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Nils Christian Stenseth

Image of Nils Christian Stenseth
Norwegian
Email n.c.stenseth@bio.uio.no
Phone +47-22854584 +47-22854400
Fax +47-22854001
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Visiting address Blindernveien 31 Kristine Bonnevies hus 0371 OSLO
Postal address Postboks 1066 Blindern 0316 OSLO

Background

I am a Core Member, Research Professor and the Chair of CEES. In addition, I am a Chief Scientist at the Institute of Marine Research.

My research interests span a broad spectrum of ecological and evolutionary topics, most of which are rooted in population biology. Before the early 1990s, much of my work was purely theoretical. Later, I have adopted the research strategy of 'asking' available data what the underlying ecological or evolutionary process might most likely be - all within a theoretical perspective. I strongly favour comparative studies - by comparing similar features between different (but comparable) systems, we typically learn more than we otherwise would have done. Variations in population densities in time and space - and the underlying demographic processes - have been a main interest of mine over the years. An important example is the interdependent relation between density-dependent and density-independent processes, where the ecological effect of climate is an important example of the latter.

Most of my work relates to basic issues. (I have never claimed that my research is of any immediate use, although I do hope it will be in the long run.) However, I find great pleasure in working on more applied issues as well; I have never been ashamed of my research being of practical use here and now. These applied interests have brought me into work on pest control (e.g., rodents in Africa), harvesting (marine and terrestrial), bio-economics (e.g., the ecological dynamics of dry-land pastoral systems) and epidemiology (Plague).

I am convinced that it is helpful to try to understand what has happened in the past, in preparing for what might happen in the future, e.g., ecological and evolutionary effects of climate change. For this reason, I value the existence of long-term time series - and the analysis of them.

I love interacting with colleagues, and find great pleasure in building and maintaining teams. I am an ISI highly cited researcher.

Besides being an active scientist I am also a public advocate for science, actively participating in the discussions of how best to structure and strenghten the scientific community. I am an elected member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and the Letters, DNVA; currently I'm the president of that Academy. I am also an elected member/fellow of several other academies, including the Royal Norwegian Society of Science and Letters, DKNVS, Academia Europaea, French Académie des Sciences and the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters. I have been awarded honorary doctorates (Doctor Honoris Causa) at the University of Antwerpen, Belgium (2001) and at the École Normale Supéreure, Lyon, France (2011). I am Chevalier (Knight) in the French National Order of the Legion of Honour.

I also do quite a bit of editorial work, including as Editor-in-Chief of Climate Research.

Research interests

Population biology (ecology and genetic structuring); large-scale ecological and evolutionary patterns; effects (ecology and evolution) of climate variation; terrestrial, marine and freshwater systems.

