Siv Nam Khang Hoff is a researcher at the Department of Biosciences and participated in the research project The Nansen Legacy. Siv knows everything about cod evolution. Or that is to say, she is constantly learning something new through her research. She is particularly interested in genetics and knows a lot about how different species of cod fare in the Barents Sea. One might wonder if the cod's supergene can help it adapt to changes in the sea?
What do you do in the project?
I have a master's in biology in the field of evolution and genetics. Right now I am working on mapping the genetic composition of three key species in the Barents Sea (and the Arctic), namely capelin, polar cod and Atlantic cod.
What experiences and findings do you want to highlight as important from the project?
I feel lucky to have been part of a major research project such as The Nansen Legacy. It has made it possible for me to take part in research cruises, and it has been an educational and unique experience. Since The Nansen Legacy is a large interdisciplinary project, I have also had the opportunity to get to know talented and inspiring researchers in the field of biology, as well as other fields that I would otherwise maybe not have come into contact with outside of the project. The project has given me an arena for discussion and collaboration across science diciplines, which I really think has been fruitful and which I wish to take with me further in my career.
In the project, we have been given the opportunity to research the genomic composition of capelin, polar cod and Atlantic cod on a completely new level. Through new sequencing technologies, we have now been able to investigate the genetic makeup of these species in a more nuanced way. We have among other things, discovered that the polar cod enharbour supergenes, similar to its close relative the Atlantic cod. Supergenes are structures that can lead to changes in both appearance and behaviour, and are a well-known phenomenon in nature. This is one way of which species can adapt to environmental changes.
What is the future for research in the Arctic, as you see it?
With the major changes in climate and environment that are predicted for the Arctic, I hope that they will increase the initiative for research here. The need is in any case present for increased knowledge about these changes and how they affect the ecosystem in the area. Here I can point out that it is essential to have larger interdisciplinary projects such as The Nansen Legacy. Working interdisciplinary will give us a more complete picture of the Arctic in the face of climate change, and not least in the face of increased activity in business such as oil development, fisheries and tourism.
If you look back on the time in the project, is there anything you could think of learning more about?
I could imagine learning more about how one can communicate scientific results in a way so that it can become part of management and management plans. I know that there is a lot of valuable knowledge that is now being generated from The Nansen Legacy, but I know little about how we can convey the relevant information to become part of management plans and the planning of protected areas.The genetic composition of a species can be important information for management , by for instance maintenance of genetic diversity that in turn can aid in resilience to changing environments.
Can we challenge you to sum up your research/experience in The Nansen Legacy in three words?
Whole-genome sequencing, arctic, fish.
The legacy of Nansen's women
The legacy of Nansen is a unique and holistic research project that will deliver integrated scientific knowledge about a rapidly changing marine climate and ecosystem. The project brings together around 280 researchers, students and technicians from ten Norwegian research institutions.
The legacy of Nansen has interviewed six of 137 women in the research project, and has asked them what they have learned and whether they have gained valuable experiences from the project during the time they have been part of the project. Read more about The Nansen Legacy on the project's website.