NIB

Area of research:

I am a freshwater ecologist with a strong interest in ecosystem processes and biodiversity patterns in groundwaters (karstic and alluvial) and in ecotones connecting surface waters and groundwaters (i.e., springs, hyporheic zones). I am primarily interested in the impact of disturbances on the structure and ecosystem processes in these ecosystems as well as eco-evolutionary mechanisms that are driving current biodiversity patterns.

Selected publications

• DI LORENZO, Tiziana, MORI, Nataša, SIMČIČ, Tatjana. 2024. Metabolic rates of groundwater species as a function of body mass and temperature. Subterranean biology 49: 53-74. doi: 10.3897/subtbiol.49.125131
• SIMČIČ, Tatjana, POKLUKAR, Monika, MORI, Nataša. 2024. Response of hyporheic biofilms to temperature changes and dissolved organic carbon enrichment: a mesocosm study. Journal of soils and sediments 24,7: 2859-2873, doi: 10.1007/s11368-024-03845-3
• MAMMOLA, Stefano, ALTERMATT, Florian, ALTHER, Roman, AMORIM, Isabel R., BĂNCILĂ, Raluca I., DELIĆ, Teo, FIŠER, Cene, MORI, Nataša, OGORELEC, Žiga, ZAGMAJSTER, Maja, et al. 2024. Perspectives and pitfalls in preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas. npj biodiversity 3, 2, [1]-9, doi: 10.1038/s44185-023-00035-1
• MORI, Nataša, ŠALAMUN, Ali. 2022. An updated checklist of the extant freshwater ostracods (Podocopida, Ostracoda, Crustacea) of Slovenia. Natura Sloveniae 24, 2, str. 5-18. doi: 10.14720/ns.24.2.5-18
• MATJAŠIČ T., SIMČIČ T., KANDUČ, T., SAMARDŽIJA, Z., MORI, N. 2021. Presence of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers in hyporheic zone alters colonization patterns and seasonal dynamics of biofilm metabolic functioning. Water Research 203: 117455. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117455
• MATJAŠIČ T., SIMČIČ T., MEDVEŠČEK N., BAJT O., DREO T., MORI, N. 2021. Critical evaluation of biodegradation studies on synthetic plastics through a systematic literature review. Science of the total environment 752(article 141959): 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141959
• BRANCELJ A., MORI N., TREU F., STOCH F. 2020. The groundwater fauna of the Classical Karst: hydrogeological indicators and descriptors. Aquatic ecology 54: 205–224, doi: 10.1007/s10452-019-09737-w
• MORI N., DEBELJAK B., ŠKERJANEC M., SIMČIČ T., KANDUČ T., BRANCELJ A. 2019. Modelling the effects of multiple stressors on respiration and microbial biomass in the hyporheic zone using decision trees. Water research 149: 9-20, doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.093
• WYSOCKA A., KILIKOWSKA A., MORI, N., IEPURE, S., KIJOWSKA M., NAMIOTKO T. 2019. Monophyletic status of European morphogenera of the subfamily Candoninae Kaufmann, 1900 (Ostracoda: Candonidae) in relation to their mtDNA phylogenies. Journal of crustacean biology 39: 567–573, doi: 10.1093/jcbiol/ruz041
• PREVORČNIK S., REMŠKAR A., FIŠER C., SKET B., BRAČKO G., DELIĆ T., MORI N., BRANCELJ A., ZAGMAJSTER M. 2019. Interstitial fauna of the Sava River in Eastern Slovenia. Natura Sloveniae: revija za terensko biologijo 21: 13-23. doi: 10.14720/ns.21.2.13-23
• DEBELJAK B., SIMČIČ T., CIGLIČ R., PFLIEGER M., MORI N. 2017. Spatio-temporal variation in microbial respiration in the shallow hyporheic zone of pre-Alpine rivers related to catchment land use. Fundamental and applied limnology 190/4: 265-277, doi: 10.1127/fal/2017/0962
• MORI N., DEBELJAK B., KOCMAN D., SIMČIČ T. 2017. Testing the influence of sediment granulometry on heterotrophic respiration with a new laboratory flow-through system. Journal of soils and sediments: protection, risk assessment and remediation 17/7: 1939-1947, doi: 10.1007/s11368-016-1613-0
• MORI N., SIMČIČ T., BRANCELJ A., ROBINSON C.T., DOERING M. 2017. Spatio-temporal heterogeneity of actual and potential respiration in two contrasting floodplains. Hydrological processes 31/14: 2622-2636, doi: 10.1002/hyp.11211
• KANDUČ T., SAMARDŽIJA Z., MORI N., JEREBIC A., LEVAČIĆ I., KRAČUN M., ROBINSON J.A., ŽIGON S., BLAŽEKA Ž., KOCMAN D. 2016. Hydrogeochemical and isotopic characterization of Pesnica River, Slovenia. Geologija, 59/2: 179-192, doi: 10.5474/geologija.2016.000
• SIMČIČ T., MORI N., HOSSLI C., ROBINSON C. T., DOERING M. 2015. The response in floodplain respiration of an alpine river to experimental inundation under different temperature regimes. Hydrological processes, 29: 5438-5450, doi: 10.1002/hyp.10584
• MORI N., KANDUČ T., OPALIČKI M., BRANCELJ A. 2015. Groundwater drift as a tracer for identifying sources of spring discharge. Ground water 53/S1: 123-132, doi: 10.1111/gwat.12314
• NAMIOTKO, T., DANIELOPOL, D., MEISCH, C., GROSS, M., MORI, N. 2014. Redefinition of the genus Typhlocypris Vejdovský, 1882 (Ostracoda, Candonidae). Crustaceana 87: 952-984.
• MORI, N., BRANCELJ, A. 2013. Differences in aquatic microcrustacean assemblages between temporary and perennial springs of an alpine karstic aquifer. International journal of speleology 42: 257-266.
• MORI, N., SIMČIČ, T., ŽIBRAT, U., BRANCELJ, A. 2012. The role of river flow dynamics and food availability in structuring hyporheic microcrustacean assemblages: a reach scale study. Fundam. Appl. Limnol. 180: 335-349.
• MORI, N., SIMČIČ, T., LUKANČIČ, S., BRANCELJ, A. 2011. The effect of in-stream gravel extraction in a pre-alpine gravel-bed river on hyporheic invertebrate community. Hydrobiologia 667: 15-30.
• DOLE-OLIVIER M.-J., CASTELLARINI F., COINEAU N., GALASSI D.M.P., MARTIN P., MORI N., VALDECASAS A., GIBERT J. 2009. Towards an optimal sampling strategy to assess groundwater biodiversity: comparison across six European regions. Freshwater Biology 54(4): 777-796.

