Male risk-taking and female mate choice in birds: A synthesis of mechanism and function. Some avian alarm calls are produced only by males, and call rate corresponds closely with recent mating success. This relationship might reflect protection of descendant kin. Such ostentatious risk-taking might also be sexy. We will manipulate male reproductive success in natural social groups to measure the effect on production of costly calls. Parallel lab experiments will selectively change alarm call ....Male risk-taking and female mate choice in birds: A synthesis of mechanism and function. Some avian alarm calls are produced only by males, and call rate corresponds closely with recent mating success. This relationship might reflect protection of descendant kin. Such ostentatious risk-taking might also be sexy. We will manipulate male reproductive success in natural social groups to measure the effect on production of costly calls. Parallel lab experiments will selectively change alarm call rate to test whether this influences attractiveness to females. Results will test a controversial hypothesis, extend current models of parental investment and female mate choice, and permit a synthesis of work on sexual selection and animal cognition.Read moreRead less
The influence of breeding synchrony on avian reproductive strategies. Australia has a strong international reputation for research on avian evolutionary biology, in part, because of our diverse and unique avifauna. This research will resolve one of the more contentious issues in this field concerning the influence of breeding synchrony on a range of reproductive behaviours. Our experimental approach incorporates a series of new and innovative techniques and will help maintain Australia's leading ....The influence of breeding synchrony on avian reproductive strategies. Australia has a strong international reputation for research on avian evolutionary biology, in part, because of our diverse and unique avifauna. This research will resolve one of the more contentious issues in this field concerning the influence of breeding synchrony on a range of reproductive behaviours. Our experimental approach incorporates a series of new and innovative techniques and will help maintain Australia's leading role in this area. The project will provide intensive training for students and also promote awareness about Australia's bird life to a wide audience, including rural communities who have a critical role in the long-term preservation of many species.Read moreRead less
Female roles during postcopulatory sexual selection. The project will evaluate the importance of postcopulatory sexual selection in the guppy, a polyandrous species of livebearing fish. The use of artificial insemination, which experimentally controls the relative contribution of sperm from competing males (as well as other confounding effects), will facilitate a powerful test of recent theoretical predictions in evolutionary biology. The project will enable me to distinguish between competing h ....Female roles during postcopulatory sexual selection. The project will evaluate the importance of postcopulatory sexual selection in the guppy, a polyandrous species of livebearing fish. The use of artificial insemination, which experimentally controls the relative contribution of sperm from competing males (as well as other confounding effects), will facilitate a powerful test of recent theoretical predictions in evolutionary biology. The project will enable me to distinguish between competing hypotheses for postcopulatory paternity bias following female multiple mating (sperm competition, cryptic female choice, genetic compatibility) and provide additional insights into the selective forces promoting the evolution of female promiscuity.Read moreRead less
Quantifying the costs and benefits of cooperative behaviour in birds: An experimental test of the group augmentation hypothesis. Cooperation is seen as a hallmark of human evolution, but is common throughout the animal kingdom. Indeed, our greatest appreciation of the factors associated with family living and cooperation comes from animal research. My project uses novel approaches to address questions about the role of kinship and energetic costs of cooperation in the evolution of cooperation an ....Quantifying the costs and benefits of cooperative behaviour in birds: An experimental test of the group augmentation hypothesis. Cooperation is seen as a hallmark of human evolution, but is common throughout the animal kingdom. Indeed, our greatest appreciation of the factors associated with family living and cooperation comes from animal research. My project uses novel approaches to address questions about the role of kinship and energetic costs of cooperation in the evolution of cooperation and family living. My study species is a highly charismatic, desert-living cooperative Australian bird, the chestnut-crowned babbler. This study will add significantly to our understanding of the evolution of social behaviour and the extended family. The results will be of international significance and make an impact in scientific journals and through the mediaRead moreRead less
Social insect behaviour: the importance of individual-decision making and information transfer. Insect societies are complex systems. Understanding complex systems is often hampered by our inability to study the individual units that comprise the system without also disturbing the system. Insect societies are unique in that the individual insects can be studied within their natural setting. This project will study foraging behaviour of honey bees with respect to individual decision-making and in ....Social insect behaviour: the importance of individual-decision making and information transfer. Insect societies are complex systems. Understanding complex systems is often hampered by our inability to study the individual units that comprise the system without also disturbing the system. Insect societies are unique in that the individual insects can be studied within their natural setting. This project will study foraging behaviour of honey bees with respect to individual decision-making and information transfer. In doing so we will obtain insights in the working of other, less accessible, complex systems such as the mammalian brain or the Australian economy.Read moreRead less
