Changing their behaviour is one of the fastest ways animals can adapt, but how does the social environment facilitate (or constrain) this ability?
Understanding the resilience of the natural world requires investigations across biological levels. Our research focuses on the role of social interactions : how these shape social networks, the flow of shared information about resources and threats, and mediate the individual decisions responsible for changing population dynamics.
We are investigating ‘social resilience’ factors and mechanisms in our range-front reed warbler population in Finland, and through our long-term research collaborations with ZSL Zoological Society of London and the Hihi Conservation Trust. Hihi (Notiomystis cincta) are a songbird endemic to New Zealand and found only in highly protected sites (see here for more). Translocation (movement of individuals to seed new populations) has been used over the last 40 years to establish new populations - but it remains unclear why this tool is sometimes more successful than others.
Our goal is to determine the optimal mix of social characteristics that gives founder populations the best chance at establishment and growth.
Key collaborators: Victoria Franks (University of Salford, UK), John Ewen & Patricia Brekke (Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK)
EXAMPLE publications:
Franks et al. Molecular Ecology.
Franks et al. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Franks, VR, Ewen, JG, McCready, M, Rowcliffe, JM, Smith, D, & Thorogood, R (in press). Analysing age structure, residency and relatedness uncovers social network structure in aggregations of young birds. Animal Behaviour
Franks, VR, Andrews, CE, Ewen, JG, McCready, M, Parker, KA, & Thorogood, R (in press). Changes in social groups across reintroductions and effects on post-release survival. Animal Conservation. DOI
Franks, VR, & Thorogood, R (2017). Older and wiser? Age differences in foraging and learning by an endangered passerine. Behavioural processes. DOI
We are using PIT-tag technology to track interactions among individuals. Image by Donal Smith
We experiment with novel food sources and competition - here a male hihi cannot access food because of competition from bellbirds. Image by Michelle Roper