Publications from the museum

• Naciri, Marwan; Aars, Jon; Gamelon, Marlene; Andersen, Magnus; Derocher, Andrew E. & Wiig, Øystein [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Denning Phenology Mediates Sea-Ice Loss Impacts on Early Reproductive Success in Polar Bears. Global Change Biology. ISSN 1354-1013. 32(8). doi: 10.1111/gcb.71042. Full text in Research Archive
• Maurstad, Marius Filomeno; Kusy, Dominik; Undheim, Eivind Andreas Baste; Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd; Böhne, Astrid & Monteiro, Rita [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2026). ERGA-BGE chromosome-level genome assembly of the giant stream lacewing  Osmylus fulvicephalus (Scopoli, 1763). Open Research Europe. 6. doi: 10.12688/openreseurope.23457.3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The giant stream lacewing, Osmylus fulvicephalus (Scopoli, 1763), is a widespread European species belonging to the insect order Neuroptera. Its cryptic larvae are predators found at the banks of streams and smaller rivers where they use their piercing, lance-shaped stylets to inject venom into their arthropod prey. Here, we present the reference genome of the giant stream lacewing as a crucial resource for uncovering the genetic basis of venom evolution in Neuroptera. The chromosome-level genome encompasses 674.7 Mb and is composed of 60 contigs and 24 scaffolds where 99.2% of the assembly is distributed among the 6 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules and two sex chromosomes (X and Y). Contig and scaffold N50 have a value of 51.5 Mb and 116.2 Mb, respectively. This reference genome is the first genomic resource from the family of lance lacewings, providing valuable data for clarifying the phylogenetic placement of the family Osmylidae within Neuroptera.

• Martino, Emanuela Di; GORDON, DENNIS P.; ROSSO, ANTONIETTA; GAMBINO, SALVATORE & RAMSFJELL, MALI H. (2026). Microporella uncovered: past and present diversity of a successful cheilostome bryozoan in Aotearoa New Zealand, with new species descriptions and distribution maps. Zootaxa. ISSN 1175-5326. 5887(1), p. 1–96. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5887.1.1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The genus Microporella is highly diverse worldwide, with its greatest diversity documented to date in New Zealand, where it appears in the Early Miocene, the earliest known record of the genus, and persists to the present day. Owing to its successful evolutionary history, Microporella has become a model system for addressing macroevolutionary questions, which in turn require a robust understanding of its true taxonomic diversity. This study provides the first comprehensive revision of all available Recent and fossil material of Microporella from New Zealand. We redefine the encrusting species M. agonistes, M. discors, M. intermedia and M. speculum, which appeared widely distributed through time and across New Zealand; a neotype is designated for M. agonistes. In several cases, we identify and describe cryptic taxa that had long been referred to one of these species. We further describe 16 new Recent species, namely M. anomopora sp. nov., M. bairdi sp. nov., M. bifora sp. nov., M. diadematoides sp. nov., M. diaphora sp. nov., M. maerloides sp. nov., M. mucronata sp. nov., M. murdochi sp. nov., M. perissospinosa sp. nov., M. plentyensis sp. nov., M. polaris sp. nov., M. pseudolineata sp. nov., M. puncticulata sp. nov., M. speculoides sp. nov., M. taylori sp. nov., M. tenuidistans sp. nov., some also including Pliocene or Pleistocene records, most of which are associated with poorly investigated deep-water environments. A detailed morphological comparison among all species is presented, and we summarise diagnostic characters, including size-related traits, for all remaining species described in recent studies, which are mostly erect bifoliate forms or encrusting forms known only from the fossil record. We recognize a total of 29 Microporella species, five of which are known exclusively from the fossil record. Distributional maps are compiled to provide a clear regional overview of Microporella diversity. The observed pattern is consistent with New Zealand’s long-recognized status as a centre of marine endemism and diversification, shaped by its prolonged geographic isolation, complex tectonic history, and wide range of environmental settings.

