Oddmund Kleven

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Oddmund verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• Ph.D.
• Researcher at Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

Knowledge about the connectivity among natural populations is essential to identify management units for effective conservation actions. Conservation-minded management has led to the recovery of large carnivore populations in northern Europe, possibly restoring connectivity between the two separated, but expanding brown bear (Ursus arctos) populati...

Epigenetic mechanisms such as methylation can influence gene expression and play a crucial role in the adaptation to local environmental conditions, thereby introducing non-genetic variability within species. Here, using a Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing approach (RRBS), we compared the methylation patterns in blood and muscle across th...

Harmonising methodology between countries is crucial in transborder population monitoring. However, immediate application of alleged, established DNA-based methods across the extended area can entail drawbacks and may lead to biases. Therefore, genetic methods need to be tested across the whole area before being deployed. Around 4,500 brown bears (...

Understanding spatio-temporal variation in the diet of alpine herbivores is important to predict how a changing climate will affect these species in the future. We examined the spatio-temporal variation in willow ptarmigan (Lagopus l. lagopus) diet using DNA metabarcoding of fecal pellets sampled from winter to early summer over three consecutive y...

Information on genetic population structure provides important knowledge for species conservation. Yet, few studies combine extensive genetic data to evaluate the structure and population dynamics of transboundary populations. Here we used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), microsatellites and mitochondrial haplotypes to analyze the genetic po...

Mammalian dispersal is characterized by long‐distance movements, and whether dispersal is sex‐dependent and occurs at pre‐saturation densities affects colonization speed and concurrent pathogen spread. In Scandinavia, Sweden classifies wild boar Sus scrofa as a native species and retains high densities, while Norwegian authorities considers it an a...

The Scandinavian wolverine (Gulo gulo) population is being monitored annually using non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) and recovery of dead individuals. DNA extracted from feces, urine, hair, secretion, and tissue is used to identify the species, sex, and individual from which each sample originated. These data have been compiled in the Scandinavi...

One of the most fascinating mammalian range expansions in Europe involves an opportunistic mesocarnivore―the golden jackal ( Canis aureus ). However, key questions about the origins and dispersal strategies of pioneering individuals, likely the first to establish new populations, remain unanswered. We analyzed genetic data from three golden jackals...

Recently, the Taiga Bean Goose Anser f. fabalis breeding population of Southern Lapland, Sweden, was shown to use a network of local sites during their summer wing moult. We used microsatellite markers to identify individual geese from DNA in shed feathers collected in 2016–2020 on six sites, enabling us to identify 168 unique individuals from 178...

Extra-pair paternity is common among socially monogamous bird species and considered an important driver of post-copulatory sexual selection on ejaculate traits including sperm traits. Patterns of extra-pair paternity and sperm size both show substantial variation among populations, yet we know little about the expression of these key reproductive...

Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45...

The Scandinavian brown bear population (Ursus arctos) in Norway and Sweden has been monitored extensively and continuously for almost 25 years. Due to the extensive and regular application of DNA-based methods, we likely have one of the most comprehensive, detailed data sets as well as knowledge on a brown bear population available globally today....

Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45...

Maintenance of genetic diversity is a central aim of species conservation, given its positive effect on species survival and adaptation in a changing environment. Data from different time points is key for understanding how populations behave under various conditions. In this regard, herbarium specimens are an invaluable source of information from...

The Scandinavian wolverine (Gulo gulo) population is being monitored annually using non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) and recovery of dead individuals. DNA extracted from feces, urine, hair, secretion, and tissue is used to identify the species, sex, and individual from which each sample originated. These data have been compiled in the Scandinavi...

The Scandinavian brown bear population (Ursus arctos) in Norway and Sweden has been monitored extensively and continuously for almost 25 years. Due to the extensive and regular application of DNA-based methods, we likely have one of the most comprehensive, detailed data sets as well as knowledge on a brown bear population available today. The Norwe...

Where reintroduced wildlife populations are considered as vulnerable this is generally due to limited founder size and isolation. While many of these populations show low levels of genetic diversity, little is known about the temporal patterns of genetic diversity loss and the role of initial founder effects vs. ongoing genetic drift. Here we analy...

The main aim of ex situ programmes in conservation is to provide a suitable source of individuals for future reintroductions or reinforcement of existing populations. A fundamental prerequisite is creating and maintaining healthy and sustainable captive populations that show high levels of phenotypic and genetic similarity to their wild counterpart...

