Climate change-driven sea ice decline is increasing access to Arctic oil reserves and shipping routes, raising the risk of oil spills. Harsh polar conditions of extreme cold, darkness, and unpredictable weather will exacerbate these risks. The polar cod (Boreogadus saida), a key species in the Arctic ecosystem, may be particularly affected. With its spawning window in January and February, an oil ...

This master’s project delves into the microbial diversity of the Arctic region, with focus on the isolation and characterization of a yeast of the Cystobasidium genus and likely viruses capable of infecting it. The research also shows preliminary results pointing at the movement and chemotaxis capabilities of the yeast, presenting findings that have the potential to shape our understanding of microbial ...

The biodiversity of benthos is influenced by habitat forming taxa defining Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME). Such indicator taxa are used to identify and designate VME areas, but their numerical relation to benthic biodiversity is not known. In this thesis I address the relationship between abundance of VME indicator-taxa and megabenthos biodiversity in Norwegian waters. The main objectives were ...

Marine mammals throughout the circumpolar Arctic are facing profound levels of environmental change due to climate warming. Among them is the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), an Arctic endemic cetacean that spends its entire life in Arctic waters and lives in tight association with sea ice habitats. The Spitsbergen bowhead whale population resides in the Northeast Atlantic, where they were hunted ...

Fungi can be found in every marine habitat, but our knowledge about their diversity, function, and potential is still limited Studies show that marine fungi play an important role in ecosystems by contributing to nutrient cycling and forming symbiotic relationships with marine organisms. Saccharina latissima, also known as sugar kelp, is a brown algae with a circumpolar distribution in the Northern ...

Globally, non-indigenous species (NIS) are increasing in both number and distribution. Sometimes NIS are intentionally introduced to provide food or financial gain. If NIS are moved to a new environment without their competitors, predators and parasites they may gain an advantage over native species. This is explained by the enemy release hypothesis, which also includes parasites, as NIS might lose ...

The microphytobenthos (MPB), defined as the microscopic photosynthesizers inhabiting sediments in marine and estuarine environments, are a vital component to intertidal ecosystems. They contribute greatly to ecosystem services in many ways and are responsible for a high amount of primary productivity in their environments. Microphytobenthic abundance and community structure studies have been increasing ...

Species inhabiting cold-water environments exhibit typically slower growth and a longer lifespan than warm-water species, implying a slowed ability to recover from natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Longevity estimates for species inhabiting the Arctic region are sparse, despite the ongoing changes and disturbances in the region. Brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) often dominate Arctic shelf ...

The spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor, Olafsen 1772) has been considered as a highly attractive candidate for aquaculture since the 1990s. Low survival throughout the earliest life stages is, however, restraining the industry from reaching stable commercial levels. Broodstock diet is identified as a key factor for gamete quality. No species-specific broodstock diet has yet been developed for the ...

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a keystone species in coastal ecosystems that provides several crucial ecosystem services such as, habitat formation, carbon sequestration, and coastal protection. This thesis aims to map and assess the distribution of eelgrass and the performance parameters, eelgrass coverage, epiphyte coverage, and shoot height at two Ramsar sites: Sørkjosleira, and Kobbevågen in ...