Working areas

• Conservation biology
• Mammals
• Foraging ecology
• Habitat ecology
• Ungulates
• Climate Effects
• Population ecology
• Large Herbivores
• Teaching
• Plant-animal interactions 
  

Research interests

My research interests are rather broad, but much of my research centres on understanding how food influences animals and their choice of habitats.  This ranges from the application of mathematical optimal foraging theory and models of optimal search movements to understand the behaviour of individual animals all the way up to their population dynamics. I have studied plant defences (both physical and chemical), the distribution of foods in various habitats, and how weather and climate change may influence food quality for herbivores (moose and reindeer/caribou in particular) and thus affect their population dynamics.  My interest in the role of weather and climate change on herbivores in northern Europe led to a cooperation in which I, along with several colleagues, edited a book Animal Responses to Global Change in the North.

   I also have a great interest in the mammals which live in aquatic habitats, in particular muskrats and beaver.  Together with Göran Sjöberg, I recently edited a book entitled Restoring the European Beaver: 50 Years of Experience (available from http://www.pensoft.net/book/10865/restoring-the-european-beaver)

    Another research area focuses on the influence of intensive forestry on invertebrate communities and in particular on red-listed Coleoptera.  Working with other researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, we performed a large-scale experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of current conservation measures in modern Swedish forestry and to investigate ways of improving them. This research focuses on the interaction among dead wood, fungi and invertebrates.

   An additional area of interest is the complex interactions among grasses, their fungal endophytes (whose effect can range from symbiotic to parasitic), and herbivores.  Many published studies in agriculture have shown that these fungal endophytes can benefit infected grasses by making them toxic to herbivores and by increasing the competitive ability of grasses with this endophyte infection.  However, outside agricultural ecosystems, we have a long way to go before we understand the interactions of grasses, their fungal endophytes, competitive interactions with other plants, and herbivores like reindeer and moose.

   Much of my research outlined above also involves my interest in methodology, specifically experimental design and statistical analysis, as well as the application of ecological theory to solve important management problems.

Publications

Books

Restoring the European Beaver: 50 Years of Experience. 2011.  Sjöberg, G. and  Ball, J.P. (eds).  Pensoft Press, Sofia-Moscow.  280pp.

Animal Responses to Global Change in the North. 1999. Hofgaard, A., Ball, J. P., Danell, K., and Callaghan, T. V. (eds.).  187 pp.  ISBN 87-16-16381-8.

Selected Refereed Scientific Publications

Stolter, C., Ball, J.P., Niemelä, P., and Julkunen-Tiitto, R. 2010.  Herbivores and variation in the composition of specific phenolics of boreal coniferous trees: a search for patterns.  Chemoecology 20: 229–242 .

Hjältén, J., Gibb, H, and Ball, JP. 2010. How will low-intensity burning after clear-felling affect mid-boreal insect assemblages? Basic and Applied Ecology 11:363–372.

Stenbacka, F, Hjälten, J, Hilszczanski, J, Ball, JP, Gibb, H, Johansson, T, Pettersson, RB and Danell, K. 2010. Saproxylic parasitoid (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea) communities in managed boreal forest landscapes. Insect Conservation and Diversity 3: 114–123.

Thurfjell, H., Ball, J.P., Åhlén, P.-A, Kornacher, P., Dettki, H., and Sjöberg, K. 2009. Habitat use and spatial patterns of wild boar Sus scrofa (L.): Agricultural fields and edges. European Journal of Wildlife Research 55(5): 517-523.

Stolter, C., Niemelä, P., Ball, J.P., Julkunen-Tiitto, R., Vanhatalo, A., Danell, K., Varvikko, T., Ganzhorn, J.U. 2009. Comparison of plant secondary metabolites and digestibility of three different boreal coniferous trees. Basic and Applied Ecology 10: 19-26.

Spens, J. and Ball, J.P. 2008. Salmonid or non-salmonid lakes: predicting the fate of northern boreal fish communities with hierarchical filters relating to a keystone piscivore. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 65:1945-1955.

Elfström, M., Swenson, J., and Ball, J.P. 2008. Selection of denning habitats by Scandinavian brown bears. Wildlife Biology 14:176-187.

Lundmark, C. and Ball, J.P. 2008. Living in Snowy Environments: Quantifying the Influence of Snow on Moose Behaviour. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research  40(1): 111–118.

Gibb, H., Hilszczański, J. Hjältén, J., Danell, K., Ball, J.P., Pettersson, R.B. and Alinvi, O. 2008. Responses of parasitoids to saproxylic hosts and habitat: a multi-scale study using experimental logs. Oecologia 155 : 63-74.