Projects:

• MARGIN (2024-2027) – Managing Groundwater Sustainability in Urban Areas. The Interreg Alpine Space project examines the groundwater vulnerability in five pilot cities and a Network of Observers, considering potential impacts of extreme changes in groundwater quantity and quality on infrastructure, services, and ecosystem health due to climate and urbanization/land use changes. MARGIN will improve adaptation strategies and introduce eDNA monitoring of groundwater biodiversity for pilot cities.
• LIFE2RIVERS (2024-2028) – Stimulating rivers restoration to enhance the quality of life. The project aims to initiate a transformative change in how we perceive, manage, and protect Slovenian rivers, a shift towards a co-creative river stewardship in which rivers will be maintained and/or restored for the benefit of nature and people.
• STOPP (2024-2027) – Strategies to prevent and reduce plastic packaging pollution from the food system. The HEU project aims to creating circular strategies that not only appeal to plastic production and processing but also drive awareness through a multi-actor network. The actions include analysing plastic waste impact, monitoring current usage, designing sustainable business models, boosting recycling efforts, and understanding consumer attitudes through an in-depth study.
• DarCo (2023-2026) – A vertical dimension of conservation. The Biodiversa+ project DarCo aims to map subterranean biodiversity patterns across Europe and develop an explicit plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems in the European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. DarCo will gather distribution data, traits, and phylogenies for major subterranean animal groups.
• ARRS 2022-2024 Slovenian-Austrian bilateral cooperation: Effects of microplastics on the biomass, community composition, and functioning of aquatic biofilms.
• BID-REX (2016-2021): “From Biodiversity Data to Decisions: enhancing natural value through improved regional development policies”. An Interreg Europe project.
• ARRS 2014-2017: »Comparative study of ecosystem management and services in contrasting Slovenian freshwater systems« (L2-6778)
• ARRS 2011-2013 Slovenian-Japanese bilateral cooperation (BI-JP / 11-13-008): »The role of hyporheic zone in different river ecosystems: a comparative study«
• CH-SCIEX Foundation 2011-2012: »Ecological role of microbial communities in the Alpine floodplains« (postdoc).
• ARRS 2009-2011: »Ecological classification of aquatic systems in the area of the Julian Alps and Karavanke and vulnerability assessment of the impact of climate change« (Postdoctoral project, Z1-2213)
• PASCALIS (2002-2005) – »Protocol for the ASsessment and Conservation of Aquatic Life In the Subsurface«. EU 5th Framework project.