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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Social development and life history evolution in cooperative mammals: an integrated approach

Objective

"Studies of cooperative animal societies have advanced understanding of social evolution but have also revealed great individual variation in cooperative behaviour and major life history traits, even among individuals of the same age, sex and social status. Research on laboratory mammals suggests that this variation may be explained by early life influences on development, but little is known about the function and mechanism of these developmental effects in wild mammals, or whether these effects are adaptive. We will address this shortfall in knowledge using both empirical and theoretical approaches. Our empirical work will use large-scale field experiments on a model cooperative mammal system, the banded mongoose Mungos mungo, to measure prenatal developmental impacts on offspring growth, care received, stress physiology, cooperation, health, cognition, aging and lifetime fitness. Our theoretical research will build on the recent economic theory of ‘skill formation’, and will generate new testable predictions about the coevolution of developmental responses and maternal and helper investment. The output of the research will be new insights into the evolutionary and proximate causes of individual variation in health, behaviour and life history in social mammals, and a new conceptual understanding of social development in cooperative organisms from insects to humans."

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.

ERC-2012-StG_20111109
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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.

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
EU contribution
€ 1 493 321,80
Address
THE QUEEN'S DRIVE NORTHCOTE HOUSE
EX4 4QJ Exeter
United Kingdom

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Region
South West (England) Devon Devon CC
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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Beneficiaries (1)

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