Dr. Roger Jovani
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Department of Ecological Modelling
Permoserstr. 15
04318 Leipzig
Germany
phone: +49 341 235 1705
Fax.: +49 341 235 3500
Skype: rogerjovanitarrida
Email: roger.jovani@ufz.de
Born in Barcelona (1975). Five-year degree in Biology; University of Barcelona (1999) - PhD in the Estación Biológica de Doñana (2007; C.S.I.C.; Spanish Research Council; Sevilla, Spain) - Postdoctoral Researcher in UFZ Leipzig, Germany (2007-2009).
I focus on ecology and behaviour mainly of birds and their symbionts, within an evolutionary framework. I am currently learning pattern-oriented modelling for building individual-based models to integrate theory and empirical patterns to construct powerful hypothesis (models) in animal ecology.
Currently, I am editor-in-chief of the "Catalan Journal of Ornithology" and member of the editorial board of "Population Ecology":
NEW papers
Herrera, C. M., and Jovani, R. In press. Log-normal distribution of individual lifetime fecundity: insights from a 23-yr study. Ecology 00, 000-000.
Abstract:
Individual variance in lifetime fecundity within populations is a life-history parameter of crucial evolutionary and ecological significance. However, knowledge of its magnitude and underlying mechanisms in natural populations is biased towards short-lived taxa. This paper summarizes results of a 23-yr study on a population of the Mediterranean shrub Lavandula latifolia. We document within-population pattern of individual variation in instantaneous and lifetime fecundity (as estimated by inflorescence production), and explore the mechanisms producing the log-normal distribution of individual fecundities by means of an individual-based simulation model. Throughout the study period, a few individuals consistently produced most inflorescences while the majority of plants exhibited moderate-to-low fecundities. The shape of yearly distributions of annual fecundities varied little across years, and most annual fecundity distributions did not depart significantly from a log-normal. The distribution of individual lifetime fecundity did not depart from log-normality. Despite the simplicity of the premises of our simulation model, it was remarkably successful at predicting the shapes of fecundity distributions and the early establishment of a persistent fecundity hierarchy. The agreement between model results and empirical data supports the view that multiplicative interactions of randomly varying environmental effects can play a central role in determining individual variation in lifetime fecundity in L. latifolia, and suggests that environmental stochasticity can be decisive in the genesis of strong fecundity hierarchies in long-lived plants.
(see below a complete list of publications)
Research interests
Scaling in bird coloniality
During my PhD Thesis (cover on the left) I analyzed bird colony size frequency distributions and (fractal) nest distributions. Also, on the relevance of a simple heuristic (conspecific attraction) on generaling these patterns. The already published papers from this work are Ref. 27,30,32,34 (see below).
Blood parasites
I have studied the role of vectors on the geographic distribution of blood parasites. Also the phenomena of double gametocyte infections (left photo) and its potential relevance on the transmission of (human) malaria.
Feather mites
I have studied different aspects of the ecology and behaviour of feather mites, as well of the bird-feather mite relationship. Please, if you are interested in feather mites read Dubinin (1951)!
Fault bars
Fault bars are feather-growth errors that weaken feathers. We have hypothesized and repeatedly tested the hypothesis that natural selection should have favored mechanisms lowering the cost of fault bars.
Statistics
I prefer to discover phenomena that I can see, but sometimes statistics are unavoidable. Then, I try to do the best I can, and I have reported this process in some papers (see Ref. 24,27)
Individual Based Models
This is the kind of things I am currently learning in Germany. My first model is a very simple one about breeding synchrony in colonial birds. This picture on the left shows the patches of synchrony produced when birds are affected by the stress of neighbours (see Ref. 33). Download the model from the link below:
Popular science - "Birds and Science" Blog
Last post: "Feather mites and God?"
This is what I thought when I discovered the surprising connection between mite behavior and God existence. This is the story ... (read more on the link below)
All papers in SCI Journals
(ask me for all the Ref. that you need)
------------- 2008 - 2007 -------------
34. Jovani, R., Mavor, R. and Oro, D. (2008) Hidden patterns of colony size variation in seabirds: a logarithmic point of view. Oikos 117: 1774-1781.
33. Jovani, R. & Grimm, V. (2008) Breeding synchrony in colonial birds: from local stress to global harmony. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 275: 1557–1563.
32. Jovani, R., Serrano, D., Ursúa, E. & Tella, J.L. (2008) Truncated power laws reveal a link between low-level behavioral processes and grouping patterns in a colonial bird. PlosONE 3(4): e1992. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001992
31. Jovani, R. & Fortuna, M.A. (2007) The shape of the past in the World Wide Web: scale-free patterns and dynamics. Physica A 385: 683–688.
30. Jovani, R. y Tella, J.L. (2007) Fractal bird nest distribution produces power law colony sizes Proceedings of ther Royal Society of London B 274: 2465-2469.
29. Laiolo, P. y Jovani, R. (2007) The emergence of the animal culture conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 22: 5.
------------- 2006 - 2005 -------------
28. Smits, J. E., Bortolotti, G.R., Baos, R., Jovani, R., Tella, J.L., y Hoffmann, W.E. (2007). Disrupted bone metabolism in contaminant-exposed white storks (Ciconia ciconia) in southwester Spain. Environmental Pollution 145: 538-544.
