Rita Fortuna
About
Research
I am an evolutionary and behavioural ecologist, interested in how environmental and genetic variation relate to within- and between-individual differences in phenotypic traits, behaviour and reproductive strategies. At NTNU, I am studying early-life potential for rapid evolution of seasonal migration in European shags, by quantifying the degree of plasticity and genetic effects on juveniles' movement patterns.
Background
Before moving to CBD, I was working on my PhD thesis at CIBIO (Porto) and CEFE-CNRS (Montpellier), and I obtained my degree at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto in 2022. My PhD project was focused on reproductive strategies in cooperatively breeding systems (and particularly females’ prenatal allocation of resources to reproduction), whether/how these vary according to ecological and social conditions of their environment, and the potential consequences of interactive environmental effects on reproductive output, using as a study system a long-term monitored population of southern African sociable weaver birds.
Publications
2023
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Fortuna, Rita;
Paquet, Matthieu;
Biard, Clotilde;
Élard, Loïc;
Ferreira, André C.;
Leroux-Coyaux, Mathieu;
Parenteau, Charline;
Silva, Liliana R.;
Théron, Franck;
Covas, Rita;
Doutrelant, Claire.
(2023)
Egg components and offspring survival vary with group size and laying order in a cooperative breeder.
Oecologia.
Academic article
Journal publications
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Fortuna, Rita;
Paquet, Matthieu;
Biard, Clotilde;
Élard, Loïc;
Ferreira, André C.;
Leroux-Coyaux, Mathieu;
Parenteau, Charline;
Silva, Liliana R.;
Théron, Franck;
Covas, Rita;
Doutrelant, Claire.
(2023)
Egg components and offspring survival vary with group size and laying order in a cooperative breeder.
Oecologia.
Academic article
Media
2022
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Academic lectureFortuna, Rita. (2022) Predator playbacks affect maternal egg allocation regardless of group size in a cooperatively breeding bird. International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress 2022 . ISBE; Stockholm. 2022-07-28 - 2022-08-02.
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Popular scientific lectureFortuna, Rita. (2022) Sociable weavers: a mother’s perspective on climate, predators and helpers. Learn the Birds Webinar . Learn the Birds; Virtual. 2022-08-18.
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PosterUgland, Cassandra Regine; Acker, Paul; Daunt, Francis; Fortuna, Rita; Burthe, Sarah; Wanless, Sarah; Harris, Mike; Reid, Jane Margaret. (2022) Strong natural selection on early life expression of seasonal migration vs. residence. British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2022 . British Ecological Society; Edinburgh. 2022-12-18 - 2022-12-21.