Benthic resources and processes

Contact person: Erik Berg (erik.berg@hi.no) 

Intertidal colonization and mortality of early life stages of Mytilus edulis over a salinity gradient

The blue mussel (M. edulis) has external fertilization where eggs and sperms are shed directly from the genital ducts into the water column. The fertilized egg undergoes several different larval stages before metamorphosis ends the pelagic life. The larvae growth is affected by temperature, salinity and food ration, and the duration of the pelagic phase is normally between 3 to 5 weeks. Mortality during the larval phase is high, primarily due to predation, but extremes in temperature and salinity and food shortage also contribute. 

Most bivalve larvae are able to settle when they reach 250 to 300 µm in shell length, yet final settlement may not occur until the post larva reach 2 mm. The larvae show different behavior to different substrates and are understood to be able to discriminate between habitats. Settlement is difficult to measure in the field and is normally inferred from recruitment data post settlement (days to weeks). Little is known on the mortality and growth of post settled mussel in natural habitat. 

The IMR has started to monitor the abundance of mussels over a fjord to coast salinity gradient. These observations indicate recruitment of mussels to the full gradient, yet adult mussels are mainly observed in the less saline inner and mid-section of the gradient. This point to high mortality of the early life stages of mussels in coastal areas. In this MS thesis we aim to investigate: The colonization, growth and mortality of mussel larva (on natural and artificial substrate?) over a salinity gradient in the intertidal zone, by testing the overall hypothesis:

There are no differences in the colonization, growth and mortality of mussel larva (on natural and artificial substrate) over a salinity gradient in the intertidal zone.

The master thesis will comprise experimental design, field experiments and data analysis. The following parameters can be collected: Temperature, salinity, seston?, mussel metrics, predators and photos (abundance, size distribution and predators). 

The field work will be conducted in two periods with an overall duration of approx. 12-16 weeks:

1. Spring to summer – deployment of collectors and collecting settlement mussel larva
2. Summer – monitoring colonization, growth and mortality of mussel larva

The MS requires basic marine biological and ecological knowledge.

Contact persons at the HI/IMR: Tore Strohmeier (mob 90720754; tore.strohmeier@hi.no) / Antonio Aguera (mob 94880039)

 

Physiological responses in mussels to natural variation in salinity 

Mussels are osmoconformers and reside in salinities ranging from 4 psu to fully marine conditions. Mussel feeding rate may be similar for populations living under different salinities, but when transferred to a marked change in salinity the feeding rate drop. The time to acclimate feeding rate (and to recover respiration rate) to control values is dependent on the extent of the salinity change and may exceed several weeks. There is currently a lack of knowledge on the acclimatization of mussel feeding physiology to the natural variation in salinity encountered in estuaries and fjords. 

In this MS study we aim to investigate the mussel feeding and respiration rate in a natural environment (e.g. in situ) that inhabit short term fluctuations in salinity. As this experimentalapproach do not control other environmental factors known to impact mussel physiology (e.g temperature and food) it requires frequent measures of physiological rates and environmental stimuli over several events of stimulus. 

The master thesis will comprise experimental design, field experiments and data analysis. The following parameters can be collected: Temperature, salinity, food/seston, physiological rates and mussels. 

The field work will be conducted in the inner part of the Hardangerfjord during spring and summer (approx. 10-12 weeks) using the IMR mobile physiological laboratory and instrumentation. 

The MS requires statistical background and basic marine biological- and physiological knowledge.

Contact persons at the HI/IMR: Tore Strohmeier (mob 90720754; tore.strohmeier@hi.no) / Antonio Aguera (mob 94880039)

 

Mussel larvae physiology under natural environmental conditions

There is a raising interest in understanding the distribution of mussels along the Norwegian coast and assessing the impact of their culture in fjord ecosystems. Modelling the spatial and temporal distribution of adult mussel and their larvae is key to understand the impact of blue mussels in fjord ecosystem. To obtain realistic models we need to understand mussel larval physiology, how long the larvae stays in the water column, how are the natural low seston conditions and physicochemical temporal and spatial gradients affecting the larval development and their potential distribution and competition with other important zooplankton species. 

We have some knowledge already on mussel larval development, the role of food, and other environmental conditions. However, this information is not sufficient, it is based on laboratory experiments under controlled conditions that limit our understanding of the larvae feeding physiology and development. 

This experiment will aim to develop a system to successfully culture larvae in a flow through setup using natural seston as food and exposing larvae to natural variations of food and physicochemical seawater parameters (temperature, salinity and pH) during a full mussel reproductive season. Other factors such as maternal provisioning and how it changes during the reproductive season may be considered. 

The master thesis will comprise the formulation of specific hypothesis related to larval development of blue mussels, experimental design, take of measurements, data processing and statistical analyses. Experiments lasts from 3-6 weeks plus analyses, several experiments to focus on different hypothesis can be run during the reproductive season between May-August.

The MS requires basic marine biological- and physiological knowledge, life history of marine invertebrates and basic statistical skills. 

Contact persons at HI/IMR: Tore Strohmeier (mob 90720754; tore.strohmeier@hi.no) 
Antonio Aguera (mob 94880039)

 

Spatial distribution of blue mussels along a fjord coastal gradient.

The IMR has started to monitor the abundance of mussels over a fjord to coast gradient. These 
observations indicate recruitment of mussels may be happening along the whole shoreline, 
however stablished populations with several year classes are patchy. The monitoring effort 
initiated by IMR already comprises the assessment of presence/absence of mussels, cohort 
presence and other qualitative metrics of abundance at randomly selected stations along the 
fjord shoreline. An effort that will be continued during the coming year. 

Species distribution models (SDM) has proven a valuable tool to describe, predict and find 
drivers of species distributions. These models use of the concept of fundamental niche to 
assess the ranges and combinations of environmental (biotic and abiotic) that drives the 
observed patterns to predict the potential distribution of the species within the area of study.

