Science Faculty Magazine No.1 2019 - IN ENGLISH by Faculty of Science - University of Gothenburg

GETTING TO KNOW

CLOSER LOOK

SUSTAINABLE EVERYDAY LIFE

Anna Godhe loves problem-solving

Dendrochronology – tree ring dating

New technology to analyse environmental data

Science Faculty Magazine The Faculty of Science University of Gothenburg

”It is fortunate we do not know everything # 1, 2019 because then I would be unemployed.” Erik Sturkell, geophysicist

Reaching new heights in research Heather Reese studies the Earth with drones Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Göteborgs universitet

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SCINCE FACULTY MAGAZINE// THIS ISSUE

In this issue GETTING TO KNOW ANNA GODHE

Pushing the envelope through collaboration She is a researcher motivated by curiosity and loves problem solving. “It is best to plan a study together with others and discuss how we might go about discovering something new,” says Anna Godhe.

New methods provide future gains. The hub of Mats Töpel’s research is the computer lab, where he sequences DNA and studies changes in genes connected with environmental changes.

Science Faculty Magazine

Science Faculty Magazine is for those interested in the University of Gothenburg and in particular the work at the Faculty of Science.

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Periwinkles adapt quickly to new environment. Common periwinkles struggle to survive in one of the ocean’s most taxing environments – rock face shores.

Editor: Camilla Persson +46-31-786 9869 camilla.persson@ science.gu.se Editorial staff: Carina Eliasson Erika Hoff Linnéa Magnusson Tanja Thompson

Publisher: Gustav Bertilsson Uleberg Graphic form: Rubrik AB Layout: Camilla Persson Cover: Malin Arnesson

Address: University of Gothenburg Faculty Office of Science Box 460 SE-405 30 Göteborg E-mail: info@science.gu.se

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

EDITORIAL// GÖRAN HILMERSSON

Instagram: @naturvetenskapgu Twitter: @naturvetenskap facebook.com/naturvetenskapgu

”We need to develop along with others”

RESEARCH

She maps from above For decades geoscientist Heather Reese has studied the Earth using satellites. A year ago she began using a new tool – the drone.

Print: Stema Subscribe: Sign up for a subscription at science.gu.se/english/about/ magazine Online magazine: www.sciencefacultymagazine.com

half a year has now passed since I became dean. An assignment that is very rewarding and at the same time challenging. We have strong education and research in many areas – at the same time, we need to develop along with others. One field in which our resear chers make important discoveries is the life scien ces, where med ”The University icine, the natu of Gothenburg ral sciences and placed second in technology meet. the life sciences Gothenburg has in Sweden.” long occupied a strong position in this field, and it still does. In this year’s Shanghai ranking, an annual ranking of universities in the world, it is heartening to note that the Uni versity of Gothenburg placed se cond in the life sciences in Sweden and 40th in the world. We have also succeeded in winning large, prestigious research grants to deve lop research in the life sciences. The health care sector is under going rapid technological evolution that requires many different skills. At many higher education institu tions, medical students and scien ce students have a competitive rela tionship – even so, a lot of scientists work on medical projects. Scien tists contribute expertise in are

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

as such as mathematics, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics as well as useful tools for their deve lopment. Another relevant example is the analysis of large amounts of data that current research genera tes, which requires in-depth know ledge of mathematical statistics and artificial intelligence. Gothenburg is uniquely posi tioned to develop collaborations. We have Sahlgrenska University Hospital (northern Europe’s largest hospital), Region Västra Götaland, pharmaceutical and biotechnolo gy companies and in particular our research colleagues at Sahlgrenska Academy. In planning for the futu re, the university is now bringing together education and research in the life sciences at Medicinareber get, near the hospital – so that the se fields of expertise will be close to each other. By being physically clo ser to each other, collaboration can develop. As long as we are involved in driving deve lopment, we are involved in advancing humanity into the future. Y

Göran Hilmersson, dean and professor

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RESEARCH// USING NEW TECHNOLOGY

Research using remote sensing it became a When possible for people

to fly, remote sensing also emerged. Remote sensing was primarily developed by the milita ry. For example, remote sensing was used during World War I to spy on the enemy and estimate its military strength. But military technology for remote sensing has of ten passed into civilian applications in many fields, such as geology, geography and urban planning. Remote sensing has two components. One is a platform, which can be a drone, an airplane or a satellite. The other is a sensor. This can be an optical sensor (such as a camera), a laser scanner or radar. The data, which has geographic coordinates, can be inserted into a geographic information system (GIS) for further analysis.

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Science ScienceFaculty FacultyMagazine Magazine| |Nummer Number X, 1, 20XX 2019

She maps from above with new tools Geoscientist Heather Reese studies the Earth’s surface. A year ago she acquired a new tool for her toolbox. “That’s when I began using drones. And now I’m sold.”

