Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/B/S/2003/00250
Olfactory puberty: Group-smell vs. individual advertisement.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor DW Macdonald, University of Oxford, Zoology
- Grant held at:
- University of Oxford, Zoology
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Population Genetics/Evolution
- Population Ecology
- Conservation Ecology
- Behavioural Ecology
- Abstract:
- Group-living mammals must maintain a common group-odour without loosing the means of self-advertisement. In adults advertising sex and fitness is important for reproduction and individual recognition. However, sexually immature individuals display only limited self-advertisement. The transition between the two can be compared to 'olfactory puberty'. In badgers, the subcaudal secretion encodes individual-specific information and group-membership. All adults use the secretion for marking, but cubs do not produce secretion until 4-6 months old. This is paradoxical as cubs suffer from infanticide and group-odours have been shown to reduce aggression. Here, we plan to monitor the olfactory development from weaning to sexual maturity using an integrated suite of analyses. Investigating olfactory puberty will elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of stable social groups, and thus contribute to understanding the evolution of sociality.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/B/S/2003/00250
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Small Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Small Grants
This grant award has a total value of £28,526
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| £16,461 | £2,430 | £2,063 | £7,572 |
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