Insect pests and climate change The Attagenus smirnovi project

Project partners and contact info

The Swedish Museum of Natural History Swedish Museum of Natural History has 220 permanant staff of which 67 are reasearchers. It has a small active preventive conservation unit. The museum is leading the national working group PRE-MAL (Pest Research and Education - Museums, Archives and Libraries), which has been involved in museum pest research, both nationally and internationally, since more than 20 years. The focus has been on non toxic methods, such as anoxic, freezing and heat treatment. The Swedish Museum of Natural History is coordinating this project: Contact coordinator Participating researchers: Monika Åkerlund , Jan-Erik Bergh (deceased June 2009) Web: http://www.nrm.se/

Aarhus University, Department of IPM, Danish Pest Infestation Laboratory At the Danish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Aarhus University, research is carried out on pests (insects, mites, and mammals) in relation to humans, animal husbandry, food production, storage, and cultural heritage collections. The focus of the research is on the biology of pests, as well as on development of monitoring, prevention and control methods with minimal environmental impact. Participating researcher: Lise Stengård Hansen Web: www.dpil.dk

Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) NILU has 160 staff, of which about half are at PhD level. The main tasks of NILU is monitoring, modeling and prediction of air quality and climate, and its effect on human health, environment, and materials. A small but active department within NILU works with environment and cultural heritage. The Attagenus smirnovi project combines the study of climate change and its effect on cultural heritage, a field of study which NILU have been involved with through participation in national and international projects since 2004. Participating researcher: Terje Grøntoft Web: www.nilu.no

National Museum of Denmark The Conservation Department at the National Museum of Denmark is the largest Nordic conservation unit, with about 90 permanet specialist staff. A large part of the departments activity is to preserve the collections of the National Museum. This involve both active and preventive conservation work, which includes the monitoring and control of indoor environment and pests. Participating researchers: Anne Lisbeth Schmidt, Morten Ryhl-Svendsen Web: www.natmus.dk/sw6147.asp

The Attagenus smirnovi project has received financial support from the Nordic Culture Fund

Website hosted by The National Museum of Denmark