Bryophytes were among the first organisms to conquer land for about 480 million years ago. While many organisms have gone extinct on the way to present, bryophytes are still one of the most important groups of land plants. Are you interested in evolutionary questions like speciation, relationship between species (phylogeny) or the history behind species distribution patterns (phylogeography)? We are also engaged in applied research related to conservation biology and effects of climate change.

Examples of Master papers

• Phylogeography of the threatened peat moss Sphagnum wulfianum Girg. with emphasis on northern Europe (Kyrkjeeide, Magni Olsen)
• High genetic variation in the boreal forest moss Hylocomium splendens through its distribution range (Engh, Ingeborg Brochmann)

Please contact Kristian Hassel if you want learn more about our master opportunities.

An untapped wealth of specimens lies in wait within the world’s natural history collections. We use cutting-edge sequencing and evolutionary genomic analysis approaches to reconstruct the evolution of genomes and populations using both ancient and modern DNA, usually involving plants. Skills in basic scripting/coding are extremely valuable in this work.

Some inspiration for potential M.Sc. projects:

1. Gene enrichment and population genomic structure in historical (1845-52) samples of the potato pathogen Phytophthora infestans, which caused the Irish potato famine.
2. Sequencing historical samples of the invasive plant common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) to determine the genomic basis of its success.
3. Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis and functional diversity of ‘Darwin’s finches of the plant world’, the Galápagos daisy trees (genus Scalesia).
4. Spatial phylogenetic analysis of plant diversity at vastly different taxonomic levels, from intra-species to the entire flora of Norway.

Please contact Associate Professor Michael Martin for more information.

During our studies on anadromous brown trout (sea trout), we try to reveal the underlying causes between different marine migratory strategies. Examples of research questions are if aquaculture, water temperature or levels of salinity influence migratory behaviour, habitat use or growth in the marine environment. Such information will be important in order to evaluate if dynamic environmental changes may confine the marine feeding migration of sea trout. Project: The secret life of Sea Trout

Please contact Jan Grimsrud Davidsen for more information.

Example of Master paper:

Migration and habitat use of sea trout Salmo trutta in relation to a marine protected area A study conducted in Beiarfjorden national salmon fjord

Molecular systematics of vascular plants or lichens. These master projects study hereditary molecular differences at various taxonomic levels, mainly in DNA sequences, to reveal the evolutionary history of an organism. Various approaches to multi-locus DNA sequencing can be used, including traditional Sanger sequencing and various target enrichment HTS approaches. Data will be analysed phylogenetically, and resulting hypotheses of relationships will form the basis for further analyses of character-evolution, historical biogeography and taxonomy. Projects will involve both field- and laboratory work. Molecular, ecological and morphological data will be obtained from freshly collected material as well as from historical specimens housed in various herbaria.

Please contact Kristine Bakke Westergaard for more information.

How do climate and herbivory interact to determine ecosystem change? The annual ring record in woody plants provides a window to the past, allowing us to infer previous environmental conditions. Measuring tree rings in trees and shrubs taken from areas with known herbivore densities we can disentangle the impacts of climate and ungulate herbivores on the establishment and growth of trees and shrubs. Project pages Managing ecosystem services in low alpine cultural landscapes through livestock grazing

For more information, please contact James Speed.