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Research interestI am an evolutionary ecologist and my work focuses on the processes that create, alter and maintain biodiversity. I am especially interested in the interplay of ecological and evolutionary forces and how its shapes biodiversity between and within populations. I have a particular interest in understanding why do individuals differ within a single population, and how they differ throughout their life. Understanding how microevolutionary processes can affect individual phenotype in variable and rapidly changing environments is fundamental to successfully manage and conserve wild populations.
My work involves a range of approaches, from controlled laboratory experiments to field work in various aquatic systems in Iceland. I am formally trained as a fish farmer, and a behavioural ecologist. Most of my work has been on freshwater fishes, especially salmonids. ><(((º>- ><(((º>- ><(((º>- ><(((º>- ><(((º>- ><(((º> |
Current research projects
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><(((º>-----Temporal changes in feeding ecology and life histories of Arctic charr and Brown trout in Faroese lakes
Principal investigator ><(((º>-----Microevolutionary processes in small populations (2012-2024) funded by the Icelandic Research Fund RANNÍS Principal investigator along with Skúli Skúlason ><(((°>------Brain shape and plasticity in juveniles Arctic charr from diverging populations (2018-2022), supported by Hólar University Principal investigator, -Collaborator in the project „Territoriality, foraging and social organisation in stream salmonids“ Pr. Stefán Ó. Steingrímsson, Hólar University -Collaborator in the project „Evolution of cognition: a study of sympatric morphs of Arctic charr“ Pr. David Benhaim, Hólar University -Collaborator in the project „Plasticity and divergence in Arctic charr “, Pr. Arnar Pálsson and Dr. Sarah Steele at The Univeristy of Iceland |
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Students
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Current Braden Judson, MSc, University of Guelph in co-supervision with Pr. Moira Ferguson Former graduate students Samantha V. Beck (PhD, 2014-2019) Mathias Lherbier (PhD, 2016-2018) Marie Birault (MSc. 2017, co-advisor) Markos Tsinganis (2016, co-advisor) Louise Vernier (Msc. 2013-2015) Romain Theysset (MSc. 2012-2013) MSc/BSc students and interns 2022 Teddy Batte, 10ECTS project, MSc level, advisor, FRANCE Marie Joigneau, 5 months – gap year between two years of the MSc, advisor, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse, France 2021 Julie Escudé, 30ECTS project MSc level, Agro sup, Dijon, France Sabrina Carli (MSc.), 2 months, ERASMUS, co-advisor, Italy Erwan Le Bechec, 5 months – gap year between two years of the MSc, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse, France 2020 Sébastien Skiada, 10ECTS project (3months), ENSAIA - University of Lorraine, Nancy, France 2019 Nienke Van de Loosdrecht, 30ECTS, project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands 2018 Nais Droillard, 6ECTS project, advisor, Veterinary school, Toulouse, France Jesse de Vries, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Wolf Van Lier, 30ECTS project, co-advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands 2017 Rick Morks, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Koen Sijstermans, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Elizabeth Forgako, UNU-FTP student from Cameroon. 4-months project. 2016 Michelle Wisse, 30ECTS project, co-advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Valerie Kalle, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Anne Loes Tukker, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands Renze Jacobi, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University of applied sciences, The Netherlands 2015 Sebastiaan Meeuwsen, 30ECTS project, advisor, Has University for applied sciences, The Netherlands. 2014 Jason Flatt, 10 ECTS project, co-advisor,University of Guelph, Canada. 2008 Matthieu Besson, 18 ECTS project, advisor, Universite de la Rochelle, France 2007 Soizic Le Deuff, 18 ECTS project, advisor, INTECHMER, France |
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Publications
Mittell, E. A., Leblanc, C. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Ferguson, M. M., Räsänen, K., & Morrissey, M. B. (2025). Spatiotemporal variation in size-dependent growth rates in small isolated populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Royal Society Open Science, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241802
Judson, B. J., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A.-L., & Ferguson, M. M. (2024). The role of neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes on patterns of genetic diversity across small cave-dwelling populations of Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Ecology and Evolution, 14, Article e11363. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11363
Koene, J. P., Bean, C. W., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Leblanc, C. A., & Adams, C. (2024). Patterns, processes, and conservation management consequences of intraspecific diversity, illustrated by fishes from recently glaciated lakes. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 34, Article e4076. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4076
Kristjánsson, B. K., Combot, D., Reilent, A., Phillips, J. S., & Leblanc, C. A.-L. (2024). Invertebrate diversity in groundwater-filled lava caves is influenced by both neutral- and niche-based processes. Ecology and Evolution, 14, Article e11560. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11560
Leblanc, C. A., Räsänen, K., Morrissey, M., Skúlason, S., Ferguson, M., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2024). Fine-scale diversity in the lava: Genetic and phenotypic diversity in small populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). BMC Ecology and Evolution, 24, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-024-02232-3
