Research has shown that in a variety of species an animals social environment can affect their ability to survive and reproduce. However, why and how sociality and the social environment effects fitness remains unclear. I use a variety of techniques but particularly social network analysis to understand the relationship between social structure and fitness in animal systems.
Key papers:
Ellis S, Franks DW, Nattrass S, et al (2017) Mortality risk and social network position in resident killer whales: sex differences and the importance of resource abundance. Proc R Soc B 284:20171313.
Ellis S, Snyder-Mackler N, Ruiz-Lambides A, et al (2019) Deconstructing sociality : the types of social connections that predict longevity in a group-living primate. Proc R Soc B 286:1–10.
Photo credit: Center for Whale Research
Key papers:
Ellis S, Franks DW, Nattrass S, et al (2017) Mortality risk and social network position in resident killer whales: sex differences and the importance of resource abundance. Proc R Soc B 284:20171313.
Ellis S, Snyder-Mackler N, Ruiz-Lambides A, et al (2019) Deconstructing sociality : the types of social connections that predict longevity in a group-living primate. Proc R Soc B 286:1–10.
Photo credit: Center for Whale Research