Members
Here you can find a list of all ARCTOS members and PhD students. In the drop-down menu you can either select the member status or the institution the member belongs to.
Allison Bailey
Post-doctoral researcher
- Physiological and evolutionary responses to climate change drivers
- Investigating local adaptation of populations living along environmental gradients as an indication of their response to future environmental change
- Ocean acidification
- Arctic copepods
- The role of acclimatization and adaptation in allowing populations to cope with environmental change
- The role of lipid storage in the life cycles of Arctic Calanus spp. …
Research interests:
- Physiological and evolutionary responses to climate change drivers
- Investigating local adaptation of populations living along environmental gradients as an indication of their response to future environmental change
- Ocean acidification
- Arctic copepods
- The role of acclimatization and adaptation in allowing populations to cope with environmental change
- The role of lipid storage in the life cycles of Arctic Calanus spp.
Running national and international projects:
- 2019-2023: Arctic Marine Evolution: using local adaptation to infer future evolutionary responses of Calanus copepods to a changing environment (EvoCal), NFR. Co-project leader
- 2018-2020 : Ocean Acidification – Drivers and Effects on Arctic Marine organisms and ecosystems (OA-DREAM). Fram Centre Flagship. Post-doc funding source.
Coralie Barth-Jensen
PhD candidate
PhD project title:
Small copepods in high latitudes.
PhD project description:
My PhD will focus on different aspects of the zooplankton population dynamics in the high latitude ecosystems, with emphasis on the small copepod group. My interest is to comprehend their seasonal variation and ecological importance. For that purpose, I will use a combination of both field and laboratory studies to enlarge the shortage of information available for small copepods in the Northern waters.
Start date: May 2015
Planned submission date: Spring 2020
Supervisors:
Camilla Svensen (UiT, Tromsø, Norway)
Peter Thor (NPI, Tromsø, Norway)
Relevant scientific publications:
- Nutrient gradients in Panamanian estuaries: Effects of watershed deforestation, rainfall, upwelling, and within-estuary transformations; by I. Valiela, A. Giblin, C. Barth-Jensen, C. Harris, T. Stone, S. Fox, J. Crusius. 2013. Featured article in Marine Ecology Progress Series, 482. doi: 10.3354/meps10358.
- Deforestation of watersheds of Panama: nutrient retention and export to streams; by I. Valiela, C. Barth-Jensen, T. Stone, J. Crusius, S. E. Fox, M. Bartholomew. 2013. Biogeochemistry. doi: 10.1007/s10533-013-9836-2.
- Increased rainfall remarkably freshens estuarine and coastal waters on the Pacific coast of Panama: Magnitude and likely effects on upwelling and nutrient supply; by I. Valiela, L. Camilli, T. Stone, A. E. Giblin, J. Crusius, S. E. Fox, C. Barth-Jensen, R. Oliveira Monteiro, P. Martinetto , J. Tucker, C. M. Harris. 2012. Global and Planetary Changes 92-93: 130-137. doi: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2012.05.006.
- Population dynamics and zooplankton-predation impact of the indigenous scyphozoan Aurelia aurita and the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in Limfjorden (Denmark); by H. U. Riisgård, C. V. Madsen, C. Barth-Jensen, J. E. Purcell. 2012. Aquatic Invasions, 7 (2): 147-162. doi: 10.3391/ai.2012.7.2.001
- High abundance of the jellyfish Aurelia aurita excludes the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi to establish in a shallow cove (Kertinge Nor, Denmark); by H. U. Riisgård, C. Barth-Jensen, C. V. Madsen. 2010. Aquatic Invasions, 5 (4): 347–356. doi: 10.3391/ai.2010.5.4.03
Sünnje Linnéa Basedow
Researcher
- Biophysical interactions: the influence of physical factors and zooplankton behaviour on the spatial distributions (vertically and horizontally) of oceanic zooplankton
- Biovolume spectrum theories (a theoretical approach to estimate vital rates and trophic positions of zooplankton based on high-resolution field data) not at least in dynamic marine ecosystems such as fronts
- New technology (Laser Optical Plankton Counter and Remote Sensing) to gain insight into mechanisms operating on small vs large scales
- Recruitment dynamics of Calanus finmarchicus. …
Research interests:
- Biophysical interactions: the influence of physical factors and zooplankton behaviour on the spatial distributions (vertically and horizontally) of oceanic zooplankton
- Biovolume spectrum theories (a theoretical approach to estimate vital rates and trophic positions of zooplankton based on high-resolution field data) not at least in dynamic marine ecosystems such as fronts
- New technology (Laser Optical Plankton Counter and Remote Sensing) to gain insight into mechanisms operating on small vs large scales
- Recruitment dynamics of Calanus finmarchicus.