Publications

ISI search

Publications

  • Easterday, William Ryan; Kausrud, Kyrre Linné; Star, Bastiaan; Heier, Lise; Haley, B. J.; Ageyev, Vladimir; Colwell, Rita et al. (2012). An additional step in the transmission of Yersinia pestis?. The ISME Journal.  ISSN 1751-7362.  6(2), s 231- 236 . doi: 10.1038/ismej.2011.105
  • Hidalgo, Manuel; Gusdal, Yvonne; Dingsør, Gjert Endre; Hjermann, Dag Øystein; Ottersen, Geir; Stige, Leif Christian; Melsom, Arne et al. (2012). A combination of hydrodynamical and statistical modelling reveals non-stationary climate effects on fish larvae distributions. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences.  ISSN 0962-8452.  279(1727), s 275- 283 . doi: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0750
  • Hidalgo, Manuel; Rouyer, Tristan Alexander; Bartolino, Valerio; Cerviño, Santiago; Ciannelli, Lorenzo; Massuti, Enric; Jadaud, Angelique et al. (2012). Context-dependent interplays between truncated demographies and climate variation shape the population growth rate of a harvested species. Ecography.  ISSN 0906-7590. . doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2011.07314.x
  • Kausrud, Kyrre Linné; Økland, Bjørn Inge; Skarpaas, Olav; Grégoire, Jean-Claude; Erbilgin, Nadir & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2012). Population dynamics in changing environments: the case of an eruptive forest pest species. Biological Reviews.  ISSN 1464-7931.  87(1), s 34- 51 . doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00183.x
  • Ben Ari, Tamara Myriam; Neerinckx, Simon; Gage, Kenneth L.; Kreppel, Katharina; Laudisoit, Anne; Leirs, Herwig & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Plague and Climate: Scales Matter. PLoS Pathogens.  ISSN 1553-7366.  7(9) . doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002160
  • Brinch, Christian; Eikeset, Anne Marie & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Maximum likelihood estimation in nonlinear structured fisheries models using survey and catch-at-age data. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.  ISSN 0706-652X.  68(10), s 1717- 1731 . doi: 10.1139/F2011-085
  • Büntgen, Ulf; Raible, Christoph C.; Frank, David C.; Helama, Samuli; Cunningham, Laura; Hofer, Dominik; Nievergelt, Dominik et al. (2011). Causes and Consequences of Past and Projected Scandinavian Summer Temperatures, 500-2100 AD. PLoS ONE.  ISSN 1932-6203.  6(9) . doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025133
  • de Muinck, Eric; Øien, Torbjørn; Storrø, Ola; Johnsen, Roar; Stenseth, Nils Christian; Rønningen, Kjersti Skjold & Rudi, Knut (2011). Diversity, transmission and persistence of Escherichia coli in a cohort of mothers and their infants. Environmental Microbiology Reports.  ISSN 1758-2229.  3(3), s 352- 359 . doi: 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2010.00231.x
  • Eikeset, Anne Marie; Richter, Andries Peter; Diekert, Florian Klaus; Dankel, Dorothy Jane & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Unintended consequences sneak in the back door: making wise use of regulations in fisheries management, In Andrea Belgrano & Charles Fowler (ed.),  Ecosystem Based Management for Marine Fisheries: An Evolving Perspective.  Cambridge Academic.  ISBN 0521519810.  Part II.  s 181 - 217
  • Estay, Sergio A.; Albornoz, Abraham A.; Lima, Mauricio; Boyce, Mark & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). A Simultaneous Test of Synchrony Causal Factors in Muskrat and Mink Fur Returns at Different Scales across Canada. PLoS ONE.  ISSN 1932-6203.  6(11) . doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027766
  • Heier, Lise; Storvik, Geir Olve; Davis, Stephen; Viljugrein, Hildegunn; Ageyev, Vladimir; Klassovskaya, Evgeniya & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Emergence, spread, persistence and fade-out of sylvatic plague in Kazakhstan. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences.  ISSN 0962-8452.  278(1720), s 2915- 2923 . doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2614
  • Hidalgo, Manuel; Rouyer, Tristan Alexander; Molinero, J.C.; Massutí, E.; Moranta, J.; Guijarro, B. & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Synergistic effects of fishing-induced demographic changes and climate variation on fish population dynamics. Marine Ecology Progress Series.  ISSN 0171-8630.  426, s 1- 12 . doi: 10.3354/meps09077
  • Kauserud, Håvard; Heegaard, Einar; Halvorsen, Rune; Boddy, Lynne; Høiland, Klaus & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Mushroom's spore size and time of fruiting are strongly related: is moisture important?. Biology Letters.  ISSN 1744-9561.  7(2), s 273- 276 . doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0820
