I’m in love with behavioral ecology. The affair began with a PhD project on the evolutionary significance of plumage coloration in birds. It grew into a decade-long research on avian ecology, behavior, and evolution, increasingly focusing on the effects of habitat urbanization and other kinds of human-induced environmental change. Then we went on a second honeymoon and shifted the focus to amphibians, still going strong on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of environmental change. Nowadays, it’s mostly about sex – specifically, about environmental effects on sex determination, sexual development, and sex ratios in ectothermic vertebrates.
Contacts
Address here.
Phone: +36 1 3918609
E-mail: bokony.veronika@atk.hu
CV in a nutshell
1998–2003: MSc in Applied Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary
2003–2006: PhD, Dept. of Ecology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary
2007: pre-doctoral research fellow, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CNRS), France
2008–2014: post-doc, Ornithology Research Group, Dept. of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
Since 2014: senior researcher, Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group (Department of Evolutionary Ecology since 2022), Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
Download detailed CV from here.
Publications
Reprints from here.
Bókony V., Balogh E., Ujszegi J., Ujhegyi N., Szederkényi M., Hettyey A. 2024. Tadpoles develop elevated heat tolerance in urban heat islands regardless of sex. Evolutionary Biology 51: 209-216.
Bókony V., Kalina C., Ujhegyi N., Mikó Z., Lefler K.K., Vili N., Gál Z., Gabor C.R., Hoffmann O.I. 2024. Does stress make males? An experiment on the role of glucocorticoids in anuran sex reversal. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology 341: 172-181.
Herczeg D., Holly D., Kásler A., Bókony V., Papp T., Takács-Vágó H., Ujszegi J., Hettyey A. 2023. Amphibian larvae benefit from a warm environment under simultaneous threat from chytridiomycosis and ranavirosis. Oikos 11: e09953.
Pintye A., Németh M.Z., Molnár O., Horváth Á.N., Matolcsi F., Bókony V., Spitzmüller Z., Pálfi X., Váczy K.Z., Kovács M.G. 2023. Comprehensive analyses of the occurrence of a fungicide resistance marker and the genetic structure in Erysiphe necator populations. Scientific Reports 13: 15172.
Pipoly I., Duffy R., Mészáros G., Bókony V., Vági B., Székely T., Liker A. 2023. Multiple paternity is related to adult sex ratio and sex determination system in reptiles. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 36: 935-944.
Nemesházi E., Bókony V. 2023. HerpSexDet: the herpetological database of sex determination and temperature-induced sex reversal. Scientific Data 10: 377.
Üveges B., Kalina C., Szabó K., Móricz Á.M., Holly D., Gabor C.R., Hettyey A., Bókony V. 2023 Does the glucocorticoid stress response make toads more toxic? an experimental study on the regulation of bufadienolide toxin synthesis. Integrative Organismal Biology 5: obad021.
Gabor C.R., Villatoro-Castañeda M., Carlos-Shanley C., Ujhegyi N., Bókony V. 2022. Gut bacterial communities vary across habitats and their diversity increases with increasing glucocorticoids in toad tadpoles. Diversity 15: 23.
Nemesházi E., Bókony V. 2022. Asymmetrical sex reversal: does the type of heterogamety predict propensity for sex reversal? BioEssays 44: 2200039.
Marton A., Vágási C.I., Vincze O., Bókony V., Pap P.L., Pătraș L., Pénzes J., Bărbos L., Fülöp A., Osváth G., Ducatez S., Giraudeau M. 2022. Oxidative physiology is weakly associated with pigmentation in birds. Ecology and Evolution 12: e9177.
Pogány Á, Krause E.T., Roth O., Bókony V. 2022. The development and fitness consequences of sex roles. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10: 912520.
Ujszegi J., Bertalan R., Ujhegyi N., Verebélyi V., Nemesházi E., Mikó Z., Kásler A., Herczeg D., Szederkényi M., Vili N., Gál Z., Hoffmann O.I., Bókony V., Hettyey A. 2022. “Heat waves” experienced during larval life have species-specific consequences on life-history traits and sexual development in anuran amphibians. Science of the Total Environment 835: 155297.
Pipoly I., Preiszner B., Sándor K., Sinkovics C., Seress G., Vincze E., Bókony V., Liker A. 2022. Extreme hot weather has stronger impacts on avian reproduction in forests than in cities. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10: 825410.
