James Herbert-Read

Animal behaviour and its causes and consequences – integrating sensory ecology, predator-prey interactions, and social behaviour.

 

Research Area

Our research investigates the causes and consequences of animal behaviour, with a focus on marine organisms. The questions we ask include; how do animals gather information from their social and physical environment, and how do they use this information to inform their behavioural decisions? What benefits do animals gain from behaving the way they do, and why do they not adopt other behavioural strategies? How do animals adapt their behaviour to different ecological or social environments, and what benefits, costs and constraints do they face when doing so?  We use a variety of systems (fishes, cephalopods, insects and crustaceans) to answer these questions. Our research framework uses theory-driven questions, manipulative experimental methods, and highly quantitative data acquisition techniques to analyse and interpret behaviour. We use this framework in controlled laboratory experiments as well as in the field to understand the outstanding diversity of behavioural adaptations in animals.

 

Project Interests

Projects will fall under the areas of sensory ecology, predator-prey interactions and/or social behaviour, investigating questions such as; how do animals coordinate their behaviour in groups, and how do conflicts between group members affect such coordination? How do animals make collective decisions together, and do individuals divide information gathering and processing efficiently between group members? What strategies can individuals use to reduce predation risk, and how can predators increase the likelihood of a successful attack? How do environmental conditions affect animal movement, perception and behaviour? And how do individual differences in perception, cognition, and skill affect individual success? Potential candidates are welcome to suggest their own ideas for projects and develop them with the group.