Social Evolution Research

Group Overview

My research uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate how animal societies evolve, combining observational data with genetic, ecological and biochemical data. In particular, my work focuses on four interconnecting themes relating to the evolution of animal societies 1) exploring the evolution of cooperation 2) understanding the importance of inbreeding and inbreeding avoidance in cooperative species 3) investigating the role of scent communication in cooperation and breeding decisions, and 4) understanding the genetic structure of mammalian societies, including applications for conservation.

Project Outcomes

While my previous work has extensively used population genetic techniques, I am currently working to extend my research to use genomic methods (such as RADseq and SNP data) to address these themes as they provide a powerful tool to understand the genetic basis of traits associated with social evolution. I am achieving this via Fellowships from the Leverhulme Trust and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, working with colleagues at Bielefeld University, University of Pretoria and University of Cambridge.

Projects Currently Being Undertaken or That Have Been Completed

Inbreeding and inbreeding avoidance in the wild
Scent communication in mammals
The evolution of cooperation
Genetic structure and conservation genetics of mammalian societies

Affiliated Staff

Dr Hazel Nichols

Collaborative / Industry Partners

I work on several internationally important long-term individual-based research projects including:

The Banded Mongoose Research Project (with Prof Michael Cant, University of Exeter)
Pinniped Evolutionary Genetics Project (with Prof Joseph Hoffman, Bielefeld University, Germany)
Asiatic Wild Ass Reintroduction Project (with Dr Shirli Bar David, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel)
The Kalahari Meerkat Project (with Prof Tim Clutton-Brock, University of Cambridge)
The Damaraland Mole-rat Research Project (with Prof Tim Clutton-Brock, University of Cambridge, and Prof Nigel Bennett, University of Pretoria, South Africa)
The Dwarf Mongoose Research Project (with Prof Andy Radford, University of Bristol)
Barbary Macaque Research Project (with Prof Mohammed Znari, Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco)