Research
| Horizontal Gene Transfer | Social Evolution |Eco-Evolutionary Feedbacks |
| Media | People | Publications |
We are generally interested in conflicts between organisms, and how this affects processes at the level of the group or population.
If conflict between individuals incurs a cost, such as a higher risk of death from engaging other individuals, then such costs should be apparent at the level of the population. We are interested in conflict over resources, and how this influences the size of a population, and whether a feedback between population density and investment in conflict could potentially prevent a tragedy of the commons from arising. In addition to this, we have looked at the influence of conflict on higher levels of selection.
We use mathematical models to understand the world of evolution and ecology. The rules of evolution and ecology can be expressed using very simple mathematical formulae. Various techniques, such as game theory, non-linear dynamical systems, adaptive dynamics and individual-based modeling approaches can be applied. We also work with empiricists and use data to test these models. Whilst our interests are broad, our main research interests revolve around three main topics.
Mobile DNA and the evolution of horizontal gene transfer
Not only can genes pass between parents and offspring (vertical transmission) but in a number of organisms, they can also be transferred horizontally. In bacteria, such horizontal gene transfer can come about through three processes: transfer through bacterial viruses (known as transduction), the uptake of DNA from the environment (known as transformation) and transfer through cell-to-cell contact, such as transfer of genes on plasmids (known as conjugation). In many pathogenic 
bacteria, it appears that genes involved in virulence and anti-biotic resistance are carried on plasmids, and hence can be transferred horizontally. This raises the question as to why this is so, and why doesn't the cell keep these genes if they are beneficial. Additionally, plasmids (which are circular extra-chromosomal pieces of DNA) often incur costs on their hosts. Our research addresses how plasmids may persist, why they carry the traits they do, and why, if costly, evolution hasn't selected for host to eliminate plasmids.
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Social Evolution and the Evolutionary Tragedy of the Commons
If genes are favoured which act selfishly to ensure their propagation into future generations (the "selfish-gene"), then cooperation should not evolve. Despite this, we observe cooperative behaviours across a wide range of taxa, and seemingly selfless acts can be seen every day in villages and cities across the globe. Public goods, in which resources are shared 
collectively, are often prone to over exploitation, known as the tragedy of the commons. The same mechanisms which can promote cooperation work together to prevent the exploitation of public goods. Our research aims at finding out which mechanisms may resolve the tragedy of the commons. We are also interested in information and how the brain processes information, particularly with respect to the resolution of conflict and promotion of cooperation.
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The link between ecology and evolutionary systems
Evolution depends on an organisms environment. The ecology of an organism depends on how well it has evolved to cope with both the biotic and biotic 
environment. Despite ecology and evolution being intertwined, they still remain rather different fields. We are interested in how feedbacks between the ecology of an organisms, and how it can evolve, may occur. In particular, We are interested in how feedbacks between population densities and behaviour may come about, and how they make act to resolve evolutionary conflicts, such as the tragedy of the commons.
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See a full list of publications here.
