Examensarbete

I detta WWF-finansierade projekt kommer du att jämföra häckande fåglar mellan vikar i Östersjön (Östhammar) med eller utan mekanisk vassskörd. Jag söker en motiverad student som kan göra fågelinventeringar samt bearbeta och analysera tidigare års data.

Bakgrund

Vass (Phragmites australis) är en habitatbildande vattenväxt som dominerar stränder vid övergödda vatten. Vass har många viktiga ekologiska funktioner såsom struktur, skydd och en födokälla för många fiskar, fåglar, insekter och däggdjur. Ökad övergödning har dock lett till att vass expanderar och bildar stora monokulturer med låg biologisk mångfald. Skörd av vass kan potentiellt bekämpa monokulturbildning och återställa variation, vilket gynnar biologisk mångfald där vass har blivit för tät.

Metod

I det här projektet ska du undersöka effekten av vasskörd på häckande fåglar genom att utföra häckfågeltaxeringar i vassområden med eller utan vasskörd. Det finns data på fåglar från tidigare år med linjeinventeringar.

Fältstudierna är baserade nära Östhammar. Kontakta mig gärna om du har några frågor!

Kontakt

Örjan Östman, universitetslektor
Institutionen för akvatiska resurser, SLU
orjan.ostman@slu.se, +46 10 478 41 53

Kandidatarbete 15 ECTS

I detta projekt kommer du att utvärdera fiskeredskapet Multipots genom att dels jämföra fångstbarheten av potentiella målarter inom det svenska kustfisket, dels jämföra fångstbarheten av skyddade arter med fokus på ål samt bifångst av marina däggdjur och fågel. Utöver detta ska redskapets fångstbarhet av invasiva arter som svartmunnad smörbult utvärderas. Data från tidigare och pågående försök kommer att användas och möjligheten finns för att utföra mindre arbeten i fält.

Projektet kommer att ge kunskap om Multipotsen artspecifika fisklighet. Vidare ingår det i projektet att sätta redskapet i relation till det svenska fiskeriregelverket. Detta görs med stöd av likande sammanställningar utförda i Sveriges grannländer. Projektets resultat är en del i en kommande redovisning till Jordbruksverket och behöver därför skrivas på svenska. Projektet har flexibel start, men behöver vara färdigställt under 2026.

Bakgrund 

Det svenska kustnära fisket i framför allt Östersjön står inför stora utmaningar med minskade bestånd av traditionella målarter och ökade skador från säl och skarv. Detta

har lett till ett behov av alternativa fiskeredskap som är mer hållbara och selektiva. Multipots, ett redskap med ursprung i Asien, har visat lovande resultat i Danmark och kan potentiellt erbjuda lösningar även för det svenska fisket. Samtidigt finns behov av att förstå redskapets fångstbarhet även på målarter i det svenska kustfisket i Östersjön och specifikt innefattande skyddsvärda arter som europeisk ål och invasiva arter som svartmunnad smörbult. 

Mer information

Prioritet i projektet ges till studenter som är bekanta med dataanalys och som är bekväma med att arbeta i Excel och R samt sammanställa data från myndighetskällor och i projekt 2 till studenter med fältvana och erfarenhet av beteende och filmanalys.

Projektet är en del i ett pågående större EU-projekt och på uppdrag av Jordbruksverket.

Läs mer om EU-projektet ”Promoting commercial fishing of Round Goby in the Baltic Sea”.

Mer information

Prioritet i projektet ges till studenter som är bekanta med dataanalys och som är bekväma med att arbeta i Excel och R samt sammanställa data från myndighetskällor och i projekt 2 till studenter med fältvana och erfarenhet av beteende och filmanalys.

Projektet är en del i ett pågående större EU-projekt och på uppdrag av Jordbruksverket.

Läs mer om EU-projektet ”Promoting commercial fishing of Round Goby in the Baltic Sea”.

Kontakt

Är du intresserad av projektet tveka inte att höra av dig till:
Peter Ljungberg, Institutionen för akvatiska resurser, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet
Peter.ljungberg@slu.se, +46 (0) 10-478 41 72

Hannes Hall, Marint centrum i Simrishamn
Hannes.Hall@simrishamn.se, +46 (0) 414-81 90 69

Svenska Båtunionen söker nu en student som vill skriva sin kandidatuppsats inom ramen för vårt projekt Allemansrätten under ytan. Du kommer också ha en handledare från SLU.

Om projektet

Allemansrätten under ytan syftar till att öka kunskapen om hur det vattenburna friluftslivet påverkar den akvatiska miljön och att skapa en högre förståelse för de rättigheter och skyldigheter som gäller vid och under vattenytan. Vi vill besvara frågor som: Hur mycket blåstång eller grönslick kan plockas utan att skada ekosystemet? Finns det vattenlevande växter som inte bör röras? Och vilka regler bör gälla för olika vattenaktiviteter? Avsikten är att projektet ska spegla allemansrätten på land.

Ditt uppdrag

Studenten kommer att fokusera på faktainsamlingen i projektets första fas. Det innebär bland annat att:

• Genomföra litteraturstudier av vetenskapliga artiklar och tidskrifter för att identifiera vilken typ av flora och fauna som bör omfattas samt om det finns några geografiska skillnader som behöver beaktas.
• Sammanställa ett underlag med rättigheter och skyldigheter kopplade till vattennära och vattenburna aktiviteter.
• Intervjua sakkunniga inom relevanta områden.

Vad vi erbjuder

• En möjlighet att bidra till ett viktigt miljö- och friluftsprojekt med nationell räckvidd.
• Tillgång till experter och nätverk inom bland annat båtliv, friluftsliv och sjörätt.
• Möjlighet att publicera uppsatsen och bidra till informations- och undervisningsmaterial för Svenska Båtunionens medlemmar och allmänheten.
• Stöd och handledning från vår organisation och våra samarbetspartners.

Vi söker dig som

• Studerar på kandidatnivå inom relevanta ämnen såsom miljövetenskap eller marinbiologi.
• Har ett intresse för friluftsliv och miljöfrågor.
• Är strukturerad, analytisk och har god förmåga att sammanställa och kommunicera information.

Ansökan

Skicka in en kort presentation om dig själv, ditt studieområde och varför du är intresserad av att skriva din kandidatuppsats inom detta projekt. Bifoga även eventuella relevanta erfarenheter och referenser.

Mejla din ansökan och eventuella frågor till Slavica Lukic Stojanovic, projektledaren på Svenska Båtunionen på slavica@batunionen.se

Kontakta orjan.ostman@slu.se för att diskutera lämplig handledare på SLU.

Välkommen att bidra till ett viktigt projekt och göra skillnad för framtidens vattenburna friluftsliv!

Svenska Båtunionen är en paraplyorganisation som representerar drygt 900 båtklubbar och 180 000 enskilda båtklubbsmedlemmar. Organisationen har lång erfarenhet av båtlivsfrågor och verkar både för en bättre miljö och en utökad möjlighet till ett vattenburet friluftsliv. Vi arbetar aktivt för att minska påverkan från fritidsbåtar i våra vatten och natur, bland annat genom utbildningar, informationsspridning och påverkansarbete.

