People
Øystein Varpe - Professor
I am an evolutionary ecologist with a broad range of interests, including behavioural ecology, life history theory, population biology, and trophic interactions. Much of my research is on why we observe variation in life histories and behaviour, both within and between species, and how this variation influences population dynamics, interactions and ecosystems. I am also deeply fascinated by seasonality and aim to understand how seasonality shapes ecological processes and evolutionary adaptations. Traits such as energy storage, reproduction and migrations are central in my work. Most of my work is in marine ecosystems and typically on birds, fish or zooplankton, but other groups and systems also inspire my work. I have done much work in polar and high-latitude areas and am currently establishing several new projects in coastal systems (also lower latitudes) including human impacts on organisms and ecological interactions. I combine investigations in the field (including experiments) with mathematical models and statistical analyses of data. My main position is with Department of Biological Sciences (BIO) where I am lucky to be part of the Theoretical Ecology Group, a unit of several professors and researchers. Additionally, I work for the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) in an adjunct position and I am a member of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research. My Twitter-profile is, at least in part, linked to my research interests.
Juan Manuel Valero Rodríguez - Postdoc
I am a marine ecologist whose career has been extensively linked to environmental impacts in coastal ecosystems. My Melbourne University PhD was focused on the properties of macroalgae for bioremediation. Overall, my academic life has offered me many interesting topics to study, namely: impacts of fish farm escapees; effects of aquaculture nutrients on pelagic processes, taxonomy, abundance and composition of pelagic species; effects of aquaculture on benthic organisms and the use of macroalgae bioremediation of anthropic-derived nutrients and other human-induced effects on the environment. Here at the UiB, I am currently invested on the study of seasonality-induced changes in fucoids and their distribution under a climate-change context, a project funded by the SEAS program. Dexterity in the analysis of high-latitude macroalgae responses to changing environmental conditions is key in modelling future outcomes and establishing management policies involved in adjacent fields such as conservation or exploitation. Through my two main collaborators I am linked to several interesting research groups: Kjersti Sjøtun (Fjord and Coastal Ecology group) and Øystein Varpe (Theoretical Ecology Group & Seasonal Ecology Group).
Robynne Calypso Nowicki - PhD candidate
Whilst undertaking my Master’s in Marine Biology at the University of Southampton, UK, I also studied abroad with one semester spent at UNIS, followed by a second semester studying coral reef ecology at James Cook University, Australia. Through my studies, I found myself interested in the drivers of food-web interactions and energy flow, particularly the effect of physical and anthropogenic stressors to organismal ecophysiology. I find the Arctic an especially engaging environment to explore these interactions, given its rapidly changing environment and the temporal and spatial drivers the extreme seasonality presents there. Currently, I am a PhD candidate at UNIS, working through the Nansen Legacy project on the core topic of Critical seasonal windows of responses to multiple stressors on key organisms of pelagic food chains. Through extensive annual sampling, I aim to observe seasonal changes in the energetics and containment levels of species from several trophic levels. Through this, I will work to define periods of the annual cycle in which organisms may be more susceptible to both environmental and anthropogenic pressures. My advisers are Øystein Varpe (UNIS and UiB), Katrine Borgå (UiO) and Geir Wing Gabrielsen (NPI).
Iliana-Vasiliki Ntinou - PhD candidate
I am a marine biologist with a keen interest in plankton ecology of polar ecosystems. I studied biology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and I focused on the biodiversity and abundance of the phytoplankton and zooplankton community at a coastal site of Thermaikos Gulf, Greece. Later, I completed an internship at the Fisheries Research Institute in Greece and took part in monitoring of water quality in Kavala Gulf and Nestos Lagoons. During my MSc in marine biology at the University of Bergen, Norway, I did my thesis work as part of the Nansen Legacy Project. I studied elemental composition of particulate matter in the Barents Sea and investigated dominant microalgal groups and the physical processes that explain their distribution patterns and origins. I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of Bergen and part of the interdisciplinary research project Climate Narratives, where I focus on the impact of oceanographic conditions on the seasonal and longer term dynamics of the plankton community in Disko Bay, Greenland. My advisers are Øystein Varpe (UiB), Lars Henrik Smedsrud (UiB) and Torkel Gissel Nielsen (DTU).
