Förslag till projekt

Här nedan följer en lista där handledare i marin ekologi föreslår olika examensarbeten. Kontakta ansvarig handledare om du önskar mer information om något ämne. Listan byggs på uppifrån, vilket innebär att de senast tillkomna förslagen ligger överst. Förslagen är alltså inte indelade efter ämnesområde.

Man kan också göra tillämpnings- och examensarbeten på företag och myndigheter, mer information får du under följande länk:
Tillämpnings- och examensarbete utanför universitetet

Interactions of grazers with the red alga Bonnemaisonia asparagoides

Does the trophic state (autotrophy/heterotrophy) of the shallow-water sediment determine its role as a buffer against stressors?

Would you like to contribute to the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry in Scandinavia?

The importance of genetic diversity for marine ecosystem processes in the face of climate change

Adaptation potential to changing environmental conditions – how do diatoms respond to ocean acidification?

Sexual conflict in Littorina– what makes female L saxatilis less attractive?

Hunting behaviour in the carnivore marine snails, Hinia reticulata

Effects of ocean acidification on bacteria community structure and function in marine sediments.

Effects of ocean acidification on the composition of meiofauna communities in marine sediments.

Effects of antibiotics on the structure and function marine sediment bacteria communities in Arctic Greenland.

How do different phytoplankton species affect the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the Sea?

Mussel farming – Open landscape feeding in the sea

Development of neutral nuclear markers for a non-model organism (Littorina snails)

What is the reproductive barrier between two sibling-species of the marine snail Littorina?

Snail personality - The implication of being a shy or a bold marine snail

How male snails determine polarity of female mucous trails

Do hybridization occur between an alien and an indigenous species of macro algae?

How is genetic variation within populations maintained in the presence of stabilizing selection in nature?

Stamceller och Åldrande i marina djur

Discarded by-catch as trophic subsidy to Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) fishing grounds

Livscykelanalys av norsk konventionell laxodling

Impacts of Ocean Acidification on fertilization and larval development in marine invertebrates

Functional response in the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa: What do they feed on?

Interactions of grazers with the red alga Bonnemaisonia asparagoides

suitable for a master project (30-45 p)

Bonnemaisonia asparagoides is a red alga which is distributed from Norway to Morocco. On the Swedish west coast the species is present in summer. In contrast to its congener Bonnemaisonia hamifera which has been introduced to Sweden, B. asparagoides is thought to be native to the North Atlantic region. The family Bonnemaisoniales is known to produce a diversity of halogenated secondary metabolites that have been well described in the 70'ies by natural product chemist. The compounds produced by B. hamifera have strong ecological effects on grazers and biofoulers (bacteria, algal spores, and barnacle larvae). For B. asparagoides a ecological relevant antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites has been shown recently, but effects on grazers have not been investigated yet. In comparison to B. hamifera, B. asparagopsis seem to be preferred by herbivores. But feeding rates are slow and indicate the presence of a chemical defense in B. asparagoides, too.

This study should examine feeding preferences of herbivores for B. asparagoides in comparison to co-occurring algae. Later on possible feeding deterrents shall be identified using bioassay-guided fractionation and compared to compounds present in B. hamifera.
I am seeking for a student who is interested to combine field work and lab experiments with chemical analyses. Due to the growth season the field work has to be performed from June to August.

If you are interested, please contact me for more details.

Swantje Enge (Doktorand)
Institut för Marin Ekologi – Tjärnö
swantje.enge@marecol.gu.se
Tel.: 0526-68666

Published 22 February 2010
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Does the trophic state (autotrophy/heterotrophy) of the shallow-water sediment determine its role as a buffer against stressors?

Suitable as a master of science project.

Generally, in our cool microtidal areas, sandy sediments are often autotrophic during most of the year. Autotrophic sediments appear to retain nutrients, while heterotrophic sediments are sources. However, there might also be a general, but subtle, gradual change towards more heterotrophic sediments, resulting in benthic nutrient leakage. This gradual change could be induced by higher seawater temperature. The general autotrophy, created by benthic microalgae, may increase the robustness and resilience of the sediment system by maintaining a positive oxygen balance and net nutrient assimilation. However, along with increasing human impacts (eutrophication, global warming etc), this prevailing autotrophy may flip over to net heterotrophy that will diminish the buffering function of illuminated sediments, hence making the ecosystem more sensitive to stressors. To understand how several stressors (temperature and nutrients) simultaneously influence shallow-water marine sediment systems, and if autotrophy/heterotrophy matter, they have to be studied in combination.

