World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Thomas Alerstam

Thomas Alerstam

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
77
Citations
19625
World Ranking
965
National Ranking
16

Thomas Alerstam publication distribution in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Ecology and Evolution in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Thomas Alerstam sits on this spectrum.

37–41 publications: 2 scientists 42–46 publications: 9 scientists 47–51 publications: 10 scientists 52–56 publications: 31 scientists 57–61 publications: 56 scientists 62–66 publications: 91 scientists 67–71 publications: 92 scientists 72–76 publications: 127 scientists 77–81 publications: 173 scientists 82–86 publications: 236 scientists 87–91 publications: 227 scientists 92–96 publications: 240 scientists 97–101 publications: 333 scientists 102–106 publications: 280 scientists 107–111 publications: 300 scientists 112–116 publications: 285 scientists 117–121 publications: 305 scientists 122–126 publications: 287 scientists 127–131 publications: 278 scientists 132–136 publications: 289 scientists 137–141 publications: 273 scientists 142–146 publications: 262 scientists 147–151 publications: 246 scientists 152–156 publications: 235 scientists 157–161 publications: 205 scientists 162–166 publications: 199 scientists 167–171 publications: 174 scientists 172–176 publications: 164 scientists 177–181 publications: 173 scientists 182–186 publications: 189 scientists 187–191 publications: 170 scientists 192–196 publications: 139 scientists 197–201 publications: 128 scientists 202–206 publications: 117 scientists 207–211 publications: 115 scientists 212–216 publications: 107 scientists 217–221 publications: 124 scientists 222–226 publications: 81 scientists 227–231 publications: 82 scientists 232–236 publications: 85 scientists 237–241 publications: 75 scientists 242–246 publications: 66 scientists 247–251 publications: 81 scientists 252–256 publications: 69 scientists 257–261 publications: 70 scientists 262–266 publications: 55 scientists 267–271 publications: 64 scientists 272–276 publications: 49 scientists 277–281 publications: 48 scientists 282–286 publications: 44 scientists 287–291 publications: 45 scientists 292–296 publications: 36 scientists 297–301 publications: 39 scientists 302–306 publications: 38 scientists 307–311 publications: 30 scientists 312–316 publications: 34 scientists 317–321 publications: 25 scientists 322–326 publications: 22 scientists 327–331 publications: 28 scientists 332–336 publications: 30 scientists 337–341 publications: 22 scientists 342–346 publications: 30 scientists 347–351 publications: 26 scientists 352–356 publications: 22 scientists 357–361 publications: 29 scientists 362–366 publications: 21 scientists 367–371 publications: 12 scientists 372–376 publications: 18 scientists 377–381 publications: 17 scientists 382–386 publications: 13 scientists 387–391 publications: 21 scientists 392–396 publications: 13 scientists 397–401 publications: 10 scientists 402–406 publications: 15 scientists 407–411 publications: 8 scientists 412–416 publications: 9 scientists 417–421 publications: 8 scientists 422–426 publications: 4 scientists 427–431 publications: 10 scientists 432–436 publications: 10 scientists 437–441 publications: 5 scientists 442–446 publications: 4 scientists 447–451 publications: 10 scientists 452–456 publications: 2 scientists 457–461 publications: 4 scientists 462–466 publications: 7 scientists 467–471 publications: 7 scientists 472–476 publications: 6 scientists 477–481 publications: 6 scientists 482–486 publications: 3 scientists 487–491 publications: 3 scientists 492–496 publications: 4 scientists 497–501 publications: 4 scientists 502–506 publications: 8 scientists 507–511 publications: 5 scientists 512–516 publications: 4 scientists 517–521 publications: 5 scientists 522–526 publications: 4 scientists 527–530 publications: 5 scientists 531+ publications: 100 scientists
37 publications 531+

This scientist: 192 publications — 71st percentile

71% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 531 publications or more.

Thomas Alerstam D-index placement in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Ecology and Evolution scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Thomas Alerstam sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 95 scientists 31 D-Index: 123 scientists 32 D-Index: 191 scientists 33 D-Index: 245 scientists 34 D-Index: 252 scientists 35 D-Index: 244 scientists 36 D-Index: 249 scientists 37 D-Index: 244 scientists 38 D-Index: 254 scientists 39 D-Index: 254 scientists 40 D-Index: 280 scientists 41 D-Index: 274 scientists 42 D-Index: 266 scientists 43 D-Index: 233 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 208 scientists 46 D-Index: 201 scientists 47 D-Index: 213 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 172 scientists 50 D-Index: 209 scientists 51 D-Index: 199 scientists 52 D-Index: 153 scientists 53 D-Index: 169 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 148 scientists 56 D-Index: 120 scientists 57 D-Index: 146 scientists 58 D-Index: 137 scientists 59 D-Index: 140 scientists 60 D-Index: 104 scientists 61 D-Index: 119 scientists 62 D-Index: 118 scientists 63 D-Index: 99 scientists 64 D-Index: 77 scientists 65 D-Index: 100 scientists 66 D-Index: 86 scientists 67 D-Index: 83 scientists 68 D-Index: 75 scientists 69 D-Index: 94 scientists 70 D-Index: 57 scientists 71 D-Index: 68 scientists 72 D-Index: 59 scientists 73 D-Index: 63 scientists 74 D-Index: 66 scientists 75 D-Index: 60 scientists 76 D-Index: 42 scientists 77 D-Index: 49 scientists 78 D-Index: 39 scientists 79 D-Index: 37 scientists 80 D-Index: 43 scientists 81 D-Index: 41 scientists 82 D-Index: 45 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 40 scientists 85 D-Index: 35 scientists 86 D-Index: 55 scientists 87 D-Index: 24 scientists 88 D-Index: 24 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 23 scientists 91 D-Index: 25 scientists 92 D-Index: 27 scientists 93 D-Index: 27 scientists 94 D-Index: 13 scientists 95 D-Index: 23 scientists 96 D-Index: 12 scientists 97 D-Index: 14 scientists 98 D-Index: 19 scientists 99 D-Index: 16 scientists 100 D-Index: 14 scientists 101 D-Index: 5 scientists 102 D-Index: 21 scientists 103 D-Index: 16 scientists 104 D-Index: 10 scientists 105 D-Index: 7 scientists 106 D-Index: 7 scientists 107 D-Index: 7 scientists 108 D-Index: 6 scientists 109 D-Index: 9 scientists 110 D-Index: 11 scientists 111 D-Index: 12 scientists 112 D-Index: 9 scientists 113 D-Index: 7 scientists 114 D-Index: 3 scientists 115 D-Index: 8 scientists 116 D-Index: 5 scientists 117 D-Index: 11 scientists 118 D-Index: 4 scientists 119 D-Index: 2 scientists 120 D-Index: 5 scientists 121+ D-Index: 100 scientists
30 D-Index 121+

This scientist: 77 D-Index — 89th percentile

89% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 121 D-Index or more.

Overview

Thomas Alerstam is affiliated with Lund University in Sweden and conducts research primarily within Environmental Science and Agricultural and Biological Sciences. Their work spans several subfields, including Ecology, Ecological Modeling, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Nature and Landscape Conservation, and Genetics.

The scientist's research topics focus on various aspects of avian ecology and behavior, species distribution and climate change, animal behavior and reproduction, ecology and vegetation dynamics studies, as well as high altitude and hypoxia, plant and animal studies, and rangeland and wildlife management.

Recent papers authored or coauthored by Thomas Alerstam include:

  • Extreme altitudes during diurnal flights in a nocturnal songbird migrant, 2021, Science
  • Extreme altitude changes between night and day during marathon flights of great snipes, 2021, Current Biology
  • Remarkably similar migration patterns between different red-backed shrike populations suggest that migration rather than breeding area phenology determines the annual cycle, 2020, Journal of Avian Biology
  • Individual and sex-related patterns of prolonged flights during both day and night by great reed warblers crossing the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert, 2020, Journal of Avian Biology
  • Activity patterns throughout the annual cycle in a long-distance migratory songbird, the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio, 2022, Movement Ecology

Coauthors frequently collaborating with Thomas Alerstam include:

  • Sissel Sjöberg
  • Johan Bäckman
  • Arne Andersson
  • Kasper Thorup
  • Anders P. Tøttrup

The researcher has published often in the Journal of Avian Biology, with additional frequent publications in Current Biology, Science, Movement Ecology, and Wader Study.

