Research projects draw on a number of supporting subjects. Examples of thesis topics include studies of nutrition chains in salt water or fresh water, biological diversity, predator-victim relationships, kelp-forest ecology, plant plankton, toxic algae, animal plankton, benthos, sea mammals, fish, pollution effects, and limnology. Many thesis topics will include a certain amount of fieldwork, whereas others may be more experimental or theoretical in nature. Topics will vary as new areas of research develop. As far as possible, thesis topics will be formulated to enable the student to become part of an active research group. Modern research is largely based on collaborative projects.
The Biology Department has modern research facilities at its disposal. We have two research vessels with up-to-date equipment for hydraulic investigations and testing in the fields of biology, chemistry and physics. We have a modernised field station at Dr?bak. At Blindern, we have a salt-water and freshwater aquarium, a cultivation room for algae and for completing experiments with aquatic organisms, as well as a state-of-the-art molecular-genetic laboratory for taxonomic and population genetic studies. We have easy access to various types of lakes and rivers containing a multitude of organisms. Researchers at the Section for Marine Biology and Limnology work closely with a range of national and international research groups.