ISBE Symposium 3rd August 2016
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STARTS 9.15 AM ON WEDNESDAY 3RD AUG IN FORUM SEMINAR ROOM II, UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Today, most organisms on Earth live in habitats modified by the actions of humans. Legislators and the media often focus on death or severe reproductive malfunctions. However, animals that fail to forage efficiently, avoid predators or attract mates will accrue zero fitness. Many studies show
human-induced effects on behaviour that are predicted to affect fitness. For example, environmental pollutants can alter reproductive and foraging performance. In addition, personality is suggested to play an important role in population-level adaptation to new or shifting environments. Behaviour, therefore, provides a sensitive, non-lethal biomarker of responses to environmental change, which in turn provides a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying behavioural variation. This symposium will provide insights into the behavioural responses of animals to environmental change using chemical pollutants as a case study.