Sjöfågel i spotlight: att förvandla turistfotografier till värdefulla data om sjöfågel

Kandidatarbete (15 ECTS) 

Att uppskatta populationsstorleken och undersöka den långsiktiga trenden för sjöfåglar är viktigt för bevarande och förvaltning, men det är svårt att göra korrekta uppskattningar. Nuvarande beräkningsmetoder bygger främst på båt- och flygundersökningar (t.ex. med drönare) eller teknik för fångst och återfångst (t.ex. ringmärkning av fåglar). Förutom att sådana undersökningar är tidskrävande och riskerar att störa fåglar, är noggrannheten och repeterbarheten i sådana undersökningar låg.

Det aktuella projektet är ett medborgarforskningsprojekt som syftar till att övervaka sjöfågelpopulationer (t.ex. sillgrisslor, tordmular) som lever på Stora Karlsö (det näst äldsta naturreservatet i världen) med hjälp av besökarnas bidrag. Detta projekt bygger på standardiserade fotografier tagna av besökare med sin smartphone på den mest besökta platsen på ön.

Med hjälp av en avancerad beräkningsprocess (AI Object detection) kommer standardiserade fotografier att omvandlas till populationsdata som kommer att användas för att förstå sjöfåglars dagliga rörelser och för att bedöma deras populationsstorlek. Denna studie kommer att möjliggöra långsiktiga och mer korrekta bedömningar av sjöfågelpopulationer och att bidra till att övervaka förändringar som kan påverka sjöfågelarter i Östersjön. Projektet kommer att innehålla bildkommentarer, modellträning och dataanalys.

Arbetet kommer att äga rum i Ultuna, Uppsala, och kommer att handledas av Quentin Queiros (quentin.queiros@slu.se) och Jonas Hentati-Sundberg (jonas.hentati-sundberg@slu.se).

Bachelor projects in biology (15 ECTS)

Ecology and management of the European eel, several projects available!

Background

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is red listed as critically endangered due to a steep population decline. Current management efforts aim to reverse this negative development. There are many knowledge gaps regarding everything from ecology, behaviour, and physiology to development of stock assessment parameters. You can help us fill these knowledge gaps!

We have a great variety of bachelor degree projects and research training/internship related to evaluating and synthesizing information about ecology, management and data collection of the European eel. There are also opportunities to assist in lab work and field activities, such as tagging, fyke-net fishing, dissections, and more (although keep in mind that this can
be difficult to fit within a 15 hp project!).

Project examples

• Evaluating tagging and tracking data of eels in river systems, lakes and in the sea. Students can be involved in the tagging and tracking procedures, depending on time availability. Topics that can be addressed include survival (fisheries induced survival, hydropower induced mortality), movement, long distance migration, etc.
• Improve data collection programs. To monitor the eel stock, data is collected on a number of variables, such as landings, individual length, parasite prevalence, age, etc. Since data collection is time consuming and costly it is important that it is efficient. Any improvements that can be made to the monitoring programs are highly valuable, including 3R aspects.
• Evaluation of management activities such as restocking and fisheries regulations.
• Behavioural and physiological studies.

The work will be supervised by Dr Josefin Sundin and Dr Philip Jacobson. Depending on the project, the student should have an interest in fish ecology, behavioural ecology, fisheries science, data analysis, statistics, and scientific writing.

Location

At the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU Aqua) in Drottningholm (Stockholm), Uppsala-Ultuna, or Öregrund. Several projects can also be done online.

Bachelor project (15 ECTS) or Master project (30/60 ECTS) in biology

Fish welfare: Physiological responses to anaesthisia in brown trout

This research project aims to explore how brown trout respond to different anaesthetics. When set in water with an anaesthetic agent, fishes initially respond with increased activity. This results in  a cascade of physiological processes in the fish. In this project some of these responses will be investigated.

Background

There is a wide array of different teleost species used in scientific research world-wide. These fish are frequently anaesthetised for various procedures and previous studies suggest that there is a divergence in the response to different anaesthetics among species. The use and efficiency, from a practical point of view, of anaesthetics in different species have been studied and reviewed. However, the fish welfare aspect and the in depth understanding of the pharmacological mechanism of action and effect in different species are largely unknown. In view of our increased awareness of animal welfare, also regarding fish, along with an increased use of fish as experimental animals, standardised anaesthetic protocols that are species specific is a necessity to assure best practices with focus on fish welfare.

In earlier experiments we have shown that the stress (cortisol) response in brown trout appear to be higher in more acid water; non-buffered tricaine methanesulfonate lower the pH.

Methods

This project we will attempt to investigate thes further by comparing the response of juvenile brown trout to four treatment (non-buffered tricaine methanesulfonate, buffered tricaine methanesulfonate., river water and river water with pH=3 (using hydrochlorid acid).

Blood sample will be taken from about 80 trout and the blood will late be analyzed.

Depending on the number of credits the student wish to achieve the brains of the trout will also be sampled and analyzed for monamines (such as dopamine and noradrenaline).

Contacts

Erik Petersson
Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua)
erik.h.petersson@slu.se 010-478 42 39

Svante Winberg
Uppsala University
svante.winberg@neuro.uu.se
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry
Svante.winberg@slu.se

Bachelor level (15 ECTS) or Master level (30/60 ECTS) in biology 

Fish welfare: Physiological responses to anaesthesia in zebrafish

This research project aims to explore how zebrafish respond to different anaesthetics. When set in water with an anaesthetic agent, fishes initially respond with increased activity. This, in turn, onset a cascade of physiological processes in the fish. In this project some of these responses will be investigated.

Background

There is a wide array of different teleost species used in scientific research world-wide. These fish are frequently anaesthetised for various procedures and previous studies suggest that there is a divergence in the response to different anaesthetics among species. The use and efficiency, from a practical point of view, of anaesthetics in different species have been studied and reviewed. However, the fish welfare aspect and the in depth understanding of the pharmacological mechanism of action and effect in different species are largely unknown. In view of our increased awareness of animal welfare, also regarding fish, along with an increased use of fish as experimental animals, standardised anaesthetic protocols that are species specific is a necessity to assure best practices with focus on fish welfare.

Zebrafish is the second most common laboratory aninmal in Sweden right now and knowledge about zebrafish behavior and physiology are important for future care and housing of the species.

In earlier experiments we have gathered information about the stress response in zebrafish to metomidate and tricaine methanesulfonate. We now like to investigate the response to three other  anaesthetic methods: eugenol, benzocaine and rapid cooling.

Methods

Zebrafish will be anaesthetized with the three methods mentioned above, the fish will thereafter be sampled for cortisol (whole –body). This require that the cortisol is extracted, i.e. you will spend many days in the laboratory.

Depending on the number of credits the student wish to achieve the brains of the zebrafish will also be sampled and analyzed for monamines (such as dopamine and noradrenaline).