Steven Guidos - PhD candidate
I am a coastal ecologist who studies trophic connectivity between marine and terrestrial environments. My current work focuses much on the impacts of fisheries activity outside of marine ecosystems, via connections through semi-aquatic mustelids in Norway. As a Masters student at UiB I studied competition between coastal living otter (Lutra lutra) and invasive mink (Neovison vison) populations. I have continued to study both species post-graduation and developed an interest in their relationships and potential impacts on vulnerable seabird species. My undergraduate degree in marine biology is from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and I studied abroad at James Cook University, Australia in 2015. My PhD is a part of the CASCADES project (“Understanding human-induced trophic cascades in coastal ecosystems”), financed by the Norwegian Research Council. My advisors are Øystein Varpe (UiB) and Arild Landa (NINA).
Rebecca Duncan - PhD candidate
I am an ecologist with a specific interest in the biological implications of Arctic sea ice decline. I have a Bachelor of Science from University of Sydney with a focus on molecular biology and a Masters of Environmental Science from Murdoch University in collaboration with University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). I completed my Masters based in Svalbard, and for my thesis I used modelling to investigate the effects of climate, sea ice extent and snow conditions on the success of herbivores in North East Greenland. I am a current PhD student with University of Technology Sydney and UNIS. My project is titled Climate change induced shifts in sea ice algae nutrient content: species, community and trophic implications. I am investigating how projected climate change effects such as reduced sea ice, warming ocean temperatures and changing ocean salinity, affect the nutrient content of dominant sea ice algae species, and how these changes influence nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels in the marine system. My advisers are Katherina Petrou (UTS), Øystein Varpe (UiB) and Janne Søreide (UNIS).
Tom Langbehn - Affiliated researcher
I am a marine ecologist with a keen interest in evolution and the ecology and biography of environmental change, with a fascination for polar ecosystems and the ocean twilight zone. My research currently revolves around the understanding of mechanism at the individual level underlying macroecological and macroevolutionary patterns. Central aspects of my work are life-history theory, physiology, and the role of the light regime in governing foraging interactions and consequently species distributions. I enjoy thinking broadly, to link data with theory and models, and I find interest in diverse biological disciplines. Tom is linked to the Seasonal Ecology Group as an affiliated researcher through the Deep Impact project (lead by Jørgen Berge, UiT) investigating the impact of artificial light on arctic marine organisms and ecosystems during the polar night, and through his continued work as part of the Nansen Legacy aimed at using mechanistic models of zooplankton-fish interactions to make predictions of trait variability in Calanus spp. along environmental gradients into Arctic waters.
Zofia Burr - Affiliated researcher
Zoe specializes in seabird ecology in the context of oceanographic processes and food-web dynamics, and currently works as a Scientist at the Farallon Institute in California. She completed a B.Sc. in Marine Biology at the University of California at Santa Cruz and an interdisciplinary M.Sc. in Biological Oceanography at several collaborating Nordic institutions, including University of Bergen. Her work is composed of both field and research positions in seabird and food-web ecology, primarily working within the northeastern Atlantic and California Current marine ecosystems. Zoe works as an affiliated researcher with the Seasonal Ecology Group on the project SeaTime, aimed at studying the timing of reproduction in seabirds using large-scale comparisons, with links to population dynamics, climate and lower trophic levels.
Martyna Syposz - Affiliated researcher
I am a researcher exploring various threats posed on seabirds, including light pollution, plastic pollution and climate change. I did my PhD at Oxford University, where I studied the effects of light pollution on behaviour of Procellariiform seabirds. Currently, I am a postdoc at University of Gdansk (UG) and I investigate the little auks` breeding phenology, behaviour and nest microclimate in the warming Arctic. The project is called Responses of breeding seabirds to the warming Arctic and is funded by the National Science Centre Poland. Through our combination of fieldwork in Svalbard, data analyses, and modelling I hope to deepen our understanding of how the changing Arctic environment impacts seabirds. In the project I work together with Øystein Varpe (UiB) and Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas (UG)
Frida Hinna - Master student, University of Bergen
Breeding phenology across the urban-rural interface in the lesser black-backed gull
I'm a student in the teachers program and will be able to teach biology, chemistry, mathematics and science in 8th -13th grade when I'm done. For a long time I was not sure what I wanted to do for my master thesis, but after one day in the field I was sold. I therefore chose a master degree in Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology where I am currently looking at the differences in laying date in the lesser black-backed gull at an urban site, an industrial near-urban site and a rural site. I have been measuring and weighing eggs from the different sites and will use a model based on measurements of egg weights to estimate laying date. My advisers are Anna Nilsson (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NINA), Arild Breistøl (UiB/NINA) and Øystein Varpe (UiB).
