Causes and consequences of variation among individuals
A major focus of my research is to understand the causes and consequences of among-individual variation in labile traits such as behaviour, life-history and physiology. I address this question using different approaches:
- Using an empirical approach and as part of my PhD work, I carried out a series of observational and experimental studies to investigate the causes of among-individual differences in behaviour in great tits (Parus major), both in the lab and in the wild. The main aim of those studies was to test theoretical models, mostly optimality theory (Moiron et al., 2016 Behav Ecol; 2018 Proc B; 2019 Behav Ecol). Currently I am still working on the quantification of among-individual differences in behaviour, but also in other labile traits such as immunology (Bichet et al., 2021 J Anim Ecol), telomeres (Vedder et al., 2021 Mol Ecol), and hormonal profiles (Hau et al., 2022 Proc B).
- I also work on synthesis projects. I collaborated on a review paper of the adaptive mechanisms that maintain individual differences in behaviour (i.e., “animal personality”) (Sih et al., 2015 TREE), and investigated the fitness consequences of these individual differences in behaviour using meta-analytical tools (Moiron et al., 2020 Ecol Lett). More recently, I worked with Petri Niemelä and Kate Laskowski on a opinion piece where we discussed the role that among-individual variation in behaviour plays in classic life-history theory and, in particular, in resource allocation-acquisition trade-offs (Laskowski et al., 2021 TREE).