Interested individuals must follow the "how to apply" link on the Geosciences E4 Doctoral Training Partnership web page: http://www.ed.ac.uk/e4-dtp/how-to-apply
Summary
Most animals show intra-individual consistency in behaviour (“personality”), the causes and consequences of early-life conditions on personality will be studied in this project, using amphibians.
Project background
Most animals show consistent behavioural differences among individuals that cannot be attributed to their state or environment, referred to as behavioural syndromes or animal ‘personalities’. These behaviours (e.g. boldness) are related to key health and life history traits (Sih, Bell, Johnson & Ziemba 2004), for example food intake and disease transmission. However, their causes and consequences are poorly understood (Bell 2007). For example, the impact of early health and environmental conditions on the development of these personalities is not clear. Furthermore, there is limited understanding of whether individual personalities persist across developmental thresholds (Cabrera, Nilsson & Griffen 2021), aging, or changes in cognitive demands associated with maturation; metamorphosis (in species with complex life cycles; Wilson & Krause 2012); and parental care. This project will use amphibian model species to address some of these questions.
The physical and social environment during early life may determine personality development, such that behavioural adaptation in tadpoles may set adult responses to future environmental situations, regardless of whether early circumstances match their environment after metamorphosis. Amphibians represent the ideal system to examine the development and persistence of animal personalities, as they vary considerable in the environmental and social contexts in which they occur, both among species and within their life cycle. For example, the social contexts range from species with extended parental care (Allobates femoralis) to no parental care with large numbers of competing offspring (Xenopus laevis). The degree of differences in transitions across metamorphosis also vary among these species.
This project will explore, using these amphibian species, whether early-life food availability and stress responses contributes to the development of ‘personalities’, and whether these personalities persist across developmental thresholds.
Research questions
- Do early social and environmental conditions shape the development of personalities?
- Does personality persist across metamorphosis?
- Is personality heritable?
Methodology
Year 1: Establish first generation of Xenopus laevis in Edinburgh laboratory and conduct behavioural assays on tadpoles and recent metamorphs – using early-life food availability treatments
Year 2: Conduct behavioural assays on Allobates femoralis in Bern – using early-life food availability and stress treatments – following tadpoles through metamorphosis and maturation
Year 3: Conduct behavioural assays on Xenopus laevis in Edinburgh laboratory in the same individuals post maturation.
Training
A comprehensive training programme will be provided comprising both specialist scientific training and generic transferable and professional skills – including all training contained within the DTP. Specifically, this project will train the student in conducting scientific behavioural assays, the use of digital behavioural observation recording software, and automation of data extraction. The project will require advanced statistical analysis, so the student will be supported in required statistical packages. The student will also be trained in the specific requirements for the husbandry of these amphibian species. The student will be supported in reflective activities about their own career development.
Requirements
The student should have a degree in Zoology, Ecology, or cognate subject. Experience in amphibian husbandry would be desirable, but not essential. Experience in coding and/or statistics would also be desirable.
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