Author: hilduryr@matis.is

Peer-reviewed articles

Population structure discovered in juveniles of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides Walbaum, 1792)

Contact

Davíð Gíslason

Project Manager

davidg@matis.is

Understanding the genetic differentiation among populations of most marine fish requires investigating the differences among spawning grounds. However, this can be challenging as spawning grounds for some species are not well known, or spawning fish are difficult to collect. An alternative is to collect juvenile fish in nursery habitats closely associated with potential spawning grounds. Greenland halibut is a deep-dwelling, commercially important species with at least two identified major offshore spawning grounds in the North Atlantic and weak genetic differentiation across the Atlantic. In this study, we sampled juveniles from three sites representing the Davis Strait spawning area in the northwest Atlantic and one site in the northeast Atlantic representing the primary spawning area along the western slope of the Barents Sea. We applied genotype by sequencing and discovered 90 genetic markers that could be used to assess genetic differentiation among the four sites. The northeast and northwest Atlantic showed major genetic differentiation, supporting the existence of the two primary spawning clusters. Additionally, we found genetic differentiation between the three northwest Atlantic samples implying the existence of more than one spawning area in the northwest.

Link to article.

Peer-reviewed articles

Detection and distribution of the North Atlantic capelin (Mallotus villosus) using environmental DNA comparison with data from the main fishery management survey.

Contact

Davíð Gíslason

Project Manager

davidg@matis.is

Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is both an important commercial and ecological resource of the North Atlantic subpolar region. Two decades ago, the stock distribution around Iceland drastically changed. During autumn, which corresponds to the main feeding period, the capelin stock was previously located between the North of Iceland and the Jan Mayen area. Since the beginning of 2000s, the feeding aggregation has been located at the east coast of Greenland, inducing slight changes in the timing and route of the capelin spawning migration along the Icelandic shelf, and therefore in the catches. Changes in the distribution of capelin around Iceland made it both more difficult and expensive to assess the distribution of the stock with current survey methods. Here, we compare environmental DNA (eDNA) data to the acoustic data collected during the autumn monitoring survey, which leads to a preliminary estimate of the stock size. eDNA samples were collected at five different depths and were analyzed both horizontally across latitudes and longitudes and vertically across depth profiles. We detected eDNA in most of the locations where acoustic data detected capelin. Generalized linear models suggested that eDNA concentrations can be used as a proxy for the detection and quantification of capelin. The horizontal distribution of eDNA observed during both years corresponds with the horizontal distribution of capelin registered with the acoustic approach, while the vertical distribution indicates both effects of oceanic currents and diel vertical migration on eDNA detection and quantification.

Link to article.

News

Matís is advertising for a property manager

Drone image of Matis Vínlandsleið 12 premises

Matís is looking for a strong person for the position of real estate manager in 100% job at Matís's location in Reykjavík. The job is suitable for a resourceful person who strives to achieve diverse projects and can take care of Matís' establishments, research and equipment.

Main tasks and responsibilities

  • Supervision of Matís' establishments, site and various research, equipment and technical equipment
  • Supervise maintenance, improvements and other works related to establishments, devices and equipment. Enter into smaller projects as needed
  • Communicate and negotiate with contractors for maintenance projects
  • Supervision of security, supervision of establishments and cleaning services
  • Assist in the preparation and installation of facilities related to daily work and events organized by Matís
  • Receipt of supplies and management of related household appliances, research equipment and gas canisters
  • Instruct staff on appropriate handling and use of equipment

Educational and qualification requirements

  • Appropriate vocational training, such as mechanics, electronics, carpentry
  • Strong communication and organizational skills
  • Independent and disciplined work style
  • Knowledge and experience of general maintenance and construction is an advantage

Employment rate is 100%. The person concerned will work at Matís' workplace in Reykjavík, at Vínlandsleið 12.

Applications must be accompanied by a detailed resume and cover letter.

All genders are encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is up to and including July 30.

