Do your Master's thesis at our Department!

Background:

Are you interested in ecological restoration and want to gain research experience on a topic with a high societal impact? Would you like to do a master’s project with field work this summer? Come and join our research team at the Swedish University of Agricultural sciences in Umeå to help improve the understanding of mire restoration!

More than 1.5 million hectares of natural peatlands have been drained during the past century in Sweden. To counteract this, rewetting drained mires and peatland forests is a promising measure to reduce carbon emissions, increase water quality, and improve human well-being. Despite a growing societal interest, little is known about the consequences of peatland restoration on biodiversity.

Project:
You will carry out inventories on peatlands in northern Sweden. You will focus on butterflies, dragonflies and other arthropods. You will analyze these data to reveal how biodiversity responds to peatland restoration.

Duration: 6 - 12 months.

Start: May 2026 (or by agreement)

Acquired skills

With this project, you will acquire or reinforce some of the following skills:

·      carrying out an ecological survey in the field

·      collaborating in a small team

·      identifying taxa of plants and arthropods, in the field and in the lab

·      analyzing ecological datasets

·      communicating scientific findings

·      evolving in a stimulating research environment at SLU

Your profile

We are looking for a candidate with a bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology or equivalent with good organizational skills. You must be able to work both independently and in a team, be in good physical condition and enjoy working outdoors. Experience of field inventories and taxonomy is a merit but not obligatory. A standard driver’s license is a requirement. Research motivation and nature curiosity are highly valued.

Keen to join? Please send a brief description of your background and motivation:
pierre.tichit@slu.se
Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental studies, SLU Umeå, Sweden

Project description:

In many lakes across northern Sweden, hydropower operations cause large water-level fluctuations, altering benthic habitats and impacting aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. Macroinvertebrates play a key ecological role, serving both as vital food resources for fish and as important contributors to nutrient cycling and overall ecosystem functioning. This MSc thesis project will investigate how water-level regulation influences macroinvertebrate diversity, abundance, and community composition by comparing regulated lakes with unregulated reference systems.

Duration: 30 or 60 ECTS

Study design:

The student will conduct field sampling in early spring and/or autumn at a selection of regulated and unregulated lakes. A variety of sampling methods, such as traps and kick sampling, will be used depending on conditions. Collected specimens will be identified and data analysed to evaluate differences across systems. Through this work, the student will gain hands-on experience in aquatic field methods, macroinvertebrate identification, and the analysis of ecological community data.

The student will conduct field sampling in early spring and/or late summer at a set of regulated and unregulated lakes. Multiple sampling methods may be used depending on conditions:

1. Traps (Bag, Hester-Dendy), from shore and ice if conditions allow

• Baited dogfood: Target scavengers, predatory taxa, mobile invertebrates
• Baited leaflitter: grazers/shredders
• Unbaited: mobile/ generalists

2. Kick-sampling, after ice-melt and autumn

Measured parameters:

• Taxon richness, abundance
• Diversity indices
• Environmental: Nutrients, Oxygen, pH 

Learning opportunities:

• Field sampling techniques
• Identification of invertebrates
• Analysis of invertebrate community data

Student profile:

• Student should have background in biology, ecology, environmental science or related fields.
• Prior experience with aquatic sampling, invertebrate identification, or R is a merit but not required.
• A positive attitude toward outdoor work in challenging conditions 

This project offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated student to engage in meaningful, field-based ecological research in northern Sweden while developing valuable skills for a future career in aquatic ecology, environmental assessment, or applied research. The results will contribute to a better understanding of how hydropower-driven water-level regulation affects lake ecosystems and may provide insights relevant for sustainable water management and conservation in northern environments.

Supervision and location:

Fieldwork in northern Sweden. Laboratory work and supervision are based at VFM/SLU/Umeå. Supervisors: Karin Nilsson, Gunnar Öhlund and Florian Käslin.