Background: The Scandinavian wolverine (Gulo gulo) population is being monitored annually using non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) and recovery of dead individuals. DNA extracted from feces, urine, hair, secretion, and tissue is used to identify the species, sex, and individual from which each sample originated. These data have been compiled in th...

This report describes the status for the Arctic fox in Norway 2022, summarizing current manage-ment actions and population trends for Norway, regions of Norway and all sub-populations over the past 15 years. The national monitoring program was established in 2003, now rooted in the action plan (2017-2021). The monitoring programme is based on annua...

Abstract Kleven, O., Forfang, K., Opsahl, N. N., Königsson, H., Spong, G., Milleret, C., Dupont, P., Bischof, R., Flagstad, Ø. & Brøseth, H. 2022. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2022. NINA Report 2236. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Genetic analysis is an important tool for monitoring large carnivores in Sca...

The species we have studied the spatiotemporal genetic change in the northern dragonhead, a plant species that has experienced a drastic population decline and habitat loss in Europe. We have added a temporal perspective to the monitoring of northern dragonhead in Norway by genotyping herbarium specimens up to 200 years old. We have also assessed w...

In birds with extrapair mating, older males usually have higher fertilization success than younger males. Two hypotheses can potentially explain this pattern: 1) females prefer older, and often more ornamented males, or 2) older males invest more in reproduction and fertility than younger males. Here we studied factors associated with age-related m...

Reintroductions may produce populations that suffer from decreasing genetic diversity due to isolation, genetic drift and inbreeding if not assisted by careful management. To assess the genetic outcomes of reintroductions in large carnivores, we used the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) as a case study, which was the subject of several reintroduction atte...

Kleven, O., Andersskog, I. P. Ø., Brandsegg, H., Eriksen, L. B., Spets, M. H., Königsson, H., Spong, G., Milleret, C., Dupont, P., Bischof, R., Flagstad, Ø. & Brøseth, H. 2022. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2021. NINA Report 2111. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Abstract: Genetic analysis is an important too...

The ability to track variation in climate is important for species to persist in a given environment. Lack of responses to both long-term changes and inter-annual variation in climate parameters can result in reduced fitness and population decline. Furthermore, migration strategy can influence the ability to track climatic variation due to the pote...

Aim: We have studied population genetic change through time in the Northern dragonhead, Dracocephalum ruyschiana (Lamiaceae); a plant species that has experienced a drastic population decline and habitat loss in Europe. We aimed at adding a historic level to the monitoring of dragonhead by testing a microfluidic SNP array approach on herbarium spec...

Langtidseffekter av Smøla vindpark på den lokale bestanden av havørn (Haliaeetus albicilla)

The occurrence of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) in wildlife has received considerable attention over the last decades. Among the matrices used for OHC biomonitoring, feathers are particularly useful as they can be collected in a minimally or non-invasive manner. In this study, concentrations of various legacy OHCs –polychlorinated biphenyls (P...

Dispersal is a key process for the maintenance of intraspecific genetic diversity by ensuring gene flow within and between populations. Despite the ongoing expansion of large carnivores in Europe, lynx populations remain fragmented, isolated, and threatened by inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. In the course of large carnivore monitoring in...

Genome-wide association studies provide good opportunities for studying the genetic basis of adaptive traits in wild populations. Yet, previous studies often failed to identify major effect genes. In this study, we used high-density single nucleotide polymorphism and individual fitness data from a wild non-model species. Using a whole-genome approa...

The factors underlying gene flow and genomic population structure in vagile seabirds are notoriously difficult to understand due to their complex ecology with diverse dispersal barriers and extensive periods at sea. Yet, such understanding is vital for conservation management of seabirds that are globally declining at alarming rates. Here, we eluci...

Flagstad, Ø., Kleven, O., Brandsegg, H., Spets, M. H., Eriksen, L. B., Andersskog, I. P. Ø., Johansson, M., Ekblom, R., Ellegren, H. & Brøseth, H. 2021. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2020. NINA Report 1956. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Abstract: Genetic analysis is implemented as an important tool in the...

The factors underlying gene flow and genomic population structure in vagile seabirds are notoriously difficult to understand due to their complex ecology with diverse dispersal barriers and extensive periods at sea. Yet, such understanding is vital for conservation management of seabirds that are globally declining at alarming rates. Here, we eluci...

