Skip to ContentSkip to Navigation
About us Practical matters How to find us J. Zheng, MSc

Research interests

PhD project: Implications of  sexual conflict and sexual selection on diversification and speciation - Penduline tits as a model system of breeding system evolution

I'm studying the evolution of parental care strategy and adaptive breeding behaviour in Chinese penduline tits (Remiz consobrinus). The PhD project is aiming at revealing why divergent parental care patterns exist in two populations with heterogeneous habitats. I’ll also focus on investigating the evolutionary implications of unique breeding behaviours in Chinese penduline tits. I will conduct field studies in Northeast China from May to August each year, in addition to theoretical simulations to study the evolutionary process of parental care.

Publications

Effects of season length and uniparental care efficacy on the evolution of parental care

A novel function of egg burial: Burying material prevents eggs rolling out of wind-swayed nests

A novel function of egg burial: Burying material prevents eggs falling out of wind-swayed nests

Evolutionary ecology of the variable breeding system of Chinese penduline tits

Males and females of a polygamous songbird respond differently to mating opportunities

Read more

Press/media

Chinese penduline tit buries eggs to prevent them from blowin' in the wind