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

heather reese has been a senior lectu rer at the Department of Earth Sciences sin ce April of last year. She is studying Sweden’s mountains through remote sensing, using sa tellites and drones. With this method she can examine a landscape, phenomenon or object without coming into contact with it. “I want to combine the drone and satelli te data to look at alpine vegetation, among other things.” Reese displays an image of a landscape on her computer screen. It actually is a compo site of 400 drone photos that overlap each other 80 per cent, providing an overview. She turns and twists the landscape, and the ima ge becomes three-dimensional. Vegetation shows up as several green shades and vario us formations emerge. You can distinguish clumps of trees, hills and people walking on a

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RESEARCH// USING NEW TECHNOLOGY

A three-dimensional image of the palsa, based on photos taken by drones on 6 September 2018.

trail. Zooming in provides a resolution down to an area of only seven millimetres. Differen ces in height, shrubs and cracks in the peat – everything is visible in the detailed image on the computer. the drone images cover an area of about 15,000 square metres on the border between Sweden and Finland, one hour’s drive from Karesuando. Heather went there for field studies in the autumn along with researchers and students from the Department of Earth Sciences. They mapped the area, much of which consists of what are known as “pal sas”. The word palsa, which comes from the Sámi language and northern Finnish dialects, means a mound in the bog with a core of ice. Palsas are small hillocks or plateau-shaped ridges in subarctic marshes. They form when the water found in the peat freezes. Additio nal layers of peat and ice form during the winter, causing the height of the palsa to keep

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increasing, especially when continuously fro zen ground, permafrost, reaches the mineral soil beneath the peat. Within the palsa ice lenses form, and the ground rises several me tres above the surrounding bog. “Many people do not know about the phe nomenon. The area visible here in the pho to is an interesting place with many palsas permeated with permafrost and covered with peat,” says Reese, pointing to the green mounds in the landscape. palsas had been widespread in nort hern Sweden until the 1960s. As the clima te changed, many palsas thawed, sank and simply collapsed, while methane and carbon dioxide leaked out into the surroundings. When a palsa collapses, water-filled pools form on the surface of the palsa or along its edges. Reese points to a small pool in the green landscape.

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

The typical collapse of the edge of the palsa (a peat mound with a frozen core) is clearly visible here. The difference in height is approximately four metres. By using drones, Heather Reese can now readily obtain detailed images of the surroundings.

“This small lake formed in 2018. It is an edge of a palsa that has collapsed. We can make use of remote sensing data in this way to study vegetation and water as well as formations in the landscape such as pal sas. When we have remote sensing data that goes back in time, such as aerial photographs from the 1960s, we can record what changes have taken place. This palsa has shrunk a lot since the 1960s.” on the table next to the computer is the drone Reese uses in the research: a DJI Phan tom, purchased for SEK 18,000. In addition to the original camera, a special camera has been mounted on it. “The special camera has an infrared sensor that can record not only red, green and blue light, but also near-infrared wavelengths. This means it provides more detailed infor mation and can identify different types of ve getation on the ground.” The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

Despite its small size, the drone contains fea tures similar to those in a satellite. “But drones provide greater flexibility when we are collecting data. The other im portant difference is that the drones we rese archers use fly much lower, at a height of no more than 120 metres according to flight res trictions. To fly higher, you need to apply for a permit. We get very detailed pictures, but we cannot cover areas as large as with a sa tellite.” reese , who comes

from New York state, re ceived her Master’s degree in remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) in the United States and had already begun rese arch in the field in 1990. During nearly three decades as a researcher, she has seen major changes in the research field. And followed how the tools have evolved. “When I started, I could work with only a small part of a satellite image at a time. Now

Heather Reese Is: Senior lecturer at the Department of Earth Sciences Current research projects: Mapping of Sweden’s mountains using satellite data, and operational mapping of alpine vegetation types in the new National Land Cover Map.

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RESEARCH// USING NEW TECHNOLOGY Drones lend themselves to studies of a limited area and make it possible to obtain very detailed images. Drones can be used basically anytime and anywhere. The technology is cheap and easy to use.

I can process many at the same time. Compu ting power has increased enormously.” Changes interest Reese. Whether it is about palsas or the treeline. Or vegetation. She wants to know more about “greening”, the growth of shrubbery in the alpine world, and what is called “browning”, which also is now occurring there. “A recent Norwegian study done with re mote sensing shows that in several places in Norway where snow cover has declined, ve getation has frozen and died.”

asons. It was interesting to monitor last sum mer when temperatures were so high that the snow cover melted faster than usual. When ”It was interessnow and ice disappeared, vegetation reap ting to monitor peared in a week. It went incredibly fast!” last summer

century, the develop ment of remote sensing took a giant leap for ward. And today, when satellites and drones are commonplace, great advances are being made. How old is the research field of remote sensing? an important research project currently “You might say it started with a man in a under way is Reese’s mapping of Sweden’s hot air balloon in 1858 who took pictures of mountains using satellite data. The project, Paris, and then a man in an airplane,” says which receives funding from the Swedish Na Reese. Y tional Space Board, uses satellite images to make time series. European satellites have been taking photos every other day in nort hern Sweden since 2015. ) Text: Carina Eliasson “This makes it possible to monitor the se ) Photo: Malin Arnesson & Heather Reese 8 /

during the previous

when temperatures were so high that the snow cover melted faster than usual. When snow and ice disappeared, vegetation reappeared in a week. It went incredibly fast!”