More information about the job is provided by:

Andri Gunnarsson, Head of Finance and Operations, andri@matis.is, phone: 422 5040.

apply for

Matís is a leader in the field of food research and biotechnology. At Matís, there is a strong group of around 100 employees who are passionate about finding new ways to maximize the use of raw materials, increase sustainability and promote public health. Matís operates five establishments throughout the country.

News

Whole grains are associated with health benefits

Contact

Ólafur Reykdal

Project Manager

olafur.reykdal@matis.is

Barley has been grown in Iceland with good results. The cultivation of oats is a recent addition and shows great promise. In stores you can find Icelandic barley in various forms, but also oatmeal. Barley and oats are very unique among cereals, these cereals are rich in fiber substances such as beta-glucans which are very limited in wheat. Grain is very important for food security in Iceland, which means both grain as feed and for food production. Human food grain is by far the weakest link in food security in Iceland. Now there are hopes for increased grain cultivation in Iceland, and therefore there is every reason to use more of the Icelandic grain in food.

Now in June 2023, new Nordic nutritional recommendations were published, which can be found here and here. They are a big step forward and based on a solid scientific basis. The discussion on grains is of particular interest as the consumption of whole grains is associated with health benefits. It is recommended to consume at least 90 grams of whole grains per day, but there is no harm in consuming more. Whole grain products with at least 50% whole grains are included in the recommendations. Significant consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and premature death.

Whole grains contain the husk and the supplements that come with it. White wheat and white rice obviously cannot be classified as whole grains. However, white flour can play an important role for people who need a lot of energy.

People with celiac disease still need to avoid whole grains with gluten. However, it should be noted that there are oats that have been confirmed gluten-free.

The food industry has not exploited whole grains as they should. Icelandic barley and oats could be used to a much greater extent. Matís' projects have demonstrated the usefulness of Icelandic corn:

Nordic Grain - New opportunities
Icelandic food quality content and attitude

Here are opportunities for the food industry to create a unique position and better reach consumers.

Article author: Ólafur Reykdal, olafur.reykdal@matis.is

Peer-reviewed articles

How is innovative teaching related to the fight against climate change?

News about climate change hits us every day, so it's clear that it's time to take action. But what is the best way to teach children and young people about such difficult issues so that they are encouraged to take action? It will be them and their descendants who will be affected by climate change, and it is therefore important that they receive education and increased knowledge of what may lie ahead. The need for quality education on the issue, which also does not promote climate anxiety, is becoming more and more inevitable. The answer may lie in innovation. These students will take over the board one day, so it is important that students receive quality education about innovation and entrepreneurship from a young age. Objectives Green Entrepreneurs of the Future (GFF) was tackling this challenge by giving students in rural areas the opportunity for innovative education and getting them interested in climate and environmental issues. Matís is responsible for the project and it took place in three elementary schools in the countryside. A number of participants came to the project, including FabLab workshops and fishing companies in the local area, N4 TV station and others. The project was financed by the Climate Fund and was originally planned for one year.

Link to article.

Peer-reviewed articles

Thermal performance under constant temperatures can accurately predict insect development times across naturally variable microclimates

External conditions can drive biological rates in ectotherms by directly influencing body temperatures. While estimating the temperature dependence of performance traits such as growth and development rate is feasible under controlled laboratory settings, predictions in nature are difficult. One major challenge lies in translating performance under constant conditions to fluctuating environments. Using the butterfly Pieris napi as a model system, we show that development rate, an important fitness trait, can be accurately predicted in the field using models parameterized under constant laboratory temperatures. Additionally, using a factorial design, we show that accurate predictions can be made across microhabitats but critically hinge on adequate consideration of non-linearity in reaction norms, spatial heterogeneity in microclimate and temporal variation in temperature. Our empirical results are also supported by a comparison of published and simulated data. Conclusively, our combined results suggest that, discounting direct effects of temperature, insect development rates are generally unaffected by thermal fluctuations.

Link to article.