Master thesis proposal 30 or 60 credits

This project will test how rewetting of peatlands can affect aquatic ecosystem services of downstream waters (small streams). Specifically, we will test the bioavailability of coloured dissolved organic matter (cDOM) coming from the rewetted peatland. The goal is to determine if there is a direct link between brownification and metabolic rates and greenhouse gas production in the water.

The research question is as follows:

• Are nutrients and/or carbon from increased cDOM (from rewetted peatlands) being used for primary production (oxygen production by algae) and/or respiration (oxygen reduction by bacteria) in streams?

We will grow biofilms (algae and bacteria) on artificial surfaces in forested streams and compare incubations of the surfaces using first clear forest water and secondly, using high cDOM water from a rewetted peatland and assess its different effects on primary production and respiration (Figure 1). This experiment can easily be carried out multiple times a year to capture seasonal variation in the effects (due to changes in biofilm community in spring, summer, autumn and winter) or with differing cDOM levels from different peatlands. The laboratory experiments will be performed at SLU in Umeå, and the field sites will be in Västerbotten. There is a possibility to collaborate with the county board of Västerbotten insome of their recent rewetting efforts e.g. Starrmyran, but the location will be decided based on the DOC concentration of the stream.

Field work will most likely be started in the second part of August or early September.

Contact: maria.myrstener@slu.se

The moose (Alces alces) is an iconic species in the Swedish forest and plays an important role in both the ecosystem and culture. At the same time, moose browsing on young Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) can cause damage that affects forest production and timber quality. To provide a better knowledge base for forest management and moose management, more detailed studies of how moose browse are needed. In particular, better knowledge is currently needed about browsing of lateral shoots, which is an important indicator of browsing pressure.

This thesis project studies how moose distribute their browsing on pines of different heights, with special focus on browsing of lateral shoots. Because pine growth is driven by photosynthesis in the needles, loss of green needle biomass can slow the trees’ volume growth. Browsing can also affect the number of shoots available for future browsing. By quantifying actually browsed biomass based on both the proportion and position of browsed shoots, the study examines how moose use pines as a food resource. A similar study was carried out in southern Sweden in 2025, but because several conditions differ in northern Sweden this motivates a more in‑depth study in the north.

We are looking for someone interested in the coexistence of ungulates and forestry. Fieldwork will be conducted in Västerbotten and/or Norrbotten during late winter or early spring. A driver’s license and the ability to work independently and carefully in the field are required. The work is carried out with close supervisor contact, including field introduction and weekly digital check‑ins. The study is a collaboration between the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies (SLU) and Skogforsk.

Credits: 30 or 60 ECTS (hp).

Contact: Märtha Wallgren martha.wallgren@skogforsk.se 

Open cage fish farming can substantially alter nutrient dynamics in northern lakes by adding nitrogen and phosphorus through feed and fish waste. While this nutrient input may counteract ongoing oligotrophication and provide societal benefits, it may also affect lake food webs in ways that differ from natural nutrient loading. Before expanding fish farming into lakes with high conservation value, a better understanding of its ecological impacts is needed.

This project investigates how inland fish farming influences benthic habitats, focusing on the biomass and diversity of benthic algae and invertebrates. At least six lakes will be surveyed, including lakes with and without fish farming, and gradients of impact will be assessed by sampling at varying distances from farms. Benthic algal biomass will be estimated using chlorophyll-a measurements and analyses of scraped algal samples, while benthic invertebrates will be sampled using kick sampling and trap methods. The project aims to answer how fish farming–derived nutrients affect benthic algal biomass and whether invertebrate abundance, diversity, and functional groups differ between farmed and unfarmed lakes.

The project includes fieldwork in late summer 2026 in northern Sweden and laboratory work in autumn 2026 in Umeå. The study is suitable for bachelor’s or master’s theses (30 or 60 ECTS, up to two students) and will be supervised by Karin Nilsson (VFM, SLU) and Maria Myrstener.

