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From the SEA to the SOLution. An integrative assessment of marine pollution in a changing Arctic

Marine chemical pollution poses known threats to human health and to biodiversity, ecosystem and societal services. The Arctic is a major sink of global mercury (Hg) pollution. Arctic sediments, sea and glacial ice constitute vast Hg reservoirs. Recent studies raise concerns about their increasing role as local Hg sources. In a rapidly warming Arctic, the consequences of potentially increased environmental Hg on marine biota remain unknown. The objective of SEASOL is to identify the pathway(s) of Hg bioaccumulation in marine food webs of the High Arctic Kongsfjorden (Svalbard). This changing glacial fjord is recognised as a ‘natural laboratory’ of climate change in the Arctic. The fellow’s earlier research has shown the sole measurement of Hg levels as insufficient to connect biotic Hg dynamics to environmental change, whereas the analysis of Hg stable isotopes proved to be a promising tool for source discrimination and biotic transfer. SEASOL will build on the novel application of stable isotope analysis to identify the sources of Hg within the fjord system and the pathways to Hg accumulation within sentinel marine species. On the short-term, the study will provide fundamental knowledge to help understand how emerging sources of Hg from rapid environmental change will impact Arctic marine predators. On the long-term, SEASOL will contribute to the development of early-warning, adaptive management strategies, including modelling, for mitigating the cumulative impact of pollutants and climate change on Arctic marine species. This multidisciplinary approach and the central position of the host institution (Norwegian Polar Institute) in the field of Polar Research will equip the Fellow with a broad set of new skills and lay the foundation for building her specific niche as a future leader in marine pollution science.

Vi vil arrangere Havforskarmøte 2024 i Tromsø. Norsk havforsking står sterkt internasjonalt, men det er få nasjonale arenaar der havforskarar i Noreg kan samlast for å dele forsking og bygge nettverk. Havforskarmøtet er derfor ein viktig møteplass. Dei ca. 40 - 100 deltakarane kjem frå ulike sektorar og representerer marine fagmiljø frå heile landet. Det er eit ope arrangement, med påmelding via nettsidene til NHF. 
Havforskarmøtet blir arrangert årleg, og kvart år er fokus på eit spesifikt tema. Eksempel på tema frå dei seinaste åra har vore: «Hvordan få mer mat fra havet» (2017), "Hvordan kan forskere gjøre økologi mer politisk relevant?" (2019), "Klimaendring i havet" (2020, online), "Nye metodar for å møte morgondagens utfordringar" (2021), «Bruk eller vern – arealbruk til havs» (2022) og «Mat frå havet» (2023) - sjekk https://www.havforsk.no/nb/arkiv/ 
I 2024 blir temaet “Effektar av klimaendringar og klimatiltak på marin natur”, kor vi ønskjer ein diskusjon både om direkte effektar av klimaendringane på enkeltartar og marine økosystem, men og korleis dei tiltaka vi iverksett for å motverke klimaendringane kan påverke marin natur. Eksempel på slike tiltak være naturbaserte løysingar i sjø, bygging av havvindmølleparkar for grøn energiproduksjon, eller gruvedrift i fjord og hav for å sikre mineral nødvendig for ei grøn omstilling. Vi ønskjer å ha ei tverrfagleg vinkling til forskingsspørsmåla, og vil gjere møtet til ein møteplass mellom akademia, forvaltning og industriaktørar. Dei største effektane av klimaendringane ser vi i nordlege havområde, som i Barentshavet der forskarar har observert eit skifte frå eit arktisk til eit meir atlantisk klima og økosystem dei siste tiåra. Samtidig er det i dette området fleire initiativ både knytt til gruvedrift og havvind (til dømes GoliatVind-prosjektet). Vi fant det derfor naturlig å legge årets møte til Tromsø.

Havforskermøte 2024

Optimization of Free Space Optical Communication Link based Drones for Search and Rescue Operations in the Arctic Region

The Arctic region is witnessing more frequent shipping accidents than ever which require accurate search and rescue operations. The existing communication systems use drones with radio frequency (RF) technology, which has limited bandwidth and cannot offer 4G/5G connectivity due to harsh weather constraints. It further limits the capacity of drones and affects the resolution of images and videos. The current research proposes to design free space optical communication (FSOC) link-based drones that can enhance connectivity between multiple drones and rescue ships as well as the capacity of drones to produce high resolution images and videos. The proposed FSOC-based drones can provide highspeed connectivity than the existing RF technology. The research will collect atmospheric turbulences data from the Arctic region and use it for designing the FSOC link. Furthermore, to enhance the capacity of FSOC-based drones, the research will design advanced multiplexing schemes (Mode Division Multiplexing and Orthogonal Code Division Multiple Access) and to ensure link stability, omnidirectional receiver will be designed. The research will further evaluate the performance of proposed FSOC link under the impact of various atmospheric turbulences. The expected outcomes of this research will lead to the optimisation of FSOC-based drones in expanding search areas and improving communication systems for SAR operations in the Arctic region.

Sjøisen i Arktis har minket drastisk de siste tiårene, og Polhavet forventes å være isfritt om sommeren mot slutten av århundret. Denne nedgangen har utsatt store havområder for vind, noe som har resultert i at det oftere dannes store bølger i Polhavet. Disse bølgene kan forplante seg over flere titalls til hundrevis av kilometer i sjøisen, knekke den og akselerere smeltingen. Disse fysiske prosessene – bølger som knekker sjøis og effekten dette har på sjøissmelting og vekst – mangler i modellene vi bruker for å forutsi klimautviklingen. Dette bidrar til store usikkerheter i klimamodeller. Effekten av bølger på sjøisen er heller ikke tatt med i prognoser for havets og sjøisens forhold, som brukes av skip som opererer i islagte farvann. I ForWArd ønsker vi å vurdere bølgenes innvirkning på sjøisens utvikling i det stadig røffere Polhavet. I dette arbeidet brukes en svært avansert modell som inkluderer sjøis, hav, bølger og deres interaksjoner. Vi skal først vurdere hvor godt den representerer forholdene i Polhavet sammenlignet med de få tilgjengelige observasjonene. Vi vil så bruke modellen til å undersøke hvordan bølgehøyden og arealet av ødelagt sjøis har utviklet seg de siste tre tiårene. Deretter vil vi kombinere modellen vår med forholdene i det fremtidige Polhavet gitt av klimafremskrivninger, for å undersøke hvordan betydningen av interaksjoner mellom bølger og is vil utvikle seg ettersom sjøis avtar i det 21. århundre. Vår modells estimering av "bølgepåvirkningen" vil tillate polarvitenskapsmiljøet å vurdere hvor usikre deres klimaspådommer uten bølger er. Til syvende og sist vil våre modellresultater og utviklinger legge grunnlaget for å legge til bølgeeffekter i hav- og sjøisvarsler i Arktis. Dette vil gjøre varslene mer nøyaktige og bidra til sikkerheten for menneskelig aktivitet i denne regionen.

