Dr Sheri Johnson, Our People, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand

Email sheri.johnson@otago.ac.nz Sheri_Johnson

Teaching
Research interests
Postgraduate students
Publications

Teaching

Research interests

Behavioural Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Ecology, Ecological Genetics, Reproductive Biology, Environmental Epigenetics, Behavioural Genomics, Insect Conservation and Behaviour

I am a behavioural ecologist with broad interests in sexual selection, mating system evolution, sperm biology and the effects of human-induced change on the reproductive ecology and behaviour of animals. Overall, my research programme investigates both genetic and environmental effects on behaviour and reproductive fitness. We currently use zebrafish, tree weta, stag beetles, and triplefins in our research, but I am open to working with different study systems.

Postgraduate students

I am currently accepting students interested in working on insect conservation and behaviour or transgenerational acclimation in fishes.

The University of Otago offers PhD scholarships to candidates with excellent academic records (irrespective of nationality). Please feel free to contact me if you are interested my research and would like to do your PhD in New Zealand. More information can be found on the Scholarships page.

Current students

Luna Thomas (PhD Zoology), The mating system of the endemic stag beetle, Geodorcus helmsi. Supervisors: Johnson, Jenny Jandt

Yasmin Foster (PhD Zoology), Integrating genomic and epigenomic approaches for kākāpō conservation. Supervisors: Robertson, Gossner, Dutoit, Johnson

Melita Busch (MSc Zoology). Foraging and defending in Vespula wasps. Supervisors: Jenny Jandt, Johnson

Sharn Milliken (MSc Zoology). Pollinators of rare limestone plants. Supervisors: Johnson, Janice Lord, Clement Lagrue

Breana Riordan (MSc Zoology). Thermal tolerances of triplefins fishes. Supervisors: Johnson, Tony Hickey

Zhuali Lim (MSc Ecology). Pollination and nesting behaviour of native NZ bees. Supervisors: Johnson, Janice Lord

Previous students

Mateus Detoni (PhD Zoology), Social wasp behavioural ecology and genomics. Supervisors: Jandt, Johnson

Meg Kelly (MSc Zoology), Examining behavioural differences between predator aware and predator naive tree wētā. Supervisors: Johnson, Priscilla Wehi

Fletcher Munsterman (MSc, Zoology), Impacts of microplastics on triplefin behaviour. Supervisors: Johnson, Bridie Allan

Dominque Harris (MSc, Zoology), Can territorial fish recognise each other as individuals? Supervisors: Closs, Johnson

Brad Lamont (MSc Marine Science), Investigating how a high predation environment during embryogenesis affects larval characteristics in triplefin fish using chemical alarm cues. Supervisors: Allan, Johnson

Adele Parli (MSc Zoology), Behavioural effects of brodifacoum bait exposure on Wellington tree wētā. Supervisors: Johnson, Priscilla Wehi, Anne Besson

Hilary Thomson (MSc Zoology), Repeatability of zebrafish personality traits. Supervisor: Johnson

Simon Lamb (MSc Zoology), Effects of atrazine on transgenerational epigenetics in zebrafish. Supervisor: Johnson

Carlos Lara Vasquez (PhD Zoology), Immunity, quality, and fitness in a bird with a variable mating system. Supervisors: Nakagawa, Robertson, Johnson

Benedikt Holtmann (PhD Zoology), Animal personality and social networks in a species with variable mating systems, the Dunnock. Supervisors: Nakagawa, Robertson, Johnson

Jordan Aria Housiaux (MSc Marine Sciences), Ecology of sevengill sharks using mark/recapture and connectivity analyses. Supervisors: Rayment, Hepburn, Johnson

Links

Google scholar profile

^ Top of page

Publications

Kelly, M., Wehi, P. M., & Johnson, S. L. (2023). Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree weta, Hemideina crassidens. Current Research in Insect Science. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100058

Detoni, M., Johnson, S. L., Adams, C. I. M., Bengston, S., & Jandt, J. M. (2022). Older, but not wiser: Social wasp colony defensive behavior decreases with time, not experience. Insectes Sociaux. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s00040-022-00893-1

Paul, J., Johnson, S., & Iremonger, K. (2022, August-September). Developing a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model to study behavioural and neuroendocrine responses to stress. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