House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making. This project will uncover the mechanisms that underlie the trade-off between speed and accuracy in collective decision-making. We will study two species of honey bee that differ in the relative importance of speed and accuracy when deciding on a new home. Natural selection has shaped the decision-making process differently in the two species, one favouring speed, the other accuracy. We will use the natural wisdom ....House hunting honey bees: speed-accuracy trade-offs in collective decision-making. This project will uncover the mechanisms that underlie the trade-off between speed and accuracy in collective decision-making. We will study two species of honey bee that differ in the relative importance of speed and accuracy when deciding on a new home. Natural selection has shaped the decision-making process differently in the two species, one favouring speed, the other accuracy. We will use the natural wisdom evolved by the bees to design new mathematical models of collective decision-making. These can be applied to create efficient decision-making tools that will be useful for any large organization.Read moreRead less
The evolution of female resistance to male reproductive traits in animals. Australia has an outstanding international reputation in the fields of Ecology and Evolution. This study will reinforce Australia's excellence in these fields. Sexual conflict is a topic of great scientific interest because it has important implications for evolutionary theory and our understanding of the diverse strategies that animals use to attract or repel potential mates. Consequently, articles on this topic feature ....The evolution of female resistance to male reproductive traits in animals. Australia has an outstanding international reputation in the fields of Ecology and Evolution. This study will reinforce Australia's excellence in these fields. Sexual conflict is a topic of great scientific interest because it has important implications for evolutionary theory and our understanding of the diverse strategies that animals use to attract or repel potential mates. Consequently, articles on this topic feature regularly in top international scientific journals. In addition, research on the unique social behaviours of Australian animals holds general public interest and plays an important role in attracting young people to careers in science. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100526
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,551.00
Summary
Unifying cornerstones of social evolution: theory and application. This proposal aims to reconcile and unify alternative methods in social evolution theory, one of the foundations of our modern understanding of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. Social evolution has been controversial, but recent years have seen major developments. By combining mathematical models and empirical data, this project expects to end the controversies by removing boundaries between theoretical approaches. Specific ....Unifying cornerstones of social evolution: theory and application. This proposal aims to reconcile and unify alternative methods in social evolution theory, one of the foundations of our modern understanding of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. Social evolution has been controversial, but recent years have seen major developments. By combining mathematical models and empirical data, this project expects to end the controversies by removing boundaries between theoretical approaches. Specific applications of theory include social insect evolution, individuality and selection in plants. Unification of theory is expected to enhance research capacity in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
The evolutionary effect of the domestication process in a model organism. A significant proportion of research in the field of evolutionary biology, focuses on captive populations of laboratory-bred animals. Little is known about the impact of the domestication process on these species, raising questions about the relevance of such studies. The Australian zebra finch is the avian model species of choice in evolutionary biology laboratories in Europe and the USA and the focus of many high profile ....The evolutionary effect of the domestication process in a model organism. A significant proportion of research in the field of evolutionary biology, focuses on captive populations of laboratory-bred animals. Little is known about the impact of the domestication process on these species, raising questions about the relevance of such studies. The Australian zebra finch is the avian model species of choice in evolutionary biology laboratories in Europe and the USA and the focus of many high profile publications. Our investigation into the affect of domestication on the evolutionary biology of this key model species will have a high international impact, raising the profile of Australian research, in addition to providing fundamental knowledge across several areas of reproductive biology.Read moreRead less
Mother knows best: an integrative study on the causes and fitness consequences of individual maternal strategies in the Australian zebra finch. Mothers can shape the development and behavior of their offspring by differentially allocating recourses at early life stages. Such early maternal effects have been described throughout the animal kingdom, from insects to man, their long-term consequences for the offspring are however poorly understood. Using the iconic Australian zebra finch, I will inv ....Mother knows best: an integrative study on the causes and fitness consequences of individual maternal strategies in the Australian zebra finch. Mothers can shape the development and behavior of their offspring by differentially allocating recourses at early life stages. Such early maternal effects have been described throughout the animal kingdom, from insects to man, their long-term consequences for the offspring are however poorly understood. Using the iconic Australian zebra finch, I will investigate how early maternal strategies can shape the offspring's later life, including their sexual behavior and own reproduction. This project is at the forefront of this topical biological discipline and will significantly rise the international profile of Australian basic research.Read moreRead less