In this MS, the student will analyze and develop SDMs for the blue mussels in Hardangerfjord, 
using the data gathered during the mussel monitoring program and diverse sources of spatial 
information on the Hardangerfjord environmental conditions (physical: depth, slope, 
temperature, salinity and biotic: primary production) 

The MS requires basic GIS skills and statistical analyses of spatial data using R.

Contact persons at HI/IMR: Tore Strohmeier (mob 90720754; tore.strohmeier@hi.no) / 
Antonio Aguera (mob 94880039)

 

Demersal fish

Contactperson: Jane Godiksen (jane.godiksen@hi.no)

Available Food Index

[Project is taken, but contact daniel.howell@hi.no if you are interested in projects involving 
computer simulations of fish populations] 
IMR supervisor: Dr. Daniel Howell (daniel.howell@hi.no). UIB supervisor: TBD

 

Bunnsamfunn

Contact person: Sigurd Heiberg Espeland (sigurd.heiberg.espeland@hi.no) 

Assessing changes in invertebrate faunal communities in Norwegian eelgrass meadows

Seagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services, including sustaining biodiverse 
communities of fish and invertebrates. Invertebrate fauna are essential and important in 
ensuring proper functioning of eelgrass meadows. Seagrass meadows and their associated 
fauna are threatened by climate change, eutrophication, and other human activities. In 
Norway the most common seagrass is eelgrass (Zostera marina) which is found in shallow 
areas along the entire coastline but is relatively understudied compared to other ecosystems. 
At IMR, we are currently filling in gaps in our understanding of Norwegian eelgrass meadows. 

Shifts in eelgrass-associated faunal communities have been documented in many areas, 
including the Baltic Sea and Swedish Skagerrak coast. In this project, we will explore whether 
the same is true in southern Norway. Invertebrate epifauna and infauna were sampled in
several eelgrass meadows near Arendal in 1999-2001. We are resampling the same sites in 
2023-2024 to evaluate whether and how the epiphyte and faunal communities have changed.
There is the possibility for several MSc students within this project, working on different 
aspects of biodiversity. The MSc student(s) will: 

• potentially join in field sampling (depending on timing)
• sort and identify invertebrate epifauna (or infauna) samples in the laboratory
• analyse the data to compare the communities over time (statistical analysis in R: 
  • diversity indices, multivariate analyses, functional traits, etc.)
• link changes to human activities (climate change, eutrophication) 
• have the opportunity to be co-authors on peer-reviewed publications results from this project

The project is based at IMR Flødevigen research station in Arendal. Accomodation and office 
space are available for students at the station.

If interested contact: Karine Gagnon (karine.gagnon@hi.no)

 

Heat wave and eutrophication impacts on eelgrass communities

Seagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services, including sustaining biodiverse 
communities of fish and invertebrates. Invertebrate fauna are essential and important in 
ensuring proper functioning of eelgrass meadows. Seagrass meadows and their associated 
fauna are threatened by climate change, eutrophication, and other human activities. In 
Norway the most common seagrass is eelgrass (Zostera marina) which is found in shallow 
areas along the entire coastline but is relatively understudied compared to other ecosystems. 
At IMR, we have just launched a new project titled “NORSE: Biodiversity in Nordic seagrass 
meadows – drivers, responses, and resilience”, which runs 2024-2027.

The NORSE project includes joint mesocosm experiments across northern EUrope to 
experimentally test the joint effects of climate change and eutrophication on eelgrass and 
associatedd eelgrass communities. In 2024, we will run a pilot experiment at the new IMR 
Flødevigen mesocosm facility, and joint experiments in 2025-2027. The experiments will be run from May-September each summer. The exact setup of the different experiments is not yet decided, but there are opportunities for multiple MSc students to work within this project. 

The MSc student(s) will: 

• have the opportunity to participate in planning the experimental design
• join in field collection of eelgrass and associated invertebrates
• assist in setting up and maintaining the mesocosm tanks
• sample eegrass and biodiversity metrics in the mesocosms
• analyse the data (statistical analysis in R)
• have the opportunity to be co-authors on peer-reviewed publications results from this project

The project is based at IMR Flødevigen research station in Arendal. Accomodation and office 
space are available for students at the station.

If interested contact: Karine Gagnon (karine.gagnon@hi.no)

 

Various opportunities linked to the vast MAREANO benthic fauna visual and physical sampling dataset

The MAREANO program now has over 3000 videos of the seafloor around offshore Norway, 
and over 300 full sampling stations on soft bottoms with video, beam trawl, rothilsberg-percy 
sled, and grab data. All are spread across space but there are no repeat visits at present. This 
gives many opportunities for Masters projects, with the risk of the data collection stage 
removed. Options include various ecological studies focussing on specific taxa or habitats, 
mapping studies defining biotopes or biogeography, research relating to vulnerable habitats 
of management interest, and taxonomic studies working with physical samples or imagery or 
linking the two. We can give support in aspects including traditional ecology, modelling 
(including some training), video analysis, artificial intelligence applications, and taxonomy. 
Please contact us to hear our latest ideas or discuss your own.

Contact person: Rebecca Ross (rebecca.ross@hi.no)

 

Fish capture

Contact person: Svein Løkkeborg (svein.loekkeborg@hi.no) 

Quantifying the behaviour of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) during rod and line capture

Ensuring animal welfare during food production is a humane and legal obligation. Despite this, 
understanding of how animals are impacted by wild-capture fishing is limited. This represents 
a missed opportunity, because promoting welfare during capture can improve the 
sustainability, product quality, profitability, and ethical reputation of the fishing industry. 

Together with changing societal perspectives, this suggests an important role for animal 
welfare in the future of fisheries management. 