Marte Åsmul - Master student, University of Bergen
I am a biology student, specializing in marine biology. After completing my bachelors in biology from University of Agder, I moved to Bergen to take my masters. I’m interested in ecology and the importance of habitat availability and am writing a thesis investigating shifts in epifaunal communities in Norwegian Skagerrak eelgrass meadows in cooperation with Institute of Marine Research (IMR). In my project, I aim to compare eelgrass epifaunal communities in the Norwegian Skagerrak by resampling sites in 2023 that were first sampled in 1999-2001. With the use of field sampling (scuba), lab identification, and then a variety of statistical methods, including multivariate analysis, I will determine if and how communities have changed and whether these changes can be linked to environmental drivers. My advisers are Karine Gagnon (IMR), Kjell Magnus Norderhaug (IMR) and Øystein Varpe (UiB).
Laís Perini - Master student, IMBRSea
I hold a bachelor’s degree in oceanography and am currently in my second year of the IMBRsea master's program. My academic journey has taken me from studying zooplankton to exploring the ecology of Magellanic penguins. Presently, my master's thesis at UiB centers on analyzing the flux of nutrients from sea to land, inspired by seabird colonies along the Norwegian coast. With a specific emphasis on understanding variations in nutrient contributions between two distinct seabird groups, auks and gulls, I aim to discern the dynamics of energy and nutrient transfer. Furthermore, my research extends to comparing differences in nutrient deposition among various nesting sites, including variations between gradual and steep cliffs. My thesis advisor is Øystein Varpe (UiB).
Gabriele Tosetti - Master student, IMBRSea
I am enrolled in International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRsea). Being part of this program allowed me to broaden my understanding of marine biology and related topics across various countries and cultures. This experience has not only expanded passion for marine ecology. Currently, I am working on my master's thesis at the University of Bergen (UiB) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) in Bergen, Norway. My research focuses on the movement patterns of Auk species breeding at the Hjelmsøya colony in northern Norway. I am specifically comparing the movement patterns observed in different years. My advisers are and Geir Helge Systad (NINA) and Øystein Varpe (UiB).
Past PhD students
Erin Kunisch
PhD 2022. Sea ice dependence in Arctic marine organisms: life cycles, resource use, and trophic linkages. UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
Tom Langbehn
PhD 2019 - Light and visual foraging in the pelagic: opportunities and constraints along gradients of seasonality. University of Bergen
Daniel Hitchcock
PhD 2018 - Life history and pollutant accumulation in wildlife. University of Oslo
Kanchana Bandara
PhD 2018 - Diel and seasonal vertical migrations of high-latitude zooplankton: knowledge gaps and a high-resolution bridge. Nord University & UNIS
Marina Espinasse
PhD 2017 - Interannual variability in key zooplankton species in the North-East Atlantic: an analysis based on abundance and phenology. Nord University
Past MSc students
Vetle Fredheim MSc 2023. Composition of Gelatinous Zooplankton Communities in Korsfjord and Fanafjord; seasonal dynamics and change over 20 years
Idun Kjoberg MSc 2023. The influence of re-establishing Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) on the activity of invasive American mink (Neovison vison) on the southwest coast of Norway pdf
Marina Metic MSc 2023. Spatial and temporal trends in the body condition of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Norwegian coastal waters
Catharina Olsen MSc 2023. Habitat niche differentiation of Ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) and Corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) revealed by acoustic telemetry: Implication for an urban restoration project abstract
Ingvild Marie Krohn Riska MSc 2023. A modeling study of behavior and sampling bias introduced by artificial light on marine organisms during the polar night pdf
Nora Stampe MSc 2022. Diet variability in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) in Kongsfjorden in relation to ongoing environmental changes
Nadja Meister MSc 2022. The role of crawling predators in the decline and distribution of blue mussels in Norwegian coastal waters pdf
Joseph Lawrence MSc 2022. A new method in population studies of Halichondria panicea: comparing suitability of mtDNA and rRNA as genetic markers. University of Oulu
Torunn Stople Kallelid MSc 2022. Is a warmer Arctic a more contaminated Arctic? Atlantification of Kongsfjorden in relation to contaminant levels in seabirds. University of Bergen pdf
Stian Dreyer Thorsen MSc 2021. Kleptoparasitic relationships between common eiders (Somateria mollissima) and large gulls in Solheimsviken, Bergen. University of Bergen pdf
Marthe Olsen MSc 2021. The effect of climate variability and prey abundance on chick growth in a subarctic Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) colony. University of Bergen
Vanja Sand Syvertsen MSc 2021. A comparison of egg investment in lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) from urban and non-urban colonies. University of Bergen.