The buffering capacities of autotrophic systems have been tested with success in other ecosystems such as sea-grass beds and rocky shores. However, the question still remains whether illuminated net autotrophic, shallow-water sediment systems, can buffer better against external nutrient loading during a global warming scenario when compared to net heterotrophic sediment systems and whether the effects of these stressors are antagonistic or synergistic?

The approach will be to run experiments with intact sediment in a flow-though system where temperature can be raised and controlled. Among several variables, ecosystem key processes such as metabolism and nutrient fluxes will be measured.

Contact:
christian.alsterberg@marecol.gu.se
kristina.sundback@marecol.gu.se

Published 1 December 2009
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Would you like to contribute to the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry in Scandinavia?

Then you should consider to do your master or bachelor thesis within NORD-OSTRON (Northern Oysters)! This is a trans-national collaboration between innovation networks, universities and industry, it is finansed by EU during three years. Together with Danish and Norwegian partners we will develop farming of our native oysters which will be done by applied research, information and support to the business. Two oyster hatcheries, one at Sydkoster and one in Limfjorden, Denmark, are partners in the project. Nord-Ostron has a strong focus on business development and our network of research institutions and companies will give you valuable contacts into the job market.

A key factor for the expansion of an oyster farming industry is to produce spat in hatcheries, which will be sold for on-growth in the sea. Spat production is a complex procedure and involves several steps; conditioning of broodstocks for release of larvae, raising of larvae for settling and metamorphosis and growth of spat. In all these steps, further research is required to gain a solid production of spat, with high survival and growth rate.

Within NORD-OSTRON you can do your master thesis in some of these research areas at the department of marine ecology at Tjärnö. You can do part of the work at the hatcheries either at Sydkoster or in Limfjorden. The project can give some support for travel and boarding abroad.

If you are interested you should contact the project leader Susanne Lindegarth, susanne.lindegarth@marecol.gu.se, tel. 0526-68678, 076 1145757 for further discussions about ideas and duration of a master project.

Published 23 November 2009
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The importance of genetic diversity for marine ecosystem processes in the face of climate change

Idea for degree project, 1 year (45-60 points)

The marine environment is currently facing a multitude of stressors, such as acidification, increased temperature, eutrophication, and over-exploitation. These stressors may have profound effects for the distribution and abundance of marine organisms. Species composition may change, as may the genetic diversity of many species. If diversity changes, what may be the consequences for the rate and stability of ecosystem processes? For example, will less diverse ecosystems be less stable and productive than more diverse systems? This is a very important question, both from a basic scientific and an applied perspective.

For individual species, different genotypes may differ in their susceptibility to different stressors. In other words, while one genotype is good at tolerating high acidity, another may be tolerant to increased temperatures. It can thus be hypothesised that a marine ecosystem with high genetic diversity will have a higher probability to sustain ecosystem processes in the face of environmental change compared to an ecosystem with lower diversity. This project aims at testing this hypothesis using several clones of the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi. The project involves the planning and execution of experiments as well as genetic analyses of clones in the lab. One suggestion is to mix individuals from genetically different populations, and investigate if any of the clones are more competitive when exposed to external stress.

Supervisors: Anna Godhe (Anna.Godhe@marecol.gu.se) and Lars Gamfeldt (Lars.Gamfeldt@marecol.gu.se)

Suggested start date: Sometime 2010

Published 20 November 2009
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Adaptation potential to changing environmental conditions – how do diatoms respond to ocean acidification?

It is hypothesized that genetically differentiated populations are physiologically diverse and perhaps to some extent adapted to their local habitat.

The diversification can be based on spatially separated populations or on seasonally separated population. It is probable that certain genotypes or populations are more fit than others under artificial selection pressure, which could be represented by conditions predicted for 21st century oceans.

We propose a M.Sc project (30 or 60 credits) were we investigate experimentally how different genotypes of the diatom Skeletonema marinoi cope with changes in CO2 pressure. A longer project (60 cr.) could include a multifactorial experiment, were we examine the effect of decreased pH and increased temperature for instance.

