CAnMove

The main focus of my research is to look at causes and consequences of within-species variation in metabolic rate and oxidative stress. 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 of variation in metabolic rate in natural populations of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus, marsh tits Poecile palustris and Starlings Sturnus vulgaris, 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.
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.