Loss of biodiversity is accelerating, including the loss of genetic diversity. Conservation of small, isolated populations may be important, as they can provide valuable contributions to overall genetic variation and long-term viability of species. Furthermore, such populations may play an essential role in adaptation to new environments following...

In species with internal fertilization, the female genital tract appears challenging to sperm, possibly resulting from selection on for example ovarian fluid to control sperm behaviour and, ultimately, fertilization. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of swimming media viscosities on sperm performance. We quantified effects of media vi...

The Changeable Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus complex is represented by two taxa in mainland India: N. c. cirrhatus in the northern plains and peninsula and N. c. limnaeetus in the Himalayan foothills. Traditionally these taxa have been regarded as subspecies of one species, but recently they have been proposed to be different species. Here, we use...

After decades, even centuries of persecution, large carnivore populations are widely recovering in Europe. Considering the recent recovery of the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Finland, our aim was to evaluate genetic variation using 14 microsatellites and mtDNA control region (579 bp) in order (1) to determine whether the species is represented by a sin...

The black grouse Lyrurus tetrix and the capercaillie Tetrao urogallus are known to produce hybrids in wild populations. In general, these hybrids are regarded as infertile; however, conclusive evidence that F1-hybrids are infertile and unable to backcross in the wild are lacking. Using a molecular approach, we examined the ancestry of a bird assume...

Extra-pair mating is a common alternative reproductive strategy among socially monogamous bird species, but empirical data on the genetic mating systems of most species are still lacking. Here we present the first parentage study in the Grey-headed Chickadee (Poecile cinctus), a socially monogamous passerine breeding at low densities in the boreal...

Background: Female promiscuity is highly variable among birds, and particularly among songbirds. Comparative work has identified several patterns of covariation with social, sexual, ecological and life history traits. However, it is unclear whether these patterns reflect causes or consequences of female promiscuity, or if they are byproducts of so...

Flagstad, Ø., Kleven, O., Spets, M. H., Eriksen, L. B., Andersskog, I. P. Ø., Johansson, M., Ekblom, R., Ellegren, H. & Brøseth H. 2019. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2019. NINA Report 1762. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Abstract: Genetic analysis is implemented as an important tool in the monitoring of la...

This study aimed to understand the movement behaviour and utilization distributions of Kori bustards in space and time in the Serengeti ecosystem. A total of 14 individuals were tracked with the aid of GPS (Geographical positioning system) satellite transmitters, and their sexes were identified using DNA analysis. A species utilization distribution...

Migratory behaviour is subject to intraspecific variation and may be determined by the age, sex and population origin of individuals. Here we equipped eight juvenile Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) with GPS-based satellite-transmitters to investigate their migratory behaviour from a recently re-established breeding area in central Norway. Migration rou...

Basic knowledge about the genetic mating system is lacking for the great majority of the approximately 10,000 extant bird species. Filling this knowledge gap is not only critical for a comprehensive understanding of the reproductive ecology of each particular species, but also for increasing the power of comparative approaches to uncover and explai...

Background: Spermatozoa display impressive variation in size and form among and within animal species. In birds, comparative evidence suggests that post-copulatory sexual selection resulting from extra-pair copulations is a major driver of interspecific sperm trait variation. However little is known about the extent, determinants and dynamics of in...

Flagstad, Ø., Kleven, O., Spets, M. H., Eriksen, L. B., Halvorsen, B. U., Andersskog, I. P. Ø., Hemphill, E. K., Johansson, M., Ekblom, R., Ellegren, H. & Brøseth H. 2018. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2018. NINA Report 1592. Norwegian Institute for Nature Re-search. Abstract: Genetic analysis is implemented as an im...

During their flightless summer moult, Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis fabalis gather at communal moulting sites. Individuals from the Nord-Trøndelag breeding area in Norway have been observed to join with local individuals on moulting sites in Vilhelmina Municipality, Sweden. These two groups show distinct features in breeding habitat and migratory...

Capsule: A description of the methods used for monitoring the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Norway Aims: To provide a comprehensive description of monitoring methods. Methods: The intensive monitoring of the Golden Eagle in Norway started in 1991 as part of a national monitoring programme initiated by the Directorate for Nature Management (now...

