Head of Division
Prof. Dr. Michael Taborsky
Institut für Ökologie und Evolution
Telefon: +41 31 631 91 11
Telefax: +41 31 631 91 41
E-Mail: claudia.leiser@iee.unibe.ch
Ethologische Station Hasli
Wohlenstrasse 50a
CH-3032 Hinterkappelen

HIGHLIGHTS
PLOS BIOLOGY
The smell of hunger: Norway rats provision social partners based on odour cues of need
K. Schneeberger & M. Taborsky
Link
PDF-File
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
Sensory ecology and cognition in social decisions
Special feature edited by K. Schneeberger & M. Taborsky
Link
Link
SCIENCE ADVANCES Alternative male morphs solve sperm performance/longevity trade-off in opposite directions M. Taborsky, D. Schütz, O. Goffinet & G.S.van Doorn
PDF-File
Media release, University of Bern
CURRENT BIOLOGY
Reciprocal trading of different commodities in Norway rats. M.K. Schweinfurth & M. Taborsky

PDF File
Nature research highlight
Current Biology dispatch
PNAS - Divergence of developmental trajectories is triggered interactively by early social and ecological experience in a cooperative breeder. Fischer, Bohn, Oberhummer, Nyman & B. Taborsky
PDF File
commentary on Fischer et al
PNAS - Predation risk drives social complexity in cooperative breeders. Groenewoud, Frommen, Josi, Tanaka, Jungwirth & Taborsky
PDF File
The evolution of cooperation based on direct fitness benefits. Phil Trans theme issue compiled and edited by Taborsky M., Frommen JG & Riehl C. (2016)
PDF File
Link
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS Kinship reduces alloparental care in cooperative
cichlids where helpers pay-to-stay
Zoettl M., Heg D., Chervet N. & Taborsky M. (2013)
PDF File
Social competence: an evolutionary approach
Taborsky, B. & Oliveira, R.F.
PDF File
Larval helpers and age polyethism in ambrosia beetles
Biedermann P.H.W. & Taborsky M.
PDF File
Animal personality due to social niche specialisation
Bergmueller R. & Taborsky M.
PDF File
Environmental Change Enhances Cognitive Abilities in Fish
Kotrschal, A. & Taborsky, B.
PDF File
Extended phenotypes as signals
Franziska C. Schaedelin and Michael Taborsky
PDF File
On the Origin of Species by Natural
and Sexual Selection
G. Sander van Doorn, Pim Edelaar, Franz J. Weissing
PDF File
Cambridge University Press
Alternative Reproductive Tactics: An Integrative
Approach
Oliveira R., Taborsky M. & Brockmann H.J.
more information
The Evolution of Social Behaviour
Symposium, 1 - 3 July 2021, Bern, Switzerland
About the Symposium
The evolution of social behaviour has been a core research topic of Michael Taborsky throughout his scientific career. On occasion of his retirement we bring together leading experts in this field and many of Michael’s former PhD-students and postdocs, on the one hand to take stock of the subject and on the other hand to highlight the diversity of research themes former collaborators have meanwhile adopted.
Program
On the evening of the arrival day, Thursday 1 July 2021, Michael will submit his own view of the topic, which will be followed by a reception in town. On Friday 2 July the invited keynote speakers and former collaborators will present their research, with ample time and opportunity for discussion. In the evening we shall have a BBQ at the Hasli, which will provide possibilities to learn about current projects and to dip in the river Aare, weather allowing. On Saturday 3 July we shall move to the nearby mountains for a stimulating hike, lively discussions and staggering views.
Keynote Speakers
- Prof. Gerry Carter, Ohio State University, USA
- Prof. Jan Komdeur, University of Groningen, Netherlands
- Prof. Rui Oliveira, ISPA and Gulbekian Institute, Portugal
- Prof. Geoff Parker, University of Liverpool, UK
- Prof. Christina Riehl, Princeton University, USA
- Prof. Dustin Rubenstein, Columbia University, USA
Preliminary Program
Thursday, 1 July
18:00 | Michael Taborsky | The evolution of social behaviour |
19:30 | Reception | |
Friday, 2 July
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08:30-08:50 |
Coffee and Welcome Reception |
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08:50-09:00 |
Welcome address |
|
09:00-09:30 |
Cristina Riehl |
Cooperative and manipulative behaviors as alternative reproductive tactics: evolutionary dynamics and modes of selection |
09:30-10:00 |
Dustin Rubenstein |
Climate and Cooperative Breeding: From Individuals to Groups |
10:00-10:15 |
Ian Hamilton |
Conflict management and complexity |
10:15-10:30 |
Manon Schweinfurth |
Reciprocal help in non-human primates? |
10:30-10:45 |
Markus Zöttl |
Cooperative breeding in African mole-rats |
10:45:11:00 |
Frank Groenewoud |
To be confirmed |
11:00-11:30 |
Coffee Break |
|
11:30-12:00 |
Rui Oliveira |
Of fish and flies: using model organisms to uncover the mechanisms of sociality |
12:00-12:30 |
Gerry Carter |
Development of new cooperative relationships among non-kin vampire bats: from first encounters to social bonds |
12:30-14:00 |
Lunch Break |
|
14:00-14:30 |
Jan Komdeur |
Cooperation and parental senescence |
14:30-15:00 |
Geoff Parker |
The evolution of the two sexes |
15:00-15:15 |
Dolores Schütz |
Extreme and reversed sexual dimorphisms in spiders and fish |
15:05-15:30 |
Jo Frommen |
Same same, but different: Cooperative breeding in lamprologine cichlids |
15:30-15:45 |
Franziska Schaedelin |
Is learning performance in Neolamprologus pulcher influenced by early social experience with heterospecifics?" |
15:45-16:00 |
Peter Biedermann |
Evolutionary feedbacks between insect sociality and microbial management |
16:00-16:30 |
Coffee Break |
|
16:30-17:00 |
Mike Cant |
To be confirmed |
17:00-17:15 |
Arne Jungwirth |
Life history evolution in wolpertingers and cichlids |
17:15-17:30 |
Karin Schneeberger |
TBA |
17:30-17:45 |
Dik Heg |
TBA |
17:45-18:00 |
Nicole Bender |
The evolution of human nutrition |
18:00-18:15 |
Sabine Tebbich |
Behavioural changes in a recently established host parasite interaction |
18:15-18:30 |
Sacha Engelhardt |
TBA |
18:30-18:45 |
Barbara Taborsky |
Developmental plasticity of social behaviour |
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18:45-19:00 |
Concluding remarks |
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19:30 |
BBQ at the Hasli |
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Saturday, 3 July
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Mountain Excursion |
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Contact
For questions please contact the organizer Barbara Taborsky at barbara.taborsky@iee.unibe.ch