PhD projects and dissertations

Ongoing PhD projects

  • Coralie Barth-Jensen, 2015-2023. The role of small copepods in high-latitude ecosystems.

Main supervisors: Camilla Svensen; co-supervisors: Peter Thor, Marja Koski, Øystein Varpe.

  • Christine Dybwad, 2017-2023. What sinks in the seasonal sea-ice zone? Seasonal patterns and composition of downward carbon export in a changing Arctic Ocean.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad

  • Estelle Coguiec, 2018-2023. Zooplankton seasonality in sub-Arctic fjord: from community to individual behaviour.

Main supervisors: Jørgen Berge, Malin Daase

  • Bernhard Schartmüller, 2016-2023. Underwater hyperspectral imaging: Methods for identification, monitoring and mapping of light regime and biogeochemical objects in polar regions

Main supervisors: Jørgen Berge and Geir Johnsen

  • Snorre Flo, 2019-2023. Diet assessments in small Arctic marine invertebrates using molecular tools.

Main supervisors: Camilla Svensen, Anna Vader (UNIS); co-supervisors: Bodil Bluhm, Kim Præbel

  • Kristin Heggland, 2020-2023.  Can Arctic Calanus copepods adapt to climate change? 

Main supervisors: Camilla Svensen, Haakon Hop (NPI)

  • Claudia Erhart, 2019-2023. Biological effects of crude oil in fish species from the Barents Sea.

Main supervisor: Jasmine Nahrgang

  • Elisabeth Hansen, 2019-2023. Physiological and ecological effects of organic and inorganic contaminants in marine and terrestrial raptor species.

Main supervisor: Sophie Bourgeon

  • Christine Gawinski, 2019-2023. Seasonal production and population patterns of mesozooplankton in the northern Barents Sea, with a special focus on copepods with contrasting life-history traits.

Main supervisors: Camilla Svensen, Malin Daase, Slawomir Kwasniewski (IOPAN Poland)

  • Yasemin Bodur, 2019-2024.  Seasonal patterns of particle aggregation, vertical flux and pelagic-benthic coupling in Arctic marine ecosystems.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, Paul Renaud (Akvaplan-niva)

  • Marti Amargant Arumi, 2019-2023. Pelagic and sympagic primary production in the Barents Sea across season.

Main supervisor: Rolf Gradinger

  • Eva Chamorro Garrido, 2021-2024. High resolution spatial-temporal variability of Calanus spp. and its relationship with hydrographic variables in the Norwegian Sea.

Main supervisors: Sünnje Basedow (UiT), Ingrid Ellingsen (SINTEF-Ocean) and Kanchana Bandara (UiT)

  • Nicolas, Gosset, 2021-2025. Spatio-temporal distribution and large-scale patches of zooplankton communities in the Norwegian Sea.

Main supervisor: Sünnje Linnéa Basedow

  • Amalia Keck Al-Habahbeh. 2021-2025. Climate effects in coastal benthic ecosystems over the past 40+ years: from northern Norway to Svalbard and beyond.

Supervisors: Bodil Bluhm, Raul Primicerio, Mikael Sejr (Aarhus University)

  • Rosalie McKay, 2021-2025. Variability in sea ice productivity under a changing climate.

Main supervisors: Karley Campbell, Rolf Gradinger

  • Marja Gächter, 2022-2026. Assessing microbial respiration in sea ice habitats of the Arctic.

Main supervisor: Karley Campbell 

  • Joel Vikberg Wernstrøm. 2022-2025. Benthic Metazoan Meiofauna of the Barents Sea – Ecology, Systematics and Evolution.

Main supervisors: Andreas Altenburger (UMAK) and Bodil Bluhm

  • Tiziana Durazzano, 2023-2027. Functional traits of copepods in the Barents Sea.

Main supervisor: Camilla Svensen, co-supervisors: Andre Visser (DTU-Aqua), Janne Søreide (UNIS), Haakon Hop (NPI)

PhD Dissertations (2022-2011)

  • Raphaelle Descoteaux, Oct 2022. Phenology of life cycles in benthic invertebrates of the Arctic seasonal ice zone.

Main supervisors: Bodil Bluhm

  • Erin H. Kunisch, June 2022. Life cycles, resource use, and trophic links in Arctic marine fauna

Main supervisor: Bodil Bluhm

  • Irina Zhulay, June 2022. Arctic Deep-sea benthos: Biodiversity, food web, and biological traits.

Main supervisor: Bodil Bluhm

  • Maeve McGovern, 2022. Land-Ocean Interactions: Effects of terrestrial inputs on coastal food-web structure and contamination in an Arctic fjord system.

Main supervisor: Amanda Poste (NIVA/UiT)

  • Vonnahme Tobias Reiner, March 2021. Microbial food webs in the seasonal ice zone: Linking observations and experiments to dynamic modeling.

Main supervisor: Rolf Gradinger 

  • Matsson Böris Sanna Christina, March 2021.  Fouling of macro epibionts on cultivated Saccharina latissima (Phaeophyceae) - In situ temporal and spatial variation.

Main supervisor: Bodil Bluhm

  • Bender Morgan Lizabeth, June 2020. Jasmine Nahrgang Polar Cod in a Changing Arctic - Toxicity of crude oil on sensitive life history stages of a key Arctic species.

Main supervisor: Jasmine Nahrgang 

  • Bakke Snorre, June 2019. Life history and distribution of the edible crab (Cancer pagurus) in Norway”.

