Research interests

My research focuses on aspects of the population ecology and demography of three bird species with vastly different life histories: the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) in Sweden, the New Zealand stitchbird (or hihi: Notiomystis cincta) and the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) in Antarctica. These studies are designed to answer questions which have direct application to current conservation / monitoring programs for these species as well as having broader significance for life-history theory.

Northern Wheatear

I am part of the wheatear study group (with Tomas Pärt, Debora Arlt, Sönke Eggers, Meit Öberg, Nicole Schneider & Matt Hiron), where my focus has been the effect of habitat and reproductive costs on adult survival. For this we have used long-term breeding data in conjunction with behavioural observations, nest cameras and ink-based footprint tracking tunnels (for mammalian nest predators). Recently, we have begun quantitative-genetic analyses to estimate breeding-time plasticity from pedigree data in wheatears and stitchbirds. From this we aim to model the relationship between breeding time, individual fitness and local temperature variables and examine whether directional selection is increasing over time; this would indicate that the rate of adaptation in the timing of breeding is insufficient to keep pace with current climate change.

Stitchbird 

I have been an active member of the New Zealand stitchbird recovery group for almost 10 years (and am currently collaborating with Troy Makan and Isabel Castro in New Zealand), with my PhD on this species focusing on its unusual mating style (the only bird which can mate face-to-face), sexual conflict and forced copulation. More recently I have been studying stitchbird diseases and the population demography of the Tiritiri Matangi Island stitchbird population. As with the wheatear study (above), I have recently begun working with quantitative-genetic animal models as a means of studying the response of breeding-time plasticity (which can dramatically affect individual fitness in this species) to changing climate variables.

Adélie Penguin

From 2005-2007, I worked on the CCAMLR ecosystem monitoring program for the Australian Antarctic Division at Mawson station in Antarctica, helping to develop new techniques for implementing broad-scale surveys of Adélie penguins. I am continuing this research in collaboration with Colin Southwell at the AAD in Tasmania.

Teaching

I teach on several Master’s level courses at SLU (Ecological Concepts, Landscape Ecology, Applied Population Biology) and PhD level courses (Tropical Field Ecology, Statistics in Practice, R Reading Group, Practical Manuscript Reviewing).
 

Publications

Scientific publications

2011

• Pärt T, Arlt D, Doligez B, Low M & Qvarnström A. 2011. Prospectors combine social and environmental information to improve habitat selection and breeding success in the subsequent year. Journal of Animal Ecology. In Press.
• Thor, G & Low, M. 2011. The persistence of the snow petrel in Dronning Maud Land for >37000 years.  Polar Biology. 34: 609-613.
• Casel- Lundhagen A, Kanuch P, Low M & Berggren Å. 2011. Limited gene flow may enhance adaptation to local optima in isolated populations of the Roesel´s bush cricket (Metrioptera roeseli). Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 24: 381-390.

2010

• Low, M., Arlt, D., Eggers, S. & Pärt, T. 2010. Habitat-specific differences in adult survival rates and its links to parental workload and on-nest predation. Journal of Animal Ecology. 79:214-224.
• Low, M. 2010. Which factors limited stitchbird population growth on Mokoia Island? New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 34: 269-271.

2009

• Low, M. & Pärt, T. 2009. Patterns of mortality for each life-history stage in a population of the endangered New Zealand stitchbird. Journal of Animal Ecology. 78: 761-771.
• Berggren, Å. & Low, M. 2009. The relationship between morphological symmetry and immune response in wild-caught adult bush-crickets. Symmetry. 1:106-114.
• Southwell, C. & Low, M. 2009. Black and white or shades of grey? Detectability of Adélie penguins during shipboard surveys in the Antarctic pack-ice. Journal of Applied Ecology. 46:136-143.