In recent years, coastal power boats have used rod and line to capture Atlantic bluefin tuna 
(Thunnus thynnus) in Norwegian waters. The nature of the gear (i.e. catching fish one-by-one) 
and the target species (i.e. whose market price is highly dependent on quality) means the 
fishery is well placed to transition towards welfare-responsible capture methods. To do so, 
however, requires a thorough understanding of how tuna respond to the stress of capture. 

The aim of this MSc project is to quantitatively describe the behavioural response of bluefin 
tuna to rod and line capture. Cameras and accelerometers will be fitted to the gear to record 
fish behaviour during capture in the field. Of particular importance will be correlating 
behavioural states observed on camera to acceleration data. Data from this MSc project is 
expected to provide the basis for future development of new capture methods that promote 
welfare. Opportunities for the student to participate in research cruises in Autumn 2024 is 
likely. 

Location: Fish capture research group, Institute of Marine Research - Bergen

Contact: Applicants should send a CV and a letter of application to: Neil Anders 
(neil.anders@hi.no) and Mike Breen (michael.breen@hi.no). 

 

Can better control of trawl position relative to target fish improve catch success in acoustic trawl surveys?

Knowledge of fish stock sizes is a key element in sustainable fisheries management. The 
knowledge is needed to assess the state of the stock, investigate the effects of fisheries and 
to set future harvest levels. A common way of estimating fish stock size is by acoustic trawl 
surveys where acoustic energy is converted to fish abundance, with the help of samples of 
species composition and size distributions from trawl hauls. When schools or aggregations of 
fish are registered on the vessel mounted echosounder a sample of the fish is usually obtained 
by trawling. However, it can be difficult to catch the fish with the trawl several hundred meters 
behind the vessel, especially when fast swimming fish are targeted. Missed catches result in 
wasted effort and uncertainty in the trawl samples. In this project the aim is to investigate 
whether catch success can be improved by better control of the trawl position relative to the 
targeted fish. Fish abundance estimated from acoustic data will be compared with catch size 
and related to trawl position. For better temporal and spatial resolution catch data will be 
obtained from a stereo-camera system mounted inside the trawl. The aim is also to investigate 
whether catch success is affected by species or school specific behaviour. The project is part 
of a research-based innovation center, CRIMAC (www.crimac.no) financed by the Norwegian 
Research council. The student will collaborate with other MSc and PhD students in the center. 
Data for the project were collected in the Norwegian sea ecosystem survey in May 2022 and 
there will be an opportunity to participate in a future survey for further data collection and 
for better understanding of the fishing operation and the monitoring methods.

Are you interested - contact: 
Maria Tenningen (maria.tenningen@hi.no) og/eller Nils Olav Handegard (nilsolav@hi.no).

 

Fisheries dynamics

Contact person: Jon Helge Vølstad (jon.helge.voelstad@hi.no)

 

Robustness-analysis of fishery dependent estimates

The IMR run several sampling programs to collect data from commercial fisheries, and 
provide estimates using a Bayesian modelling framework dependent on several use choices, 
such as categorization of fishing gears and post-stratification of spatial and temporal 
covariates. We wish to analyse the roboustness of estimates to user choices and sampling 
variation. The candidate will analyse results from different model configurations and assess 
the robustness of estimates and implications for interpretation. Some familiarity with Bayesian statistics and R will be required.

IMR-supervisor: Edvin Fuglebakk (edvin.fuglebakk@hi.no). 

 

Comparative study of estimators for non-probabilistic samples 

Practical constraints commonly lead to deviation from probabilistic approaches in sampling. 
This can be addressed with explicit modelling approaches, or with post-stratification and 
assumptive applications of traditional design-based estimators. These approaches come with 
different formulations of assumptions and different technical implications for estimation 
support systems. We would be interested in do a comparative study of such estimators for 
evaluating their practical utility and interpretability for non-probabilistic sampling of biological 
parameters from commercial fisheries.

IMR-supervisor: Edvin Fuglebakk (edvin.fuglebakk@hi.no).

 

Time series analysis of survey estimates 

The survey estimates are traditionally used as input to assessment models, but there could 
be simpler models serving as alternatives to the assessment models, which are worth 
pursuing. 

Suggested contact: Jon Helge Vølstad (jon.helge.voelstad@hi.no)

 

Deriving projections of fish stock state vectors from observations - A minimalistic 
assumptions approach. 

Assessing the status of fish populations involves utilizing data from two primary empirical 
sources: scientific surveys and commercial catches. Typically, these observations are 
interconnected through distinct sub-models to define a set of state variables representing the 
number or biomass of fish across various age groups. The objective of this project is to develop 
a novel modeling approach for generating anticipated population trends, even when 
confronted with uncertain observations. The ingenuity of this approach lies in its reliance on 
a minimal set of assumptions, enabling:

• A clear and straightforward modeling framework that seamlessly incorporates diverse data sources and their associated uncertainties.
• A transparent correlation between the uncertainty inherent in the data and the uncertainty reflected in the forecasts of fish stocks parameters, as well as the subsequent management decisions informed by these projections.
• An estimation process that remains independent of assumptions that cannot be verified.

Relevant background of student: Quantitative (math/statistics or quantitative ecology) and 
good programming skills (Python/R/Matlab). 

Supervisor: Sam Subbey (samuel.subbey@hi.no) 

 

Simulating fish migration: Integrating environmental data, artificial neural networks, and individual-based modeling

We have developed a modeling framework for simulating capelin spawning migration in the 
Barents Sea, which is based on integrating artificial neural networks (ANNs) models, 
individual-based model (IBM), and environmental variables. The ANNs determine the 
direction of the fish's movement based on environmental variables such as temperature and
ocean currents. The ANNs are trained by an evolutionary algorithm, whose fitness function is 
dynamically adapted based on the temperature and distance to the spawning route.

