Master de biología acuática en Islandia

MSc of research- Aquatic biology in Iceland

What shapes diversity within a species? Insight from an Arctic fish

Organisms in the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas are faced with unprecedented frequent fluctuations in their environment. In those geographical areas, diversity is mostly seen within a species (also called intraspecific diversity) rather than across species. Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), a Northern freshwater fish, has colonised rapidly freshwater ecosystems after the last glaciation, and populations of Arctic charr can be found in various forms inhabitaing very various habitats (from anadromous type to small benthic fish living underground). Bulk of our work at Hólar University (North Iceland) has been to understand the interactions between the environment and development in shaping phenotypic variation in this species (e.g. Skúlason et al. 2019).
We conducted a plasticity experiment manipulating the diet (benthic versus pelagic) of juveniles fish originating from 5 populations of Icelandic Arctic charr, as well as some of their hybrids. Individual growth trajectories and behaviour of this fish are also known.
We are looking for two motivated students at the MSc level to characterise brain size/shape and meristic characters differences (gut length, gut complexity, sex, etc…) in these fish. Ideally the two students will work hand in hand collecting data, but each will have a separate project:
-The interplay of genetic and environmental factors in shaping brain size and shape in fish
– The interplay of genetic, developmental and environmental factors in shaping fish phenotypes (focusing on internal organs and anatomy)
Knowledge on the analysis of shape (geometric morphometrics) and basic coding in R software are good assets, but not compulsory.

MSc study:
These two research projects are ideal research projects for a Master in Aquatic biology at Hólar University. This Master is taught in English, with courses available on site as well as in other Icelandic universities. The Master is 120ECTS divided into 90ECTS of research and 30ECTS of courses. We preferably look for MSc students that will start in the Fall 2020 in our Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Sauðarkrókur Iceland. These two projects are self-funded but there are opportunities to secure some small fundings once the studies have started.
Application: please send a CV and a cover letter indicating why you want to pursue a MSc of research and why this research topics motivates you? Please indicate the name of one or two previous supervisors that have directly worked with you.
The application should be sent to camille@holar.is and ssteele@hi.is

-Our webpage: https://www.holaraquatic.is/

-information on the MSc in Aquatic Biology at Holar:
https://ugla.holar.is/kennsluskra/index.php?tab=nam&chapter=namskra&Namsleid_=12&Namsleid__=20206&Namsleid___=62001520206&Namsleid=62001520206&submit=View

-This is where most students and employees from our department live: http://holar.is/en/location