Research interests
My research interests are focused on the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive population and species distributions over spatial and temporal scales, affected by both natural environmental and anthropogenically-induced change. I specialise in the use of ancient DNA extracted from both bones and sediments, and my research covers an extensive temporal range from a few decades ago, up to the Holocene and Pleistocene. I work with a variety of taxa, including both animals and plants, and the genomic tools I employ in my studies range from multi-species metabarcoding markers to whole genome sequences. I thoroughly enjoy working in a highly multidisciplinary research environment and routinely collaborate with both geologists and archaeologists.
Over the last years we have been workin in several caves in northern Norway, combining zoo-archaeology and ancient DNA together with geological and archaeological data in order to reconstruct past ecosystems. In 2026 we added on new adventures and have started looking at the drivers of landscape change in the Afrotropics, a project funded by an ERC Synergy (EcoArch project).
I really enjoy supervising and guiding young scientists. During our biweekly group meetings we regularly discuss papers but also a diversity of topics such as authorship, career-building, grant writing. We also organize a bi-annual digital-cleanup-day for CEES. In addition to research and teaching I lead the section CEES and am part of the department leader group.
Don't hesitate to get in touch if you are in a master's project, to apply for a grant to join my group, or if you are interested in collaborating!
Current people and their projects
- Theda Bartolomeus (DSTrain MSCA postdoc) - Microbial Evolution and Legacy of Ancient Climate Change (MELT)
- Lea Frank (PhD) - High latitude Fennoscandic caves and Stone Age landscapes: A multi-proxy approach to examine faunal diversity and human impact
- Emma Katrin Onshuus (PhD) - Reconstructing Holocene Human-Climate Interactions across the Afrotropics using sedaDNA
- Lovise Næs Holm (MSc) - Soil DNA to contrast biodiversity in Zambia and Malawi
- Emma-Linnea Østraat Tangen (MSc) - Using eDNA to characterise biodiversity in Senegal
- Josua Gärtner (MSc) - Ancient DNA and palaeoproteomics to identify bird feathers on Iron Age arrows
Past group members
- Samuel James Walker (Postdoc) - Past faunal diversity reconstructed from Scandinavian Arctic cave deposits
- Heidi Nistelberger (Postdoc) - Biodiversity of the Viking Age
- Aurélie Boilard (PhD) - 100 000 years of Nordic faunal diversity explored through paleogenomics
- Oliver Kersten (PhD) - Linking past and present population structure and demography of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica)
- Anneke ter Schure (PhD) - Unearthing past and present biodiversity through eDNA metabarcoding
- Samantha López Clinton (visiting EMBO fellow) - Reconstructing ancient genomes from ancient
- Emma Katrin Onshuus (MSc) - Tracking Holocene ecosystem dynamics from a paleo-archive preserved in a cave in high latitudinal Fennoscandia.
- Carina Sveen (MSc) - Holocene distribution of marine biodiversity preserved in caves along the coast of Norway: the fish tale of Solsemhula
Teaching
I coordinate and teach on the courses:
- BIOS1010 - Introduksjon i rettsmedisin
- BIOS3050 - Arbeidspraksis i biovitenskap
- BIOS3060 - Forskningspraksis i biovitenskap.
I apply concepts and philosophy from scientific teaching in my classes and specifically enjoy collaborative development of teaching. In that line I have collaborated on the DIKU funded project DEVELOP (PI Sehoya Cotner, bioCEED, UiB).
Publications
Kersten O, Star B, Anker-Nilssen T, Strøm H, Jakobsen KS & Boessenkool S (2025) Single nucleotide polymoprhisms, structural variants, and short tandem repeats capture distinct signals of adaptive divergence in the Atlantic puffin. Genome Biology and Evolution 17 (9): evaf162.
Walker SJ, Boilard A, Henriksen M… Boessenkool S (2025) A 75,000-y-old Scandinavian Arctic cave deposit reveals past faunal diversity and paleoenvironment. PNAS 122 (32): e2415008122.
