Welcome to the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (IPM)

Head of department Tove Fjeld

As the largest department at UMB, IPM represents a broad range of subjects, and our teaching and research cover UMB’s areas of focus within food, biotechnology and the environment.

Students participating in a geology course on Svalbard Foto: Jon Landvik

Students and PhD students
IPM is responsible for the two bachelor programs Environment and Natural Resources and Plant Science. Both are followed up at master course level. In addition, we offer a master course in Agroecology (in English), as well as three areas of specialisation within the study program Chemistry.

We are currently working on establishing a master course in Radioecology, and are also participating in the development of an entirely new offer within Nature, Health and Well-being.

IPM is responsible for more than 60 PhD students, of which approximately one third are international PhD students. The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences has approximately 180 employees in total.

Special areas of focus
In autumn 2005, two of our research groups applied for funds from the Norwegian Research Council to establish Centres of Excellence. In addition, IPM took part in an application for a Centre for Research-based Innovation. IPM is also an important participant in UMB’s focus area within health, where our experts are active contributors both within food and environmental issues.

Soil, water and environmental science

Glacier Foto: Lillian Øygarden

Within the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, the subject area soil, water and environmental science covers the whole range from basic to more applied topics of both national and international importance. Geology, hydrology, limnology and soil science are combined with chemistry, physics and biology in order to understand interactions in nature and how human impacts on the environment affect our soil and water resources.

One area of focus is on how different types of contaminants spread in the environment and how they influence living organisms. Pollutants, such as radionuclides and heavy metals, are of great significance for water and soil quality. Through their spreading in the environment they will affect both living organisms in general and our food chain in particular, and may thus influence human health.

Since climate has an important role in ecosystem functioning, natural or man-made climate changes may lead to drastic changes in our basis of existence, for instance increased availability of nutrients, increased erosion, or melting of glaciers. This will affect air, water and soil quality, and thus conditions for plant growth.

Plant sciences
In the area of plant science, experimental methods within genetics and plant physiology help us understand how plants develop and why they

Merethe is studying lighting intensities in a greenhouse

react the way they do. This basic research, along with more applied research into production conditions, aims at developing plant material and production methods suitable for fulfilling market demand for food, fodder and ornamental plants, i.e., plants of high quality, long shelf-life and appropriate nutritious quality, or plants protecting against illness.

Plants and vegetation also affect our quality of life and experience of stress or well-being. The choice and maintenance of vegetation in public areas, such as parks and training grounds, as well as regeneration of vegetation, e.g. along roads and new developments, are important in order to create a pleasant local environment or diverse cultural landscape. In addition to the purely aesthetic value, this has a general effect on our welfare and contentment in our surroundings.

Cooperations
The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences cooperates with a large range of groups within the university, from other research institutes situated on Campus Ås and all over Norway. We are also very active internationally, and our researchers have taken part in EU projects ever since the 3rd EU Framework Programme.

IPM is the national contact organisation for the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).

Strategy and vision
IPM’s vision is to contribute with knowledge about the natural environment and how this influences people’s quality of life. Our strategies for research and teaching can be found in our Strategic plan.
The department is organised in nine groups, each led by a group leader:

Agroecology

Genetics and plant biology

Geology

Urban horticulture and urban greening

Hydrology and limnology

Soil (biogeochemistry and plant nutrition)

Food plants

Environmental chemistry

Plant protection and plant health.



Updated: 28.03.07
Printer-friendly version : Archive : Notify a friend