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

RESEARCH// THREE VOICES

) Text: Carina Eliasson & Linnéa Magnusson ) Photo: Tjugofyra7 & Kat Singer/SwAM

Three voices X

Three experts offer their perspectives on a current topic.

... drones, which have revolutionised many different areas. How do you use drones in your field, what are the benefits and what does the future hold?

Ingemar Berglund

Stefan Haggö

Ahmed AlNomany

Head of the Fish Management Department, Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.

Command teacher at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Unit for Professional Development.

CEO and cofounder at Inkonova AB, a company that manufactures drones that can fly, swim and climb.

”Drones are used to find illegal eel fish traps. So far we have carried out pilot efforts in Skåne County to learn how to use drones and become acquainted with their limitations. The advantage of the drones is that they make searches more effective. With drones we can cover large areas in a short time, and if we locate any equipment, we can go out with a boat to pick it up. Searching with a boat takes much longer. However, weather conditions and visibility in the water limit the possibility of using drones. Next we will be applying for permits in more counties to expand the areas in which we may use drones, starting with a larger portion of the east coast than just Skåne County. Generally, we see great opportunities for developing the use of drones in fisheries in spection and enforcement.”

”Since 2014 we have been using drones to train officers in the municipality rescue service at MSB’s school in Revinge. Dro nes are used in combination with the pilot in response management, which is to provide support for better decision-making in final exercises. The main advantage of the drones is that you can quickly get a different perspective on an acci dent with a drone in the air. You can see the extent of the accident, alternative roadways, the spread of smoke or hazardous substance. And with the right sensor and analysis of data, you can make calculations and use them to forecast expected outcomes. We are not using drones in operations today, but we have done a study on how they could be used in our reinforcement resources. Perso nally, I am convinced that we will be using drones more than we do now.”

”Commercially, aerial robots (drones) are used for survey, mapping and inspection, filmography and photography and to a lesser extent delivery and mechanical engagements. Indu stries include oil & gas, mining, agriculture, land surveys, utilities and infrastructure. As we progress in areas like battery, sensor, control, swarm control, propulsion, autonomous navigation technology, we’ll see more penetration of drones’ into different industries and our everyday lives and it will follow the trend of robotics in general; as force of automation and risk aversion. As with technology in general, its developed for good but can be used for bad, but overall I see it as positive force as long as we collectively regulate it towards the good.”

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

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The planet of the future ) Text: Carina Eliasson ) Photo: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems, Laura Perez Garcia & Mathias Appel

THE NUMBER

billion seeds from 36,000 species, at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London.

Gothenburg researcher appointed to prestigious position Alexandre Antonelli, professor of biodiversity at the University of Gothenburg and director of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, is now becoming research director of Kew Gardens. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in western London has more than 1,000 employees and 500 volunteers. They have 30,000 species under cultivation, more than seven million herbarium plants, 1.2 million fungi, 50,000 DNA samples and two billion seeds from 36,000 species. “It is an incredible honour and a great opportunity to head such an important operation,” says Professor Antonelli. “The loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest threats to humankind, and botanical and mycological research can provide decision-makers with the information they need to ensure sustainable development.” Y

New method maps how ice shaped landscapes on Mars THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ICE in determi ning what the Mars landscape looks like is a bit of a mystery. A new method is now increasing our under standing of how ice has affected the landscape on the northern plains of Mars. The northern region of Mars consists of several low-lying plains filled with sediment. Researchers assume that an ancient sea formerly covered these areas. “Currently these areas are domina ted by soil-bound ice, even at latitudes where ice is not in balance with the

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current climate,” says Geomorpholo gist Andreas Johnsson. Along with an international rese arch team, he has developed a new method to find answers to unsolved questions about climate and landsca pe development on Mars. “With the new method, we can map very large geographical areas on Mars in less time than before and obtain a better overall picture of the landscape as well. We also found new landforms that have not previously been descri bed or analysed,” says Johnsson. Y

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

The tool was invented by Arthur Ashkin and represents a realisation of his science fiction dream – to use the force field of light to move physical objects.

New discovery improves Nobel Prize-winning method and even bacteria and other living cells. The technique consists of an op tical laser with the ability to hold onto a single cell, for example, without damaging it. This makes it possible to make very precise measurements.

