Magda Chudzinska

Work experience and Education

• 2021-present SMRUC and Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling

• 2018-2021 Marie Curie Fellowship, Scottish Ocean Institute, University of St Andrews

• 2016-2018 Researcher at DHI, Denmark

• 2011-2014 Aarhus University, PhD Foraging behaviour of pink-footed geese during spring migration

• 2007-2009 Aarhus University , MSc (by Research) Diving behaviour of harbour seals

• 2006-2007 University Center in Svalbard, Artic marine terrestrial biology

• 2002-2005 University of Gdansk, BSc Hons Oceanography

Skills and Expertise

Statistical analysis (linear regressions, distance sampling), Individual based modelling, Spatial analysis, Process-based modelling, Analysis of animal movement, Habitat Preferences, GIS (R and ArcGIS), Marine Mammal Behaviour and energetics, Dynamic energy budget models, Power analysis.

Specialty

Magda has been working in the field of marine mammal biology for eight years, both in the UK and abroad ( Denmark, Poland, Norway and Sweden), in the laboratory and in the field. She has eleven years of experience in academia and three years of consulting experience. Her primary interests and experience are in marine mammal biology, foraging and movement ecology, individual behaviour, and effects of (natural and anthropogenic) stressors on marine mammals. Her expertise and experience span:

Assessing anthropogenic impacts on marine mammals: Via working on various projects related to offshore wind farms, building energetic (with the use of dynamic energy budgets) and individual-based movement models helping to assess the effects of disturbance.

Assessing density and abundance of marine mammals and seabirds: design and analysis of aerial and boat surveys for estimating abundance and distribution of various species.

Foraging and movement ecology: Understanding what affects foraging of seals and which are the main intrinsic and extrinsic drivers influencing foraging movement of seals. She is the main constructor of AgentSeal: individual based model depicting movement of harbour seals.

Familiar with the DEPONS model, having been involved in stages of its development and testing and has frequently used DEPONS to estimate the number of animals affected by various anthropogenic activities.

Chudzinska M, Matei M, Charish R, Gregory E, Wilder F, Palmer L, Haber I, Quinn M, Darias O’Hara AK, Majewska K, Klementisova K, Clarkson J, Booth C (2026). Measuring the effect of construction of two offshore wind farms in the Forth and Tay on marine mammals using passive acoustic monitoring. Report code SMRUC-FAT-2025-022 & NNG-SMR-ECF-REP-0010. Submitted to FTRAG-MM, February 2026. Available at: https://marine.gov.scot/?q=node/27727

Chudzinska, M., Thomas, L., (2025). Power analysis for proposed year 1 POWERON passive acoustic monitoring network. Report number SMRUC-RWS-2025-002 provided to Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind. [available upon request].

Chudzińska, M., K. Klementisová, C. Booth, and J. Harwood. (2024). Combining bioenergetics and movement models to improve understanding of the population consequences of disturbance. Oikos: e10123. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.10123

Harris, D., Chudzinska, M., Jacobson, E., Brown, A., Burt, L., Macleod, K., Marques, T., Marshall, L., Oedekoven, C., Scott-Hayward, L., and Thomas, L. (2024). Methodology for Combining Digital Aerial Survey Data and Passive Acoustic Baseline Data (Report No. CREEM-2024-2). Report by Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM). Report for Scottish Government. https://www.gov.scot/publications/methodology-combining-digital-aerial-survey-data-passive-acoustic-baseline-data/

Harwood, J., Chudzinska, M., Hin, V., Wilder, F., Marwood, E. M., and C. Booth. (2024). Adapting the iPCoD Framework for Harbour Porpoises to Utilise a Dynamic Energy Budget Model in Modelling the Effects of Disturbance – Final Report. Report number SMRUC-MSS-2024-006. Prepared for Offshore Wind Directorate and Marine Directorate, May 2024. https://www.gov.scot/publications/adapting-ipcod-framework-harbour-porpoises-utilise-dynamic-energy-budget-model-modelling-effects-disturbance/

Chudzinska M., Thomas L. 2023 (CREEM, St Andrews, UK). Power analysis for optimal design of a passive acoustic monitoring network in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. xx p. Report No.: OCS Study BOEM 20xx-xxx. Contract No.: xxxxx.

