Research topic

Conservation ecology

Erik Framstad

Main scientific experience covers population and habitat ecology of small mammals in boreal forests and mountain ecosystems. Applied research and consultancy work includes studies and assessments of boreal forest ecology, protected areas, ecological effects of agriculture and forestry on species and ecosystems, environmental impact assessments of infrastructure development projects, as well as assessments, indicators and monitoring of terrestrial biodiversity.

Main administrative experience covers management of NINA's research department in Oslo over > 25 yrs, as well as coordination of terrestrial ecosystem monitoring and major research projects and programmes on boreal forests or cultural landscapes.


Show full profile of Erik Framstad

Egil Bendiksen

Botany, mycology, forest ecology, environmental gradients in forest, species and area management, threatened and vulnerable species


Show full profile of Egil Bendiksen

Tor Erik Brandrud

Mycology (Taxonomy and Ecology of Mycorrhizal Fungi), Ecology of Aquatic macrophytes (Higer Plants and Mosses, including Aquatic Weeds; Effect Studies and Management), Vegetation ecology, Acidification Research, Nature conservancy and management (freshwater and terrestrial anvironments), Biodiversity


Show full profile of Tor Erik Brandrud

Rannveig Margrete Jacobsen

Forests, ecological entomology, species interactions, decomposition, dead wood, alien species


Show full profile of Rannveig Margrete Jacobsen

Marianne Evju

plant ecology, monitoring of biodiversity, nature types, demography and population dynamics, plant-herbivore interactions


Show full profile of Marianne Evju

Jenni Nordén

Community ecology, ecosystem ecology, spatial ecology, fungal ecology, dispersal ecology, population dynamics, conservation biology, trait ecology, functional ecology, forest ecology, soil ecology, evolutionary biology, decomposer fungi, environmental DNA, climate change, land use change, forest management.


Show full profile of Jenni Nordén

Björn Nordén

I am a forest ecologist and conservation scientist, and an expert in the biodiversity of temperate deciduous forest (edelløvskog), the worlds’ most degraded biome. Since there is so little left of the temperate deciduous forest, restoration is necessary, and I have led several projects on experimental evaluation of restoration measures at various scales, from creation of microhabitats to release cutting and landscape effects.

There is a strong tendency of taxonomic bias within conservation, meaning that nearly all interest is focused on a few taxa such as large animals and vascular plants, while hyper-diverse taxa such as fungi and insects are often neglected. I therefore engage in both basic exploration of biodiversity within hyper-diverse taxa, and study the effects of habitat loss, management et c on multiple taxa, including plants, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, and various insect groups. As a trained mycologist, I have over 30 years professional experience and a long list of publications on the biodiversity, ecology, taxonomy and conservation of Ascomycota, including lichenized species. Knowledge on species identification and taxonomy of hyper-diverse taxa are essential for such studies, but highly threatened and decreasing skills worldwide. My own taxonomic expertise is within pyrenomycetoid ascomycetes, especially those associated with living trees and dead wood, and I have described several species new to science from the Nordic countries.

Starting with my PhD, I have also published several papers on dispersal ecology, effects of habitat continuity, and the use of Indicator species, especially concerning cryptogams.


Show full profile of Björn Nordén

Jon Hamner Magerøy

I have extensive experience with research on and monitoring of freshwater mussels in Norway, Canada and the USA. Research topics include habitat requirements, genetics, human impacts and ecosystem services, among others. As a part of this work, I have also studied confirmed and potential host fish for mussels. Therefore, I have gained experience with a variety of freshwater fish, both through experiments and field work. During my Ph.D., I worked on evolutionary theories on parasites that castrate their hosts. Specifically, I worked on a bacterium that castrates water fleas (daphnia).

Through my work on freshwater mussels I have also become a member of the IUCN mollusc specialist group (Molluscs), member of the management committee for the research network CONFREMUS (confremus.eu), which is a COST network for freshwater mussels in Europe, and member of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS).


Show full profile of Jon Hamner Magerøy

Manuela Panzacchi

movement ecology, spatial ecology, GPS data, habitat selection, ungulates, carnivores, human-wildlife conflicts, sustainable development, adaptive management, reindeer


Show full profile of Manuela Panzacchi

Zander Venter

Remote sensing (satellite and aerial), vegetation ecology, ecosystem services, pollution, GIS


Show full profile of Zander Venter

Anders Lyngstad


Show full profile of Anders Lyngstad

Thomas Kvalnes

  • Ornitology, birds
  • Species determination birds
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Conservation biology
  • Life history theory
  • Demography
  • Eco-evolutionary dynamics
  • Population dynamics
  • Population ecology
  • Population genetics
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Statistical modeling
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)


Show full profile of Thomas Kvalnes

Line Elisabeth Sundt-Hansen

 Skilled in Freshwater ecology, salmonid biology, Biodiversity, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Awareness, Conservation Issues, and Marine Biology. Strong research professional with a Master's degree focused in Marine Biology and a PhD in salmonid ecology from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). 

