Master's student at the Department of Biosciences, Clare Andvik, has studied the relationship between diet and environmental toxins in killer whales. Today's risk assessment of the killer whale population is based on a limited study from 2002, when they assumed that herring was the only source of food and pollution. Clare, on the other hand, has shown that killer whales have a varied diet, with some also eating significant amounts of seals, which have a higher level of pollution than herring. This is very important for a more realistic assessment of the threat from pollution to the population of killer whales.
Clare Andvik delivered the master's thesis in June 2019, and was guided by Katrine Borgå, Anders Ruus, Eve Jourdain and Jan Ludvig Lyche. The title of the thesis is: "The effect of dietary preference on the levels of organohalogen contaminants and mercury in Norwegian killer whales (Orcinus orca)".
Collaboration for increased knowledge
The master thesis of Clare Andvik has resulted in a further collaboration with NMBU and the Norwegian Orca Survey, funded by the Ministry of Climate and Environment's Arctic 2030 program. The goal is to bring valuable knowledge into the national and international environmental management. Clare will work further on this in 2020.
One of three winners of the sustainability award
Clare Andvik has won the award for best master's thesis on the UN's sustainability goals. The purpose of the award is to inspire originality and quality in master's projects that contribute to knowledge and insight into sustainable development.
This is the second time the Sustainability Award has been awarded at the University of Oslo. The award is awarded to the three best master's theses related to the UN's sustainability goals. The other two winners are Steinar Træet from the Faculty of Law and Sigrid Jerpstad from the Faculty of Social Sciences. The award is presented by Pro Rector Gro Bjørnerud Mo during the Students' Environmental Festival on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.