Shay Rotics Lab
Social Structure and Cooperative Behavior in Wild Damaraland Mole-Rats: Exploring Eusociality and Aging Dynamics
This study examines the social structure of wild Damaraland mole-rats (DMRs) to determine if they exhibit eusociality or cooperative breeding traits. It explores differences in workload, aging, and behavior between breeders and non-breeders, using bio-logging and telomere analysis. The research also investigates potential caste differentiation and activity synchronization within groups. Field experiments will assess how environmental and social factors shape these dynamics. Findings will clarify DMRs' social complexity and contribute to understanding social evolution and aging in vertebrates.
Ecological and Social Responses of Meerkats to Seasonal Weight Peaks and Drought Conditions
​This study explores the key ecological and social dynamics of meerkats, focusing on seasonal weight peaks and drought impacts. It investigates the October weight peak, examining its causes, timing, and significance, including links to prey availability, environmental cues, and breeding cycles. The study also assesses whether the peak is consistent across groups and its potential role in buffering survival during dry periods.
Drought effects on group living are examined, including how resource scarcity influences intragroup competition, cooperation, and dietary shifts, potentially reducing the advantages of larger group sizes. Movement dynamics under drought are explored, such as changes in home ranges, intergroup interactions, and the role of habitat quality in mediating these effects. Finally, the research examines individual vulnerability to drought, considering age, status, body size, and long-term carry-over effects on survival, growth, and reproduction.