The northern dragonhead Dracocephalum ruyschiana is a plant species experiencing a dramatic population decline that has led to the species being listed on Red Lists for species in many European countries. Here we used restriction-site associated DNA sequencing to isolate and characterize a panel of 96 novel SNP markers from 44 individuals encompass...

The typical life history of long-lived seabirds makes their populations extra sensitive to decreases in adult survival. It is therefore important to uncover the extent, causes and consequences of any incident that involves massive die-offs of such species. Towards the end of a stormy winter, large numbers of dead Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica...

Flagstad, Ø., Kleven, O., Spets, M. H., Eriksen, L. B., Halvorsen, B. U., Andersskog, I. P. Ø., Hemphill, E. K., Johansson, M., Ekblom, R., Ellegren, H. & Brøseth H. 2018. DNA-based monitoring of the Scandinavian wolverine population 2016 and 2017. NINA Report 1483. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Abstract: Genetic analysis is implemented...

Tovmo, M., Mattisson, J., Kleven, O. & Brøseth, H. 2017. Monitoring of Golden eagle in Norway 2017. Results from 12 intensively monitored areas. – NINA Report 1442. 21 pp. Abstract: Monitoring of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) is a part of the National large predator monitoring program in Norway and is structured in two parts: intensive and exte...

The use of tracking devices to monitor birds is extensive, but the effects of such instruments on equipped individuals are still insufficiently taken into account. Here we evaluate potential effects of backpack-mounted satellite transmitters (platform terminal transmitters; PTTs) on survival of 28 Snowy Owls Bubo scandiacus. Six confirmed deaths we...

The turnover rate of breeding Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis females in two study areas in southern Norway, which are assumed to experience different levels of illegal human persecution, was estimated using DNA extracted from moulted feathers, along with other characteristics. Female turnover rate over a four-year period for each nesting terri...

Here we describe 16 novel microsatellite loci in the genome of the dragonhead sap beetle Thymogethes norvegicus, which were identified using a next-generation sequencing approach. In 40 dragonhead sap beetles from a population in southern Norway, we found 2-4 alleles per locus. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.18-0.65. Three of the loci showed...

Three wolverines shot in Norway since 2008 and one filmed in Eastern Finland in 2014 had similar lesions: All four individuals seem to have lost the soft, hairless part of their nose and much of their lips, exposing their nasal conchae and cavity, as well as and their teeth, and giving them a grotesque appearance.. The lesions seem to be bilateral...

Sperm morphology is highly diversified among species and at higher taxonomic levels. In birds, there is also increasing evidence of geographical differentiation in sperm traits within species, especially in those with strong sperm competition. Geographical divergences in sperm traits might imply the formation of a reproductive barrier in a speciati...

DNA from non-invasively collected samples may be used to identify individuals for monitoring birds. Here we describe 36 novel microsatellite loci from Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) identified using a next-generation sequencing approach. From 34 variable loci, we selected 12 tetranucleotide loci with short amplicon sizes, combined these into two multip...

Genetic analysis has shown to be an important and efficient method for monitoring species, but the lack of genetic markers constrains such monitoring for many species. Here, we cross-amplified microsatellite loci in the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) using primers previously characterized in other species. Among polymorphic loci, we selected 12 loci t...

Information about male infertility in free-living bird populations and its underlying causes are poorly documented in the literature. Here, we assessed sperm quality and infertility among males in a wild population of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus, a socially monogamous passerine with frequent extra-pair mating. One of 30 males (3.3%) studied acros...

Morphometric analysis of avian spermatozoa from sperm samples preserved in formalin is a frequently adopted procedure in basic science (e.g. evolutionary ecology) and applied disciplines (e.g. animal breeding). Many research questions such as individual-based longitudinal studies of sperm traits require comparisons of formalin-stored sperm samples...

During the 1950s and 1970s the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) experienced a dramatic population crash and remains of conservation concern in several parts of the world. We isolated 37 microsatellite loci and assessed these in ospreys sampled in the UK and Norway (using mouth swabs/feathers). From 26 loci variable in four ospreys, we selected 13, combin...

Local adaptation is an important process contributing to population differentiation which can occur in continuous or isolated populations connected by various amounts of gene flow. The willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) is one of the most common songbirds in Fennoscandia. It has a continuous breeding distribution where it is found in all fores...