• Yan, Feng,; Daoliang, Chu,; Yunfei, Huang,; Jiankang, Lai,; Liow, Lee Hsiang & Xiaokang, Liu, [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). ESSDD - PhaFoS: A Global Database of Phanerozoic Foraminiferal Size. Earth System Science Data. doi: 10.5194/essd-2026-458. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Body size is a key phenotypic trait of living organisms, reflecting ecological function and individual metabolism. Evolutionary changes in body size also provide information on interactions between the organisms and their changing physical and biotic environments. Despite the utilitarian value of body size for understanding evolution and past environments, we lack a standardized, occurrence-based, Phanerozoic body size database for most groups of organisms, limiting large-scale studies of size evolution and size-environment interactions. Foraminifera are an ideal group to fill this data gap, given their abundant fossil record, extensive palaeogeographic distribution, and sensitivity to environmental changes. Here, we present PhaFoS, short for Phanerozoic Foraminifera Size database. PhaFoS compiles 118,885 specimens, of which 103,121 from 963 published papers and the remaining 15,764 from our field colletions, representing 4,167 genera and 34,256 species. Each record is linked to standardized and queryable metadata fields, including test volume (log₁₀ μm³), taxonomy, stratigraphic age, and both modern and paleogeographic coordinates. This database can be used to quantify temporal and spatial patterns of foraminiferal body-size over the Phanerozoic, and to explore the body size relationships with environmental conditions and their changes. The data files described in this paper are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20777319 (Feng et al., 2026).

• Liow, Lee Hsiang; Saulsbury, James G & Taylor, Paul D (2026). Enhanced dominance by cheilostomes relative to cyclostomes in low-latitude bryozoan assemblages through 100 million years. Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society. doi: 10.1093/evolinnean/kzag027. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Clade-clade interactions are thought to be a major force in the changing representation of organisms with similar ecological niches over time and space. It has long been known that the global number of cheilostome bryozoan species have increasingly outnumbered cyclostome bryozoan species, due to higher rates of both origination and extinction in cheilostomes. However, the latitudinal differences in this evolutionary turnover, and their ecological mechanisms, have been underexplored. Here we test the hypothesis that the numerical dominance of cheilostome species is enhanced at low latitudes today, and quantify this dominance in the geological past. Our data comes from 288 extant and 1257 fossil bryozoan assemblages reported in the published literature. We show using generalized linear mixed models that assemblages contain a greater proportion of cheilostome species in lower latitudes through the last 100 million years. We discuss why higher latitudes may have represented a stronghold for cyclostomes, even as cheilostomes have continued to outnumber cyclostomes in species richness over the Cenozoic. We hypothesize that a combination of lower average temperatures and greater seasonality could give cyclostome bryozoans with relatively slower metabolism an edge in higher latitudes, even as cheilostome bryozoan species numbers dominate globally.

• Høitomt, Torbjørn; Weibull, Henrik & Hassel, Kristian (2026). The epixylic liverwort Cephalozia macounii (Austin) Austin new to Norway. Lindbergia. ISSN 0105-0761. 2026(1). doi: 10.25227/linbg.028481. Full text in Research Archive
• Klemetsen, Terje; Endresen, Dag; Johnsen, Arild; Boer, Hugo de; Fossøy, Frode & Ekrem, Torbjørn [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2026). Strengthening molecular biodiversity research and monitoring in Norway – connecting tools, data and people. F1000 Research. 15, p. (ELIXIR)–(ELIXIR). doi: 10.12688/f1000research.179210.1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Norway’s diverse ecosystems and strong research community are well-positioned to leverage molecular approaches (DNA barcoding, eDNA, whole-genome sequencing) for biodiversity research and monitoring. However, progress is constrained by gaps in data accessibility, standardisation, and interoperability across molecular, ecological, and biobank datasets. Methods ELIXIR’s Norwegian Molecular Biodiversity Working Group mapped national actors and networks through a desk review (2024–2025) and conducted a national survey (58 questions; open from 18 February to 8 March 2024) targeting data management, standards, tooling, infrastructures, and training. The survey was implemented in Nettskjema and received 58 responses from biodiversity-related researchers. Results We identified 19 Norwegian institutes active in molecular biodiversity and 28 relevant networks, with 11 networks involving three or more institutes. The survey results highlight gaps between policy and practice: 60% of respondents were familiar with the FAIR principles, but only 29% consistently made data fully open or FAIR-compliant. Data linkage with physical specimens was often reported as missing (38% of respondents), and taxonomic assignment was frequently challenging (39.3%). Most researchers reuse published datasets (90%), but data discovery and reuse are hindered: only 41% find it easy to locate relevant data, 32% struggle to find appropriate sequence databases, 54% cite insufficient metadata, and 72% need to harmonise combined datasets. Tool discoverability and documentation were limited (32% knew bio.tools; 5% WorkflowHub; 32% agreed tools are well documented and user-friendly). Data publication is not straightforward (63.8% find it hard or answered neutral). Conclusions Norway can strengthen molecular biodiversity research by 1) connecting molecular and ecological data, collections, and biobanks using persistent identifiers; 2) adhering to international metadata standards (e.g., DwC, MIxS) and rewarding data stewardship; 3) consolidating national collaborative networks; and 4) building capacity through targeted training and dedicated data steward roles. Implementing these measures will enhance interoperability, FAIR data sharing, and Norway’s leadership in biodiversity research and conservation.

