Ben Chapman, Post-Doc

I am broadly interested in the question of why individuals of the same species vary in their behaviour and life-history. What ecological factors drive the differences we observe in nature, and why is variation between individuals maintained? What are the consequences of such variation at the population and ecosystem level, and in an evolutionary context?

I have worked with various fish species and also social insects to ask such questions, and currently work on a project investigating the causes and consequences of partial migration in roach, a common cyprinid fish. Partial migration is an extremely widespread phenomenon in nature whereby only a fraction of individuals within a population migrate, and the rest remain resident. I ask why certain individuals make the decision to migrate and others to stay, and assess the evolutionary consequences of partial migration.  This research will shed light on the evolution of animal migration more generally and may also have significant applications for ecosystem managers. I utilise a broad range of methods in my research: for example in this project I will combine behavioural assays with field telemetry, stable isotope analysis, geometric morphometrics and molecular analysis. I recently convened an international symposium in partial migration and will guest edit a thematic edition of Oikos on this subject in 2011.

Prior to my work at Lund I worked on the role of early environment in shaping animal behaviour and life-history in guppies, and I also have also carried out research into animal personality, the evolution of social behaviour, and learning and cognition.

Selected publications

Chapman BB, Skov C, Hulthen K, Brodersen J, Nilsson PA, Hansson L-A, Brönmark C. 2012. Partial migration in fishes I: Definitions, methodologies and taxonomic distribution. J. Fish Biol. In press. (invited review)

Chapman BB, Hulthen K, Brodersen J, Nilsson PA, Skov C, Hansson L-A, Brönmark C. 2012. Partial migration in fishes II: Causes and consequences. J. Fish Biol. In press. (invited review)

Chapman BB, Hulthen K, Blomquist D, Hansson L-A, Nilsson J-Å, Brodersen J, Nilsson PA, Skov C, Brönmark C. 2011. To boldly go: individual differences in boldness influence migratory tendency. Ecology Letters 14: 871 -876

Chapman BB, Brönmark C, Nilsson J-Å, Hansson L-A. 2011. Partial migration: an introduction. Oikos 120: 1761-1763

Chapman BB, Brönmark C, Nilsson J-Å, Hansson L-A. 2011. The ecology and evolution of partial migration. Oikos 120:1764-1775

Brodersen J, Nilsson PA, Chapman BB, Skov C, Hansson L-A, Brönmark C. 2011. Variable individual consistency in timing and destination of winter migrating fish. Biology Letters 8: 21-23.

Skov C, Baktoft H, Brodersen J, Brönmark C, Chapman BB, Hansson L-A, Nilsson PA. 2011. Sizing up your enemy: Individual predation vulnerability predicts migratory propensity. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 278: 1414–1418.

Chapman BB, Thain H, Coughlin J, Hughes WOH. 2011. Behavioural syndromes at multiple scales in Myrmica ants. Anim. Behav. 82: 391 – 397.

Brodersen J, Nilsson PA, Chapman BB, Skov C, Hansson L-A, Brönmark C. 2011. Variable individual consistency in timing and destination of winter migrating fish. Biol. Letters (in press)

Chapman BB, Morrell LJ, Tosh CR, Krause J. 2010. Behavioural consequences of sensory plasticity in the guppy. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 277: 1395 - 1401

Chapman BB, Morrell LJ, Krause J. 2010. Unpredictability in food supply in early life influences boldness in fish. Behav. Ecol. 21: 501 - 506

Brönmark C, Brodersen J, Chapman BB, Nicolle A, Nilsson PA, Skov C., Hansson L-A. 2010. Regime shifts in shallow lakes: the importance of seasonal fish migration. Hydrobiologia. 646: 91 - 100

Piyapong C, Krause J, Chapman BB, Louca V, Ramnarine I, Croft DP. 2010. Sex matters: a social context to boldness in guppies. Behav. Ecol. 21: 3 - 8

Chapman BB, Morrell LJ, Krause J. 2009. Plasticity in male courtship behaviour as a function of light intensity in guppies. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 63: 1757 - 1763

Taylor DS, Turner BJ, Davis WP, Chapman BB. 2008. A novel terrestrial fish habitat inside emergent logs. Am. Nat. 171: 263 - 266.

Chapman BB, Ward AJW, Krause J. 2008. Schooling and learning: Early social environment predicts social learning ability in the guppy. Anim. Behav. 76: 923 - 929.

Morrell LJ, Croft DP, Dyer JRG, Chapman BB, Kelley JL, Laland KN, Krause J. 2008. Association patterns and foraging behaviour in natural and artificial guppy (Poecilia reticulata) shoals. Anim. Behav. 76: 855 - 864.

Chapman BB, Morrell LJ, Benton TG, Krause J. 2008. Early interactions with adults mediate the development of predator defenses in guppies. Behav. Ecol. 19: 87 - 93.

Croft DP, Morrell LJ, Wade AS, Piyapong C, Ioannou CC, Dyer JRG, Chapman BB, Wong Y, Krause J. 2006. Predation risk as a driving force for sexual segregation: A cross-population comparison. Am. Nat. 167: 867 - 878.

Invited Editor

OIKOS, Partial Migration thematic issue

PhD students, assistant advisor:
Kaj Hulthén
Helen Kimbell, Hull University

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