Our research group focuses on studies of structure and function of high-latitude marine ecosystems. We work on a large variety of organisms, ranging from bacteria through plankton, benthic animals and parasites, to top predators such as fish and marine mammals, and often take a system-level approach. Understanding trophic interactions, life cycles and the responses of organisms to various biotic and abiotic factors including changing climate are common interests within the group. Members of our group also ecotoxicological questions.
















Our teaching activities are topics of Arctic marine ecology at the Bachelor and Master levels, and in marine ecotoxicology and pollution.
Courses and teaching activities we lead are listed below. We also contribute to other courses.
Master students are an integral part of our research group and participate actively in group meetings, both scientific and social. If you are interested in a MSc project within our research group, feel free to contact our present our recently graduated MSc students for inside information about us and their projects. Many of the master students are also parts of ongoing national and international research projects - follow the links for more information.
Information for new/upcoming MSc students
Sünnje Basedow. Biological-physical interactions, zooplankton ecology, zooplankton population dynamics, size spectrum ecology
Bluhm, Bodil. Arctic benthos, food web ecology, biodiversity, pelagic-benthic-coupling
Sophie Bourgeon. Ecotoxicology, arctic wildlife, persistent organic pollutants, microplastics, ecological physiology
Karley Campbell. Sea ice, algae, bacteria, production, phycology, climate change
Gradinger, Rolf. Phytoplankton, sea ice ecology, microphytobenthos, macroalgae, Arctic marine ecology
Molis, Markus. Intertidal ecology, species interactions, community ecology, experimental ecology
Nahrgang, Jasmine. Ecotoxicology, organic pollutants, crude oil, fish sensitive life stages, early life stages of fish
Norrbin, Fredrika. Zooplankton Ecology
Pedersen, Torstein. Ecosystem dynamics, foodwebs and fisheries, population dynamics, shallow water fish nursery areas, climate effects on the Barents Sea
Reigstad, Marit. Sub-arctic to arctic marine ecosystems, plankton, bentho-pelagic coupling, ecosystem responses to climate change
Svensen, Camilla. Zooplankton ecology, biological pump, copepod feeding and reproduction, seasonality in plankton
Koenig, Zoe Physical oceanography, bio-physical interactions, Arctic climate
Roberta Cárdenas, 2025-2026. Match-Mismatch Between Copepods and Spring Bloom in Kongsfjorden Svalbard. Advisors; Camilla Svensen, Allison Bailey (NPI)
Sanna Saur Heiland, 2025-2026. Influence of tides and light (and wind) on sea-ice algal biomass in the Arctic Ocean . Advisors: Zoe Koenig and Sebastien Moreau (NPI)
Eidvind Larsen, 2025-2026. Trophic role and local population structure of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) in Northern Norwegian fjords. Advisor: Torstein Pedersen
Laura Victoria Ramírez Nieto, 2025-2026. Impact assessment of future changes in artisanal fishing and salinity on the structure of the food web of the Coastal Lagoon Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (Magdalena,Colombia): Ecopath-Ecosim modeling. Advisor: Torstein Pedersen
Kristine Rasmussen, 2025-2026. Seasonal development of lipid reserves in overwintering Subarctic Calanus finmarchicus. Advisors: Sünnje Basedow and Camilla Svensen
Carina Kraemer, 2025-2026. Spatial variability of zooplankton and fish density in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Advisors: Estelle Coguiec, Malin Daase (UNIS), Maxime Geoffrey (MUN)
Hanna Huntscha, 2025-2026. Diversity of ice-associated fauna (>20 um) and zooplankton (>64 um) during a 20-day ice drift spring study in the high Arctic (83 degrees N). Advisors: Camilla Svensen, Miriam Marquardt
Raymond Bates, 2025-2026. Optimizing Sorus Induction and Growth of Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) in Subarctic Cultivation Systems. Advisors: Jasmine Nahrgang, Laurids Enevoldsen and Marianne Frantzen (APN)
Hannah Thommessen, 2024-2026. Pathways for toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the sentinel coastal bird species Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). Advisors: Sophie Bourgeon, Elisabeth Hansen (NINA), Dorte Herzke (NILU), Linda Hanssen (NILU).
Frida Foslund, 2024-2026. Temporal and Spatial Trends of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Great Skuas (Stercorarius skua): A Comparison Between Colonies in Finnmark (Hjelmsøya) and Svalbard (Kongsfjorden). Advisors: Sophie Bourgeon, Sveinn Are Hanssen (NINA), Børge Moe (NINA), Elisabeth Hansen (NINA).
Thea Grunwald, 2024-2026. Transcriptomic Response to Environmental Pollutants and Stress Hormones in precision-cut adipose tissue slices from marine mammals. Advisors: Sophie Bourgeon, Pierre Blevin (Akvaplan-Niva), Laura Pirard (Akvaplan-Niva).
Rae Hansen, 2024-. Meiofaunal Microbiome Nutrition & Contribution to Carbon Fixation at Arctic Methane Cold Seeps. Advisors: Arunima Sen (UNIS), Bodil Bluhm
Morten Trolsrud, 2025 - 2026. Crude oil toxicity – a close look at the major but often overlooked resin-fraction. Advisor: Jasmine Nahrgang
Bjarne Fobel, 2025 -2026. Effects of ageing and temperature on kelp tissue palatability. Advisors: Markus Molis, Karen Filbee-Dexter
Daniel Torkildsen, 2025 - 2026. Red encrusted algae as refugium for blue mussels. Advisors: Markus Molis, Henning Reiss
Sarah Tichawa (Lund University), 2025 - 2026. Effects of irradiance and ageing period on palatability of fragmental kelp detritus of different sources. Advisors: Markus Molis, Erik Selander
Anni Joamets, 2025. Overwintering Calanus in Ullsfjorden.
