Emma Falkeid Eriksen

• Eriksen, Emma Falkeid; Andrews, Adam Jon; Nielsen, Svein Vatsvåg; Persson, Per; Malca, Estrella & Onar, Vedat [Vis alle 19 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Five millennia of mitonuclear discordance in Atlantic bluefin tuna identified using ancient DNA. Heredity. ISSN 0018-067X. 134, s. 175–185. doi: 10.1038/s41437-025-00745-1. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Mitonuclear discordance between species is readily documented in marine fishes. Such discordance may either be the result of past natural phenomena or the result of recent introgression from previously seperated species after shifts in their spatial distributions. Using ancient DNA spanning five millennia, we here investigate the long-term presence of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga) -like mitochondrial (MT) genomes in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), a species with extensive exploitation history and observed shifts in abundance and age structure. Comparing ancient (n = 130) and modern (n = 78) Atlantic bluefin MT genomes from most of its range, we detect no significant spatial or temporal population structure, which implies ongoing gene flow between populations and large effective population sizes over millennia. Moreover, we identify discordant MT haplotypes in ancient specimens up to 5000 years old and find that the frequency of these haplotypes has remained similar through time. We therefore conclude that MT discordance in the Atlantic bluefin tuna is not driven by recent introgression. Our observations provide oldest example of directly observed MT discordance in the marine environment, highlighting the utility of ancient DNA to obtain insights in the long-term persistence of such phenomena.

• Andrews, Adam Jon; Eriksen, Emma Falkeid; Star, Bastiaan; Præbel, Kim; Natale, Antonio Di & Malca, Estrella [Vis alle 19 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). Ancient DNA suggests a historical demographic decline and genetic erosion in the Atlantic bluefin tuna. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). ISSN 0027-8424. 122(21). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2409302122. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Overexploitation has depleted fish stocks during the past century; nonetheless, its genomic consequences remain poorly understood for most species. Characterizing the spatiotemporal patterns of these consequences may provide baseline estimates of past diversity and productivity to aid management targets, help predict future dynamics, and facilitate the identification of evolutionary factors limiting fish population recovery. Here, we evaluate human impacts on the evolution of the iconic Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), one of the longest and most intensely exploited marine fishes, with a tremendous cultural and economic importance. We sequenced whole genomes from modern (n = 49) and ancient (n = 41) specimens dating up to 5,000 y ago, uncovering several findings. First, we identify temporally stable patterns of population admixture, as bluefin tuna caught off Norway and in the eastern Mediterranean share a greater degree of ancestry with Gulf of Mexico bluefin tuna than western and central Mediterranean bluefin tuna. This suggests that Atlantic spawning areas are important mixing grounds for the genetic diversity of Mediterranean bluefin tuna. We model effective population size to show that Mediterranean bluefin tuna began to undergo a demographic decline by the year 1900 to an extent not observed across the previous millennia. Coinciding with this, we found that heterozygosity and nucleotide diversity were significantly lower in modern (2013 to 2020) than ancient (pre-1941) Mediterranean bluefin tuna, suggesting that bluefin tuna underwent a genetic bottleneck. With this work, we show how ancient DNA provides unique perspectives on ecological complexity with the potential to inform the management and conservation of fishes.

• Schneider, Joel R.; Aaby, Truls; Boessenkool, Sanne; Eriksen, Emma Falkeid; Holtermann, Kristin & Martens, Iver [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Creating better internships by understanding mentor challenges: findings from a series of focus groups. International Journal of STEM Education. 11(1). doi: 10.1186/s40594-024-00518-y. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Despite demands to make higher education more relevant beyond academia, and a growing body of work testifying to the benefits of work-relevance programs (e.g., work-placements, or internships) for both students and the companies that host them, there is limited information available for those aiming to optimize these programs. For example, few have explored the challenges and needs of internship supervisors. Here, we focus on the experiences of supervisors in biology and geology programs across three Norwegian institutions. Specifically, through a series of focus groups, we asked internship supervisors about their motivations for serving as student mentors, any challenges they had faced, and what higher-education institutions could do to better prepare them for hosting students at their workplaces. Results: Key challenges faced by supervisors include the need to tailor placements to individual student needs and capabilities, navigating the constraints imposed by academic structures, and addressing communication gaps between students, institutions, and workplace supervisors. Internship supervisors suggest enhancing communication strategies to better define roles and expectations, increasing support and training for supervisors, and establishing clearer, more collaborative frameworks for setting learning objectives with students. Conclusions: The supervisors’ suggestions aim to ensure that internships are mutually beneficial, supporting both students' educational outcomes and the workplace needs. By focusing on the supervisor's perspective, we provide valuable insights into one aspect of implementing effective and rewarding internships (i.e., supervisor preparation), thereby suggesting pathways for future improvements in these high-impact educational practices.

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• Sundset, Monica Alterskjær; Aaby, Truls; Eriksen, Emma Falkeid; Finstad, Bjørn-Petter; Holtermann, Kristin & Lien, Ingrid Hovda [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). WEBINAR UIB: Former students value long-term impacts of work-integrated learning in Fishery and Aquaculture Science and STEM science programs. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

Se alle arbeider i NVA