Microalgae, such as the diatom Skeletonema marinoi, are ideal for a study like this, because they have a very short generation time (sometimes less than a day). We have at the Dept of Marine Ecology a collection of genotyped Skeletonema marinoi individuals to choose from. These strains belong to different populations, and thus we could in the experiment examine the effect on population level as well individual variation among strains.

The experimental part of the project will be conducted at Kristineberg.

Supervisors: Sam Dupont and Anna Godhe
sam.dupont@marecol.gu.se
anna.godhe@marecol.gu.se
Suggested start date: sometime during 2010

Published 20 November 2009
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Sexual conflict in Littorina– what makes female L saxatilis less attractive?

Suitable as a master project (40-60 hp).

Marine snails of Littorina (periwinkles) use trail-following for various purposes (minimize moving costs, track mating partners). Males of three out of four Swedish species, L. fabalis, L. obtusata and L. littorea are able to identify female mucous trails from male trails, and actively choose to track female trails. However, in a fourth species, L. saxatilis, males follow female and male trails of their own species equally long distances. Notably, the same males are able to distinguish between female and male trails of another species (L. fabalis). A possible explanation is that in most species females add a cue to the mucus to attract males, while in L. saxatilis females do not add this cue. The likely explanation for this is that they have a sexual conflict over mating frequency – which has been suggested in a study by Johannesson et al. (in prep.). A way to test that there is a sexual conflict in L. saxatilis is to identify the cue and show that this cues is present in other female’s mucus but not in the mucus of L. saxatilis females, and to show that if this mucus-cue is added to the mucus of L. saxatilis females, the males will be able to discriminate between female and male trails. Doing this requires chemical-ecology methodology including extraction of substances from the snail mucus, chemical separation and tests of the effect on different fractions either alone or when added to the mucus trail of L. saxatilis females.
This work requires a student who is both interested in chemical analysis and experimental work using live animals.

Supervisors: Kerstin Johannesson, Henrik Pavia, Sara Hinz-Saltin and Gunnar Cervin.

Published 16 October 2009
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Hunting behaviour in the carnivore marine snails, Hinia reticulata

Suitable as a candidate/bachelor project (15-30 hp).

Hinia reticulata is very common in shallow-water soft bottoms along the Swedish west coast. This snail is a carnivore and is assumed to predate on fish eggs, in particularly, eggs from small gobid species. It is easy to observe in the field how numerous snails appear soon after a crushed bluemussel or similar is placed on the sediment. However, when brought into the laboratory, the snails have a surprisingly hard time to find their way to a food item. The simple question is how these snails find their prey, and if their behaviour is in some way or another an interaction between members of a local population, or depending on the natural setting of an environment that they are used to. For example, are single snails helped by the fact that other snails have already found the item? Or, do their earlier experience of the close environment provide a necessary setting for their possibilities to navigate to find the prey?
Manipulative experiments both in the field and in the lab will be required to address this issue, and therefore the most suitable time of the year is in May-October.

Supervisors: Kerstin Johannesson, Ola Svensson and Sara Hinz-Saltin.

Published 12 October 2009
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Effects of ocean acidification on bacteria community structure and function in marine sediments.

Supervisor: Maria Granberg, Marin Ekologi-Kristineberg, GU,
Co-supervisor: Ingela Dahllöf, NERI, Denmark

This project will start in mid October 2009. It involves collection of sediment in the field and experimental work at the ocean acidification facility at SLC-Kristineberg. Analysis of bacteria community structure will be done using molecular methods involving mRNA/DNA extraction, PCR and DGGE and/or sequencing. Bacteria community function involves measuring capacity for nutrient cycling.

Published 22 September 2009
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Effects of ocean acidification on the composition of meiofauna communities in marine sediments.

Supervisor: Maria Granberg, Marin Ekologi-Kristineberg, GU,
Co-supervisor: Ingela Dahllöf, NERI, Denmark

This project will start in mid October 2009. It involves collection of sediment in the field and experimental work at the ocean acidification facility at SLC-Kristineberg. Analysis of meiofauna community structure will be done using new tools for scanning small sediment samples in combination with digital identification.