THIS YEAR’S NOBEL PRIZE in Physics, awarded for discoveries in laser phy sics, recognises optical tweezers. Now researchers from the University of Gothenburg have developed a method that greatly simplifies and improves the use of optical tweezers. Optical tweezers were discovered in the late 1980s. They can be described as light beam fingers that can take hold of particles, atoms, molecules

WITH THE NEW discovery currently being published in Nature Commu nications, the prestigious scientific journal, the technique will now be

Sea ice affects the climate

Mammals in danger of disappearing

Brominated substances exist in newly formed sea ice, even in winter. A new study in the scientific journal Nature Communications demonstrates this. And because climate change means that sea ice melts and then freezes again to a greater extent than before, this affects the ozone layer and thereby the climate. Y

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

considerably easier to use. “We have managed to develop a method of measurement that is more accurate, but that uses 10 times less data and is 100 times faster than the methods currently available,” says Giovanni Volpe, senior lecturer in physics. “This means the method is completely automated and does not require any pre-set parameters to work.”Y

MANY MAMMALS WILL DIE out over the next 50 years if nothing is done to halt the trend. A study from Århus University and the University of Gothenburg states that animals and plants are being eradicated so rapidly that evolution cannot compensate for the environmental impact people exert on the Earth’s species. “We currently live in yet another period of greatly increased eradication of species. But this time it is happening because of human activity,” says Søren Faurby, co-author of the study. Y

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MY SUBJECT// ERIK STURKELL

Being a geologist has become a way of life It is easy to become infected. With enthusiasm. The joy of storytelling. Kindness. To be overwhelmed by such an extensive knowledge of geology. Harder to grasp is all the research projects and playful side projects that Erik Sturkell, a professor of geophysics, has pursued during his 25 years as a researcher. 12 /

but let ’ s take it from the beginning. Born in 1962 and raised in the outskirts of Stock holm first and then in Katrineholm, where the family moved when Sturkell’s father became chief judge in his childhood town. The father hoped that his son would become a lawyer, but Erik Sturkell was more interested in tech nology and wanted to go his own way. One of the annual family visits in Orsa during Eas ter proved to be decisive. Among the dinner

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

Geological research over time " THEN:

Natural Philosopher Sigfridus Aronus Forsius, born in the 1560s, was the first person to write about Swedish geology. But the first geologists in Sweden probably were the mining experts in Bergslagen. In the 17th century prospectors looked for ore with a compass by setting a course on a straight line in a north-south direction and walking until they saw deviations in the compass needle. In the 18th century people became interested in questions about land uplift, and during the 19th century great attention was given to primary rocks and complex rock formations in the mountains. In the 20th century tools arrived that permitted electromagnetic measurements.

" NOW: The variation of the gravity field is measured with an instrument called a gravimeter. The variation of gravity on Earth are caused by several factors that is corrected for, so only the difference originating from density variation remains.

guests was a professor of geology (from Go thenburg) and Sturkell, who was in his late teens, became interested in the subject. “So actually geology became my field pure ly by chance. But I have always been intere sted in science.” semesters of geology at Stockholm University, eventually a de gree and thoughts about taking a doctora te in marine geology in the Baltic Sea. But instead Sturkell received a grant to study at the Nordic Vulcanology Institute in Reykja vik. This was in 1991. “I stayed in Iceland for two years and con ducted research on movements of the Earth’s crust, recorded how the continental plates moved, examined structures in the Earth’s then came several

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Today we have many good analytical methods, and geophysical instrumentation is becoming better and more precise all the time. Measuring instruments employ sophisticated electronics. But the mechanical gravimeter is still being used. This instrument uses a lever and weight to measure the Earth’s local gravitational field. Onsala Observatory has an advanced gravimeter in which a steel sphere with a coil levitates at –265 degrees C. Everything is superconducting. If gravitation changes, the sphere moves. The current needed to keep the sphere in place measures changes in gravitation.

" IN THE FUTURE:

Determining positions and movements of the Earth’s crust with GPS is becoming increasingly important, and the technology will be transferred to other planets, such as Mars. Geological research fields will be extended into space. We already have rocks from the Moon and Mars. These have been ejected by large asteroid impacts on these celestial bodies. Gravel from the Moon also can be found on Earth. In the future less geological material will be needed for examinations. It will be possible to carry out analyses at great distances. For example, data from the InSight space probe that landed on Mars in late November 2018 might provide new geological insights. / 13

MY SUBJECT// ERIK STURKELL See more!

www.sciencefacultymagazine.se

”Conducting research is fun! It is fortunate we do not know everything because then I would be unemployed.” Erik Sturkell, professor at the Department of Earth Sciences.

crust and made seismic observations using geodetic GPS.” With several research articles under his belt, Sturkell returned to Stockholm Univer sity and a doctoral studentship. Along with his professor and supervisor, he discovered a meteorite crater in Jämtland – the Lockne crater twenty kilometres south of Östersund. “We discovered a chaotic jumble of rocks with large white limestone lying helter-skelter amid crushed granite. The meteorite struck about 458 million years ago in a 500-me tre-deep sea, first creating a crater that was then filled by a gigantic backwash.” Now the site of the impact is flat, consis ting of farmland. Sturkell described the dis covery in his doctoral thesis in 1998: “The origin of the marine Lockne impact structure, Jämtland”. In the thesis the meteorite’s im pact is humorously rendered in a comic strip by Sturkell, who enjoys drawing. after completing the thesis, Sturkell re turned to Iceland because he had a year re maining in his grant to study there. He stayed not one year, but 10. “For a geologist and geophysicist, Iceland is a scholarly gold mine! I was actually a pioneer with GPS measurements in Iceland and parti cipated in building the measurement stations there. I learned Icelandic reasonably well, and after a couple of years I bought a flat.”

