Bernt-Erik Sæther

Bernt-Erik Sæther is a Professor in population ecology at the Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), a Norwegian Centre of Excellence (SFF). His research focuses on integrating ecological and evolutionary processes, particularly in population and community dynamics. He has led major field projects on species like the house sparrow and elk, emphasizing stochastic influences on evolutionary change and population resilience.

Education and Background: Sæther has held roles including Professor II at NTNU (20% since 1996), Senior Scientific Advisor at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), and researcher positions at the Directorate for Nature Management and Game Research institutes. His academic journey spans over four decades, with a PhD and early research in wildlife ecology.

Research Interests: His work bridges population dynamics, climate change impacts, and conservation strategies. Key areas include density dependence, metapopulation dynamics, and eco-evolutionary feedbacks. He investigates how environmental stochasticity and human activities (e.g., harvesting) affect population stability and biodiversity.

Awards and Recognition: He has received the Møbius Prize (2013) for outstanding research, an ERC Advanced Grant (2011–2016), and membership in prestigious academies like the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. His contributions to conservation science and ecological modeling are globally recognized.

Professional Roles: Sæther chairs the Swedish Research Committee in Wildlife Research and serves on steering boards for environmental research initiatives like NORKLIMA and MISTRA. He advocates for sustainable land-use policies and improved biodiversity monitoring in Norway.

Publications: Over 200 peer-reviewed articles, including seminal works on metapopulation ecology, climate-driven demographic shifts, and the evolutionary implications of stochastic processes. Recent studies highlight the effects of harvesting on population fluctuations and the role of telomeres in life-history strategies.