Background
Moose calf weights are a key indicator of population health and management success. On Orust Island (Västra Götaland), hunters have observed for more than 20 years that calf slaughter weights in the southwestern part of the island are consistently lower than elsewhereon the island. The causes of this striking and persistent pattern remain unknown.

Orust Island offers a unique natural experiment: a resident moose population inhabiting a mosaic of forestry, agriculture, and natural habitats, combined with long-term calf weight data collected by local hunters. This MSc project will investigate whether differences in forage availability, forage quality, and diet composition, which is shaped by land-use, can explain weight differences in moose calves.

The project integrates wildlife ecology, forestry, agriculture, and nutrition, and directly addresses questions of high relevance for adaptive moose management in Sweden.

Project aims
The student will examine how variation in:

moose diet composition,
availability of key forage plants, and
nutritional quality of forest and agricultural food relates to observed differences in calf weights across Orust Island.
Key questions
Do moose diets differ between areas with low versus high calf weights?
Are there seasonal and lifetime differences in moose diets?
Does forage availability and browsing pressure vary across the island?
Does the nutritional quality of key food plants differ among areas, and is this linked to calf weights?
 
Methods
The project will combine:

analysis of moose diets based on fecal DNA metabarcoding (data available at project start),
field surveys of forage availability, browsing intensity, and pellet group counts,
laboratory analyses of plant nutrient composition, 
stable isotope analysis of moose bone and hair samples, and
statistical analysis linking diet, forage, and calf weight data.
Requirements and merits
Required

- Strong interest in wildlife ecology, forestry, and/or agriculture
- Willingness to participate in fieldwork and laboratory work
- Good communication skills in Swedish (important for collaboration with local hunters and stakeholders)

Merits

- Experience with or interest in data analysis in R
- Previous field or lab experience in ecology or environmental sciences

Thesis
60 ECTS (MSc thesis)

Start
Spring 2026

Supervisor
Robert Spitzer, Researcher, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies (SLU).

Contact
Robert Spitzer

robert.spitzer@slu.se

The Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) is a small and often overlooked fish species that occurs across large parts of Scandinavia. It has spread to an increasing number of water bodies due to its use as baitfish, and in some cases it has been deliberately introduced to improve food availability for brown trout. Norwegian studies show that the introduction of Eurasian minnow has been a poor management decision, as several brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations have declined and exhibited reduced growth. This highlights the importance of investigating whether similar negative effects are occurring in northern Sweden.

Our previous studies show that the Eurasian minnow affects both Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout in mountain environments. Arctic char alter their behaviour and diet when Eurasian minnow is present, and brown trout are often absent or occur at low abundances in lakes where they were previously common. To better understand the impacts on brown trout and Arctic char, we are now seeking assistance to investigate a number of streams and lakes in the Abisko–Kiruna area, where the Eurasian minnow is currently expanding.

We will sample streams and lakes both without Eurasian minnow and with varying minnow densities, and study the occurrence of brown trout and Arctic char. Using electrofishing, trap sampling, and gillnet surveys, we will estimate fish abundance and population structure of the different species, and analyse how density and growth differ between water bodies with and without Eurasian minnow, as well as whether the degree of minnow presence is important. Diet analyses of the species will also be conducted to better understand the impact of Eurasian minnow. Understanding the effects of the Eurasian minnow is important both because its spread may come to resemble that seen in Norway and because species interactions are changing as a result of climate change. 

The project includes fieldwork during late summer 2026 in Abisko and laboratory work during autumn 2026 in Umeå.

At present, not all permits and details are finalized, but please feel free to register your interest now by contacting karin.a.nilsson@slu.se. Thesis work within the project can be performed as either a master or bachelor study and can include 2 students.

The project will be supervised by Karin Nilsson (VFM, SLU).

