Dr Joachim Frommen

Who am I?

I am a Behavioural Ecologist, who every now and then conducts side trips into Evolutionary Biology and Animal Cognition. The main research topic of my team and me is the evolution and ecology of social behaviour, with a current focus on complex social systems. We are mainly working on aquatic animals (e.g. Lake Tanganyika cichlids, three-spined stickleback or different crustaceans) to answer our questions. We combine controlled lab experiments at MMU with field work at Lake Tanganyika.

Academic and professional qualifications

• 2017 Habilitation, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Switzerland
• 2007 Doctoral degree, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Germany
• 2002 Diplom (equivalent to BSc + MSc Res), Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Germany

Previous employment

• Since 11/2019 Lecturer, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, England
• 2017 - 2019 Senior lecturer, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Switzerland
• 2011 - 2019 Lecturer, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Switzerland
• 2008 - 2011 Junior researcher, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
• 2008 Coordinator, Master’s programme “Organismic Biology, Evolutionary Biology, and Palaeo­biology”, University of Bonn, Germany
• 2007 Postdoc, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Germany
• 2002 - 2007 Research assistant, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Germany

Other academic service (administration and management)

• since 2020 Secretary of the Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V. (Ethological Society)
• since 2015 Extended council member of the Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V. (Ethological Society)
• 2011 - 2019 Animal welfare officer (international license Felasa C), University of Bern

Languages

• German
• English

Why study ?

Postgraduate supervision (completed/in progress)

In progress

• Dario Josi, PhD-student
• Annika Freudiger, MSc-student

Completed

• Since 2006 3 postdocs, 3 PhD-students, 15 MSc-students

Academic collaborations

• Prof. Theo Bakker, University of Bonn, Germany
• Dr Stefan Fischer, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Vienna, Austria
• Dr Fabian Herder, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
• Dr Alex Jordan, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
• Dr Arne Jungwirth, University of Cambridge, England
• Prof. Masanori Kohda, Osaka City University, Japan
• Dr Manon Schweinfurth, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
• Dr Timo Thünken, University of Bonn, Germany
• Prof. Michael Taborsky, University of Bern, Switzerland

Publications

• Featured Works

  A. Freudiger, D. Josi, T. Thünken, F. Herder, JM. Flury, et al. DA. Marques, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen. (2021). Ecological variation drives morphological differentiation in a highly social vertebrate. Functional Ecology. 35(10), pp.2266-2281.

  JG. Frommen (2019). Aggressive communication in aquatic environments. Functional Ecology. 34(2), pp.364-380.

  D. Josi, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2019). First field evidence for alloparental egg care in cooperatively breeding fish. Ethology. 125(3), pp.164-169.

  F. Groenewoud, JG. Frommen, D. Josi, H. Tanaka, A. Jungwirth, et al. M. Taborsky. (2016). Predation risk drives social complexity in cooperative breeders. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 113(15), pp.4104-4109.

  M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen, C. Riehl (2016). The evolution of cooperation based on direct fitness benefits. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 371(1687: 20150472),

• Journal articles

  T. Saeki, S. Satoh, JG. Frommen, M. Kohda, S. Awata (2022). Kin-structured cooperatively breeding groups due to limited dispersal in the obligate shell-brooding cichlid Neolamprologus meeli. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 76(7: 89),

  D. Josi, JM. Flury, M. Reyes-Contreras, H. Tanaka, M. Taborsky, et al. JG. Frommen. (2021). Sex-specific routes to independent breeding in a polygynous cooperative breeder. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 9, pp.750483-750483.

  A. Freudiger, D. Josi, T. Thünken, F. Herder, JM. Flury, et al. DA. Marques, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen. (2021). Ecological variation drives morphological differentiation in a highly social vertebrate. Functional Ecology. 35(10), pp.2266-2281.

  D. Josi, A. Freudiger, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2020). Experimental predator intrusions in a cooperative breeder reveal threat-dependent task partitioning. Behavioral Ecology. 31(6), pp.1369-1378.

  L. Durrer, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2020). Group-size preferences in a shoaling cichlid. Behaviour. 157(5), pp.415-431.

