Jens Persson

I am a wildlife ecologist studying processes that shape wildlife populations in human-influenced landscapes. My research focuses on identifying mechanisms through which individual behaviour, social dynamics, spatial ecology, habitat, and climate jointly shape demographic processes, and how these processes translate into population density and distribution. My work has an applied focus, with the aim to build an evidence-base to support management, conservation, and policymaking. A recurring feature of my research is the effort to move from ecological understanding at the level of individuals and populations towards management-relevant insights. I also increasingly integrate perspectives from the social sciences to address the conditions under which monitoring data and management decisions are perceived as legitimate and trustworthy.

My research could be divided into several themes:

Population dynamics in human-dominated landscapes. I study how spatial variation in habitat, resource distribution, climate and human activity shape demographic rates. Mechanistically, this links space use, resource access and exposure to human activity to variation in survival, reproduction, and dispersal. This provides a basis for identifying how and where management actions are most effective. I also focus on understanding processes behind recolonising populations, including spatial variation in habitat availability and climate influences demographic variation relevant for management.

Behavioural mechanisms behind demographic outcomes: Related to the above, I have a strong interest in how individual behaviour, such as site fidelity, territoriality and dispersal, shapes social dynamics and, in turn, population-level processes. This provides a mechanistic bridge between behavioural ecology and demography by linking individual decisions to variation in survival, reproduction, and population growth. It is particularly relevant for understanding recolonization dynamics and population responses to environmental change and human activities, where behavioural flexibility and social structure can strongly influence demographic outcomes and management effectiveness.

Predator–prey interactions and intraguild interactions: I examine how feeding behaviour (predation/scavenging) and species interactions influence space use and demography. These are fundamental ecological questions, but they also have direct management relevance when prey are human property (e.g., sheep and reindeer) or when interactions among species influence species influence each other’s demography and feeding behaviour (e.g. predation vs. scavenging).     

Human activity and carnivore ecology –management implications: Often, the most important drivers of carnivore demography are human-mediated: legal harvest, poaching, infrastructure, and land use. I aim to quantify and understand these effects mechanistically for knowledge relevant for management. Central components are analyses of population-level effects of legal harvest and poaching. Conversely, carnivores influence human activities primarily by killing domestic animals, whose ecological and socio-economic impacts needs investigation. Within this theme, I also contribute to   development of monitoring methods for adaptive management.

An overall focus of my research is to contribute to management and conservation.  It has contributed to evidence-based management through improved population monitoring, models for implementation of hunting, and conflict mitigation. It has influenced national Governmental investigations. Through close interaction with managers, stakeholders, and policy-makers, my work aims to support robust, transparent, and socially accepted management decisions. In this way, it contributes not only to ecological understanding, but also to the governance of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes, with relevance beyond Scandinavia.

I am course leader for a masters course in wildlife biology (BI0872) since 2016. I have been teaching a wide range of topics on numerous other courses (e.g. human dimensions of fish and wildlife management, applied population ecology, conservation biology, ecology).

I also regularly supervise doctoral, master's and bachelor students. 

I also teach in contexts outside academia, particularly education for wildlife managers, but also e.g. folk high schools and a course for journalists.   

Below are some of selected papers representing my research over time. For my full publication list, visit my Google scholar profile or SLU publication database

Liang, Y., Mattisson, J., Andren, H., Linnell, J.D.C., Nilsen, E., Odden, J., Persson, J., Aronsson, M., Johansson, Ö., .., and Marco Heurich, M. 2026. Age-specific patterns of reproductive success in wild female Eurasian lynx across Europe. Biology letters.

Moqanaki E., Milleret, C., Dupont, P., Mattisson, J., Dey, S., Brøseth, H., Aronsson, M., Persson, J., Wabakken, P., Flagstad, Ø., Bischof, R. 2025. Environmental variability across space and time drives recolonization pattern of a Historically persecuted large carnivore. PNAS 122 (5) e2401679122 

Persson, J., Ordiz, A., Ladle, A., Andrén, H., and Aronsson, M. 202. Recolonization following past persecution questions the importance of persistent snow cover as a range limiting factor for wolverines. Global Change Biology 29:5802–5815.

Andrén, H., Hemmingmoore, H., Aronsson, M., Åkesson, M and Persson, J. 2022. No Allee effect during Eurasian lynx recolonization of southern Sweden.Ecosphere.2022;13:e3997. 

Ekblom, R., Aronsson, M., Elsner-Gearing, F., Johansson, F., Fountain, T. and Persson, J. 2021. Sample identification and pedigree reconstruction in Wolverine (Gulo gulo) using SNP genotyping of non-invasive samples. Conservation Genetics Resources 13:261–274.

Aronsson, M., Åkesson, M., Low, M., Persson, J. and Andrén, H. 2020. Resource dispersion and relatedness interact to explain space use in a solitary predator.  OIKOS 129: 1174–1184.

Nilsson, L., Bunnefeld, N., Persson, J., Žydelis, R. and Månsson, J. 2019. Conservation success or increased crop damage risk? The Natura 2000 network for a thriving migratory and protected bird. Biological Conservation 236: 1-7.

Ekblom, R., Brechlin, B., Persson, J., Smeds, L., Johansson, M., Magnusson, J., Flagstad, O. and Ellegren. 2018. Genome sequencing and conservation genomics in the Scandinavian wolverine (Gulo gulo) population. Conservation Biology 32(6): 1301–1312. 

Aronsson, M. and Persson, J. 2017. Mismatch between goals and the scale of actions constrain adaptive carnivore management: the case of the wolverine in Sweden. Animal Conservation 20: 261-269.

Mattisson, J., Rauset, G.R., Odden, J., Linnell, J.D.C., Andrén, H., and Persson, J. 2016. Hunting or scavenging? Prey body condition influences decision-making in a facultative predator, the wolverine. Ecosphere 7(8): Article e01407 

Aronsson, M., Low, M., Lopez-Bao, J., Persson, J., Odden, J., Linnell, J.D.C. and Andrén, H. 2016. Intensity of space use reveals conditional sex-specific effects of prey and conspecific density on home range size. Ecology and Evolution 6(9): 2957– 2967. 

Rauset, G-R., Andrén, H., Swenson, J.E., Samelius, G., Segerström, P., Zedrosser, A. and Persson, J. 2016. National parks in northern Sweden as refuges for illegal killing of large carnivores. Conservation Letters 9(5): 334-241.

Rauset, G-R., Low, M., and Persson, J. 2015. Reproductive patterns result from age-related sensitivity to resources and reproductive costs in a mammalian carnivore. Ecology 96(12): 3153-3164. 

Persson, J., Rauset, G-R., Chapron, G. 2015. Paying for an endangered large carnivore leads to population recovery. Conservation letters 8(5): 345-350.

Hobbs, T., Andrén, H., Persson, J., Aronsson, M. and Chapron, G. 2012. Native predators reduce harvest of reindeer by Sámi pastoralists. Ecological Applications 22 (5): 1640-1654. 

Mattisson, J., Odden, J., Nilsen, E.B., Linnell, J.D.C., Persson, J. and Andrén, H. 2011. Factors affecting Eurasian lynx kill rates and semi-domestic reindeer in northern Scandinavia: can ecological research contribute to the development of a fair compensation system? Biological Conservation 144: 3009-3017. 

Persson, J., Ericsson, G. and Segerström, P. 2009. Human-caused mortality in an endangered wolverine population. Biological Conservation 142: 325-331.

Persson, J. 2005. Wolverine female reproduction: reproductive costs and winter food availability. Canadian Journal of Zoology 83: 1453-1459.