Anders Nilsson

Research group: Pollination ecology, floral evolution and bee conservation

The research explores issues of general relevance in evolutionary and conservation biology, and has two main action areas. Within the first, work focuses on plant-pollinator interactions, temperate as well as tropical, and their evolutionary results. Orchids are used as models for testing the effects of floral traits on plant reproductive success. The role of floral traits in speciation and adaptive radiation is studied. The tropical studies are conducted in cooperation with Antananarivo University and are organized within the frame Plant Reproductive Ecology Project in Madagascar. Within the second, work focuses on the conservation ecology of the wild-bee fauna of Sweden. The aim of this project is to restore the species diversity of wild bees, a key-resource for ecosystem function in general and for plant reproduction in particular. Students are welcomed to apply for conducting theses at various levels or work as assistants within the projects.

Research student: Johanne Maad (Syst Bot Dept)

Cederberg B. & Nilsson L. A. 2000. The mining bee Andrena flavipes in Sweden (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Ent. Tidskr. 121: 193-197.
Maad J. 2000. Phenotypic selection in hawkmoth-pollinated Platanthera bifolia: targets and fitness surfaces. Evolution 54: 112-123.
Johnson S. D. & Nilsson L. A. 1999. Pollen carryover, geitonogamy, and the evolution of deceptive pollination systems in orchids. Ecology 80: 2607-2619.
Nilsson L. A. 1998. Deep flowers for long tongues. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 13: 259-260.
Nilsson L. A., Rabakonandrianina E. & Pettersson B. 1992. Exact tracking of pollen transfer and mating in plants. Nature 360: 666-667.
Nilsson L. A. 1992. Orchid pollination biology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 7: 255-259.

L. Anders Nilsson, Professor