Per Alström
Researcher at Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology
- Telephone:
- +46 18 471 27 02
- Mobile phone:
- +46 70 454 69 65
- E-mail:
- per.alstrom@ebc.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- Evolutionsbiologiskt centrum (EBC)
Norbyvägen 18 D - Postal address:
- Norbyvägen 18 D
752 36 UPPSALA
Download contact information for Per Alström at Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology
- CV:
- Download CV
- ORCID:
- 0000-0001-7182-2763
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Short presentation
My research concerns taxonomy, systematics and evolution of birds, especially Asian passerines. See further under the headings below.
Keywords
- birds
- evolution
- ornithology
- systematics
- taxonomy
Biography
Professor
Former employments at Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala; and Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm
Deputy Editor-In-Chief Avian Research (in the BMC group)
Associate Editor Birds of the World (hosted by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA)
Fellow International The Explorers Club
Fellow The Linnean Society
Research
My research concerns taxonomy, systematics and evolution of birds, especially Asian passerines.
Avian tree of life
I use molecular data to reconstruct the phylogeny ("tree of life") of different groups of birds. I have been involved in comprehensive studies of multiple avian families, which have revealed previously unexpected relationships and complex evolutionary patterns; e.g. Emberizidae (Alström et al. 2008), Acrocephalidae (Fregin et al. 2009), Muscicapidae (Sangster et al. 2010), Cettiidae (Alström et al. 2011), Locustellidae (Alström et al. 2011, Alström et al. 2018), Alaudidae (Alström et al. 2013, Alström et al. 2023), Cisticolidae (Olsson et al. 2013), Prunellidae (Liu et al. 2017), Phylloscopidae (Alström et al. 2018), the 2–7 ‘babbler’ families (depending on taxonomy; Gelang et al. 2009, Cibois et al. 2018, Cai et al. 2019), Laniidae (Fuchs et al. 2019) and Estrildidae (Olsson & Alström 2020), and the superfamily Sylvioidea (Alström et al. 2006, Fregin et al. 2012; review paper: Alström et al. 2013) and the large Passerida clade (including description of a new family of birds: Alström et al. 2014), as well as the first genomic-level studies of all passerine families (Oliveros et al. 2019) and all avian orders (Jarvis et al. 2014).
I have also been involved in phylogenetic and/or phylogeographic studies of smaller groups, such as genera of parts of genera, e.g. Acrocephalus (Olsson et al. 2016), Aegithalos (Wang et al. 2014, Zhang et al. 2017), Anthus (Alström et al. 2015), Alaudala (Ghorbani et al. 2020), Calandrella (Stervander et al. 2016), Cyornis (Zhang et al. 2016, Singh et al. 2020), Eremophila (Ghorbani et al. 2020), Ficedula (Hooper et al. 2016), Heteromirafra (Spottiswoode et al. 2013), Larvivora (Zhao et al. 2017), Motacilla (Alström et al. 2015, Li et al. 2016, Harris et al. 2018), Phylloscopus/Seicercus (Irwin et al. 2001, Olsson et al. 2004, Olsson et al. 2005), Pica (Song et al. 2018), Scotocerca (Alström et al. 2011), Tichodroma (Zhao et al. 2016), Turdus (Nylander et al. 2008) and Zoothera (Olsson & Alström 2013).
Taxonomy of birds
I use an integrative taxonomic approach, involving analyses of e.g. morphology, vocalisations, behaviour, DNA, ecology and geographical distributions, to study the taxonomy of birds. These studies have resulted in a significant increase in the number of recognised species in the studied groups, including the description of seven new species and three new subspecies to science. E.g. within the genera Acrocephalus, Alaudala (Alström et al. 2021), Brachypteryx (Alström et al. 2018), Calandrella (Alström & Sundev 2021; Stervander et al. 2020; incl. new subspecies: Calandrella cinerea rufipecta), Carpodacus (Liu et al. 2020), Calliope (Liu et al. 2016), Cyornis (Zhang et al. 2016, Gwee et al. 2019, Singh et al. 2020), Emberiza (Olsson et al. 2013), Eremophila (Ghorbani et al. 2020), Ficedula (Dong et al. 2015), Horornis/Cettia (Alström et al. 2007, Wei et al. 2019), Lanius (Olsson et al. 2009), Locustella/Bradypterus (Alström et al. 2008, Alström et al. 2015, incl. new species: L. chengi), Motacilla (Duckworth et al. 2001, new species: M. samveasnae), Mirafra (Alström 1998), Phylloscopus/Seicercus (Alström & Olsson 1990, Alström & Olsson 1992, Alström et al. 1993, Olsson et al. 1993, new specie: P. hainanus; Alström & Olsson 1995, new species: P. emeiensis; Alström et al. 1995, Alström et al. 1997, Alström & Olsson 1999, incl. new species: S. soror; Alström & Olsson 2000, Alström et al. 2010, incl. new species: P. calciatilis, Alström et al. 2011, Zhang et al. 2019, Zhang et al. 2021), Pica (Song et al. 2018), Prinia (Alström et al. 2020; incl. new subspecies: P. polychroa deignani; Alström et al. 2021, incl. a new subspecies P. gracilis ashi), Sylvia (Olsson et al. 2013) and Zoothera (Alström et al. 2016, incl. new species: Z. salimalii).
