Below is a snapshot of research conducted so far as part of my PhD and Postdoc
Exploring Reproductive Strategies in Farmed Pekin Ducks
In early 2023 I was awarded a SQuID Travel Fellowship to work on a collaborative project with researchers Jonathan Wright and Yimen Araya Ajoy at NTNU in Trondhiem, Norway. Using historical pedigree data from a duck breeding company, we combined theoretical concepts from behavioural ecology, quantitative genetics and animal breeding to identify reproductive strategies which could maximise chick production in commercially farmed Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus).
Improving Fertility and Leg Health in Farmed Pekin Ducks
Two of the biggest challenges in commercial duck breeding are low fertility and welfare concerns associated with poor leg health. Collaborating with a duck breeding company, my postdoctoral research aims to improve the reproductive efficiency and leg health in farmed Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus). Using wearable tracking devices (ultra-wideband sensors), we monitor the continuous movement of individual ducks without interfering with everyday commercial practices. Combined with data on the reproductive success and leg health of each individual duck, we explore the correlations between duck behaviour, health and successful breeding outcomes.
How Social Interactions Shape Variability in Tadpole Behaviour
I explored how early social interactions, especially competition, shape individual behaviour among tungara frog tadpoles (Engystomops pustulosus). By observing tadpoles in different social scenarios – alone, with a conspecific (same species), or with an aggressive heterospecific (different species) tadpole - I found changes in the variability of tadpole behaviour.
The tadpoles' responses varied based on the type of competition and the context of their environment. For instance, when in familiar surroundings, tadpoles competing with their own kind showed less variation in their swimming distances, while those competing with a different species exhibited more differences in swimming behaviour between each other. Additionally, the impact of competition extended to novel and predator risk contexts, affecting the tadpoles' behaviour differently.
These findings emphasise that the influence of competition on tadpole behaviour is complex, shaped by the species involved and the specific environmental context.
Food for Thought: Exploring the Link Between Food Availability and Variability in Tadpole Behaviour
In a controlled lab experiment, I looked at how individual variation in tadpole behaviour was influenced by food availability. By splitting broods of African clawed frog tadpoles (Xenopus laevis) in two and providing half of the tadpoles with a high-food diet and others with a low-food diet, I observed their swimming behaviour in both familiar and unfamiliar (i.e more risky) contexts.
In familiar surroundings, tadpoles with abundant food showed greater unpredictability in their behaviour, suggesting that ample resources allow for more diverse behavioural expressions. However, in unfamiliar contexts, tadpoles with limited food exhibited increased variation in their willingness to take risks, highlighting individuals differ in risk taking behaviours when resources are scarce and environments are less familiar.
These findings underscore the nuanced impact of early life conditions on individual variation, emphasizing that these effects are context-specific and dependent on specific phenotypic levels. Understanding these dynamics contributes to our broader understanding of how individuals and populations may respond to changing environments caused by human activities.
