Research Gilles De Meester

Abstract

There is an urgent need to understand what makes invasive species successful. Traditionally, it has been assumed that 'clever' species with advanced cognition or larger brains are 'pre-disposed' to become invasive. But surprisingly little attention has been paid to the opposite idea: enhanced cognition could be an outcome of the invasion process, due to selection, filtering, spatial sorting or plasticity at one or more stages. In fact, little data exists at all on whether, when and how cognition changes throughout biological invasions. Firstly, cognitive changes may arise during the initial establishment. This hypothesis will be tested by comparing learning and cognitive flexibility between multiple invasive and source populations of the Italian wall lizard. Secondly, cognitive changes could occur during post-establishment spread, due to shifts in the trade-off between memory strength vs. flexibility in the actively spreading individuals at the invasion front. This second hypothesis will be investigated using front and core populations of the highly invasive cane toad in Australia. Finally, my project will try to shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive changes in invasive species, and explore the novel idea that adult neurogenesis plays a role therein. This project could not only advance our understanding of how invasive species become successful, but also aims to gain broader insights in how environmental challenges drive the evolution of animal cognition.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Müller Wendt
• Fellow: De Meester Gilles

Research team(s)

• Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology01/10/2026 - 30/09/2029

Funding

• FWO

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Cognition is often described as the ability of an animal to acquire, process and retain information, which will influence its decision-making. One important aspect of cognition is behavioural flexibility, the capacity of an individual to change its behaviour in response to novel problems or situations. Problem-solving and learning are key factors in behavioural flexibility. Complex environments are thought to select for behavioural flexibility, because they more frequently present animals with novel situations. In this project, my main research question is how behavioural flexibility influences survival and reproductive success in both simple and complex environments. The study will mainly take place on the island Naxos on the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). In the first part of the study, I will look at individual variation in behavioural flexibility in a large number of lizards, and how this relates to social behaviour (dominance) and exploratory behaviour. Behavioural flexibility will be tested using a neophobia/neophilia test, a problemsolving task and a reversal learning task. These lizards will then be released into enclosures built around either simple or complex habitats to follow their survival and reproductive success for two consecutive years. I will also test whether populations of Aegean wall lizards from different habitats, including urban environments, differ in behavioural flexibility.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Damme Raoul
• Fellow: De Meester Gilles

Research team(s)

• Functional Morphology01/10/2019 - 31/03/2022

Funding

• FWO

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Cognition is often described as the ability of an animal to acquire, process and retain information, which will influence its decision-making. One important aspect of cognition is behavioural flexibility, the capacity of an individual to change its behaviour in response to novel problems or situations. Problem-solving and learning are key factors in behavioural flexibility. Complex environments are thought to select for behavioural flexibility, because they more frequently present animals with novel situations. In this project, my main research question is how behavioural flexibility influences survival and reproductive success in both simple and complex environments. The study will mainly take place on the island Naxos on the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). In the first part of the study, I will look at individual variation in behavioural flexibility in a large number of lizards, and how this relates to social behaviour (dominance) and exploratory behaviour. Behavioural flexibility will be tested using a neophobia/neophilia test, a problemsolving task and a reversal learning task. These lizards will then be released into enclosures built around either simple or complex habitats to follow their survival and reproductive success for two consecutive years. I will also test whether populations of Aegean wall lizards from different habitats, including urban environments, differ in behavioural flexibility.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Damme Raoul
• Fellow: De Meester Gilles

Research team(s)

• Functional Morphology01/10/2017 - 30/09/2019

Funding

• FWO

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project