I am a Severo Ochoa Postdoctoral Researcher at CREAF, Spain. Using an individual-based approach, I try to understand the role of individual heterogeneity in how animal groups form and function and deal with environmental change. Read more here!

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jollethebiologist

@jollethebiologist

Exploring Catalunya's intermittent streams walking in waders upstream, you can experience how varied this ecosystem really is, from wide dried up riverbed, and lifeless open pools, to shallow meandering riffles, and permanent reaches covered by overhanging trees and sheltering roots below
#streamresearch #waders #natura_catalunya #naturalrivers #batecrius #fieldwork

jollethebiologist

•

Exploring Catalunya's intermittent streams walking in waders upstream, you can experience how varied this ecosystem really is, from wide dried up riverbed, and lifeless open pools, to shallow meandering riffles, and permanent reaches covered by overhanging trees and sheltering roots below #streamresearch #waders #natura_catalunya #naturalrivers #batecrius #fieldwork

2 weeks ago

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1/9

While in the colder winter months most streams look devoid of animal life, if you look closer, you can see that there is often actually still much going on. This shallow refuge pool for example hosts a large number of small invertebrates known as ostracods, actively swimming around like small space ships, fuelled by the warmth of the sun. They are a favorite snack for many fish species, so the fact that they are so plentiful here likely suggests fish did not reach this refuge pool
#riverresearch #freshwaterecology #freshwaterstream #macrophotography #invertebrates #fishfood #naturalrivers #natura_catalunya #riuscatalans #catalunya_natura #aigua

jollethebiologist

•

While in the colder winter months most streams look devoid of animal life, if you look closer, you can see that there is often actually still much going on. This shallow refuge pool for example hosts a large number of small invertebrates known as ostracods, actively swimming around like small space ships, fuelled by the warmth of the sun. They are a favorite snack for many fish species, so the fact that they are so plentiful here likely suggests fish did not reach this refuge pool #riverresearch #freshwaterecology #freshwaterstream #macrophotography #invertebrates #fishfood #naturalrivers #natura_catalunya #riuscatalans #catalunya_natura #aigua

2 weeks ago

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2/9

For some of my river surveys I snorkel to best monitor the different micro habitats and occurence of fish. Although it may look lush, the water is freezing cold (4-5 °c), and most fish are very inactive and hard to find, hidden deep in the river banks. Some of the stretches I snorkled were only 30-40cm deep but host an amazing varied aquascape of plants, pebbles, leaves and roots. It i's a whole different world that most people never even think about
#riverresearch #riversnorkeling #freshwatersnorkling #fishsurvey #fieldbiology

jollethebiologist

•

For some of my river surveys I snorkel to best monitor the different micro habitats and occurence of fish. Although it may look lush, the water is freezing cold (4-5 °c), and most fish are very inactive and hard to find, hidden deep in the river banks. Some of the stretches I snorkled were only 30-40cm deep but host an amazing varied aquascape of plants, pebbles, leaves and roots. It i's a whole different world that most people never even think about #riverresearch #riversnorkeling #freshwatersnorkling #fishsurvey #fieldbiology

2 weeks ago

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3/9

Back in the field, this time exploring the Daró, a highly intermittent stream in north-east Catalunya. For large stretches near the city of la Bisbal I found it to be dry, with here and there still a patch of water. But a bit further upstream there are some nice permanent pools such as this one with great underwater refuges for fish
#labisbal #riudaró #gavarres #natura_catalunya #riverresearch #naturalrivers #freshwaterecology #ecology #fieldwork

jollethebiologist

•

Back in the field, this time exploring the Daró, a highly intermittent stream in north-east Catalunya. For large stretches near the city of la Bisbal I found it to be dry, with here and there still a patch of water. But a bit further upstream there are some nice permanent pools such as this one with great underwater refuges for fish #labisbal #riudaró #gavarres #natura_catalunya #riverresearch #naturalrivers #freshwaterecology #ecology #fieldwork

2 weeks ago

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4/9

Nice to be out in the field again! Spent the day exploring de Orlina in north-eastern Catalunya, a river I had not yet been before. While upstream the water was still flowing, further downstream where the riverbed was wider, the stream was dry and only some refuge pools remained. It has rained very little the last months so am interested to see how connectivity of the river changes after a couple days of rain. Unfortunately I did not see a single fish all day, but it could be some fish were there, hiding deep in the river margins. L'orlina is one of the nicer, still mostly natural, unaffected streams in the area and I found good habitats for three-spined sticklebacks, so am interested to go back soon to do some proper surveys
#fieldwork #freshwater #ecology #freshwaterstream #fieldsurvey #rius #riu #riuscatalans #mediambient #natura #aigua #catalunyaexperience #natura_catalunya #batecrius

jollethebiologist

•

Nice to be out in the field again! Spent the day exploring de Orlina in north-eastern Catalunya, a river I had not yet been before. While upstream the water was still flowing, further downstream where the riverbed was wider, the stream was dry and only some refuge pools remained. It has rained very little the last months so am interested to see how connectivity of the river changes after a couple days of rain. Unfortunately I did not see a single fish all day, but it could be some fish were there, hiding deep in the river margins. L'orlina is one of the nicer, still mostly natural, unaffected streams in the area and I found good habitats for three-spined sticklebacks, so am interested to go back soon to do some proper surveys #fieldwork #freshwater #ecology #freshwaterstream #fieldsurvey #rius #riu #riuscatalans #mediambient #natura #aigua #catalunyaexperience #natura_catalunya #batecrius

