Wild Research Bites - A Podcast From Slu

We’re finally back with a new episode of Wild Research Bites! This time it’s two new students who present their thesis topics for us. They will share their experiences about the master program and doing a 60 credit thesis at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies at SLU in Umeå. Amber is a Belgian student and currently developing a set of genetic markers to infer relatedness in spotted hyena populations. This can be used to study population structure, genetic health, mating patterns, dispersal, etc. Exiting things! Jaime is investigating diversity patterns and functional diversity of wild bee communities between conventionally managed production forests and the so-called “Eco parks”, where production forests and restoration and protection measures are combined. Both Amber and Jaime tell us about their experience in the field, what they enjoy about doing their thesis and what they like about living in Sweden. Sit down and enjoy this casual conversation! And please send us your questions

In this episode of Wild Research Bites Olli and Emelie talk to two passionate conservation practitioners Phoebe Mottram and Lawrence Steyn about their work as field and trail guides in South African Savanna. Phoebe and Lawrence tell us about their lives in the bush, and share some of their most exciting experiences from their work. In this episode, you can hear how Phoebe and Lawrence got into conservation in the first place, and how they ended up guiding tourists in some of the most beautiful places in the world. They share their experiences in conservation education and discuss their ideas about the importance of tourism in conservation. Contact us Email: wildpodcast@slu.se Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildresearchbites/ Twitter: twitter.com/wild_podcast Further links: Ecotraining: https://www.ecotraining.co.za NJ MORE: https://www.njmorefieldguidecollege.co.za FGASA course providers: https://www.fgasa.co.za/training-providers (this is a list of all the places in SA and further afield that do the train

In this episode of Wild Research Bites Emelie interview two students writing their master thesis project at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental studies at SLU in Umeå. Michelle Etienne is a German student that did her previous studies at Stockholm University and is currently doing a 60 credit thesis about Golden eagle movements in relation to linear infrastructure such as roads. She is studying if these structures form ecological traps for the eagles and how this is affecting the population. She is interested in movement ecology and aspires to continue with a Ph.D. in the future. Raul Lira Rodriguez came all the way from Chile to Umeå to study the master program in Management of Fish and Wildlife populations and writing his thesis linking plant community composition, abiotic factors to competition and management of livestock and wildlife such as Ibex and Snow leopard in Kyrgyzstan. I ask them about their general experience of doing a master thesis so far, what has been the hardest part and the

In this episode Olli interviews Dr. Liza Le Roux about her research in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Liza has studied megaherbivores, trophic cascades, and nutrient distribution in the park, and she tells us about her previous PhD research and how it relates to her current post doctoral research. In the end of the episode, Liza gives us a glimpse into what it is like to work among wild animals in a nature reserve such as the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.

In this episode, we discuss how to communicate our science to the public and why we think it is so important! Joining me are journalist and communication officer Susanna Bergström and animal ecologist Tim Hofmeester. We start by trying to define what science communication is and how one can go about it in an effective and interesting way. Susanna shares her experience working with scientists, differences from being a journalist, and fun examples of what she is currently up to. There are both challenges and rewards with doing outreach and we touch on subjects of language, pinpointing the correct audience, media experience (or non-experience) and more. A related topic to scientific communication is citizen science where the general public works with scientists to do science in one form or another. Tim introduces the project he has initiated called "Meet your wild neighbours" were citizens in Umeå get to set up a wildlife camera in their garden to find out what animals are there. When I asked Tim what exciting a

In this month’s episode of Wild Research Bites, we get to follow Emelie all the way to Curitiba, Brazil and listen to her experiences with going to an international conference whilst competing with the birds for the attention of the microphone. She explains how a scientific conference usually works and why maybe you should consider going to one! Emelie had an oral presentation at one of the conference sessions where she talked about a project within her Ph.D. There were over four thousand participants at the conference and Emelie asked three Ph.D. students about their experiences. Listen to the episode so hear Anil, Sarah, and Holly’s thoughts. IUFRO 2019, home page: http://iufro2019.com/ IUFRO 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden: https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/s/collaboration/iufro-2024/

In this episode Olli interviews two master's students from SLU about their master thesis projects. Maja and Daniel came to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa to do the fieldwork components of their theses in early September and they will stay in the park for several months. Maja studies how elephant interference influences rhino foraging and grass reproduction, whereas Daniel looks at how rhinos respond to simulated poaching.

In this episode Olli introduces the new spin-off field series from the Wild Research Bites Podcast. He broadcasts from the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, where he studies the impact of white rhino on soil carbon fluxes. In this episode Olli outlines what his field season consists of as well as what the future episodes from the field will cover. In the coming episodes, he will be engaging with researchers, field technicians and conservation practitioners and discussing their experiences from the field.