Contact

Erik Petersson
Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua)
erik.h.petersson@slu.se 010-478 42 39.

Svante Winberg
Uppsala University
svante.winberg@neuro.uu.se
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry
Svante.winberg@slu.se

Seals and cormorants - Top predators in Swedish waters

Suggestions of degree projects

The suggested topics are suitable for master student projects. The projects can include field work, lab work, literature studies, data analysis and scientific writing.

The contents and scope of the work can be discussed and adapted to prevailing conditions.

Background

The populations of seals and cormorants in Sweden have increased in size and distribution during the last decades.

Consequently, requirements and needs of information about the ecological roles of seals and cormorants have increased, e.g. for inclusion of top predators in ecological models and for development of ecosystem-based management. In addition, conflicts with fish conservation biology and coastal fisheries have intensified.

At present, relevant information on prey choice and abundance of these predators and their impact on fish stocks is insufficient.

Diet analysis of seals and cormorants

• Diet variability
• Methodology (DNA, image analysis)

Monitoring of seals and cormorants

• Photo-ID
• Camera surveillance
• Regional monitoring, e.g. in marine protected areas
• Abundance estimates

Predator-prey dynamics

• Prey selectivity
• Correlations between diet data and fish monitoring data

Contact:

15-30-60 points

Background

Biodiversity degradation has caused a growing and urgent need for coastal marine restoration. In Sweden, the number of high-quality habitats for marine and coastal species has been steadily declining with no marine habitats achieving favourable conservation status in the most recent status update. The need for measures to reduce negative effects on ecosystems is recognised by the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), which aims to halt biodiversity and habitat loss across the EU by restoring at least 30% of the total area of marine habitat types not in good condition by 2030, and at least 60% by 2040. To achieve this we need to know where restoration is needed and what measures will be most effective. 

The project

There are several parts to this project that can be done independently depending on your interests and the skills you would like to develop.

Review of indicators for restoration measures

So far, guidelines for determining and measuring restoration success, e.g. Society of Ecological Restoration indicators, have not been implemented in a Swedish marine context. This is a literature review to collate information on potentially useful indicators (ecological, social and economic) from scientific and grey literature and develop an assessment criteria for these indicators, for example are they applicable across different types of restoration, spatial and time scales, communicable, flexible across restoration goals, addressed cumulative effects, consistent with national and EU reporting. This work can be taken further by surveying practitioners, managers and scientists to assess their responses on how useful the indicators are for different projects. These results will be used to develop guidelines for use of the indicators for different restoration contexts.

Mapping natural values and pressures

Appropriate site selection for restoration is essential to long-term success and to prioritise restoration measures on a national scale. This study involves collating maps of natural values and pressures from multiple sources along the Swedish coast and will require communication with other Universities, County Boards and Municipalities to obtain information. This project requires prior experience with GIS and being comfortable working with spatial information. You will need to be based at the Ultuna campus. You will develop methods for identifying areas with high nature values and areas with potentially high nature values, but that are negatively affected by pressures. This work can be taken further by developing methods for validating the maps with stakeholders. This work will help identify and prioritise areas for coastal marine restoration efforts. 

Contact

Carolyn Faithfull, Forskare
Institutionen för akvatiska resurser, Ekosystemanalys
carolyn.faithfull@slu.se, +46104784174

Master project in Biology (30-60 credits)

We have a challenging and exciting master project on the effects of heatwaves on the Baltic herring ecosystem. In this project, you will use dynamic modelling to explore how various aspects of heatwaves affect the dynamics and fisheries of Baltic herring, their food sources, competitors and predators.

Background

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and extreme due to climate change, especially in smaller aquatic regions such as the Baltic Sea. Fluctuations in temperature affect the primary productivity of an aquatic ecosystem as well as the behaviour and physiology of individual fish. These effects cascade through the ecosystem thought interactions such as consumption, competition and predation. It is therefore unknown how the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves will affect the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Dynamic modelling provides a tool to explore how various heatwave scenarios would affect the dynamics of an ecosystem.

Methods and learning opportunities

In this project you will work with a size-structured population model for Baltic herring. Currently, the model describes the dynamics and size structure of Baltic herring, as well as their dynamic resources consisting of two zooplankton communities and a benthos community. In the model several processes such as the growth in size, consumption and respiration of herring and the production of the resource communities are temperature dependent. Depending on your interest and the duration of the project, you will include a predator population of cod or a competitor population of stickleback or sprat in the model. You will explore the dynamics of the extended model and the effects of heatwaves on this dynamics through mathematical simulations.

For this project, we are looking for a master student with an interest in both ecosystem dynamics as well as mathematical modelling. During this project you will learn how to formulate, extend, analyse and interpret mathematical models in a biological context with a focus on size-structured population models. In addition to you gaining new knowledge and skills by doing your own project, you will get the opportunity to become an integrate member of our research group FishinFoodwebs, where you will join group meetings and seminars at campus Ultuna in Uppsala.

Contact

Jasper Croll, Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU
jasper.croll@slu.se, 010-478 81 84

Anna Gårdmark, Professor, Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU
anna.gardmark @slu.se, 010-478 41 25 

Competition between perch and roach across sizes and environments–impact on ecological status

Biology 30 credits

Stable isotopes are indicators of individual diet use and can be used to study diet (resource) overlap between species indicate (resource). Perch and roach are the two dominate fish species in Baltic Sea coastal fish communities, and have different ecological functions. Perch is the main predatory fish, but feed on invertebrates as small, whereas roach is an obligate ‘mesopredator’ feeding only on invertebrates. However, as fish change diet over their life-history they compete for common resources at younger ages (sizes). In this project you will study how the diet overlap change across body sizes depend on environmental condition, like watercolor and transparency, temperature and salinity.

To understand how environmental conditions influence the competition and resource use of perch and roach is important to better understand how global change will impact the interaction between our most common fish species, and how management may be adapted to reach good ecological status in coastal areas of the Baltic Sea.

All data has been collected and is ready to be analysed so start time is flexible.

Contact:

Associate professor Magnus Huss, magnus.huss@slu.se

Associate professor Örjan Östman, orjan.ostman@slu.se

Population expansion and development of round goby in the Baltic Sea

Background

One of the most distinctive alien species invading the Baltic Sea during the last decades is the fish round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). The species originates from the Ponto-Caspian region and was first observed in the Baltic Sea in 1990 in the Polish coastal waters of the Gulf of Gdansk. The main vector mediating the establishment of the species in the Baltic Sea is ballast water from ships. The round goby has since the first observation become established in all basins in the Baltic Sea, with the northernmost finding of the species along the Finnish coast of the Bothnian Bay. Following establishment, the abundance of round goby has sky-rocketed in most coastal areas, in turn potentially impacting the local coastal ecosystem structure and functioning. As many coastal fish species targeted by small-scale fisheries in the Baltic Sea have declined, the species has today become an important target in coastal fisheries in some areas. Despite the generally good knowledge on the spatial extent of the establishment of round goby in the Baltic Sea, relatively little is known about the population development in different coastal areas of the sea. Such information is key to understanding the general biology of species, what factors regulate its population development, and whether measures should be taken to manage and mitigate the ecosystem effects following the invasion of round goby.

