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Ecological and Environmental Change Research Group

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Landscape at Rondane with a sampling plot marked out and a person looking through binoculars

Multi-disciplinary research with a long time-scale perspective

The major research theme of the EECRG is to study how, and why, natural ecosystems change over space and time. Our primary goal is to 'reconstruct the past, study the present, and model the future' and to study, quantify, and understand the natural variability of ecosystems and the multi-layered impact of human activity.

We use a wide range or research methods, including field and laboratory experiments, ecological surveys, biogeographical approaches, palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology, and we analyse our data using quantitative and qualitative methods, predictive modelling, and spatial approaches.

Our research forms links between 'pure' and 'applied' science and it has relevance for biodiversity science, nature conservation and environmental concerns.

Research
A cultural landscape with inset images of cormorant, tardigarde, sampling quadrat, red fungus, blue gentian, admiral butterfly, Grimmia moss, and puffin

Biodiversity-related research

One of the fundamental goals of ecology is to uncover the processes controlling the patterns of diversity and abundance that we observe in nature. How does diversity emerge, and how is it maintained? The EECRG seeks to develop empirical approaches that test and quantify the relative importance of...

Research
View of the Gongga Mountains and glacier

Climate-related research

Humans are putting increasing pressures on the world's ecosystems. We are already seeing strong impacts of habitat loss and changes in nutrient cycling whereas climate change is likely to have increasingly strong impacts during the next century. These current trends can only be understood with...

MSc
Two students surveying heathland vegetation next to a fjord

Masters Studies with EECRG

We have a number of interesting projects for Masters students to get involved with and provide good support and academic and social meetings to participate in.

Research
A landscape view with forest on the left, grassland in the foreground and a fjord and mountains behind

Between the Fjords

Between the Fjords is a research lab led by Vigdis Vandvik

Research
Rows of bottles with pine cuttings on a bench in a greenhouse

PalaeoChem

PalaeoChem is a research lab led by Alistair Seddon