Nemesházi E., Sramkó G., Laczkó L., Balogh E., Szatmári L., Vili N,, Ujhegyi N., Üveges B., Bókony V. 2022. Novel genetic sex markers reveal unexpected lack of, and similar susceptibility to, sex reversal in free-living common toads in both natural and anthropogenic habitats. Molecular Ecology 31: 2032-2043.
Kolonin A.M., Bókony V., Bonner T.H., Zúñiga-Vega J.J., Aspbury A.S., Guzman A., Molina R., Calvillo P., Gabor C.R. 2022. Coping with urban habitats via glucocorticoid regulation: physiology, behavior, and life history in stream fishes. Integrative and Comparative Biology 62: 90–103.
Bókony V., Ujhegyi N., Mikó Z., Erös R., Hettyey A., Vili N., Gál Z., Hoffmann O.I., Nemesházi E. 2021. Sex reversal and performance in fitness-related traits during early life in agile frogs. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9: 745752.
Vincze E., Bókony V., Garamszegi L.Z., Seress G., Pipoly I., Sinkovics C., Sándor K., Liker A. 2021. Consistency and plasticity of risk-taking behaviour toward humans at the nest in urban and forest great tits Parus major. Animal Behaviour 179: 161-172.
Üveges B., Basson A.C., Móricz Á.M., Bókony V., Hettyey A. 2021. Chemical defence effective against multiple enemies: does the response to conspecifics alleviate the response to predators? Functional Ecology 35: 2294-2304.
Mikó Z., Nemesházi E., Ujhegyi N., Verebélyi V., Ujszegi J., Kásler A., Bertalan R., Vili N., Gál Z., Hoffmann O.I., Hettyey A., Bókony V. 2021. Sex reversal and ontogeny under climate change and chemical pollution: are there interactions between the effects of high temperature and 17α-ethinylestradiol on early development in agile frogs? Environmental Pollution 285: 117464.
Tablado Z., Bötsch Y., Bókony V., Angelier F., Lendvai Á.Z., Jenni-Eiermann S., Jenni L. 2021. Factors modulating the behavioral and physiological stress responses: do they modify the relationship between flight initiation distance and corticosterone reactivity? Hormones and Behavior 132: 104979.
Katona G., Vági B., Végvári Z., Liker A., Freckleton R.P., Bókony V., Székely T. 2021. Are evolutionary transitions in sexual size dimorphism related to sex determination in reptiles? Journal of Evolutionary Biology 34: 594-603.
Liker A., Bókony V., Pipoly I., Lemaitre J.-F., Gaillard J.-M., Székely T., Freckleton R.P. 2021. Evolution of large males is associated with female-skewed adult sex ratios in amniotes. Evolution 75: 1636-1649.
Nemesházi E., Kövér S., Bókony V. 2021. Evolutionary and demographic consequences of temperature-induced masculinization under climate warming: the effects of mate choice. BMC Ecology and Evolution 21: 16.
Bókony V., Ujhegyi N., Hamow K.Á., Bosch J., Thumsová B., Vörös J., Aspbury A., Gabor C.R. 2021. Stressed tadpoles mount more efficient glucocorticoid negative feedback in anthropogenic habitats due to phenotypic plasticity. Science of the Total Environment 753: 141896.
Ágh N., Pipoly I., Szabó K., Vincze E., Bókony V., Seress G., Liker A. 2020. Does offspring sex ratio differ between urban and forest populations of great tits (Parus major)? Biologia Futura 71: 99-108.
Bókony V., Verebélyi V., Ujhegyi N., Mikó Z., Nemesházi E., Szederkényi M., Orf S., Vitányi E., Móricz Á.M. 2020. Effects of two little-studied environmental pollutants on early development in anurans. Environmental Pollution 260: 114078.
Nemesházi E., Gál Z., Ujhegyi N., Verebélyi V., Mikó Z., Üveges B., Lefler K.K., Jeffries D.L., Hoffmann O.I., Bókony V. 2020. Novel genetic sex markers reveal high frequency of sex reversal in wild populations of the agile frog (Rana dalmatina) associated with anthropogenic land use. Molecular Ecology 29: 3607-3621.