3 weeks ago

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5/9

I am very excited to have finally finished the large testing area of my new Aquatic Movement Lab for controlled laboratory studies of animal behaviour. It is the final component of my lab that I still had to complete. The large enclosed area can be monitored and recorded using the array of calibrated cameras from above. I will use it both to observe the movements of groups of fish in large, heterogeneous arenas (up to 3.5 x 2.5m) as well as to film multiple groups simultaneously in different environments and contexts. In particular, my next experiments will focus on trying to understand how fish, both individually and collectively, deal with the severe environmental changes associated with draught. Excited to get started!
#sciencelab #scienceexperiment #science #scientist #lab #experiment #fishlab #aquaria

jollethebiologist

•

I am very excited to have finally finished the large testing area of my new Aquatic Movement Lab for controlled laboratory studies of animal behaviour. It is the final component of my lab that I still had to complete. The large enclosed area can be monitored and recorded using the array of calibrated cameras from above. I will use it both to observe the movements of groups of fish in large, heterogeneous arenas (up to 3.5 x 2.5m) as well as to film multiple groups simultaneously in different environments and contexts. In particular, my next experiments will focus on trying to understand how fish, both individually and collectively, deal with the severe environmental changes associated with draught. Excited to get started! #sciencelab #scienceexperiment #science #scientist #lab #experiment #fishlab #aquaria

1 month ago

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6/9

New preprint out on predation risk in schooling prey!
Predation is one of the main drivers of social grouping in animals. Hence, understanding when, where, and how predators attack animal groups is of fundamental importance. By sophisticated experiments in which we tracked pike hunting free-swimming schools of fish, we not only provide novel insights into predator decision-making, but show the key properties related to both predator and prey that influence individual's risk to be targeted and survive predator attacks.
Our findings will have important consequences for understanding the costs and benefits of animal grouping and thereby the evolution of social and collective behaviour.
Interested to read the paper? You can find more information at jollejolles.com!

jollethebiologist

•

New preprint out on predation risk in schooling prey! Predation is one of the main drivers of social grouping in animals. Hence, understanding when, where, and how predators attack animal groups is of fundamental importance. By sophisticated experiments in which we tracked pike hunting free-swimming schools of fish, we not only provide novel insights into predator decision-making, but show the key properties related to both predator and prey that influence individual's risk to be targeted and survive predator attacks. Our findings will have important consequences for understanding the costs and benefits of animal grouping and thereby the evolution of social and collective behaviour. Interested to read the paper? You can find more information at jollejolles.com!

1 month ago

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7/9

Some more DIY and tinkering in the lab to try out some new ideas 😅, having fun!

jollethebiologist

•

Some more DIY and tinkering in the lab to try out some new ideas 😅, having fun!

2 months ago

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8/9

Working from home, tracking a new dataset and adding some features to my tracking software. Its cold and dark outside and I am pretty chilly sitting still behind my desk all day with ho heating on.. But I must say I like the cold, it makes me really focused. Coding and writing your own software can be quite frustrating at times and sometimes requires considerable trial and error before you find what resultated in that annoying error. But developing my own software with all capabilities that I need really pays of in the long run. Will show some more insights soon!

jollethebiologist

•

Working from home, tracking a new dataset and adding some features to my tracking software. Its cold and dark outside and I am pretty chilly sitting still behind my desk all day with ho heating on.. But I must say I like the cold, it makes me really focused. Coding and writing your own software can be quite frustrating at times and sometimes requires considerable trial and error before you find what resultated in that annoying error. But developing my own software with all capabilities that I need really pays of in the long run. Will show some more insights soon!

2 months ago

View on Instagram |

9/9

Twitter

Jolle W JollesFollow

Severo Ochoa postdoctoral researcher at CREAF, Barcelona, focused on the role of individual heterogeneity in animal groups across social and ecological scales

Jolle W Jolles @JolleWJolles·

27 Jan

Can't recommend enough to apply for this!!

Shaun Killen@shaunkillen

PhD opportunity with myself, @mikemwebster, @C_C_Ioannou, and @colinjtorney on interactions between climate stressors & social behaviour in fish. Chance for a cool mix of behaviour, physiology, & modelling, plus lab + fieldwork! Contact me if interested!

https://www.iapetus2.ac.uk/studentships/the-effects-of-climate-related-stressors-on-social-behaviour-in-fish-2/

Retweet on Twitter Jolle W Jolles Retweeted

British Ecological Society @BritishEcolSoc·

21 Jan

New research finds that whole-scale farm diversification can promote higher abundances of beneficial birds in farmland.
@JAppliedEcology @smitholiviam @OrnithoAle @jebpowen @birdsnbugs @EEB_MSU @MSU_IBIO @Entomology_UGA @NatureAg
http://ow.ly/R39250HyEKz

New video

While snorkelling in the Bodensee, I found a large number of pikes stalking juvenile fish in the reeds along the shores. The pikes here can easily get 1m and are actually quite easy to approach to within 2m when quiet. Beautiful to see these hunters up close in the wild.

See all videos about our work...

the Jolles Lab

From individual to collective behaviour across social and ecological scales

Commentary paper published in JFB!