Lina Mtwana Nordlund

PhD Student, Åbo Akademi University
MSc Tropical Marine Environments
MSc Biology
Aronia, Coastal Zone Research Team
Raseborgsvägen 9
FI-10600 EKENÄS
FINLAND
+255 (0)776 58 34 42 (Tanzania)
lina.nordlund@abo.fi
http://www.novia.fi/marina-bentiska-ekosystem

Research interests

My main research interest concerns Human induced changes in biodiversity, habitat quality, ecosystem stability and function in shallow tropical marine systems: implications for sustainable management, which is my PhD project. My research is conducted in East Africa, more specifically in Tanzania on Unguja Island (Zanzibar) and in Mozambique on Inhaca Island. Supervisors are Dr. Johan Erlandsson and Dr. Martin Gullström (see below).

Ongoing projects

Human induced changes in biodiversity, habitat quality, ecosystem stability and function in shallow tropical marine systems: implications for sustainable management: This PhD project is dealing with human disturbance in shallow marine tropical ecosystems, mainly seagrass meadows and coral reefs in East Africa (Zanzibar and Mozambique), from an ecological and social-ecological viewpoint, and aiming to investigate the implications of different management strategies.

In the thesis I will firstly examine how human impacts, especially invertebrate collecting by local people, affect biodiversity in seagrass ecosystems (study 1 and 2), and how this will influence local livelihood (study 2). Secondly, I will investigate whether a marine reserve in this area and remote sensing of the coast could be good management methods and/or tools (study 3 and 4). Thirdly, I will experimentally study whether invertebrate collecting activities and disturbance intensity (i.e. removal of certain functional groups) affect e.g. ecosystem function and structure (study 5). Finally my intention is to make a synthesis of the different environmental responses to different management and conservation scenarios in shallow coastal ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region among different levels of stakeholders (study 6).

During spring 2011 I am conducting study 5 in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Publications

Nordlund, L., Langjahr, K. and Walther, A. 2011. Chumbe Island Coral Park education programme - communication environmental issues. AARW-2 conference proceeding (In review)

Nordlund, L., de la Torre-Castro, M., Jiddawi, N. and Erlandsson, J. 2011. Socio-ecological effects from invertebrate harvesting in Tanzanian seagrass ecosystems - the need to investigate management approaches and future possibilities. AARW-2 conference proceeding (In review)

Nordlund L, Erlandsson J, de la Torre-Castro, M. & Jiddawi N. 2010. Changes in an East African social-ecological seagrass system: invertebrate harvesting affecting species composition and local livelihood. Aquatic Living Resources 23, 399-416 Abstract

Knudby, A and Nordlund, L. 2011. Remote sensing of seagrasses in a patchy multi-species environment. International Journal of Remote Sensing. (In press; DOI number: 10.1080/01431161003692057)

Nordlund, L. 2008. Socio-ecological approach to human exploitation of invertebrates in seagrass meadows on northern Zanzibar, Tanzania. Master thesis, Stockholm University.

Nordlund, L. 2007. Human impact on invertebrate abundance, biomass and community structure in seagrass meadows - a case study at Inhaca Island, Mozambique. Master thesis, Uppsala University.

Ongoing Publications

Nordlund, L. and Gullström, M. Human impact on invertebrate abundance, biomass and community structure in seagrass meadows - a case study at Inhaca Island, Mozambique (in manuscript, working title)

Gullström, M., Lundén, B., Nordlund, L. and Banderia, S. Changes in the seagrass-dominated submerged vegetation of subtropical Inhaca Island (Mozambique) assessed by satellite remote sensing data as basis for analysis of degradation causes (in manuscript, working title)

Conferences

World Seagrass Conference (21-25 November 2010) in Phuket, Thailand and the 9th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW-9; 27-30 November 2010) in Trang, Thailand.
- "Socio-ecological effects from invertebrate harvesting in East African seagrass ecosystems." Nordlund, L., Erlandsson, J., Gullström, M. and de la Torre Castro, M. (oral presentation).

2nd Annual Agricultural Research Review Workshop (20-21 October, 2010) Zanzibar, Tanzania.
-"Socio-ecological effects from invertebrate harvesting in Tanzanian sea grass ecosystems" Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Johan Erlandsson, Maricela de la Torre Castro and Narriman Jiddawi (oral presentation).
-"Removing Fishing Nets from Coral Reefs around Zanzibar" Lina Mtwana Nordlund and Zahor El Kharousy
-"Chumbe Island Coral Park Education Programme - Communicating Biodiversity and Climate Change" Lina Mtwana Nordlund and Karlyn Langjahr.