  • Kausrud, Kyrre Linné; Grégoire, Jean-Claude; Skarpaas, Olav; Erbilgin, Nadir; Gilbert, Marius; Økland, Bjørn & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Trees Wanted—Dead or Alive! Host Selection and Population Dynamics in Tree-Killing Bark Beetles. PLoS ONE.  ISSN 1932-6203.  6(5) . doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018274
  • Knudsen, Endre; Linden, Andreas; Both, Christiaan; Jonzén, Niclas; Pulido, Francisco; Saino, Nicola; Sutherland, William et al. (2011). Challenging claims in the study of migratory birds and climate change. Biological Reviews.  ISSN 1464-7931.  86, s 928- 946 . doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00179.x
  • Knutsen, Halvor; Olsen, Esben Moland; Jorde, Per Erik; Espeland, Sigurd Heiberg; André, C. & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Are low but statistically significant levels of genetic differentiation in marine fishes 'biologically meaningful'? A case study of coastal Atlantic cod. Molecular Ecology.  ISSN 0962-1083.  20(4), s 768- 783 . doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04979.x
  • Langangen, Øystein; Edeline, Eric; Ohlberger, Jan; Winfield, Ian J.; Fletcher, Janice M.; James, J. Ben; Stenseth, Nils Christian et al. (2011). Six decades of pike and perch population dynamics in Windermere. Fisheries Research.  ISSN 0165-7836.  109, s 131- 139 . doi: 10.1016/j.fishres.2011.01.029
  • Le Maho, Y; Saraux, Claire; Durant, Joel Marcel; Viblanc, Vincent A.; Gauthier-Clerc, Michel; Yoccoz, Nigel; Stenseth, Nils Christian et al. (2011). An ethical issue in biodiversity science: The monitoring of penguins with flipper bands. Comptes rendus. Biologies.  ISSN 1631-0691.  334(5-6), s 378- 384 . doi: 10.1016/j.crvi.2011.04.004
  • Liow, Lee Hsiang; Van Valen, Leigh & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Red Queen: from populations to taxa and communities. Trends in Ecology & Evolution.  ISSN 0169-5347.  26(7), s 349- 358 . doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2011.03.016
  • Llope, Marcos; Daskalov, Georgi; Rouyer, Tristan Alexander; Mihneva, Vesselina; Chan, Kung-Sik; Grishin, Alexander & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Overfishing of top predators eroded the resilience of the Black Sea system regardless of the climate and anthropogenic conditions. Global Change Biology.  ISSN 1354-1013.  17(3), s 1251- 1265 . doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02331.x
  • Lund, Marthe Bråthen; Olsen, Esben Moland; Espeland, Sigurd Heiberg & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Life history of fjord cod from the Skagerrak in the mid-2000s compared to 1905. Marine Ecology Progress Series.  ISSN 0171-8630.  424, s 169- 174 . doi: 10.3354/meps08967
  • Marshal, Jason P.; Owen-Smith, Norman; Whyte, Ian J. & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). The role of El Niño – Southern Oscillation in the dynamics of a savanna large herbivore population. Oikos.  ISSN 0030-1299.  120, s 1175- 1182 . doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.19155.x
  • Meshesha, Anagaw Atickem; Loe, Leif Egil; Langangen, Øystein Ole; Rueness, Eli Knispel; Bekele, Afework & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Estimating population size and habitat suitability for mountain nyala in areas with different protection status. Animal Conservation.  ISSN 1367-9430.  14(4), s 409- 418 . doi: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2011.00437.x
  • Moland, Even; Olsen, Esben Moland; Andvord, Kristian F; Knutsen, Jan Atle & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Home range of European lobster (Homarus gammarus) in a marine reserve: implications for future reserve design. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.  ISSN 0706-652X.  68(7), s 1197- 1210 . doi: 10.1139/F2011-053
  • Moland, Even; Olsen, Esben Moland; Knutsen, Halvor; Knutsen, Jan Atle; Enersen, Svein Erik; André, Carl & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Activity patterns of wild European lobster Homarus gammarus in coastal marine reserves: implications for future reserve design. Marine Ecology Progress Series.  ISSN 0171-8630.  429, s 197- 207 . doi: 10.3354/meps09102
  • Nilsson, Anna; Knudsen, Endre; Jerstad, Kurt; Røstad, Ole Wiggo; Walseng, Bjørn; Slagsvold, Tore & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Climate effects on population fluctuations of the white-throated dipper Cinclus cinclus. Journal of Animal Ecology.  ISSN 0021-8790.  80(1), s 235- 243 . doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01755.x
