Contact: nischal.devkota@unil.ch
Office: Géopolis 3227
Research Interests
I am a PhD candidate on the GEN-Z project, studying the role of zooplankton in the biogeochemistry of lakes. My thesis is co-supervised by Prof. Jake Vander-Zanden, from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
My previous research endeavors have centered around investigating the intricate dynamics and interrelationships among various ecological components within aquatic systems, and the influence of the changing environment on them. Some of my pursuits have also sought to deliver research driven freshwater conservation and management interventions. Additionally, I harbor an interest in empirically exploring fundamental ecological concepts, with the hopes to unravel mysteries of the aquatic realm.
My recent research contribution was to an outdoor mesocosm experiment, which aimed to assess the impact of a projected climate warming scenario on zooplankton communities in temperate shallow lakes. Currently, as part of my doctoral research, I am engaged in the “Gen_Z” project that seeks to provide a mechanistic understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of lake zooplankton and their implications for lake biogeochemistry and potentially larger ecological process.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0473-0513
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4v5pKKAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Biography
2024 – present: PhD candidate at UNIL
2022 – 2024: Junior Professional and Technical Support to the Asia-Oceania Region in the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands in Switzerland
2022: Independent Project related to Lake Management in Nepal
2019 – 2021: Masters in Biology (Aquatic Ecology) in Lund University in Sweden
2018 – 2019: Research Assistant in the Kathmandu University in Nepal
2016 – 2018: Research Assistant in a research organization called “SmartPhones4Water” in Nepal
Publications
- Devkota, N., Mali, M., Chhetri, S., Manandhar, S., Shrestha, B., Rai, A. and Bijlmakers, J., (2026). A Tale of Necessity and Constraints—Implementing a Community-Led Nature-Based Solution for Lake Restoration in Nepal. In Water Security and Climate Change: Adaptation for Sustainable and Resilient Development (pp. 217-226). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
- Devkota, N., Salis, R.K. & Hansson, LA. Warming of shallow temperate lakes: consequences for rotifer community composition and population dynamics. Hydrobiologia 852, 971–985 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05744-7
- Devkota, N., Salis, R.K. and Hansson, L.A. (2023). Warming reshapes the invertebrate predation pressure on the plankton community. Freshwater Biology, 68(3), pp.365-377.
- Prajapati, R., Overkamp, N.N., Moesker, N., Happee, K., van Bentem, R., Danegulu, A., Manandhar, B., Devkota, N., Thapa, A.B., Upadhyay, S. and Talchabhadel, R. (2021). Streams, sewage, and shallow groundwater: stream-aquifer interactions in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 7(5), p.72.
- Davids, J.C., Devkota, N., Pandey, A., Prajapati, R., Ertis, B.A., Rutten, M.M., Lyon, S.W., Bogaard, T.A. and Van de Giesen, N. (2019). Soda bottle science—citizen science monsoon precipitation monitoring in Nepal. Frontiers in earth science, 7, p.46.
- Davids, J.C., Rutten, M.M., Pandey, A., Devkota, N., Van Oyen, W.D., Prajapati, R. and Van De Giesen, N., (2019). Citizen science flow–an assessment of simple streamflow measurement methods. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 23(2), pp.1045-1065.
- Davids, J.C., Rutten, M.M., Shah, R.D.T., Shah, D.N., Devkota, N., Izeboud, P., Pandey, A. and Van De Giesen, N., (2018). Quantifying the connections—linkages between land-use and water in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 190(5), p.304.