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 on our email: [email protected]

📷 Cover photo by Jaime Ramón Luna Santa-María

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: [email protected]

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 training courses)

Phoebe's and Lawrence's webpage: www.thatchandearth.com

and their instagram page (@thatched_earth).

SafariLive: https://wildearth.tv/safarilive/

Africam: https://www.africam.com/wildlife/

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 easiest part. Another important aspect of enjoying your work is the setting. What do they think of Umeå as a city to study in? Do the possibilities of seeing the auroras in winter outweigh the huge amounts of mosquitoes during summer? Listen to find out more about their topics, their experiences and their best advice for someone starting their thesis! Thanks again to Michelle and Raul for joining this episode. The plan is to follow this up with more episodes of students sharing their experience with doing a master thesis. Let us know if you think this would be of value to you and if you would like to be featured in a future episode!

Contact us

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildresearchbites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wild_podcast

More information

Become a master at SLU: https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/s/education/mastersofnature/

Master students Instagram: @slu.mastersofnature

More examples of thesis projects at VFM: https://www.slu.se/en/departments/wildlife-fish-environmental-studies/education/advanced-level-courses/master-thesis/meet-our-students/

Doing a thesis at VFM and vacant projects: https://www.slu.se/en/departments/wildlife-fish-environmental-studies/education/advanced-level-courses/master-thesis/

Master program convenor John Ball: [email protected]

Study convenor Therese Löfroth: [email protected]

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 animals the participants of the project had found in their gardens he didn't get the chance to mention it before both I and Susanna spoiled it. What species do you think it is? Listen to find out what it was and also more "hardcore" science insights!

Contact us

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildresearchbites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wild_podcast

Citizen science projects

Meet your wild neighbours: https://www.slu.se/vildagrannar

Tea bag index: http://www.teatime4science.org/category/who-is-who/

More info about citizen science

http://www.medborgarforskning.se

Cover photo by Susanna Bergström

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 Ericsson: https://www.slu.se/en/departments/wildlife-fish-environmental-studies/moose-slu/people/goran-ericsson/

Wiebke Neumann: https://www.slu.se/en/departments/wildlife-fish-environmental-studies/moose-slu/people/wiebke-neumann/

Official podcast webpage: https://www.slu.se/wildresearchbites/