Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg
Last updated: 17 January 2013
Postal Address: Box 461, SE 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
Visiting Address: Carl Skottsbergs gata 22 B
Web page: http://www.bioenv.gu.se/english/
Web page for the MIRCEN (Microbial Resource Center) in Mangalore: http://www.mircenbiotech.com/
Contact persons: Senior Lecturer Anna Godhe, phone +46 (0)31 783 2709
Senior postdoctoral fellow Sam Dupont, phone: +46 (0)31 786 95 31
The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences is a merger from 1 January 2012 between the former departments of Marine Ecology, Plant and Environmental Sciences and Zoology. Anna Godhe used to belong to the Dept of Marine Ecology. 
The Ocean Acidification Infrastructure Facility – Kristineberg is part of the department. Read more below.
Research at the department connected to South Asia:
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| Members of the project team in Mangalore, from left to right PhD candidate Karolina Härnström, Dr. Anna Godhe, Ass. Prof. Indrani Karunasagar, PhD candidate V. Saravanan and MFS student Åsa Lindskog from Göteborg University. |
Since the mid-1990s, Dr. Anna Godhe and her colleagues at the former Dept. of Marine Ecology have been involved in a long-standing and fruitful collaboration with the Karnataka Animal Veterinary and Fisheries Science University in Mangalore on the Indian west coast, focusing on Toxic algae, their ecology, and about methods to develop identification and detection of these algae, along the south-west coast of India. The main research partners on the Indian side have been Professor
Several joint research projects have taken place, as well as other forms of collaboration, see below.
Within the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University, the Department of Fishery Microbiology has got international prominence, being recognized by UNESCO as a MIRCEN (Microbial Resource Center) in Marine Biotechnology. The mission of the Department is to impart education and carry out research in the area of Fishery Microbiology. There is an excellent combination of courses in both traditional microbiology and modern molecular biology.
Read the abstract.
After completing her PhD, Anna Godhe has for several years studied the dynamics between the planktonic and benthic stages of microalgae. Within her research she investigate how algal blooms are seeded, what is the temporal and spatial range of a phytoplankton population, and how do phytoplankton interact with higher and lower trophic levels. In collaboration with PhD students and colleagues from Sweden and abroad she combines laboratory and mesocosm experiments with field studies, and applies advanced molecular techniques such as QPCR, microsatellites, and DNA sequencing.
Her PhD supervisor was Dr. Ann-Sofi Rehnstam-Holm. Later Dr. Rehnstam-Holm, now working at the School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, has become Anna’s partner in the Mangalore projects. She has been the recipient of some of the research grants that has been given to the project.
The project, first entitled ”
Abstract of project: Several microalgae produce toxins that can accumulate in shellfish, pose threat to human health, and cause economical loss. Many of the microalgae form resting stages that can survive in the sediment for decades. Resting stages are often referred to as seed banks for future blooms, but we still lack information on the influence of benthic life stages on phytoplankton dynamics.
Export of aquacultural products, mainly shrimps, is an important mean of earning foreign exchange in India. Lately the export of shrimps has declined due to several factors and government agencies are promoting oysters and clams as side crops. Despite a long coastline there are few scientist experienced in algal monitoring. This project encourages phycological research in India. The specific aim of the study is to investigate the significance of the resting stages and how important they are for the onset of harmful algal blooms along the south-west coast of India. We will use both microscopic and molecular techniques to determine the source of phytoplankton blooms. In mesocosms, we will study the influence of resting stage addition to phytoplankton community development. Molecular methods will include primers targeting microsatellite loci in a bloom forming phytoplankton species. We will obtain genetic fingerprints of the benthic and planktonic populations sampled in field. Results will contribute much needed information on the benthic-pelagic coupling and the factors controlling phytoplankton blooms.
In November 2006, Dr. Godhe received SEK 2 340 000 as a three-years grant (2007-09) from Sida's Developing Country Research Council (U-landsforskningsrådet) and SEK 602 000 from the Swedish Research Links programme for the project, now entitled ”Inter-relation between bacteria and phytoplankton blooms along the south-west coast of India – applying advanced molecular techniques”. it dealt with species within the bacterial genus Vibrio, being autochthonous in estuarine and seawater environments. The genus contains a great diversity of pathogenic species, including V. cholerae. In India 25% of all diarrhoeal diseases can be attributed to vibrio infections. Phytoplankton are vital for the marine ecosystem. When the environmental settings are suitable, algal blooms develop to high densities. About ten percent of all algal species are harmful, and there are solid evidences of a global increase.
