Human activity- through construction, transportation, production and consumption affect the environment.

Changes in the environment affects us and our living conditions. Ecology is the study of the interaction/relationship between organisms and the environment.

Social development must be done with consideration for the environment. Businesses that wished to ensure their survival and sustainability must take into account the environment locally, nationally and globally by reducing its environmental risks. Consequently, demands for the knowledge and the understanding of the interplay between our behaviour, the environmental effects and the consequences linked to these, will increase.

A PhD degree programme in Ecology will produce graduates with relevant knowledge about the society and current social issues. The main focus of the doctoral degree will be Aquatic- and Terrestrial Ecology.

Goal (4 year)

• Doctoral programme in Ecology by 2011
• Contribute in 1-2 research schools/networks within our disciplines
• Participate in one EU-project (Framework programme 7)
• Maintain a good research at the institute
• External funding for half of the scholars (5)
• Increase the external project revenues by 50% from 2009 level
• 10 scholars associated with the programme in its current form. At networking/ research schools, this can be extended
• Graduate 2-3 scholars annually
• Increase the number of professors/associate professors. Currently 5 professors and 5 associate professors work at the Ecology programme. Our goal for the period is a minimum of 6 professors and 6 associate professors