• Øksnebjerg, Daniel Bilyeli; Nielsen, Sascha Dreyer; Chen, Guangji; Andersen, Michael J.; Almagro, Vanessa & Ambrosini, Roberto [Show all 93 contributors for this article] (2026). A comprehensive reference genome assembly dataset of birds inhabiting Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. GigaScience. 15, p. 1–9. doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giag078.
• Rodriguez, Eduardo; Birkeland, Siri; Chapple, Ellen Dimmen; Fredriksson, Samuel Nils Andreas; Lorenzo, Zulema Carracedo & Kalman, Teitur Ahlgren [Show all 16 contributors for this article] (2026). Comparative regulomics of wood formation across dicot and conifer trees. Nature Communications. 17(1). doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-75624-2. Full text in Research Archive
• Økland, Inghild Halvorsen; Halvorsen, Rune; Nemes, Attila; Dawson, Lorna & Haraldsen, Trond (2026). Gradient analysis of relationships between soil, decomposition of human remains, and external factors in graves in four Norwegian municipalities. Urban Ecosystems. ISSN 1083-8155. 29(5). doi: 10.1007/s11252-026-02100-6. Full text in Research Archive
• Chen, Guangji; Wang, Shuang; Bilyeli Øksnebjerg, Daniel; Nielsen, Sascha Dreyer; Dai, Wei & Jiang, Wei [Show all 69 contributors for this article] (2026). Draft assemblies for 177 bird species enhance genus-level coverage. GigaScience. 15. doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giag045. Full text in Research Archive
• Driessche, Charlotte Van; Everts, Teun; Mauvisseau, Quentin; Neyrinck, Sabrina; Beer, Berdien De & Halfmaerten, David [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Enabling Quantitative eDNA Monitoring in Lotic Ecosystems by Incorporating Hydrological Characteristics and Allometric Scaling. Freshwater Biology. ISSN 0046-5070. 71(9), p. 1–20. doi: 10.1111/fwb.70308. Full text in Research Archive
• Newby, Sean M.; Owens, Jeremy D.; Young, Seth A. & Hammer, Øyvind (2026). Thallium Isotopes Across the Smithian-Spathian Boundary: Evidence for Anoxia Throughout Most of the Early Triassic. Geobiology. ISSN 1472-4677. 24(5), p. e70062–e70062. doi: 10.1111/gbi.70062. Full text in Research Archive

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• Kürschner, Wolfram Michael; An, Pengcheng; Dons, Carl Erik & Nakrem, Hans Arne (2026). A new record of the conifer Quadrocladus from the Lower Permian Gipshuken Formationon Spitsbergen - implications for palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology. doi: https:/indico.uni-muenster.de/event/4105/book-of-abstracts.pdf. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We report the first systematic description of Permian plant macrofossils from the Lower Permian Gipshuken Formation on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway. Several conifer shoots from a fossil plant horizon in the lower Vengeberget member are assigned to the genus Quadrocladus. The plant-bearing interval occurs within stacked anhydrite–dolomite–marl successions of the Vengeberget member that record a shallow marine to supratidal sabkha system on an extensive carbonate platform in a semi arid climate, characterized by hypersalinity, low taxonomic diversity, and evidence for palaeosol formation and vegetation growth on exposed shoals and platform interiors. The Quadrocladus shoots display pronounced xeromorphic traits, notably very short and narrow leaves, consistent with adaptation to water stress in semi arid, periodically desiccated playa–sabkha settings. Comparison with younger occurrences from the Kungurian Tregiovo flora and Late Permian Angaran and Zechstein successions shows that the Spitsbergen record is so far, both the oldest and the northernmost known occurrence of Quadrocladus. These findings imply a boreal, semi arid origin for this xeromorphic, stress tolerant conifer and provide a key high latitude data point for reconstructing Early Permian vegetation dynamics and the subsequent palaeobiogeographic expansion of Quadrocladus across Pangaea.

• Norli, Marit; Jaccard, Pierre Franqois; Hansen, Peter Stig; Merlina, Andrea; Risbakk, Nathalie Marquesin & Vedal, Jens [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). New IFCB pipeline. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Presenting NIVAs new IFCB pipeline going from from images captured on the SOOP MS Color Fantasy using an IFCB, to data being stored as cell counts of phytoplankton taxa in the NIVA BioDB database. The pipeline includes use of an internally developed app to predict, annotate and retrain a CNN model.