  D. Josi, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2020). Investment of group members is contingent on helper number and the presence of young in a cooperative breeder. Animal Behaviour. 160, pp.35-42.

  JG. Frommen (2019). Aggressive communication in aquatic environments. Functional Ecology. 34(2), pp.364-380.

  M. Taborsky, S. Koblmüller, KM. Sefc, M. McGee, M. Kohda, et al. S. Awata, M. Hori, JG. Frommen. (2019). Insufficient data render comparative analyses of the evolution of cooperative breeding mere speculation: A reply to Dey et al. Ethology. 125(11), pp.851-854.

  JG. Frommen (2019). Book review: G. Paz‐y‐Mino‐C & A. Espinosa 2018: Kin recognition in protists and other microbes - Genetics, Evolution, Behavior and Health; Cambridge Scholar Publishing. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 66(5), pp.857-858.

  T. Thünken, SA. Baldauf, N. Bersau, JG. Frommen, TCM. Bakker (2019). Parasite-induced colour alteration of intermediate hosts increases ingestion by suitable final host species. Behaviour. 156(13-14), pp.1329-1348.

  D. Josi, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2019). First field evidence for alloparental egg care in cooperatively breeding fish. Ethology. 125(3), pp.164-169.

  S. Raveh, K. Langen, TCM. Bakker, C. Josephs, JG. Frommen (2019). Oddity, predation risk and social decisions in aquatic invertebrates. Ethology. 125(2), pp.106-113.

  H. Tanaka, JG. Frommen, S. Koblmüller, KM. Sefc, M. McGee, et al. M. Kohda, S. Awata, M. Hori, M. Taborsky. (2018). Evolutionary transitions to cooperative societies in fishes revisited. Ethology. 124(11), pp.777-789.

  H. Tanaka, M. Kohda, JG. Frommen (2018). Helpers increase the reproductive success of breeders in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus obscurus. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 72(9: 152),

  D. Josi, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2018). Habitat preferences depend on substrate quality in a cooperative breeder. Evolutionary Ecology Research. 19(5), pp.517-527.

  T. Thünken, IP. Rick, JG. Frommen (2018). Contributions in honour of Theo C.M. Bakker: Testing, not guessing. Evolutionary Ecology Research. 19(5), pp.477-486.

  T. Thünken, S. Vitt, SA. Baldauf, T. Jung, JG. Frommen (2018). Individual behavioural responses of an intermediate host to a manipulative acanthocephalan parasite and the effects of intra-specific parasite competition. Evolutionary Ecology Research. 19(5), pp.503-516.

  H. Tanaka, JG. Frommen, M. Kohda (2018). Helpers increase food abundance in the territory of a cooperatively breeding fish. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 72(3),

  H. Tanaka, JG. Frommen, L. Engqvist, M. Kohda (2017). Task-dependent workload adjustment of female breeders in a cooperatively breeding fish. Behavioral Ecology. 29(1), pp.221-229.

  TCM. Bakker, JG. Frommen, T. Thünken (2017). Adaptive parasitic manipulation as exemplified by acanthocephalans. Ethology. 123(11), pp.779-784.

  JG. Frommen (2017). Kin recognition and filial cannibalism in an amphibious fish. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 71(10: 141),

  TCM. Bakker, T. Giger, JG. Frommen, CR. Largiadèr (2017). Rapid molecular sexing of three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., based on large Y-chromosomal insertions. J Appl Genet. 58(3), pp.401-407.

  J. Odermatt, JG. Frommen, MHM. Menz (2017). Consistent behavioural differences between migratory and resident hoverflies. Animal Behaviour. 127, pp.187-195.