Ujhegyi N., Bókony V. 2020. Skin coloration as a possible non-invasive marker for skewed sex ratios and gonadal abnormalities in immature common toads (Bufo bufo). Ecological Indicators 113: 106175.
Bókony V., Barta Z., Végvári Z. 2019. Changing migratory behaviors and climatic responsiveness in birds. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7:89.
Bókony V., Milne G., Pipoly I., Székely T., Liker A. 2019. Sex ratios and bimaturism differ between temperature-dependent and genetic sex-determination systems in reptiles. BMC Evolutionary Biology 19:57.
Bókony V., Üveges B., Verebélyi V., Ujhegyi N., Móricz Á.M. 2019. Toads phenotypically adjust their chemical defences to anthropogenic habitat change. Scientific Reports 9:3163.
Hettyey A., Üveges B., Móricz Á.M., Drahos L., Capon R.J., Van Buskirk J., Tóth Z., Bókony V. 2019. Predator-induced changes in the chemical defence of a vertebrate. Journal of Animal Ecology 88: 1925-1935.
Pipoly I., Szabó K., Bókony V., Preiszner B., Seress G., Schroeder J., Liker A. 2019. Higher frequency of extra-pair offspring in urban than forest broods of great tits (Parus major). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7:229.
Üveges B., Szederkényi M., Mahr K., Móricz Á., Krüzselyi D., Bókony V., Hoi H., Hettyey A. 2019. Chemical defence of toad tadpoles under risk by four types of predator species. Ecology and Evolution 9:6287–6299.
Vincze E., Pipoly I., Seress G., Preiszner B., Papp S., Németh B., Liker A., Bókony V. 2019. Great tits take greater risk toward humans and sparrowhawks in urban habitats than in forests. Ethology 125: 686-701.
Bókony V., Üveges B., Móricz Á.M., Hettyey A. 2018. Competition induces increased toxin production in toad larvae without allelopathic effects on heterospecific tadpoles. Functional Ecology 32: 667-675.
Bókony V., Üveges B., Ujhegyi N., Verebélyi V., Nemesházi E., Csíkvári O., Hettyey A. 2018. Endocrine disruptors in breeding ponds and reproductive health of toads in agricultural, urban and natural landscapes. Science of the Total Environment 634: 1335-1345.
Sánchez-Tójar A., Nakagawa S., Sánchez-Fortún M., Martin D.A., Ramani S., Girndt A., Bókony V., Kempenaers B., Liker A., Westneat D.F., Burke T., Schroeder J. 2018. Meta-analysis challenges a textbook example of status signalling and demonstrates publication bias. eLife 2018;7:e37385.
Seress G., Hammer T., Bókony V., Vincze E., Preiszner B., Pipoly I., Sinkovics C., Evans K.L., Liker A. 2018. Impact of urbanization on abundance and phenology of caterpillars and consequences for breeding in an insectivorous bird. Ecological Applications 28: 1143–1156.
Bókony V., Kövér Sz., Nemesházi E., Liker A., Székely T. 2017. Climate-driven shifts in adult sex ratios via sex reversals: the type of sex determination matters. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 372: 20160325.
Bókony V., Mikó Z., Móricz Á.M., Krüzselyi D., Hettyey A. 2017. Chronic exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide makes toad larvae more toxic. Proceedings of the Royal Society B – Biological Sciences 284: 20170493.
Bókony V., Pipoly I., Szabó K., Preiszner B., Vincze E., Papp S., Seress G., Hammer T., Liker A. 2017. Innovative females are more promiscuous in great tits (Parus major). Behavioral Ecology 28: 579-588.
Preiszner B., Papp S., Pipoly I., Seress G., Vincze E., Liker A., Bókony V. 2017. Problem-solving performance and reproductive success of great tits in urban and forest habitats. Animal Cognition 20: 53-63.
Seress G., Vincze E., Pipoly I., Hammer T., Papp S., Preiszner B., Bókony V., Liker A. 2017. Effects of capture and video-recording on the behavior and breeding success of Great Tits in urban and forest habitats. Journal of Field Ornithology 88: 299-312.
Üveges B., Fera G., Móricz Á.M., Krüzselyi D., Bókony V., Hettyey A. 2017. Age- and environment-dependent changes in chemical defences of larval and post-metamorphic toads. BMC Evolutionary Biology 17: 137.
