Torbjørn Ekrem, NTNU University Museum
Torbjørn Ekrem is an expert on Chironomidae, non-biting midges. The last few years he has been testing and using DNA barcoding in biosystematics. Besides coordinating the EBAI project, he is currently chairing the Norwegian Barcode of Life network and project (NorBOL) with the goal of developing this initiative into a national infrastructure on DNA barcoding.
Markus Majaneva, NTNU University Museum
Post-doctoral fellow Markus Majaneva has experience in analysis of next generation sequencing data and community composition analyses. He will be working with all aspects of the EBAI project, from collecting the samples to reporting the results. He will work closely with the EBAI project partners in BIO, Guelph and ZFMK, Bonn and visit at these institutions to guarantee full understanding and experience in all parts of the analytical process.
Mehrdad Hajibabaei and Shadi Shokralla, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph (BIO)
BIO is the leading international research institute on DNA barcoding and hosts the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Hajibabaei’s lab at Guelph is among the leading institutions on environmental barcoding. The group is the hub for a large-scale next generation sequencing based Biomonitoring 2.0 project. Primary collaborators, Mehrdad Hajibabaei and Shadi Shokralla, both have several years of experience with high throughput sequencing of environmental DNA.
Vera G. Fonseca and Bernhard Misof, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK)
Vera G. Fonseca has done pioneering studies on marine eukaryotic biodiversity using next generation sequencing approaches. Her experience and knowledge on large scale environmental DNA analysis will be important in the EBAI project. She coordinates the Environmental Metabarcoding Research Section led by Professor Bernhard Misof at the Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research at the ZFMK. The Centre also coordinates the German Barcode of Life initiative. Professor Misof has been developing his work in several areas of molecular biodiversity research from molecular taxonomy to evolutionary genomics and thus will have an important role as an active member of the EBAI project.
Elisabeth Stur, NTNU University Museum
Elisabeth Stur is an expert on Chironomidae, non-biting midges. She also has experience in identification Ceratopogonidae biting midges. Through her collaboration with Reinhard Gerecke (University of Tübingen) the EBAI project has access to primary expertise on the important taxonomic group of water mites. Within the EBAI project, she will work primarily with filling the gaps in the regional barcode library on Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae and Hydracarina as well as the evaluation of analytical results.
Terje Bongard and Ola H. Diserud, Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA)
Terje Bongard is an expert on aquatic insects Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera. He will be involved in the EBAI field sampling, sorting and identification of aquatic insects. Ola H. Diserud is experienced in applied statistical modelling and multivariate analysis and he will collaborate in the EBAI project in the statistical comparison of aquatic communities identified by different methodologies.
Anders Hobæk, Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA)
Anders Hobæk at NIVA and University of Bergen is an expert on freshwater crustaceans and has wide experience in fresh water management research, molecular diversity and phylogeography. At NIVA, Hobæk presently collates barcode libraries of Norwegian microcrustaceans (cladocerans, copepods and ostracods). His role in the EBAI project will mainly be connected to identification and DNA barcoding of crustaceans collected at the study sites.
Gaute Kjærstad, NTNU University Museum
Gaute Kjærstad is researched at the Department of Natural History and an expert on freshwater macroinvertebrates. He is an experienced field biologist and has also published on DNA barcoding of mayflies. Kjærstad will mainly be working with the invertebrate samples taken in Bymarka in connection with the rotenone treated lakes.
Karstein Hårsaker, NTNU University Museum
Karstein Hårsaker is chief engineer at the NTNU University Museum and collection manager of the scientific invertebrate collections. He is also a skilled limnologist with broad field experience in freshwater ecosystems. Hårsaker will mainly be contributing in the field sampling and organization of field work.
Erik Boström, NTNU University Museum
Erik Boström is senior engineer and molecular lab manager at the NTNU University Museum. Boström is experienced in a variety of molecular tools for systematics and ecology. He will mainly work with DNA extraction and pcr setups for the environmental samples.