Research on ecology, physiology and behavior of salmonids. Extensive experience in planning and executing experimental research projects in laboratory, semi-natural environments and in nature. Experience in assessing cost of rapid growth (applied and evolutionary) in salmonids and ecological risk assessment of transgenic salmon. Experience from research on salmonids in regulated rivers and effect of hydropower development. Experience from reserach on ecosystem effects of invasive non-native and native salmonids. Experience in development and use of individual based population model, IB-salmon, and statistical analyses of Atlantic salmon population data.

Show full profile of Line Elisabeth Sundt-Hansen

Arild Magne Landa

  • Conservation biology and monitoring of large northern terrestrial carnivores and ungulates.
  • Fragmented populations and carnivore predation on livestock.
  • Captive breeding and restoration (arctic fox)/conservation efforts.
  • Interrelationships carnivores/prey.
  • Radio telemetry on mammals.
  • Fieldwork in high Arctic/Alpine ecosystems.
  • Interpretation of scientific philosophy and research results in popular media.
  • Promotion of communications within the scientific community on national and international levels.
  • Leadership and administrative skills.
  • Experience in project planning and management.
  • Good fundraising skills.

Show full profile of Arild Magne Landa

John Durrus Linnell

Ecology, behaviour, population dynamics and conservation of carnivores and wild ungulates. Conservation of species that cause conflicts with humans. Ecology – social science interdisciplinarity.


Show full profile of John Durrus Linnell

Erling Johan Solberg

Major research experience includes: Research in population ecology of cervids (moose, roe deer, red deer and reindeer), particularly related to management topics. Research in population dynamics of fragmented populations of house sparrows, in relation to current conservation biological problems.


Show full profile of Erling Johan Solberg

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About NINA

The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) is Norway’s leading institution for applied ecological research.

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Contact us

 P.O. Box 5685 Torgarden,
     NO-7485 Trondheim

 Phone +47 73 80 14 00
 E-mail: firmapost@nina.no

Conservation ecology

Erik Framstad

Main scientific experience covers population and habitat ecology of small mammals in boreal forests and mountain ecosystems. Applied research and consultancy work includes studies and assessments of boreal forest ecology, protected areas, ecological effects of agriculture and forestry on species and ecosystems, environmental impact assessments of infrastructure development projects, as well as assessments, indicators and monitoring of terrestrial biodiversity.

Main administrative experience covers management of NINA's research department in Oslo over > 25 yrs, as well as coordination of terrestrial ecosystem monitoring and major research projects and programmes on boreal forests or cultural landscapes.


Show full profile of Erik Framstad

Egil Bendiksen

Botany, mycology, forest ecology, environmental gradients in forest, species and area management, threatened and vulnerable species


Show full profile of Egil Bendiksen

Tor Erik Brandrud

Mycology (Taxonomy and Ecology of Mycorrhizal Fungi), Ecology of Aquatic macrophytes (Higer Plants and Mosses, including Aquatic Weeds; Effect Studies and Management), Vegetation ecology, Acidification Research, Nature conservancy and management (freshwater and terrestrial anvironments), Biodiversity


Show full profile of Tor Erik Brandrud

Rannveig Margrete Jacobsen

Forests, ecological entomology, species interactions, decomposition, dead wood, alien species


Show full profile of Rannveig Margrete Jacobsen

Marianne Evju

plant ecology, monitoring of biodiversity, nature types, demography and population dynamics, plant-herbivore interactions


Show full profile of Marianne Evju

Jenni Nordén

Community ecology, ecosystem ecology, spatial ecology, fungal ecology, dispersal ecology, population dynamics, conservation biology, trait ecology, functional ecology, forest ecology, soil ecology, evolutionary biology, decomposer fungi, environmental DNA, climate change, land use change, forest management.


Show full profile of Jenni Nordén

Björn Nordén

I am a forest ecologist and conservation scientist, and an expert in the biodiversity of temperate deciduous forest (edelløvskog), the worlds’ most degraded biome. Since there is so little left of the temperate deciduous forest, restoration is necessary, and I have led several projects on experimental evaluation of restoration measures at various scales, from creation of microhabitats to release cutting and landscape effects.

