Lene Buhl-Mortensen

Lene Buhl-Mortensen

Citizenship: Danish
Born: 20 June 1956, Esbjerg, Denmark
Civil status: Married with Pål Buhl-Mortensen, have two children: Isak Buhl-Mortensen (born 22.06.1991) and Alf Buhl-Mortensen (born 15.04.1999). Maiden name: Buhl-Jensen.
First language: Norwegian
Second language: English
Current position: Senior scientist at Institute of Marine Research, Research Group Benthic Habitats, Bergen, Norway.

Education

Ph.D. (Dr. Scient.) degree at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, University of Bergen, Norway; 1994. Major field of study – marine biology; minor field of study – marine zoology.
Thesis – Are fjord-basins habitat islands?
Advisor – Tore Høisæter, Associated Professor

Master of Science (Cand. Scient.) degree at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, University of Bergen, Norway; 1984. Major field of study – marine biology; minor field of study – zoology
Thesis – Distribution of benthic amphipods (Crustacea) on the Norwegian continental shelf (60o15’- 67o50’ N) and in five adjacent fjords.
Advisor – Torleiv Brattegard, Associated Professor

Master of Science (special arbete) degree at the Department of Zoology University of Gothenburg, Sweden; 1980. Major field of study – zoology; minor field of study - zoological physiology
Thesis – The effects of cadmium on the enzymesystem cytochrome p-450 in Salmo trutta [in Swedish].
Advisor – Tiu Hansson, Associated Professor

Bachelor of Science (Fil. Cand.) degree at the Department of Zoology, Gothenburg University, Sweden; 1980. Major field of study – biology

Major Projects and Activities

1981-1984: Biogeography of the amphipod-fauna in Norwegian waters
• Investigation of the distribution of the amphipod-fauna on the Norwegian continental shelf and in 5 adjacent fjords. Sampling with epibenthic sledge, taxonomic identification, and multivariate analysis of the relationship between abiotic factors and fauna patterns (species distribution and diversity). Participation on a cruise on the Norwegian continental shelf.

1985-1999: Regulating factors of the diversity of bottom-fauna of fjords
• One-year research fellowship at Kristineberg Marinbiological Station, Sweden, financed by a grant from the Nordic Council of Marine Biology. Investigation of changes in the hyperbenthic fauna during one year in the Gullmarfjord relating fauna patterns to bottom-water exchanges and historical observations.
• Four years research fellowship at Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, Norway, financed by the University of Bergen. Detailed investigation of sediment quality, amphipod- and mollusc-fauna along a transect from offshore to inner parts of a fjord system. Cruise leader on several cruises in Scandinavian waters.
• Comparison of macrofauna patterns with meiofauna (foraminifera) along a transect from offshore to inner parts of a fjord system. Investigating the relation between the dispersal ability and diversity patterns for amphipods, mollusks and foraminiferans.

1989-2001 Long-time effects of pollution and eutrophication on bottom fauna
• 1989 investigation of the amphipod-fauna in the deep parts of Skagerrak. A comparison of diversity and fauna-patterns with observations from the 1930s using rarefaction- and multivariateanalysis.
• 2001 post doctor fellowship at the Danish National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark, financed by the Nordic Academy of Science. Analysing data from the database MADS to investigate effects of near bottom oxygen concentrations on crustacean fauna and to identify general distribution-patterns in soft-bottom communities in Danish waters.

1994-1998: Implications of the precautionary principle for marine science
• Research fellow at Center for the Study of the Sciences and Humanities, Bergen University, financed by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR). Study on the ethics of science with focus on the relation between environmental policy and methods used in marine environmental science.
• Participant on several courses in moral philosophy and research ethics.
• Writing essays in moral philosophy.