  DM. Bayani, M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen (2017). To pee or not to pee: urine signals mediate aggressive interactions in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 71(2: 37),

  R. Abila, P. Akoll, C. Albertson, D. Antunes, T. Banda, et al. R. Bills, A. Bulirani, AC. Manda, AS. Cohen, F. Cunha-Saraiva, S. Derycke, I. Donohue, M. Du, AM. Dudu, B. Egger, K. Fritzsche, JG. Frommen, HF. Gante, MJ. Genner, A. Haerer, H. Hata, K. Irvine, PI. Mwapu, LJ. de Bisthoven, A. Jungwirth, P. Kaleme, C. Katongo, L. Kever, S. Koblmueller, A. Konings, A. Lamboj, F. Lemmel-Schaedelin, GM. Schiaffino, K. Martens, PM. Mulungula, A. Meyer, HL. More, Z. Musilova, FM. Bukinga, R. Muzumani, G. Ntakimazi, W. Okello, H. Phiri, L. Pialek, PD. Plisnier, JAM. Raeymaekers, J. Rajkov, O. Rican, R. Roberts, W. Salzburger, I. Schoen, KM. Sefc, P. Singh, P. Skelton, J. Snoeks, K. Schneider, C. Sturmbauer, H. Svardal, O. Svensson, JT. Dowdall, GF. Turner, A. Tyers, JC. van Rijssel, M. Van Steenberge, MPM. Vanhove, E. Verheyen, A-T. Weber, O. Weyl, A. Ziegelbecker, H. Zimmermann. (2016). Oil extraction imperils Africa's Great Lakes. SCIENCE. 354(6312), pp.561-562.

  H. Tanaka, JG. Frommen, T. Takahashi, M. Kohda (2016). Predation risk promotes delayed dispersal in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus obscurus. Animal Behaviour. 117, pp.51-58.

  F. Groenewoud, JG. Frommen, D. Josi, H. Tanaka, A. Jungwirth, et al. M. Taborsky. (2016). Predation risk drives social complexity in cooperative breeders. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 113(15), pp.4104-4109.

  M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen, C. Riehl (2016). Correlated pay-offs are key to cooperation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 371(1687: 20150084),

  M. Taborsky, JG. Frommen, C. Riehl (2016). The evolution of cooperation based on direct fitness benefits. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 371(1687: 20150472),

  S. Hesse, JM. Anaya-Rojas, JG. Frommen, T. Thünken (2015). Kinship reinforces cooperative predator inspection in a cichlid fish. J Evol Biol. 28(11), pp.2088-2096.

  A. Hettyey, Z. Tóth, KE. Thonhauser, JG. Frommen, DJ. Penn, et al. J. Van Buskirk. (2015). The relative importance of prey-borne and predator-borne chemical cues for inducible antipredator responses in tadpoles. Oecologia. 179(3), pp.699-710.

  M. Mehlis, T. Thünken, TCM. Bakker, JG. Frommen (2015). Quantification acuity in spontaneous shoaling decisions of three-spined sticklebacks. Anim Cogn. 18(5), pp.1125-1131.

  S. Hesse, JM. Anaya-Rojas, JG. Frommen, T. Thünken (2015). Social deprivation affects cooperative predator inspection in a cichlid fish. Royal Society Open Science. 2(3), pp.140451-140451.

  JG. Frommen, S. Hanak, CA. Schmidl, T. Thünken (2015). Visible Implant Elastomer tagging influences social preferences of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Behaviour. 152(12-13), pp.1765-1777.

  V. Balzarini, M. Taborsky, S. Wanner, F. Koch, JG. Frommen (2014). Mirror, mirror on the wall: the predictive value of mirror tests for measuring aggression in fish. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 68(5), pp.871-878.

  T. Thünken, M. Eigster, JG. Frommen (2014). Context-dependent group size preferences in large shoals of three-spined sticklebacks. Animal Behaviour. 90, pp.205-210.

  S. Fischer, B. Taborsky, R. Burlaud, AA. Fernandez, S. Hess, et al. E. Oberhummer, JG. Frommen. (2014). Animated images as a tool to study visual communication: a case study in a cooperatively breeding cichlid. Behaviour. 151(12-13), pp.1921-1942.

  JG. Frommen, SM. Zala, S. Raveh, FC. Schaedelin, B. Wernisch, et al. A. Hettyey. (2013). Investigating the effect of familiarity on kin recognition of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Ethology. 119(6), pp.531-539.

  M. Zöttl, JG. Frommen, M. Taborsky (2013). Group size adjustment to ecological demand in a cooperative breeder. Proc Biol Sci. 280(1756), pp.20122772-20122772.