Jacobsen, K.-O., Stien, A., Nygård, T., Kleven, O., Mabille, G., Johnsen, T.V., Opgård, O., Østlyngen, A., Johansen, K. & Myklevoll, V. 2014. The Golden Eagle in Finnmark. Annual Report 2013 – NINA Report 1023. 26 pp. The main objectives of this study were to gain more knowledge of the population of Golden Eagles in Finnmark. We have conducted stud...

Genetiske analyser er nå implementert som et viktig verktøy i rovviltovervåkingen i Skandinavia. I særlig grad har antallet DNA-analyser av ekskrementer økt betydelig. Det siste tiåret er det gjennom-ført rutinemessig innsamling og påfølgende DNA-analyser over store deler av jervens utbredelses-område i Norge og Sverige. Individbestemmelse fra DNA-...

Postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) in internally fertilizing vertebrates is a topic of great interest, yet relatively little is known about the characteristics of sperm and ejaculates that confer an advantage in PCSS. In this study, we investigated several measures of sperm morphology that potentially contribute to fertilization success under P...

Sperm morphometry and motility are important male traits affecting fertility and post-copulatory competitive ability. However, studies examining consistency in sperm traits over time for individual males are rather scarce, particularly in free-living animals. Here, we report our analysis of various measures of sperm morphometry and sperm motility i...

Trotz sozialer Monogamie kommt es bei vielen Singvogelarten vor, dass sich Weibchen auch mit paarfremden Männchen fortpflanzen. Daraus resultieren Bruten mit gemischten Vaterschaften und erhöhte postkopulatorische sexuelle Selektion (Spermienkonkurrenz und/oder kryptische Weibchenwahl). Es ist zu erwarten, dass diese starke sexuelle Selektion große...

Certain species of bumblebees are difficult to distinguish based on morphology alone due to a lack of diagnostic characters and extensive intraspecific variation in colour patterns. The discussion concerning whether Bombus lapponicus and Bombus monticola are the same species or not, seems to be ongoing. We present a study of 16 speciemens of B. mon...

We isolated 134 eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) microsatellite sequences. Eight of these newly isolated loci were characterized in 38 Eurasian eagle-owls in a northern European population. Sequence homology was used to assign a predicted chromosome location for the eight loci. We also redesigned primers for four previously isolated eagle-owl sequences and cr...

Passerine birds show large interspecific variation in extrapair paternity rates. There is accumulating evidence that such promiscuous behavior is driven by indirect, genetic benefits to females. Sexual selection theory distinguishes between two types of genetic benefits, additive and nonadditive effects, mediated by preferences for good and compati...

Jacobsen, K.-O., Stien, A., Nygård, T. & Kleven, O., Johnsen, T.V., Opgård, O., Johansen, K., Østlyngen, A. & Myklevoll, V. 2013. The Golden Eagle in Finnmark. Annual Report 2012 – NINA Report 936. 22 pp. The main objectives of this study were to gain more knowledge of the population of Golden Eagles in Finnmark. We have conducted studies of behavi...

Jacobsen, K.-O., Stien, A., Nygård, T. & Kleven, O., Johnsen, T.V., Opgård, O., Johansen, K., Østlyngen, A. & Myklevoll, V. 2013. The Golden Eagle in Finnmark. Annual Report 2012 – NINA Report 936. 22 pp. The main objectives of this study were to gain more knowledge of the population of Golden Eagles in Finnmark. We have conducted studies of behavi...

Sperm competition represents an important component of post-copulatory sexual selection. It has been argued that the level of sperm competition declines in birds towards the equator. However, to date, sperm competition estimates have been available mainly for avian species inhabiting the northern temperate zone. Here we apply a novel approach, usin...

Spermatozoa vary greatly in size and shape among species across the animal kingdom. Postcopulatory sexual selection is thought to be the major evolutionary force driving this diversity. In contrast, less is known about how sperm size varies among populations of the same species. Here, we investigate geographic variation in sperm size in barn swallo...

It is well documented that sperm size and structure varies considerably among avian species, but we know much less about the extent of intraspecific variation in sperm morphometry and its possible co-variation with somatic traits like body size and condition. Here, we investigate patterns of sperm length variation and co-variation in a population o...

Mitochondrial DNA usually shows low sequence variation within and high sequence divergence among species, which makes it a useful marker for phylogenetic inference and DNA barcoding. A previous study on the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) revealed two very different mtDNA haplogroups (5% K2P distance). This divergence is comparable to tha...