Research projects
Pace-of-life in killifish: a macroevolutionary approach
How is pace-of-life related to growth-dynamics and behaviour in killifishes?
In my second post-doc, at Stockholm University (Department of Zoology; in collaboration with Björn Rogell), I am investigating which traits are involved in pace-of-life syndromes in comparative studies on a wide variety of annual and non-annual killifish. In this project, I utlilize previous experience in experiments on behavioural experiments, compensatory growth, and brain measurements, as well as physiological assays, to tease out whether or not killifishes follow the predicted patters of the pace-of-life hypothesis.
Publications:
Anthropogenic impacts on pond ecosystems
How does temperature affect behaviour and respiration rates of freshwater pond invertebrates?
Within my first post-doc position at the University of South Bohemia (group of David Boukal), I was investigating how humans may affect the life of aquatic insects. At the present, the main factor investigated is temperature, which is altered through human impact on the climate. Model organisms were larval dragonflies, larval caddisflies and aquatic snails.
Publications: In preparation
Compensatory growth in trout
What are the costs and the consequences of faster than normal growth?
After food limitation, fish tend to grow faster than normal - likely to regain the 'lost' growth. This faster-than-normal growth rate likely have consequences for the fish, with respect to physiology, behaviour and survivability. My experiments (part of my PhD thesis) have mainly addressed effects on behaviour and performance in the wild of juvenile brown trout. A couple of experiments have also been investigating effects on behaviour in sticklebacks (yet unpublished).
Publications: #3, #9, #14, #18 + PhD thesis
Fish 'personalities'
Why do fish show individual differences in behaviour and how does it influence their ecology?
The fact that different individuals behave consitently different is obvious for anyone who has had an aquarium. The question is: Why? One possible explanation is that different 'personalities' are representing different strategies - some individuals are adopting high risk/high gain strategies, while others are adopting low risk/low gain strategies.
Fish rearing environments
Can we improve the rearing environments for captive fish?
Fish in captivity (particularly in hatcheries) typically grow up in environments which are more simple than their natural environment. This is very likely to affect their welfare and performance if they are released into natural environments. In the projects I've been involved in (mainly within SMOLTPRO), the focus have been directed to Atlantic salmon in hatchery facilities where the fish are reared for stocking puposes. The aims have been to investigate how the complexity of the environment (environmental enrichment) and how the density of fish affect brain growth, stress levels, and subsequent performance in the wild.
Measuring fish behaviour
What is the 'best' way to measure certain behaviours?
When working with fish behaviour, I have been pondering how the behaviour is affected by different trial conditions. As a consequence of these thoughts, I have compared different trial setups to investigate the effects they have on the behavioural expression of the fish.
SIDE-PROJECTS
Stickleback anti-predator behaviour
How strong are the responses to visual and olfactory predator cues? Does anti-predator behaviour depend on the distance to the potential predator? Is the anti-predator response affected by environmental conditions, such as ocean acidification? The work has been done in collaboration with several researchers and students. In these projects, my part has largely been experimental design and setup, and analysis of the data.
Effects of parasitic mussel larvae on trout juveniles
Freshwater pearl mussels parasitize on salmonids in their glochidia (larval) stage. In a number of experiments, we have investigated the effects of glochidial infestation on the host fish behaviour and physiology (project led by Johan Höjesjö, Niklas Wengström and Martin Österling). I've been involved mainly in experimental design and data analysis.
Publications: #19, #24, #27
Egg-cannibalism in Atlantic salmonids
Conspecific eggs are likely among the best food items for juvenile salmonids in terms of nutrient composition. Furthermore, they become available in late autumn, when the juveniles are facing the harshness of winter. We have found that egg-consumption occurs in Swedish coastal waters, proving that marine derived nutrients are part of the nutrient intake in juvenile brown trout and Atlantic salmon. This is (to me) a highly interesting project which I hope to be able to follow up in the future.
Miscellaneous ichthyology
I find it important to contribute to the descriptive part of the field of biology. Hence, I try to summarize novel information about fishes in descriptive notes and papers on my spare time. This work consists of distribution mapping of data-deficient species, check lists, morphometry, and descriptions of morphological features in a variety species. Much of the work has been done as invited collaborations with the ichthyologist L.A. Jawad in New Zealand. In addition, I also have work-in-progress on white sharks in collaboration with D. Bernvi.