Peer-reviewed articles

Seasonal specialization drives divergent population dynamics in two closely related butterflies

Seasons impose different selection pressures on organisms through contrasting environmental conditions. How such seasonal evolutionary conflict is resolved in organisms whose lives span across seasons remains underexplored. Through field experiments, laboratory work, and citizen science data analyses, we investigate this question using two closely related butterflies (Pieris rapae and P. napi). Superficially, the two butterflies appear highly ecologically similar. Yet, the citizen science data reveal that their fitness is partitioned differently across seasons. Pieris rapae have higher population growth during the summer season but lower overwintering success than do P. napi. We show that these differences correspond to the physiology and behavior of the butterflies. Pieris rapae outperform P. napi at high temperatures in several growth season traits, reflected in microclimate choice by ovipositing wild females. Instead, P. rapae have higher winter mortality than do P. napi. We conclude that the difference in population dynamics between the two butterflies is driven by seasonal specialization, manifested as strategies that maximize gains during growth seasons and minimize harm during adverse seasons, respectively.

Link to article.

News

Side products and Ideas: Discussed sludge from fish farming

Contact

Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir

Project Manager

annab@matis.is

The workshop of the project Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge was held on Thursday, June 8 last. in Sjávarklasan's premises. The project is carried out by Matís in collaboration with Sjávarklasann and Samherja. The main purpose of the project is to investigate whether microorganisms that thrive in fish farm sludge can be used to enrich the nutrients in the sludge so that it can be used as fertilizer.

Parties working in the field of fish farming in Iceland were invited to the workshop. There were four lectures about the project, the abbreviation ÖAF, the sludge, its chemical composition and challenges related to the use of the raw materials sludge and other by-products from fish farming. After the lectures, there was group work where the participants of the workshop worked on the subject and reviewed the opportunities as well as challenges related to the future possibilities of aquaculture sludge and other by-products from aquaculture.

The workshop was well attended, but the participants numbered more than 20 people, and there were good discussions among the participants about the subject they work with every day. Part of the project "Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge" is to work with the results from the workshop ie. ideas and experiences of the participants.

One of the results of the workshop is that there are many uses for the sludge as well as other side products from fish farming, such as the use of the raw material as fertilizer and soil improver for agriculture. But alongside those opportunities are challenges related to regulation and making the raw material viable for use based on economics. The efficiency is twofold ie. collection and handling of the raw material at the companies so that it becomes a sought-after product.

The project is one part of a large puzzle to promote the circular economy and is funded by the Circular Economy Fund.

Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir
Matís' expert in the field of sustainability and fire.

News

Do you want to participate in a study of a new face cream?

Do you want to participate in a study on the effects of substances from seaweed on the signs of aging in healthy skin?

The study includes a comparison of elasticity, moisture and sebum in the face before and after about 12 weeks of using a face cream. Half of the participants will receive a cream with ingredients from seaweed, while the other half will receive the same cream without ingredients from seaweed. After the study ends, two 20,000 ISK will be drawn from the group of participants. cash prize.

You can participate if you are:

  • between the ages of 40 and 60
  • with healthy skin and no known underlying skin problems

What do you need to do?

  • Use the face cream twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.
  • Do not use other facial creams during the study
  • Visit Matís, Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík for measurements three times: before use, after about 6 weeks and about 12 weeks of using the face cream
  • Answer a questionnaire about the experience of the cream after the last measurements

How do you register?

  • Sends an email to Aðalheiðar Ólafsdóttir adalheiduro@matis.is with the following information:
  • name
  • year of birth
  • email address
  • phone number
  • a short description of what skin care products you regularly use on your face (eg face cream, toner, serum, cleansing products)

The research is part of the MINERVA project, which aims to increase and improve the utilization of sustainably produced macroalgae and develop new valuable products from them. The project is funded by ERA-NET Cofund Blue Bioeconomy and is a joint project of companies, universities and research companies in Ireland, Iceland and Sweden.

More information is sent if there is an interest in participating.

News

Matís summer festival

You are all warmly welcome to Matís' summer festival on June 7 next at 16:00 - 18:00 at Vínlandsleið 12.

It will be real fun for the whole family, as Stjörnu Sævar will visit the area, face painting for the children and exciting science stations for young and old.

Click on the image below to go to the event on Facebook.

See the photos from the summer festival:

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