Schenk, S., Horsfield, J., & Johnson, S. (2022). Zebrafish on "P": Behavioural effects of methamphetamine. In K. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 38th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 95). Retrieved from https://www.queenstownresearchweek.org

Ragsdale, A., Ortega-Recalde, O., Dutoit, L., Besson, A. A., Chia, J. H. Z., King, T., Nakagawa, S., Hickey, A., Gemmell, N. J., Hore, T., & Johnson, S. L. (2022). Paternal hypoxia exposure primes offspring for increased hypoxia resistance. BMC Biology, 20, 185. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01389-x

Brockmann, H. J., Johnson, S. L., Smith, M. D., & Sasson, D. (2015). Mating tactics of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). In R. H. Carmichael, M. L. Botton, P. K. S. Shin & S. G. Cheung (Eds.), Changing global perspectives on horseshoe crab biology, conservation and management. (pp. 321-351). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-19542-1_19

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Divers, S. L., Johnson, S. L., & Lokman, P. M. (2022). Sperm quality of artificially matured shortfinned eel is not affected by human chorionic gonadotropin dose and route of administration. PeerJ. Advance online publication. doi: 10.7717/peerj.13742

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., Borziak, K., Kleffmann, T., Rosengrave, P., Dorus, S., & Gemmell, N. J. (2020). Ovarian fluid proteome variation associates with sperm swimming speed in an externally fertilising fish. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 33, 1783-1794. doi: 10.1111/jeb.13717

Journal - Research Article

Lamb, S. D., Chia, J. H. Z., & Johnson, S. L. (2020). Paternal exposure to a common herbicide alters the behavior and serotonergic system of zebrafish offspring. PLoS ONE, 15(4), e0228357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228357

Journal - Research Article

Lara, C. E., Grueber, C. E., Holtmann, B., Santos, E. S. A., Johnson, S. L., Robertson, B. C., … Nakagawa, S. (2020). Assessment of the dunnocks’ introduction to New Zealand using innate immune-gene diversity. Evolutionary Ecology, 34, 803-820. doi: 10.1007/s10682-020-10070-0

Journal - Research Article

Parli, A., Besson, A., Wehi, P., & Johnson, S. (2020). Sub-lethal exposure to a mammalian pesticide bait alters behaviour in an orthopteran. Journal of Insect Conservation, 24, 536-546. doi: 10.1007/s10841-020-00222-6

Journal - Research Article

Sasson, D. A., Johnson, S. L., Smith, M. D., & Brockmann, H. J. (2020). Seasonal variation in reproduction of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) from the Gulf Coast of Florida. Biological Bulletin, 239, 24-39. doi: 10.1086/709876

Journal - Research Article

Thomson, H. R., Lamb, S. D., Besson, A. A., & Johnson, S. L. (2020). Long-term repeatability of behaviours in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Ethology, 126, 903-911. doi: 10.1111/eth.13038

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., Zellhuber-McMillan, S., Gillum, J., Dunleavy, J., Evans, J., Nakagawa, S., & Gemmell, N. J. (2018). Evidence that fertility trades off with early offspring fitness as males age. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1871), 20172174. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2174

Journal - Research Article

Gessner, C., Johnson, S. L., Fisher, P., Clarke, S., Rutherford, K., Symonds, J., & Gemmell, N. J. (2017). Male-female relatedness at specific SNP-linkage groups influences cryptic female choice in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 284(1859), 20170853. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0853

Journal - Research Article

Lamb, S. D., Taylor, H. R., Holtmann, B., Santos, E. S. A., Tamayo, J. H., Johnson, S. L., Nakagawa, S., & Lara, C. E. (2017). Coprophagy in Dunnocks (Prunella modularis): A frequent behavior in females, infrequent in males, and very unusual in nestlings. Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 129(3), 615-620. doi: 10.1676/16-059.1

Journal - Research Article

Flynn, T., Signal, B., Johnson, S. L., & Gemmell, N. J. (2016). Mitochondrial genome diversity among six laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio) strains. Mitochondrial DNA, 27(6), 4364-4371. doi: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1089536

