Web: http://www.bio.uu.nl/behaviour
Stages bij leerstoelgroep Gedragsbiologie - Internships within Behavioural
Biology
Neural mechanisms of song learning
A zebra finch male (Taeniopygia guttata) has to learn his song and long call from an adult
tutor (often the father) early in development during a sensitive phase. This makes zebra
finches an ideal model system to study mechanisms of learning, memory and perception of
vocal communication signals. In the projects you will learn to use several different
behavioural and neurobiological techniques, including song recording, song manipulation
and playbacks, histological analysis of brain sections, and visualization of brain structures
and neuronal activation with different staining methods (nissl, immunocytochemistry).
During analysis of brain tissue we make use of microscopy and image analysis. Please
contact Prof. Johan Bolhuis (j.j.bolhuis@bio.uu.nl) for information.
Available projects:
- Neurogenomics of song memory.
- Song learning/memory during sleep
- Recognition of partner’s voice
Primate social cognition
We conduct comparative research on primate social cognitive capacities and
their application to social behaviour.
Available projects:
- That’s what friends are for: acceptance of inequality in friends and non-friends among rhesus monkeys.
(Jorg Massen, MSc, J.J.M.Massen@bio.uu.nl)
- Episodic memory in macaques
(Marusha Dekleva, MSc, contact via e.h.m.sterck@bio.uu.nl)
- Visual perspective taking in long-tailed macaques and guppy fish.
(Brigitte Goossens, MSc, b.m.a.goossens@bio.uu.nl)
- Regulation of primate relationships in macaques
(dr. Liesbeth Sterck; e.h.m.sterck@bio.uu.nl)
- De relatie van reactieve en proactieve agressie met verzoeningsgedrag in kinderen met een disruptieve
gedragsstoornis. (Excellent knowledge of Dutch is required)
dr. Maaike Kempes; kempes_m@hotmail.com)
- Social learning and behavioural ecology of wild orangutans.
(dr. Liesbeth Sterck in collaboration with dr. Serge A. Wich of the Great Ape Trust, Des Moines, USA)
- Simulation models of primate social cognition and behaviour.
The aim is to develop models to study the effect of the presence or absence of particular social knowledge and
social cognitive capabilities on the characteristics and dynamics of social relationships. The models will be
developed using the programming environment NetLogo, that is specially designed for individual-based
modelling. (dr. Han de Vries; j.devries@bio.uu.nl )
Web: http://www.bio.uu.nl/behaviour
Social learning and innovation
Many animals, such as guppies, have been shown to use social information
from other group members in deciding where to feed, who to mate with, or
what to eat. However, animals are often faced with conflicting information,
and we are interested in how these conflicts are resolved. For example, an
individual's personal experience may differ from the experience of other group
members, meaning that individuals do not know which information is the most
trustworthy. Alternatively, different group members may provide conflicting
information from one another. How do individuals assess the reliability of a
particular information source and choose between these information sources?
How do innovations arise, and how do they spread through groups? We are
also interested in the evolution of these capacities and the evolutionary
consequences of social learning and innovation.
Available projects:
- Learning strategies in guppies and humans
We are conducting experimental work with guppies (dr. Matt Bruce, m.j.bruce@bio.uu.nl) and address parallel
questions in humans, in collaboration with Utrecht’s Human Innovation group (dr. Ulf Tölch,
toelch@geo.uu.nl).
- Neuropeptidal influences on social behaviour
In zebrafish, we wish to investigate the influence of the peptides vasotocin and isotocin on social behaviour,
focusing in particular on the social transmission of information between group members (dr. Simon Reader,
s.m.reader@bio.uu.nl).
- What are the causes and consequences of cognitive evolution?
The large brains of primates are an evolutionary puzzle. They carry a number of costs, such as heavy energy
demands or extended developmental periods. We examine the cognitive benefits of brain enlargement, and also
the consequences of such enlargement for evolutionary rates (dr. Simon Reader, s.m.reader@bio.uu.nl).