Published 22 September 2009
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Effects of antibiotics on the structure and function marine sediment bacteria communities in Arctic Greenland.

Supervisor: Maria Granberg, Marin Ekologi-Kristineberg, GU,
Co-supervisor: Ingela Dahllöf, NERI, Denmark

This project involves field and experimental work in Sisimiut, Greenland in August 2010, or 2011 where marine sediments will be sampled along an antibiotic contamination gradient. Sewage treatment plants are lacking in Greenland and municipal wastewater is discharged directly into the sea. Experiments will involve PICT (pollution induced community tolerance) - studies and molecular identification of marine sediment bacteria.

Published 22 September 2009
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How do different phytoplankton species affect the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the Sea?

Vibrio bacteria are natural occurring in the marine environment where they are of great importance for the re-mineralization of organic material. Vibrios are spread in marine and estuarine environments all over the world but tend to be more common in warmer waters and have a high tolerance for different salinity levels. Although most of the marine Vibrio remains harmless there are at least 11 species that are pathogenic to humans and other organisms (Vibrio cholerae which causes cholera is a well known species of the genus). These can cause diarrhoeal illnesses, wound infections and blood poisoning especially from eating or handling of seafood. The knowledge of what determines the concentration of Vibrio in he sea is insufficient but the abundance and species composition of phytoplankton (micro algae) might be one factor that affect the proliferation of these bacteria.

Proposed project:

Study potential associations between micro algae together and labelled bacteria in microscope
We label vibrios with a probe that will fluoresce in green in fluorescent microscope. Thereafter we incubate the labelled vibrios with different species of microalgae. The objective of the study will be to investigate if different algae promote or inhibit growth of these potentially pathogenic bacteria.

If you are interested contact:
Maria Asplund PhD-student, Marine Ecology – Kristineberg
maria.asplund@marecol.gu.se
Anna Godhe, Marine Ecology - Göteborg
Anna.godhe@marecol.gu.se

Published 21 Januari 2009
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Mussel farming – Open landscape feeding in the sea

In the 1990’s the idea of farming blue mussels in order to reduce the amount of phytoplankton and thereby the negative effects of the eutrophication was introduced. This was a new concept by regarding the increasing nutrient- and plankton amounts in coastal waters as a resource which should be recycled to land and reused. Mussel farming can from en environmental point of view be regarded as a similar measure as open landscape feeding on land, but in the case of mussels the result is clear water. In both cases resources are utilized which otherwise would have been wasted and are turned into valuable products instead.
The first case in Sweden of trading a nutrient discharge started in the small town of Lysekil, situated on the Swedish west coast. In 2004 this community discovered the possibility to compensate by mussel farming for the annual discharge of 39 ton of nitrogen from its main sewage treatment plant. As a trial between 2005 and 2011, the same amount of nitrogen should be “harvested” and brought ashore by 3500 tons of blue mussels (Mylitus edulis) annually farmed. A considerable part of the farm operation is located in Saltö Fjord, north of Lysekil.
Trälebergs Kile, which is the most inner part of Saltö Fjord, has according to a resident mussel and oyster farmer (Lars Marstone) experienced a considerable improvement in water quality after that the mussel farming started in 2004. In 2008 he reported that the water was clear, there was no filamentous algae and the littoral macro fauna like crabs, which had disappeared, seemed to have returned.
Due to available long-term monitoring data of filamentous algae it should be possible to measure and evaluate the proposed positive effect of the mussel farming in this area and also to make a comparison with a representative reference site. This project involves field work in spring/summer 2009 as well as an evaluation of existing monitoring data.

Persons to contact: Odd Lindahl and Leif Pihl.

Published 13 Januari 2009
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Development of neutral nuclear markers for a non-model organism (Littorina snails)

Suitable as a master of science project

DNA sequence variation allows us to study histories of species and origin of geographically isolated or morphologically different populations. To do this, we first need to find suitable markers (variable parts of the genes) and develop primers for PCR reactions. The snails Littorina saxatilis have wide geographic distribution and several distinct morphs with unknown origin. A recently developed EST (Expressed Sequence Tags) library for this species contains information on several hundreds genes that can be used to find variable sequence regions. The suggested project is for a student who are interested in DNA sequence data analysis and want to learn both in silico (computer) data mining and “molecular kitchen” techniques in the laboratory. The project consists of a bioinformatic part (working with Littorina and public sequence databases to identify candidate genes and design primers) and a laboratory part (PCR, cloning and sequencing to evaluate primer success and detect sequence variation). A longer (30 hp.) project can also include an analysis of different morphs of L. saxatilis with the newly developed markers.