The goal of this project is to extend the framework to address key ecological questions, such 
as, the possible effects of climate change on migration patterns of species, and how this may 
affect fish recruitment and management. Applications to stocksin the Barents, and Norwegian 
Seas. 

Relevant background of student: Machine learning, quantitative (math/statistics or 
quantitative ecology) and good programming skills (Python/R/Matlab)

Supervisor: Sam Subbey (samuel.subbey@hi.no)

 

Assessing consistency in estimates of population state vectors from multiple data sources

Data from scientific surveys and commercial catch statistics are the main input to most models 
used in assessing the state (number or biomass) of fish stocks. Combining these data sources
can be problematic due to potential biases arising from different sampling methods. For 
instance, fisheries surveys may focus on specific areas or time periods, while catch statistics 
might not accurately reflect overall fishing efforts. This amalgamation of biased data can lead 
to skewed or inaccurate assessments of stock state and size.

An alternative strategy involves obtaining assessments of stock state and size separately from 
each data source, and using e.g., management parameters, as the basis for determining the 
most likely solution. The problem (determining stock size independently from each data 
source) is computationally non-linear and underdetermined. 

The goal of the thesis is to investigate a few computational approaches to solving the 
underdetermined problem, which potentially lead to empirically plausible solutions. The 
derived computational framework will be applied to stocks on the Barents Sea.

Relevant background of student: Quantitative (math/statistics or quantitative ecology), good 
programming skills (Python/R/Matlab); basic course in mathematical/statistical optimization.

Supervisor: Sam Subbey (samuel.subbey@hi.no)

 

Exploring the Application of a Distribution Model for Planning Scientific Surveys in the Barents Sea

We have developed a method for predicting where and when a certain marine species will be 
found, using data that counts how many of the species are observed in various places over 
time. The method involves a mathematical model that combines two parts: the first part deals 
with cases where no species are observed (the "zero-inflated" part), and the other part deals 
with cases where the species is observed (using a Poisson distribution). Both parts of the 
model are influenced by additional information about the environment. The existing 
computer program efficiently calculates the predictions based on this model, and we have 
demonstrated that this method works even with missing data or when the observation
locations and times are non-uniform. 

The goal of the thesis is to investigate the use of this model in planning scientific surveys for 
e.g., stocks on the Barents Sea. We shall examine the performance of such an approach using
projections of environmental data and compare the model performance to historical survey 
observations.

Relevant background of student: Quantitative (math/statistics or quantitative ecology), good 
programming skills (Python, R or Matlab).

Supervisor: Sam Subbey (samuel.subbey@hi.no)

 

Research group Feed and Nutrition

Contact person: Nina Liland (nina.liland@hi.no) 

We study the uptake and utilization of nutrients and effects of diets on health and 
performance in aquaculture fish. In principle, all our running research projects in the research 
program can be available for master student studies.

 

Investigating the requirements for micronutrients in Lump sucker (Cyclopterus lumpus).

IMR-supervisor: Øystein Sæle (oystein.saele@hi.no) 

 

Investigating the requirements for micronutrients in Ballan wrasse (Labrus berggylta).

IMR-supervisor: Øystein Sæle (oystein.saele@hi.no) 

 

Applying a gut sac model (from salmon) to investigate the impact of undesirables in feed, such as pesticides, on intestinal integrity.

IMR-supervisor: Øystein Sæle (oystein.saele@hi.no)

 

Requirement of vitamin and trace mineral for Atlantic salmon health

The new salmon health project REVITALISE offers opportunities for a master's thesis. Nutrition 
in freshwater and during the smoltification phase of Atlantic salmon is important. The need 
for micronutrients may be even higher than existing recommendations and maximum limits 
set by the EU. However, the health effects of micronutrients related to disease and other 
challenges are too poorly documented for salmon, which will be the main aim of this project. 
Using several feeding trials, the project aims to find the optimal levels of selected 
micronutrients for farmed salmon in different life phases, both under normal and challenging 
conditions. This will improve the salmon's ability to withstand stress and resist diseases.Link: 
https://www.hi.no/hi/nyheter/2023/januar/24-millioner-til-nytt-laksehelseprosjekt 

As part of the master thesis, you will have the chance to work practical and follow up 
experimental trials (e.g. at our research stations in Matre) and/or learn and perform analyses 
in the lab (e.g. nutrient analyses).

Interested in nutrition and salmon health? 
Contact researcher and project manager Antony Philip (antony.philip@hi.no) or researcher 
Anne-Catrin Adam (aad@hi.no).

Developing an extraction protocol of prostaglandins and leukotrienes from fish plasma and quantification by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

Prostaglandins and leukotrienes, such as PGE2 and LTB4, respectively, are members of the 
lipid class of biochemicals derived from arachidonic acid by means of the cyclooxygenase 
enzyme. These substances are known for their varying physiological properties, pathological 
effects and association with inflammation and pain in human and animal models. 
Immunological assays (e.g., ELISA) are the most widely used methods for the estimation of 
prostaglandins due to their inherent sensitivity, inexpensiveness, and simplicity. The main 
drawbacks of these assays are their lack of specificity for complex biological fluids, such as 
plasma, trend to overestimate the levels of metabolites due to cross-reactivity and limitation 
to the detection of a single product at the time. 

The present research project aims at developing a rapid, simple, and efficient method for the 
extraction of PGE2 and LTB4 from fish plasma and subsequent quantification using liquid 
chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). In this context, the determination relevant 
performance parameters such as selectivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, linearity, range, 
limit of detection, limit of quantitation, ruggedness, and robustness will be an essential part 
of the project. The developed extraction and quantification protocols will be included in the 
existing battery of analytical methods of the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) at Bergen. The 
student will gain theoretical and practical experience in experimental design, sample 
treatment, LCMS, analytical validation, and data analysis.