- What favours conformity and cultural transmission in humans?
Cultural transmission is the foundation of human society. We learn from our parents, from teachers, and from
each other. Moreover, we frequently conform to what the majority are doing. We are examining how the social
environment, amongst other factors, influences reliance on cultural transmission. (dr. Simon Reader,
s.m.reader@bio.uu.nl).
Dierentuin in Antwerpen en Plackendael
See also: http://webhost.ua.ac.be/crc/zjef.html
Behavioural and evolutionary ecology of primates and social insects, and the ethology of zoo animals with a link
to animal welfare. Research questions are related to all aspects of social organisation in animals, animal welfare,
and integrated conservation.
- Female mate choice and male reproductive success in bonobos in captivity.
Our main interest is what determines a female’s choice for a mate, and why certain males are successful breeders
while others are not. This involves behavioural observations in several zoos that keep bonobo groups, as well as
studbook analyses. We are particularly interested in how personalities (with Alexander Weiss in Edinburgh)
affect reproductive success, especially since male dominance rank does not seem to be involved in male
reproductive success. Another objective is to study disassortative mating and MHC in bonobos (with Bill Jordan
at the Zoological Society of London).
(dr. Zjef Pereboom, zjef.pereboom@zooantwerpen.be)
- paringsproblematiek bij monnikskapgieren
Web: http://www.bio.uu.nl/behaviour
Stages via leerstoelgroep Gedragsbiologie bij het NIOO:
Populatie Biologie van Dieren (NIOO Heteren)
Zie ook: http://www.nioo.nl/STUDENTS/subjectlist.htm
- Oorzaken en gevolgen van dispersie bij de koolmees
Verschillende stages zijn mogelijk die gericht zijn
op het aantonen van verschillen in dispersie (aantal,
afstand) van categoriën vogels die verschillen in
eigenschappen of omstandigheden in hun
oorspronkelijke leefgebied en de fitnessconsequenties daarvan in verschillende habitats en
op verschillende momenten van de jaarcyclus (Piet
Drent, p.drent@nioo.knaw.nl; Kees van Oers,
k.vanoers@nioo.knaw.nl)
- Genetica, ontogenie (gene-environment interaction) en functionaliteit (fitness) van copingstrategien/animal
personalities bij de koolmees
Verschillende stages zijn mogelijk die gericht zijn op gene-environment interactie, op relatie personality en
agressif of sociaal gedrag en fysiologische kenmerken, op relatie personality en life history traits of op invlo9ed
van variatie in de sociale en niet-sociale omgeving op co-exisitence van de verschillende populaties in ruimte en
tijd. (dr. Piet Drent, p.drent@nioo.knaw.nl; dr. Kees van oers, k.vanoers@nioo.knaw.nl)
Plant-Animal Interactions (NIOO Nieuwersluis, Maarssen)
See also: http://www.nioo.nl/STUDENTS/subjectlist.htm
- Herbivore foraging theory
Verschillende stages zijn mogelijk die gericht
zijn op foerageertheorien zoals ‘optimal
patch use of Bewicks’s swans’, ‘change of
foraging habits under interference’, ‘how to
forage in a flock’, ‘functional response and
patch choice of grass-feeding Bewick’s
swans
(zie voor contactadressen:
http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/CL/PDI/CONTEN
T/student.htm)
- Bird migration and plant dispersal
Verschillende stages zijn mogelijk zoals ‘climate change: are migration costs reduced for arctic breeding geese?
Modelling energy expenditure during flight and staging’, ‘Goose migration: how much do they gain when
staging on different habitats? Meta-analysis of gain functions on goose stop-over sites’, ‘Goose migration:
impacts of climate and land use changes on migration schedules of Barnacle geese’, ‘Bird as seed dispersers: gut
transition time during flight’.
(zie voor contactadressen: http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/CL/PDI/CONTENT/student.htm)