Contact:
Marina.Panova @ marecol.gu.se

Published 3 November 2008
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What is the reproductive barrier between two sibling-species of the marine snail Littorina?

Suitable as 15 - 30 hp project

Previous studies have shown that male L. fabalis follows female snails to find a mating partner. We also know that male L. fabalis rather follow and mount the larger L. obtusata females than females of their own kind. This strange behaviour is probably the effect of male’s being attracted by large females. It is likely that the male at some point realize the mistake when he tries to mate with a female of the wrong species. When and how this is done are still unknown, but possible to find out for a curious student. Different hypothesis could be tested by experimental approaches of snail behaviour.

Contact: Sara.Hintz-Saltin@marecol.gu.se

Published 21 October 2008
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Snail personality - The implication of being a shy or a bold marine snail (Master project 30-60 hp)

Personalities are recognised as important to fitness of mammals and birds, in particular. The knowledge on invertebrate personalities is poor and the role it might play in affecting fitness of individuals are completely unknown. Several fundamental questions requires investigation:

1. Is there phenotypic variation in invertebrate personalities

2. Do differences in personalities affect fitness of invertebrate individuals

3. Are different personalities inherited or possibly induced through a flexible phenotype (phenotypic plasticity)?

This project aims to use the marine snail Littorina saxatilis as an invertebrate model to better understand the role of animal personality for individual fitness and relate it to the evolution of different personalities as phenotypic components.

This species is suitable because there is already some data showing that there is a large range of different personalities among these; some snails are extremely shy while others are extremely bold, and it also is clear that this variation links to the type of environment the snail lives in. The shy one live in crab-rich environments, while the bold one live in crab-free environments. We also have results from an earlier study showing that personalities are indeed inherited. The importance, however, remain unclear, and so does the degree of variation within populations for this trait.

The first part of this study will be focused on a tractable way of quantifying snail personality. The second part will be experimental approaches to test the relationship of personality and relative fitness under different selection regimes (manipulated experiment). Finally, there will possibly be time for studying the additive genetic variation for personality by a simple parent-offspring comparison involving estimates of heritability. (This trait will probably be comparable over snail sizes, and in this way should be possible to assess without raising the offspring of parents until adult size (which take 6 months at least).

More information: Kerstin Johannesson  (kerstin.johannesson@marecol.gu.se)

Published 23 April 2008
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How male snails determine polarity of female mucous trails

Suitable as 15 - 30 hp project

Males of many snails (including Littorina saxatilis) have the capability to determine the polarity of female mucous trails, in order to encounter a potential partner. The mechanism the males use to determine the polarity is however completely unknown. A new Sherlock Holmes is required to accomplish a minor project leading to the discovery of the mechanisms in use.

Contact: Kerstin.Johannesson@marecol.gu.se
Sara.Hintz-Saltin@marecol.gu.se

Published 31 Mars 2008
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Do hybridization occur between an alien and an indigenous species of macro algae?

Suitable as a master of science project

The algae Fucus evanescence is an Artic species that has spread south during the last 100 years. It has a preference for estuarine environments with its first occurrence in the harbour of Oslo. It overlaps in distribution with three native species (Fucus vesiculosus, F. serratus and F. spiralis) and there is a potential for hybridization between, in particular, Fucus vesiculosus and F. serratus (F. spiralis is monoecious and less likely reproductively compatible with F evanescence). Hybridization will introduce alien genes in native populations of these species and potentially erode local adaptation and other aspects of local genetic set-ups. A recent investigation from the Netherlands found hybrids between F. evanescence and F. serratus, but hitherto there is no report on hybridization between F. spiralis and  F. vesiculosus. 

This project aims for a comprehensive analysis of hybridization between F. evanescence and F. vesiculosus using microsatellite markers, firstly mapping the occurrence of hybrids and back-crosses (if any), secondly characterize the genetic and morphological traits of hybrids and back-crossed plants.

