Information transfer between foraging animals:
a modelling study of the consequences of attentional limitations
A NERC funded Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr Graeme Ruxton,
of the Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology,
University of Glasgow
starting in October 2002
Overview
It has been suggested that group foraging animals can use information
from the food discoveries of other group members in order to improve
their estimate of the quality of the current food patch. This existing
theory ignores much suggestive evidence that their will be attentional
conflict between an individual's concentration on its own feeding and
its ability to process information provided by others. This studentship
will use a dynamical modelling approach to quantify how such a trade-off
will affect the evolution and function of public information use by
foraging animals. Particular attention will be focussed on identifying
situations where empirical research will allow differentiation between
alternative descriptions of the trade-off.
Further details can be found at http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/GradSchool/200
2/
The project will be jointly supervised by Dr Mark Broom of the School of
Mathematical Sciences, University of Sussex. The student will spend some
time at Sussex, as well as Glasgow.
Applicants should possess (or expect to obtain) at least an Upper Second
Class Honours Degree in a relevant biological or numerate subject, and
should be eligible for a NERC studentship
(see http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/students/.htm). Letters of application
should be sent as soon as possible to Dr Graeme Ruxton. Applications should
include the names, addresses and preferably e-mail addresses of two academic
referees. E-mail applications are acceptable.
Address:
Dr G.D. Ruxton
Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology
Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences
Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow University
Glasgow
G12 8QQ
UK
Tel: 0141 330 6617
Fax: 0141 330 5971
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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