Chudzinska M. and Thomas L. (2023) Power analysis for optimal design of passive acoustic monitoring network in the Virginia offshore wind area. Report number SMRUC-RWS-2023-010 (unpublished).

Oedekoven C., Thomas L., Harris C., Scott-Hayward L., Harris D., Chudzinska M, Paxton C., Solsona Berga A., and Baumann-Pickering S. (2023) Methods comparison for analysing PAM data to detect a change in cue detection rate of cetaceans related to a potential disturbance. Report number CREEM-2023-02. Provided to US Office of Naval Research, March 2023 (Unpublished).

Harris, D., Oedekoven, C. S, and Chudzinska, M. (2022) Report on marine mammal spatial and temporal modelling of (1) acoustic presence and absence and (2) number of singing individuals for the SOTS project. CREEM Report 2022-5. CREEM internal report

McHuron, E. A., Adamczak, S., Arnould, J. P., Ashe, E., Booth, C.G., Bowen, W. D., Chistiansen, F., Chudzinska, M... & Williams, R. (2022). Key questions in marine mammal bioenergetics. Conservation physiology, 10(1), coac055

Chudzinska M, Burt L., Buckland S., (2022). Design-based inference to estimate density, abundance and biomass of bluefin tuna. Reanalysis of 2017-2021 Aerial Surveys of Region A. Report number CREEM-2022-03. Provided to ICCAT, July 2022 (Unpublished)

Paxton, C.G.M., Waggitt, J.J., Evans, P.G.H. , Miller, D.L, and Chudzinska, M. E (2022). Production of Seabird and Marine Mammal Distribution Models for the East of Scotland. Report number CREEM-2021.06. Provided to Marine Scotland Science, July 2022

Harwood J., Chudzinska M., Booth C., (2021), Final report: Further development of marine mammal dynamic energy budgets models for application to environmental assessments and integration into the IPCoD framework. SMRUC-MSC-2021-015 provided to Marine Scotland, November 2021 (unpublished)

Chudzinska M, Burt L., Borchers D., Buckland S., (2021) Design-based inference to estimate density, abundance, and biomass of bluefin tuna. Reanalysis of 2010-2019 Aerial Surveys. Report number CREEM-2021-03. Provided to ICCAT, September 2021 (Unpublished)

Burt L., Chudzinska M., Borchers D., Miller D., Buckland S., (2021) Model-based inference to estimate density and abundance of bluefin tuna. Report number CREEM-2021-04. Provided to ICCAT, August 2021 (Unpublished)

Gallagher C., Chudzinska M., Larsen A., Pollock C., Sells S., White P., Berger U., (2021) From Theory to Practice in Pattern-oriented Modelling: Guidance for Identifying and Using Patterns. Biological Reviews (early view)

Mortensen L, Chudzinska M, Slabbekoorn H, Thomsen F (2021) Agent-based models to investigate sound impact on marine animals: bridging the gap between effects on individual behaviour and population level consequences, Oikos (early view)

Chudzinska M, Nabe-Nielsen J., Smout S., Aarts G., Brasseur S., Thompson P., Graham I., McConnell B., (2021) AgentSeal: agent-based model describing movement of marine central-place foragers. Ecological Modelling 440

Chudzinska M., Dupont Y., Nabe-Nielsen J., Maia K., Henriksen M., Rasmussen C., Kissling D., Hagen M., Trojelsgaard K., (2020), Combining the strengths of agent-based modelling and network statistics to understand animal movement and interactions with resources: example from within-patch foraging decisions of bumblebees. Ecological modelling 430

Heinanen S., Chudzinska M., Mortensen J., Teo T., Utne K., Sivle L., Thomsen F., (2018), Integrated modelling of Atlantic mackerel distribution patterns and movements: A template for dynamic impact assessments Ecological Modelling 387, 118-133

Baveco H., Bergjord A-K., Bjerke J., Chudzinska M., Pellissier L., Simonsen C, Madsen J., Tombre I., Nolet B., (2017), Combining Modelling Tools to Evaluate a Regional Goose Management Scheme. AMBIO 46, 210-223.

