Life under the surface: Ola reveals nature's most basic processes

Ola had been teaching in teacher education programmes for many years, so when a lectureship in the subject of ecology was announced at the University of Borås, where teaching would largely take place in teacher education programmes, Ola felt that it suited him perfectly. He applied and got the position. Today, he teaches mainly ecology, evolution, and genetics, but also statistics and theory of knowledge. 

Ola studies different elements of fish reproduction. A large part of the research has focused on sexual selection, and he has studied everything from mate selection and speciation to sperm competition and offspring care. 

“I’ve always been interested in fish and ecology and have had an aquarium for almost my entire life. When I went to university, that was the direction I chose. I also took a high school teaching degree.”

When asked what is so interesting about researching fish reproduction, Ola simply answers – everything.  

But why is this important research?

“Reproduction is the core of evolution. For populations to persist, individuals must not only survive but also reproduce successfully. By studying reproduction, we can understand how species arise, how genetic variation is maintained, and how organisms adapt to different environments. Research on well-studied model systems, such as gobies, makes it possible to experimentally test hypotheses based on basic evolutionary theories in a way that is often not possible in other organisms. At the same time, this knowledge is relevant for environmental changes, for example, because reproduction is often particularly sensitive to disturbances.”

What drives you in your research?

“I’m mainly driven by curiosity about how evolutionary processes actually work in nature. Many central questions in evolution relate to mechanisms that are difficult to observe directly, but experimental systems allow us to get closer to the answers.”

How has your research area developed to date?

“Historically, studies of reproduction have often been descriptive and focused on behaviours or life history characteristics. In recent decades, the field has evolved towards a more integrated understanding combining behavioural ecology, evolutionary theory, and genomics – the study of the entire genome. It has become possible to link reproductive traits directly to genetic mechanisms and population processes.”

“Today, research is in a phase where we can integrate several levels simultaneously, from genes to behaviour and population dynamics. There is increasing recognition that reproductive barriers and local adaptation often occur gradually and in complex interactions between environment and genetics. At the same time, there are still major knowledge gaps about how quickly such processes can occur and which mechanisms are most important.”

What challenges do you see for the area?

“A key challenge is to link laboratory results to natural populations and ecological contexts. Evolutionary processes occur over several timescales and are influenced by many factors simultaneously, making them difficult to study as a whole. Another challenge is to integrate large genetic data sets with phenotypic, ecological, and behavioural data in a meaningful way.” 

What are you working on right now?

“At the moment, I’m mainly working on issues related to local adaptation, reproductive function, and early stages of speciation, especially along environmental gradients such as salinity.

On 7 May, you will give a public lecture. What's it about?

“There will be little about the fish called sand gobies and cichlids and fish reproduction with a focus on sexual selection.”

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Researcher profile