Running national and international projects:
- SEA PATCHES – Sustainable harvesting of a patchy resource: aggregation mechanisms and implications for stock size estimates, 2017-2020, NFR financed
Completed national and international projects:
- CarbonBridge: Bridging marine productivity regimes: How Atlantic advective inflow affects productivity, carbon cycling and export in a melting Arctic Ocean (2013-2017, NFR financed)
- LoVe MarineEco: Plankton dynamics in the Lofoten-Vestrålen ecosystem (2013-2017, Statoil financed)
- Population dynamics of the jellyfish Periphylla periphylla and its impact on cod larvae (2011-2016, PhD project, UoN financed)
- Euro-BASIN: focussed on climate and human forcing, ecosystem impact and consequences for living resources management in the North Atlantic. UoN was mainly involved in work package 3, where we aimed to resolve the oceanographic habitats utilized by key biogeochemical and ecosystem species in the North Atlantic.(2011-2014, EU financed)
- Spatially structured dynamics of cod larvae in Vesterålen (2010-2013, PhD project, UoN financed)
- PopCal (2012-2015, NFR financed) Species distribution and genetic population structure in space and time
Jørgen Berge
Professor (UiT), Adjunct Professor (UNIS)
- Arctic marine biology
- Polar night ecology
- Diel vertical migration of zooplankton. …
Research interests:
- Arctic marine biology
- Polar night ecology
- Diel vertical migration of zooplankton.
Running national and international projects:
- Mare Incognitum projects (CircA, Marine Night and ArcticABC)
- EWMA – Environmental Waste Management
Completed national and international projects:
- SAARP projects (Statoil)
- Cleopatra (NFR)
- various minor projects
For a complete list of scientific and popular science publications and outreach activities, please look here.
Martin Biuw
Senior Scientist
Research interests:
I have extensive experience in marine mammal research, going back to my master’s degree in zoology at Stockholm University 1996-1997. I have worked extensively with southern elephant seals in the Souther Ocean, initially through a PhD at the University of St Andrews linked to the Australian Antarctic Division in Australia. I have worked extensively with the development of innovative instrumentation methods for the study of migratory patterns and ecophysiology in marine mammals, as well as instrumentation for collecting oceanographic data using marine mammals. I have organized a number of research expeditions to islands in the Southern Ocean, and was expedition leader on the expedition to Bouvet Island in 2007-2008, organized by the Norwegian Polar Institute. Since 2018 I have been employed at the Institute of Marine Research, within the marine mammal research group. I am responsible for population modeling and assessment of ice-breeding seals (harp and hooded seals). I am a member of the NAMMCO (North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission) Scientific Committee, and a national delegate for the International Whaling Commission.
Bodil Bluhm
Professor
- Structure and function of Arctic benthic and sea ice ecosystems
- Biodiversity
- Community ecology
- Food web structure
- Cryo-benthic-pelagic coupling
- Invertebrate population dynamics. …
Research interests:
- Structure and function of Arctic benthic and sea ice ecosystems
- Biodiversity
- Community ecology
- Food web structure
- Cryo-benthic-pelagic coupling
- Invertebrate population dynamics.
Current national and international projects:
- Nansen Legacy (Norwegian Research Council)
- Arctic Seasonal Ice Zone Ecology (Norwegian Government, UiT)
- Long-term monitoring of subtidal hard-bottom benthic communities in the Arctic and sub-Arctic
- Long-term Benthos Monitoring network for detecting chance in the Arctic benthic ecosystem (LTM-Benthos) (Nordic Council of Ministries)
- TUNU East Greenland Ecology
- Kitikmeot Sea Science Study (Polar Knowledge Canada)
Yasemin Bodur
PhD candidate
PhD project title:
Seasonal patterns of vertical flux and pelagic-benthic coupling in the Northern Barents Sea.
PhD project description:
I want to compare the seasonal patterns of the export flux between Atlantic-influenced and Arctic-influenced regions in the Northern Barents Sea. Moreover, I am interested in the characteristics of the sedimenting organic matter which determine the quantity and quality of the food input for benthic communities at the seafloor.
Start date: Jul 2019
Planned submission date: Jul 2023
Supervisors:
Marit Reigstad (UiT, Tromsø, Norway)
Paul Renaud (Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway)
Scientific publications:
- Link, H., Veit-Köhler, G., Seifert, D., Bodur, Y., 2015. Tracing the effect of changing ice cover on benthic ecosystem functioning – from Meio to Macro. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung 105–112.