Robin B. Zweigel MSc 2020. A physically based approach to simulate sub-grid snow depth and ground surface temperature distribution. University of Oslo & UNIS abstract
Christian Stolz MSc 2019. The nestling diet of Svalbard snow buntings identified by DNA. UiT - The Arctic University of Norway & UNIS pdf
Emelie Skogsberg MSc 2019. Effects of seasonal riverine run-off on contaminant accumulation in Arctic littoral amphipods. University of Oslo & UNIS abstract
Eirik Aasmo Finne MSc 2019. Flux of nutrients and mercury from an Arctic seabird colony to the coastal food web. University of Oslo & UNIS abstract
Ella Weissenberg MSc 2018. Spatial structures of a high-Arctic macrozooplankton community. University of Helsinki & UNIS
Amalia Keck MSc 2018. Recolonization and succession of a subtidal hard-bottom epibenthic community in Smeerenburgfjorden, NW Svalbard. UiT - The Arctic University of Norway & UNIS pdf
Elinor Tessin MSc 2018. Drivers of spatial variability in spring bloom onset and magnitude along a latitudinal gradient in the Nordic Seas. University of Bergen & UNIS pdf
Calum Bachell MSc 2017. The role of the male Common Eider Somateria mollissima as a protector against nest-predation. UiT - The Arctic University of Norway & UNIS pdf
Svenja Halfter MSc 2017. Large-scale phenology of marine plankton in the North Atlantic and Arctic ocean. University of Kiel & UNIS.
Marine Cusa MSc 2016. The effect of seasonality on polar cod (Boreogadus saida) dietary habits and temporal feeding strategies in Svalbard waters. UiT - The Arctic University of Norway & UNIS pdf
Preben Danielsen MSc 2016. Climate trends, weather fluctuations and calving phenology in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus). NTNU & UNIS. pdf
Jon Runar Lorentzen MSc 2015. Marine biomass consumption by wild Svalbard reindeer: fecal stable isotope analysis as a tool to detect climate change effects. NTNU & UNIS. pdf
Tom Langbehn MSc 2015. Feeding success in an extreme-light environment: modelling seasonal prey encounter of Arctic fish. University of Bremen & UNIS.
Kim Scherrer MSc 2015. Light, temperature and competition: understanding the causes for climate-driven regime shifts in arctic marine benthos. Uppsala University & UNIS. pdf
Caitlin Frankish MSc 2015. A meta-ecosystem model: seabirds as vectors. University of Southampton & UNIS.
Sam Eglund Newby MSc 2015. Feeding activity and diet of Arctic and boreal fish species during the Polar night. University of Southampton & UNIS.
Elida Skøien MSc 2015. Causes and consequences of breeding synchrony in the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis). NTNU & UNIS. pdf
Charlotte de Vries MSc 2015. Disentangling mortality and development rates in an arctic copepod population. University of Amsterdam & UNIS.
Hannah Wauchope MSc 2014. Climate change could truncate the world's major migration flyways for Arctic breeding species. University of Queensland.
Zofia Burr MSc 2014. Breeding later at higher latitudes: explaining seabird reproductive timing in the northeastern Atlantic. University of Bergen & UNIS.
Kanchana Bandara MSc 2014. Mesozooplankton community dynamics in a high Arctic fjord. Nord University and UNIS. pdf
Larissa Beumer MSc 2014. Feeding behaviour and diet quality of high-Arctic wild reindeer in response to changes in snow-ice conditions during winter. Eberswalde University and UNIS.
Jordan Grigor MSc 2011. An investigation into strategies of protandrous emergence and arrival in Calanus spp.
Beke Regelin MSc 2011. Purple sandpipers (Calidris maritima) feeding in an Arctic estuary: tidal cycle and seasonal dynamics in abundance. Uppsala University and UNIS. pdf
Allison Bailey MSc 2010. Lipids and diapause in Calanus spp. in a high-Arctic fjord: state-dependent strategies? University of Tromsø and UNIS.
Anika Beiersdorf MSc 2009. Foraging trip duration in relation to body mass: are little auks heavier following longer or shorter trips?
Aino Luukkonen MSc 2009. The use of space and food resources by purple sandpipers (Calidris maritima) in a high Arctic estuary in relation to tidal dynamics.