27. Pueyo, S. y Jovani, R. (2006) Comment on “A keystone mutualism drives pattern in a power function”. Science 313: 1739c
26. Baos, R., Jovani, R., Pastor, N., Tella, J.L., Jiménez, B., Gómez, G., González, M.J., & Hiraldo, F. (2006) Evaluation of genotoxic effects of heavy metals and arsenic in wild nestling white sortks (Ciconia ciconia) and black kites (Milvus migrans) from Southwestern Spain after a mining accident. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25: 2794-2803.
25. Jovani, R., Serrano, D., Frías, O. y Blanco, G. (2006) Molt imposes a trade-off on feather mite wing distribution: the case of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). Canadian Journal of Zoology 84: 729-735.
24. Jovani, R. y Tella, J.L. (2006) Parasite prevalence and sample size: misconceptions and solutions. Trends in Parasitology 22: 214-218.
23. Sarasola, J.H. y Jovani, R. (2006) Risk of feather damage explains fault bar occurrence in a migrant hawk, the Swainson’s hawk Buteo swainsoni. Journal of Avian Biology 37: 29-35.
22. Baos, R., Jovani, R., Forero, M.G., Tella, J.L., Gómez, G., Jiménez, B., González, M.J., and Hiraldo, F. (2006) Relationships between T-cell-mediated immune response and Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, and As concentrations in blood of nestling White storks (Ciconia ciconia) and Black kites (Milvus migrans) from Doñana (Southwestern Spain) after the Aznalcóllar toxic spill. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25:1153-1159.
21. Jovani, R. y Tella, J.L. (2005) Wear and opening as sources of band loss in the White Storks. Waterbirds 28(4): 426-429.
20. Jovani, R., y Sol, D. (2005) How predictable is the abundance of double gametocyte infections?. Parasitology Research 97:84-86.
19. Serrano, D. y Jovani, R. (2005) Adaptive fault bar distribution in a long-distance migratory, aerial forager passerine? Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society 85:455-461.
------------- 2004 - 2003 -------------
18. Jovani, R., Tella, J.L., Blanco, G. y Bertellotti, M. (2004) Variable inter-annual relationships between T-cell mediated immunity and individual traits in White storks? Ardeola 51: 357-364.
17. Jovani, R., Amo, L., Arriero, E., Krone, O. Marzal, A., Shurunlinkov, P., Tomás, G., Sol, D., Hagen, J., López, P., Martín, J., Navarro, C., and Torres, J. (2004) Double gametocyte infections in Apicomplexan parasites of birds and reptiles. Parasitology Research 94: 155-157.
16. Jovani, R. & Tella, J.L. (2004) Age-related environmental sensitivity and weather mediated nestling mortality in white storks (Ciconia ciconia). Ecography 27: 611-618.
15. Jovani, R. & Blas, J. (2004). Adaptive allocation of stress-induced deformities on bird feathers. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 17: 294-301.
14. Pastor, N., Baos, R., López-Lázaro, M., Jovani, R., Tella, J.L., Hajji, N., Hiraldo, F., & Cortés, F. (2004) A 4-year follow-up analysis of genotoxic damage in birds of the Doñana area (SW Spain) in the wake of the 1998 mining waste spill. Mutagenesis 19: 61-65.
13. Jovani, R., & Serrano, D. (2004) Fine-tuned distribution of feather mites (Astigmata) on the wing of birds: the case of blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla. Journal of Avian Biology 35: 16-20.
12. Sol, D., Jovani, R., & Torres, J. (2003) Parasite mediated mortality and host immune response explain age-related differences in blood parasitism in birds Oecologia 135: 542-547.
11. Jovani, R. 2003. Understanding parasite strategies. Trends in Parasitology 19(1): 15-16.
------------- 2002 - 2001 -------------
10. Jovani, R. 2002. Malaria transmission, sex ratio, and erythrocytes with two gametocytes. Trends in Parasitology 18(12): 537-539.
9. Jovani, R., Tella, J.L., Blanco, G. & Bertellotti, M. 2002. Absence of haematozoa on colonial White Storks Ciconia ciconia throughout their distribution range in Spain. Ornis Fennica 79: 41-44.
8. Figuerola, J. & Jovani, R. 2001. Ecological correlates in the evolution of moult strategies in Western Palearctic passerines. Evolutionary Ecology 15:183-192.
7. Jovani, R. & Serrano, D. 2001. Feather mites (Astigmata) avoid moulting wing feathers of passerine birds. Animal Behaviour 62: 723-727.
6. Jovani, R., Tella, J.L., Forero, M.G., Bertellotti, M., Blanco, G., Ceballos, O. & Donázar, J.A. 2001. Apparent absence of blood parasites in the Patagonian seabird community: is it related to the marine environment? Waterbirds 24: 430-433.
5. Jovani, R., Tella, J.L, Sol, D. & Ventura, D. 2001. Are hippoboscid flies a major mode of transmission of feather mites?. Journal of Parasitology 87: 1187-1189.
4. Figuerola, J., Jovani, R. & Sol, D. 2001. Age-related habitat segregation by Robins (Erithacus rubecula) during the winter. Bird Study 48: 252-255.
------------- 2000 - 1975 -------------
3. Jovani, R. & Blanco, G. 2000. Resemblance within flocks and individual differences in feather mite abundance on long-tailed tits Aegithalos caudatus. Écoscience 7(4): 428-432.
2. Tella, J.L. & Jovani, R. 2000. Sources of variability in aggregation and sex ratios of Crataerina melbae (Diptera:Hippoboscidae) among adult colonial alpine swifts. Journal of Parasitology 86: 933-938.
1. Sol, D. Jovani, R. & Torres, J. 2000. Geographical variation in blood parasites in feral pigeons: the role of vectors. Ecography 23: 307-314.
