New MSc-thesis: Spatial models of biodiversity for data scarce environments: exploring different methods for the province of Telemark, Norway

Large-scale assessments of multiple ecosystem services that are provided by diverse ecosystems have recently drawn increased interest. An important research topic in this field is the analysis of spatial relations of ecosystem services with different aspects of biodiversity. Information on biodiversity is, however, often absent, scarce or spatially scattered. One of the major challenges is the search for appropriate indicators for biodiversity that are at the same time meaningful, i.e. reflecting relevant elements of biodiversity, and able to overcome apparent data scarcity.

Two aims of this thesis project are as follows. The first one will be to review different indicators and methods for spatial biodiversity assessments that are currently used in ecosystem services research. Based on this review, the second aim is to apply and test three methods: the Norwegian Nature Index (Certain et al. 2011, PloS one), the GLOBIO model (www.globio.info) and (if possible) Norwegian forest biodiversity data. The results of these spatial models could help to better understand spatial relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This thesis project will be conducted in close cooperation with a PhD candidate in the on-going ECOSPACE project for the province of Telemark in Southern Norway. In the first phase we will figure out how cooperation with Norwegian stakeholders and research institutes can be incorporated within the research. Prerequisite for conducting this project are intermediate to advanced knowledge in GIS (ESRI ArcGIS). As a couple of Norwegian (data) sources are available in Norwegian only, a little knowledge of a Scandinavian language is preferred, but is no a prerequisite.