|
Project properties |
|
| Title | Do predators make prey smarter? Cognition in fish |
| Group | Behavioural Ecology |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Hannah De Waele |
| Examiner(s) | Alexander Kotrschal |
| Contact info | hannah.dewaele@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2022/01/09 |
| End date | 2024/01/01 |
| Description | Predation affects the evolution of life history, morphology and behaviour of prey. Surprisingly, the link between predation and these traits has not been tested experimentally. To fill this knowledge gap, we created six lines of artificially selected guppies. Three lines were selected for survival under predation by exposing them to a brief period of adult predation, while the other three are control lines. These artificial lines allow us to study how different traits evolve due to predation pressure. Currently, we are mostly focused on how predation affects different cognitive traits.
This thesis is strongly lab-based (in Carus), and will teach you a variety of skills needed to work in a fish lab. Additionally, this thesis will also give you the opportunity to come up and test your own ideas for behavioural assays. If you are interested, please contact Hannah De Waele (hannah.de.waele@wur.nl) for more details. This project runs from September 2022 until 2024, feel free to contact me anytime! |
| Used skills | |
| Requirements | |