Malte Willmes

I am a researcher in ecology, geochemistry, and archaeology at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and affiliated with the Institute of Marine Science UC Santa Cruz

At the core of my research is the development and application of geochemical tracers to reconstruct wildlife migrations, life histories, and population connectivity. My current work focuses on otoliths and scales to study Atlantic and Pacific salmonids, Delta and Longfin smelt, and sturgeon. By integrating fieldwork, laboratory analyses, and statistical modeling, I aim to advance wildlife management and conservation.

I collaborate with research groups at UC Santa Cruz (IMS, NOAA), UC Davis (WFCB, CWS, EPS), and ANU (RSES). In addition I work directly with many state and federal agencies to translate our scientific findings into management actions.