1994-2009: Taxonomy of amphipods, cirripeds and copepods
• Participant on in the research programs BIOICE and BIOFAR investigating the bottom fauna in Icelandic and Faeroe waters. Identification of amphipods from Icelandic and Faeroe waters.
• Participating at several amphipod-workshops
• Involved in the international DELTA project. Main task is to develop a web based interactive identification key for the world’s crustaceans. Professor J. Lowry at the Australian Museum Sidney guides this work.
• Arranging a course on amphipod taxonomy at Natural History Museum of Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2003.
• Describing new species of cirripeds and copepods.

2001-2003: Distribution and ecology of deep-sea corals and associated fauna
• Research Biologist on the ERSF coral project investigating the distribution and ecology of corals and associated fauna on the Nova Scotia continental shelf and slope.
• Description of two new species associated with deep-sea corals (Gorgonophilus canadensis n. gen., n. sp. and Heteralepas cantelli n.sp.).

2003-2011: The response of benthos to hypoxia in fjord-basins .
• Research Biologist at Institute of Marine Research leading a NFR-project investigating the 'hyperbenthos', macro infauna, and foraminiferans, together with environmental factors, of 11 sill-basins that are part of the unique monitoring program. Because the historical levels of oxygen in the bottom water at these localities differs a comparison of the bottom fauna will produce detailed information on responses to hypoxia.
• 2004-2007: Norwegian coordinator of the EU-project SPICOSA (Science and Policy Integration for Coastal Systems Assessment ), an integrated project under sixth framework programme.
• 2007-2011: Involved as expert in SPICOSA on topics related to benthos hypoxia response in fjords

2006-: Mapping biodiversity in the Barents Sea .
• Research Biologist at Institute of Marine Research leading the sampling program of marine benthos for the Norwegian research program MAREANO.
• Head of the MAREANO program 2007-2009.
• To be able to manage marine biodiversity and mans activities (fisheries, aquaculture etc.) mapping of the sea bottom (topography, sediment, pollutants and fauna) was started in 2005. The Norwegian government finances the MAREANO program to map prioritized areas in the Barents Sea. In parallel a database and web-portal is developed to make available information from the Barents Sea accessible to the public and managers.
• 2009-2013: Coordinator of the Barents Sea case study in the EU-project MESMA (Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas), a project under seventh framework programme.

2012-: Effects of fisheries on bottom environment and fauna
• Leading a group at Institute of Marine Research assessing effects of bottom trawling.
• Coordinating IMRs involvement in the EU-project “BENTHIS” that study effects of bottom trawling on the bottom environment and fauna.

Employment

Research fellow, Krisineberg Marine Station, Sweden 1984-1985 .

Teacher in aquaculture at the School of Fisheries in Austevoll, Norway 1985-1988 .

Research fellow, Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, Bergen, Norway, 1988-1994 . Investigation of soft-bottom fauna in fjords.

Research scientist, Center for the Study of the Science and Humanities, Bergen, 1994-1998 . Investigating the effects of methodology on results in marine science and its implications for a precautionary management.

Visiting fellow at Center of Research Ethics, Gothenburg, Sweden. 1998-1999.
Developing a course in research ethics and investigating scientist’s view on and definition of the term sustainability.

Visiting fellow at the Danish National Environmental Research Institute, Roskilde, Denmark. 2000-2001 . Investigation of the distribution patterns of the bottom fauna in Danish waters with focus on responses to hypoxia.

Research biologist, at Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. 2001- 2003 . Investigating the distribution and ecology of corals and associated fauna on the Nova Scotia continental shelf and slope.

Research biologist at Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway (IMR) 2003- :

2003-2005: Leading the project “The response of hyperbenthos, infauna, and foraminifera to hypoxia in fjord-basins:Searching for indicator organisms and controlling enving the marine benthos mapping project for the Norwegian research prograironmental factors” supported the Norwegian Research Counsel.

2006-2010: Leading the MAREANO IMR activity.

2007-2010: Head of the MAREANO program and leading the executive group.

2011- : Principle scientist in the MAREANO IMR activity.