  S. Fischer, JG. Frommen (2013). Eutrophication alters social preferences in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 67(2), pp.293-299.

  JG. Frommen, TCM. Bakker, LC. Proscurcin, M. Mehlis (2012). Gravidity-associated shoaling decisions in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Ethology. 118(12), pp.1149-1156.

  M. Mehlis, JG. Frommen, AK. Rahn, TCM. Bakker (2012). Inbreeding in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatusL.): effects on testis and sperm traits. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 107(3), pp.510-520.

  JG. FROMMEN (2011). Book review: Tinbergen's legacy in Behaviour: 60 years of landmark stickleback papers - Edited by F. A. von Hippel. Journal of Fish Biology. 79(1), pp.310-311.

  JG. Frommen, F. Herder, L. Engqvist, M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker, et al. J. Schwarzer, T. Thünken. (2011). Costly plastic morphological responses to predator specific odour cues in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Evolutionary Ecology. 25(3), pp.641-656.

  T. Thünken, SA. Baldauf, N. Bersau, TCM. Bakker, H. Kullmann, et al. JG. Frommen. (2010). Impact of olfactory non-host predator cues on aggregation behaviour and activity in Polymorphus minutus infected Gammarus pulex. Hydrobiologia. 654(1), pp.137-145.

  M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker, L. Engqvist, JG. Frommen (2010). To eat or not to eat: egg-based assessment of paternity triggers fine-tuned decisions about filial cannibalism. Proc Biol Sci. 277(1694), pp.2627-2635.

  L. Engqvist, JG. Frommen (2010). New insights into the relationship between the h‐index and self‐citations?. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. 61(7), pp.1514-1516.

  M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker, K. Langen, JG. Frommen (2009). Cain and Abel reloaded? Kin recognition and male-male aggression in three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus L. J Fish Biol. 75(8), pp.2154-2162.

  JG. Frommen, M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker (2009). Predator-inspection behaviour in female three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus is associated with status of gravidity. J Fish Biol. 75(8), pp.2143-2153.

  JG. Frommen, M. Hiermes, TCM. Bakker (2009). Disentangling the effects of group size and density on shoaling decisions of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 63(11), pp.1691-1691.

  JG. Frommen, M. Hiermes, TCM. Bakker (2009). Disentangling the effects of group size and density on shoaling decisions of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 63(8), pp.1141-1148.

  JG. Frommen, AK. Rahn, SH. Schroth, N. Waltschyk, TCM. Bakker (2009). Mate-choice copying when both sexes face high costs of reproduction. Evolutionary Ecology. 23(3), pp.435-446.

  M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker, JG. Frommen (2009). Nutritional benefits of filial cannibalism in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Naturwissenschaften. 96(3), pp.399-403.

  H. Kullmann, T. Thünken, SA. Baldauf, TCM. Bakker, JG. Frommen (2008). Fish odour triggers conspecific attraction behaviour in an aquatic invertebrate. Biol Lett. 4(5), pp.458-460.

  M. Mehlis, TCM. Bakker, JG. Frommen (2008). Smells like sib spirit: kin recognition in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is mediated by olfactory cues. Anim Cogn. 11(4), pp.643-650.

  L. Engqvist, JG. Frommen (2008). Double-blind peer review and gender publication bias. Animal Behaviour. 76(3), pp.e1-e2.

  L. Engqvist, JG. Frommen (2008). The h-index and self-citations. Trends Ecol Evol. 23(5), pp.250-252.

  T. Bakker, C. Luz, J. Frommen, D. Mazzi (2008). Inbreeding depression affects fertilization success and survival but not breeding coloration in threespine sticklebacks. Behaviour. 145(4-5), pp.425-441.

  JG. Frommen, C. Luz, TCM. Bakker (2007). Erratum. Ethology. 113(4), pp.414-414.

  JG. Frommen, C. Brendler, TCM. Bakker (2007). The tale of the bad stepfather: male three‐spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus L. recognize foreign eggs in their manipulated nest by egg cues alone. Journal of Fish Biology. 70(4), pp.1295-1301.

