Johan Nilsson, PhD
Department of Animal Ecology
Lund University
Ecology Building
SE-223 62 Lund
Sweden

Phone:                +46 (0)46 222 3817
Fax:                    +46 (0)46 222 4716
Cell:                    +46 (0)702 44 44 70
Email:                 johan.nilsson@zooekol.lu.se

Research

The main focus of my research is to look at causes and consequences of within-species variation in metabolic rate. It is well known that metabolic rate can differ quite remarkably, both within and between individuals. The causes and consequences of this variation are however less well studied.

In my research I study the causes and consequences of variation in metabolic rate in natural populations of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus and marsh tits Poecile palustris, as well as in lab bred zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata. I look at both short and long term effects, as well as the physiological mechanisms connecting variation in metabolic rate to fitness. As a part of this I am especially interested in how oxidative stress and antioxidant defense systems are linked to different metabolic strategies. Together with Andreas Nord I also study how body temperature affects avian energetics and life-histories.

Aside from this, I also have a general interest in reproductive trade-offs. As a part of this, I have looked at how induced energetic costs during incubation can cause reproductive trade-offs, even within the same breeding event. By altering the incubation climate for blue tits we show that a harsher incubation climate affects both nestlings and adults negatively.

I defended my phD thesis - 'Causes and consequences of individual variation in energy turnover rates' in April 2009, during my graduate studies I was supervised by Professor Jan-Åke Nilsson.

 CV

2009 -                   Researcher, Department of Ecology, Lund University
2004 - 2009            PhD student in Animal Ecology at the Department of Ecology, Lund University
2003 - 2004            Degree project in Animal Ecology, Lund University
2000 - 2003            Undergraduate studies in Biology, Lund University

Publications

	Nilsson, J.-Å., Åkesson, M. & Nilsson, J., F. (2009) Heritability of resting metabolic rate in a wild population of blue tits. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22: 1867 - 1874
	Nord, A., Nilsson, J., F., Sandell, M., I. and Nilsson, J.-Å. (2009) Patterns and dynamics of rest-phase hypothermia in wild and captive blue tits during winter. Journal of Comparative Physiology B: 179: 737 - 745
	Nilsson, J. F., Stjernman, M. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2008) Experimental reduction of incubation temperature affects both nestlings and adults. Journal of Avian Biology 39: 553 - 559.
	Tobler, M., Nilsson, J.-Å. and J. F. Nilsson (2007) Costly steroids: egg testosterone modulates nestling metabolic rate in the zebra finch. Biology Letters 3: 408 - 410.

Meeting presentations

Nilsson, J. F., Tobler, M., Sandell, M. I. & J.-Å., Nilsson (2008) Costly steroids? Prenatal testosterone modifies the metabolic phenotype. Second biannual Baltic meeting, Tallin, Estonia (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F., Tobler, M., Sandell, M. I. & J.-Å., Nilsson (2008) Costly steroids: Egg testosterone modulates nestling metabolic rate. EGI conference, Oxford, UK (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2007) How do early conditions in life affect Basal Metabolic Rate as adult? HBPM conference Białowieza, Poland (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2007) How do different metabolic rates during the winter affect Fitness? 11th European Society for Evolutionary Biology Congress, Uppsala, Sweden (Poster)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2007) Is Basal Metabolic Rate during the winter connected to fitness? EGI conference, Oxford, UK (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2007) Consequences of variation in winter BMR. Workshop, Groningen, Holland (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2006) How do different metabolic rates during the winter affect breeding next summer? 24th International Ornithology Congress, Hamburg, Germany (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2005) Increased incubation cost negatively affects both adults and nestlings in Blue tits. EGI conference, Oxford, UK (Talk)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2005) Increased incubation cost negatively affects both adults and nestlings in Blue tits. 23rd annual Oikos symposium. Umeå, Sweden (Poster)

Nilsson, J. F. & Nilsson, J.-Å. (2004) Increased incubation cost negatively affects both adults and nestlings in Blue tits (Parus caeruleus). HBPM conference Vlieland, Holland (Poster)

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