Hettyey A., Thonhauser K.E., Bókony V., Penn D.J., Hoi H., Griggio M. 2016. Naive tadpoles do not recognize recent invasive predatory fishes as dangerous. Ecology 97: 2975-2985.
Üveges B., Mahr K., Szederkényi M., Bókony V., Hoi H., Hettyey A. 2016. Experimental evidence for beneficial effects of projected climate change on hibernating amphibians. Scientific Reports 6: 26754.
Bókony V., Móricz Á.M., Tóth Zs., Gál Z., Kurali A., Mikó Zs., Pásztor K., Szederkényi M., Tóth Z., Ujszegi J., Üveges B., Krüzselyi D., Capon R.J., Hoi H., Hettyey A. 2016. Variation in chemical defense among natural populations of common toad (Bufo bufo) tadpoles: the role of environmental factors. Journal of Chemical Ecology 42: 329-338.
Vincze E., Papp S., Preiszner B., Seress G., Bókony V., Liker A. 2016. Habituation to human disturbance is faster in urban than rural house sparrows. Behavioral Ecology 27: 1304-1313.
Pipoly I., Bókony V., Kirkpatrick M., Donald P.F., Székely T., Liker A. 2015. The genetic sex-determination system predicts adult sex ratios in tetrapods. Nature 527: 91-94.
Brischoux F., Lendvai Á.Z., Bókony V., Chastel O., Angelier F. 2015. Marine life style is associated with higher baseline corticosterone levels in birds. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 115: 154-161.
Lendvai Á.Z., Giraudeau M., Bókony V., Angelier F., Chastel O. 2015. Within-individual plasticity explains age-related decrease in stress response in a short-lived bird. Biology Letters 11: 20150272.
Preiszner, B., Papp, S., Vincze, E., Bókony, V. & Liker, A. 2015. Does innovation success influence social interactions? An experimental test in house sparrows. Ethology 121: 661-673.
Papp, S., Vincze, E., Preiszner, B., Liker, A. & Bókony, V. 2015. A comparison of problem-solving success between urban and rural house sparrows. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 69: 471-480.
Vincze, E., Papp, S., Preiszner, B., Seress, G., Liker, A. & Bókony, V. 2015. Does urbanization facilitate individual recognition of humans by house sparrows? Animal Cognition 18: 291-298.
Seress, G., Lipovits, Á., Bókony, V. & Czúni L. 2014. Quantifying the urban gradient: A practical method for broad measurements. Landscape and Urban Planning 131: 42-50.
Westneat, D. F., Bókony, V., Burke, T., Chastel, O., Jensen, H., Kvalnes, T., Lendvai, Á.Z., Liker, A., Mock, D., Schroeder, J., Schwagmeyer, P.L., Sorci, G. & Stewart, I.R.K. 2014. Multiple aspects of plasticity in clutch size vary among populations of a globally-distributed songbird. Journal of Animal Ecology 83: 876–887.
Bókony, V., Lendvai, Á.Z., Vágási, I.Cs., Pătraş, L., Pap, P.L., Németh, J., Vincze, E., Papp, S., Preiszner, B., Seress, G. & Liker, A. 2014. Necessity or capacity? Physiological state predicts problem-solving performance in house sparrows. Behavioral Ecology 25: 124-135.
Pipoly, I., Bókony, V., Seress, G., Szabó, K. & Liker, A. (2013) Effects of Extreme Weather on Reproductive Success in a Temperate-Breeding Songbird. PLoS ONE 8(11): e80033. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080033
Lendvai, Á.Z., Bókony, V., Angelier, F., Chastel, O. & Sol, D. 2013. Do smart birds stress less? An interspecific relationship between brain size and corticosterone levels. Proceedings of the Royal Society B – Biological Sciences 280: 20131734.
Seress G., Bókony V., Pipoly I., Szép T., Nagy K. & Liker A. 2012. Urbanization, nestling growth and reproductive success in a moderately declining house sparrow population. Journal of Avian Biology 43: 1-12.
Bókony V., Kulcsár A., Tóth Z. & Liker A. 2012. Personality Traits and Behavioral Syndromes in Differently Urbanized Populations of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). PLoS ONE 7(5): e36639.