Arctic sea ice decline under climate change has allowed waves to form and grow more easily in the Arctic Ocean. These waves propagate into the sea ice over tens to hundreds of kilometres, fragmenting it into small floes. This area of broken ice, known as the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ), is a highly complex region where many interactions occur between the ocean, sea ice, and atmosphere. The action of waves strongly affects these interactions, with rapid feedbacks on the sea ice. However, climate models do not account for these wave-ice interaction processes, which likely contributes to the strong biases in their estimation of modelled sea ice extent and volume and their inability to capture short-term sea ice extent variability. Given the lack of observations available, numerical models remain the best way to estimate how wave-ice interaction processes can impact Arctic sea ice, but most wave-ice coupled models are still prototypes. In ForWArd, we will use one of the most advanced of these models to assess this impact in the context of climate change. To this aim, we will use the latest observations to calibrate the modelled wave-affected area and produce a 30-year-long hindcast of the MIZ extent evolution to analyse how it responded to larger wave height, delayed refreezing, and thinner ice. Then, we will assess the relative importance of the wave-ice interactions suspected to affect sea ice in the MIZ using well-documented events. Finally, we will estimate how waves will contribute to sea ice extent and volume variability in the coming decades, as large areas of open water will remain open until late in the autumn. The flexibility of our setup will allow us to test the sensitivity of our results to model resolution and assumptions, giving invaluable insights into the biases induced by misrepresenting wave-ice interactions. ForWArd will also pave the way for the integration of wave effects in sea ice forecasts, a requirement for safer operations in ice-infested waters.

Forecasting Wave impact as Arctic sea ice declines

Blue Bio Boost tar sikte på å bidra til bærekraftig økonomisk utvikling av makroalgeindustrien ved å forbedre effektiviteten av formering og utvalg av egnede genotyper (mål 1), ved utnytte genetisk variasjon samtidig som potensialet for genetisk forurensning av naturlige populasjoner minimeres (mål 2), og ved aktivt å involvere interessenter i arbeidet med en plan for fremtidig makroalgeavl i Europa (mål 3).

Blue Bio Boost vil undersøke to alternativer for å unngå påvirkning på naturlige bestander på grunn av kryssing av dyrkede og naturlige bestander; (1) en "mix-to-match"-tilnærming der vi dyrker blandinger av genotyper som egner seg for dyrking og som har allelfrekvenser som ligner på allelfrekvensene i de lokale naturlige populasjonene, og (2) teknikker som kan bidra til avl av forbedrede genotyper og produksjon av sterile alger for dyrking i fremtiden.  En bred og representativ gruppe av interessenter vil bli etablert og delta både i utformingen av en strategi for fremtidig europeisk avl av makroalger med fokus på økonomiske og økologiske mål, og som en formidlingskanal.

Macroalgal biomass has multiple uses and is recognized as a target for increased production in Europe. In order to boost the growing seaweed industry, it is necessary to better utilise the genetic variation to increase yield, quality and stability of the cultivated crop. The current macroalgae cultivation practice in Europe starts every year from new seeding material, obtained directly from local natural populations. There is no selection of the most suitable genotypes, and no storage of seeding material. Hence, no genetic progress in terms of yield and quality is obtained in the cultivated material over time. This is in sharp contrast to virtually all land-based crop production, animal husbandry and fish aquaculture, where domestication has led to selection of genetic material with cumulative improvement of desired traits. There is, however, concern about the potential spread and mixing of domesticated macroalgae with natural populations (introgression), and the ecological consequences this may have, including erosion of the present natural genetic diversity. Blue Bio Boost will investigate two options to avoid impact on natural populations; (1) a “mix-to-match" approach where we cultivate mixtures of superior material with allele frequencies similar to those of the local natural populations, thus attempting to circumvent the problem of introgression, and (2) techniques that could facilitate breeding of improved genotypes and production of sterile sporophytes in the future. A broad and representative Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) will be established and function both in co-design of a strategy for the future European breeding of macroalgae focusing on economic and ecological objectives, and as a channel for dissemination activities.

SBEP - Boosting seaweed farming through better utilisation of genetic resources

Siden etterspørselen etter sjømat fortsetter å vokse, er det avgjørende at vi identifiserer regionale og bærekraftige fôrkilder som ikke bare øker næringsverdien til fiskefôr, men som også øker veksten og helsen til oppdrettsfisk og samtidig reduserer den økologiske påvirkningen av akvakultur. En lovende løsning ligger i bruken av tang-baserte produkter, som lenge har vært brukt i fôr på grunn av deres binde-egenskaper.
Hovedinnovasjonene i prosjektet inkluderer bruk av forbehandling av tang og tare for å øke utbyttet av bioaktive forbindelser fra tang, samt utvikling av et effektivt kaskadende bioraffineri for å forbedre utvinningsprosessen. Resultatet vil være miljømessig, økonomisk og sosialt bærekraftige prosesser for havbruksnæringen.
Ved å bruke tangavledede forbindelser og innovative teknikker kan vi jobbe mot en mer bærekraftig og miljøvennlig oppdrettsnæring, samtidig som vi forbedrer helsen og velferden til oppdrettsfisken.

Pursuit of a sustainable aquaculture industry must identify regional and sustainable feed sources that enhance the nutritional value of aquafeed, increase the growth and health of fish while reducing the ecological impact of aquaculture. Seaweed-derived functional compounds have long been utilised in aquafeeds, mainly focusing on their binding properties. Feed producers are now looking to substitute conventional feed ingredients, such as fishmeal and soybean meal, associated with environmental concerns. These challenges necessitate alternatives from marine resources to support the low-trophic organisms. Therefore, seaweed cultivation and harvesting can have a significant positive impact by mitigating damage to local ecosystems and marine wildlife: a prerequisite for further growth is the introduction of ecosystem services in European aquaculture.
The originality of our approach is the combination of expertise and crossover of techniques within pre-treatment, biorefinery, screening in in-vitro, and validating in in-vivo studies combined with sustainability and techno-economic assessments. The project engages early on with the industrial partners (within consortium) and other stakeholders to enable co-creation and co-production in both seaweed and aquaculture feed sectors. Our innovation lies in the choice of methodology, which includes pre-treatment to increase yield of bioactive compounds from seaweed and develop an efficient cascading biorefinery to enhance the extraction process. The outcome of this project will therefore be beyond the state-of-the-art to provide environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable processes.

SBEP - Aquafeed Upgraded: Enhancing Immune Function of Fish with Seaweed-modified Functional Compounds

Dagens matsystemer står overfor mange utfordringer, der klimaendringer er en av de største. Sjømat spiller en nøkkelrolle i overgangen til bærekraftige og næringsrike matsystemer. Sjømatforedlingsindustrien fører med seg betydelige sidestrømmer, som ofte kastes eller er underutnyttet, og som er rike på bioaktive forbindelser for høyverdige markeder som nutraceuticals og funksjonelle matvarer. Prosjektet har som mål å øke effektiviteten og ressursutnyttelsen av eksisterende sjømatsystemer (remove the - that was in this word) og fiskerier gjennom verdiskaping av sidestrømmer til næringsrike matvarer med høy verdi ved hjelp av grønn teknologi. Verdiskaping av biprodukter fra prosessering og en overgang til sirkulær økonomi bidrar til den fysiske og økonomiske motstandsdyktigheten til EUs sjømatforedlingsverdikjeder, samt til miljømessig og økologisk bærekraft i sjømatindustrien. FOODIMAR har som mål å utvikle innovative, kostnadseffektive og klimavennlige metoder for å produsere høykvalitets marint kollagen, gelatin og GAGs (glycosaminoglycan) for å imøtekomme behovene til industrien og forbrukerne. Dette vil oppnås gjennom utforskning av tre EU-piloter: Hvitfisk fra Nordsjøen, maneter fra Østersjøen og havabbor fra Middelhavet. I tillegg fokuserer FOODIMAR på utviklingen av verktøy og retningslinjer for å vise det økonomiske potensialet til disse ressursene i en klimasikker sektor.

