Recent studies show that three-spined sticklebacks have northern and southern ecotypes in the Baltic Sea, where Stockholm archipelago seem to be a meeting point. Sticklebacks have a well-studied mating system where the female chose partner depending on a number ques in of courtship rituals. We are interested in if their particular mating system helps them to keep separate ecotypes in spite of that the populations meet each other.

What will you do at Askö? In this Masters project, we are particularly interested in which ecotype that dominates at Askö and if the different ecotypes interbreed in this area. If they don’t, it suggests that the stickleback populations have behaviours that enable them to separate the different ecotypes.

The master student Joppe Visser will join Joakim Hansen during sampling 23 May to 3 June. He will need a stereomicroscope (with attached camera if possible).

Researcher: Joppe Visser, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life-Sciences, University of Groningen