Background
Beavers as ecosystem engineers are known for their disproportional ability to alter their habitat. By their damming behavior, they create wetlands that serve as habitat for numerous animals and plants.
As a rodent, beavers belong to an order known for spreading multiple diseases including plague, nephropathia epidemica (sv: sorkfeber), and tularemia. Infected animals can shed pathogens (virus, bacteria, and parasites) into their surrounding environment, and beavers are likely no exception. The role of beavers in pathogen transmission is however still largely unknown.
We have collected tissue samples from 27 beavers, shot during the hunting season of 2024. Sampledbeavers originate from Norrbotten in the North to Örebro in the South. We now aim to collect matching water samples from the wetlands where the beavers have been shot. This offers the opportunity to analyze the link between beaver activity and the role of beavers as reservoirs or
facilitators of pathogen load in wetlands.

Primary questions
1. Do pathogens found in beaver wetland water samples correspond to those found in related beaver tissue and vice versa?
2. 3. Does the presence of non-shot remaining beavers affect the relationship between pathogens in water and beaver tissue?
What is the spatial distribution of potential pathogens in the waterbodies of beaver systems?

Work plan and methods
1. Thorough literature study on beavers and beaver wetlands as pathogen reservoirs
2. Sampling of water and installation/removal of camera traps
3. Lab analyses of water samples screening for targeted pathogens
4. Investigation of beaver presence in camera material
5. Data analyses
6. Thesis compilation

Extent
Preferably 60 credits (1 year). Two students can work together with field and lab work but with separate study questions and separate theses.

Contact
Frauke Ecke, e-mail: Frauke.Ecke@slu.se
Lovisa Hökby, e-mail: Lovisa.Hokby@slu.se

Background
Retention forestry, where patches of forest are left unlogged during clearcutting activities, is a potential way of supporting biodiversity while maintaining timber harvesting. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how well retention patches are achieving this goal, especially in relation to landscape features. This knowledge gap leaves forest managers without enough information on when designing and assessing the effectiveness of retention patches. There is a need for more research on what aspects of retention patches influence their effects on different aspects of biodiversity.

Available Data
Within the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) project, we have stablished research plots with data on forest structures, diversity of lichens, bryophytes, fungi, carabid beetles and spiders. We will also have microclimate data for some sites, as well as canopy photos. The sites distributed in retention patches, young forests and mature sat-aside forests in Hälsingland and Värmland. We have data collected 2022-2024, and there is the opportunity for a student to gather more data by some or all the field sites (around 3 weeks). 

Project Ideas
What forest characteristics explain protected orchid Goodyera repens present and abundance in retention patches compared to mature forests?
How effective are retention patches in providing suitable habitat for ground occurring reindeer lichen?
Fieldwork opportunities
The student can visit the study sites in Hälsingland during late summer or autumn to download microclimate data logger data and collect any other relevant data, for example soil properties, orchid flowering rates, or moss growth rates.

Supervisors
Faith Jones, Jörgen Sjögren

Contact
Faith Jones, researcher at the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, SLU

Faith.jones@slu.se +46 761361997

Sveaskog is the biggest forest owner in Sweden with a vision to be the leading organization in increasing the value of forests. Sveaskog has high ambitions in production, environment and nature values – to manage both economic and ecological values of forests for future generations. We offer a master thesis possibilities in a large project (Effekt 20) driven by Sveaskog and SLU.

The Effekt 20 project aims to answer questions related to the goal of setting aside 20 % of the productive forest land for nature conservation and improved nature consideration. Many of these set-asides are located within so called Ecoparks. Ecoparks are large continuous landscapes, where nature values are given the highest priority and production goals are adjusted according to natural, social and cultural values. In Ecoparks, at least 50 % of the productive forest land is set-aside for conservation and nature consideration. These landscapes are coupled with production landscapes with 95% production and 5 % nature conservation goals.

The Master student would work with the biodiversity data collected from Ecoparks and the production landscapes. The specific study questions will be adjusted according the student’s own interests, and if wished, may include additional field measurements of e.g. vegetation or tree stand structure from Ecoparks and their reference stands. The topics can be directed towards insect diversity (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera), landscape analyses using GIS, Passive Acoustic Recordings of birds and bats, or eDNA.