The project aims to increase the efficiency and resource optimisation of existing seafood systems and fisheries through seafood side-streams valorisation into high-value-added nutritious food using green technologies. The valorisation of processing by-products and a shift towards a circular economy contribute to the physical and economic resilience of EU seafood processing value chains, as well as to the environmental and ecological sustainability of the seafood industry. This will be achieved through the exploration and characterization of bioactive compounds sourced through 3 EU pilots: North sea whitefish, Baltic sea jellyfish and Mediterranean seabream. Additionally, FOODIMAR focuses on the development of tools and guidelines to showcase the economic potential of these resources in the context of a climate-proof sector. The FOODIMAR concept centers around three main pillars: (1) maximizing the utilization of seafood side-streams and by-catch to reduce food loss; SINTEF Ocean will be responsible of the value chain mapping from the 3 seafood pilots as well as the complete chemical and quality characterization in order to identify the most relevant raw material for each pilot (2) raising the value of seafood side-streams by transforming them into high-value products, rather than low-value applications or waste; Laboratory gelatin and collagen peptide extraction from the most relevant raw material will be conducted by SINTEF Ocean by following yield of the process as well as quality of the final product (3) promoting capacity building and the development of business models to foster the growth and reinforcement of the seafood side-stream valorization sector;

SBEP - FOODIMAR, sustainable climate-Friendly quality fOOD Ingredients from Marine side-stReams

Havet er viktig for mange ulike formål; mat, transport, turisme og energiutvinning. Støyforurensning fra denne aktiviteten kan påvirke marine dyr på både kort og lang sikt. En av de største kildene er båtstøy; fra små privatbåter til store lasteskip. Skipstrafikk har økt betraktelig de siste tiår som følge av økt handel, transport, turisme, olje og energiutvinning. En annen havbasert næring som kommer til å øke de nærmeste år, er vindkraft til havs, i Norge og Europa, en nødvendig utvikling for å nå de fremsatte klimamål. Både skipstrafikk og vindturbiner avgir lavfrekvent, kontinuerlig støy, som har mulighet til å overdøve dyrenes egne lyder eller forstyrre adferd og bevegelsesmønster. Marine dyr bruker lyd for å kommunisere, finne mat, orientere seg og lytte etter fiender. Derfor medfører økt støynivå en betydelig risiko for marine økosystemer. Det første en må gjøre er derfor å kartlegge denne risikoen, for å deretter «oversette» den til effektive tiltak for å redusere påvirkningen. I prosjektet BlueEco skal vi gjøre begge deler. Ved å bruke 2 havobservatoreier, et av dem plasser i Norges første havvindanlegg, Hywind Tampen, og et annet, plassert utenfor Lofoten (LoVe) i nærheten av hovedskipsleia, vil vi se på om, og hvordan artssammensetning og tilstedeværelse av fisk og sjøpattedyr endrer seg med lydbildet, for å få en indikasjon på påvirkning. Lydmålinger herfra og fra andre steder i Europa vil også bli brukt til å verifisere modeller for støyutbredelse og utarbeide støykart over ulike havbasseng i Europa. Slike støykart vil bli sammenliknet med kart over utbredelse av ulike marine arter, for å se hvor det er stor risiko for påvirkning, og vurdere områder hvor det er behov for tiltak for å begrense negativ påvirkning. Videre vil ulike tiltak; redusert fart, omdirigering av skipsruter og støyreduserende propeller bli brukt i samme modeller, for å se hvilke som er mest effektive, og også i en økonomisk modell, for å vurdere kostnadene av tiltakene.

Owing to the synergy among research institutions from Italy, Germany, Sweden, and Norway, BluEcho aims to improve the sustainability of the shipping and wind farm industries and conserve species biodiversity by assessing noise impacts on marine fauna and evaluating the efficiency of various acoustic mitigation measures to reduce noise levels.
Our approach will adopt a combination of numerical simulations, fieldwork, and desktop studies to provide critical data for the design of low-noise Marine Protected Areas implemented in the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Polar Oceans. Pristine polar regions will serve as a benchmark for comparison with areas with high shipping traffic in the other sea basins. Wind turbine and ship noise will be reproduced with cutting-edge numerical techniques and give input to detailed sound maps. In particular, the Hywind Tampen wind farm case study will serve as a starting point to develop similar sustainable technologies in other sea basins. Model validation, resulting from the joint effort of the partners, will lead to fine-tuning and optimization processes for the numerical tools.
The numerical modeling will generate accurate three-dimensional sound maps will provide useful information on the effective noise-generation mechanisms. The maps will guide the process of identification of mitigation measures of noise emission.
Noise reduction measures already taken into consideration by various ship-building firms will be evaluated, and  impact assessment for selected marine taxa regionally tailored.
The project will deliver an economic analysis of costs and benefits coupled with a marine spatial planning analysis, as a cost effectiveness analysis is suggested to find the best balance between noise reduction and economic cost minimization.

SBEP-BlueEcho, From science to policy: assessing impacts and developing solutions for ship traffic and offshore wind through soundmaps

Det globale matsystemet står overfor store utfordringer knyttet til klimaendringer, befolkningsvekst og miljø- og helsemessige faktorer. Matressursene våre utnyttes ikke effektivt nok, og usunne kostholdsvaner i det moderne samfunn har bidratt til en økning i kostholdsrelaterte kroniske sykdommer. Derfor er næringen stadig på leting etter nye ressurser som kan brukes til produksjon av mat.

Tang og tare representerer et stort potensial som alternativ kilde til næringsrike produkter sett i fra flere perspektiv. Det er en råvare fra havet som potensielt kan bidra til å øke sjømatkonsumet i Norge. Siden tare dyrkes i havet, vil dyrkingen heller ikke gå på bekostning av landarealer. I dag er det i hovedsak karbohydrat-delen av tare som utnyttes kommersielt, og de øvrige bestanddelene er lite utnyttet. 

I dette SBEP-partnerskapsprosjektet, kalt SEAFOODTURE, har vi som mål å utnytte tare som en kilde til proteiner for å produsere bærekraftige matprodukter av høy ernæringsmessig kvalitet. Videre vil de polysakkaridrike restene som dannes gjennom prosessen bli utnyttet til å produsere biobaserte emballasjematerialer. Den proteinrike ingrediensen vil benyttes i utvikling av ulike næringsmidler der både ernæringsmessige kvaliteter, men også teknologiske egenskaper og aksept vil bli testet. 

Prosjektet består av partnere fra flere land som representerer både forskning, universiteter og industri. Kompetansen spenner fra dyrking av tare til prosessering og kvalitetstesting av næringsmidler. Gruppen representerer flere havområder i Europa, og vil se på både villfanget tare og dyrket tare fra disse områdene.

The global food system is currently facing great challenges, motivated by climate change, population growth, environmental and health-related concerns. Existing food resources are not efficiently exploited, and the unhealthy dietary habits of modern societies are leading to a dramatic increase in diet-related chronic diseases. The food industry is actively looking for new food sources with added health benefits. In particular, alternative non-animal-based protein sources are of interest to comply with special dietary habits and promote healthier and more diversified diets. 

Seaweeds present great potential as alternative sources of dietary proteins, being also rich in polysaccharides with remarkable functional and health-related properties. Currently, seaweeds are mostly used in the food industry to extract polysaccharides, whilst other seaweed components are less exploited. In SEAFOODTURE, we aim to valorize the whole seaweed biomass as a source of alternative proteins to produce sustainable, high value and high nutritional quality food products, while utilizing the polysaccharide-rich residues generated through the process to produce bio-based packaging materials. 

