Dr G Arnott
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Background and significance of research
Aggressive behaviour is a welfare problem for domestic animals, as well as wild animals maintained in captivity. For example, within the agricultural sector, pigs fight to establish a dominance hierarchy when mixed with unfamiliar animals, which occurs during the production cycle. There are similar examples from other agricultural sectors. Aggression is also a problem for companion animals. For example, many dogs are relinquished to animal shelters or euthanised as a result of aggression directed towards other dogs and humans. There remains a lack of understanding regarding the information gathering and decision making processes used by domestic animals to resolve aggressive encounters. Research from evolutionary biology shows that individuals are expected to minimise fight costs and a suite of theoretical models have been developed. These models offer a useful framework to apply to aggressive encounters between domestic animals. This will inform approaches aimed at minimising aggression, with the potential to greatly enhance animal welfare. There is scope within this project to gain experience studying behaviour in a number of animal species, with the project spanning the boundaries of animal behaviour, behavioural ecology and animal welfare. For informal enquiries please contact Dr Gareth Arnott.
Research aims
1. To use a framework derived from behavioural ecology to identify the information gathering and decision making processes used by domestic animals in aggressive interactions.
2. Integrate measures of fighting ability, with temperamental traits including individual aggressiveness.
3. Investigate the roles of socialization and experience on levels of aggression.
4. Derive optimal management strategies and group compositions aimed at minimising aggression.
The aims can also be tailored to the skills and expertise of the student.
For an application form and full details on how to apply, please visit https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php . Applicants should also upload a CV and a project proposal.
Funding Notes
If you are resident in the UK or elsewhere in the EU, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you refer to the terms and conditions of DEL postgraduate studentships (http://go.qub.ac.uk/delterms) to ascertain whether you are eligible for a studentship covering fees and maintenance or a studentship covering fees only. Please note that non-EU residents are NOT ELIGIBLE for DEL studentships.