Evolutionary models with ecological interactions

Supervisors: Professor Rob Freckleton and Dr Gavin Thomas

Key words: Ecology, evolution, conservation, mammals, birds, modelling

Description of the project: Models for the evolution of species' traits usually ignore ecology: most comparative analyses of evolution are ecologically neutral and ignore ecological mechanisms such as competition and limiting similarity. However, such processes can impact profoundly on the distribution of traits across a group of species if they are ecologically similar (e.g. as in adaptive radiations). The aim of this project is to develop models for the evolution of traits under different assumptions about underlying ecology and to develop macro ecological tests that allow us to distinguish different models from phylogenetically referenced trait data. These models will be applied to trait data from museum collections and recent phylogenies of birds and mammals.

To apply, please complete an online application form which can be found at www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/applying
The closing date is 15th January 2013