PI: Dr Barbara M. Tomotani
I am an evolutionary ecologist, also working on chronobiology and animal behaviour. I work as a researcher at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, and I’m also a visiting researcher at the Finnish Museum of Natural History.
Co-PI: Dr Rodrigo B. Salvador
I am a zoologist specialising in the study of land and freshwater snails. I am a curator and researcher at Luomus, the Finnish Museum of Natural History. You can read more about my research projects and results here. When I’m not writing scientific papers, I’m writing nerdy stuff for the Journal of Geek Studies.
Research Assistant: Dr Daniel Appenroth
Many years ago, I moved to northern Norway and have ever since been adapting to the northern climate and light conditions, aka polar day and polar night. Just like I have personally adapted to the arctic latitude I am interested in how arctic animals have evolutionary adapted to the extreme conditions found in this fascinating environment.
Research Assistant: Hamid Taghipourbibalan
ResearchGate / GitHub / LinkedIn
According to Kuhnian philosophy of science, I am a ‘normal researcher’ with a background in neuroscience. Nevertheless, when it comes to conventional methods of data collection and analysis, I like to challenge the traditional norm by developing innovative solutions that make life easier for both lab animals and researchers!
Research Assistant: Alice R. Pereira
I am a research assistant with a background in Biology (BSc) and Conservation and Restoration Ecology (MSc). My main research interests focus on how species respond to anthropogenic environmental change, and how we can mitigate negative impacts. Although I have a generalized interest in animal ecology, birds and insects hold a special place in my heart.
PhD Candidate: Therese Solberg
Project title: How does the light environment shape circadian clock properties? the Arctic University of Norway (Norway)
PhD Candidate (co-promotor): Xiaomei Chi
Project title: Behavioural innovation promotes population expansion in great tits: behavioural and epigenetic mechanisms. Wageningen University and Netherlands Institute of Ecology (the Netherlands).
Main promotor: Kees van Oers
Main collaborators
- Florian Muijres – Wageningen University, The Netherlands
- Ana B. Navarro – Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Luís F. Silveira – Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Kamiel Spoelstra – Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
- Kees van Oers – Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
- Marcel E. Visser – Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
- Alan J. D. Tennyson – Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- Hui Yu – Deakin University, Australia
Former lab members
PhD Candidate (co-promotor): Aurelia Strauß
Defense: July 2024
Thesis: Variation in avian chronotype: causes and consequences. University of Groningen / Netherlands Institute of Ecology (The Netherlands).
Main promotors: Marcel Visser and Barbara Helm
Former students*
- Beau Strijker (internship) – 2026 – Wageningen University, The Netherlands (co-supervisor)
- Differences in activity patterns in great tit (Parus major) populations from Arctic and temperate regions
- Coen Beltman – 2025 – University of Groningen, The Netherlands
- Arctic colonization and exploratory personality in a songbird; a comparison between great tit populations in northern Norway and the Netherlands
- Bastiaan Snijders – 2025 – Aeres University, The Netherlands
- Effects of Temperature and Snow Cover on Nest-Building in Great Tits (Parus major) in Arctic Norway
- Stefan Sooniste – 2025 – Radboud University, The Netherlands
- Individual variation in daily activity timing of great tits (Parus major) differs across latitudes and with incubation timing
- Jules Iñaki Hercules Ferrand – 2025 – UiT, Norway (co-supervisor)
- Beau Strijker (thesis) – 2024 – Wageningen University, The Netherlands (co-supervisor)
- Behavioural differences between recent and established great tit (Parus major) populations
- Alice Rodrigues Pereira – 2024 – Radboud University, The Netherlands (co-supervisor)
- The great tit (Parus major) northward expansion: A study on morphological variation following a latitudinal gradient
- Imane Vossen – 2024 – Wageningen University, The Netherlands
- Variation in incubation activity of great tits (Parus major) across latitudes
- Marie Ø. Staurland – 2024 – UiT, Norway
- Vincent Raffray – 2024 – École normale supérieure de Lyon, France
- The light/dark cycle and environmental variables affect the diel activity rhythm of songbirds in the Arctic
- Anouk van Heumen – 2023 – Wageningen University, The Netherlands
- Daily rhythms of birds in sub-Arctic Norway: And an exploration of the use of machine learning to automatically identify bird species from camera traps to study rhythms in the wild
- Daily rhythms of birds in sub-Arctic Norway: And an exploration of the use of machine learning to automatically identify bird species from camera traps to study rhythms in the wild
BiRBS Lab 