Ottar Bjornstad Ph.D.

Department Focus Areas:

Disease Ecology and Biology
Ecological Applications

Research Interests:

Population ecology and population dynamics with particular emphasis on mathematical and computational aspects

Research Activities & Interests:

I am an theoretical ecologist and professor in Entomology and Biology. My main interests are population ecology and population dynamics with particular emphasis on mathematical and computational aspects. I am also an adjunct professor in statistics and carry out research in statistical ecology and in methods for analyzing spatiotemporal data. My current focus is on understanding a number of questions pertaining to spatiotemporal dynamics of outbreaks.

Current CV

Selected Publications:

For a complete listing see my complete list.

Yamanaka, T., Nelson, W.A., Uchimura, K. and Bjørnstad, O.N. 2012. Generation separation in simple structured life-cycles: models and 48 years of field data on a tea tortrix moth. American Naturalist 179: 95-109.

Metcalf, C.J.E., Graham, A.L., Huijben, S., Barclay, V.C., Long, G.H.,  Grenfell, B.T., Read, A.F. and Bjørnstad, O.N. 2011. Partitioning regulatory mechanisms of within-host malaria dynamics using the effective propagation number. Science 333: 984-988.

Bjørnstad, O.N., Robinet, C. and Liebhold, A.M. 2010. Geographic variation in north american gypsy moth cycles: subharmonics, generalist predators and spatial coupling. Ecology 91:106-118.

Bjørnstad, O.N., Liebhold, A.M. and Johnson, D.M. 2008. Transient synchronization following invasion: revisiting Moran’s model and a case study. Population Ecology 50: 379-389.

Tobin, P.C., Whitmire, S., Johnson, D.M., Bjørnstad, O.N. and Liebhold, A.M. 2007. Invasion speed is affected by geographic variation in the strength of Allee effects. Ecology Letters 10:36-43.

Johnson, D.M., Liebhold, A.M., Tobin, P.C and Bjørnstad, O.N. 2006. Allee effects and pulsed invasion by the gypsy moth. Nature 444: 361-363.

Johnson, D.M., Bjørnstad, O.N. and Liebhold, A.M. 2004. Landscape geometry and traveling waves in the larch budmoth. Ecology Letters 7: 967-974.

Bjørnstad, O.N., Peltonen, M., Liebhold, A.M. & Baltensweiler, W. 2002. Waves of larch budmoth outbreaks in the European alps. Science 298: 1020-1023.

Peltonen, M., Liebhold, A.M., Bjørnstad, O.N., & Williams, D.W. 2002. Variation in spatial synchrony among forest insect species: roles of regional stochasticity and dispersal. Ecology 83: 3120-3129.

Bjørnstad, O.N. & Grenfell, B.T. 2001. Noisy clockwork: time series analysis of population fluctuations in animals. Science 293: 638-643.

Bjørnstad, O.N., Sait, S.M., Stenseth, N.C., Thompson, D.J. & Begon, M. 2001. Coupling and the impact of specialised enemies on the dimensionality of prey dynamics. Nature 401: 1001-1006.

Bjørnstad, O.N., Begon, M., Stenseth, N. C., Falck, W., Sait, S. M. and Thompson, D. J. 1998a. Population dynamics of the Indian meal moth: demographic stochasticity and delayed regulatory mechanisms. Journal of Animal Ecology 67:110-126.