Journal - Research Article

Holtmann, B., Grosser, S., Lagisz, M., Johnson, S. L., Santos, E. S. A., Lara, C. E., Robertson, B. C., & Nakagawa, S. (2016). Population differentiation and behavioural association of the two 'personality' genes DRD4 and SERT in dunnocks (Prunella modularis). Molecular Ecology, 25(3), 706-722. doi: 10.1111/mec.13514

Journal - Research Article

Senior, A. M., Johnson, S. L., & Nakagawa, S. (2016). Sperm traits of masculinized fish relative to wild-type males: A systematic review and meta-analyses. Fish & Fisheries, 17(1), 143-164. doi: 10.1111/faf.12096

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., Dunleavy, J., Gemmell, N. J., & Nakagawa, S. (2015). Consistent age-dependent declines in human semen quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews, 19, 22-33. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2014.10.007

Journal - Research Article

Sasson, D. A., Johnson, S. L., & Brockmann, H. J. (2015). Reproductive tactics and mating contexts affect sperm traits in horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus). Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, 69(11), 1769-1778. doi: 10.1007/s00265-015-1989-7

Journal - Research Article

Vasquez, M. C., Johnson, S. L., Brockmann, H. J., & Julian, D. (2015). Nest site selection minimizes environmental stressor exposure in the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus (L.). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology, 463, 105-114. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2014.10.028

Journal - Research Article

Yund, P. O., Collins, C., & Johnson, S. L. (2015). Evidence of a Native Northwest Atlantic COI haplotype clade in the cryptogenic colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri. Biological Bulletin, 228(3), 201-216.

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., Villarroel, M., Rosengrave, P., Carne, A., Kleffmann, T., Lokman, P. M., & Gemmell, N. J. (2014). Proteomic analysis of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) ovarian fluid. PLoS ONE, 9(8), e104155. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104155

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Brockmann, H. J. (2013). Parental effects on early development: Testing for indirect benefits of polyandry. Behavioral Ecology, 24(5), 1218-1228. doi: 10.1093/beheco/art056

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Brockmann, H. J. (2012). Alternative reproductive tactics in female horseshoe crabs. Behavioral Ecology, 23(5), 999-1008. doi: 10.1093/beheco/ars063

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Gemmell, N. J. (2012). Are old males still good males and can females tell the difference?: Do hidden advantages of mating with old males off-set costs related to fertility, or are we missing something else? BioEssays, 34(7), 609-619. doi: 10.1002/bies.201100157

Journal - Research Article

Sasson, D. A., Johnson, S. L., & Brockmann, H. J. (2012). The role of age on sperm traits in the American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. Animal Behaviour, 84(4), 975-981. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.07.023

Journal - Research Article

Brockmann, H. J., & Johnson, S. L. (2011). A long-term study of spawning activity in a Florida Gulf coast population of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus). Estuaries & Coasts, 34(5), 1049-1067. doi: 10.1007/s12237-011-9419-1

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Brockmann, H. J. (2010). Costs of multiple mates: An experimental study in horseshoe crabs. Animal Behaviour, 80(5), 773-782. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.07.019

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Yund, P. O. (2009). Effects of fertilization distance on male gain curves in a free-spawning marine invertebrate: A combined empirical and theoretical approach. Evolution, 63(12), 3114-3123. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00784.x

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Yund, P. O. (2008). Mulitple paternity and subsequent fusion-rejection interactions in a kin-structured population. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 364, 129-134. doi: 10.3354/meps07500

Journal - Research Article

Johnson, S. L., & Yund, P. O. (2007). Variation in multiple paternity in natural populations of a free-spawning marine invertebrate. Molecular Ecology, 16(15), 3253-3262. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03366.x

Journal - Research Article

Yund, P. O., Murdock, K., & Johnson, S. L. (2007). Spatial distribution of ascidian sperm: Two -dimensional patterns and short vs. time-integrated assays. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 341, 103-109.

Journal - Research Article

O'Dea, R. E., Noble, D. W. A., Johnson, S. L., Hesselson, D., & Nakagawa, S. (2016). The role of non-genetic inheritance in evolutionary rescue: Epigenetic buffering, heritable bet hedging and epigenetic traps. Environmental Epigenetics, 2(1), dvv014. doi: 10.1093/eep/dvv014

Journal - Research Other