We offer one master’s project on the molecular diversity and distribution of marine microbial eurakyotes from
the “Last Ice Area” (LIA), which is the last sanctuary of multiyear sea ice in the AO, is located north of Canada and
Greenland. The work will be done at the Department of Biosciences (IBV, UiO) and in collaboration with Takuvik Joint
International Laboratory (CNRS, Canada).
Background
Compared to other oceans, the Arctic Ocean is expected to undergo a high rate of species turnover, with incoming species displacing those that go locally extinct. Species gains and losses driven by ongoing changes in Arctic habitats—such as declining sea ice cover and rising seawater temperatures—are likely to trigger substantial food web reorganization, with potential cascading effects throughout the ecosystem. As dynamic interfaces between land and sea, coastal ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate-driven changes that intensify land–sea interactions. Peripheral environmental pressures—such as permafrost thaw, increased inflow of glacial meltwater and freshwater from fjords and river mouths and coastal erosion—are dramatically altering the often-overlooked Arctic coastal ecosystem.
Microbial eukaryotes or protists constitute a fundamental component of marine planktonic ecosystems. For example, in the Arctic Ocean, photosynthetic microbial eukaryotes (collectively referred to as “microalgae”) are the principal contributors to primary production, underpinning both pelagic (phytoplankton) and sympagic (ice-associated) trophic pathways. High-throughput sequencing of taxonomically informative genetic markers—commonly referred to as metabarcoding—has emerged as a robust and widely adopted approach for characterizing the protist biodiversity
across heterogeneous environments and taxonomic groups. Metabarcoding data has been obtained during REFUGE Arctic 2024 which targeted high-arctic coastal zones (including fjords) in Eastern Canada and Western Greenland and
LIA (Last Ice Area), a critical region in the central Arctic (Lincoln Sea) known for retaining the oldest and thickest Arctic sea ice.
What do we want to accomplish?
Our main goal is to characterize and understand the taxonomic and functional diversity of protist communities in
Arctic coastal ecosystems—particularly across the land–sea gradient present is the last refuge of the changing Arctic
Ocean, the Linlcon Sea.
? to investigate how the protists community structure and taxonomic diversity varies within the gradient land-sea
sampled
? to explore the functional groups present in our samples based on trait-based sequence databases.
How do we want to achieve our goal?
1. Perform taxonomic assignment of 18S rRNA gene-derived metabarcodes using the Protist Ribosomal Reference
database (PR2).
2. Analyze spatial distribution patterns (biogeography) of assigned taxonomic groups across sampling sites.
3. Assess protist community composition and structure in relation to measured environmental variables using multivariate statistical.
What will you learn during the Master?
? Gain hands-on experience in environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and metabarcoding techniques, focusing on
the 18S rRNA gene to study microbial eukaryotes (protists).
? Develop skills in bioinformatics and data analysis, including sequence data processing and interpretation of
complex community datasets.
? Explore community ecology concepts by analyzing protist community structure and taxonomic diversity in relation to environmental drivers such as sea ice cover, freshwater inflow, and temperature.
? Use multivariate statistical methods to assess relationships between biodiversity patterns and environmental
variables.
? Investigate functional traits and ecological roles of protists by linking sequence data to trait-based databases.
You will have the opportunity to:
? get integrated with PhD-student, postdoc and other Master students participating on distinct projects, and part
of REFUGE-ARCTIC
? connect with an international network of marine microbial ecologists
What can we offer?
We offer a safe space for learning through achievements and failures, alone and in partnership with others. We welcome individuals of all ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national
origins, religious affiliations, sexual orientations, and any other visible and non-visible differences. All members of our research groups are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming and inclusive environment for every other member.