  • Nilsson, Anna; Stige, Leif Christian; Jerstad, Kurt; Røstad, Ole Wiggo; Slagsvold, Tore; Knudsen, Endre; Walseng, Bjørn et al. (2011). To make the most of what we have: extracting phenological data from nestling measurements. International journal of biometeorology.  ISSN 0020-7128.  55, s 797- 804 . doi: 10.1007/s00484-011-0461-2
  • Ohlberger, Jan; Edeline, Eric; Vøllestad, Leif Asbjørn; Stenseth, Nils Christian & Claessen, David (2011). Temperature-Driven Regime Shifts in the Dynamics of Size-Structured Populations. American Naturalist.  ISSN 0003-0147.  177(2), s 211- 223 . doi: 10.1086/657925
  • Ohlberger, Jan; Langangen, Øystein; Edeline, Eric; Claessen, David; Winfield, Ian J.; Stenseth, Nils Christian & Vøllestad, Leif Asbjørn (2011). Stage-specific biomass compensation by juveniles in response to increased adult mortality in a wild fish population. Ecology.  ISSN 0012-9658.  92(12), s 2175- 2182 . doi: 10.1890/11-0410.1
  • Ohlberger, Jan; Langangen, Øystein; Edeline, Eric; Olsen, Esben Moland; Winfield, Ian J.; Fletcher, Janice M.; James, J. Ben et al. (2011). Pathogen-induced rapid evolution in a vertebrate life-history trait. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences.  ISSN 0962-8452.  278(1702), s 35- 41 . doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0960
  • Olsen, Esben Moland; Ottersen, Geir; Llope, Marcos; Chan, Kung-Sik; Beaugrand, Grégory & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Spawning stock and recruitment in North Sea cod shaped by food and climate. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences.  ISSN 0962-8452.  278(1705), s 504- 510 . doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1465
  • Polly, P. David; Eronen, Jussi T.; Fred, Marianne; Dietl, Gregory P.; Mosbrugger, Volker; Scheidegger, Christoph; Frank, David C. et al. (2011). History matters: ecometrics and integrative climate change biology. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences.  ISSN 0962-8452.  278(1709), s 1131- 1140 . doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2233
  • Rogers, Lauren; Stige, Leif Christian; Olsen, Esben Moland; Knutsen, Halvor; Chan, Kung-Sik & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Climate and population density drive changes in cod body size throughout a century on the Norwegian coast. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America.  ISSN 0027-8424.  108(5), s 1961- 1966 . doi: 10.1073/pnas.1010314108
  • Rouyer, Tristan Alexander; Ottersen, Geir; Durant, Joel Marcel; Hidalgo, Manuel; Hjermann, Dag Øystein; Persson, Jonas; Stige, Leif Christian et al. (2011). Shifting dynamic forces in fish stock fluctuations triggered by age truncation?. Global Change Biology.  ISSN 1354-1013.  17(10), s 3046- 3057 . doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02443.x
  • Rueness, Eli Knispel; Asmyhr, Maria Gulbrandsen; Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio; Macdonald, David W.; Bekele, Afework; Meshesha, Anagaw Atickem & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). The Cryptic African Wolf: Canis aureus lupaster Is Not a Golden Jackal and Is Not Endemic to Egypt. PLoS ONE.  ISSN 1932-6203.  6(1) . doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016385
  • Samia, Noelle; Kausrud, Kyrre Linné; Heesterbeek, Hans; Ageyev, Vladimir; Begon, Mike; Chan, Kung-Sik & Stenseth, Nils Christian (2011). Dynamics of the plague-wildlife-human system in Central Asia are controlled by two epidemiological thresholds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America.  ISSN 0027-8424.  108(35), s 14527- 14532 . doi: 10.1073/pnas.1015946108
  • Saraux, Claire; Le Bohec, Céline; Durant, Joel Marcel; Viblanc, Vincent A.; Gauthier-Clerc, Michel; Beaune, David; Park, Young-Hyang et al. (2011). Reliability of flipper-banded penguins as indicators of climate change. Nature.  ISSN 0028-0836.  469(7329), s 203- 208 . doi: 10.1038/nature09630
  • Star, Bastiaan; Nederbragt, Alexander Johan; Jentoft, Sissel; Grimholt, Unni; Malmstrøm, Martin; Gregers, Tone Fredsvik; Rounge, Trine Ballestad et al. (2011). The genome sequence of Atlantic cod reveals a unique immune system. Nature.  ISSN 0028-0836.  477(7363), s 207- 210 . doi: 10.1038/nature10342

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  • Stenseth, Nils Christian (red.) (2011). Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi Årbok 2010. Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi.  ISBN 978-82-7099-646-9.  442 s.

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Published May 26, 2011 09:46 PM - Last modified May 14, 2012 02:51 PM

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