Cote J., Bocedi G., Debeffe L., Chudzinska M., Weigang H., Dytham C., Gonzales G., Matthysen E., Travis J., Baguette M., Hewison M., (2016), Behavioral synchronization of large-scale animal movements – disperse alone, but migrate together? Biological Reviews 92 (3), 1275-1296

Chudzinska M., Ayllón D., Madsen J., Nabe-Nielsen J., (2016), Discriminating between possible foraging decisions using pattern-oriented modelling: the case of pink-footed geese in Mid-Norway during their spring migration. Ecological Modelling 320, 299–315.

Chudzinska M., Nabe-Nielsen J., Nolet B., Madsen J., (2016), Foraging behaviour and fuel accumulation of capital breeders during spring migration as derived from a combination of satellite- and ground-based observations. Journal of Avian Biology 47, 001–012

Chudzinska M., van Beest F., Madsen J., Nabe-Nielsen J., (2015), Using habitat selection theories to predict the spatiotemporal distribution of migratory birds at stopover sites; a case study of pink-footed geese, OIKOS, 125(7), 851-860.

Chudzinska M., Madsen J., Nabe-Nielsen J., (2013), Diurnal variation in the behaviour of the Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) during the spring stopover in Trøndelag, Norway. Journal of Ornithology, 154, 645-654.

Harvey J., Chudzinska M., McConnell B., Hastie G., (2021) Harbor seals in Ethology of true seals. Edited by Costa D, McHuron L. (in press).

Madsen M., Heinanen S., Mortensen J., Mortensen L., Theophilus T., Skov H., Chudzinska M., (2019), MARAMBS –a web-based software tool to assess movements of marine life in the Barents Sea. DHI Group

Skov H., Heinänen S., Lazcny M., Chudzinska M, Zydalis R., (2016), Offshore Wind Farm, Eneco Luchterduinen, Ecological monitoring of seabirds, T1 report, DHI & IFAŐ

Middelboe, A.L. (ed.), Kristensen S.E., Brøker I., Møhlenberg F., Madsen K.N., Dorsch M., Heinänen S., Zydelis R., Struve A., Berg T., Chudzinska M., (2016), Plausibility check of the marine EIA baseline. Fehmarnbelt Environmental Monitoring and Consultamcy. FEMO-09-TR0003-R6. BioCosult SH & MariLim & ORBICON & DHI

Dyndo M., Chudzinska M., (2013), Raport z projektu “Wsparcie restytucji i ochrony ssaków bałtyckich w Polsce. Hel Marine Station, WWF-Poland

Key Projects

Since joining SMRU consulting in April 2021, Magda has been involved in projects including:

• Cumulative Effects Framework for Key Ecological Receptors

• Further development of marine mammal dynamic energy budgets models for application to environmental assesments and integration into the iPCoD framewor

• Dublin Array OWF

• Evaluating the Cumulative Impact of Multiple Stressors on Cetaceans Monitoring and Adaptive Management - PCoMS Literature Review and Sperm Whale Model Optimization, Sensitivity Analysis

• Marine mammal support to Ultra Maritime in the development of a risk assessment tool

• Design of baseline monitoring of baleen whales in the Virginia Offshore Wind Area

• Marine Species Monitoring for the Population Consequences of Disturbance (MSM4PCoD)

+44 (0)1334 466011

mc@smruconsulting.com

Scottish Oceans Institute

East Sands

University of St Andrews

KY16 8LB

Scotland