Benhaïm, D., Vernier, L., & Leblanc, C. A. (2023). Personality and temporal plasticity in fish populations along a gradient of evolutionary divergence. Animal Behaviour, 199, 23-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.010
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., Tsinganis, M., & Leblanc, C. A. (2022). Variation in egg size and offspring phenotype among and within Arctic charr morphs. Ecology and Evolution, 12, e9427. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9427
Leblanc, C. A., Schreck, C., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., & Noakes, D. L. G. (2022). Egg-size related traits during the first year of growth and smolting in hatchery and wild juveniles of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Environmental Biology of Fishes. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-022-01377-8
Dębicki, I. T., Mittell, E. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Morrissey, M. B., & Terzić, K. (2021). Re-identification of individuals from images using spot constellations: A case study in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201768
Horta-Lacueva, Q. J. B., Snorrason, S. S., Morrissey, M. B., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Kapralova, K. H. (2021). Multivariate analysis of morphology, behaviour, growth and developmental timing in hybrids brings new insights into the divergence of sympatric Arctic charr morphs. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 21, 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01904-8
Karvonen, A., Beck, S., Skúli, S., Kristjánsson, B. K., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2021). Variation in parasite resistance of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, between and within sympatric morphs. Ecology and Evolution, 11, 14024–14032. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8109
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Skulason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2020). Differences among families in craniofacial shape at early life stages of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). BMC Developmental Biology, 20, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12861-020-00226-0
Benhaïm, D., Leblanc, C. A. L., Horri, K., Mannion, K., Galloway, M., Leeper, A., Knobloch, S., Sigurgeirsson, Ó., & Thorarensen, H. (2020). The effect of triploidy on the performance, gut microbiome, and behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) raised at low temperature. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105031
Horta-Lacueva, Q. J. B., Snorrason, S. S., Morrissey, M. B., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Kapralova, K. H. (2020). Multivariate distributions of behavioural, morphological, and ontogenetic traits in hybrids bring new insights into the divergence of sympatric Arctic charr morphs. BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.14.339911
Kreiling, A. K., O'Gorman, E., Palsson, S., Benhaim, D., Leblanc, C. A. L., Ólafsson, J., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2020). Seasonal variation in the invertebrate community and diet of a top fish predator in a thermally stable spring. Hydrobiologia, 848(3), 531–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04409-5
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Ahi, E. P., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2019). Gene expression in the phenotypically plastic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus): A focus on growth and ossification at early stages of development. Evolution and Development, 21(1), 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.12275
Leblanc, C. A. L., Horri, K., Skúlason, S., & Benhaim, D. (2019). Subtle temperature increase can interact with individual size and social context in shaping phenotypic traits of a coldwater fish. PLOS ONE, 14(3), e0213061. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213061
Skúlason, S., Parsons, K. J., Svanbäck, R., Räsänen, K., Ferguson, M. M., Adams, C. E., Amundsen, P. A., Bartels, P., Bean, C. W., Boughman, J. W., Guðbrandsson, G. E. J., Hooker, O. E., Hudson, A. G., Kahilainen, K. K., Knudsen, R., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Jónsson, Z., Öhlund, G., Smith, C., & Snorrason, S. S. (2019). A way forward with eco-evo-devo: An extended theory of resource polymorphism with postglacial fishes as model systems. Biological Reviews, 94(5), 1786–1808. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12534
Kristjánsson, B. K., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2018). Variation in the magnitude of morphological and dietary differences between individuals among populations of small benthic Arctic charr in relation to ecological factors. Ecology and Evolution, 8(3), 3761–3769. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3761
Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Skúlason, S., Snorrason, S. S., & Noakes, D. L. G. (2018). Phenotypic plasticity in the morphology of small benthic Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 27(3), 636–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12380
Lasne, E., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Gillet, C. (2018). Egg size vs. number of offspring trade-off: Female age rather than size matters in a domesticated Arctic charr population. Evolutionary Biology, 45, 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-017-9433-8
Judson, B. J., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A.-L., & Ferguson, M. M. (2024). The role of neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes on patterns of genetic diversity across small cave-dwelling populations of Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Ecology and Evolution, 14, Article e11363. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11363
Koene, J. P., Bean, C. W., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Leblanc, C. A., & Adams, C. (2024). Patterns, processes, and conservation management consequences of intraspecific diversity, illustrated by fishes from recently glaciated lakes. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 34, Article e4076. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4076