2008

• Low, M. 2008. Laying gaps in the New Zealand stitchbird are correlated with female harassment by extra-pair males. Emu. 108: 28-34.
• Low, M., Eggers, S., Arlt, D. & Pärt, T. 2008. Daily patterns of nest visits are correlated with ambient temperature in the Northern Wheatear. Journal of Ornithology. 149: 515-519.
• Low, M., Meyer, L. & Southwell, C. 2008. Experimental evaluation of a ground-based survey method for estimating the density and abundance of nesting Adélie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae. Polar Biology. 31:309-315.
• Lindsay, K., Craig, J. & Low, M. 2008. Tourism and conservation: the effects of track proximity on avian reproductive success and nest selection in an open sanctuary. Tourism Management. 29:730-739. 

2007

• Low, M., Meyer, L. & Southwell, C. 2007. Number and distribution of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding sites in the Robinson Group of islands, Mac.Robertson Land coast, east Antarctica. Polar Record. 43: 225-229.
• Low, M., Pärt, T. & Forslund, P. 2007. Age-specific variation in reproduction is largely explained by the timing of territory establishment in the New Zealand stitchbird Notiomystis cincta. Journal of Animal Ecology. 76: 459-470
• Low, M., Alley, M. R. & Minot, E. 2007. Sub-lingual oral fistulas in free-living stitchbirds (Notiomystis cincta). Avian Pathology. 36: 101-107.
• Low, M., Alley, M. R. & Scott, I. 2007. Pruritic facial dermatitis in a population of free-living stitchbirds. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 43: 262-268.

2006

• Low, M. 2006. Sex, age and season influence morphometrics in the New Zealand stitchbird (hihi; Notiomystis cincta). Emu. 106: 297-304.
• Berggren, Å. & Low, M. 2006. Sexual dichromatism in North Island robins Petroica longipes is weakened by delayed plumage maturation in males and females. Emu. 106: 203-209.
• Low, M., Eason, D., Elliott, G., McInnes, K. & Paul-Murphy, J. 2006. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus): generation and interpretation in a field-based wildlife recovery program. Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. 20: 80-88.
• Low, M., Joy, MK. & Makan, T. 2006. Using regression trees to predict male provisioning of offspring in the stitchbird (hihi).  Animal Behaviour. 71: 1057-1068.
• Low, M. 2006. The energetic cost of mate guarding is correlated with territorial intrusions in the New Zealand stitchbird. Behavioral Ecology. 17: 270-276.

2005

• Low, M. 2005. Factors influencing mate guarding and territorial defence in the stitchbird (hihi) Notiomystis cincta. New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 29: 231-242.
• Low, M., Berggren, Å., Morgan KJ. & Alley, MR. 2005. Aspergillosis in a North Island robin (Petroica longipes). New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 53: 462-464.
• Low, M. 2005. Male force and female resistance: context and patterns of copulation in the New Zealand stitchbird. Journal of Avian Biology. 36: 436-448.
• Low, M., Eason, D. & McInnes, K. 2005. Evaluation of passive integrated transponders for identification of kakapo. Emu 105: 33-38. 
• Low, M., Castro, I. & Berggren, Å. 2005. Cloacal erection promotes vent apposition during forced copulation in the New Zealand stitchbird: implications for copulation efficiency in other species. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 58: 247-255.

2004

• Low, M. 2004. Female weight predicts the timing of forced copulation attempts in stitchbirds, Notiomystis cincta. Animal Behaviour. 68: 637-644.
• Berggren, Å. & Low, M. 2004. Leg problems and banding associated leg injuries in a closely monitored population of North Island robin (Petroica longipes). Wildlife Research. 31: 535-541.
• Berggren, Å. & Low, M. 2004. Exclusion of a native bush-cricket (Metrioptera brachyptera) by an introduced bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeseli): a large-scale experiment. Entomologisk Tidskrift. 125: 125-132.

2003

• Low, M. 2003. Stereotypies and behavioural medicine: Confusions in current thinking. Australian Veterinary Journal, 81: 192-198.

2001

• McInnes, K. & Low, M. 2001. Veterinarians as conservation managers: A case study of veterinary involvement in a wildlife recovery program. In: Proceedings: Veterinary Conservation Biology, Wildlife Health and Management in Australasia. (Eds Martin, A. & Vogelnest, L.). Sydney: Australian Veterinary Association. pp. 115-119.