General Interests: I am broadly interested in all topics evolutionary ecology; ranging from game theory to neutral theory. My current work focuses on the evolution and maintenance of cooperative behavior in sociable weavers. Their cooperative building behavior naturally invites behavioral and evolutionary analysis.
A Theoretical Enigma: Sociable weavers form enormous colonies with up to 200 birds living in the same nest. Every individual in the colony cooperates to build the nest structure, and not just their own specific chamber. The birds devote considerable energy to this behavior and determining how this strategy is maintained despite the risk of cheating is of considerable interest. I am testing several theories that could produce this evolutionary stable behavior, including kin selection, the snowdrift game model, and general reciprocity. Using manipulations and continued molecular work, I hope to elucidate the factor(s) maintaining this behavior.
Research Locales: My preliminary work is at the San Diego Zoo, the only zoo in the United States to house a colony of these fascinating birds. I am collaborating with the curator of birds to execute behavioral and molecular tests so as to begin testing competing hypotheses. Soon after, I plan to work in the arid environments of Namibia and South Africa to document and study this behavior in a natural setting.