Emma Forss, 2025. Investigating the effect of reduced salinity on the productivity and photophysiology of the sea ice algae Melosira arctica.
Florence Rappin, 2024. Winter grazing of copepods at the polar front.
Lorenz Schick, 2024. Seasonal variation of marine snow at the polar front.
Marthe Fivelsad, 2025. Plastic-related chemicals associated with polymers and their effects on thyroid hormones in fledglings of Northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from Svalbard.
Guro Bang Synnes, 2025. Effects of future temperature conditions on shallow water coastal ecosystems.
Ida Søhol, 2024. Characterizing Ridge fauna in the Central Arctic Ocean.
Ricarda Cremer, 2024. Physiological impact of waterborne crude oil exposure to reproducing polar cod.
Apasiri Klasmeier, 2024. Larval feeding ecology of polar cod in the Greenland Sea.
Hanna Dinevik, 2024. Longevity and growth of the brittle star Ophiopleura borealis from the Barents Sea and NE Greenland.
Frederike Hoppmann, 2024. Effects of river runoff on intertidal benthic communities, biodiversity and food webs.
August Kristiansen, 2024. Mapping and assessing eelgrass (Zostera marina) distribution and growth parameters in two Ramsar-sites.
Octavia Wistnes Mørch, 2024. Interactions between 0-group Saithe and 0-group coastal cod in shallow nursery area.
Megan Lenss, 2024. Phytoplankton bloom dynamics and ocean biogeochemistry in Dronning Maud Land of the Southern Ocean.
Emilie Os-Trandem, 2024. Assessment of the levels of organohalogenated contaminants in the eggs of two Arctic seabird species and the effect on eggshell thickness.
André Marhaug, 2024. Investigating plastic-induced fibrosis (plasticosis) in Northern Fulmar fledglings (Fulmarus glacialis) from Svalbard.
Sanne L'Abee-Lund, 2024. Climate-driven reconfiguration of coastal food webs. sla186@post.uit.no.
Emily Reast, 2024. Seasonal changes of benthic microalgal photoacclimation in the summer to mid-winter transition period at high latitudes.
Tassawer Hussain, 2023. Seasonal patterns of the annual vertical flux of carbon in the Northern Barents Sea.
Victoria Eggen Sellæg, 2023. Drivers of uncommon unimodal vertical pattern in size distribution of intertidal blue mussels (Mytilus spp.).
Anita Holmgren, 2023. Coping with change: The role of environmental parameters for Calanus lipid storage in Northeast Greenland fjords.
Angelo Ciambelli, 2023. Seasonal and spatial distribution and diversity of gelatinous zooplankton in the northern Barents Sea.
Katrine Hessen, 2023. Evaluation of effects of bycatch of cod juveniles in the Norwegian fishery for Calanus finmarchicus.
Vegard Hundeide Magnussen, 2023. Physiological impact of waterborne crude oil exposure to reproducing polar cod.
Nienke de Boer, 2023. Effects of waterborne crude oil on the mRNA expression of key genes in reproducing polar cod.
Silje Mortensen, 2023. Effects of future variability in krill abundance on fishery catches and a hypothetical krill fishery in the Barents Sea
Torkel Granaas, 2023. Estimating secondary production and egg production of Calanus spp. at the Polar Front
Truls Pedersen, 2023. Future effects of climate scenarios on the cod and haddock biomass and catches in the Barents Sea.
Kristin Galtung, 2023. Uptake and leakage of additives from car tyre rubber in marine invertebrates.
Nathalie Calvet, 2023. Distribution changes of marine gastropods in the Barents Sea over the last century.
Marta Prieto del Campo, 2023. Biotic and abiotic drivers of barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) recruitment onto a sub-Arctic intertidal rocky shore
Haakon Winge Hjertaas, 2023. Size composition, reproductive investment, and fecundity of red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) in Finnmark fjords, 1994-2022
Thomas Courtin, 2022. Temporal trends in mercury concentrations in eggs of Tawny owl (Strix aluco) from Central Norway between 1986-2019: influence of dietary ecological parameters and climate variables.Tiziana Durazzano, 2023-2027. Functional traits of copepods in the Barents Sea. Main supervisor: Camilla Svensen, co-supervisors: Andre Visser (DTU-Aqua), Janne Søreide (UNIS), Haakon Hop (NPI)
Abigail Chapman, 2023-2027. Reproductive toxicity and transgenerational effects of petroleum mixtures in fish. Main supervisor: Jasmine Nahrgang
Marta Prieto del Campo, 2024-2028. Freshwater and temperature modulated predator-prey interactions in high-latitude rocky intertidal. Main supervisor: Markus Molis co-supervisor: Frank Melzner (GEOMAR Kiel, Germany)
Christine Dybwad, 2023. What sinks in the seasonal sea-ice zone? Seasonal patterns and composition of downward carbon export in a changing Arctic Ocean. Main supervisors: Marit Reigstad, co-supervisors: Paul Renaud (APN/UNIS), Catherine Lalande
Elisabeth Hansen, 2023. Physiological and ecological effects of organic and inorganic contaminants in marine and terrestrial raptor species. Main supervisor: Sophie Bourgeon

Research vessels
Land-based infrastructure
Havbruksstasjonen (marine research facility)
Skibotn field station
Lab infrastructure