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Erik Sturkell in the storage of the department, where you can find rock samples as well as all kinds of geological instruments.

One day a Danish woman, a geochemist doing a doctoral thesis on Iceland, came to Reykjavik. That was in 2007. “Her name is Gabrielle, and I helped her a little bit in the beginning. Two years later we married.” The couple has travelled around the world together, touring and visiting geological points of interest. Being a geologist has become a way of life.

Erik Sturkell Is: Professor at the Department of Earth Sciences, where he has served since 2009. Age: 56 Family: Wife Gabrielle and two dogs Curiosities: Is a popular and frequent guest on Swedish Broadcasting’s morning radio show Morgonpasset.

meteorite craters are one of Sturkell’s main research fields. He has studied many of them. Not only the one at Lockne in Jämt land or the Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico. He has measured countless depths of craters, analysed their mineral content and compared different craters. Another line of research is volcanoes, es pecially Icelandic ones such as Hekla, Ask ja and Grímsfjall. He has followed Grímsf jall since 1983. Nothing with the slightest connection to geology is foreign to him. Along with Cultu ral Conservator and Professor Ulrich Lange

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

and Thomas Eliasson at the Geological Sur vey of Sweden, he is currently working on an excursion guide to facade stones in Gothen burg buildings during the 1790–1944 peri od. He has taken the photographs himself, of course. Another project he has just completed il lustrates how the sea level in Gothenburg has varied through the ages, depending on mel ting of the ice sheet and land uplift. And so it goes. “Conducting research is fun! It is fortuna te we do not know everything because then I would be unemployed,” Sturkell says with a smile. Is there then no other dream job that can compare with research? Sturkell becomes silent and ponders for a moment. “Being a chef seems fun! During my 10 years in Iceland, I learned how to cook Swedish food that was not available there. And it is good to be able to cook in the field because then you can keep colleagues going The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

much longer. In addition, if you entertain them with a cocktail before the meal, it do esn’t exactly diminish their desire to work,” says Sturkell with a glint in his eye. in addition to cooking , film interests him.

“When you are travelling with geologists, a question often comes up in discussions: ‘How many geologists appear in films? Are they bad or good?’ So my colleagues and I decided to investigate this in a small project.” It turned out that of 97 British and American films with geologists, geologists were good in 85 per cent of them. In the film survey a ste reotypical image of the geologist also emer ged. Sturkell takes out a drawing of a man with a shining halo, glasses and a beard. A man with a flannel shirt and big boots, who likes volcanoes and whisky and is exposed to deadly hazards. Sturkell feels this stereotype fits him qui te well. Y ) Text: Carina Eliasson ) Photo: Malin Arnesson / 15

Sustainable everyday life ) Text: Carina Eliasson ) Photo: Jakob Dahlström, Ebba Klemedtsson, Malin Arnesson & Kerstin Johannesson

Colour and substrata affected choice of binding agents Department of Conservation heads an interdisciplinary research project on the interiors of Hälsingland farmhouses. The farmhouses, whose interiors were painted during the 18th and 19th centuries, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the studies relate to their decorative paintings, among other things. A new study within the project now shows that colour and the substrata that was painted were decisive in the artists’ choice of binding agents. The study is a collaboration among researchers at Stockholm University’s Archaeological Research Laboratory and the Department of Conservation. Y

INGA-LILL NYSTRÖM FROM THE

Compelling chemical issues identified the University of Gothenburg have participated in an international investigation that identified the 22 most important research issues regarding chemicals and emissions into the environment. The effect of chemical mixtures, interactions among different stress factors and the connection between toxic chemicals and climate change, for example, end up high on the list. Y

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Spruce trees on drained peatland detrimental to climate

RESEARCHERS FROM

Drained peatlands in Sweden emit about as much greenhouse gases as car traffic. It would be better for the climate to allow the soil to become wet and grow vegetation that can cope with wet conditions. Planting of willow trees or reed canary grass would also provide greater financial returns than current forest management, according to a research study from the University of Gothenburg. “If we stop clearing the ditches and dam the water instead, the decomposition of peat layers in the soil would decline significantly,” says Åsa Kasimir, from the Department of Earth Sciences. The research study, published in the Global Change Biology scientific journal, shows how much we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatland now used for timber production. Y

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

THE IMAGE

Periwinkles adapt quickly to new environment to survive in one of the ocean’s most taxing environments – rocky shores. To cope with frequent environmental changes, they have developed genetic kits that help them to adapt quickly to a specific shore environment, according to new research. “The periwinkles among stones have thick shells and are large, which helps them withstand attacks from all the crabs found among the stones. Periwinkles on rock faces are very small and light, but they have a large foot they use to cling to the rocks when the waves smash against them,” says Kerstin Johannesson. Y

COMMON PERIWINKLES STRUGGLE

THE WORD

Blue growth

Sustainable growth is necessary to safeguard the needs of the ecosystem and human beings now and in the future. Blue growth is a long-term strategy developed by the European Commission to support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors as a whole.