There is a strong tendency of taxonomic bias within conservation, meaning that nearly all interest is focused on a few taxa such as large animals and vascular plants, while hyper-diverse taxa such as fungi and insects are often neglected. I therefore engage in both basic exploration of biodiversity within hyper-diverse taxa, and study the effects of habitat loss, management et c on multiple taxa, including plants, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, and various insect groups. As a trained mycologist, I have over 30 years professional experience and a long list of publications on the biodiversity, ecology, taxonomy and conservation of Ascomycota, including lichenized species. Knowledge on species identification and taxonomy of hyper-diverse taxa are essential for such studies, but highly threatened and decreasing skills worldwide. My own taxonomic expertise is within pyrenomycetoid ascomycetes, especially those associated with living trees and dead wood, and I have described several species new to science from the Nordic countries.

Starting with my PhD, I have also published several papers on dispersal ecology, effects of habitat continuity, and the use of Indicator species, especially concerning cryptogams.


Show full profile of Björn Nordén

Jon Hamner Magerøy

I have extensive experience with research on and monitoring of freshwater mussels in Norway, Canada and the USA. Research topics include habitat requirements, genetics, human impacts and ecosystem services, among others. As a part of this work, I have also studied confirmed and potential host fish for mussels. Therefore, I have gained experience with a variety of freshwater fish, both through experiments and field work. During my Ph.D., I worked on evolutionary theories on parasites that castrate their hosts. Specifically, I worked on a bacterium that castrates water fleas (daphnia).

Through my work on freshwater mussels I have also become a member of the IUCN mollusc specialist group (Molluscs), member of the management committee for the research network CONFREMUS (confremus.eu), which is a COST network for freshwater mussels in Europe, and member of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS).


Show full profile of Jon Hamner Magerøy

Manuela Panzacchi

movement ecology, spatial ecology, GPS data, habitat selection, ungulates, carnivores, human-wildlife conflicts, sustainable development, adaptive management, reindeer


Show full profile of Manuela Panzacchi

Zander Venter

Remote sensing (satellite and aerial), vegetation ecology, ecosystem services, pollution, GIS


Show full profile of Zander Venter

Anders Lyngstad


Show full profile of Anders Lyngstad

Thomas Kvalnes

  • Ornitology, birds
  • Species determination birds
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Conservation biology
  • Life history theory
  • Demography
  • Eco-evolutionary dynamics
  • Population dynamics
  • Population ecology
  • Population genetics
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Statistical modeling
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)


Show full profile of Thomas Kvalnes

Line Elisabeth Sundt-Hansen

 Skilled in Freshwater ecology, salmonid biology, Biodiversity, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Awareness, Conservation Issues, and Marine Biology. Strong research professional with a Master's degree focused in Marine Biology and a PhD in salmonid ecology from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). 

Research on ecology, physiology and behavior of salmonids. Extensive experience in planning and executing experimental research projects in laboratory, semi-natural environments and in nature. Experience in assessing cost of rapid growth (applied and evolutionary) in salmonids and ecological risk assessment of transgenic salmon. Experience from research on salmonids in regulated rivers and effect of hydropower development. Experience from reserach on ecosystem effects of invasive non-native and native salmonids. Experience in development and use of individual based population model, IB-salmon, and statistical analyses of Atlantic salmon population data.

Show full profile of Line Elisabeth Sundt-Hansen

Arild Magne Landa

  • Conservation biology and monitoring of large northern terrestrial carnivores and ungulates.
  • Fragmented populations and carnivore predation on livestock.
  • Captive breeding and restoration (arctic fox)/conservation efforts.
  • Interrelationships carnivores/prey.
  • Radio telemetry on mammals.
  • Fieldwork in high Arctic/Alpine ecosystems.
  • Interpretation of scientific philosophy and research results in popular media.
  • Promotion of communications within the scientific community on national and international levels.
  • Leadership and administrative skills.
  • Experience in project planning and management.
  • Good fundraising skills.

Show full profile of Arild Magne Landa

John Durrus Linnell

Ecology, behaviour, population dynamics and conservation of carnivores and wild ungulates. Conservation of species that cause conflicts with humans. Ecology – social science interdisciplinarity.


Show full profile of John Durrus Linnell

Erling Johan Solberg

Major research experience includes: Research in population ecology of cervids (moose, roe deer, red deer and reindeer), particularly related to management topics. Research in population dynamics of fragmented populations of house sparrows, in relation to current conservation biological problems.


Show full profile of Erling Johan Solberg

Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

NINA is an independent foundation for nature research and research on the interaction between human society, natural resources and biodiversity.
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