BEEG's Journal Club

Welome to the Behavioural & Evolutionary Ecology Journal Club (2sp).


In this journal club we will collectivly discuss recent research papers in the fields of behavioural and evolutionary ecology. It will be a good environment for learning about interesting new concepts and will allow you to ask questions about the latest scientific findings.



Your ideas and opinions will not be assessed as there are no right or wrong "answers", but you will be expected to take an active part in discussions to achieve study points.



To achieve 2 study points you will need to:



  • attend 8 meetings and participate activly in discussions


  • complete and submit a worksheet for each paper we discuss


  • choose and briefly present at least 1 paper in the discussion sessions


-Discussion language is English.



-The Journal Club will meet approximately every 2-3 weeks.



Organised by: The Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology Group (BEEG)



Please contact: Sami Merilaita (sami.merilaita(at)abo.fi) or Karin Kjernsmo (karin.kjernsmo(at)abo.fi) if you are interested or if you have any questions about the course.



Click here to see the next scheduled Journal Club

Next paper: Cole, EF. et al. 2012. Cognitive Ability Influences Reproductive Life History Variation in the Wild Curr. Biol. 22, 1808-1812.



Click here to download the paper for our next Journal Club


List of papers discussed:


  • Romiguier et al. 2014. Comparative population genomics in animals uncovers the determinants of genetic diversity.Nature 515, 261-263.s

  • Laland et al. 2014. Does evolutionary theory need a rethink? Nature 514, 161-164.

  • Sheenan, MJ & Tibbets, EA 2011. Specialized face learningis associated with individual recognition in paper wasps. Science 334, 1272.

  • Resetarits, WJ Jr & Binckley CA. 2013. Is the Pirate Really a Ghost? Evidence for Generalized Chemical Camouflage in an Aquatic Predator, Pirate Perch Aphredoderus sayanus? Am Nat 181(5): 690-691

  • Bohannon, J. 2013. Who's afraid of peer review?. Science 342:60-65

  • Lovell et al. 2013. Egg-Laying Substrate Selection for Optimal Camouflage by Quail. Current Biology 23:260-264

  • Ledón-Rettig et al. 2013. Epigenetics for behavioral ecologists. Behavioral Ecology 24(2): 311-324. doi:10.1093/beheco/ars145

  • Atton, N. et al 2012: Information flow through threespine stickleback networks without social transmission

  • Nicolaus, M. et al 2012: Experimental evidence for adaptive personalities in a wild passerine bird

  • Klofstrand, C. A. et al 2012: Sounds like a winner: voice pitch influences perception of leadership capacity in both men and women

  • Mathis & Unger 2011: Learning to Avoid Dangerous Habitat Types by Aquatic Salamanders, Eurycea tynerensi

  • Finkbeiner, S.D. et al 2012: The benefit of being a social butterfly: communal roosting deters predation

  • Burda, H. et al. 2008: Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields disrupt magnetic alignment of ruminants

  • Blamires, S. J. et al. 2011: Body spot coloration of a nocturnal sit-and-wait predator visually lures prey

  • Kelley, L. A. & Endler, J. A. 2012: Illusions promote mating success in great bowerbirds

  • Domenici, P. et al 2011: Elevated carbon dioxide affects behavioural lateralization in a coral reef fish

  • Cook, L. M. et al 2012: Selective bird predation on the peppered moth: the last experiment of Michael Majerus

  • Raihani, N. J. 2012: Punishment and cooperation in nature

  • Gagliano, M. 2008: On the spot: the absence of predators reveals eyespot plasticity in a marine fish

  • Clucas et al 2008: Donning your enemy's cloak: ground squirrels exploit rattlesnake scent to reduce predation risk. Proc. R. Soc. B 275: 847-852

  • Rosvall, K. A. 2011: Intrasexual competition in females: evidence for sexual selection?. Behav. Ecol. 22: 1131-1140

  • Gristina, M. et al 2011: Shelter selection of the spiny lobster Palinurus elephas under different levels of Octopus vulgaris predation threat. Mar. Biol. 158: 1331-1337

  • Josefin Sundin, Anders Berglund & Gunilla Rosenqvist 2010: Turbidity hampers mate choice in a pipefish. Ethology 116:713-721

  • Martin Stevens & Claire L Stubbins & Chloe J Hardman 2008: The anti-predator function of ‘eyespots’ on camouflaged and conspicuous prey. Behav Ecol Sociobiol. 62:1787–1793

  • Chang S. Han & Piotr G. Jablonski 2010: Male water striders attract predators to intimidate females into copulation. Nature communications

  • John Skelhorn, Hannah M. Rowland, Michael P. Speed, Graeme D. Ruxton 2010: Masquerade: Camouflage without crypsis. Science 327:51-