The consortium is composed of research institutions and SMEs from European countries covering different sea basins, and the project will explore cultivated and wildly harvested seaweeds accessible in these regions. The Norwegian partner SINTEF Ocean will lead the work package dedicated to developing food prototypes incorporating protein-rich ingredients from seaweed. All partners will be involved in evaluation of the environmental, nutritional, and socio-economic footprints of the developed processes and products. In parallel, all partners will be involved in effective and impactful dissemination and communication of project outputs to relevant, diverse stakeholders to create scientific, social and commercial value.

SBEP - SEAFOODTURE, Integral valorisation of seaweed biomass for the development of sustainable, high nutritional quality food products

Oppdrett av kveite er en lang prosess med kompleks biologi. En av de største utfordringene er den lange levendefôr perioden. den kan være opp mot 50-60dager, og krever store mengder med byttedyret Artemia. Artemia er et lite krepsdyr som klekkes, anrikes og fôres ut til kveitelarvene. Å lage dette fôret er en stor og krevende prosess og det skal produseres mye Artemia for å mette alle kveitelarvene i en produksjon. Grunnen til at kveite ikke kan spise vanlig tørrfôr i begynnelsen av livssyklusen, er at den ikke har utviklet et mage og tarmsystem som kan fordøye dette. Den må få mat i form av levendefôr. I dette prosjektet vil vi, sammen med det portugisiske selskapet SPAROS, utvikle et tørrfôr som er spesialdesignet for kveitelarver slik at de vil være i stand til å ta opp næringen fra fôret. Hvis vi lykkes med dette kan vi kutte ut store deler av levende fôr produksjonen og spare enormt med ressurser og samtidig forbedre vår yngelkvalitet. Dette vil være em "game changer" i kveitenæringen.

Måler er å utvikle et microfôr som er skreddersydd til kveite larver. På grunn av lang produksjonstid i larvefasen (50-60dager) hvor det utelukkende brukes levendefôr, er det behov for å utvikle et fôr som kan overta denne rollen i oppdrett av kveite. I dag bruker vi i SWH 1,5tonn med Artemiacyster til dagens produksjon (for å produsere 350-450 000yngel) og i nær framtid må vi mange doble denne bruken. Så å utvikle et fôr som kan ta ned bruken av levendefôr vil være av ytterst betydning i forhold til kostnader, miljø avtrykk og biosikkerhet.
Sammen med SPAROS vil vi utvikle et skreddersydd microfôr til kveite. Sparos vil stå for fôrformulering og resept utviklingen basert på innspill fra SWH, litteraturen samt Sparos mangeårig erfaring med å utvikle spesial fôr til marine arter. SWH vil deretter teste fôret i storskala systemene våre. 

Dette prosjektet (dvs sluttproduktet) vil også, mest sannsynlig, være direkte overførbart til andre arter som f.eks torsk.

4876 - Tidlig weaning av flatfisk på microfôr: forbedret kvalitet, overlevelse på larver og yngel

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Spesialrådgiver

Finansiering av forskningsinfrastruktur (videreført i prosj. 210331)

Brood parasites and their hosts represent particularly suitable systems for studying the process of coevolution. A number of adaptations and counter-adaptations in hosts and parasites have previously been revealed, but few studies have considered dynamics  between and within several host-parasite systems that are sympatric in time and space. Within the frame of this project we want to study in more detail host-brood parasite interactions in an area where the parasite at the species level utilize several ho st species, but individual female parasites apparently have specialized on particular host species. More specifically, we will focus on: 1) level of differentiation of local cuckoo gentes in terms of egg morph distinctiveness, genetic composition and evol ution; and 2) possible factors explaining the pattern of current host selection by the common cuckoo in the region

Interactions between brood parasites and their hosts in a heterogeneous landscape

As immunity has been proven to be costly in energetic terms, these investments are likely to conflict with other, important and energy-demanding fitness traits. Several studies have addressed trade-offs between the immune-system and other factors, like gr owth, development or reproductive investment and success.  Here, we will test the hypothesis that the high costs associated with immune-responses will lead to a trade-off between immunity and neural development.  A proper cognitive development is essentia l for the long time survival for an organism, but priority to specific immune responses is among the most important for short time survival.  Thus, in sensitive periods with enhanced neural development, we expect that immune challenges will set limits for  how much the organism can invest in brain development.  
Thus, our hypothesis is that during an infection, the immediate reduction of short-term mortality should be prioritized over investments that may reduce mortality on the longer term like neural dev elopment. 
To test this general hypothesis, we will with experiments on zebrafish address the following more specific hypotheses:
a.    Behavioural and concomitant neural development
       has an energetic cost. 
b.    An immune response during a window of  cognitive development reduces:
       b1.  behavioural performance, and
       b2.  neural development of the brain.
This will be accomplished by a combination of behavioural experiments and immuno-histogical methods.  
Following up data gained from o ur experiments, we will further investigate how immune and neural investments may differ between the sexes, and thereby discuss these traits as important traits in sexual selection.
Thus, by investigating a trade-off between immunity and brain development , we will contribute to better understanding the link between immunity and other main fitness traits.

The life history trade-off between immune function and brain development

In this proposed project we will study processes during the early phase of adaptive divergence. Lesjaskogsvatnet was colonized by grayling Thymallus thymallus in 1880 and during 120 years more than 20 demes have been established. Owing to profound tempera ture differences among tributaries, we expect to find significant genetic and phenotypic differentiation between grayling spawning in different tributaries despite the short divergence time and lack of obvious isolation barriers. The main objectives of th is project are to study the level of reproductive isolation and local adaptation and to explore the genetics of these two processes. This will be done using common garden experiments, and molecular- and quantitative genetic methods. Preliminary results in dicate that significant genetic and phenotypic divergence have developed during the short time span at hand, and this project will thus bring new and much-needed information about the mechanics of important evolutionary processes.

The early stages of adaptive divergence: the speed of evolution

Determining the causes and consequences of reproductive decisions is central to the understanding of evolutionary processes such as sexual selection and speciation. This research project represents an ambitious plan towards achieving a comprehensive under standing of the factors influencing the reproductive decisions faced by females when searching for appropriate mates. Using the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) as a study model, the project investigates cues used by females in mate choice under three fundam entally different choice situations. The bluethroat is a socially monogamous bird with an extensive extra-pair mating system. It consists of several phenotypically distinct subspecies, some of which are in reproductive contact resulting in occasional hybr idization. The first part of this project deals with mate choice in situations of potential hybridisation between two subspecies, the chestnut-spotted svecica and the white-spotted cyanecula. By manipulating male spot colour to resemble males from the opp osite subspecies, we will test whether females discriminate against males on the basis of the colour of their throat spot. The second part investigates the choice of social mate within a svecica population. Through manipulation of the blue throat feathers  of males, it seeks to unravel whether females base their choice on male phenotypic appearance or the quality of the territory, and how male heterozygosity feeds into this equation. The final part of the research plan concerns the choice of extra-pair mat es as sires for the offspring. Previous studies have shown that females are fertilized by genetically compatible extra-pair males. We will perform sperm motility experiments to test whether genetically dissimilar sperm are favoured by cryptic female choic e. With its combination of experiments and advanced molecular methods, this research project will make important contributions to research areas that are currently of great interest in evolutionary biology

Sexual selection and diversification: a multilevel analysis of mate choice cues in the bluethroat

There is a serious lack of knowledge concerning the presence, activity and dispersal of airborne microorganisms. Most studies describing the prevalence of airborne microorganisms have only applied traditional microbiological methods and evaluated the occu rrence of culturable bacteria, which is known to make up typically less than 1-10% of all bacteria present. Knowledge about the activity and diversity of the remaining part (>90%), counting 104-105 per m3, as well as about airborne viruses, is important f or understanding their dispersal and significance with respect to microbial ecology, biodiversity and meteorology. This knowledge will also provide a scientific basis for risk assessment of airborne pathogenic microorganisms. In this project we will combi ne the use of the recently developed efficient devices for sampling airborne particles with state of the art methods for quantification and characterization of microorganisms i.e. electron microscopy, flow cytometry and molecular methods. This represents a new approach to the field. Field studies will be conducted to investigate quantitative and qualitative variation in the atmospheric microbial community in time and space. The field work will in part be done in collaboration with our partners in a joint European-US initiative for assessing airborne microorganisms in the northern European atmosphere.

Quantification and Characterization of Microbial Communities in Air.

When males provide nothing but genes, female choice of mates is expected to favour individuals that can best increase offspring survival. This selection process may not only occur at an individual level, but also on the gamete level. Recent studies have i ndicated that the ova may select sperm on a genetic basis. Potential candidates for such selection are genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) which are controlling disease resistance. This study questions the existence of MHC based disassorta tive sperm choice in ovarian fluid and ova of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Sperm swimming behaviour have been shown to differ depending on which female`s ovarian fluid they are exposed to. More specifically, sperm velocity of males not sharing MHC a lleles with females is higher compared to males sharing MHC alleles when measured in ovarian fluid. The mechanism to this selective regulation of sperm velocity may be related to the production of specific antibodies towards self MHC molecules in females which attach to MHC molecules on the sperm surface and hinder proper swimming behaviour. With its focus on the mechanisms for selection of disease resistance and offspring survival in external fertilizers, this project has particular implications for huma n management of fish populations.

Does ovarian fluid favour MHC-dissimilar sperm?

Life-history is an organism's pattern of growth, reproduction and mortality, formed by long-term evolutionary processes and by immediate responses to the environment. This project has 3 main objectives: 1) evaluate the patterns of lifetime reproductive su ccess of male and female brown bears; 2) evaluate the differences in life-history patterns among bear populations, among large carnivore species, and between large carnivore and ungulate species; 3) integration of results from life-history research into m anagement and conservation of brown bear/large carnivore populations. The basis of this project is the long-term individual-based data set of the Scandinavian Brown Bear Project and the cooperation with international researchers with similar databases.
Th ere seems to be considerable variation in the lifetime reproductive success of individual bears. Identifying the factors related to this variation and the characteristics of successful individuals would give insight into evolutionary selective pressures. This knowledge will enable managers to better focus management actions.
Ungulates and large carnivores show some fundamental differences in their ecology, which may be reflected in their life history patterns. Comparing life-history patterns among large c arnivores and between large carnivores and ungulates will improve our evolutionary and biological knowledge and may improve the management of those species.
It will become more important to understand how management practices affect a species. It is sugge sted that the loss of certain individuals has little demographic impact, whereas the loss of certain other individuals can have cascading effects impacting reproductive patterns and effective population size. Also, human harvest may not be random, but sel ect for certain life-history traits, which again may influence populations. Understanding these aspects will improve the management of large populations and aid in the conservation of endangered populations.

Life history patterns in large carnivores and their application for management and conservation.

Many studies of the genetic structuring of annual, selfing Arabidopsis thaliana populations on various geographical scales have been performed in recent years. Some studies conclude that local populations may contain relatively high amounts of genetic var iability both in phenotypic traits and putatively neutral markers. Earlier work has shown that Norwegian populations may often be characterized by less genetic drift than expected based on observed census number of individuals within years. In the presenc e of a viable seed bank, the effective number of individual plants present in a population in a period of several years may be much larger than the number found in each individual year. This implies that genetic drift could be reduced compared to a situat ion with only above-ground individuals present, and more genetic variability may be found within populations than what expected based on census numbers. We have found extensive and highly viable seed banks in the majority of studied Norwegian populations,  and we hypothesize that A. thaliana seed banks play a significant demographic and evolutionary role. The aim of the outlined project is to explore the role of seed banks in Arabidopsis ecology and evolution, with a special emphasis on the role of seed ba nks in relation to genetic structuring. We are interested in determining how seed trait and seed bank characteristics influence the ecology and evolution of Arabidopsis.

The ecological and evolutionary significance of seed banks in Arabidopsis thaliana

The movement and establishment of invasive species in new habitats is a global economic and ecological problem. The increased trade among countries and continents has increased the chances of introductions of new species. Once alien pest species have beco me established in their new habitats, they may be extremely difficult to eradicate, and the costs of damages and control programmes may be very high. The present project is a contribution to pre-emptive competence building in order to reduce the risk of s pread and establishment of invasive forest pests, using the Norway spruce - bark beetle system as an example. In Norwegian forestry, the extensive timber imports represent a potential introduction pathway for harmful organisms, such as aggressive bark bee tles, that may prove to be a serious setback for forestry. Our preliminary investigations of import timber have shown that alien bark beetle species occur in imported shipments and may hibernate at timber storages. In this project we intend to assess the potential spread and impact of alien bark beetles. Because direct experiments with introduced species are too dangerous, we will use a combination of data analysis and modelling. We have brought together a strong team of researchers with the necessary com plementary expertise in bark beetle ecology, modelling and biological invasions . The budget includes a recruitment fellowship as a part of the competence building on invasive species. The final results will include recommendations for possible changes in  import routines and forest management that may reduce the spread and establishment of damaging and costly forest pests.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of introduced bark beetles: resource competition, invasion risk and management

Ecologists have for a long time been interested in how negative plant-animal interactions, such as herbivory and seed predation affect the population dynamics of plant species, their distribution on small and large spatial scales, and the plant community species composition and diversity. Positive plant animal interactions, such as pollination, has received considerable attention with regards to its effects on plant reproduction, but very little attention with regard to plant population dynamics and absol utely no empirical attention with regard to plant community composition and diversity.

This lack of attention to consequences of plant-pollinator interactions for levels beyond the reproduction of individual plants is surprising. On purely pragmatic grou nds pollinators conceivably play a fundamental role for plant community composition and diversity through their contribution to seed production of animal-pollinated plant species.

The central core of this project is to assess how the species diversity an d abundance of bumblebees within the pollinator assemblage may affect the frequency of pollination-specialised plant species, particularly adapted to bumble bee pollination, within communities. It is conceivable, but hereto completely unknown, that the po pulation densities of bumble bee-specialized plant species, and their frequency within plant communities, varies spatially with the functional composition of the pollinator assemblage.

A central methodology of this project is an experiment that manipulat es the relative frequency of bumblebees visiting flowers of plant species. The project measures the reproductive and demographic responses of several plant species adapted to bumblebee pollination and species with a more generalist pollination to this exp erimentally induced change of the pollinator assemblage.