Contact researcher: Pedro Araujo (Pedro.Araujo@hi.no)

 

Contaminants and biohazards

Kontaktperson: FG-leder Monica Sanden (Monica.Sanden@hi.no)

 

Want to do your master’s thesis on antibiotic resistance? In collaboration between Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and University of Bergen (UiB). 

We have a master’s project in microbiology connected to the Res-Marine project funded by 
the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) funded (https://www.tv2.no/a/11567134/; 
https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no/project/FORISS/315266?Kilde=FORISS&distributi
on=Ar&chart=bar&calcType=funding&Sprak=no&sortBy=date&sortOrder=desc&resultCount
=30&offset=0&Fritekst=Res-Marine) , that aims at understanding the role of the marine 
environment in dissemination and emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The student 
will carry out isolation of bacterial pathogens from waste water, marine sediments and water 
samples, and carry out antibiotic susceptibility testing. The tasks would also include learning 
DNA sequencing and analysis of whole genome sequences (bioinformatic analysis). 

If interested contact Nachiket Marathe (nachiket.marathe@hi.no)

 

Master’s opportunity on Microplastic and antibiotic resistance.

Plastic pollution is a global environmental problem that is projected to increase in upcoming 
decades because of the upward trend in global production and consumption. MPs provide 
surficial substrates for the microorganisms to attach and form biofilms. Fish pathogens such 
as Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp. and opportunistic human pathogens like E. coli are present in 
biofilms from marine plastics. Recently, previous master student on the project has 
characterized multidrug resistant pathogens and environmental bacteria present on marine 
plastics from western Norway, using whole genome sequencing. This work has led to 2 
publications (Radisic et al., 2020; Radisic et al., 2021). The master’s project will focus on the 
role of microplastics in dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes and resistant pathogens 
in the marine environment. The student will carry out isolation of pathogens, DNA extraction 
and Whole genome sequence analysis. 

If interested contact Nachiket Marathe (nachiket.marathe@hi.no)

 

Master opportunity on microplastics in food

Microplastics are everywhere, in the fields, rivers, ocean, air, animals, food and in us. Recently, a first publication reported a correlation 
between the presence of plastic in arterial plaque with stroke and death. We have already 
detected microplastics in fish, where we find more small microplastics than large ones. We
wonder what other sources of microplastics there are to our diet. Maybe some sources can 
easily be dealt with. We want to investigate the production of microplastic particles by plastic 
spice mills, which are common in Norwegian households and compare the amount added by 
those on a meal with the amounts we find in seafood. This master thesis will offer the 
opportunity to learn methods for chemical identification, particle size characterization and 
quantification of microplastics and to modify/develop the wet chemistry of extracting 
microplastics from food. It will teach you the principles of contamination avoidance. There is 
also the opportunity of adding other food items if time allows. You should have a background 
in chemistry, environmental chemistry, biochemistry or similar.

If interested contact Tanja Kögel (tanja.kogel@hi.no)

Masterstudents for the topic above and below may work closely together.

 

Master opportunity in methods comparison for microplastic analysis

The world has recognized the importance to regulate plastics production and pollution. A global agreement 
on ending plastic pollution is under production and a revised version will be discussed within 
April 2024 in Ottawa, Canada at the INC-4 (international negotiation committee). Directives 
have set binding monitoring demands for EU member states and Norway usually implements 
such directions in the national management. All this is happening while analysis methods for
smaller microplastics are still immature, and very expensive. Cheaper reliable methods are not 
available, imposing financial capacity problems to the field and excluding communities with 
lower funding from such research opportunities. One easier method is the staining Nile Red, 
a lipophilic dye that also stains other fatty particulates or organelles. In this master thesis we 
offer the opportunity to compare the number and size profile of microplastic isolated from 
food and analysed by high end methods with this low-budget method, to characterize the 
reliability of both methods. This master thesis will offer the opportunity to learn methods for chemical identification, particle size characterization and quantification of microplastics and to modify/develop the wet chemistry of extracting microplastics from food. It will teach you 
the principles of contamination avoidance. You should have a background in chemistry, 
environmental chemistry, biochemistry or similar.

If interested contact Tanja Kögel (tanja.kogel@hi.no).

 

Quantification of microplastic polymers using artificial intelligence (AI) approach 
based on random decision forests and thermoanalytical analysis using pyrolysis associated with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (PY-GCMS) 

Studies have shown the adverse impact of microplastics (MP) in the marine environment. 
There is a significant challenge in MP measurements due to the lack of standardized methods, 
resulting in difficulties in comparing results across studies because researchers use different 
protocols. To comprehend the distribution of MP in the marine environment, it is essential to 
develop robust, reliable selective and sensitive methods for measuring MP. In this project, we 
will develop, examine, and compare methods for microplastic analysis. Subsequently, these 
methods will be utilized to study the occurrence of MP in fish and shellfish.

Kontaktperson: PhD Jennifer Gjerde (Jennifer.Gjerde@hi.no)

 

Marin toksikologi

Contact person: forsker Marc Berntssen (marc.berntssen@hi.no) 

In recent years, in the global food market fraud and adulteration is increased violating 
consumers' safety. The food products available in the market are highly processed; therefore, 
difficult to identify the species or tissue origin by visual inspection. Molecular tools, i.e., PCR, 
genome sequencing, barcoding, and proteomics can be used to identify species from highly 
processed samples. Among the established methods, DNA methods are accurate and precise 
but unable to identify the tissue origin of the food sample. Our present study will implement 
an untargeted shotgun proteomics approach for species and tissue authentication from food 
and feed samples with the spectral library method. The approach is independent of any 
genomic information and is easy to implement on non-model species lacking such 
information. To implement this method for routine analyses across various laboratories, we 
want to create a spectral library database with bioinformatics tools and would like to involve 
a student with bioinformatics or biotechnology expertise. This database will use a tool to 
match any given food or feed spectra to all the available libraries and help to identify the origin 
of the sample. All the required proteomic data is collected by us (Institute of Marine research); 
libraries were built for sample matching and testing food and feed samples of interest. Making 
these libraries available online as a database will benefit regulatory agencies to use this 
approach for routine analyses. Besides authentication, the spectra data from the database can 
be used to establish a phylogenetic relationship between species by using a direct spectra
comparison tool called ‘compareMS2’. 