Sjöberg, K., Pettersson, R. B., Ball, J. P. & Sundström, T. 2007. Seed crops of Norway spruce and winter habitat quality for boreal birds: old-growth compared with managed forests. Ann. Zool. Fennici 44: 486–495.

Hjältén, J., Johansson, T., Alinvi, O., Danell, K., Ball, J.P., Pettersson, R., Gibb, H., and Hilszczański, J. 2007. The importance of substrate type, shading and scorching for the attractiveness of dead wood to saproxylic beetles. Basic and Applied Ecology 8: 364-376.

Bazely, D.R., Ball, J.P., Vicari, M. , Tanentzap, A.J., Bérenger, M. Rakocevic, T. and Koh, S. 2007. Broad-scale geographic patterns in the distribution of vertically-transmitted, asexual endophytes in four naturally-occurring grasses in Sweden. Ecography 30: 367-374.

Granath, G., Vicari, M., Bazely, D.R., Ball, J.P., Puentes, A. and Rakocevic, T. 2007. Variation in the abundance of fungal endophytes in fescue grasses along altitudinal and grazing gradients. Ecography 30: 422-430.

Johansson, T., Gibb, H., Hjältén, J., Pettersson, R.B., Hilszczański, J., Alinvi, O., Ball, J.P., and Danell, K. 2007. The effects of substrate manipulations and forest management on predators of saproxylic beetles. Forest Ecology and Management 242: 518–529.

Johansson, J., Hjältén, J., Gibb, H., Hilszczański, J., Stenlid, J., Ball, J.P., Alinvi, O., and Danell, K. 2007. Variable response of different functional groups of saproxylic beetles to substrate manipulation and forest management: Implications for conservation strategies. Forest Ecol. and Manage. 242: 496–510.

Alinvi, O., Ball, J.P., Danell, K., Hjältén, J. and Pettersson, R. 2007. Sampling the saproxylic beetle community in dead wood logs: Comparing window and eclector traps to traditional bark sieving and a refinement. J. Insect Conservation 11: 99–112.

Gibb, H., Hjältén, J., Ball, J.P., Pettersson, R.B, Landin, J., Atlegrim, O., and Danell, K. 2006. Wing loading and habitat selection in forest beetles: Are red-listed species poorer dispersers or more habitat-specific than common congenerics? Biological Conservation 132: 250 –260.

Koh, S. Vicari, M., Ball, J.P., Rakocevic, T., Zaheer, S., Hik, D.S., and Bazely, D.R. 2006. Rapid detection of fungal endophytes in grasses for large-scale studies. Functional Ecology 20: 736–742.

Gibb, H., Pettersson, R.B., Hjältén, J., Ball, J.P., Atlegrim, O., Hilszczanski, J., Johansson, T., & Danell, K. 2006. Conservation-oriented forestry and early successional saproxylic beetles: an assessment of functional groups on man-made wood substrates. Biological Conservation 129: 437-450.

Gibb, H., Hjältén, J., Ball, J.P., Atlegrim, O., Pettersson, R., Hilszczanski, J., Johansson, T. and Danell, K. 2006. Effects of landscape composition and substrate availability on saproxylic beetles in boreal forests: a study using experimental logs for monitoring assemblages. Ecography 29: 191-204.

Baskin, L., Ball, J.P. and Danell, K. 2006. Moose Escape Behaviour in Areas of high hunting pressure. Alces 40: 123-131.

Johansson, T., Gibb, H., Hilszczanski, J., Pettersson, R.B., Hjältén, J., Atlegrim, O., Ball, J.P., and Danell, K. 2006. Conservation-oriented manipulations of coarse woody debris affect their value as habitat for spruce-infesting bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) in Northern Sweden. Can. J. Forest Research 36: 174-185.

Hilszczański, J., Gibb, H., Hjältén, H., Atlegrim, O., Johansson, T., Pettersson, R.B., Ball, J.P., and Danell, K. 2005. Parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea) of Saproxylic beetles are affected by forest successional stage and dead wood characteristics in boreal spruce forest. Biological Conservation 126: 456–464.

Stolter, C., Ball, J.P., Julkunen–Tiitto, R., Lieberei, R., and Ganzhorn, J.U. 2005. Winter browsing of moose on two different willow species: food selection in relation to plant chemistry and plant response. Canadian Journal of Zoology 83:807-819.

Nordengren, C. and Ball, J.P. 2005. A field assessment of the Spalinger-Hobbs mechanistic foraging model: Free ranging moose in winter. Can. J. Zool. 83:518-526.

