Dr. María Moiron

Main Focus

Evolution of animal personalities from an adaptive perspective
In recent years it has become widely accepted that individuals within single populations often exhibit consistent differences in behavior across contexts and over time (called ‘animal personality’). However, it is much less evident how behavioral consistency can be explained from an adaptive viewpoint. An evolutionary explanation for personality-related differences has been proposed based on state-behavior feedback dynamics. The feedback mechanism between state and behavior exists because the state of an individual affects its optimal behavior, which in turn might affect its state. My  project  aims  to  empirically  test  the  role  of  state-behavior  feedback  loops  in explaining why and how different personality types can stably coexist; ,and how this variation is affected by ecological factors such as predation risk. For that purpose, I carry out a series of lab and field experiments using wild great tit (Parus major) as a model species.

Curriculum Vitae

  • 2013-ongoing: PhD in evolutionary and behavioural ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen / International Max Planck Research School for Organismal Biology, Germany
  • 2011-2012: MSc in Terrestrial Ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
  • 2006-2011: BSc in Biology, University of A Coruña, Spain

Awards & Scholarships

    • 2013 IMPRS for Organismal Biology Scholarship, Germany
    • 2010-2011 Biodiversity Department Scholarship, University of A Coruña, Spain
    • Jul-Sep 2010 Marine Research Center Internship (CIMA), Spain
    • 2009-2010 Evolutionary Biology group Scholarship, University of A Coruña, Spain
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