Lindahl A, Epp LS, Boessenkool S, Pedersen MW, Brace S, Heintzman PD, Dalén L & Díez del Molino D (2025) Palaeogenomic inference of biodiversity dynamics across Quaternary timescales. Nature Biodiversity Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-025-00033-0
Schneider JR, Aaby T, Boessenkool S, Eriksen EF, Holtermann K, Martens I, Soulé J, Steele A, Zazzera S, van der Meeren G, Velle G, Cotner S & Lane AK (2024) Creating better internships by understanding mentor challenges: findings from a series of focus groups. International Journal of STEM Education 11:60.
Tørresen OK, Kersten O, Garmann-Aarhus B, Helberg M, Tooming-Klunderud A, Skage M, Boessenkool S & Jakobsen KS (2024) A chromosome-level genome assembly of the common eider, Somateria mollissima (Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Heredity: esae042.
Anders LJ, Davey M, Van Moorter B, Fossøy F, Boessenkool S, Solberg EJ, Meisingset EL, Mysterud A, Rolandsen CM (2024). Elucidating nematode diversity and prevalence in moose across a wide latitudinal gradient using DNA metabarcoding. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 24: 100962.
Boilard A, Walker SJ, Lødøen TK, Henriksen M, Beijersbergen LMT, Star B, Robu M, Tøssebro C, Albrektsen CM, Soleng Y, Aksnes S, Jørgensen R, Hufthammer AK, van Kolfschoten T, Lauritzen SE & Boessenkool S (2024). Ancient DNA and osteological analyses of a unique paleo-archive reveal Early Holocene faunal expansion into the Scandinavian Arctic. Science Advances 10: eadk3032. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk3032.
Ruiz-Puerta EJ, Keighley X, Desjardins SPA, Gotfredsen AB, Pan SE, Star B, Boessenkool S, Barrett JH, McCarthy ML, Andersen LW, Born EW, Howse LR, Szpak P, Pálsson S, Rufolo S, Malmquist HJ, Jordan PD & Olsen MT (2023) Holocene deglaciation drove rapid genetic diversification of Atlantic walrus. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 290: 2023134920231349.
Kersten O, Star B, Krabberød AK, Atmore LM, Torresen OK, Anker-Nilssen T, Descamps S, Strøm H, Johansson US, Sweet PR, Jakobsen KS & Boessenkool S (2023) Hybridization of Atlantic puffins in the Arctic coincides with 20th-century climate change. Science Advances 9: eadh 1407.
Ter Schure ATM, Bruch AA, Kandel AW, Gasparyan B, Bussmann RW, Brysting AK, de Boer H & Boessenkool S (2022) Sedimentary ancient DNA metabarcoding as a tool for assessing prehistoric plant use at the Upper Paleolithic cave site Aghitu-3, Armenia. Journal of Human Evolution 172: 103258.