- Purser, A., Hoge, U., Lemburg, J., Bodur, Y., Schiller, E., Ludszuweit, J., Greinert, J., Dreutter, S., Dorschel, B., Wenzhöfer, F. 2020. PlasPI marine cameras: Open-source, affordable camera systems for time series marine studies. HardwareX 7:e00102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00102
Sophie Bourgeon
Associate professor
- Ecotoxicology
- Arctic seabirds and mammals
- persistent organic pollutants
- plastic pollution
- multiple stressors. …
Research interests:
- Ecotoxicology
- Arctic seabirds and mammals
- persistent organic pollutants
- plastic pollution
- multiple stressors.
Current projects:
PlastPoll– Plastic pollution; a global Challenge Towards harmonized understanding, education and methodology in Europe, USA and China.
In collaboration with Dr. Dorte Herzke.
EnviStress– Environmental stress processes: the role of anthropogenic pollution in a rapidly changing environment.
In collaboration with Dr. Jan Ove Bustnes
EcoStress – Ecological consequences of environmentally persistent pollutants in a marine sentinel species: A multi-stressor approach.
In collaboration with Dr. Jan Ove Bustnes
Completed projects:
HvalrossTOX– Sucking clams or hunting seals – consequences to walrus health. Contaminants in Atlantic walruses: effects on endocrine and immune systems.
In collaboration with Dr. Heli Routti
AVITOX – Causes and consequences of high loads of biomagnifying pollutants in avian top predators in the Arctic.
In collaboration with Dr. Jan Ove Bustnes
BEARENERGY– Synergistic effects of sea ice-free periods and contaminant exposure on energy metabolism in polar bears from the Barents sea area.
In collaboration with Dr. Heli Routti and Dr. Geir W. Gabrielsen
SKUA– Physiological effects of new- and old persistent organic pollutants in a breeding seabird top predator: the great skua Stercorarius skua. In collaboration with Dr. Jan Ove Bustnes
Anne-Fleur Brand
PhD Candidate
PhD project title:
Investigating the combined influence of pollution and infectious diseases on shorebirds that migrate along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.
PhD project description:
Pollutant exposure has been linked to immunosuppression and disease outbreaks in various wildlife species. Yet, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in pollutant-induced immunomodulation remains limited.
Recently, microRNAs have been identified as key regulators of the immune response and important determinants of disease outcomes. MicroRNAs are a class of small noncoding RNAs that bind specific mRNA transcripts (from the host cell as well as from viruses) and prevent their translation into proteins. Alterations in microRNA expression have been found after exposure to various pollutants and pathogens (e.g. influenza virus). Recent in vitro studies have demonstrated that pollutants deregulate microRNA pathways involved in antiviral responses. MicroRNAs might therefore be a mechanistic link in our understanding of pollutant-induced immunomodulation. The presence and stability of microRNAs in blood makes them potentially interesting biomarkers of pollution-induced disease outcomes.
As part of the COAST IMPACT project, we study the potential of microRNAs as biomarkers of pollution exposure and disease in migratory shorebirds. The identification of specific microRNA profiles associated with infectious disease and/or pollution exposure could (i) elucidate the molecular mechanisms inducing pollutant-induced immunomodulation, and (ii) facilitate the assessment of pollution exposure effects in free-living birds of conservation concern.
Start date: August 2020
Planned submission date: August 2024
Supervisors:
Veerle Jaspers (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway)
Courtney Waugh (NORD University, Bodø, Norway)
Marcel Klaassen (Deakin University, Victoria, Australia)
Scientific publications:
- Medici EP, Fernandes-Santos RC, Testa-José C, Brand AF (2021). Lowland tapir exposure to pesticides and heavy metals in the Brazilian Cerrado. Wildlife Research 48 (5), 393-403.
- Brand AF, Hynes J, Williams RJ, Walker L, Santos Pereira MG, Lawlor AJ, Shore RF & Chadwick EA (2020). Biological and anthropogenic predictors of metal concentration in the Eurasian otter, a sentinel of freshwater ecosystems. Environmental Pollution 266, 115280.
- Flint M, Brand AF, Bell IP, Hof C (2019). Monitoring the health of green turtles in Northern Queensland post catastrophic events. Science of the Total Environment 660, 586–592.
Popular Science and outreach:
Sören Brandt
Master student
- Impacts of climate change on Arctic marine food webs
- The effect of boreal species on Arctic marine food web interactions
- The impacts of climate change on the physiology and behavior of Arctic endemic species
Research interests:
- Impacts of climate change on Arctic marine food webs
- The effect of boreal species on Arctic marine food web interactions
- The impacts of climate change on the physiology and behavior of Arctic endemic species