Unraveling the Interplay Among Key Properties of Animal
Dominance Hierarchies
Dominance hierarchies are central to the organization of animal
societies, influencing access to resources, mating opportunities,
and overall social stability. The relationships among different
structural properties of these hierarchies—such as linearity,
steepness, and stability—remain poorly understood. This MSc
project aims to investigate how these properties co-vary across
species or populations, and potentially to what ecological and
social factors they are linked. Using quantitative behavioral data
across multiple species from the literature, the candidate will
also examine whether certain properties of dominance hierarchies
are more common or a condition for others. The project provides an
opportunity to develop strong analytical and theoretical skills in
behavioral ecology and social evolution, while contributing to a
deeper understanding of the mechanisms that shape animal social
structures.
The internship will include a literature review, collection of published dominance matrices, data analyses, the write-up of a thesis and ideally a paper.
Needed skills
- Coding in R, including statistical analysis (ideally, experience
in linear models)
- Fluency in English
- Interest in animal behaviour
You will learn to:
- Handle very large datasets (matrices of multiple species)
- Analyze them comparatively
- Write scientific articles
Supervisors:
- Dr Nikolaos Smit, University of Turku, 20014, Finland
- Dr Theresa Rueger, Newcastle University
This project is based on published data from the literature and does not involve field work. We cannot provide financial help, but we can support applications for mobility grants and the location of the candidate is negotiable.
Apply
with an email to nismit@utu.fi by November 10th , including a
cover letter (1 page max; summarizing motivation and research
interest) and CV (including education, positions, professional
experience, and contact details of two academic referees).
Start date: as soon as possible or as agreed
Duration: 4-6 months