The Behavioural Ecology and Evolution Podcast (the Beepcast)

This month I meet some very polite deer who have a special way of asking for food. I discover why some plant nectars contain poisonous toxins. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Iain Couzin from the Max Planck Department of Collective Behaviour. Iain tells me what sparked his interest in becoming a scientist, and how, if his teachers had had their way, he might have been doing something entirely different.

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Feeding a sika deer in Nara Park, Japan

Today I met the sika deer of #Nara #Japan who have learned to bow for treats. Seems to be a #sociallytransmitted #behaviour pic.twitter.com/jTedabe2hW

— Dr. Hannah Rowland (@HannahMRowland) October 1, 2017

Quicklinks:

Variation and social influence of bowing behavior by sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the journal Ethology

Patty Jone' lab webpage at Bowdoin

Patty's paper on the consequences of toxic secondary compounds in nectar for mutualist bees and antagonist butterflies.

Iain Couzin's Collective Behaviour Department

This month I find out that animals should be careful when choosing a mate, picking a partner that matches them in quality, else they might face an early grave! I discover that a mutation in a taste receptor gene has helped macaques in Japan to become thieves. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Kate Umbers from the University of Western Sydney, who works on a variety of topics, mainly related to understanding the mechanisms, functions and evolution of biological colouration. She tells me what sparked her interest in becoming a scientist.

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A Japanese Macaque munching on fruit (image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gingiber/)

Quicklinks:

Becky Kilner's Burying Beetle Lab

Burying Beetle paper in eLife

Japanese Macaque taste receptor paper in PLOS One

Kate Umbers' lab page

This month I hear how a wildlife park in Yorkshire is providing the perfect retirement setting for an old polar bear. I discover that social insects make trips to natures pharmacy to fight infections. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Patricia Brekke from the Zoological Society of London, who tells me about her research on the endangered new Zealand bird the Hihi, and what inspired her to become a scientist.

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Victor is Yorkshire Wildlife Park's polar bear.

He is one of the biggest polar bears in Europe, weighing 500Kg

Quicklinks:

Yorkshire Wildlife Park's Project Polar Bear

Ants medicate to fight disease in the journal Evolution

Patricia Brekke from The Institute of Zoology at the Zoological Society of London

This month I find out about sea ducks who enjoy a rather sophisticated fast food diet of mussels. I discover that horses horse around with lots of different facial expressions. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Johan Nilsson from the university of Lund, who researches the physiology and evolutionary ecology of birds.

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What does this face say?!

Quicklinks:

EquiFACS: The Equine Facial Action Coding System

Elisabeth Varennes' research gate page

Johan Nilsson's research page

In this episode I discover that some species of coral reef fish change colour, and they do this to grab a sneaky meal! I also find out how moths find flowers in the dark. And in the scientific spark I talk
to Lucy Nash, who is commissioning editor for science at Oxford University
Press.

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Copyright © N Justin Marshall/Courtesy of University of Basel

Quicklinks:

Will Feeney's webpage

Fabio Cortesi's webpage

The dottyback paper in Current Biology

Hovering hawkmoth paper in science