Vincent A. Viblanc

I am broadly interested in various aspects of behavioral ecology, ecophysiology and sociobiology.

My current research investigates sexual selection in monomorphic species. Overlapping between behavior and physiology, my projects aim is at determining

1. whether sexual ornaments relate to fitness and convey similar information to males and females in species where both sexes are ornamented and where mutual mate selection is known to occur, and
2. what potential information sexual ornaments may be conveying to respective partners. Species under current investigation include the king penguin and the alpine swift.

I also have a keen interest in the evolution of group living: both its advantages and constraints. My previous Master’s work has investigated kin selection relating to direct and indirect fitness benefits, and mating strategies in colonial ground squirrels. My PhD research has focused on the energetics and behavior of colonial king penguin, seabirds breeding under high energy constraints in an aggressive and crowded social environment.

2012-present.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Dr. Pierre Bize’s research group, at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH.

2008-2011
PhD at the Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, CNRS/University of Strasbourg, FR
Thesis: «Coping with energy constraints, social constraints and stress in a colonial breeder, the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)». Supervised by Dr. René Groscolas.

2008
Msc. Ecophysiology and Ethology, University of Strasbourg, FR.
Thesis: “Kin selection in the Columbian ground squirrel”. Supervised by Dr. F.S. Dobson

2006
BAsc. Biology, University of Caen, FR. / University of Joensuu, FI.

Pierre Bize (DEE)
F. Stephen Dobson (CEFE-CNRS, Montpellier)
François Criscuolo (DEPE-CNRS, Strasbourg)
Jean-Patrice Robin (DEPE-CNRS, Strasbourg)
Sylvie Massemin (DEPE-CNRS, Strasbourg)
René Groscolas (DEPE-CNRS, Strasbourg)

2012
Jozet-Alves C, Viblanc VA, Romagny S, Dacher M, Healey S & Dickel L. In press.
Visual lateralization is task- and age-dependant in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). Animal Behaviour.

Dobson FS, Viblanc VA, Arnaud CM & Murie JO. 2012. Kin selection in Columbian ground-squirrels: direct and indirect fitness benefits. Molecular Ecology 21: 524-531.

2011
Viblanc VA, Mathien A, Viera V & Groscolas R. 2011. It costs to be clean and fit: energetics of comfort behaviour in breeding-fasting penguins. PLoS ONE 6(7): e21110.

Saraux C, Viblanc VA, Le Maho Y, Hanuise H & Le Bohec C. 2011. Factors affecting post-fledging return rate and timing in the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus). PLoS ONE 6(6): e20407.

Viera VM, Viblanc VA, Filippi-Codaccioni O, Côté S & Groscolas R. 2011. Active territory defence at a low energy cost in a colonial seabird. Animal Behaviour 82: 69-76.

Le Maho Y, Saraux C, Durant JM, Viblanc VA, Gautier-Clerc M, Yoccoz NG, Stenseth NC, Le Bohec C. 2011. An ethical issue in biodiversity science: The monitoring of penguins with flipper bands. Comptes Rendus Biologies 334: 378-384.

Raveh S, Heg D, Viblanc VA, Coltman DW, Gorrell JC, Balmer A, Dobson FS & Neuhaus P 2011. Male reproductive tactics to increase paternity in the polygynandrous Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus). Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology 65: 695-706.

Saraux C, Le Bohec C, Durant JM, Viblanc VA, Gautier-Clerc M, Beaune D, Park Y-H, Yoccoz NG, Stenseth NC & Le Maho Y. 2011. Reliability of flipper-banded penguins as indicators of climate change. Nature 469: 203-206.

2010
Viblanc VA, Arnaud C, Dobson FS & Murie JO. 2010. Kin selection in Columbian ground-squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus): littermate kin provide individual fitness benefits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277: 989-994.