My research involves integrating neurobiology, development, evolution, and behavior to understand the proximate and ultimate causes behind sociality in birds. During my PhD at Cornell University, I studied the role the nonapeptides (oxytocin, vasopressin, and their non-mammalian homologues) play in regulating parental care and maintaining pair bonds in zebra finches. I also determined that corticosterone plays no role in regulating helping behavior in cooperatively breeding Mexican jays. I have also studied how sociality influences numerical cognition in Mexican jays and Woodhouse’s scrub jays.
Category: 2018
Movement and conformity interact to establish local behavioural traditions in animal populations
Somveille, M., Firth, J.A., Aplin, L.M., Farine, D.R., Sheldon, B.C., Thompson, R.N. (2018) Movement and conformity interact to establish local behavioural traditions in animal populations. PLoS Computational Biology 14(12): e1006647.
Queenless honey bees build infrastructure for direct reproduction until their new queen proves her worth
Smith, M.L. (2018). Queenless honey bees build infrastructure for direct reproduction until their new queen proves her worth. Evolution. DOI:10.1111/evo.13628.
Experimental disturbances reveal group-level costs of social instability
Maldonado-Chaparro, A.A., Alarcón-Nieto, G., Klarevas-Irby, J.A., Farine, D.R. (2018) Experimental disturbances reveal group-level costs of social instability. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 285: 20181577.
Sigmoidal Acquisition Curves Are Good Indicators of Conformist Transmission
Smaldino, P.E., Aplin, L.M., Farine, D.R. (2018) Sigmoidal Acquisition Curves Are Good Indicators of Conformist Transmission. Scientific Reports 8: 14015.
Stress hormones, social associations and song learning in zebra finches
Boogert, N.J., Lachlan, R.F., Spencer, K.A., Templeton, C.N., Farine, D.R. (2018) Stress hormones, social associations and song learning in zebra finches. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 373: 20170290.
Synchronization: The Key to Effective Communication in Animal Collectives
Couzin, I.D. (2018) Synchronization: The Key to Effective Communication in Animal Collectives, Trends in Cognitive Sciences 22(10), 844-846.
Estimating the robustness and uncertainty of animal social networks using different observational methods
Davis, G.H., Crofoot, M.C., Farine, D.R. (2018) Estimating the robustness and uncertainty of animal social networks using different observational methods. Animal Behaviour 141: 29-44.
Simple foraging rules in competitive environments can generate socially-structured populations
Cantor, M., Farine, D.R. (2018) Simple foraging rules in competitive environments can generate socially-structured populations. Ecology and Evolution 8(10): 4978-4991.
Conserved behavioral circuits govern high-speed decision making in wild fish shoals
Hein, A.M., Hil, M.A., Twomey, C.R., Couzin, I.D. & Levin, S.A. (2018) Conserved behavioral circuits govern high-speed decision making in wild fish shoals, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 115(48), 12224-12228.