G. Yu

PhD project: Understanding individual variation in female aggressiveness - What are the eco-evolutionary  drivers?

I’m studying the fitness consequences of female aggressiveness in the blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). The PhD project aims at exploring the associations between individual aggressiveness and its fitness-related consequences (e.g., number of offspring produced, investment in parental care, offspring quality and paternity, and individual survival) to provide a powerful framework for improving our understanding of the eco-evolutionary causes and consequences of among-individual variation in behaviour. I focus on the overlooked female aggressiveness, but I will also compare females and males to build a comprehensive picture. I conduct field assessments in De Vosbergen in Groningen from March to June.