Ter Schure ATM, Bajard M, Loftsgarden K, Høeg HI, Ballo E, Bakke J, Støren EWN, Iversen H, Kool A, Brysting AK, Krüger K & Boessenkool S (2021) Anthropogenic and environmental drivers of vegetation change in southeastern Norway during the Holocene. Quaternary Science Reviews 270: 107175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107175
Kersten O, Star B, Leigh DM, Anker-Nilssen T, Strøm H, Danielsen J, Descamps S, Erikstad KE, Fitzsimmons MG, Fort J, Hansen ES, Harris MP, Irestedt M, Kleven O, Mallory ML, Jackobsen KS & Boessenkool S (2021) Complex population structure of the Atlantic puffin revealed by whole genome analyses. Communications Biology 4: 922. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02415-4
Polling M, ter Schure ATM, van Geel B, van Bokhoven T, Boessenkool S, MacKay G, Langeveld BW, Ariza M, van der Plicht H, Protopopov AV, Tikhonov A, de Boer H, & Gravendeel B (2021) Multiproxy analysis of permafrost preserved faeces provides an unprecedented insight into the diets and habitats of extinct and extant megafauna. Quaternary Science Reviews 267: 107084. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107084
Chua PYS, Lammers Y, Menoni E, Ekrem T, Bohmann K, Boessenkool S & Alsos IG (2021) Molecular dietary analyses of western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) reveal a diverse diet. Environmental DNA. Early view. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.237
Chua PYS, Crampton-Platt A, Lammers Y, Alsos IG, Boessenkool S & Bohmann K (2021) Metagenomics: A viable tool for reconstructing diet. Molecular Ecology Resources. Early view. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13425
Trucchi E, Benazzo A, Lari M, Iob A, Vai S, Nanni L, Bellucci E, Bitocchi E, Xu C, Jackson AS, Lema V, Babot P, Oliszewski N, Gil A, Neme G, Michieli C, De Lorenzi M, Calcagnile L, Caramelli D, Star B, de Boer H, Boessenkool S*, Papa R*, Bertorelle* G. (2021) Ancient genomes reveal early Andean farmers selected common beans while preserving diversity. Nature Plants. *Shared senior authors. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-021-00848-7
Ferrari G, Cuevas A, Gondek-Wyrozemska AT, Ballantyne R, Kersten O, Pálsdóttir A, van der Jagt I, Hufthammer A, Ystgaard I, Wickler S, Bigelow GF, Harland J, Nicholson R, Orton D, Clavel B, Boessenkool S & Barrett JH & Star B. The preservation ancient DNA in archaeological fish bone. Journal of Archaeological Science 126: 105317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2020.105317
Orr R, Sannum M, Boessenkool S, Di Martino E, Gordon D, Mello H, Obst M, Ramsfjell M, Smith A & Liow LH (2020) Molecular phylogeny of historical micro-invertebrate specimens using de novo sequence assembly. Ecology and Evolution 11(1): 309-320. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7042
Ter Schure ATM, Pillai AAS, Thorbek L, Bhavani Shankar M, Puri R, Ravikanth G, de Boer HJ & Boessenkool S (2020) Herbivore dietary nice overlap in an Indian wildlife sanctuary measured by eDNA metabarcoding. Environmental DNA 3(3): 681-696. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.168
Barett JH, Boessenkool S, Kneale CJ, O’Connell TC & Star B (2020) Ecological globalisation, serial depletion and the medieval trade of walrus rostra. Quaternary Science Reviews 229: 106122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106122
Pálsdóttir AH, Bläuer A, Rannamäe E, Boessenkool S, Hallsson JH. 2019. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Open Science 285: 20180978. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191059
Fages A, Hanghøj K, Khan N, …. Boessenkool S, ……Outram, AK, Librado P & Orlando . (2019) Tracking five millennia of horse management with extensive ancient genome time series. Cell 177: 1-17.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.049
Nistelberger HM, Pálsdóttir AH, Star B, Leifsson R, Gondek AT, Orlando L, Barrett JH, Hallsson JH, Boessenkool S. 2019. Sexing Viking Age horses from burial and non-burial sites in Iceland using ancient DNA. Journal of Archaeological Science 101, 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2018.11.007
Star B., Barrett J.H, Gondek A.T., Boessenkool S. 2018. Ancient DNA reveals the chronology of walrus ivory trade from Norse Greenland. bioRxiv doi:
Gondek AT, Boessenkool S & Star B (2018) A stainless-steel mortar, pestle and sleeve design for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone. Preprint available on bioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/265587.
Star B, Boessenkool S, Gondek AT, Nikulina EA, Hufthammer AK, Pampoulie C, Knutsen H, Andre C, Nistelberger HM, Dierking J, Petereit C, Heinrich D, Jakobsen KS, Stenseth NC, Jentoft S, Barret JH (2017) Ancient DNA revels the Arctic origin of Viking age cod from Haithabu, Germany. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114: 9152-9157.
