Nathan Jay Baker

Bio

I have a passion for the preservation of the natural environment, a passion underpinned by a struggle of utmost importance, a struggle to find a balance between human needs and our ongoing existence with nature. This passion has led me to pursue a career as an academic. I completed an MSc degree in the field of aquatic health in my home country of South Africa where I conducted 'An assessment of the aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity within the Nyl River Floodplain system, Limpopo, South Africa'. I have recently obtained my PhD in Germany where I focused on 'Disentangling the effects of environmental drivers on the structure and function of macroinvertebrate communities within boreal streams'. Now, as a post-doctoral researcher, I find myself in Lithuania where my main aim is to integrate taxonomic, functional, and [phylo]genetic diversity through statistical and ecological explorations.

​

My intention as a scientist is to link the importance of conservation with that of aquatic systems because the animals and/or specific groups of organisms we find in these systems can aid in determining their quality and viability for human use and enjoyment. Questions about how and why global biodiversity is changing through time and space provide the foundation for my research. It is through integrative science that I believe I may further unlock the secrets of complex ecological systems and potentially elucidate how to protect them better.