In the 8th episode of the podcast, we talk about how it is for internationals to move to Sweden to study and work. In this episode we interview two foreign PhD students from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Sabine Pfeffer and Fernanda De Miranda Vasconcelos about how it was for them to move to Sweden to study and work. They talk about their personal experiences from practical matters of moving to Sweden such as organizing housing and getting a bank account to assimilating to the Swedish culture and working environment. Fernanda: https://www.slu.se/en/ew-cv/fernanda-de-miranda-vasconcelos/ https://www.slu.se/en/cv/sabine-pfeffer/ Official podcast webpage: www.slu.se/wildresearchbites/

In the 7th episode of the podcast, we dive into the subject of moose research with researchers Wiebke Neumann and head of department and professor Göran Ericsson. First, we start by discussing the national TV show that recorded the migration of moose over a river in central Sweden using remote cameras. The cameras were broadcasted 24/7 for 3 weeks getting as much as 4.6 millions streamed hours. Göran was taking part as an expert and tells us about his experience. Then we discuss various topics regarding moose such as road accidents, adaptation to climate change, national and European situation, human activities such as hunting and management. The reasons for doing research on moose and what tools we have to study these large animals such as GPS collars. Lastly, I ask them to tell me an interesting fact about moose. Did you know that moose snore? Or can swim very long distances? Listen to this months episode to learn more! Links: SVT moose migration: https://www.svtplay.se/den-stora-algvandringen Göran Ericss

In this episode we discuss how rewilding can be used as a strategy to mitigate climate change. With me in the studio is Associate Professor Joris Cromsigt from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences who works with topics in ecology in both northern and southern hemispheres. What is rewilding? Can animals have an influence on the climate system? If so, how? These are the questions discussed in this episode through examples from Joris' and his colleagues recently published paper (see link to the paper below). Please contact us to our email (wildpodcast@slu.se), Facebook or Twitter. You can find this podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunes. Links: Profile of Joris Cromsigt at SLU: https://www.slu.se/cv/joris-cromsigt/ Paper discussed: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rstb.2017.0440

In this episode, we discuss the topic of women in science, the importance of female role models and the event Soapbox Science. With me is Judith Felten, associate senior lecturer at UPSC, who talks about her experiences as a presenter last year at the international event Soapbox Science in Umeå, and her expectations for this year. Soapbox science is a platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do by following the London Hyde Park's Speaker's Corner format (i.e standing in public on a box talking without a microphone or other forms of digital aid). There will be 12 presenters talking about topics ranging from forests, pregnancy, fish, antibiotic, genetics and more. Our second guest is Navinder Singh, one of the organizers and associate professor at SLU, who tells us more about the vision of Soapbox science and the thoughts that lead to initiating this international event in Umeå. During 2019 Soapbox science will have 42 events in 13 countries from May to October. The event in Umeå is the 18th

In this episode of Wild Research Bites we interview a Ph.D. student Sabrina Dressel to discuss the ECOS (Ecology and Society research school) Ph.D. course on Global Perspectives on Adaptive Wildlife Management that took place in Kruger National Park in South Africa earlier this year. We discuss the overall feelings about the course from both an instructor’s and a student’s perspectives and go into more detail about the course activities and class dynamics. We talk about the learning environment, student tasks, and the free time after all the official activities were done for the day. Sabrina tells us about exciting encounters with wild animals and points out some challenges that the instructors and students faced during the course. Finally, we reflect on the most exciting moments and insightful take-home messages from the course. Resources: Course blog (English): http://blogg.slu.se/adaptive-wildlife-management/ ECOS Research school (English): https://www.slu.se/institutioner/skogsekonomi/utbildning/forsk

In this episode of Wild Research Bites we discuss master studies and thesis work with Anna Widén, current Ph.D. student and Stephanie Higgins, currently writing her master thesis. Both took part in the master program Management of Fish and Wildlife populations at the Department of Wildlife, Fish and, Environmental Studies at SLU Umeå. We discuss their overall experience with the program before diving deep into their individual master thesis projects. Annas thesis project was about bark stripping of red deer on Norway spruce where she found the interactions between Swedish forestry and wildlife interesting. Stephanie is trying to build a pedigree for wolverines in Scandinavia using DNA sampling and analysis methods to study patterns across generations on a large scale. We also discuss study techniques, different teaching activities and also what specifically Anna and Stephanie think a good teacher and a good supervisor does. Links to resources: The master program that both Anna and Stephanie took part in at

In this episode, Emelie and Olli are discussing fire in the boreal forest of Fennoscandia while also making comparisons to savanna ecosystems of South Africa. Why does it burn in the forest? What are the negative as well as positive effects of fire? And how have humans affected fires as a natural disturbance? The situation during the summer of 2018 in Sweden and many other parts of the world regarding high temperatures, little rain, and many forest fires, was widely covered in mainstream media but seen only as a catastrophe. Emelie and Olli provide a more nuanced picture of fire as part of the ecosystem. Also, in an interview with researcher Anne-Maarit Hekkala who works at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies at SLU, the use of fire as a restoration method is discussed in detail. Anne-Maarit studied the effects of prescribed burning on insects and vegetation as part of her Ph.D. project in Oulu, Finland. After the interview, Emelie talks more about her own current Ph.D. project looking

In this first episode of Wild Research Bites you will be introduced to the vision for the podcast and a personal story of how two nature interested children became Ph.D. students at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The university is divided geographically to five different campuses and topic-wise between four different faculties. The podcast is recorded in Umeå at the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies within the Forest faculty. But then who are these two Ph.D. students behind the microphones? First, we have Olli Hyvärinen, moved to Sweden from the north-east of Finland but he visited several other countries on his way from basic education to research on rhino-plant-climate interactions. Second, we have Emelie Fredriksson, born and raised up here in the north of Sweden. She moved to Umeå 2010 to start her bachelor education and have stayed since then! Her research is focused on fire and forest management. This interview between Emelie and Olli briefly covers most are