Kristjánsson, B. K., Combot, D., Reilent, A., Phillips, J. S., & Leblanc, C. A.-L. (2024). Invertebrate diversity in groundwater-filled lava caves is influenced by both neutral- and niche-based processes. Ecology and Evolution, 14, Article e11560. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11560
Leblanc, C. A., Räsänen, K., Morrissey, M., Skúlason, S., Ferguson, M., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2024). Fine-scale diversity in the lava: Genetic and phenotypic diversity in small populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). BMC Ecology and Evolution, 24, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-024-02232-3
Benhaïm, D., Vernier, L., & Leblanc, C. A. (2023). Personality and temporal plasticity in fish populations along a gradient of evolutionary divergence. Animal Behaviour, 199, 23-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.010
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., Tsinganis, M., & Leblanc, C. A. (2022). Variation in egg size and offspring phenotype among and within Arctic charr morphs. Ecology and Evolution, 12, e9427. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9427
Leblanc, C. A., Schreck, C., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., & Noakes, D. L. G. (2022). Egg-size related traits during the first year of growth and smolting in hatchery and wild juveniles of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Environmental Biology of Fishes. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-022-01377-8
Dębicki, I. T., Mittell, E. A., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Morrissey, M. B., & Terzić, K. (2021). Re-identification of individuals from images using spot constellations: A case study in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201768
Horta-Lacueva, Q. J. B., Snorrason, S. S., Morrissey, M. B., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Kapralova, K. H. (2021). Multivariate analysis of morphology, behaviour, growth and developmental timing in hybrids brings new insights into the divergence of sympatric Arctic charr morphs. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 21, 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01904-8
Karvonen, A., Beck, S., Skúli, S., Kristjánsson, B. K., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2021). Variation in parasite resistance of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, between and within sympatric morphs. Ecology and Evolution, 11, 14024–14032. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8109
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Skulason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2020). Differences among families in craniofacial shape at early life stages of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). BMC Developmental Biology, 20, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12861-020-00226-0
Benhaïm, D., Leblanc, C. A. L., Horri, K., Mannion, K., Galloway, M., Leeper, A., Knobloch, S., Sigurgeirsson, Ó., & Thorarensen, H. (2020). The effect of triploidy on the performance, gut microbiome, and behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) raised at low temperature. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105031
Horta-Lacueva, Q. J. B., Snorrason, S. S., Morrissey, M. B., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Kapralova, K. H. (2020). Multivariate distributions of behavioural, morphological, and ontogenetic traits in hybrids bring new insights into the divergence of sympatric Arctic charr morphs. BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.14.339911
Kreiling, A. K., O'Gorman, E., Palsson, S., Benhaim, D., Leblanc, C. A. L., Ólafsson, J., & Kristjánsson, B. K. (2020). Seasonal variation in the invertebrate community and diet of a top fish predator in a thermally stable spring. Hydrobiologia, 848(3), 531–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04409-5
Beck, S. V., Räsänen, K., Ahi, E. P., Kristjánsson, B. K., Skúlason, S., Jónsson, Z. O., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2019). Gene expression in the phenotypically plastic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus): A focus on growth and ossification at early stages of development. Evolution and Development, 21(1), 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.12275
Leblanc, C. A. L., Horri, K., Skúlason, S., & Benhaim, D. (2019). Subtle temperature increase can interact with individual size and social context in shaping phenotypic traits of a coldwater fish. PLOS ONE, 14(3), e0213061. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213061
Skúlason, S., Parsons, K. J., Svanbäck, R., Räsänen, K., Ferguson, M. M., Adams, C. E., Amundsen, P. A., Bartels, P., Bean, C. W., Boughman, J. W., Guðbrandsson, G. E. J., Hooker, O. E., Hudson, A. G., Kahilainen, K. K., Knudsen, R., Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Jónsson, Z., Öhlund, G., Smith, C., & Snorrason, S. S. (2019). A way forward with eco-evo-devo: An extended theory of resource polymorphism with postglacial fishes as model systems. Biological Reviews, 94(5), 1786–1808. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12534
Kristjánsson, B. K., & Leblanc, C. A. L. (2018). Variation in the magnitude of morphological and dietary differences between individuals among populations of small benthic Arctic charr in relation to ecological factors. Ecology and Evolution, 8(3), 3761–3769. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3761
Kristjánsson, B. K., Leblanc, C. A. L., Skúlason, S., Snorrason, S. S., & Noakes, D. L. G. (2018). Phenotypic plasticity in the morphology of small benthic Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 27(3), 636–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12380
Lasne, E., Leblanc, C. A. L., & Gillet, C. (2018). Egg size vs. number of offspring trade-off: Female age rather than size matters in a domesticated Arctic charr population. Evolutionary Biology, 45, 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-017-9433-8