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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Do nutritionally poor environments promote sociality? Testing a long-standing hypothesis in two socially plastic insect groups

Objective

"Why individuals cooperate is an evolutionary puzzle. One longstanding
theory is that nutritionally poor environments reduce individuals’
chances of breeding independently, forcing cooperation with other
individuals. The proposed project will focus on testing this in the
field, using socially plastic species - insects that can be social or
solitary: Acacia thrips (Thysanoptera) and Halictine bees
(Hymenoptera). Working with Stephen Simpson at the University of
Sydney, a pioneer in nutritional approaches to ecological questions,
and Jeremy Field, at the University of Sussex, a world leader in
social evolution research, in field populations of both insect groups
I will test firstly whether social behaviour occurs more often on
nutritionally imbalanced food plants, and secondly whether
experimentally imbalancing the nutritional composition of food causes
previously independent breeders to decide instead to cooperate. If
successful, this will open up a paradigm that has been theorized but
never rigorously tested, representing a major contribution to social
biology."

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IOF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
EU contribution
€ 282 786,90
Address
SUSSEX HOUSE FALMER
BN1 9RH Brighton
United Kingdom

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Region
South East (England) Surrey, East and West Sussex Brighton and Hove
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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