A passion for birds
Heléne Aronsson was just four years old when she first went birdwatching with her father. This interest has stayed with her ever since, and she is now making full use of her hobby in her doctoral studies on the impact of land use on biodiversity.
HELÉNE ARONSSON’S DOCTORAL thesis is within the field of biogeography, which deals with the factors governing the geographical distribution of species. If a forest is cut down and turned into a plantation, there will be a change in the bird species that populate the site, which in turn can affect biodiversity and hence the ecosystem. Heléne is investigating how birds are affected by land use change, and whether the consequences can be predicted.
Why are you so interested in birds?
“I’ve been birdwatching since I was a child with my dad, and it’s never stopped. Ducks are my favourite. They’re easy to tell apart, but I’m not the type of birdwatcher who goes around collecting species. I started studying biology eleven years ago. I did my dissertation on birds, I did my master’s thesis on birds, and then I got a job at GGBC – Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre – as a project coordinator. GGBC does a lot of research into sustainability, so when I got the chance to do my doctoral degree, it was pretty obvious that it would be about birds and sustainability.”
You’re about halfway through your doctoral thesis. What does it deal with?
“I’m building a model based on existing data on the distribution of different bird species in the world. I input various geographical parameters, such as altitude, access to water and temperature. The idea is to predict what will happen to bird populations if land use changes. The change may also translate to other species, showing what can happen to biodiversity in general. This is important information when deciding on land use change in various forms of development.”
Why do you use birds as a benchmark in the model?
“In short, because of birdwatchers. No other database on species distribution is as comprehensive as the database on birds, and we have the world’s birdwatchers to thank for that. It includes bird observations from much of the world over a long period of time, which I use when building the model. There are large amounts of data, reported over a long timeframe. The best quality data comes from countries with British influences, as birdwatching is very popular with Brits. As is often the case with biological data, the situation is a little less good in South America and certain parts of Africa and Asia.”
You also teach. How do you teach about the importance of biodiversity?
“Biodiversity can’t be conveyed in a logical way – it’s more about emotions. We always take the students from the basic biology course to Torslanda Bay to look at all the different birds. What they look like, and how they behave. It’s important to open our eyes to everything around us in nature. If you choose to look, you can see many different species within just a few square metres in Gothenburg’s Slottsskogen park. We need to have more respect for nature, and to understand that we don’t have exclusive rights to this planet.”
I understand that what you wear can help?
“I’m interested in fashion, and I sometimes make my own clothes,” she says, fingering her colourful checked jacket. “I sometimes use that as a way to get students to listen. If we start talking about fashion, they can relate to me better. I spend 20 percent of my doctoral time teaching, and I make the most of it. If I had been allowed to teach for 50 percent of my time, I definitely would have done it – it’s so much fun! Imagine if I had been able to talk about biodiversity to the students at Chalmers who will be planning and building the society of the future. Then things could really have happened!”
Vilka är drivkrafterna, Heléne Aronsson?
What drives you, Heléne Aronsson?
WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO DOCTORAL STUDIES?
“I want to carry out research, and this is the best way to do it. What a privilege to be paid to ask the big questions and then find out the answers!”
WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO RESEARCH BIODIVERSITY?
“Biodiversity is a very important issue, and one in which we need more knowledge. I enjoy biogeography, so it fits together well. Putting different information filters on maps shows us a lot, and enables us to draw important conclusions about what drives biodiversity.”
WHY DO YOU ENJOY TEACHING?
“When I do research, I learn a lot of things. I find it strange that only I should have this knowledge. As a project coordinator at GGBC, I got a lot of training in disseminating science to people outside academia. It’s both fun and important.”
Text: Olof Lönnehed
Photo: Malin Arnesson
Work: Doctoral student in biodiversity and systematics.
Age: 30.
Family: Married.
Leisure interests: Dancing the jive with my husband. I also sew a lot using leftover fabrics. I made my own wedding dress last spring. It’s the perfect combination of creativity and sustainability!