Aims

• To compile Baltic wide data on round goby population expansion and development and analyze time-trends in the abundance of the species in different parts of the
  Baltic Sea coast,
• To understand potential factors driving population expansion and development of the species by addressing commonalities and differences in time-trends across areas.

Description

In this project you will collate data from coastal fish monitoring programs in all countries bordering the Baltic Sea with a focus on round goby abundance. We already have a well established network with responsible persons for the monitoring programs, and data should be rather easily accessible. The analyses suggested include time-trends of round goby abundance across different coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, addressing common patterns in the temporal development of the species across areas, and evaluation of the trends over time in light of the local environmental conditions and the structure and temporal development of the resident coastal fish community as a whole.

Contact

Jens Olsson, Researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources, Ultuna in Uppsala, jens.olsson@slu.se; 076-1890538

Matilda Andersson, Environmental Assessment Specialist at the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Ultuna in Uppsala, matilda.l.andersson@slu.se

Lake experiment to determine how forest fertilizers and carbon leakage affect plankton communities

Many freshwaters in Sweden have become greener and browner over the last century due to human activities. This is linked to changes in land use which have led to increased concentrations of nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) of terrestrial origin. During the same period, we have experienced a major shift in forestry practices, such that today the vast majority of forest areas in Sweden are managed by clearcutting and there has also been a concurrent shift towards dominance of coniferous forests. This has affected the amount and quality of elements transported from forests to water bodies.

This thesis project will make a significant contribution to ongoing research aiming to resolve how land use change and forestry practices affect lake ecosystem diversity and function via loading of DOM and nutrients. Futhermore, the thesis will also investigate if and how the impact depends on lake type, as lakes vary in light climate, carbon and nutrient availability.

The student(s) will specifically try to answer the questions (1) How do different combinations of forest fertilizers and DOM affect plankton production, community biomass and composition? (2) If and how does the response vary with lake chemistry?

Experimental setup

The student(s) will together with supervisors set up enclosure experiments in 6 or more lakes. We will select lake pairs consisting of one brown and one clear lake in each of three distinct geographical areas close to Uppsala, Umeå and in mid Sweden. In each lake, a set-up with small enclosures will be inoculated with lake water and local phytoplankton and zooplankton communities.

The treatments will be additions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and nutrients. The experiment will run for approximately two weeks per lake-pair, whereafter phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass and composition will be measured. The student(s) will, with support from supervisors, set up experiments, take biological samples, analyze the results and relate them to potential effects of forestry practices on lake ecosystems.

Timing and supervision

The fieldwork will be performed during summer 2025. 1-2 student projects are available, preferably to be carried out parallel to each other (30 or 60 ects).

Contact

The supervisors are Magnus Huss (Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Uppsala, magnus.huss@slu.se, 010-4784127) and Karin Nilsson (VFM, SLU Umeå, karin.a.nilsson@slu.se, 070-2055017), and the student can be associated with either SLU Aqua or SLU in Umeå and will become integrated members of their respective research groups, join group meetings and seminars. There may also be opportunities to contribute to a scientific publication.

Threatened by climate change and fisheries, seabird populations worldwide have declined since the mid-20th century. Seabirds are central-place foragers, commuting between colonies and feeding areas during the breeding season. Understanding their foraging areas is crucial for informing spatial management measures to protect habitats and prey populations. However, only 3% of the ocean is currently fully or highly protected, and establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) or implementing restriction measures without careful planning could have limited or even negative effects.

Identifying interactions between seabirds and fisheries is essential for the efficient future implementation of MPAs and for global conservation efforts. At the same time, global fishing activities, from small-scale fishing boats to industrial fishing vessels, have been tracked daily since 2012.

Using allometric relationships and extrapolating the foraging ranges of species from 23,000 seabird colonies, this thesis aims to evaluate (1) the interactions between seabirds and fisheries and (2) the potential value of current and future MPAs, as well as proposed Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), in protecting seabirds from fisheries. This study will help quantify threats to seabirds, assess the efficiency of MPAs, and identify areas lacking adequate protection measures.

The thesis will include spatial analyses of seabird at-sea distributions, fishing activities, and protected areas. The data will be analyzed statistically. This project is planned for a Master’s level (30–60 ECTS) and would result in the submission of a scientific paper to a high-ranking journal. The work will take place in Ultuna, Uppsala, and will be co-supervised by Quentin Queiros (quentin.queiros@slu.se) and Jonas Hentati-Sundberg (jonas.hentati-sundberg@slu.se)

Master’s Project (30/60 credits) in Biology

This research project provides a fantastic opportunity to explore how shoreline grazing by livestock affects aquatic vegetation, fish communities, and overall biodiversity. Fieldwork will take place during the spring and late summer in the Stockholm Archipelago and will include collecting water samples and conducting interviews with local farmers. It is an ideal project for students looking to combine practical work with exciting research in a beautiful environment.

Background

Grazing livestock plays a central role in maintaining biodiversity in cultural landscapes. While the role of grazing in terrestrial conservation has received significant attention, its impact on aquatic systems has been relatively understudied. The STROBIO project aims to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the effects of grazing in aquatic habitats and developing guidelines for best practices. This involves integrating perspectives from conservation biology, fisheries management, and landscape ecology.

Research Questions

• What mechanisms drive the effects of shoreline grazing on aquatic vegetation and fish communities?
• How should shoreline grazing be conducted to optimize biodiversity outcomes, such as in terms of grazing intensity and timing?

Methods

The project will be carried out through field studies and laboratory analyses during the spring and late summer in the Stockholm Archipelago. Specific activities include:

• Collecting water samples for eDNA analysis to identify species present in different environments.
• Sampling water for algal toxin analysis, which the student will have the opportunity to analyze as part of the project.
• Conducting interviews with local farmers to gain insights into their experiences and grazing methods.
• Camera-based monitoring of grazing animals' behavior in shoreline zones.

Depending on the project scope (30 or 60 credits), students may also analyze water quality parameters and explore toxin levels or nutrient cycling in grazed versus ungrazed systems. The fieldwork offers a combination of research, collaboration, and natural exploration in one of Sweden’s most beautiful and biologically rich environments.

Opportunities for Students

This project offers a chance to combine fieldwork in a stunning archipelago setting with laboratory work and interview methodology. You will develop valuable skills in sampling, analysis, and communication. The project’s findings could contribute to sustainable grazing practices and the conservation of biodiversity.

Contact

Alfred Sandström, Researcher, alfred.sandstrom@slu.se, +46 761 268 129

Elin Dahlgren, Researcher, elin.dahlgren@slu.se

Differences in the sex ratio across perch populations in coastal areas of the Baltic – where and why does it differ?

