University of Bergen

Current projects 

1. An experimental evaluation of fisheries-induced evolution and its consequences (2013-2015, funding: Norwegian Research Council)

PI: Mikko Heino

Exploited stocks are experiencing phenotypic change in life history traits; mainly in age and size at maturation, growth, and fecundity. These observed changes occur in the expected direction if fishing would be causing evolutionary change, referred to as fisheries-induced evolution (FIE).

However, it is still not clear whether the changes observed have a genetic basis, whether fishing selectivity is the main driver, and whether the changes are occurring at a fast enough pace to be considered in fisheries management plans. 

We try to clarify some of these questions using an experimental approach with guppies, Poecila reticulata, as model species. Our harvesting experiment consists on nine experimental populations subjected to different size-selective mortalities since October 2010. Our data combines samples of phenotypic data and genetic data from common garden and molecular analyses. We are mainly interested in studying how life histories are shaped by different fishing regimes, but we also study behaviour, morphology, brain and cognition.

see the project's site

2. Behavioural consequences of fisheries-induced evolution (2014, funding: Leiv Eiriksson mobility grant)

Collaborators: Andy Sih and Sean Ehlman

We aim at assessing how size-selective fishing affects fish behaviour, an aspect that is mostly overlooked by fisheries scientists, but that is key in assessing a population’s ability to respond to a changing environment. Changes in behaviour are among the first responses to human-induced environmental change, sometimes buffering populations against changes, while at other times proving maladaptive. We plan to compare our guppy populations in Bergen that have experienced different size-selective treatments under experimental conditions (via fishing) to the populations present in UC Davis, which also experienced size-selection in their natural habitats (via predators).

3. Effect of size-selective fishing on brain, cognition and behavioural stress-coping styles (2013-2014, funding: BIO-seed grant)

Collaborators: Lars Ebbesson and Jon Vidar Helvik

We are interested in whether size-selective harvest affects population variations in brain and behaviour in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Specifically, we want to test whether different harvesting regimes lead to differences in neural structure/function differences in telencephalic structure, cortisol response, and gene expression associated with neural plasticity and/or stress response), stress-coping styles and behavior (boldness, aggression and numerical ability).

PhD project (2008-2012)

Contemporary evolution caused by fisheries. Contributions from experimental studies

Supervisors: Mikko Heino, Anne Christine Utne Palm and David Reznick

Besides establishing the large-scale harvesting experiment, for my PhD project we performed smaller experiments to study other aspects related to fishing effects. We studied which factors other than fishing can affect maturation schedules, estimating Probabilistic Maturation Reaction Norms (PMRNs) from guppies reared in laboratory conditions. We mainly focused of the effect of growth rate, social environment and the maturation stage on the shape of PMRNs.

We investigated how different fishing gears (experimental trap and trawl) are selective towards different behavioural personality traits (boldness, activity), and how these are related to production traits (somatic growth).

In addition, we developed the “candy experiment”, which is a savoury approach to disseminate the ecological and evolutionary consequences of fishing to schools or undergraduate students.

see PhD thesis

Other projects (2006-2008)

Prior to my PhD I studied how different aspects of human activities affected reproductive strategies and sexual selection. Particularly, I studied with Outi Ala-Honkola and Kai Lindström how male reproductive behaviour is affected by inbreeding depression in the least killifish, Heterandria formosa. Moreover, I studied how eutrophication affects parental care (in collaboration with Marja Jarvenpää and Kai Lindström) and how social environment affects female choice in the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus.