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Biological diversity

Biodiversity is an umbrella term for the varied forms of life on earth. This variation is displayed both at genetic level and between species and ecosystems. Declining biodiversity is, however, one of the most serious global environmental problems today.

It is important to conserve the biodiversity for coming generations since preservation of biological diversity is one of the fundamental principles for sustainable development. A number of national and international political decisions and commitments focus on biodiversity protection and management, for example the Swedish national governmental goals for the environment, the EU Habitat Directive and the Rio Convention. For the political goals to be achievable, however, research and scientific syntheses are urgent.

We need to increase knowledge of what the biodiversity looks like, which processes are important and which factors that may have an affect on the biodiversity. It is also important to develop scientific reliable indicators that shows how biodiversity changes over time. At TMBL there are several research projects with connection to marine biodiversity.

Contact Person:
Anita Tullrot

Areas of interest:

  • increase knowledge on evolution and how new species develop in marine environment,
  • increase knowledge on the importance on genetic variation in the marine environment,
  • increase knowledge on the processes that generates and conserve biodiversity in the marine environment,
  • mapping of the biodiversity and the kinships between populations in the marine environment,
  • develop indicators of coastal marine biodiversity,
  • define cause-effect relationships of threats and effects on marine biodiversity both on population- and genetic level,
  • design guidelines for the management of marine biodiversity in the coastal region.

Projects related to Biodiversity at TMBL

 

Running PhD programs related to Biodiversity at TMBL

  1. Marine biodiversity and ecosystem function in shallow ecosystems. Lars Gamfeldt, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Per Jonsson and Mats Lindegarth.
  2. Evolution of Reproductive Barriers. Johan Hollander, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Kerstin Johannesson.
  3. Lophelia pertusa - its distribution, development, significance and threats in Sweden. Lisbeth Jonsson, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Kerstin Johannesson.
  4. The role of inversion polymorphism in sustaining adaptive differences between two sympatric morphs of a marine snail, Littorina fabalis, and its potential implications for sympatric speciation.Petri Kemppainen, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Kerstin Johannesson.
  5. Conservation biology of Eelgrass. Björn Källström, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Carl André.
  6. Conservation genetics of Littorina saxatilis. Tuuli Mäkinen, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Carl André.
  7. Biodiversity in shallow soft bottoms. Katja Norén. Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Mats Lindegarth
  8. Microscale genetic variation in two polymorphic systems in marine snail, Littorina saxatilis. Marina Panova. Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, supervisor Kerstin Johannesson.
  9. Title coming soon. Malin Strand. Dept Zoology/Zoomorphology, Göteborg University, supervisor Per Sundberg.

Honours projects related to Biodiversity at TMBL (in Swedish)

Industrial interest and regional effects
In 1992 the governments of the world made a binding commitment in the form of a Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), intended to conserve life in all its diverse forms here on earth. The convention is an attempt by the global community to come to grips with the serious problems caused by loss of habitat, species and genetic diversity. It came into force in December 1993 and is now ratified of over 170 states. This makes it one of the most extensive international agreements ever reached.

The European Union has also acceded to the Convention on Biodiversity. The two EC directives on nature conservation (the Bird Directive and the Habitat Directive) are important instruments in this field. At the moment the EU is building a network of special areas of interest, called Natura 2000, which is one of the most important measure for conserving biodiversity in the EU. The goal is to protect important habitats and species. The marine habitats listed are: Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time, Estuaries, Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide, Coastal lagoons, Large shallow inlets and bays, and Reefs.

All member states, including Sweden, must carry out appropriate conservation measures for the habitats listed, in purpose to conserve the habitats and the species in viable populations. At TMBL research and competence development in marine biodiversity is carried out in order to increase knowledge on what measures that are needed to conserve the biodiversity in the coastal regions.

 

Network
CUD - Centre for Under Water Documentation

Persons active within Biodiversity at TMBL

  1. Prof. Kerstin Johannesson,Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  2. Associate Prof. Carl André, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  3. Associate Prof. Mats Lindegarth, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  4. Dr. Thomas Dahlgren, WHOI and Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  5. Dr. Annelie Lindgren, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  6. Dr. Per Nilsson, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  7. Dr. Anita Tullrot, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  8. Dr. Matti Åhlund, TMBL and Dept Zoology, Göteborg University
  9. Dr. h.c. Hans G Hansson, TMBL, Göteborg University
  10. Res. Eng. Dr. Benno Jönsson, TMBL, Göteborg University
  11. Res. Eng. Jan Karlsson, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  12. Res. Eng. Tomas Lundälv, TMBL, Göteborg University
  13. Ph D student Christin Appleqvist, TMBL, Göteborg University
  14. Ph D student Lars Gamfeldt, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  15. Ph D student Johan Hollander, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  16. Ph D student Lisbeth Jonsson, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  17. Ph D student Petri Kemppainen, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  18. Ph D student Björn Källström, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  19. Ph D student Tuuli Mäkinen, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  20. Ph D student Katja Norén Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  21. Ph D student Marina Panova, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  22. Ph D student Malin Strand. Dept Zoology/Zoomorphology, Göteborg University, supervisor Per Sundberg
  23. Ph D student Anette Ungfors, Dept Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
  24. Proj. Ass. Erika Norlinder, TMBL, Göteborg University
  25. Proj. Ass. Johan Wallén, TMBL, Göteborg University
  26. Illustrator Helena Samuelsson, TMBL, Göteborg University

 

Other web sites of interest:

Contact Person:
Anita Tullrot

This project is part-financed by the European Union, The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Internal pages for the Biodiversity working group
(in Swedish)

Last updated 050113, Eva.Marie.Rodstrom@tmbl.gu.se