Background

European perch (Perca fluviatilis) is a key species impacting the food-web structure and functioning in coastal ecosystems of the Baltic Sea. Perch is also of importance for small-scaled commercial and recreational fisheries in the Baltic Sea. Recent studies have shown substantial differences across coastal areas in the status and temporal development of perch populations along the Swedish coast. Given that perch exhibit a local population structure and there are a wide range of potential pressures impacting the populations (including fishing, eutrophication, climate change, habitat availability, hazardous substances and natural predation), it is challenging to understand which factors that drives the temporal development and status of the species in different coastal areas. Such information is key for implementing the adequate measure to support and restore populations in decline.

One factor potentially influencing the status of Baltic Sea perch populations is the sex ratio of the population. Preliminary analyses suggest substantial differences in the sex ratio across populations, but little is known how it impacts the population development and what factors that influence the sex ratio of the population.

Aims

• To analyse differences in the sex ratio of perch populations across coastal areas and over time along the Swedish Baltic Sea coast.
• To understand the drivers of differences in sex ratios across areas and within areas over time.

Description

In this project you will make use of the extensive data on perch population characteristics along the Swedish Baltic Sea coast that is collected yearly within national and regional environmental monitoring programs. The data covers more than 15 coastal areas and do in some areas date back to the 1970’s. It includes data on population characteristics as relative abundance, size structure, age, individual condition and population sex ratio.

Suggested analyses within the project are to assess differences in the sex ratio across populations/coastal areas, variation in sex ratios within populations/coastal areas over time, and correlations between sex ratios and potential impacting factors including biological parameters (growth rates, size structure and condition) and abiotic variables (temperature, eutrophication, hazardous substances and fishing).

Contact

Jens Olsson, researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, in the Department of Aquatic Resources at Ultuna in Uppsala
jens.olsson@slu.se; +46 761-89 05 38

Swim like nobody’s watching – a comparison of fish survey methods on the Swedish West Coast

Are you interested in studying ecology, fish, and the marine environment and want to do your Masters project focused on the Swedish west coast?

Background

How do sustainable fish stocks contribute to maintaining a healthy coastal environment? Removal of large predatory fish can cause ecosystem wide alterations resulting in trophic cascades. Previous research in both the Baltic Sea and the Swedish west coast has shown such trophic cascades due to overfishing of predatory fish and eutrophication. These cascading effects have led to negative consequences for important habitats such as seagrass meadows.

Aim

Our research group is looking for a Masters student to conduct their research project (suggested 60hp) within a larger umbrella project called MarHab. MarHab is an international research project aimed at improving the conservation status of marine habitats in Skagerrak and Kattegat by studying the link between large predatory fish and habitat quality. The project will consist of data collected from the same locations in shallow coastal areas using both baited underwater stereo-video cameras (BRUV), as well as fyke net survey data from the Swedish national environmental monitoring program. Therefore, we are now looking for a Masters student who is interested in doing a method comparison study evaluating the fish assemblages from both methods. There is also the possibility of expanding the project work in order to study the connection between habitat quality and the abundance of predatory fish (predominantly cod).

Over the course of the project you will learn about:

• Video analysis methodology using the leading analysis software EventMeasure
• Handling and analyzing large data sets
• Identifying fish from the Swedish west coast (Skagerrak and Kattegat)

Previous knowledge of Swedish west coast fish species is meriting. Priority will be given to students familiar with data analysis and comfortable working in Excel and R.

More information

Learn more about the MarHab project.

Contact

If you are interested in this exciting project be sure to get in contact by emailing:

ulf.bergstrom@slu.se
diana.perry@slu.se
maria.eggertsen@slu.se

Master projects in biology (30-60 ECTS)

Ecology and management of the European eel, several projects available!

Background

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is red listed as critically endangered due to a steep population decline. Current management efforts aim to reverse this negative development. There are many knowledge gaps regarding everything from ecology, behaviour, and physiology to development of stock assessment parameters. You can help us fill these knowledge gaps!

We have a great variety of masters degree projects and research training / internship related to evaluating and synthesizing information about ecology, management and data collection of the European eel. There are also opportunities to assist in lab work and field activities, such as tagging, fyke-net fishing, dissections, and more.

Project examples

• Evaluating tagging and tracking data of eels in river systems, lakes and in the sea. Students can be involved in the tagging and tracking procedures, depending on time availability. Topics that can be addressed include survival (fisheries induced survival, hydropower induced mortality), movement, long distance migration, etc.
• Improve data collection programs. To monitor the eel stock, data is collected on a number of variables, such as landings, individual length, parasite prevalence, age, etc. Since data collection is time consuming and costly it is important that it is efficient. Any improvements that can be made to the monitoring programs are highly valuable, including 3R aspects.
• Evaluation of management activities such as restocking and fisheries regulations.
• Behavioural and physiological studies.

The work will be supervised by Dr Josefin Sundin and Dr Philip Jacobson. Depending on the project, the student should have an interest in fish ecology, behavioural ecology, fisheries science, data analysis, statistics, and scientific writing.

Location

At the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU Aqua) in Drottningholm (Stockholm), Uppsala-Ultuna, or Öregrund. Several projects can also be done online.

Seals and cormorants - Top predators in Swedish waters

Suggestions of degree projects

The suggested topics are suitable for master student projects. The projects can include field work, lab work, literature studies, data analysis and scientific writing.

The contents and scope of the work can be discussed and adapted to prevailing conditions.

Background

The populations of seals and cormorants in Sweden have increased in size and distribution during the last decades.

Consequently, requirements and needs of information about the ecological roles of seals and cormorants have increased, e.g. for inclusion of top predators in ecological models and for development of ecosystem-based management. In addition, conflicts with fish conservation biology and coastal fisheries have intensified.

At present, relevant information on prey choice and abundance of these predators and their impact on fish stocks is insufficient.

Diet analysis of seals and cormorants

• Diet variability
• Methodology (DNA, image analysis)

Monitoring of seals and cormorants

• Photo-ID
• Camera surveillance
• Regional monitoring, e.g. in marine protected areas
• Abundance estimates

Predator-prey dynamics

• Prey selectivity
• Correlations between diet data and fish monitoring data

Contact

Master project in Ecology (30-60 credits)

Study on cost-effective sampling of Baltic cod stomachs for the purpose of multispecies modelling

The paradigm shift from single species to ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM) requires a broader, mechanistic and more in-depth understanding of marine ecosystems. Multispecies models able to account for trophic interactions and the effect of environmental variability on populations are an essential tool to move towards an EBFM. To account for predator-prey interactions in age-size structured population dynamic models high quality information on predator consumption, prey preference and trophodynamics are essential. Stomach data provide fundamental information on predators’ diet, but their collection has been generally limited which is considered one of the limiting factors for the implementation of multispecies models for the purposes of fisheries advice within the context of EBFM.

The Baltic Sea has been one of the fortunate exceptions. Here, stomachs of cod, the main predatory fish in the system, have been collected for decades. This dataset is important not only for the implementation of advanced multispecies models for EBFM in the Baltic, but also because it can serve as a benchmark to design future stomach sampling programs for the Baltic and other ecosystems.

