of the R Foundation for Statistical Computing
  • Working group member of the German Drinking Water Reservoir Management Group (ATT)
  • Associate Editor of the “Journal of Statistical Software” (JSS)
  • Reviewer for several international limnological and ecological journals

Resources for Students

Tutorials

Course pages

  • List of modules given by our institute
  • My course pages in the OPAL system