Nordic Marine Sciences Conference (13-16 September) Strömstad, Sweden. "Changes in an East African social-ecological seagrass system: invertebrate harvesting affecting species composition and local livelihood". Nordlund L, Erlandsson J, De la Torre-Castro M, Jiddawi N.

World Water Week (5-11 September 2010), Stockholm, Sweden. Poster presentation: -"Environmentally friendly technology for water conservation, consumption and sanitation in Tanzania - what can we learn?" Lina Nordlund and Karlyn Langjahr

The 2nd Asia Pacific Coral Reef Symposium - Collaboration for Coral Reef Conservation in a Changing Climate (20 - 24 June 2010) Phuket, Thailand
- "Environmental education & Conservation supported by sustainable eco-tourism at Chumbe Island Coral Park, Tanzania. Langjahr, K. and Nordlund, L
- "Smashed reef, crime scene investigation and reef remediation in the Chumbe Island Reef Sanctuary". Nordlund, L., Lanshammar, F. and Langjahr, K.
- "Private MPA management & conservation based on sustainable eco-tourism at Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Tanzania". Langjahr, K. and Nordlund, L.

The fourteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 14) - Biodiversity and Climate Change: Achieving the 2020 Targets., (10-21 May 2010) UNEP Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya.
- "Chumbe Island Coral Park Education Programme - Communicating Biodiversity and Climate Change". Nordlund, L. and Langjahr, K.

The Sixth WIOMSA Scientific Symposium (24-29 August 2009) in La Reunion.
- "Intertidal Invertebrate Collection on Northern Zanzibar, Tanzania by Lina Nordlund, Johan Erlandsson, Maricela de la Torre Castro and Narriman Jiddawi"
- "Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks on Zanzibar by Lina Nordlund and Zahor El Kharousy"
- "Environmental hands-on education for school children on Chumbe Island, Tanzania by Lina Nordlund and Frida Lanshammar"
- "Sustainable MPA Management - Experiences from more than 10 years of private MPA management on Chumbe Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania by Frida Lanshammar and Lina Nordlund"
- "Remote sensing of seagrasses in a patchy multi-species environment by Anders Knudby and Lina Nordlund"
- "Investigating potential impact of sea urchin killing by Anders Knudby and Lina Nordlund".

11th International Coral Reef Symposium (7-11 July 2008) in Florida, USA.
- "Human Exploitation of Invertebrates in Seagrass Meadows in East-Africa". Nordlund, L., Erlandsson, J. and Gullström, M.

The 5th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium (22-26 October 2007) in Durban, South Africa.
- "Effects of human activities on invertebrate composition in seagrass meadows of Inhaca Island, Mozambique". Nordlund, L. and Gullström, M.
- "Changes in the seagrass-dominated submerged vegetation of subtropical Inhaca Island (Mozambique) assessed by satellite remote sensing data as basis for analysis of degradation causes. Gullström, M., Lundén, B., Nordlund, L. and Banderia, S.

Other relevant academic merits

Attended the IFS Science Outreach Workshop, in Zanzibar, Tanzania December 6th to 10th 2010. Held presentation about "Chumbe Island communicating science, conservation and environmental awareness"

Responsible for the SeagrassNet seagrass monitoring programme on Chumbe Island since Jan 2008.

Attended the Environmental Education Materials for Zanzibar- a three day workshop (June 2010) arranged by Chumbe project: Education Expansion in Southern Zanzibar.

Attended the IFS/WIOMSA training workshop on "Ecology, Resources and Management of Tropical Seascapes: From Theory to Practice" on Zanzibar, Tanzania Oct 27th to Nov 1st 2008.

Attended the Coral Reef Restoration and Remediation Training Workshop in the Eastern Africa held at the Institute of Marine Science, Zanzibar July 27th to 31st, 2009.

Attended the Advanced International Training Programme (ITP) on Education for Sustainable Education in Formal Education July 2009-May 2010. Ramboll Natura AB is organizing the Training Programme in co-operation with SADC Regional Environmental Centre, South Africa, and Centre for Environment Education, India. The Programme is financed by the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Academic supervisors

Dr. Johan Erlandsson, ARONIA Coastal Zone Research Team, Åbo Akademi University and Novia University of Applied Sciences, Ekenäs, Finland.
Dr. Martin Gullström, Department of Marine Ecology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.