This master project aims to explore the spatial and temporal correlation among the cod stomachs and the implications of sampling design and sample size for the estimation of the main processes linked to the implementation of multispecies models. The analyses are expected to yield alternative strategies of stomach sampling in Baltic cod and highlight costeffective sampling

schemes which sampling intensity appropriately quantifies cod predation on clupeids in the Baltic and beyond.

Requirements: good skills in spoken and written English, basic statistical skills and familiarity with R programming (ability to write simple own functions).
Work location: Lysekil.

Contacts

Study on the population structure of herring in the central and western Baltic Sea based on the analysis of growth and otolith shape

Master projedt in Ecology (30-60 credits)

Stock assessment of herring in the southern Baltic is currently based on a rigid geographical definition of stock boundaries which allocate herring western of Bornholm Island to the so called Western Baltic Spring spawning herring stock and herring on the eastern side of Bornholm to the large central Baltic herring stock. In reality, in this region herring reproduce in coastal habitats along the southern Swedish coasts and along the entire southern Baltic coast from the western to the eastern limits of the basin giving origin to a number of subcomponents within these two stocks.

The relationships among the different sub-components within and between the two stocks are poorly understood, as well as the level of mixing and geographical extents of overlap between the different components belonging to the two stocks remain unknown. This lack of knowledge on population structure has profound implications for the management of herring in the Baltic, both in terms of diversity and productivity.

This master project aims to evaluate the relationships between some of the main herring spawning components in the southern Baltic Sea to contribute to the harmonization of stock assessment units definitions and population structure. Moreover, the analyses are expected to identify solid baselines for future discrimination of the main herring components occurring in mixed catches of commercial fisheries and scientific survey across this broad geographical region.

Requirements: good skills in spoken and written English, basic statistical skills (familiarity with multivariate analyses is an advantage).
Work location: Lysekil.

Contacts:

Bachelor (15 ECTS) or Master (30/60 ECTS)

Energy content of the diet of Common guillemots in the Baltic Sea

Common guillemots Uria aalge L. (Am. Eng.: Common Murre) are marine piscivorous top predators with a circumpolar Arctic distribution. Long-term studies have shown that they can be important indicators of changes in marine food webs and ecosystems. The largest Common guillemot colony in the Baltic Sea (~ 15 000 pairs) is at the island of Stora Karlsö. Since 1997, a long-term research program is following this colony and collects annual data on survival, reproduction and diet, among other things.

Obtaining high energy food is a prerequisite for successful breeding and survival in Common guillemots. Several studies have shown that the main food in the Baltic Sea is sprat Sprattus sprattus. New data however show that herring Clupea harengus can also be a significant part of the diet. The energy content of herring of different sizes, and the possible energy content differences between sprat and herring is today unknown. The knowledge is important for evaluating the conservation status of Common guillemots in the Baltic Sea and how much fish that must be left in the sea to ensure survival of seabirds.

The degree thesis focusses on analyzing the energy content of the prey fish of Common guillemots. The fish has already been collected by the Institute of Marine Research in Lysekil. The fish will be analyzed using a bomb calorimeter by the student. This work will take place in Ultuna, Uppsala. The data obtained will be analyzed statistically. The project is planned for Bachelor's level (15 ECTS) but can be expanded into a Master's project as well (30–60 ECTS).

Links
www.balticseabird.com
www.storakarlso.se

Contact

^{Bachelor (15 ECTS)  or Master (30–60 ECTS)}

Evaluating camera monitoring for breeding seabirds

Common guillemots Uria aalge L. (Am. Eng.: Common Murre) are marine piscivorous top predators with a circumpolar Arctic distribution. Long-term studies have shown that they can be important indicators of changes in marine food webs and ecosystems.

The largest Common guillemot colony in the Baltic Sea (~ 15 000 pairs) is at the island of Stora Karlsö. Since 1997, a long-term research program is following this colony and collects annual data on survival, reproduction and diet, among other things. In 2008, a world unique research facility, the Karlsö Auk Lab, was built in the middle of the colony. Scientists can study breeding birds from the inside of the Auk lab at a very close distance (20 – 30 cm). This opens up for extremely detailed studies to a low disturbance.

This degree thesis is about evaluating a new technology for monitoring breeding success in Common guillemots – through automatic cameras. Today breeding is monitored through daily observations to check which eggs and chicks that are present. The new technology builds on images taken at regular intervals, and at a later stage analysis of the images. If this technology is working, there is a big potential of increasing data collection and reduce time spent close to the birds (which also leads to lower disturbance levels). The field work includes both traditional observations studies and collection and analysis of images.

At least four weeks will be spent at Stora Karlsö for field work. The island has a simple field station in the period May – early July. The student will work with experienced field personnel and a field work coordinator. The project is planned for Bachelors level (15 ECTS) but can be expanded into a Masters project as well (30 – 60 ECTS).

Links

www.balticseabird.com
www.storakarlso.se

Contact

Biology 30 or 60 credits

The aim of this project is to investigate changes in perch and pike life history traits to long-term changes in climate and productivity (eutrophication). Whereas the direct short-term impact of environmental variation on life histories are quite well studied, the longer term eco-evolutionary dynamic consequences on predator life-histories are less understood.

To address this you will use back-calculated growth of pike and perch from long-term monitoring data of fish communities in Swedish coastal areas and freshwater lakes. This data serves as great opportunity to develop a framework for a general future understanding of how large scale environmental variation will affect life-history traits and reaction norms of predatory fish in a changing world. This knowledge is both important to understand the long-term anthropogenic impact on natural communities, and is also relevant to reach the environmental targets set within Sweden and the European Union.

Project start is flexible data collection is ready. Therefore a large part of thesis project will be statistical analyses and model simulations.

Contact

Associated professor Örjan Östman, orjan.ostman@slu.se

Masters thesis 30-60 hp

Background

Are you interested in nature, ecology, and conservation? Are you also interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and how it might be used to tackle tough environmental issues? Then this project is for you!

Marine ecosystems are under immense pressure from a wide range of human activities, such as fishing, shipping, coastal development, and pollution. One of the greatest challenges faced by conservation scientists is the task of mapping species, ecosystems, and biodiversity. A further challenge is mapping the activities and pressures that threaten these ecosystems. This information is vital for conservation and can be used by governments and NGOs to identify important areas for nature reserves, restoration actions, and other conservation measures. In recent years, exciting developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) offer a promising solution to these challenges.

Project description

In this project, the student will use neural network models to map species or human activities in the ocean. The student will have some flexibility to focus on different regions, including the Baltic Sea, the Western Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, or on a global scale. The student should have a strong interest in modelling/machine learning, coding (ideally in R or Python), and conservation. It is also advantageous to have some knowledge of marine ecosystems, but this is not essential. The project may be undertaken at any time and falls within larger ongoing projects. As such, the student can expect to be involved in a highly collaborative research environment and to contribute to projects influencing real-world conservation decisions. 

