Project description
Evolution of defences against brood parasites
Co-evolution between closely related species contributes to diversity. However, our knowledge of evolutionary interactions between different species and sexual selection from intraspecific social interactions is limited. Cuckoos are a parasite brood that uses the nests of other bird species. The EU-funded WEAVERBIRD_DEFENCE project will study the interactions between the weaverbirds and their brood parasite Diederik Cuckoo and analyse how sexual selection interacts with the evolution of host defences against a parasite species. The project will determine whether sexual selection affects the process of co-evolutionary change and explore whether this explains why similar co-evolutionary competitions have such different results. Finally, it will investigate whether nest architectural defences affect the evolution of other forms of defence.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
Coordinator
CB2 1TN Cambridge
United Kingdom
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Partners (1)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
08544-2001 Princeton, Nj
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