Attila Marton


Attila Marton, PhD – associate lecturer

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ResearchGate profile

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Biography

  • 2024–present: associate lecturer, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Cluj Napoca, Romania
  • 2024–present: research fellow, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • 2022–2025: associate lecturer, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
  • 2022–2024: research assistant, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
  • 2020–2021: biologist, Milvus Group Bird and Nature Protection Association, Târgu Mureș, Romania
  • 2017–2021: PhD (biology), University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • 2016–2017: biologist, Valea Nirajului-Dealurile Târnavelor Natura 2000 Administration, Miercurea Nirajului, Romania
  • 2013–2017: biologist, Milvus Group Bird and Nature Protection Association, Târgu Mureș, Romania
  • 2012–2014: MSc (ecology), Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
  • 2012–2013: biologist, SC Greenviro SRL, Cluj Napoca, Romania
  • 2009–2012: BSc (biology), Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania

Research interest

– brood parasitism
– feather quality and moult
– oxidative stress

I worked as an undergraduate student at the Evolutionary Ecology Group on feather quality and oxidative stress, before pursuing a short career in nature conservation and protected area management. As the coevolutionary relationship between hosts and brood parasites fascinated me since the beginning of my academic studies, I embarked on a PhD program on this subject at the first given opportunity. During my PhD at the University of Debrecen, I studied the acoustic coevolutionary adaptations between the common cuckoo and its local host, the great reed warbler. Although I was away from the Evolutionary Ecology Group, we kept close contact on the scientific front, hence, I ended up returning to the group. My current research interest revolves around avian gerontology and physiology, although I try to keep up the pase with the avian brood parasitic literature too.

Due to the diverse array of work I did in the past ten years (see Biography) I had the opportunity to start and develop side-projects that are very dear to me. Therefore, I try to allocate some time to my old projects on a voluntary base: I run a seasonal bird ringing camp on the shore of the Black Sea and I manage the bird ringing activity of our Milvus Group Bird and Nature Protection Association.

Publications

  1. 7. Merondun J, Marques CI, Andrade P, Meshcheryagina S, Galván I, Afonso S, Alves JM, Araújo PM, Bachurin G, Balacco J, Bán M, Fedrigo O, Formenti G, Fossøy F, Fülöp A, Golovatin M, Granja S, Hewson C, Honza M, Howe K, Larson G, Marton A, Moskát C, Mountcastle J, Procházka P, Red’kin Y, Sims Y, Šulc M, Tracey A, Wood JMD, Jarvis ED, Hauber ME, Carneiro M, Wolf JBW 2024. Evolution and genetic architecture of sex-limited polymorphism in cuckoos. Science Advances 10: eadl5255. link

  2. Marton A§, Vágási CI§, Vincze O, Bókony V, Pap PL, Pătraș L, Pénzes J, Bărbos L, Fülöp A, Osváth G, Ducatez S¶ and Giraudeau M¶ 2022. Oxidative physiology is weakly associated with pigmentation in birds. Ecology and Evolution 12: e9177. pdf (§ Shared first authorship ¶ Shared senior authorship)

  3. Elek Z, Bán M, Fülöp A, Marton A, Hauber ME, Moskát C 2021. Call rate in common cuckoos does not predict body size and responses to conspecific playbacks. Journal of Ornithology 162: 1183–1192. pdf

  4. Marton A 2021. Quintuple parasitism of a great reed warbler nest by common cuckoos. Ecology and Evolution 11: 8420–8423. pdf

  5. Marton A, Fülöp A, Bán M, Hauber ME, Moskát C 2021. Female common cuckoo calls dampen the mobbing intensity of great reed warbler hosts. Ethology 127: 286–293. pdf

  6. Moskát C, Hauber ME, Růžičková J, Marton A, Bán M, Elek Z 2020. Female-female aggression and male responses to the two colour morphs of female common cuckoos. The Science of Nature 107: 1–13. pdf

  7. Kiss VA, Pripon LR, Marton A 2020. Differences in eggshell pigmentation pattern between Common Moorhen and Eurasian Coot eggs. Ornis Hungarica 28: 176–180. pdf

  8. Marton A, Fülöp A, Ozogány K, Moskát C¶, Bán M¶ 2019. Host alarm calls attract the unwanted attention of the brood parasitic common cuckoo. Scientific Reports 9: 1–11. pdf (¶ Shared senior authorship)

  9. Moskát C, Hauber ME, Bán M, Fülöp A, Geltsch N, Marton A, Elek Z 2018. Are both notes of the common cuckoo’s call necessary for familiarity recognition? Behavioural Processes 157: 685–690. pdf

  10. Țeran L, Sos T, Hegyeli Z, Gábos E, Fülöp T, Marton A 2017. New data on the distribution of Eastern spadefoot toad Pelobates syriacus Boettger,1889 (Anura: Pelobatidae) in the Pannonian Plain. Northwestern Journal of Zoology 13: 179–182. pdf

  11. Vágási CI, Vincze O, Pătraș L, Osváth G, Marton A, Bărbos L, Sol D and Pap PL 2016. Large-brained birds suffer less oxidative damage. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 29: 1968–1976. pdf

  12. Pap PL, Osváth G, Sándor K, Vincze O, Bărbos L, Marton A, Nudds RL and Vágási CI 2015. Interspecific variation in the structural properties of flight feathers in birds indicates adaptation to flight requirements and habitat. Functional Ecology 29: 746–757. pdf

  13. Pap PL, Vágási CI, Bărbos L and Marton A 2013. Chronic coccidian infestation compromises flight feather quality in house sparrows Passer domesticus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 108: 414–428. pdf

  14. Vágási CI, Pap PL, Vincze O, Benkő Z, Marton A and Barta Z 2012. Haste Makes Waste but Condition Matters: Molt Rate-Feather Quality Trade-Off in a Sedentary Songbird. PLoS ONE 7: e40651. pdf

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