Contact:
Kerstin.Johannesson@marecol.gu.se
Ricardo.Pereyra@marecol.gu.se

Published 31 Mars 2008
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How is genetic variation within populations maintained in the presence of stabilizing selection in nature?

Suitable as a master of science project

A hotly debated issue in evolutionary biology is how adaptive genetic variation is maintained in the face of stabilizing natural selection. Several different mechanisms have been suggested including overdominance, selection-migration balance and pleiotropic effects. A species under strong natural selection (stabilizing within each type of environment but differential with respect to different microenvironments) is Littorina saxatilis. Neverthelss, this species is genetically very variable. One hypothesis is that differential selection among adjacent microenvironments in combination with moderate levels of dispersal maintain genetic variance in a dynamic balance. Using both molecular markers and common garden experiments genetic variation can be assessed and compared over population at different levels of migration (isolated island populations and mainland populations).

Contact:
Kerstin.Johannesson@marecol.gu.se

Published 31 Mars 2008
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Stamceller och Åldrande i marina djur

I mitt projekt jobbar vi med fisk (sommarhalvåret), sjöstjärnor och kollonibildande sjöpungar (vinterhalvåret).
Vi undersöker åldrande och fitness hos dessa djur och mäter därför bland annat telomerasaktivitet och oxidativ stress som mått på fysiologiskt åldrande i djur under olika "naturliga" förhållanden. Samarbete sker med flera grupper på Kristineberg samt i Norge.

Sjöstjärnor
Som 15 eller 30p arbete med labbande ca 5 eller 15 veckor så föreslår jag ett projekt som fokuserar på genetiska skador hos sjöstjärnor (Asterias rubens) i ett regenerationexperiment samt där vi även fördjupar oss i lite reparations mekanismer.

Då får man lära sig djuren, designa försök, leta litteratur, proteinbestämning, köra geler (protein) samt att analysera data. Studenten får även plocka in djur från havet och amputera armar för att följa regenerationen. Detta projekt lämpar sig när som helst under året.

Kollonibildande sjöpungar
Som 15 eller 30p arbete så kan man, om man är lite morfologiskt intresserad och läst lite molekylärbiologi, titta på utveckling av asexuelt bildande individer. Under kloning så bildas en ny individ på helt andra och innovativa sätt än under embryoutveckling. Vi har ett genbibliotek som bland annat innehåller gener som kodar för proteiner som uttrycks i endostylen - ett organ man tror motsvarar vår sköldkörtel. Preliminära resultat visar på intressanta skillnader i utryck i den gamla varsus nya individen. Vidareutveckling av detta vore spännande. Metodiken blir oding av djur, PCR, gen kloning, tillverkning av RNA prober samt in situ hybridisering på snittade kollonier. Detta projekt lämpar sig när som helst under året.

Fisk
En projektide som lämpar sig för en 30 p student under vårterminen är att undersöka nybildande av nervceller i fiskens hjärna. Detta projekt syftar till att i längden studera om fiskens beteende under lekperioden på våren korrelerar med förändringar i hjärnan. Metodiken här blir gel-elektrofores och immunfärgning av snittade hjärnor där vi använder olika markörer mot neuronala stamceller. En 20 p student hinner kanske även jämföra hjärnor från fisk tagna under olika tider inpå lekperioden.

En annan projekt ide på fisk är att studera sexuel selektion på honor av sjustrålig smörbult. Här studeras hormonell reglering av honans ornament samt fysiologiska fitnes parametrar som eventuellt kan korreleras till grad av ornamentering. Studierna innebär insamling av fisk i fält under försommaren samt efterföljande laborationer.

