I thought it would be a good idea to give an overview of myself and my research before blogging from the field. I'm a graduate student in the department of biology at the University of Miami and study social behavior and evolution (check out my research page!). To investigate these subjects I perform research on sociable weavers (Philetairus socius). These little guys are small passerines that are endemic to Southwestern Africa and are one of the only (maybe the only) bird species that builds and maintains a communal nest that a colony will inhabit for multiple years. Therefore, these birds provide a nice comparison to other species (see eusocial hymenoptera) that build and maintain a communal nest via cooperative behavior.
This field season I'll be going back to Namibia to assess whether punishment drives the cooperative nest construction that is necessary for the maintenance of the nest. Why would cooperation have to be maintained? Well, selfish individuals that devote energy towards reproduction would be favored over individuals that devote time and energy towards maintaining this cooperative nest. In this case we'd expect the selfish behavior to outcompete the cooperative behavior, thus requiring evolutionary mechanisms that maintain cooperative nest construction.
Along with Laura Vander Meiden (check out her blog: http://beingthoreau.wordpress.com/) I'll be observing cooperative nest construction in the field. I'm going to be experimentally depressing cooperative nest construction behavior in some birds and seeing how other colony-mates respond to the new selfish behavior of these individuals. If these individuals are attacked or harassed more than what we observed before the forced selfishness, then this would be suggestive that individuals use punishment to induce cooperation. In other words, the specter of punishment renders cooperation a more favorable strategy.
I'll be blogging regularly from the BRinK research site in Namibia and will be updating everyone on interesting developments and will be snapping photos / videos and sharing them. One of the best and worst parts of field research is trouble-shooting the inevitable equipment or logistical issues. I'll share these as they often help others with their work, and often individuals in the comments think up even more ingenious solutions.
We take off for the field in a few days, wish us godspeed with the work.
This field season I'll be going back to Namibia to assess whether punishment drives the cooperative nest construction that is necessary for the maintenance of the nest. Why would cooperation have to be maintained? Well, selfish individuals that devote energy towards reproduction would be favored over individuals that devote time and energy towards maintaining this cooperative nest. In this case we'd expect the selfish behavior to outcompete the cooperative behavior, thus requiring evolutionary mechanisms that maintain cooperative nest construction.
Along with Laura Vander Meiden (check out her blog: http://beingthoreau.wordpress.com/) I'll be observing cooperative nest construction in the field. I'm going to be experimentally depressing cooperative nest construction behavior in some birds and seeing how other colony-mates respond to the new selfish behavior of these individuals. If these individuals are attacked or harassed more than what we observed before the forced selfishness, then this would be suggestive that individuals use punishment to induce cooperation. In other words, the specter of punishment renders cooperation a more favorable strategy.
I'll be blogging regularly from the BRinK research site in Namibia and will be updating everyone on interesting developments and will be snapping photos / videos and sharing them. One of the best and worst parts of field research is trouble-shooting the inevitable equipment or logistical issues. I'll share these as they often help others with their work, and often individuals in the comments think up even more ingenious solutions.
We take off for the field in a few days, wish us godspeed with the work.
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