Bókony V., Seress G., Nagy S., Lendvai Á.Z. & Liker A. 2012. Multiple indices of body condition reveal no negative effect of urbanization in adult house sparrows. Landscape and Urban Planning 104: 75-84.
Seress G., Bókony V., Heszberger, J. & Liker A. 2011. Response to predation risk in urban and rural house sparrows. Ethology 117: 896-907.
Lendvai Á.Z., Bókony V. & Chastel O. 2011. Coping with novelty and stress in free-living house sparrows. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 821-828.
Végvári Zs., Bókony V., Barta Z. & Kovács G. 2010. Life history predicts advancement of avian spring migration in response to climate change. Global Change Biology 16: 1-11.
Bókony V., Kulcsár A. & Liker A. 2010. Does urbanization select for weak competitors in house sparrows? Oikos 119: 437-444.
Liker A., Bókony V., Kulcsár A., Tóth Z., Szabó K., Kaholek B. & Pénzes Zs. 2009. Genetic relatedness in wintering groups of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Molecular Ecology 18: 4696-4706.
Tóth Z., Bókony V., Lendvai Á.Z., Szabó K., Pénzes Zs. & Liker A. 2009. Whom do the sparrows follow? The effect of kinship on social preference in house sparrow flocks. Behavioural Processes 82: 173-177.
Tóth Z., Bókony V., Lendvai Á.Z., Szabó K., Pénzes Zs. & Liker A. 2009. Kinship and aggression: do house sparrows spare their relatives? Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 63: 1189-1196.
Liker A. & Bókony V. 2009. Larger groups are more successful in innovative problem solving in house sparrows. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 106: 7893-7898.
Bókony V., Lendvai Á.Z., Liker A., Angelier F., Wingfield J.C. & Chastel O. 2009. Stress response and the value of reproduction: Are birds prudent parents? American Naturalist 173: 589-598.
Tóth Z., Bókony V., Lendvai Á.Z., Szabó K., Pénzes Zs. & Liker A. 2009. Effects of relatedness on social foraging tactic use in house sparrows. Animal Behaviour 77: 337-342.
Garamszegi L.Z., Hirschenhauser K., Bókony V., Eens M., Hurtrez-Boussès S., Møller A.P., Oliveira R.F. & Wingfield J.C. 2008. Latitudinal distribution, migration and testosterone levels in birds. American Naturalist 172: 533-546.
Liker A., Papp Zs., Bókony V. & Lendvai Á.Z. 2008. Lean birds in the city: body size and condition of house sparrows along the urbanization gradient. Journal of Animal Ecology 77: 789-795.
Tökölyi J., Bókony V. & Barta Z. 2008. Seasonal color change by molt or by the abrasion of feather tips: a comparative study. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 94: 711-721.
Kingma S.A., Szentirmai I., Székely T., Bókony V., Bleeker M., Liker A. & Komdeur J. 2008. Sexual selection and the function of a melanin-based plumage ornament in polygamous penduline tits Remiz pendulinus. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 62: 1277-1288.
Bókony V., Garamszegi L.Z., Hirschenhauser K. & Liker A. 2008. Testosterone and melanin-based black plumage coloration in birds. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 62:1229-1238.
Bókony V., Liker A., Lendvai Á.Z. & Kulcsár A. 2008. Risk-taking and survival in the House Sparrow Passer domesticus: are plumage ornaments costly? Ibis 150: 139-151.
Bókony V., Lendvai Á.Z. & Liker A. 2006. Multiple cues in status signalling: the role of wingbars in aggressive interactions of male house sparrows. Ethology 112: 947-954.
Bókony V., Liker A., Székely T., Kis J., & Szentirmai I. 2005. A melanin alapú színezet funkciója madaraknál: a hódító fekete? Állattani Közlemények 90(2): 17-28.
Bókony V. & Liker A. 2005. Melanin-based black plumage coloration is related to reproductive investment in cardueline finches. Condor 107: 775-787.
Lendvai Á.Z., Barta Z., Liker A. & Bókony V. 2004. The effect of energy reserves on social foraging: hungry sparrows scrounge more. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 271: 2467-2472.
Bókony V., Liker A., Székely T. & Kis J. 2003. Melanin-based plumage coloration and flight displays in plovers and allies. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 270: 2491-2497.