  JG. Frommen, C. Luz, TCM. Bakker (2007). Kin discrimination in sticklebacks is mediated by social learning rather than innate recognition (vol 113, pg 276, 2007). ETHOLOGY. 113(4), pp.414-414.

  JG. Frommen, C. Luz, TCM. Bakker (2007). Kin discrimination in sticklebacks is mediated by social learning rather than innate recognition. Ethology. 113(3), pp.276-282.

  JG. Frommen, M. Mehlis, C. Brendler, TCM. Bakker (2007). Shoaling decisions in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)—familiarity, kinship and inbreeding. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 61(4), pp.533-539.

  JG. Frommen, C. Luz, TCM. Bakker (2007). Nutritional state influences shoaling preference for familiars. Zoology (Jena). 110(5), pp.369-376.

  SA. Baldauf, T. Thünken, JG. Frommen, TCM. Bakker, O. Heupel, et al. H. Kullmann. (2007). Infection with an acanthocephalan manipulates an amphipod's reaction to a fish predator's odours. Int J Parasitol. 37(1), pp.61-65.

  JG. Frommen, TCM. Bakker (2006). Inbreeding avoidance through non-random mating in sticklebacks. Biol Lett. 2(2), pp.232-235.

  T. Bakker, J. Frommen (2004). Adult Three-Spined Sticklebacks Prefer to Shoal with Familiar Kin. Behaviour. 141(11-12), pp.1401-1409.

• Chapters in books

  S. Fischer, JG. Frommen (2022). Predation Risk. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.5491-5494.

  S. Fischer, JG. Frommen (2022). Predator detection. J. Vonk, TK. Shackelford. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.5491-5494.

  JG. Frommen, S. Fischer (2021). Proximate and ultimate mechanisms of cooperation in fishes. In: The Cambridge Handbook of Animal Cognition. Cambridge University Press, pp.272-294.

  DJ. Penn, JG. Frommen (2010). Kin recognition: an overview of conceptual issues, mechanisms and evolutionary theory. In: Animal Behaviour: Evolution and Mechanisms. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp.55-85.

Conference organisation

• 2018 Symposium at the European Conference of Behavioural Biology, Liverpool, England: “Cooperative behaviour in fishes”

• 2018 International workshop, Arolla, Switzerland: “Comparative social evolution”

• 2017 Symposium on Lake Tanganyikan Cichlid Behaviour, Bern, Switzerland

• 2016 European Conference of Behavioural Biology, Vienna, Austria (scientific committee)

• 2014 - 2017 Annual meeting of Bernese Biologists, Bern, Switzerland

• 2014 International workshop, Arolla, Switzerland: “Social evolution: merits and limitations of inclusive fitness theory”

• 2012 International workshop, Adelboden, Switzerland: “The evolution of consistent phenotypic variation: alternative tactics vs. behavioural syndromes”

Grants

• 2019 - 2020 Research grant, Swiss National Science Foundation, P.I. (CHF 124´110) “Predation risk as driver of social complexity”
• 2018 Workshop grant, Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale, Co-P.I. (CHF 14´327) “Comparative social evolution”
• 2016 - 2019 Research grant, Swiss National Science Foundation, P.I. (CHF 268´140) “Alternative routes to cooperative breeding: cichlids as model”
• 2014 Workshop grant, Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale, Co-P.I. (CHF 18´407) “Social evolution: merits and limitations of inclusive fitness theory”
• 2012 - 2016 Research grant, Swiss National Science Foundation, P.I. (CHF 290´000) “Development and maintenance of individual behavioural types in a social context”
• 2012 Workshop grant, Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale, Co-P.I. (CHF 12´281)
• 2004 - 2017 Seven travel grants (CHF 2´529 in total)

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• BBSRC
• Czech Science Foundation
• Ethological Society
• Graduate Women in Science
• Israel Science Foundation

Editorial board membership

• 2017 - 2019 Evolutionary Ecology Research (Guest editor)
• 2014 - 2016 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (Guest editor)
• Since 2012 Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (Associate editor)

Membership of professional associations

• Secretary: Ethologische Gesellschaft e.V. (Ethological Society)
• German Zoological Society