1. Ancient DNA, conservation genetics/biology and historical marine ecology
There is increasing evidence from historical and archaeological sources that humans have impacted the marine environment over significantly longer periods of time than previously anticipated. The combination of ancient DNA (aDNA), genomics tools and image recognition provide novel opportunities to obtain multidisciplinary insights in the field of marine historical ecology, with relevance for current conservation management that is aimed to improve the sustainability of fisheries. Projects within this theme are inherently multidisciplinary and we work together with historians, archaeologists and marine ecologists. We work on a variety of animals (e.g. right or bowhead whales, manatees, dugongs, walrus, cod, herring, South African sardines or sharks) and investigate both modern and ancient (whole genome) datasets that can span 100s to 1000s of years.
2. Population structure, connectivity and ecology of wild pollinators (bees and bumblebees)
Insects provide crucial ecosystem services, by pollinating commercial crops and wild flowers, by controlling pests, by recycling biological material, by creating healthy soils, and by being food for many larger animals. Their abundance and diversity have been severely reduced by anthropogenic stressors such as land-use change and widespread habitat fragmentation. However, we lack a comprehensive understanding of wild bee population structure and local adaptation in response to human-altered landscapes. Together with ecologists, we are working on several projects to help understand how bees are moving through the landscape, integrating both (historical) genomic and ecological approaches to understand local adaptation and the impacts of habitat fragmentation and urbanisation (e.g. see : https://tinyurl.com/3ppfa7kv ).
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES)
Associated with these themes, projects can be developed depending on the interest of the MSc candidate, for instance projects can have a stronger focus on either ecological or genomic approaches. We aim to incorporate all aspects of a research project (sample collection, laboratory work, data analyses and write up) within each MSc thesis, though the time spend on each part can depend the interest of the candidate. Regardless, an interest in statistical analyses (either in R, or using a range of different bioinformatic approaches) is recommended for all projects. The MSc candidates will be based at the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, and projects will be associated with ongoing research projects (e.g. see https://www.mn.uio.no/cees/english/research/groups/archaeogenomics/projects/beediverse.html or https://www.ntnu.edu/museum/4-oceans)
Supervisors
Available (co)supervisors (depending on project): Bastiaan Star, Oliver Kersten, Emma F. Eriksen, Marianne S. Torvanger, Markus Sydenham (NINA, Norway), Jonathan Goldenberg, James H. Barrett (NTNU, Norway) and Peter Teske (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
Ongoing and previous MSc candidates
Please see below for a description of ongoing and previous MSc candidates, their thesis titles and their supervisory teams as putative project examples:
Current MSc candidate, topic & (co)supervisor team:
- Malene Langvik-Hansen: Movement patterns of bees in fragmented landscapes, with Bastiaan Star and Marianne Strand Torvanger.
Finished Msc candidates, topic & (co)supervisor team:
- Gudny Yr Sigfusdottir: Whale Tales: Genetic impacts of human exploitation on the North Atlantic right whale investigated using ancient DNA, with Bastiaan Star, Oliver Kersten and James H. Barrett.
- H?vard Kjellsen Bjerke: Examining the impacts of past human exploitation and climate change on coastal seals, with Bastiaan Star and Lydia Furness.
- Emma Falkeid Eriksen: Shifting baselines in a wavering ocean: Insights from Neolithic fishbone remains with Bastiaan Star and Lane Atmore.