Hans Tore Rapp
Researcher
Department of Biology
Centre for Geobiology
Marine biodiversity
Title: Researcher
Phone: +47 55 58 44 13
E-mail: Hans.Rapp@bio.uib.no
Visiting address: Thormøhlensgt. 53 A/B
My research focuses on taxonomy and systematics of marine invertebrates in general. My main expertise is in the taxonomy of sponges based on a combination of traditional morphological methods as well as molecular/phylogenetic methods. My research has focused on the taxonomy calcareous sponges as well as taxonomy and ecology of demosponges forming sponge grounds in temperate and Arctic waters, including sponge-microbial relationships. Since the discovery of hydrothermal vents on the Arctic Mid Ocean Ridge my work has been centred around the description of a novel and specialized Arctic vent fauna on this ridge system, including species composition, zoogeography, symbioses and physiological adaptations. The studies of the vent fauna are compared to similar studies on cold seeps, mud volcanoes and whale/wood falls aiming to describe the phylogeography and colonization- and immigration patterns of the fauna in reduced habitats.