Overtones can provide highspeed data communications

Unique underwater craft provides new opportunities

For the first time researchers have succeeded in producing what are known as spin wave over tones. Spintronic oscillators are a kind of nano com ponents in which spin waves are used to generate microwave signals in the gigahertz range. Spin wave overtones can be compared to the overtones (flageo lets) that are used in music. Along with colleagues in Gothenburg and Portugal, Professor Johan Åkerman has now demonstrated how to play and strengthen such overtones at the nano level. The technology makes it possible to increase the data transmission rate of wireless communication. Y

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Sweden’s first autonomous underwater craft for research purposes was put into operation in the autumn of 2018. This makes it possible to make detailed studies of the sea bottom at great depths and under 500-metre-thick ice sheets, en vironments previously inaccessible to researchers. “Through such studies, we can follow the cli mate’s evolution thousands of years ago. Among other things, we can find out how far the Antarctic ice cap extended and how fast melting took place in previous ice ages and interglacial periods,”says Anna Wåhlin, professor of oceanography. Y

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RESEARCH// SUSTAINABLE EVERY DAY LIFE

New methods provide future environmental gains Fast, reproducible and large-scale. The company eDNA Solutions AB develops technologies to analyse large amounts of environmental data. “It is exciting to contribute to the betterment of society. We can now produce more reliable results about how climate change affects biodiversity, for example,” says researcher Mats Töpel. up at the Department of Marine Sciences has pale, light brown walls that match the overcast grey December weather in the winter-weary Botanical Garden out side. Behind one of the plain doors in the hallway, a faint hum can be heard. But what transpires on the other side is anything but plain. Hidden here is a giant computer – or rather several in terconnected computers – that analyse enormous amounts of biological data. When the door opens, the noise level ri ses several decibels and a wave of heat spills out of the room. The 350 proces sors in the room are revved up, analy sing the approximately 100 terabytes of data that the system contains. the corridor a few flights

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“When I started working on a docto rate 13 years ago, I discovered the GNU/ Linux operating system. Being able to handle large amounts of data with this system seemed exciting to me. So I be gan assembling computers into a cluster and created my own computer lab,” says Mats Töpel, proudly patting the bench with the black computers. lab is the hub of his own research. Mats Töpel began stu dying biology and marine geology and received his doctorate in systematic bio logy, species identification and specia tion. But his interest in how computers can be used in biological research soon gained the upper hand. Today he con

today the computer

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

eDNA solutions

WHAT? eDNA Solutions AB. A

company developing various technologies for analysing environmental DNA (eDNA) – for various bioinformatic analytical methods, for example. These are used for studies of biodiversity, among other things.

WHEN? The technologies are used WHY? Because it is a reliable

in specialised projects to make environmental impact assessments. They have been used to make inventories of salamanders, frogs and individual species, but soon they will also be able to track plankton and microorganisms in water and do pollen analysis.

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and cost-effective method that provides more dependable results than traditional biological research. It is reproducible and can scale up to very large amounts of data and long time series.

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”By studying changes in the genes of diatoms, we also gain information about how other organisms respond to changes”, says Mats Töpel.

ducts research on genomics and bioin formatics. He sequences DNA and stu dies changes that occur in genes in connection with various environmental changes, and he is working to create new algorithms to analyse biological data.

nisms leave traces of DNA. In this way we can see which species have been the re,” Töpel explains. DNA-based technology offers many advantages. Mats Töpel highlights three main aspects: It is fast. A single water sample can contain large quantities of DNA, and you do not need to know exactly what species you are looking for. It is reproducible. With this technolo gy, it is easy to do comparative studies in exactly the same way. It is large-scale. Tests are run against reference databases, and instead of com paring sequences manually, one by one, you can now parallel process hundreds of thousands of sequences simultaneous ly. “This means that the analyses, results and conclusions are far more certain and more reliable,” Töpel adds. “It is a cost-effective way to perform invento ries and environmental monitoring.”

research, Töp el runs eDNA Solutions AB along with colleagues Alexander Eiler and Thomas Larsson. The company specialises in en vironmental surveillance and assessment. They use DNA-based techniques to track individual species and assess biodiversity of macroorganisms and microorganisms. “Traditionally researchers have gone out in the field looking for a species, held it in their hands and identified the speci es. We take a water sample and see what DNA molecules are in it. All living orga

with his dna - based technology, Töpel focuses on large companies that want to make environmental impact assessments of their own operations and on various environmental monitoring companies. The technology is not entirely new. Eng land, France and Belgium lead the way in using eDNA, and they are now star ting to use it in large, national environ mental monitoring programmes. But in comparison with the rest of the world, Mats Töpel and his colleagues are at the forefront.

in parallel with his

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Mats Töpel Age: 45 Occupation: Researcher in genomics and bioinformatics Lives: In Vallda Family: Yes, my wife Paula och children Malte and Märta My

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

RESEARCH// SUSTAINABLE EVERYDAY LIFE

The 350 processors in the room are revved up, analysing the approximately 100 terabytes of data that the system contains.

