Biological effects of hazardous substances occurring in the marine environment on invertebrate and fish species are studied by applying the so-called biomarkers, which reflect deleterious alterations in organisms at molecular, cell and physiological levels. Combined effects of mixtures of chemicals and the role of changing environmental variables are also examined by experimentation. Links between responses observed at the biomarker level and those recorded at higher biological levels (reproduction, populations and communities) are also in the scope of the research. The studies consist of laboratory and field experiments, and field sampling of organisms. In the Marine Research Centre of SYKE the project functions as the "home base" of young researchers working on their M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis with specific topics related to the general theme presented here.
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- Senior research scientist Kari Lehtonen,
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke),
firstname.lastname@syke.fi