This project was also funded with SEK 942 000 as a Joint Formas – Sida/SAREC grant for research on sustainable development in developing countries, for the period 2007–09. More information about the South Asia related Formas–Sida/SAREC grants awarded in June 2007, with a project description in Swedish.
In December 2009, Anna Godhe received SEK 750 000 as a three-year International Collaborative Research Grant from the Swedish Research Links programme (funded by Sida and the Swedish Research Council) for the Indian Ocean project, now entitled ”
The main collaboration partner was now Dr. M N Venugopal at the the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University.
The same year, Anna Godhe was granted funding for one more project that takes place in the period 2010–2012 entitled ”
The project aims to understand how climate-induced changes in sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, pH, and sources of macronutrients may affect the phytoplankton community structure, and to identify environmental drivers of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. Such knowledge will enable us to foresee effects in the marine food web affecting e.g. fisheries, and assess the risks HABs pose to human health under present and future environmental conditions.
The project is implemented in collaboration between several Swedish and Indian institutions. From the Swedish side: Dr Ann-Sofi Rehnstam-Holm from Kristianstad University, and Betty Kronkvist, Sahlgrenska Akademin, University of Gothenburg; as well as Dr Lars Edler (SMHI) working on Taxonomy, identifying species of algae.
From the Indian side. Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Dr Indrani Karunasagar, Dr Ashwin Rai, Dr HRV Reddy, Dr MN Venugopal and Chetan Reddy from the Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University in India, as well as Dr R Ramesh, and Dr. Arvind Singh from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India. Funding agencies were again Swedish Research Links and SIDA-Formas.
Dr. Arvind Singh comes to Gothenburg on a Swedish Institute scholarship and stay till February 2013.
Abstract: The project aims to understand how climate-induced changes in hydrography have affected the phytoplankton community in the past and present, and how predictions for the 21st century will affect the spreading of toxic algae in Arabian Sea. This will contribute to sustainable development in tropical countries dependent on export of marine products. Focused phytoplankton monitoring of coastal water will ensure safe bivalves, which is an environmental friendly protein source. We will define thelong-term effects of the environmental changes on the composition of the phytoplankton community by analyzing oceanographic data collected during the last 50 years. Community similarity indices will be used to group taxa on a temporal basis, and the groups will subsequently be analyzed as functions of selected hydrographic parameters. We will construct coupled physical-biological model(s) to investigate and characterize the environmental variables that correlate with the initiation and development of harmful phytoplankton species, and challenge the models with simulated atmospheric/oceanographic conditions. The models emerging as the most promising will subsequently be tested and validated in manipulated mesocosm experiments. This will enable us to focus the efforts in harmful algal monitoring, and provide a model for climate impact on tropical ecosystem – a region that is lagging behind in this respect.
The project has been further strengthened during 2012, since the Gothenburg Centre for Marine Research, a multidisciplinary research centre at University of Gothenburg established in 2011, has granted funds for providing two PhD projects within the India project. The project is run through the Centre for Environment and Sustainability (GMV), jointly run by Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg.
One of the PhD candidates will be supervised by Anna Godhe and deal with climate changes in the pelagial (bacteria and algae) in the Arabian Sea.
The second PhD candidate will be supervised by Dr. Per Knutsson, School of Global Studies, and focus on societal changes taking place along the Indian west coast due to effects of the blooming of toxic algae and bacteria in the sea.
In August 2010, Anna Godhe participated in the Second Nordic Conference on South Asian Studies for Young Scholars, organised by SASNET in Falsterbo. She led a thematic session on Nature, Health & Environment, besides holding a speech on ”Academic Career: Publishing, Teaching, Networking”. More information about the 2010 Falsterbo conference.
In November 2012 Dr. Godhe together with collaboration partner Darshanee Ruwandeepika, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, received a Swedish Research Links (Asian–Swedish research partnership programme) grant on SEK 750 000 for the project "Climate induced changes in the pelagic microbial communities: assessing the response of harmful algae and pathogenic bacteria in coastal water of Sri Lanka".
See the full list of South Asia related projects given Swedish Research Links grants 2012.