“It is exciting to be able to apply aca demic research to different social pro blems. One of the UN’s global goals for sustainable development is to preser ve ecosystems and biodiversity. We can help here by providing technology that monitors biodiversity and by observing how biodiversity is changing due to cli mate change.” he cites his own ongoing research pro ject on diatoms as an example. Along with two other research teams, Töpel and his research team are studying how diatoms living in the water outside a nuc lear power plant in Lovisa, Finland, have been affected by climate change. Cooling water from the nuclear power plant has white fridge illuminated by a blinding caused a rise in water temperature, ma chalk-white light. Crowded in trays on king this an area for a “natural experi the shelves and benches are 600 small di ment”. Diatoms can go into dormancy atom samples. They provide Mats Töp and rest on the bottom for at least 100 el with data to process in the computer years. The researchers are now taking lab. However, these analyses tell us so samples of the sediment and waking up mething about more than diatoms alone; algae that have lived in the 1930s and la the results can also apply to other orga ter. nisms. “We can see what they looked like and “By studying changes in the genes of how they have responded to the increa diatoms, we also gain information about se in water temperature. How have the how other organisms respond to chang algae adapted? Have certain variations es,” says Töpel. “Are they malleable and of a gene disappeared? Has a positive se able to adapt or will this mean a collap lection for certain characteristics occur se? We expect a change in climate, of red?” course. With this technology, we can get an idea of how organisms in our ecosys we have gone down a flight of stairs, tem will react to it.” Y and Töpel opens the door to another la boratory. Here it is much cooler, and it ) By: Karin Frejrud feels as if we are stepping into a gigantic, ) Photo: Anna-Lena Lundqvist The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

”It is exciting to be able to apply academic research to different social problems.” Mats Töpel, researcher

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Closer look

A picture says more than thousand words. Science Faculty Magazine takes a closer look at a scientific phenomenon.

) Photo: Malin Arnesson

See more!

www.sciencefacultymagazine.com

Marina skönheter

0 The mystery of tree rings There are about three trillion trees on Earth, and for researchers in the field of dendrochronology, they harbour invaluable information.

Dendrochronology con cerns the study of annual growth rings in trees. It enables researchers to re construct what the climate has been like in different regions of the world many hundreds of years before 22 /

modern measurements began. It is possible to trace events like a volcanic eruption at the beginning of the 19th century or when motorists in Cairo stopped driving cars with gasoline containing lead.

Samples can be taken from both dead and living trees. If a tree is alive, a drill is used to carefully bore in towards the middle and extracts a sample. The tree then recovers from the procedure. Y Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

THE STUDENT// 5 QUESTIONS

) Text & Photo: Linnéa Magnusson

Five questions for...

The Faculty of Science has 7 500 students.

... Jennie Olsson, a student in the first year of the Master’s Programme in Earth Sciences, who will be on a placement at NASA.

Why did you choose NASA? ”Geology is my main interest, but astronomy has always fascinated me. When the possibility came up, I saw an opportunity to combine my two interests. Placement at NASA, which has been so important in space exploration and research about space, seems very exciting to me.”

How can geology be useful at NASA? “The earth sciences and geology can be applied to other celestial bodies besides Earth, of course. For example, you can study minerals and chemical composition, which I will be doing on stones from Mars, the Moon and asteroids.” .

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

What do you hope to learn? “I want to learn more about planetary geology and our solar system – how it is constructed and its place in the universe. I am also eager to find out more about how a large organisation like NASA works. What are their working methods? Who works there?”

What are you most looking forward to? “I think it will be fantastic to be on a placement in the coolest organisation in the world. I will learn things there that I cannot learn anywhere else. During placement I will also be working on my Master’s, which I am looking forward to.”

What would you like to work on in the future? “Preferably something related to space! I am very interested in ore geology, so I dream of investigating ore-forming processes on Mars or other planets.”

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ALUMNA PROFILE// ANGELICA JOHANSSON

) Interviewer: Karin Frejrud ) Photo: Anna-Lena Lundqvist Read more!

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”I really feel that I am doing someting useful.”

Angelica Johansson is In Vivo laboratory engineer at Dfind ” i work as a consultant for a recru itment and consulting company called Dfind. Almost four months ago, I was assigned to our customer, Integrative Re search Laboratories, which has its offices and laboratory in the BioTech building in Gothenburg. The company focuses on Angelica developing pharma Johansson ceuticals to treat vario Age: 26 us diseases of the brain, Occupation: In in particular Parkinson’s Vivo Laboratory disease. I test interesting Engineer. substances and reference Education: Master’s Programme in substances on rats here Molecular Biology and analyse how these at the University of substances affect the rats’ Gothenburg behaviour and how their Lives: Gothenburg brains are affected. Family: Partner. Everything revolves Leisure time: Weight training around these experiments. and playing comOne of us injects the substan puter games. ce and handles the behavio ural analysis, after which the 24 /