We search for students capable of handling rather large datasets and analyzing the given data with R. Background knowledge of R is highly appreciated, and willingness to learn is required. If the student wishes to do fieldwork, driver’s license is needed. We seek for ambitious students with great interest in solving real-time problems in sustainable forestry and biodiversity. We offer support from a research group (postdocs, PhD-students and researchers), weekly or biweekly meetings with supervisor, good contacts with stakeholders, and enthusiastic working atmosphere. Limited amount of working places are available for MSc student. Both 30cr and 60 cr topics are available.

If you got interested, please contact
Assoc. professor Anne-Maarit Hekkala,

Dept. of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies

Anne.maarit.hekkala@slu.se

072-2429713

Project overview
Tropical mountains are biodiversity hotspots, yet land-use changes and elevational gradients significantly impact species distribution, population density, and community composition. Small mammals, as seed dispersers, prey, and disease reservoirs, serve as key bioindicators of environmental change.

This project examines how environmental gradients and human activities shape small mammal communities in Mount Damota, South Ethiopia. Using data collected from natural forests, agricultural fields, and human settlements across multiple elevational zones (1,200–2,800m), we aim to analyse patterns in population density, species diversity, and habitat use.

Key research questions
How does small mammal population density vary across elevations and habitat types?
What are the spatial patterns of small mammal species richness and distribution?
How does land-use change influence small mammal biodiversity and community structure?

Available data & research tasks
The project utilizes a 3-year (2021-2024) dataset of small mammals from four elevational zones, with species already genotyped and morphologically identified. The selected Master’s student will:

Estimate small mammal population density in different habitat types and elevations.
Use diversity indices to analyse species composition and richness.
Develop spatial maps of small mammal distribution across Mount Damota.
Investigate historical land-use changes using remote sensing data.
Explore additional research questions arising from data analysis.
Participate in fieldwork during the next sampling campaign (optional).

Student profile
We are looking for a highly motivated Master’s student with

Experience in data analysis
Experience in GIS and mapping tools to develop distributional maps
A background in ecology, zoology, or a related field

This project can be tailored to a 30- or 60-credit thesis, depending on the depth of analysis and student involvement.

How to apply
Interested candidates should submit a CV highlighting relevant experience and skills.

Please send your application to 

yonas.meheretu@slu.se / hussein.khalil@slu.se/ frauke.ecke@helsinki.fi by 31 March 2025.

For further inquiries, feel free to reach out to Yonas Meheretu at yonas.meheretu@slu.se.

Summer-Winter 2025
Umeå, Sweden
Are you interested in conservation biology, field ecology or sensory biology and in gaining research experience on a topic with a high societal impact? Would you like to do a master’s project with field work in August-October? Come and join our research team at the Swedish University of Agricultural sciences in Umeå (Sweden) to study practical solutions to mitigate the negative consequences of light pollution on biodiversity.

Light pollution due to the expansion of artificial lighting is a growing threat to biodiversity. Light pollution can increase the exposure to predators or stress, alter biological timing, impair movements and migrations, and increase mortality. To counteract this, alternative street lighting strategies are increasingly used (“red” light, reduced lighting periods, motion-triggered lamps, etc), but their efficiency to mitigate the negative effects of light pollution on biodiversity is poorly understood.

Your project will consist in designing, carrying out and analyzing an ecological experiment comparing the effects of traditional and “wildlife-friendly” street lights at an urban park in Umeå. This project will allow to assess whether sensitive taxa such as bats, mayflies and moths benefit from the alternative lighting system.

With this project, you will acquire or reinforce some of the following skills:

working independently and in a small team to design a research project
carrying out an ecological experiment in the field that combines different monitoring techniques (acoustic detection, traps, hand searches…)
identifying taxa in the field and in the lab (e.g. moths, mayflies, spiders, bats)
analyzing ecological datasets
communicating scientific findings
evolving in a stimulating research environment at SLU

Keen to join? Please send us a brief description of your background and motivation:
pierre.tichit@slu.se
therese.lofroth@slu.se