Boessenkool S, Hanghøj K, Nistelberger HM, Sarkissian CD, Gondek A, Orlando L, Barrett JH & Star B (2017) Combining bleach and mild pre-digestion improves ancient DNA recovery from bones. Molecular Ecology Resources 17: 742-751.
Nistelberger H, Smith O, Wales N, Star B & Boessenkool S (2016) The efficacy of high-throughput sequencing and target enrichment on charred archaeobotanical remains. Scientific Reports 6: 37347.
Gebremedhin B, Flagstad Ø, Bekele A, Chala D, Bakkestuen V, Boessenkool S, Popp M, Gussarova G, Schrøder- Nielsen A, Nemomissa S, Brochmann C, Stenseth NC & Epp LS. (2016) DNA metabarcoding suggests that the endangered Walia ibex is affected by diet competition with domestic goats. PLoSOne 11(7): e0159133.
Mazarella AB, Boessenkool S, Østbye K, Vøllestad LA & Trucchi E (2016) Genomic signatures of the plateless phenotype in the threespine stickleback. Ecology and Evolution 6: 3161-3173.
Paus A, Boessenkool S, Brochmann C. Epp LS, Fabel D, Haflidason H & Linge H (2015) Lake Store Finnsjøen - a key for understanding Late-Glacial/early Holocene vegetation and ice sheet dynamics in the Scandes mountains. Quaternary Science Reviews 121: 36-51.
Paus A, Boessenkool S, Brochmann C. Epp LS, Fabel D, Haflidason H & Linge H (2015) Lake Store Finnsjøen - a key for understanding Late-Glacial/early Holocene vegetation and ice sheet dynamics in the Scandes mountains. Quaternary Science Reviews 121: 36-51.
Epp LS, Gussarova G, Boessenkool S, Olsen J, Haile J, Schrøder-Nielsen A, Ludikova A, Hassel K, Stenøien HK, Funder SV, Willerslev E, Kjær K & Brochmann C (2015) Lake sediment multi-taxon DNA from North Greenland records early post-glacial appearance of vascular plants and accurately tracks environmental changes. Quaternary Science Reviews 117: 152-163.
Rawlence NJ, Perry GLW, Smith IWG, Scofiel RP, Tennyson AJD, Matisoo-Smith EA, Boessenkool S, Austin JA & Waters JM (2015) Radiocarbon-dating and ancient DNA reveal rapid replacement of extinct prehistoric penguins. Quaternary Science Reviews 112: 59-65.
Boessenkool S, McGlynn G, Epp LS, Taylor D, Pimentel M, Gizaw A, Nemomissa S, Brochmann C & Popp M (2014) Use of ancient sedimentary DNA as a novel conservation tool for high-altitude tropical biodiversity. Conservation Biology 28: 446-455.
Willerslev E, Davison J, Moora M, Zobel M, Coissac E, Edwards ME, Lorenzen ED, Vestergård M, Gussarova G, Haile J, Craine J, Gielly L, Boessenkool S, Epp LS, Pearman PB, Cheddadi R, Murray D, Bråthen KA, Yoccoz N, Binney H, Cruaud C, Wincker P, Goslar T, Alsos IG, Bellemain E, Brysting AK, Elven R, Sønstebø JH, Murton J, Sher A, Rasmussen M, Rønn R, Mourier T, Cooper A, Austin J, Möller P, Froese D, Zazula G, Pompanon F, Rioux D, Niderkorn V, Tikhonov A, Savvinov G, Roberts RG, MacPhee RDE, Gilbert MTP, Kjær KH, Orlando L, Brochmann C & Taberlet P (2014) Fifty thousand years of Arctic vegetation and megafaunal diet. Nature 506: 47-51.
Bellemain E, Davey ML, Kauserud H, Epp LS, Boessenkool S, Coissac E, Geml J, Edwards M, Willerslev E, Gussarova G, Taberlet P & Brochmann C (2013) Fungal paleodiversity revealed using high-throughput metabarcoding of ancient DNA from arctic permafrost. Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Microbiology Reports 15: 1176-1189.