Contact

Edmond Sacre

Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Coastal Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

edmond.sacre@slu.se, +46 730855441

Monitoring populations by fishing gear – A camera study of the European lobster

Master thesis 30/60 credits

The European lobster (Homarus gammarus) occurs along the entire Swedish west coast down to the northern part of the Sound, and lives mainly on rocky substrates in crevices and dugouts between rocks and gravel. The lobster population along the Swedish coast is considered to be one single stock, but large local differences in density may occur. Fishing for European lobster is extensive, but catch per effort (the number of lobsters caught per pot) decreased sharply during the 1950s and 1960s and has since remained at a stable low level according to catch data from lobster fishermen in Bohuslän. New legislation limiting the lobster fishery was passed in 2017, yet the stock is still considered to be overfished: The overall stock analysis (Fish Barometer 2024) indicates high fishing mortality over long periods, and low productivity, with the result that the stock is not within safe biological limits. To provide management with a strong basis for decision-making, we are working to increase the knowledge of European lobster biology and behavior.

Every year, the Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) conducts a lobster survey in both no-take and fished areas to provide fisheries independent data on biological parameters of the Swedish lobster population. In addition to SLU's survey, volunteer fishermen participate in the citizen science project; LOBSERVE, which enables the collection of catch data and size along a larger geographical area. Lobster catch can be used as an index of density, and thus of stock status, and can be compared between areas and over time if the fishing is standardized and carried out at the same time of year. If a pot is left fishing (soaked) for a longer period, the pot will eventually be saturated as lobsters are no longer attracted to the bait or choose not to enter due to e.g., competition. CPUE needs to be standardized to soak time to be comparable. With the help of a camera study, we want to find out what happens at and around the cage. We want to investigate questions such as

• What influences a lobster to enter a pot?
• At what rate is a pot getting saturated?
• At what point do lobsters stop entering the cage?
• Do lobsters' propensity to enter a cage with other lobsters differ between fished and no-take areas?

We offer the opportunity to do a degree project with focus on European lobsters, using camera-rigged pots to study the behavior of lobsters around pots and also factors leading to saturation of pots. We are looking for a highly motivated student with an interest in fisheries ecology and animal behavior. Experience with dynamic modelling and R is an advantage. The work includes fieldwork, analysis of collected video material and data analysis. SLU's lobster survey occurs in Lysekil in August, and the student will be part of the crew while deploying the lobster pots rigged for video.

Contact

Hege Sande, hege.sande@slu.se 

Andreas Sundelöf, Andreas.sundelof@slu.se

Mastersarbete 30–60 ECTS

I detta projekt ingår att dokumentera och utvärdera fiskeredskapet Multipots genom och analys av dess funktion, effektivitet och påverkan på mål- och bifångstarter exempelvis abborre, svartmunnad smörbult och ål, med fokus på redskapets selektivitet. I projektet ingår att använda undervattensfilmning i och i anslutning till Multipots för att dokumentera fiskars beteende i relation till redskapet. Fiskeri och filmningsdelarna av projektet kommer göras i fält tillsammans med yrkesfiskare längs Blekingekusten. Efterföljande analys av film och fångst ingår i projektet och syftar till att beskriva effekterna beroende på hur redskapet tillåts selektera ut olika mål- och bifångstarter.

Projektet förväntas ge underlag för en bedömning av Multipots som ett hållbart fiskeredskap. Resultaten kan bidra till utveckling av riktlinjer för selektivt fiske, samt till policyarbete inom fiskeförvaltning i Östersjöregionen. Då projektet inkluderar fältarbete tillsammans med yrkesfiskare är goda kunskaper i svenska ett krav och i blekingska dialekter direkt meriterande. Arbete ska i övrigt skrivas på engelska. Projektet är tänkt att genomföras under våren 2026.

Bakgrund 

Det svenska kustnära fisket i framför allt Östersjön står inför stora utmaningar med minskade bestånd av traditionella målarter och ökade skador från säl och skarv. Detta

har lett till ett behov av alternativa fiskeredskap som är mer hållbara och selektiva. Multipots, ett redskap med ursprung i Asien, har visat lovande resultat i Danmark och kan potentiellt erbjuda lösningar även för det svenska fisket. Samtidigt finns behov av att förstå redskapets fångstbarhet även på målarter i det svenska kustfisket i Östersjön och specifikt innefattande skyddsvärda arter som europeisk ål och invasiva arter som svartmunnad smörbult. 

Mer information

Prioritet i projektet ges till studenter som är bekanta med dataanalys och som är bekväma med att arbeta i Excel och R samt sammanställa data från myndighetskällor och i projekt 2 till studenter med fältvana och erfarenhet av beteende och filmanalys.

Projektet är en del i ett pågående större EU-projekt och på uppdrag av Jordbruksverket.

Läs mer om EU-projektet ”Promoting commercial fishing of Round Goby in the Baltic Sea”.

Kontakt

Är du intresserad av projektet tveka inte att höra av dig till:
Peter Ljungberg, Institutionen för akvatiska resurser, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet
Peter.ljungberg@slu.se, +46 (0) 10-478 41 72

Hannes Hall, Marint centrum i Simrishamn
Hannes.Hall@simrishamn.se, +46 (0) 414-81 90 69

Master’s Project (30/60 credits) in Biology

We provide a unique opportunity to be part of a research project addressing the habitat requirements of a rare and threatened fish species, the Asp (Leuciscus aspius, L.). The results will be used for developing various conservation measures in regulated rivers and adjacent lake habitats where Asp is present. Part of the work will consist of field work, mainly in Lake Mälaren. The student will learn several specific skills connected to the methods used (e.g. boat electrofishing and beach seine) as well as general skills such as how to perform statistical analyses, write a report and communicate results. 

Background

Loss of biodiversity is a key challenge and one of the most important global concerns. Freshwater fishes are one of the most threatened organism groups, particularly fish species that need to migrate from one habitat to another to fulfil their life-history. One example of such a species is the Asp (Leuciscus aspius), a threatened fish depending on both riverine and lake habitats and for which maintained connectivity is a crucial issue. Asp is a large-bodied piscivorous cyprinid that mainly lives in systems where they can find suitable rivers draining into large and productive lakes. There is a significant lack of knowledge regarding several aspects of the life-history, ecology and behaviour of Asp.

Hydropower installations, dams and other structures prevent Asp from migrating and getting access to important spawning and recruitment areas and can be hypothesised to be highly negative for the species and a significant factor contributing to its poor status. The project seeks to investigate to what degree that access to high-quality nursery areas is an important bottleneck for the Asp populations. To test this, it is essential to quantify the distribution of Asp recruitment areas and to identify the requirements of the species during juvenile stages. This will make it possible to analyze if recruitment habitats limit Asp production and further to what extent it is possible to develop cost-efficient measures to enhance access to spawning and recruitment areas as well as measures that restore such essential habitats. The project will perform targeted field studies using boat electro-fishing, beach seine and tagging of juvenile Asp with acoustic transmitters which can be tracked by a network of acoustic receivers.

Research Questions

• Which habitats are the most important for the recruitment of Asp?
• What habitat improving measures are the most suitable for conservation of Asp?