Gibb, H., Ball, J.P., Johansson, T., Atlegrim, O., Hjältén, J., and Kjell Danell. 2005. Effects of management on coarse woody debris volume and composition in boreal forests in northern Sweden. Scand. J. Forest Research 20:213-222.

Nordengren, C., Hofgaard, A. and Ball, J.P. 2003. Availability and quality of herbivore winter browse in relation to tree height and snow depth. Annales Zoologici Fennici 40:305-314.

Gowda, J. H. Albrectsen, B. R., Ball, J.P., Sjöberg, M. and Palo, R. T. 2003. Spines as a mechanical defence: The effects of fertiliser treatment on juvenile Acacia tortilis plants. Acta Oecologica 24:1-4.

Mårell, A., Ball, J.P., and Hofgaard, A. 2002. Foraging and movement paths of female reindeer: Insights from fractal analysis, correlated random walks and Lévy flights. Can. J. Zool. 80:854-865.

Ball, J.P. and Dahlgren, J. 2002. Browsing damage on pine (Pinus sylvestris and P. contorta) by a migrating moose (Alces alces) population in winter: Relation to habitat composition and road barriers. Scand. J. Forest Research 17: 427-435.

Heggberget, T. M., Gaare, E. and Ball, J.P. 2002. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and climate change: Importance of winter forage. Rangifer 22(1): 13-32.

Ericsson, G., Ball, J.P. and Danell, K. 2002. Body mass of moose along an altitudinal gradient. Journal of Wildlife Management 66(1): 91-97.

Ball, J.P., Nordengren, C. and K. Wallin. 2001. Partial migration by large ungulates: Characteristics of seasonal moose ranges in Northern Sweden. Wildlife Biology 7(1): 39-47.

Ericsson, G., Wallin, K., Ball, J.P., and Broberg, M. 2001. Age-related reproductive effort and senescence in free-ranging moose Alces alces. Ecology 82: 1613-1620.

Sjöberg, M., and Ball, J.P. 2000. Grey seal Halichoerus grypus habitat selection around haulout sites in the Baltic: Bathymetry or central place foraging? Canadian Journal of Zoology 78:1661-1667.

Ball, J.P., K. Danell and P. Sunesson. 2000. Response of a herbivore community to increased food quality and quantity: an experiment with nitrogen fertiliser in a boreal forest. Journal of Applied Ecology 37: 247-255.

Ball, J.P., Ericsson, G. and Wallin, G. 1999. Climate change, moose and their human predators. Ecological Bulletins 47:178-187.

Danell, K., Hofgaard, A., Callaghan, T. V., and Ball, J.P. 1999. Scenarios for animal responses to global change in Europe’s cold regions: an introduction. Ecological Bulletins 47:8-15.

Murkin, H.R., Murkin, E. J. and Ball, J.P. 1997. Avian habitat selection and prairie wetland dynamics: A 10-year experiment. Ecological Applications 74: 1144-1159.

Atlegrim, O., Sjöberg, K. and Ball, J.P. 1997. Forestry effects on a boreal ground beetle community in spring: Selective logging and clear-cutting compared. Entomologica Fennica 8:19-26.

Petterson, R. B., Ball, J.P., Renhorn, K.-E., Esseen, P.-A., and Sjöberg, K. 1995. Invertebrate Communities in Boreal Forest Canopies as Influenced by Forestry and Lichens with Implications for Passerine Birds. Biological Conservation 74: 57-63.

Doucet, C. M. and Ball, J.P. 1994. Analysis of Digestion Data: Apparent and True digestiblities of foods eaten by beavers. American Midland Naturalist 132:239-247.

Ball, J.P. 1994. Prey Choice of Omnivorous Canvasbacks: Imperfectly Optimal Ducks? Oikos 70:233-244.

Ball, J.P. 1990. Active diet selection or passive reflection of changing food availability: The underwater foraging behaviour of Canvasback ducks. Invited Paper in R.N. Hughes (ed.) Behavioural Mechanisms of Food Selection. NATO ASI Series, Vol G20: Ecological Sciences, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, Germany. pp. 95-109.

Ball, J.P. 1990. Influence of subsequent flooding depth on cattail control by burning and mowing. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 28:32-36.

Ball, J.P. and Nudds, T. D. 1989. Mallard habitat selection: An experiment and implications for management. Pp. 263-277 In Freshwater Wetlands and Wildlife. Sharitz, R. R. and Gibbons, J. W., eds. U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information, Oak Ridge, TN.

Ball, J.P. 1985. Marsh management by water level manipulation or other natural management techniques: A community approach. pp. 236-277 In Coastal Wetlands. Prince, H. H. and D'Itri, F. M., eds. Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, Michigan, 286 pp. ISBN 0-87371-052-5.