Are you interested - contact: Madhushri Shrikant Varunjikar (madhushri.shrikant.varunjikar@hi.no) 

 

Ecosystem acoustics

Contact person: Rolf Korneliussen (rolf.korneliussen@hi.no) 

 

Bootstrapping of acoustic-trawl surveys

Variance estimation of acoustic-trawl and sweptarea survey estimates has received increasing attention with the on-going REDUS project 
(Reduced Uncertainty in Stock Assessment) at the IMR. Using the StoX software, the variance 
of the survey estimates can be estimated by bootstrapping echosounder and trawl data. This 
routine has however not been intensively tested with regards to number of bootstrap 
replicates, number of data points available and the stochastic nature of the data. Evaluating 
these bootstrap routines and suggesting alternatives would be a valuable contribution to the 
assessment of fish stocks. 

Suggested contact: Espen Johnsen (espen.johnsen@hi.no).

 

Image analysis of echosounder and sonar data

Machine learning initiatives have been initiated at the IMR for categorizing images of fish, seals and other organisms, and similar 
approaches are intended for acoustic data. Alternatively, traditional image analysis can be applied. 

Suggested contact: Nils Olav Handegard (nilsolav@hi.no).

 

Detecting internal waves in echosounder data

Waves in the ocean does not only occur at the surface. They are also commonly observed in 
the ocean interior as internal waves and are considered important features for vertical mixing 
of water masses.

For internal waves to exist, the ocean must be stratified. As such, the density must change 
with depth due to changes in temperature and/or salinity. If the density changes over a small 
vertical distance (as in the case of the thermocline) the waves propagate horizontally like 
surface waves, although at slower speeds due to the density difference across the thermocline 
interface. If the density changes continuously, the waves can also propagate vertically as well 
as horizontally through the ocean.

Uniformly scattered organisms and particles in the water column can be observed using 
scientific echosounders. If these scatters are located where internal waves occur, the wave 
patterns become visible on the echograms. Conversely, if no waves are present, the scatterers 
will be evenly distributed. The scatterers can then be used to detect internal waves in the 
water column.

The objective of the project is to develop a data mining algorithm that automatically locate 
the presence of internal waves from acoustic data. 

The One Ocean expedition is collecting acoustic data around the world, and this data set will 
be used as test case. IMR has also a large database of historical acoustic data that also can be 
mined for these features and can be used as a complementary option. 

The project is associated with the One Ocean expedition (https://oneoceanexpedition.com/), 
the Center for Research-based Innovation in Marine Acoustic Abundance Estimation and 
Backscatter Classification (https://crimac.no/) and the Nansen Environmental and Remote 
Sensing Center.

Are you interested - contact: Nils Olav Handegard (nilsolav@hi.no) and/or Johnny A. 
Johannessen (johnny.johannessen@nersc.no).

 

Oceanography and climate

Contact person: Jan Erik Stiansen (jan.erik.stiansen@hi.no)

Predicting the Future of the Arctic Ocean is a Non-Linear Story: Can a stronger river inflow actually increase the salinity of the Arctic?

The Oceanography & Climate Research team at IMR has designed a new regional ocean model 
based on the NEMO Ocean Engine, a community Ocean Model publicly available (check links 
below), that represents the thermo-haline dynamics of the Arctic Ocean. This ocean model 
permits to conduct cool experiments, such as for example study what happens if one increases 
the river inflow to the Arctic basin. Figure 1 shows what happens if one increases the river 
inflow to the Arctic basin by 4% over a period of 50 years: the surface salinity of the Arctic Ocean becomes lower in most places, but actually becomes higher in the central region of the Arctic. Why is this possible? How can putting more freshwater lead to areas of higher salinity? 
What are the implications for the Arctic Ocean in a changing climate? If you like to brainstorm 
on non-linear problems you can help us answer these questions!! 

Links: The NEMO Ocean Engine, an Open Source Ocean Model anyone can download 
https://www.nemoocean.eu/. An article with detailed results on our Arctic Ocean 
simulations using the NEMO Ocean Engine 
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021JC017270

Contact person: Robinson Hordoir (robinson.hordoir@hi.no) 

 

Pelagic fish

Contact person: Espen Johnsen (espen.johnsen@hi.no) 

Capelin acoustics

The capelin is a key species in the Barents Sea efficiently linking low-trophic zooplankton with 
high trophic predators. It is also harvested commercially and each year IMR provides advice 
on catch quota based on acoustic estimates of capelin from research surveys. Recently a new 
winter monitoring of capelin has been tested out, and it has been revealed that the acoustic 
response from capelin is sometimes very different from what is expected, which can 
potentially strongly bias biomass estimates. In this proposed master, the aim is to find out 
whether the unexpected acoustic response is linked to a changing size of the swimbladder. 
The student will work with acoustic data collected in situ and frozen samples of capelin that 
will be scanned or X-Rayed to quantify swimbladder size and investigate whether there is a 
link between swimbladder size and observed acoustic response.

Contact person: Georg Skaret (georg.skaret@hi.no) 

 

Validation of 1st winter ring in otoliths of blue whiting

Calcified structures such as otoliths are usually used for age reading of fish and their size is 
clearly related to fish length (Smoliński and Berg, 2022). However, identifying the first annual 
growth zone, also called winter ring, is the most challenging part for age readers. 
Misidentification would lead to over-/under-estimation of age which impacts stock 
assessment. For blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), the problem has been highlighted 
during the latest age reading workshop. Therefore, the aim of this project is to validate the 
1st winter ring in blue whiting. Otoliths of young-of-the-year (YOY) and potentially 1-year-old 
blue whiting should be measured monthly over a year covering the winter season. 
Measurements will be used to provide an estimate where the 1st winter ring should be 
deployed in an otolith. Furthermore, this can be combined with more complex otolith shape 
analysis as well as weight measurements of otoliths.