Best Publications

  • Long-distance migration: evolution and determinants

    Thomas Alerstam;Anders Hedenström;Susanne Åkesson

  • Optimal Bird Migration: The Relative Importance of Time, Energy, and Safety

    Thomas Alerstam;Åke Lindström

  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIRD MIGRATION THEORY

    Thomas Alerstam;Anders Hedenstrom

  • When and where does mortality occur in migratory birds? Direct evidence from long- term satellite tracking of raptors

    Raymond H. G. Klaassen;Raymond H. G. Klaassen;Mikael Hake;Roine Strandberg;Ben J. Koks

  • OPTIMUM FUEL LOADS IN MIGRATORY BIRDS: DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN TIME AND ENERGY MINIMIZATION

    Anders Hedenström;Thomas Alerstam

  • Differences in Speed and Duration of Bird Migration between Spring and Autumn.

    Cecilia Nilsson;Raymond H. G. Klaassen;Thomas Alerstam

  • Optimal bird migration revisited

    Thomas Alerstam

  • Detours in Bird Migration

    Thomas Alerstam

  • Flight speeds among bird species: allometric and phylogenetic effects.

    Thomas Alerstam;Mikael Rosén;Johan Bäckman;Per G. P Ericson

  • OPTIMAL FLIGHT SPEED OF BIRDS

    Anders Hedenstrom;Thomas Alerstam

  • Animal Orientation Strategies for Movement in Flows

    Jason W. Chapman;Raymond H.G. Klaassen;V. Alistair Drake;V. Alistair Drake;Sabrina Fossette

  • Wind as Selective Agent in Bird Migration

    Thomas Alerstam

  • Optimal fat loads in migrating birds: a test of the time-minimization hypothesis

    Ake Lindstrom;Thomas Alerstam

  • Optimal fat loads and long‐distance flights by migrating Knots Calidris canutus, Sanderlings C. alba and Turnstones Arenaria interpres

    Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson;Åke Lindström;Thomas Alerstam

  • The annual cycle of a trans-equatorial Eurasian–African passerine migrant: different spatio-temporal strategies for autumn and spring migration

    Anders P. Tøttrup;Raymond H. G. Klaassen;Roine Strandberg;Kasper Thorup

  • Age‐dependent migration strategy in honey buzzards Pernis apivorus tracked by satellite

    Mikael Hake;Nils Kjellén;Thomas Alerstam

  • Bird orientation: compensation for wind drift in migrating raptors is age dependent

    Kasper Thorup;Thomas Alerstam;Mikael Hake;Nils Kjellén

  • Individuality in bird migration: routes and timing

    Yannis Vardanis;Raymond H. G. Klaassen;Roine Strandberg;Thomas Alerstam

  • Temporal and spatial patterns of repeated migratory journeys by ospreys

    Thomas Alerstam;Mikael Hake;Nils Kjellén

  • Conflicting evidence about long-distance animal navigation.

    Thomas Alerstam

Frequent Co-Authors

Raymond H. G. Klaassen
Raymond H. G. Klaassen University of Groningen
Anders Hedenström
Anders Hedenström Lund University
Kasper Thorup
Kasper Thorup University of Copenhagen
Susanne Åkesson
Susanne Åkesson Lund University
Åke Lindström
Åke Lindström Lund University
Don R. Reynolds
Don R. Reynolds University of Greenwich
Jason W. Chapman
Jason W. Chapman University of Exeter
Dennis Hasselquist
Dennis Hasselquist Lund University
Bengt Hansson
Bengt Hansson Lund University
Arne Hegemann
Arne Hegemann Lund University

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