Main supervisor: Einar Magnus Nilssen

  • Kvernvik Ane-Cecilie, March 2019. Ecophysiological Responses of Sea Ice Algae and Phytoplankton to a Changing Arctic.

Main supervisor: Marit Reigstad  

  • Michelsen Helena Kling, December 2017. Seasonal and spatial dynamics of meroplankton in a sub-Arctic fjord With additional focus on larvae of the invasive red king crab.

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Vieweg Ireen, June 2017. Biological effects of dietary crude oil on polar cod (Boreogadus saida)

Main supervisor: Jasmine Nahrgang 

  • Grenvald Julie Cornelius, May 2017. Understanding winter patterns of zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) in a high Arctic fjord (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard)

Main supervisor: Jørgen Berge

  • Bailey Allison Michelle, May 2017. The fate of a key Arctic copepod in future ocean acidification: Integrating molecular, organismal, and evolutionary thinking in the face of climate change.

Main supervisor: Camilla Svendsen

  • Lars H. Larsen, 2017. Navigare necesse est". Bio - Environmental implications of shipping in the European Arctic.

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Grote Ulrike, March 2017. Calanus glacialis and C. finmarchicus in a warming Arctic - Implications of increasing temperature at the individual and population level.

Main supervisor: Paul Wassmann

  • Stübner Eike Ingrid, December 2016. Seasonality of Meroplankton in Svalbard Waters.

Main supervisor: Marit Reigstad

  • Fuhrmann Mona Maria, November 2016. The role of the invasive red king crab in the food web of a high-latitude fjord - Studying macrobenthic communities and trophic control in Porsangerfjord, northern Norway.

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Marquardt Miriam, October 2016. Marine microbial eukaryotes in Svalbard waters: Seasonality, community composition and diversity.

Main supervisor: Marit Reigstad

  • Wiedmann Ingrid, November 2015. Potential drivers of the downward carbon and particle flux in Arctic marine ecosystems under contrasting hydrographical and ecological situations.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, Paul Wassmann, Sünnje Basedow

  • Ramasco Virginie, September 2015. Spatial and temporal patterns of foraging of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Porsangerfjord: from behavioural interpretation to resource selection.

Main supervisor: Einar Magnus Nilssen

  • Vihtakari Mikko Juhani, March 2015.  Bivalves as indicators of environmental perturbations related to climate and ocean acidification.

Main supervisor:

  • Vogedes Daniel Ludwig, November 2014.  Calanus spp. in the Arctic ecosystem- a story on predation, distribution and methodology

Main supervisor: Jørgen Berge

  • Lynghammar Arve, October 2014. Chondrichthyan fishes in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas - do we know our species?

Main supervisor: Jørgen Schou Christiansen 

  • Hovinen Johanna Emilia Heidi, June 2014. Foraging, reproduction and survival of the zooplanktivorous seabird Little Auk (Alle alle) in the Arctic in relation to climatic and environmental variability.

Main supervisor: Jørgen Berge

  • Kristin Windsland. 2014. The invasive red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus): Mortality, individual growth and dispersal in Norwegian waters

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Nina Mikkelsen. 2013. Predation on the demersal fish eggs of capelin Mallotus villosus and lumpsucker Cyclopterus lumpus in relation to recruitment

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Silje Ramsvatn. 2013. Investigating coastal ecosystem structure and dynamics using Ecopath mass-balance modeling and stable isotope data

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Lise H. Ofstad, 2013. Anglerfish Lophius piscatorius L. in Faroese waters.

Main supervisor: Torstein Pedersen

  • Aarbakke Ole Nicolai Staurland, June 2013. Pseudocalanus (Copepoda: Calanoida) of the North Atlantic Ocean - Species composition, environmental preferences and phylogeography.

Main supervisors: Fredrika Norrbin, Svein Erik Fevolden 

  • Aubert Anais Beatrice, December 2012. Stoichiometry of lipid synthesizing calanoid copepods in Arctic and sub-Arctic marine regions.

Main supervisor: Paul Wassmann

  • Pétursdóttir Hildur, December 2012. Trophic relationships and the role of Calanus in the oceanic ecosystems south and north of Iceland.

Main supervisor: Stig Falk-Petersen 

  • Wold Anette, May 2012. Calanus glacialis - the role of lipids in the life cycle and for the Arctic pelagic food web.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, Stig Falk-Petersen 

  • Seuthe Lena, December 2011. Planktonic food webs in the Arctic Ocean: Structure and function in contrasting seasons and physical settings across Fram Strait.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, Paul Wassmann

  • Lødemel Helene Louise Hodal, December 2011. Primary production and the relevance of small autotrophic and heterotrophic cells in arctic marine ecosystems.

Main supervisor: Svein Kristiansen

  • Jensen Louise Kiel, November 2011. Acute and long-term effects from petroleum discharges on temperate and Arctic Calanus species.

Main supervisor: Paul Wassmann

  • Nygård Henrik Andreas, May 2011.  Scavenging amphipods in the high Arctic. Studies of benthic and sympagic amphipods in the genera Onisimus and Anonyx.

Main supervisor: Jørgen Berge

  • Iversen Kriss Wenche Rokkan, April 2011. The microbial food web in a changing Arctic Ocean: Seasonal structure and function, regulatory mechanisms and carbon dynamics in Svalbard waters.

Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, Paul Wassmann