During this project, you will learn how to apply growth measurements of calcified structures 
used for age reading. This includes both, technical methods like photographing and measuring 
of growth increments as well as statistical analysis. You might have the possibility to sample 
your own material during a survey in the Norwegian Sea during summer.
Keywords: blue whiting, growth trajectories, Norwegian Sea, otoliths, age validation

Supervisor: Florian Berg, Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, Norway; telephone: +47 
94209887; e-mail: florian.berg@hi.no

Co-supervisor: Arild Folkvord, Department of biological science, University Bergen, Norway; 
e-mail: arild.folkvord@uib.no

 

Reproduction and developmental biology 

Contact person:  Anna Troedsson Wargelius (annaw@hi.no).

 

Marine mammals

Contact person: Martin Biuw (martin.biuw@hi.no)

 

Ecosystem processes 

Contact person: Mette Mauritzen (mette.mauritzen@hi.no). 

 

Study programme: Fisheries biology and Management / Marine biology

Energy and lipids in capelin 0-group fish in the Barents Sea: Study the spatial variations and 
the role the zooplankton distribution has for the energy status and lipid composition in 
different ocean currents (Atlantic, mixed sone and Arctic waters).

Supervisor University of Bergen:
Prof. Arild Folkvord (BIO), email: arild.folkvord@uib.no, phone: 55584456

Supervisors Institute of Marine Research:
Georg Skaret (Institute of Marine Research), IMR: georg.skaret@hi.no, phone 65161038
Sonnich Meier (Institute of Marine Research, IMR): sonnich.meier@hi.no, phone 47272166
Other Collaborations at IMR (Elena Eriksen, Erling Kåre Stenevik, Geir Odd Johansen).

Objective: To compare the energy status and fatty acid composition of capelin 0-group fish 
caught in different areas of the Barents Sea and relate it to the zooplankton distribution.

Background: The Barents Sea is an important nursery area for many of the commercial important fish in 
Norwegian water. In 2022 high numbers of fish larvae and early juveniles were observed in 
the Barents Sea. However, there was also observed low abundances of large Calanus 
copepods, and it is therefore a question if there will be enough high-quality prey for the fish 
larvae/early juvenile to build up a good energy storage to survive the first winter. 

The aim of this study is to compare the energy status measured by energy density and lipid 
content of 0-group capelin. In addition will the fatty acids composition be analyzed in 0-group 
capelin and different zooplankton as biomarkers of prey selection.

Climate changes are affecting the recruitment of the fish in the Barents Sea (Skjoldal et al., 
2022), and we wish to establish a baseline study on energy content in different 0-group fish 
that can be used for measure potential changes with changing in water temperature in the 
future.

During the ecosystem cruises in autumn 2022 have there been collected a large sample 
material of 0-group fish: Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), 
Saithe (Pollachius virens), Caplin (Mallotus villosus) and Polar cod (Boreogadus saida). In 
addition, have there been collected samples of important prey organism (copepods and other 
zooplankton). We aim for several master theses analyzing different species.

Method: Capelin 0-group fish shall be measured (length, body weight), and after being freeze 
dried the lipid amount will be quantified, and the fatty acid composition will be analyzed by 
gas chromatography (Meier et al., 2006). Energy density will be analyzed by calorimetry.

Prerequisites: An interest in ecology of fish at early life stages and interactions between environment, 
fisheries, and other human activities. The work will involve combining marine biology with 
analytical chemistry. The candidate will work in a team together with technician from the 
chemistry laboratory at IMR and will be given training in different lipid detecting methods 
(direct metanolysis and gas chromatography, lipid extraction and lipid classes analysis by 
HPLC), as well as multivariate data exploration and analysis.

References

Meier, S., S. A. Mjøs, H. Joensen and O. Grahl-Nielsen (2006). "Validation of a one-step 
extraction/methylation method for determination of fatty acids and cholesterol in marine 
tissues." Journal of Chromatography A 1104(1-2): 291-298.

Skjoldal, H. R., E. Eriksen, H. Gjosaeter, O. Skagseth, D. Prozorkevich and V. S. Lien (2022). 
"Recruitment variability of fish stocks in the Barents Sea: Spatial and temporal variation in 0-
group fish length of six commercial species during recent decades of warming (1980-2017)." 
Progress in Oceanography 206.

 

Energy and lipids in cod 0-group fish in the Barents Sea: Study the spatial variations and the role the zooplankton distribution has for the energy status and lipid composition in different ocean currents (Atlantic, mixed sone and Arctic waters).

Study programme: Fisheries biology and Management / Marine biology

Supervisor University of Bergen: Prof. Arild Folkvord (BIO), email: arild.folkvord@uib.no, 
phone: 55584456

Supervisors Institute of Marine Research:
Elena Eriksen (Institute of Marine Research), IMR: elena.eriksen@hi.no, phone 90813570
Sonnich Meier (Institute of Marine Research, IMR): sonnich.meier@hi.no, phone 47272166

Other Collaborations at IMR (Georg Skaret, Erling Kåre Stenevik, Geir Odd Johansen).

Objective: To compare the energy status and fatty acid composition of cod 0-group fish caught 
in different areas of the Barents Sea and relate it to the zooplankton distribution.

