Pheasants@Exeter
@pec_exeter
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Studying how natural selection shapes cognitive performance using the genius of the bird world - Pheasants. Tweets by Jo Madden (available on other platforms)
University of Exeter
Joined November 2014
2nd report for @NatResWales to inform their consultation about gamebird releasing in 🏴 This 1 ⬇️brings up to date evidence about ecological effects of released gamebirds w/a focus on 🏴, looks at new research in the area & describes knowledge gaps https://t.co/K4m90XNQu4
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The origins and functions of bowers in the Bowerbirds: a review and synthesis | https://t.co/O5wWLOlsBo | Emu | #ornithology
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Led by @pec_exeter with @MathewBEllis and myself - new #evidence review for @JNCC_UK of availability of #data and reliability of #models to asses #sustainability of #waterbird harvest by recreational #hunting in the United Kingdom #policy #wildlife #people
New report published today reviews whether current data collection on hunting bags can reliably determine whether shooting of legally-huntable waterbird species is sustainable in the UK https://t.co/z8z7AxALvW This evidence will support the UK's obligation towards @unep_aewa
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How robust is current hunting bag data, and can we rely on it to manage sustainable harvest of UK waterbirds? For most species, it's pretty good, but released mallard🦆🦆can confuse the picture Recent collaboration with @ecoevoenviro and Matt Ellis of @BASCnews
New report published today reviews whether current data collection on hunting bags can reliably determine whether shooting of legally-huntable waterbird species is sustainable in the UK https://t.co/z8z7AxALvW This evidence will support the UK's obligation towards @unep_aewa
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It forms part of an exciting Special Issue of Phil Trans, "Selection shapes diverse animal minds", edited by Elli Leadbeater & Alex Thornton (on BSky) Co-authors include the ecobird team (on BSky) and @Samellisq
https://t.co/5P2PJC9ONW
royalsocietypublishing.org
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Why is the apparent link between cognition and fitness so weak? Could it be that our proposed causal link between cognition, behaviour and fitness/selection is too simplistic and linear? We discuss possible alternative models
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Studies that measured fitness as "survival" (survival to next season, mass gain, foraging success etc) were more likely to report sig relationships than those measuring "reproductive" fitness (attractiveness, provisioning levels, offspring production etc)
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Studies that measured "broad" forms of cognition (innovation, problem solving) were more likely to report sig relationships than those measuring more "specific", defined forms (reversal learning, spatial memory etc)
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Studies using larger sample sizes were LESS likely to report a significant relationship
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Positive relationships (‘smarter is better’) outnumbered negative ones (‘dumber is better’) among the significant results, but these still comprised >20% Selection might reduce cognitive performance as well as enhance it
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We found generally weak support for a relationship between cognition & fitness, with >70% of raw PUBLISHED relationships being statistically non-significant, with an even smaller likelihood once co-variates were accounted for (what if any publication bias were accounted for?)
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We reviewed 45 studies that adopted a within-species approach where cognitive performance is correlated with fitness benefits and assumed to be selected for Included 26 species & 211 relationships between behavioural measures of cognition & fitness https://t.co/m7t2MEeLLt
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NEW PAPER🎺 How does cognition determine individual fitness? A systematic review of the links between cognition, behaviour & fitness in non-human animals Lots of studies try to explain how cognition might evolve, taking a behavioural ecology approach Has this made progress?🧵
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**New Research Paper Alert** What do pheasants tell us about the land? We’re using satellite data to better understand how wildlife and ag can thrive together—because healthy land supports us all. ✅ First article from our pheasant project—more to come!
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The value of ecologically irrelevant animal cognition research Opinion by Scarlett Howard https://t.co/vVUlApEf2X
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I really enjoyed talking with the Shoothub team about our work on rearing better gamebirds, the economics & ecology of game release, and my progression from bowerbirds to pheasants. Well worth a listen if you want to understand more about game rearing https://t.co/PtBAV85Day
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And somehow it managed to get rated E (xplicit)! despite us all being very polite.... It's not at all rude really.
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I really enjoyed talking with the Shoothub team about our work on rearing better gamebirds, the economics & ecology of game release, and my progression from bowerbirds to pheasants. Well worth a listen if you want to understand more about game rearing https://t.co/PtBAV85Day
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PPS - We think that this is the first paper on the behaviour (rather than the ecology) of reintroduced English beavers. Have we missed any?
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It's been fun working on this fascinating, important and perhaps controversial species and we have a few more questions up our sleeves! (PS: PEC will not be renamed "The Cocks and Beaver Group"😳)
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