• Boon, Annique van der; Boer, Rosa de; Groot, Bertwin de; Nakrem, Hans Arne; Nogueira, Liebert Parreiras & Ruggiu, Lisa Krämer [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). A promising novel recorder of Earth’s ancient magnetic field: fossil micrometeorites as paleomagnetic archives. doi: https:/royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2026/09/unravelling-magnetic-histories/. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The paleomagnetic record from sedimentary rocks is often ambiguous, limiting the recovery of reliable paleomagnetic data, particularly when compared to paleomagnetic data obtained from igneous rocks. I will introduce a novel, unexplored recorder of Earth’s magnetic field: fossil micrometeorites. Micrometeorites (MM) are small cosmic particles (50 μm-2mm) that make up a substantial part of the ~40,000 tons of extraterrestrial material delivered to Earth each year. Many MMs melt during atmospheric entry at altitudes of 80-90 km, transforming into cosmic spherules (CS). During this process, particles oxidise and form new minerals, particularly wüstite and magnetite, which record thermoremanent magnetisations upon subsequent cooling. CS are strongly magnetic and can be extracted from sedimentary rocks. Diagnostic features such as metal beads and vesicles inside some CS allow the reconstruction of their flight trajectory, which can be combined with their magnetisations to reconstruct the polarity of Earth’s magnetic field. While modern CS from Antarctica are already known to be robust recorders of the geomagnetic field, their deep-time counterparts remain almost entirely unexplored. I will present the first results of a paleomagnetic study of anthropogenic magnetite spherules that resemble iron-type (I-type) CS, as well as several Paleozoic I-type CS. These 50-300 μm spherules are measurable with standard paleomagnetic tools and, together with flight trajectories obtained using NanoCT scanning, are capable of opening a new window on the ancient geomagnetic field.

• Weiner, Agnes; Sætersdal, Ingrid Myklestad; Lacka, Magdalena; Ferraro, Mattia; Husum, Katrine & Risebrobakken, Bjørg [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2026). Using paleogenomics to assess the impact of past environmental change on the biodiversity in Norwegian fjords. doi: https:/ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026AGUOSMC14C0909W/abstract. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Fjords are unique environments at the land-ocean interface. They provide sheltered, nutrient-rich habitats supporting highly diverse ecosystems. Over the past decades, climate change and other anthropogenic pressures have modified the environmental conditions in the fjords with so far mostly unknown consequences for the marine biodiversity. To better understand both ongoing and future changes in fjord ecosystems and how sensitive marine communities are to environmental changes, it is essential to trace past changes in environmental conditions and their effects on biodiversity. To this end, in the project PASTIME we are combining traditional paleoecological proxies with paleogenomics (sedimentary ancient DNA) to investigate environmental changes in both Arctic and western Norwegian fjords over the past few centuries and their impact on marine communities. This retrospective approach can now extend far beyond observational timescales and even discover species without a fossil record. We are reconstructing changes in water temperature, freshwater inflow, sea ice cover and oxygen levels and trace changes from a preindustrial state of the ecosystem to the modern state. Our aim is to elucidate key drivers of biodiversity change, study the resilience of organisms, trace the rate of change of fjord ecosystems, and the arrival of invasive species over time. Here, we will present preliminary data on sediment cores collected in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, and Masfjorden, Western Norway, that have a high temporal resolution and show marine community responses to past environmental changes.

• Skarpaas, Olav (2026). Trees and forest dynamics: present, past and future. Full text in Research Archive
• Skarpaas, Olav (2026). Skog i NiN: Hva skjuler seg bak skogmaska? Full text in Research Archive
• Smith, Paul; Kool, Anneleen; Tornevall, Hanna; Gehrke, Berit & Pirie, Michael D. (2026). Panel discussion on the future of botanical gardens. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Paul Smith fra BGCI mottok æresdoktortittel ved UiB (torsdag 21. mai). Universitetsmuseet inviterte I denne anledning onsdag 20. mai til æresdoktor forelesning av Paul Smith, BCGI (Tårnsalen, Naturhistorisk Museum Bergen, englsk) med titel «Conserving plants across the world's gardens and seed banks: how to create impact at scale». Universitetshagene benyttet også anledningen til å arrangere et tilsvarende seminar om betydningen av – og fremtiden for – botaniske hager.

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