Cascading Effects of Mutualistic Interactions: From Insect Flower Visitation to Plant Community Dynamics

The prime function of sperm cells is to fertilize eggs. Despite this common purpose, there is a tremendous diversity among animal taxa in sperm phenotypes. Part of the variation can be attributed to phylogenetic relatedness, and sperm are often used as di agnostic traits in taxonomy. But there is also increasing evidence that post-copulatory sexual selection, or sperm competition, is an important evolutionary force shaping sperm morphology in many taxa, including birds. Moreover, recent studies have reveal ed strong maternal genetic effects on particular sperm traits, presumably expressed by mitochondrial genes that are maternally inherited. A fascinating implication of the latter is the possibility that mutations that reduce sperm performance may not be se lected against unless they also have negative effects in females. The main goal of this project is to advance our understanding of the evolutionary processes that shape sperm morphology and diversity, and their function. We will use passerine birds as mod el organisms, as we already know a good deal about their mating systems and general biology. The project has three sub-goals. First, we will investigate the relative roles of phylogeny and sperm competition in the evolution of sperm traits across a number  of passerine families and genera, using testes size as a proxy for the intensity of sperm competition. Second, we will study between-male variation in sperm morphology and its possible associations with mitochondrial and nuclear genotypes, and fertilizat ion success under a regime of intense sperm competition. These analyses will be carried out in well-studied model systems. Finally, we will estimate the occurrence of male infertility in selected species, in which we have prior indication that male infert ility has an evolutionary significance for the mating system. We will particularly seek to examine whether male infertility is related to testicular malfunction or sperm traits encoded by mitochondrial genes.

Sperm morphology and function in passerine birds

There is a large visible biological diversity on the surface of our planet, but it is less known that there are hidden reservoirs of biological diversity underneath the surface. Even if this subsurface biosphere is estimated to have a biomass of similar m agnitude as that of the surface biosphere, the compositions and dynamics of these communities are largely unexplored. Published data on endolithic communities have mainly focused on either the microbial or the fungal diversity in rocks. As nearly all expo sed rock surfaces, at least in northern temperate and arctic Europe, are covered by lichens, the lichen-mineral interface has been especially well investigated. Resent studies indicate that the lichen-rock interface constitutes species from more than just  the fungal kingdom; it is a small ecosystem of bacteria, fungi (lichenized and non-lichenized), and algae. However, little is known about the entire biological diversity in these communities. 

The subsurface distribution of organisms may, in part, be co ntrolled by the mineralogy and by the ability of an organism to take advantage of mineral-bound nutrients. The proposed research project will be the first to assess the extent of the entire biological diversity in exposed terrestrial lichen covered rocks,  and analyse the interaction between this endolithic biosphere and the geosphere. Molecular markers will be used to study these endolithic communities, petrographical and geochemical techniques will be used to characterise the related geosphere, while sta tistical methods will be used to analyse the interaction between the biosphere and the geosphere. 

Knowledge about these communities is important for a better understanding of biogeochemical processes, the mini-ecosystem lichens, the ecology of microbes,  for our global genetic resources, for biotechnology, for our understanding of the origin of life on earth, as well as an important target for the search for life elsewhere in the Solar System.

Hidden reservoirs of biological diversity - geobiology of unexplored endolithic communities associated with lichens

Genetic diversity drives evolution. Processes which erode genetic variation, such as self-fertilization and sibling mating, are therefore expected to reduce the long-term survival of inbred lineages. Paradoxically, we do find ancient, species-rich lineage s in nature which have been inbreeding for millions of years. What sorts of population genetic processes facilitate and maintain sufficient genetic diversity in such lineages? How can closely inbred populations maintain genetic variability sufficient to f oster genetic and ecological divergence that ultimately results in new species? Answers will address a central question of population genetics: how much genetic variation within or between populations is adaptive in coping with new environmental challenge s?
   This project seeks to elucidate patterns of genetic diversity, population subdivision and speciation in nine different widespread bark beetle species (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) that regularly inbreed by within-family mating. The project is novel in  including many species in one comparative study, enabling us to distinguish ecological idiosyncrasies from the genetic processes related to inbreeding. An ancient origin for inbreeding in at least two bark beetle clades strengthens this study further by removing the confusing effects of a recent origin of inbreeding, allowing us to focus instead on the long-term evolutionary effects of inbreeding on lineage survival and proliferation. Reconstructing genealogies using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA allows direct comparison of genetic diversity between ecologically similar inbreeding and outbreeding species. Our results will furthermore shed light on the general problem of identifying cryptic lineages, and how deep divergence between cryptic lineages may co mplicate species identification in a DNA barcoding framework.

Genetic diversity and speciation in ancient inbreeding lineages

This project aims at extending the Classical life history theory by merging an efficient state-dependent optimization technique that works well with structured populations (dynamic programmring) with evolutionary population dynamics (adaptive dynamics). T he resulting methodology can thus find optimal life history strategies with the following three complications included simultaneously: population structure (individuals in a population differ in e.g. age, size, and quality, and these differences may affec t interactions or vital rates), density dependence (all populations are regulated by density dependence - if they were not, they would simply swamp the earth), and environmental fluctuations (even for populations in a constant physical environment, inters pecies interactions may lead to a continuously changing biotic environment). This project first aims at developing the required methodology by merging dynamic programming and adaptive dynamics. Because the Classical life history theory largely ignores flu ctuating environments and density dependence, it is difficult to say which predictions may change, and how, when these complications are included. Therefore, the fundamental effects of fluctuating environments and density dependence on life history evolut ion will be investigated in an age and size structured energy-allocation life-history model. Finally, these results will guide the application of the methodology on a specific case: the role of density-dependent population regulation on life history evolu tion in guppies. Guppies have become the text-book example of contemporary life history evolution, and density dependence is the missing piece of the puzzle for a fuller understanding of how growth, mortality, reproduction and senescence act together in t he evolution of life history strategies.

Life histories for structured populations in fluctuating environments

This project will investigate how historical contingency and evolutionary mechanisms interact to prime ecological and physiological adaptation, which may ultimately result in speciation in the threespined stickleback. This primarily marine species has fou nded numerous anadromous- and stationary populations in fresh waters, living with- or without piscivorous predators, due to the glaciostatic uplift and its phylogeographic structure. By studying neutral genetic markers at both the regional- (mtDNA) and lo cal scales (micro-satellites), in comparison with datings of lake-isolation, we will assess the evolutionary history of a large number of stickleback populations. This will be achieved through a nested-cladistic analysis and historical demography. Adaptiv e specialisation associated with adoptation of new freshwater niches (studied using stable isotopes and feeding behaviour) will be contrasted with the marine ancestors by scoring a suite of armour and trophic traits, and life-history variables. The geneti c basis for variation in traits exposed to natural selection, will be assessed by markers associated with QTL´s as determined by previous mapping efforts. If physiological adaptations to freshwater niches increases with elapsed time in freshwater, then sa ltwater- and thermal-tolerance should be temporally associated with other traits also being exposed to natural selection. Common-garden experiments using half-sib designs will be conducted to estimate trait heritability, and to evaluate adaptive divergenc e (i.e. a Qst/Fst analysis) in wild populations. Saltwater- and thermal tolerance, and expression of candidate genes, including heat-shock proteins and prolactin genes, will be studied on offspring from experimental crosses. The joint effort to compare ma ny stickleback populations along the coast of both Norway and Canada, using the very same protecol, offers a unique possibility to study divergence rates and speciation in the threespine stickleback complex.

Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) on the Norwegian coast:
fresh water colonisation, divergence rates and adaptive speciation

Variation in the physiological stress response has been correlated to a number of major axes of variation in behavior, including activity, shyness-boldness, and aggression. Sih and co-workers recently coined the term behavioral syndromes for this phenomen on, and pointed out several important ecological and evolutionary implications. One of the questions to be addressed is how variation in correlated traits is maintained in a population. In the current project we aim to address the occurrence and fitness c onsequences of behavioral syndromes in two salmonid fish model systems: Genetically selected rainbow trout lines expressing correlated differences in behavior and physiology, and wild lake-migratory brown trout from a river system where migratory behavior , density and growth differ between two nearby stream sections. Behavior and performance of fish with these backgrounds will be compared under both laboratory conditions designed to identify individual profiles in salmonid fish, and in semi-natural artifi cial streams. Fish with consistently low cortisol concentrations under stress are characterized by enhanced competitiveness and a strong tendency to become socially dominant, a more rapid recovery of food intake after transfer to a novel environment, and a reduced panic response under acute stress. We aim to verify that these trait associations represent selection for behavioral syndromes that are also present in wild-type salmonid populations. We will also study whether the frequency distribution of diff erent behavioral syndromes differ between brown trout  populations from two nearby localities that appear to incur different selective pressures. Thereafter we will investigate whether different behavioral syndromes are associated with altered fitness in fluctuating vs stable environments.

Behavioral syndromes in salmonid fish: Ecological and evolutionary implications

This project aims at disentangling ?diploid? lineages in ancient polyploid groups using the genus Viola (Violaceae) as study object. Chromosome numbers, isozymes and our preliminary data on two low-copy nuclear RNA polymerase genes all suggest that the ma jority of temperate groups of Viola have allopolyploid origins, most likely independent of each other. Different group relationships have been suggested based on various and mostly classical approaches, and our preliminary results show potentials for eval uating these hypotheses.
The goals outlined above will be reached by accessing and interpreting DNA variation in low- or single-copy nuclear genes.  Introns of the RNA polymerase genes RPA2, RPB2, RPC2,
RPD2a and RPD2b, and GpiC and AatC whose allozymic v ariation is often studied, have proved useful in other studies and will be used here as well.  In addition, two independent sequence data sets from cpDNA (trnS-trnG) and nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), both in practice uniparentally i nherited in Viola, will be generated. 
For most infrageneric groups material is readily accessible from plants in culture or from contacts abroad. By disentangling the ?diploid? lineages involved in polyploids, the project is expected to yield valuable ne w knowledge of the evolutionary processes at work in polyploids and to reveal interesting biogeographic patterns. Also, the data will be most valuable for constructing a suitable infrageneric taxonomy of the genus Viola, within the frames of the planned w orld-wide Violaceae monograph for the Species Plantarum Initiative.

Allopolyploid evolution in plants: patterns and processes within the genus Viola

The genetic basis of phenotypic change and adaptation is one of the major outstanding problems in evolutionary biology. Until recently it has been difficult to identify the genes involved, particularly in wild populations. The biochemical pathways of mela nin-based fur and plumage pigmentation are evolutionary conserved, thus being a promising model system with several candidate genes available to study the molecular basis of adaptation. One of these genes, the melanocortin-1-receptor gene (MC1R), has rece ntly been shown to be associated with intraspecific melanism in several mammal and bird species. Our recent discovery of the MC1R-based melanism in arctic skuas (Stercorarius parasiticus) has generated an exceptional opportunity to resolve the evolutionar y history of plumage variation to a degree not achieved before in any group of birds. Skuas (Stercorariidae) comprise several species with conspicuous ventral plumage polymorphism and monomorphic congeners. Earlier studies on their evolutionary history ha ve produced surprising, and often contradictory results. 
Based on the MC1R-based melanism in arctic skuas, we wish to continue our study on evolutionary genetics in the entire skua family by employing a combination of multilocus phylogenetic analyses usi ng neutral markers with analyses of the evolutionary history of the pigmentation gene(s) involved in phenotypic change. In case the MC1R is not associated with plumage pigmentation in all species we will test further candidate genes potentially involved i n melanism. Furthermore, the identification of the genetic basis of melanism enables the use of population genetic data to investigate whether there is an adaptive advantage of melanism in polymorphic species, which will be investigated in the arctic skua .
The forthcoming results will be of general importance for understanding the genetic basis of adaptation in both birds and vertebrates, and will advance the ongoing discussion of the skuas' evolutionary history.

Genetic basis and evolution of ventral plumage melanism in skuas (Stercorariidae)

Glacial survival versus postglacial immigration of the Scandinavian alpine flora has been debated for more than 100 years, and has recently received increased attention with the development of molecular tools. Many vascular plant species occur disjunctly on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, but are lacking from areas east- and westwards. A subset also absent from the Alps, the so-called ?West-arctic? species, has been considered to provide the strongest evidence for local survival in Scandinavia thr oughout the entire Quaternary, or at least through the last glaciation. Bryophytes have never attained weight in this discussion, even though many of them are exceptionally hardy and therefore more likely as nunatak survivors. In this project, we will car ry out a comparative phylogeographic analysis of about 10 species of amphi-Atlantic vascular plants and bryophytes. We will use and develop various molecular markers (AFLPs, cpDNA SNPs, and low-copy nuclear genes), phylogenetic analyses, genotype assignme nt tests, and coalescent-based simulations to test whether the Scandinavian populations originate from recent (post-glacial) cross-oceanic dispersal from the west, and/or whether they descend from long-term glacial in-situ survivors. Our international res earch team combines taxonomic, molecular, and phylo- and phytogeographic expertise on vascular plants and bryophytes, and will provide an excellent training environment for one Postdoc (in Oslo), one PhD student (in Tromsø), and several Master students.

Did vascular plants and bryophytes survive the last ice age in Scandinavia?

A central challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand what determines the reliability and flexibility of animal signals. We investigate signal evolution and signal discrimination in two contexts, mate choice and mimicry, with focus on how adaptatio n is affected by learning, plasticity, variability, and evolvability. In each project we will use a mixture of theoretical and empirical methods. In one part of the project we ask how females should search for males in a hybrid zone, where different male sexual traits convey conflicting information about species identity and mate quality. The empirical setup on flycatchers allows for very detailed data to be recorded about the mate-search strategy used by each female. In another part of the project, we st udy optimal attack strategies for predators foraging on a Batesian mimic-model complex, using both optimality theory and learning experiments on great tits. Game-theoretical models will be developed to investigate aspects of mimicry and recognition in avi an brood parasitism. In each system, we study how learning affects discrimination and decision-making, as well as the interaction between learned and innate components of discrimination. In the mate-search context, we study how females update their prefer ences during a search. Models will be developed to investigate whether learning and plasticity facilitates or buffers evolution, including whether imprinting facilitates reinforcement of mate preferences in hybrid zones. Finally, we will study the role of  genetic architecture and evolvability (capacity to evolve) in coevolutionary arms races, as exemplified by the coevolution of a Batesian mimic and its unpalatable model species. To this end we will apply a recently developed population-genetical model fr amework to study the evolution of evolvability and the effects of pleiotropy and epistasis on evolvability.