Välkommna med intresseanmälan och frågor!
Helen Sköld, forskarassistent
Marin Ekologi/Göteborgs Universitet
Kristineberg 566
450 34 Fiskebäckskil

T: 0523-18567
Helen.skold@kmf.gu.se

 Published 10 Mars 2008
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Discarded by-catch as trophic subsidy to Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) fishing grounds

A major source of subsidies to marine systems origin from fishing, as unwanted catch is routinely thrown back to the sea, so-called discard. A project to quantify the importance of discarded biomass as subsidy to Norway lobster fishing grounds will start in spring 2007 in collaboration with the Swedish Board of Fisheries. The objective is to quantify effects of discard under as close to natural conditions as possible in the field and in laboratory mesocosms experiments. Special focus is placed on determining discard importance in relation to its spatial distribution, quantity and quality. The aim is to give a basic understanding of the consequences of discard in Norway lobster habitats, and how this links in with production. A number of confined questions suitable for a 15-30- or 60 hp projec (10- 20- or 40 p in the old system) may be linked to the project for mutual gain and enhanced scientific scope.

Examples of feasible topics for undergraduate/masters projects:

1. Utilization of discard by the Norway lobster
   in the field (Project type: Field sampling, stomach analysis, condition and growth index)
   the laboratory (Project type: Laboratory experiment, feeding rate and selectivity)

2. Effects of food quality in the Norway lobster (Project type: Laboratory experiment, biochemical analysis, growth and condition index)

3. Effects of fishing intensity, gear type and discard rate on
   Norway lobster population dynamics (Project type: Field sampling, lobster population size and weight distribution as well as sex ratio)
   benthic ecosystem function (Project type: Field sampling, macrofaunal functional groups)

Contact person:
Associated professor Susanne Eriksson
s.eriksson@marecol.gu.se, tel: # 46 523 18550

 Published 31 August 2007
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Livscykelanalys av norsk konventionell laxodling

Arbetets omfattning är 30 hp (20 veckor)
Inom ramen för ett större forskningsprojekt där odling av lax i Kanada, Chile, Skottland och Norge jämförs ur miljösynpunkt med hjälp av metoden Livscykelanalys (LCA), utlyser vi ett examensarbete inom den norska delen av projektet. LCA innebär i korthet en kvantifiering av resursåtgång och miljöeffekter av en produkt längs hela kedjan från råvaruutvinning till konsument.
Projektet innebär att utforma systemet som skall ingå i analysen, samla in data på resursåtgång och utsläpp ifrån norska laxproducenter och att senare göra beräkningar och modellera dessa data i ett LCA-program på SIK, Institutet för Livsmedel och Bioteknik i Göteborg. Beroende på studentens kvalifikationer och intressen skulle vi gärna se en utveckling av de traditionella miljöpåverkanskategorierna i LCA till att även omfatta en kvalitativ eller, om möjligt, kvantitativ bedömning av ekologiska effekter av laxodling p g a rymlingar, uttag av vild smolt, övergödningseffekter samt foderfiske i Sydamerika.

Kvalifikationer: Marinekologisk grundutbildning och med ett brett miljöintresse, gärna kunskap om LCA och programmet SimaPro. Erfarenhet av att arbeta med företag vore bra.
Tidsperiod: Hösten 2007 eller våren 2008.

Kontakt:
Kontaktperson vid SIK är Friederike Ziegler tel. 031-3355654, e-post: fz@sik.se Mer information om projektet på: www.ecotrust.org/lca/
mer info om SIK på www.sik.se

 Published 30 August 2007
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Impacts of Ocean Acidification on fertilization and larval development in marine invertebrates.

As a result of rising levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere, the world’s oceans are slowly becoming more acidic. In the last 150 years the pH of the oceans has dropped by ~0.1 units – a seemingly small change but because pH is measured on a log-scale this is equivalent to a 25% increase in acidity. Estimates of future levels of atmospheric CO₂ vary, but conservative estimates based on IPCC figures show that the pH of the oceans will probably fall by at least a further 0.2 – 0.3 units (up to 2x increase in acidity) by the year 2100.
These changes will have significant effects on marine organisms, and especially those with calcareous skeletons, such as echinoderms, crustaceans, and molluscs. The only data available show that reduced pH can significantly reduce fertilization success of sea urchin gametes, and even a 0.2 unit drop in pH can cause substantial deformities in 3-day old sea urchin and brittlestar larvae. In a wider ecological context, nothing is known about the likely impacts of ocean acidification on fertilization success, larval development, recruitment and subsequent population dynamics of almost all marine species.