Evolution of birds
I am also very interested in various evolutionary questions, and I have been involved in studies of such diverse subjects as speciation (e.g. Alström et al. 2015, Semenov et al. 2021), evolution of different geographical avifaunas (Johansson et al. 2007, Price et al. 2014, Lei et al. 2015, He et al. 2019, Cai et al. 2020), evolution of vocalisations of some passerine groups (Xia et al. 2013, Xing et al. 2013, Wei et al. 2017), evolution of UV vision in shorebirds (Ödeen et al. 2009) and passerines (Ödeen et al. 2011), biogeography of several groups of birds (Saitoh et al. 2010, Song et al. 2016, Liu et al. 2017, Song et al. 2020), pitfalls of comparisons of genetic distances (Fregin et al. 2012), species concepts (Alström 2006), and genome evolution (Zhang et al. 2014). These studies have used an array of data, e.g. phylogenetic, morphological, ecological, paleoclimatic, and distributional (including “big data” from e.g. GBIF), and a plethora of analytical methods.
Download CV for complete publication list.
See also ResearchGate and ORCID
Talks and interviews on my research
See Media, above.
Media
Here are various talks, presentations and interviews that I've given in recent years.
More media can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nXUslKxKPRtmhsLo5z9tQ
and here: https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?userId=USER746813
Talk on the passerine bird tree of life
Talk on my research on the evolutionary history of the largest avian radiation, the passerines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBXqldwIQo
Talk on the identification of vagrant Asian leaf warblers
I talk on the identification of Asian leaf warblers that are vagrants in Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA04atLT8i8
Urban and suburban birding: Common Kingfisher
Here I promote birding in urban/suburban habitats, focusing on the Common Kingfisher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuB4GdF_jg4
Urban and suburban birding: Slavonian Grebe
Here I promote birding in urban/suburban habitats, focusing on a small lake at Uppsala with Slavonian Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Coot and other birds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6yBvfbjrgI
Presentation of my ornithological explorations in China and Mongolia
I give a brief presentation of my ornithological explorations in China and Mongolia since the 1980s (starting at c. 44 mins). Other Swedish members of the Explorers Club present their explorations.
Talk on identification of Asian vagrant birds to Europe
Talk (sound and pdf) on the identification of some Asian birds that turn up as vagrants in Europe.
https://birdingbeijing.com/tag/per-alstrom/
Interview on Radio Beijing International
I'm interviewed on Radio Beijing International about my travels and ornithological research in China over more than 30 years
https://www.shanghaibirding.com/alstrom-radio-beijing/
Are there more hidden species to be discovered?
Discussion with David Lindo, a.k.a. The Urban Birder, on e.g. bird taxonomy.
https://theurbanbirderworld.com/in-conservation-with/per-alstrom/
Presentation of the Swedish Taxonomy Initiative
Lecture at conference arranged by the Swedish Species Information Centre in 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuDI0XnX33c&list=PL87ADN0C2pAOTDeL4UJSA3RJmKF5osi6J&index=2
Taxonomy: the mysteries surrounding the birds we watch
Discussion with David Lindo, a.k.a. The Urban Birder on bird taxonomy, with examples from my research
https://theurbanbirderworld.com/in-conservation-with/per-alstrom-october-2020/
Urban and suburban birding: River Fyris
Here I promote birding in urban/suburban habitats, walking along the river that runs through Uppsala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpKAX5n8UJY
Urban and suburban birding: forest birds
Here I promote birding in urban/suburban habitats, focusing on common forest birds at Uppsala
In the footsteps of Linnaeus – modern studies of the avian diversity
Popular science talk in Swedish on some recent studies of the avian diversity.
Birdwatching at Uppsala – conclusions
Summary of films on birdwatching at Uppsala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W74oDfgxpk
Research pod - interview (Swedish)
https://www.uu.se/nyheter/artikel/?id=14282&typ=artikel&lang=sv
The superfamily Sylvioidea – a tree full of surprises
Plenary talk at the First Asian Ornithological Conference (2021) on the superfamily Sylvioidea, in which many odd relationships have been revealed through DNA analyses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brb97nit3YM
Research pod Uppsala University
I'm interviewed in Swedish about my ornithological research
https://www.uu.se/nyheter/artikel/?id=14282&typ=artikel
Interview on Swedish Radio about a new bird species: Sichuan Bush Warbler
https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6160864
Interview on Swedish Radio about bird systematics
https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/7102508
50 years of bird studies
This lecture, with the title "Bird identification and taxonomy: what we knew 50 years ago and what we know today", was given at BirdLife Finland's 50th Anniversary in Helsinki on 9 Dec 2023.