Signal evolution: adaptation and constraint

The availability and quality of field data is one of the most severe limitations to studies of spatio-temporal population processes such as cyclic dynamics and population synchrony. We propose here an approach that will overcome many limitations concernin g data adequacy and which can dramatically improve opportunities for future research and monitoring of population dynamics, and specifically so for Geometrid moths in northern birch-forest ecosystems. We will use recent advances in remote sensing data acq uisition and spatial modelling and confront our results with field data on population dynamic patterns and forest structure. Our research agenda includes: 1) identifying prime moth habitat and outbreak distribution and intensity based on remote sensing da ta, 2) evaluating moth dispersal characteristics using simulation models and observed patterns of outbreak spread, 3) an integrated analysis of the ability of different mechanisms (local trophic interactions, dispersal and environmental heterogeneity) to generate observed large-scale dynamical patterns such as travelling waves using spatially explicit simulation models, and 4) evaluating the consequences of data uncertainty for the spatial dynamical properties of the system and the relative importance of local dynamics, dispersal and environmental heterogeneity. The first two sub-projects deal with field data scarcity and explore the potential for generating large-scale distribution and dynamics information from remote sensing sources. The results would b e of immense value in research and monitoring of forest defoliators. The last two sub-projects aim at understanding the general mechanisms behind the complex spatio-temporal patterns observed in many cyclic species incl. geometrid moths. By focusing on la rge-scale patterns and processes and taking advantage of spatially explicit simulation modelling techniques, we will be able to significantly complement on-going research efforts on local- to meso-scale dynamics

Inferring regional patterns from local dynamics using spatially explicit simulation modelling and remote sensing data

The significance of learning has been relatively overlooked in studies of fundamental behavioural traits such as species recognition, mate choice and social dominance. I propose a project to investigate long term consequences of interspecific cross-foster ing in the wild in terms of such behavioural traits. Since 1995, great tits and blue tits have been reciprocally cross-fostered in the field, providing unique data for investigating  the consequences of interspecific cross-fostering. I will look at the po tential long term fitness costs of being cross-fostered in terms of survival and reproduction. Consequences for parental investment will also be considered. Further, I will investigate the species recognition and dominance of the offspring of cross-foster ed birds, also taking the sex of the cross-fostered parent into account. Three studies relate to song: first, how do cross-fostered males sing; second, how do the sons of cross-fostered males sing, and third, how does the song of cross-fostered males func tion in interactions with heterospecifics and conspecifics. I also propose a review article on early learning. This project may yield fundamentally new insights into the determinants of the development of species recognition and social dominance. Moreover , cross-fostering is used in conservation biology as a method to save endangered bird species, and unveiling its consequences in the field is of relevance to this practice.

Long term consequences of interspecific cross-fostering in the wild

Thin layers of plankton are increasingly in the focus of marine research, since new information on how organisms are distributed in the water column may change the way we perceive and model the dynamics of species interactions. Horizontal aggregations on larger scales are easy to confirm using standard equipment, while fine- and micro-scale layers are difficult to identify. This project will use a Video Plankton Recorder to study the vertical structure of plankton communities in the water column. The inst rument records images, which are subsequently identified to species or genus, and related to hydrographic data and chlorophyll fluorescence recorded within centimeters of the images. We expect to be able to identify thin layers on micro- and fine scales, and describe extent and persistent of layers, species composition, and relationship with physical and biological environmental variables. We hope to relate our findings to hypotheses about predator-regulated habitat choice, and to make assessments regardi ng the significance of thin layers for trophic interactions in aquatic systems.

The significance of thin layers aquatic plankton communities

Mutations in the male germ-line are common and in highly monogamous species males may benefit from selecting against own, mutated sperm. This will, in turn, reduce a male’s chance of fertilizing, but, on the other hand, prevent loss of DNA order down the family line. The importance of sperm selection by the male will be related to the intensity of sperm competition. That is, in species with high levels of sperm competition male selection against own sperm will impose high fitness costs and therefore be se lected against. Consequently, a lowered control of mutated sperm could explain the increased mutations rates - originating from the male germ-line - documented to co-occur with increased sperm competition. Identification of mutated sperm cells are most li kely conducted by the immune system, which also surveys other somatic cells, and antibody coating of sperm cells are commonly observed in male vertebrates. This project will examine the extent of immunoglobulin coating of sperm cells from males in dominan t and subordinate reproductive roles – roles experiencing different intensity of sperm competition.

Male sperm control

Coevolutionary dynamics allows revealing ongoing microevolutionary dynamics and adaptations. Interactions between obligate avian brood parasites and their hosts are suitable systems for the study of coevolution. Various adaptations and counter-adaptations  have previously been described in both parasites and hosts. Spatial differentiation of various populations of hosts and parasites into metapopulations may lead to local adaptations in the interacting species. Within such populations, frequency-dependent selection by the parasite on the most common host egg phenotypes can favour more extreme host phenotypes. In this project, the evolution of host and parasite adaptations is studied in specific host populations in time and space, by analysing egg clutches in museum collections and in the field. By identifying and comparing various host and parasite populations we examine if local adaptations in host and parasite egg phenotypes exist in a European brood parasite and a common host. In addition, by applying t he concepts of metapopulation dynamics, we model the expected behaviour of hosts towards parasites in specific populations. Few studies have focused on local adaptations in various subpopulations in a metapopulation scenario. Our approach is thus not only  likely to be important in a coevolutionary context, but also aimed at improving our understanding of evolutionary biology in general, biodiversity and conservation biology.
Modern techniques including photospectrometry and molecular analyses are applied in this project.

Local adaptations in cuckoos and their hosts; a metapopulation approach: tillegg til 151641/V40

For almost a century, mathematical studies of ecosystem dynamics have been based on the Lotka-Volterra differential equation approach. This approach has been able to integrate different actors, such as resources, producers, predators, decomposers and dise ase vectors. The great success has, however, come by strong restrictions on individual variability in all biological aspects, such as genetics, age/stage, state, and behaviour. It is proposed to study ecosystem dynamics by a series of individual-based pop ulation models, where the internal structure of each population changes as result of differential reproductive success within the population. In result, the gene pool of each population will adapt both towards each other and towards the physical environme nt. Hence, the ecosystem interactions will contain both density-dependent ecological interactions (as in the classical Lotka-Volterra) and evolutionary adaptation of the populations. This latter is assumed very important in the microbial food web, where e volutionary forces are strong. We therefore take the marine microbial food web as our case study.

Adaptive food web models

In recent years an international research initiative focusing on the devastating dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans has been established. Previous research suggests that S. lacrymans provides a unique model system to study evolutionary processes and life hi story traits in basidiomycetes, including the mating and vegetative incompatibility regulation systems. The ‘genetic simplicity and transparency’ observed in S. lacrymans makes us believe that the fungus is a very suitable model organism that can be used to accumulate new knowledge in this field. We present four interrelated sub-projects, which all rest on the use of a variety of DNA techniques on a world-wide, representative sample of living culture isolates of the model organism. It has been hypothesize d that both the mating (MAT) and vegetative incompatibility (vic) loci are governed by inverse frequency-dependent selection, favoring rarer alleles or genotypes. This hypothesis will be tested. We will use computer simulations and empirical data from S. lacrymans to get an idea of evolutionary processes and forces that may influence the MAT/vic allelic diversity and persistence time. The molecular evolution of the vic/MAT alleles/idiomorphs in S. lacrymans will be studied using different approaches. We w ill use expressed sequence tags in comparing the transcriptome from different types of mycelia in the search for genes that are involved in the mating and vegetative incompatibility regulation systems. In order to study speciation processes in S. lacryman s and the sister taxon S. himantioides, we will analyse the MAT idiomorph variation and use a ‘genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition’ (GCPSR) concept. Another goal is to use microsatellites and vic/MAT data to analyze the phylogeograph y and population genetics of S. lacrymans.  We seek funding for one PhD position (3 years) and one researcher position (3 years). In addition, four senior researchers and one private company will be involved.

NSDBASIS-Norsk samf.vit.datatjen.basis

Finansiering av forskningsinfrastruktur (videreført i prosj. 210331)

Awarded: NOK 208.4 mill.

Funding scheme:

NSDBASIS-Norsk samf.vit.datatjen.basis

Funding Sources

Thematic Areas and Topics