Institute of Ecology and Evolution

Emeline Mourocq

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Contact

University of Bern
Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Baltzerstrasse 6
3012 Bern

Tel +41 (0)31 631 4571
Fax +41 (0)31 631 1234
emeline.mourocq@iee.unibe.ch

Office Location
D 146

Present Time
Mo - Fr

Research

My PhD project will focus on the study of the evolution of cooperative breeding in birds. I am interested in determining which factors are driving the shift from family group living to cooperative breeding. I will examine the role of life-history and ecology in the evolution of the postponement of personal reproduction and helping behaviours within a family living system.

   A large number of bird species live in stable groups providing the possibility for complex social behaviours, such as cooperative breeding. This social system, which occurs when an adult member of a social group provides regular care to offspring that are not their own, is found in about 10% of all birds and is mainly observed in family-group-living species.
   Understanding this social behaviour has remained an important challenge in behavioural ecology for over 50 years. Yet there is still little knowledge on what factors select for the evolution of cooperative breeding and the research has so far not separated the evolution of families from the evolution of cooperatively breeding societies.
      Family living occurs when offspring stay beyond independence with their parents instead of dispersing. However, not all species that are family living also display cooperative breeding behaviour. For a family group living species to evolved into a cooperative breeding species, some individuals need, in addition to delayed dispersal (condition for existence of family), to postpone independent reproduction and engaged in helping behaviour. Thus, the key to explain evolution of cooperative breeding within family group living is to understand:
   i) Why do some members of a family delayed or forgo personal reproduction?
   ii) Why do these individuals provide help?

Previous Research

Before my PhD, all my scientific activities were in the field of ecology, evolution, behavioural ecology or conservation. I have previously investigated the ecological requirements of dolphin and marsupials' populations, respectively under the supervision of Jérome Spitz (CRMM La Rochelle, France) and Peter Banks (UNSW, Sydney, Australia). With regard to dolphins the goal of my research was to understand the composition of their diet and in case of marsupials to look at the social structure of an endangered population in order to improve its conservation. I have also conducted a large comparative work investigating phenotypic evolution in islands birds in CEFE Montpellier (France) with Claire Doutreland, Rita Covas and Arnaud Grégoire.