other person removes the brain and dissects it to analyse changes. The toughest part of the job is the decapitation, when we need to behead the rats to remove the brain. It was really hard work the first few times, but eventually you al most become accustomed to it. we ensure that animal

suffering is minimised as much as possible and always put the welfare of the animals first. But the ethical aspects certainly are difficult. For me, though, it is essential that we do as much as possible for all the people of the world. This is necessary so we can de velop pharmaceuticals that will help many people. Not only those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease,

but also those close to them. For me it means my job makes an important contribution to society, something that hel ps humanity in the long run. what i especially benefited from during my education was learning about source criticism. I am not taken in by all the myths about diet and health, for example. In addition, I acquired a habit of reading research articles and learned to write and express myself in English, which is important in working life. I really enjoy my job and feel that I am constantly developing and learning more. I really feel that I am doing something useful and contributing to the research.”

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

News

) Text: Linnéa Magnusson, Camilla Persson & Carina Eliasson ) Photo: Thomas Dahlgren

Three new Master’s programmes in 2019 IN AUTUMN OF 2019 the Faculty of Science will introduce three new Master’s programmes for students who have already obtained a Bachelor’s degree. Two of the programmes are interdisciplinary, while the third is an advanced course in the field of preservation. All the programmes are international and open to both Swedish and foreign students. Y

Strong opposition to sanctuaries a meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Living Marine Resources in the An tarctic took place. Biologist Thomas Dahlgren served as Sweden’s represen tative on the scientific committee: ”Many countries have shown a great interest in developing fisheries in Antarctica. This is partly because ice is disappearing, making new fishing areas available. Because no single country is responsible for the Antarctic, we need a committee that can protect, monitor and preserve marine plants and ani mals in the Southern Ocean”.

AT THE END OF OCTOBER,

were repre sentatives from 24 countries and the European Union (25 members in all) who have signed the convention. Ob servers from industry and organisa tions such as the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace also participated. One of the items in the meeting

INCLUDED IN THE MEETING

The Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg

dealt with creating the world’s largest marine sanctuary. Why do we need this type of protected area? “One important reason is the need to protect fishery resources so that they will also remain in the future. The sanctuaries protect particularly sensitive areas and ecosystems, too. We also need them to enhance the ecosystem’s resilience to climate change.” What did the meeting achieve? “The proposal for sanctuaries encountered great opposition from China and Russia, and to some extent also from Norway. For them to allow passage of enhanced protection of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarc tica will require a greater commitment from the other member states at the highest political level.”Y

• Sea and society • Nordic Master’s Programme in Sustainable Production and Utilization of Marine Bioresources • Conservation with Specialization in Conservation of Cultural Heritage Objects

Evergreen shrubs are spreading EVERGREEN SHRUBS, such as lingonberries and crowberries, are increasing their range on the tundra in Arctic environments. The extent of the shrubs has doubled in many areas, according to new research. We have long known that the tundra has become overgrown with deciduous shrubs such as dwarf birch and various species of willows. The new studies are published in the Journal of Ecology. Y

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NEWS// EDUCATION

) Text: Camilla Persson

Nine out of 10 science graduates satisfied with their education Nine out of 10 are satisfied with their Bachelor’s education, according to a survey among recent science student graduates. To a great extent, they also feel that they received the knowledge and skills needed on the labour market from their education “Naturally, these are gratifying numbers and proof that we are providing good education,” says Per Åberg, assistant dean responsible for undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Science. 2018, the faculty conducted a survey of former students who have taken at least 90 higher education credits in their main field of study during the past six years. The aim was to find out how well the science faculty’s Bachelor’s programme equips students for a professional career. Among other things, the results show that alumni to a great extent believe their education provided them with sufficient subject knowledge, a good ability to critically review and assess knowledge and the ability to plan and carry out tasks within a given framework.

in autumn

after obtaining a Bachel-

or’s degree, 60 per cent chose 26 /

to enrol in a Master’s programme, either within the University of Gothenburg (49 per cent) or at another higher education institution (11 per cent). This means that some of the respondents have not yet entered the labour market in spite of having their Bachelor’s degree. But among those who have begun working in their field of study, 7 out of 10 obtained jobs within three months. Mathematicians, pharmacists and physicists are the professionals who found it easiest to get a job after graduation. Job satisfaction at work, however, is high in all subject areas; 94 per cent report that they enjoy their work. Asked if they lacked anything in their education, respondents indi-

”The results have given us very good insights that we will take with us when we review and develop our Bachelor’s programmes” Per Åberg, assistant dean

cated a common desire for a clearer connection between working life and placement. “The results have given us very good insights that we will take with us when we review and develop our Bachelor’s programmes,” says Åberg. Y

About the alumni survey The survey, which was conducted as a quantitative survey in autumn of 2018, was sent to those who had completed at least 90 credits in their main field of study between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2017.

A total of 879 alumni responded, resulting in a response rate of 46 per cent.

Science Faculty Magazine | Number 1, 2019

) Text: Linnéa Magnusson ) Illustration: Erika Hoff

RESEARCH// SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS