Alice Walker: Indirect control of decomposition by an invertebrate predator

In this new post, Alice Walker, a new ecological researcher at the School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK, discusses her paper: Indirect control of decomposition by an invertebrate predator—recently shortlisted for the 2022 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Most people have probably heard of vicious the “battles” that go on between ants and termites, thanks to the 1998 DreamWorks … Continue reading Alice Walker: Indirect control of decomposition by an invertebrate predator

Eusociality and the transition from biparental to alloparental care in termites: Podcast Transcript

In this podcast for Functional Ecology, Assistant Editor, Frank Harris, sits down with Thomas Chouvenc—Assistant Professor at the University of Florida—to discuss his recently published paper ‘Eusociality and the transition from biparental to alloparental care in termites.’ Thomas’ paper shows that, in eusocial insects, colony foundation is a critical bottleneck, where the founding individuals must engage in a temporary (but obligatory) parental care phase that … Continue reading Eusociality and the transition from biparental to alloparental care in termites: Podcast Transcript