Boessenkool S*, Epp LS*, Haile J, Bellemain E, Coissac E, Willerslev E & Brochmann C (2012) Blocking human contaminant DNA during PCR allows amplification of rare mammal species in sedimentary ancient DNA. Molecular Ecology 21: 1806-1815. *Contributed equally.
Epp LS*, Boessenkool S*, Bellemain EP, Haile J, Esposito A, Riaz T, Erse C, Gusarov V, Edwards ME, Johnsen A, Stenøien HK, Hassel K, Kauserud H, Yoccoz NG, Bråthen KA, Willerslev E, Taberlet P, Coissac E & Brochmann C (2012) New environmental metabarcodes for analysing soil DNA: potential for studying past and present ecosystems. Molecular Ecology 21: 1821-1833. *Contributed equally.
Parducci L, Jørgensen T, Tollesrufd MM, Elverland E, Alm T, Fontana S, Bennett KD, Haile J, Matetovici I, Suyama Y, Edwards M, Andersen K, Rasmussen R, Boessenkool S, Coissac E, Brochmann C, Taberlet P, Houmark-Nielsen M, Larsen NK, Orlando L, Gilbert, MTP, Kjær K, Alsos IG & Willerslev E (2012) Glacial survival of boreal trees in Northern Scandinavia . Science 335: 1083-1086.
Jørgensen T, Haile J, Möller P, Andreev A, Boessenkool S, Rassmussen M, Kienast F, Coissac E, Taberlet P, Brochmann C, Bigelow NH, Andersen K, Orlando L, Gilbert MTP & Willerslev E (2012) A comparative study of ancient sedimentary DNA, pollen and macrofossils from permafrost sediments of northern Siberia reveals long-term vegetational stability. Molecular Ecology 21: 1989-2003.
Jørgensen T, Kjær KH, Haile J, Rasmussen M, Boessenkool S, Andersen K, Coissac E, Taberlet P, Brochmann C, Orlando L, Gilbert MTP & Willerslev E (2012) Islands in the ice: detecting past vegetation on Greenlandic Nunataks using historical records and sedimentary ancient DNA meta-barcoding. Molecular Ecology 21: 1980-1988.
Boessenkool S, Star B, Scofield RP, Seddon PJ & Waters JM (2010) Lost in translation or deliberate falsification? Genetic analyses reveal erroneous museum data for historic penguin specimens. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 277: 1057-1064.
Boessenkool S, Star B, Seddon PJ & Waters JM (2010) Temporal genetic analyses indicate small effective population size of the endangered yellow-eyed penguin. Conservation Genetics 11: 539-546.
Lopes J.S. & Boessenkool S (2010) The use of approximate Bayesian statistics in conservation genetics and its application in a case study on yellow-eyed penguins. Conservation Genetics 11: 421-433.
Boessenkool S, Star B, Waters JM & Seddon PJ (2009) Multilocus assignment analyses reveal multiple units and rare migration events in the recently expanded yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Molecular Ecology 18: 2390-2400.
Boessenkool S, Austin JJ, Worthy TH, Scofield RP, Cooper A, Seddon PJ & Waters JM (2009) Relict or colonizer? Extinction and range expansion of penguins in southern New Zealand. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 276: 815-821.
Boessenkool S, King TM, Seddon PJ & Waters JM (2008) Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Molecular Ecology Resources 8: 1043-4045.
Taylor SS, Boessenkool S & Jamieson IG (2008) Genetic monogamy in two long-lived New Zealand passerines. Journal of Avian Biology 39: 579-583.
Keeney DB, Boessenkool S, King TM, Leung TLF & Poulin R (2008) Effects of interspecific competition on asexual proliferation and clonal genetic diversity in larval trematode infections of snails. Parasitology 135: 741-747.
Boessenkool S, Taylor SS, Tepolt CK, Komdeur J & Jamieson IG (2007) Large mainland populations of South Island Robins retain greater genetic diversity than offshore island refuges. Conservation Genetics 8: 705-714.