Post-Doctoral Researcher

Research interests

I am interested how the environment shapes seaweeds and how seaweeds shape their environment. I have been working on the impacts of environmental stressors and climate change on the eco-physiology and the nutritional properties of seaweeds. I received a PhD from NUIG in 2016, during which I investigated the variability of bioactive compounds in seaweeds in response to environmental stressors. After finishing my PhD, I received an Australian Endeavour Fellowship as well as a German Research Council Grant to work in the group of Prof. Catriona Hurd at the University of Tasmania (Australia). There, my main research focus has been on the impacts of climate change on seaweeds as well as working on kelp aquaculture. As part of the Beyond Biofuels team, I will be investigating the role of seaweed aquaculture for climate change mitigation and its contribution to ecosystem services.

Recent Publications

M Schmid, F Guihéneuf, U Nitschke, D Stengel 2021. Acclimation potential and biochemical response of four temperate macroalgae to light and future seasonal temperature scenarios Algal Research 54, 102190

ER Paine, M Schmid, JD Gaitán-Espitia, J Castle, I Jameson, JC Sanderson, CL Hurd 2021 Narrow range of temperature and irradiance supports optimal development of Lessonia corrugata (Ochrophyta) gametophytes: implications for kelp aquaculture and responses to climate change. Journal of Applied Phycology

D Britton, M Schmid, AT Revill, P Virtue, PD Nichols, CL Hurd, CN Mundy 2020. Seasonal and site-specific variation in the nutritional quality of temperate seaweed assemblages: implications for grazing invertebrates and the commercial exploitation of seaweeds. Journal of Applied Phycology

ER Paine, M Schmid, AT Revill, CL Hurd 2020. Light regulates inorganic nitrogen uptake and storage, but not nitrate assimilation, by the red macroalga Hemineura frondosa (Rhodophyta). European Journal of Phycology                 

M Schmid, PA Fernández, JD Gaitán-Espitia, P Virtue, PP Leal, AT Revill, PD Nichols, CL Hurd 2020. Stress due to low nitrate availability reduces the biochemical acclimation potential of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera to high temperature. Algal Research, 101895

D Britton, M Schmid, F Noisette, JN Havenhand, ER Paine, CM McGraw, AT Revill, P Virtue, PD Nichols, CN Mundy, CL Hurd 2020. Adjustments in fatty acid composition is a mechanism that can explain resilience to marine heatwaves and future ocean conditions in the habitat‐forming seaweed Phyllospora comosa (Labillardière) C.Agardh. Global Change Biology

PA Fernández, JD Gaitán-Espitia, PP Leal, M Schmid, AT Revill, CL Hurd 2020. Nitrogen sufficiency enhances thermal tolerance in habitat-forming kelp: implications for acclimation under thermal stress Scientific Reports

JD Gaitan-Espitia, M Schmid 2020 Diversity and Functioning of Antarctic Seaweed Microbiomes. Antarctic Seaweeds.

For full list of publications please go to my Google Scholar or Research gate profile pages.