Lectures by SLU´s senior environmental assessment specialists 2022

Anna Lundhagen, pro-vice-chancellor responsible for collaboration and environmental monitoring and assessment, will introduce and sum up the day.

9 a.m. Efficient e-infrastructure key in biologging and big data analyses of wild animals

• Lecturer: Holger Dettki, Researcher at the SLU Swedish Species Information Centre. 
• Moderator: Pernilla Christensen, Environmental monitoring and assessment specialist at the Department of Forest Resource Management.

Remote monitoring of animals with sensors and telemetry – usually called biologging – is about putting sensors on animals to study their behavior or physiology from a distance. The amounts of data generated increase exponentially, which places demands on data management and at the same time provides opportunities for large-scale data analysis of so called big data.

In his lecture, senior environmental assessment specialist Holger Dettki will outline requirements, potential pitfalls and possible solutions for a successful biologging e-infrastructure in animal ecology, in the next decade. The examples will be based on the e-infrastructure Wireless Remote Animal Monitoring (WRAM) at SLU. Holger Dettki will also describe how this infrastructure connects its data with the Swedish Biodiversity Data Infrastructure (SBDI), where SLU is an important partner.

10 a.m. DNA as a tool for sustainable management and conservation of fish populations

• Lecturer: Stefan Palm, Researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU.
• Moderator: Anna Gårdmark, Professor at the Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU.

Population genetic analyses of fish and shellfish are becoming an increasingly established method within SLU's Environmental monitoring and assessment, with great future potential. DNA variation can, for example, show how species are divided into genetically distinct populations, which constitutes important basic knowledge for conservation and sustainable resource management. It is also possible to study how human activities, such as fish releases, affect intraspecific genetic variation.

Stefan Palm, senior environmental analysis specialist at SLU, begins with a short subject introduction, followed by some examples from his work with genetic analyses linked to environmental and aquatic resource monitoring. The presentation ends with a look into the future.

11 a.m. How many fish are in the sea? Stock analysis of coastal fish for sustainable management

• Lecturer: Stefan Larsson, Environmental Assessment Specialist at the Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU.
• Moderator: Anna Gårdmark, Professor at the Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU.

To investigate the status of coastal fish stocks, SLU collects data via annual test fishing, from commercial and recreational fishing and from various research projects. Collected data is analysed to increase our knowledge on the role of fish in the ecosystem and on how humans and the environment affect coastal fish stocks. This knowledge forms the basis for SLU’s advice to authorities on how fish stocks can be sustainably used and managed.

Stefan Larsson, senior environmental analysis specialist at SLU, will in his lecture give both forward and backward views on the status of coastal fish. This, among other things, through examples from the challenging task of pike monitoring.