As part of a research collaboration between Prof. Jon. Havenhand (Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, TMBL) and Prof. Mike Thorndyke (Kristineberg Marine Research Station, KMRS), 30-, 45-, and 60-hp projects (20, 30 or 40 weeks) are now available to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification on fertilization and larval development in marine invertebrates. The projects will be run as an integrated component of the Ocean Acidification Research Group’s activities and will involve collaboration between research stations and personnel.

Project i) effects of ocean acidification on fertilization and larval ecology in marine invertebrates.
This project (or projects – depending on interest), to be conducted at TMBL, will investigate the impacts of CO₂-induced changes in seawater pH on the fertilization, growth, development, behaviour, and metamorphic success of larvae of common marine invertebrate species. It is envisaged that work will begin by investigating effects of acidification on the barnacle Balanus improvisus, which is in culture at TMBL, but other species may also be investigated depending on season and availability. It may also be possible to investigate the effects of reduced pH on post-settlement growth and survivorship, and/or quantify inter-population differences in susceptibility to pH changes. The project, supervised primarily by Jon Havenhand in collaboration with Mike Thorndyke and Sam Dupont (KMRS), will use stereo and DIC microscopy, larval culture techniques as well as state-of-the-art computerised motion analysis.

Project ii) effects of ocean acidification on embryogenesis and larval development in marine invetebrates.
This project, to be conducted at KMRS, will investigate effects of ocean acidification on embryogenesis and larval growth & development in model echinoderms (eg Amphiura filiformis, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, Asterias rubens), crustaceans (eg Acartia tonsa) and/or molluscs (eg Mytilus). Research will focus particularly on morphology, behaviour and gene-expression related to formation of the larval skeleton. The project, supervised primarily by Mike Thorndyke and Sam Dupont in collaboration with Jon Havenhand, will use stereo and confocal microscopy, live imaging, immuno-fluorescent and in-situ hybridisation techniques to analyse development, gene-expression, nervous system and larval skeleton formation.

Project iii) effects of ocean acidification on adult regeneration
This project, to be conducted at KMRS, will investigate effects of ocean acidification on regeneration of adult echinoderms (eg Amphiura filiformis, Asterias rubens). Research will focus particularly on morphology, histology and gene-expression related to formation of the skeleton. The project, supervised primarily by Mike Thorndyke and Sam Dupont in collaboration with Jon Havenhand, will use stereo and confocal microscopy, immuno-fluorescent and in-situ hybridisation techniques to analyse development, gene-expression, nervous system and larval skeleton formation.

The possibility exists for additional project topics within the realm of ocean acidification and early life-histories of marine invertebrates. If you’re interested in discussing these, please contact Jon Havenhand or Mike Thorndyke.

Jon. Havenhand, jon.havenhand@marecol.gu.se  tel: 0526-686 82
Mike Thorndyke, mike.thorndyke@kmf.gu.se  tel: 0523-185 54

 Published 21 August 2007
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Functional response in the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa: What do they feed on?

Cold-water coral reefs are important habitats with a bio-diversity that rivals that of tropical corals. Among potential threats to the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa, we find sedimentation, which is increased by human activities such as trawling and oil drilling. Potentially, the sediment can interact with coral feeding by clogging of the polyps. High levels of sediment may also suffocate the corals by the development of an anaerobic environment at the tissue. The coral can produce mucus that may be used to clean the tissue from sediment but this involves an energy cost (stress). Before we can evaluate the deleterious effects of natural sediments and drill cuttings on Lophelia pertusa it is necessary to understand how healthy unaffected corals function.

Almost nothing is known about what these corals feed on. Potential food sources are copepods and aggregates of micro algae. The aim of this project is to examine coral ingestion rates primarily for these two potential food sources. Experiments can be carried out to determine the functional response i.e. the ingestion rate as a function of food concentration. These studies are preferably performed in small flow chambers in the laboratory and can be completed by measurements at various flow velocities.

The practical work will be carried at Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, preferably starting autumn 2007. The project will be performed within the frames of the international research project CORAMM, which aim at studying effects of sedimentation on cold-water coral ecosystems.
The project could be dimensioned to either 30 or 60 hp (20 or 40 weeks).

Supervisor:
Ann Larsson (Marine Ecology, TMBL)
E-mail: ann.larsson@marecol.gu.se; Phone: 0526-686 13

 Published 4 July 2007
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