Methods

The project will be carried out through field studies in Lake Mälaren and some of its tributaries. A range of activities could be included in a thesis:

• Performing surveys targeting juvenile Asp using a beach seine
• Assisting in field surveys using boat electrofishing
• Tagging young Asp with acoustic receivers
• Analysing data on the distribution and movements of young Asp

When?

Field work will be carried out in spring, summer and early autumn of 2026.

Scope and flexibility?

The exact methods and scope of the project will depend on the time available for the student (30 or 60 credits) and what time of the year the thesis could be conducted (spring, summer or autumn 2026). Vast datasets will be collected from Lake Mälaren, thus it is also possible for students to explore other research questions. 

Opportunities for Students

This project offers a chance to take part of field work in a rich and unique environment. You will develop valuable skills in sampling, analysis, and communication. The project collaborates with regional stakeholders and partners and thus constitutes an opportunity to meet people outside academia. The project’s findings could contribute to the conservation of a vulnerable fish species.

Research consortium

This project is funded via SVC (Svenskt centrum för hållbar vattenkraft) and ran by SLU and the Department of Aquatic resources (Drottningholm) together with the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies (Umeå). The researchers work in close collaboration with local stakeholders (Mälarenergi, fishermen in Lake Mälaren), regional authorities (Länsstyrelsen in Uppsala) as well as other regional partners (Upplandsstiftelsen and Sigtuna Naturskola).

Contact

For more information and applications, contact:
Alfred Sandström, alfred.sandstrom@slu.se, +46 761 268 129
Joacim Näslund, Joacim.naslund@slu.se
Daniel Palm, Daniel.palm@slu.se

Master’s Project (30/60 credits) in Biology

This project provides a unique opportunity to be part of a research project addressing the movement ecology of a rare and threatened fish species, the Asp (Leuciscus aspius, L.). The results will be used for developing various conservation measures in regulated rivers and adjacent lake habitats where Asp is present. Part of the work will consist of field work, mainly in one of Lake Mälarens tributaries. The student will learn several specific skills connected to the methods used (e.g. acoustic telemetry and fish tagging) as well as general skills such as how to perform statistical analyses, write a report and communicate results. 

Background

Loss of biodiversity is a key challenge and one of the most important global concerns. Freshwater fishes are one of the most threatened organism groups, particularly fish species that need to migrate from one habitat to another to fulfil their life-history. One example of such a species is the Asp (Leuciscus aspius), a threatened fish depending on both riverine and lake habitats and for which maintained connectivity is a crucial issue. Asp is a large-bodied piscivorous cyprinid that mainly lives in systems where they can find suitable rivers draining into large and productive lakes. There is a significant lack of knowledge regarding several aspects of the life-history, ecology and behaviour of Asp.

Hydropower installations, dams and other structures prevent Asp from migrating and getting access to important spawning and recruitment areas and can be hypothesised to be highly negative for the species and a significant factor contributing to its poor status. The project seeks to evaluate up- and downstream passage efficiency of adult Asp during spawning migration. We hypothesize that passage efficiency of adult Asp is partly obstructed in the current fish passages and that there is a potential to develop fish passage solutions better adapted for the species. By tracking the movement of individually tagged adult Asp that passes a hydroelectric barrier, we will evaluate up- and downstream passage efficiency and migration delay and -survival.

Research Questions

• To what extent is up- and downstream passage efficiency of Asp obstructed by fish migration installations?
• What migration improving measures assisting fish to pass various barriers are the most suitable for Asp?

Methods

The project will be carried out in one of Lake Mälarens tributaries. A range of activities could be included in a thesis:

• Tagging Asp with acoustic receivers
• Tracking the migration of Asp with acoustic telemetry

When?

Field work will be carried out in spring, summer and early autumn of 2026.

Scope and flexibility?

The exact methods and scope of the project will depend on the time available for the student (30, or 60 credits) and what time of the year the thesis could be conducted (spring, summer or autumn 2026). There are already vast datasets from tracking of asp using acoustic telemetry in Lake Mälaren, thus it is also possible for students to explore other research questions connected to Asp migration. 

Opportunities for Students

This project offers a chance to conduct field work in a rich and unique environment. You will develop valuable skills in acoustic telemetry, a prolific method that has gained increased attention by biologists in recent years. The project collaborates with regional stakeholders and partners and thus constitutes an opportunity to meet people outside academia. The project’s findings could contribute to the conservation of a vulnerable fish species.

Research consortium

This project is funded via SVC (Svenskt centrum för hållbar vattenkraft) and ran by SLU and the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies (Umeå) together with the Department of Aquatic resources (Drottningholm) The researchers work in close collaboration with local stakeholders (Mälarenergi, fishermen in Lake Mälaren), regional authorities (Länsstyrelsen in Uppsala) as well as other regional partners (Upplandsstiftelsen and Sigtuna Naturskola).

Contact

Daniel Palm, Daniel.palm@slu.se
Gustav Hellström, gustav.hellstrom@slu.se
Alfred Sandström, alfred.sandstrom@slu.se

15-30-60 points

Background

Biodiversity degradation has caused a growing and urgent need for coastal marine restoration. In Sweden, the number of high-quality habitats for marine and coastal species has been steadily declining with no marine habitats achieving favourable conservation status in the most recent status update. The need for measures to reduce negative effects on ecosystems is recognised by the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), which aims to halt biodiversity and habitat loss across the EU by restoring at least 30% of the total area of marine habitat types not in good condition by 2030, and at least 60% by 2040. To achieve this we need to know where restoration is needed and what measures will be most effective. 

The project

There are several parts to this project that can be done independently depending on your interests and the skills you would like to develop.

Review of indicators for restoration measures

So far, guidelines for determining and measuring restoration success, e.g. Society of Ecological Restoration indicators, have not been implemented in a Swedish marine context. This is a literature review to collate information on potentially useful indicators (ecological, social and economic) from scientific and grey literature and develop an assessment criteria for these indicators, for example are they applicable across different types of restoration, spatial and time scales, communicable, flexible across restoration goals, addressed cumulative effects, consistent with national and EU reporting. This work can be taken further by surveying practitioners, managers and scientists to assess their responses on how useful the indicators are for different projects. These results will be used to develop guidelines for use of the indicators for different restoration contexts.

Mapping natural values and pressures

Appropriate site selection for restoration is essential to long-term success and to prioritise restoration measures on a national scale. This study involves collating maps of natural values and pressures from multiple sources along the Swedish coast and will require communication with other Universities, County Boards and Municipalities to obtain information. This project requires prior experience with GIS and being comfortable working with spatial information. You will need to be based at the Ultuna campus. You will develop methods for identifying areas with high nature values and areas with potentially high nature values, but that are negatively affected by pressures. This work can be taken further by developing methods for validating the maps with stakeholders. This work will help identify and prioritise areas for coastal marine restoration efforts. 

Contact

Carolyn Faithfull, Forskare
Institutionen för akvatiska resurser, Ekosystemanalys
carolyn.faithfull@slu.se, +46104784174