Background: The Barents Sea is an important nursery area for many of the commercial 
important fish in Norwegian water. In 2022 high numbers of fish larvae and early juveniles 
were observed in the Barents Sea. However, there was also observed low abundances of large 
Calanus copepods, and it is therefore a question if there will be enough high-quality prey for 
the fish larvae/early juvenile to build up a good energy storage to survive the first winter. 
Climate changes are affecting the recruitment of the fish in the Barents Sea (Skjoldal et al., 
2022), and we wish to establish a baseline study on energy content in different 0-group fish 
that can be used for measure potential changes with changing in water temperature in the 
future.

The aim of this study is to compare the energy status measured by energy density and lipid 
content of 0-group cod. In addition will the fatty acids composition be analyzed in 0-group cod 
and different zooplankton as biomarkers of prey selection.

During the ecosystem cruises in autumn 2022 have there been collected a large sample 
material of 0-group fish: Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), 
Saithe (Pollachius virens), Caplin (Mallotus villosus) and Polar cod (Boreogadus saida). In 
addition, have there been collected samples of important prey organism (copepods and other 
zooplankton). We aim to have several master theses analyzing different species.

Method: 0-group Cod shall be measured (length, body weight and liver weight), and the otolith 
shall be removed for age measurement. After being freeze dried, the lipid amount will be 
quantified, and the fatty acid composition will be analyzed by gas chromatography (Meier et 
al., 2006). Energy density will be analyzed by calorimetry.

Prerequisites: An interest in ecology of fish at early life stages and interactions between 
environment, fisheries, and other human activities. The work will involve combining marine 
biology with analytical chemistry. The candidate will work in a team together with technician 
from the chemistry laboratory at IMR and will be given training in different lipid detecting 
methods (direct metanolysis and gas chromatography, lipid extraction and lipid classes 
analysis by HPLC), as well as multivariate data exploration and analysis.

 

References: 

Meier, S., S. A. Mjøs, H. Joensen and O. Grahl-Nielsen (2006). "Validation of a one-step 
extraction/methylation method for determination of fatty acids and cholesterol in marine 
tissues." Journal of Chromatography A 1104(1-2): 291-298.

Skjoldal, H. R., E. Eriksen, H. Gjosaeter, O. Skagseth, D. Prozorkevich and V. S. Lien (2022). 
"Recruitment variability of fish stocks in the Barents Sea: Spatial and temporal variation in 0-
group fish length of six commercial species during recent decades of warming (1980-2017)." 
Progress in Oceanography 206.

 

Energy and lipids in Herring 0-group fish in the Barents Sea: Study the spatial variations and the role the zooplankton distribution has for the energy status and lipid composition in different ocean currents (Atlantic, mixed sone and Arctic waters).

Study programme: Fisheries biology and Management / Marine biology

Supervisor University of Bergen: Prof. Arild Folkvord (BIO), email: arild.folkvord@uib.no, 
phone: 55584456

Supervisor Institute of Marine Research:

Erling Kåre Stenevik (Institute of Marine Research), IMR: erling.stenevik@hi.no, phone 
4790813570
Sonnich Meier (Institute of Marine Research, IMR): sonnich.meier@hi.no, phone 47272166
Other Collaborations at IMR (Georg Skaret, Elena Eriksen, Geir Odd Johansen).

Objective: To compare the energy status and fatty acid composition of herring 0-group fish 
caught in different areas of the Barents Sea and relate it to the zooplankton distribution.

Background: The Barents Sea are an important nursery area for many of the commercial 
important fish in Norwegian water. In 2022 high numbers of fish larvae and early juveniles 
were observed in the Barents Sea. Especially were the 0-group of Atlantic herring very 
abundant and distributed over most of the Barents Sea. This may be promising for recruitment 
of new strong year classes of herring (Hi.no). However, there was also observed low 
abundances of large Calanus copepods, and it is therefore a question if there will be enough 
high-quality prey for the fish larvae/early juvenile to build up a good energy storage to survive 
the first winter. 

Climate changes are affecting the recruitment of the fish in the Barents Sea (Skjoldal et al., 
2022), and we wish to establish a baseline study on energy content in different 0-group fish 
that can be used for measure potential changes with changing in water temperature in the 
future.

The aim of this study is to compare the energy status measured by energy density and lipid 
content of o-group herring collected in the Barents sea in August/Semptember2022. In 
addition will the fatty acids composition be analyzed in o-group herring and different 
zooplankton as biomarkers of prey selection.

The energy and lipid composition of o-group Herring collected in November 2022 and (1 year-old) herring collected in February will also be analysed to establish the “energy coast of overwintering".

Method: Herring o-group fish shall be measured (length, body weight), and the otolith shall 
be removed for age measurement. After being freeze dried, the lipid amount will be 
quantified, and the fatty acid composition will be analyzed by gas chromatography (Meier et 
al., 2006). Energy density will be analyzed by calorimetry.

Prerequisites: An interest in ecology of fish at early life stages and interactions between 
environment, fisheries, and other human activities. The work will involve combining marine 
biology with analytical chemistry. The candidate will work in a team together with technician 
from the chemistry laboratory at IMR and will be given training in different lipid detecting 
methods (direct metanolysis and gas chromatography, lipid extraction and lipid classes 
analysis by HPLC), as well as multivariate data exploration and analysis.

 

References

Meier, S., S. A. Mjøs, H. Joensen and O. Grahl-Nielsen (2006). "Validation of a one-step 
extraction/methylation method for determination of fatty acids and cholesterol in marine 
tissues." Journal of Chromatography A 1104(1-2): 291-298.

Skjoldal, H. R., E. Eriksen, H. Gjosaeter, O. Skagseth, D. Prozorkevich and V. S. Lien (2022). 
"Recruitment variability of fish stocks in the Barents Sea: Spatial and temporal variation in 0-
group fish length of six commercial species during recent decades of warming (1980-2017)." 
Progress in Oceanography 206.

Økotoktet: Er en ny sterk sildeårsklasse på vei? | Havforskningsinstituttet (hi.no)

 

 

See also https://www.hi.no/hi/forskning/student-som-vil-bli-havforsker