A new paper in Biogeosciences demonstrates the role of topography for formation of hypoxia in coastal areas. In cooperation with researchers from Finnish Environment Institute, University of Helsinki and the Baltic Sea Centre, we have developed a model to identify areas prone to hypoxia. Hypoxia is an increasing problem in marine ecosystems around the world. […]
Nip in the bud- eDNA for early detection of deadly infectious disease
New article. eDNA detects schistostomiasis (snail fever), the second largest cause of death in the world after malaria. The article presents a paradigm shift in moving from disease control to elimination. An international team, including a researcher from AquaBiota, has published a research article in PNAS showing that eDNA detects schistosomiasis at an early stage […]
State-of the-art methods to increase knowledge of response to climate change in the Baltic Sea
A new study integrates experimental data and distribution models to predict species patterns under future climate conditions. Predictive species distribution models are mostly based on statistical dependence between environmental and distributional data and therefore may fail to account for physiological limits and biological interactions that are fundamental when modelling species distributions under future climate conditions. […]
DNA-based identification of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) individuals from snow tracks
During a three-year period, methods for DNA-based identification of individuals of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from snow tracks will be developed. Newly developed DNA-collection and extraction methods will be used to analyse DNA from snow tracks to identify individuals and sex. The advantage of the method is that identification can be made without taking physical […]
Introduced species might cause major costs to society
Alien species can have a negative effect on the functioning of ecosystems, and thereby deteriorate the ecosystem services provided by nature. Deep sediments cover large parts of the Baltic Sea. They provide important functions, such as decomposition of organic matter and recirculation of nutrients. Since the 1990ies these habitats have undergone a radical change. An […]
AquaBiota now a member of a scientific committee for eDNA development
Micaela Hellström from AquaBiota is now a member of the scientific committee in the five year EU project called Developing new genetic tools for bioassessment of aquatic ecosystems in Europe (COST Action CA15219). The project is also called DNAqua-Net (http://dnaqua.net/) and deals with the implementation and refinement of environmental DNA (eDNA) according to the EU-Water […]
Marine ecosystem services: from ecological function to economic value
The final report of the VALUES project is now available (Nyström Sandman et.al. 2017). VALUES is a part of the research program “the value of ecosystem services”, funded by the Swedish EPA. This is the only project in the program with a marine focus. Through in-depth studies of two separate marine habitats, the VALUES project […]
Recommendations for design of monitoring programs
AquaBiota have conducted a compilation and review of monitoring programs for offshore wind power, financed by the scientific program Vindval. The report aims to answer the project objectives regarding review and evaluation of existing monitoring programs, list the environmental impacts identified, and to make recommendations for design of future monitoring programs. Wind farms in different […]