Abstract: The project aims to understand how climate-induced changes in hydrography will affect species of harmful algae, pathogenic bacteria and the inter-relation between those. This will be done by initially isolating relevant species from Sri Lankan coastal water. Thereafter we will conduct manipulated experiments in Sri Lanka in which we look at the fitness of the selected species under ambient and future oceanographic settings. In Sweden we will conduct yet another manipulated experiment where we will study the expression of functional genes of the same species under increased and ambient temperature, decreased and ambient salinity, and increased and ambient pCO2. The two PIs will jointly be responsible for all the scientific experiments. The rational for using our sets of variable for the manipulated experiments are based on IPCC climate projections, and on our own analyses of long-term hydrographic monitoring data set from the region. Our intention is to build a strong collaboration between Sweden and Sri Lanka, to generate good and relevant scientific results and to publish our findings in high ranked international scientific journals. Our results will contribute to sustainable development in tropical countries dependent on export of marine products. We will promote focused microbial monitoring of coastal water, which will ensure safe bivalves-an environmental friendly protein source. 
Dr. Karolina Härnström was as a PhD candidate a member in the project. After completing a Masters degree in Biology at the University of Kristianstad, she defended her doctoral dissertation thesis, entitled ”Bloom dynamics and population genetics of marine phytoplankton – Community, species and population aspects” at University of Gothenburg on 25 September 2009. The faculty opponent was Dr. Tatiana Rynearson, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Coastal Institute, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA. Her main supervisor was Anna Godhe and her assistant supervisor Associate Professor Ann-Sofi Rehnstam-Holm at the Dept. of Mathmatics and Natural Sciences, University of Kristianstad. In India Karolina Härnström was supervised by Professor Karunasagar and Dr Karunasagar.
Abstract: The general aim of this thesis was to study marine phytoplankton dynamics at community, species and population level. Karolina has focused on the interaction between water mass and sediment, both in temperate waters and in a tropical area (Mangalore, India) investigating the importance of resting stages and small-scale hydrographical changes for the phytoplankton community structure as well as population genetics and microevolutional processes of population dynamics. The results from coastal south-west India show that benthic resting stages contribute to blooms by resuspension, germination, and proliferation as planktonic cells in the water column, and thus, the cells can influence the phytoplankton community in the water column. There can be an alternation of the species composition if a plankton community is seeded by resting stages or by planktonic cells, and geographically the strategies of seeding can differ within the same species. More information.
During the academic year 2011/12, Dr. Arvindh Singh from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, India, worked at the department. He comes to Sweden on a post-doc scholarship granted by hte Swedish Institute (SI).
PhD candidate Maria Asplund also joined the project from from 2007. Maria holds a Masters degree in Marine Biology at the University of Göteborg. Her main supervisor is Anna Godhe and her assistant supervisor is Associate Professor Ann-Sofi Rehnstam-Holm. In India Maria Asplund is supervised by Professor Karunasagar and Dr Karunasagar.
International workshop on “Safety of Shellfish from Harmful Algae and Biotoxins”
Anna Godhe, Ann-Sofi Rehnstam-Holm and their research students were involved in organising an International workshop on “Safety of Shellfish from Harmful Algae and Biotoxins” that was held at the UNESCO Microbial Resources Center (MIRCEN), Department of Fishery Microbiology, College of Fisheries, Mangalore, India, 21–25 January 2008. It focused on the problem with harmful algal blooms and shellfish toxicities – a global problem affecting safety of shellfish and international trade. It is estimated that about 2000 cases of shellfish toxicities occur annually with 15% mortality. Dr. Indrani Karunasagar was the Workshop Coordinator. The workshop was jointly sponsored by FAO, the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and UNESCO MIRCEN. More information about the Mangalore workshop.
Ocean Acidification Infrastructure Facility – Kristineberg
Dr. Sam Dupont is a Senior post doctoral fellow at the Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences, and coordinator of the Ocean Acidification Infrastructure Facility – Kristineberg. Personal web page.
He is a marine and evolutionary biologist, involved in ongoing informal research collaboration with Dr. Mohammed Idris at CCMB in Mangalore. Together, they are working on an integrative study of nervous regeneration in Deuterostomes with two main goals:
1/ Identify common pathways involved in nervous regeneration in phylogenetically closely-related species with very different regeneration strategies, at three levels of regulation: transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenetic.
2/ Conduct a comprehensive integrative analysis to clarify and conciliate the different levels of regulation: transcriptome, proteome and epigenome.
Dr Dupont is also developing a new partnership with colleagues in Hong Kong, especially Assistant Professor V. Thiyagarajan (Rajan) at the Swire Institute of Marine Science
and School of Biological Sciences,
University of Hong Kong. They discuss how they can work together on a project aiming at integrate a proteomic approach in the study of the impact of ocean acidification on marine species and ecosystems.
