Interactions between ecosystems and environmental stressors (both natural and man-made) are a major research topic at DEEP. We work close to home in the Baltic Sea, but also on the Swedish west coast, East Africa and Asia and are involved in a number of European projects. We work in marine, coastal and terrestrial ecosystems and approach the subject using laboratory, field, modelling and theoretical methods.

One of the department’s strengths is that we take a broad view of environmental issues, taking into account the complexity of processes that are involved. For example, we perform experiments in the field and with multispecies mesocosms, study the effects of multiple contaminants acting simultaneously on organisms, use long-term data series to understand the interplay of multiple factors affecting species abundance over time and use landscape and seascape ecology to examine human impacts on complex systems, as well as how those impacts feeds back to society in terms of ecosystem services.

Scientists at DEEP are not only interested in improving our understanding of environmental issues but also in using sound scientific knowledge to help provide solutions to environmental problems, for example: sustainable methods of agriculture and aquaculture; remediation of contaminated or anoxic marine sediments; and advising on fisheries policy and coastal zone management.

Research areas with contact people

Fate and effects of toxic substances in the environment

• Ecotoxicology, with a focus on ecology, realistic exposure conditions and field sampling: Clare Bradshaw, Jonas Gunnarsson, Francisco Nascimento, Agnes Karlsson.
• Tropical ecotoxicology: Jonas Gunnarsson, Michael Tedengren.
• Fate and effects of radioactive substances in the environment: Clare Bradshaw, Francisco Nascimento.
• Algal toxins: Ulla Rasmussen, Sara Rydberg, Birgitta Bergman.
• Environmental assessment and protection: Jonas Gunnarsson, Michael Tedengren.
• Uptake and effects of metals in plants, phytoremediation: Maria Greger.
• Mixture toxicity: Francisco Nascimento, Clare Bradshaw, Jonas Gunnarsson.

Fisheries - interactions with the ecosystem

• Baltic Sea fisheries, food webs, and long term ecological research (LTER): Sture Hansson, Monika Winder.
• Effects of tropical and temperate fisheries on coastal seascapes: Martin Gullström, Johan Eklöf, Charlotte Berkström, Lina Mtwana Nordlund.

Impacts of agriculture and aquaculture, developing sustainable alternatives

• Impacts of forestry and agriculture practices on biodiversity: Kristoffer Hylander.
• Effects of aquaculture on marine ecosystems: Christina Halling, Michael Tedengren.
• Effects of coastal land use (e.g., chemicals, fertilisers) on marine ecosystems: Michael Tedengren, Jonas Gunnarsson.
• Development of environmentally friendly pesticides: Ulla Rasmussen.
• Integrated pest management: Lisbeth Jonsson.
• Coastal zone management: Nils Kautsky, Michael Tedengren, Johan Eklöf, Martin Gullström, Charlotte Berkström, Lina Mtwana Nordlund.
• Effects of agri-environmental schemes on biodiversity, ecosystem services and fruit production: Peter Hambäck.

Coastal zone management 

• Effects of coastal land use: Lena Kautsky.
• Remote sensing of coastal waters Susanne Kratzer and Lina Mtwana Nordlund.

Eutrophication

• Using long time series to understand Baltic plankton dynamics: Jakob Walve, Monika Winder.
• Eutrophication and benthic communities, anoxia, seabed remediation methods: Sven Blomqvist, Francisco Nascimento, Agnes Karlsson.

• Ecosystem-based management of the Baltic Sea, Baltic cyanobacterial blooms and Baltic benthos: Ragnar Elmgren.

• Using remote sensing to understand eutrophication and its effects: Susanne Kratzer.
• Long term effects of water quality on macrophyte ecosystems in the Baltic: Susanne Qvarfordt, Lena Kautsky.

For projects related to climate change and ocean acidification please go to: Climate effects