In the Department of Animal Ecology we study the ecological causes to and evolutionary consequences of variation among and within species in terms of behaviour, morphology and life-history. In particular, we focus on the following subsets of evolutionary ecology: life-history evolution, sexual selection and speciation. We are most interested in trying to find the interface between these areas, for example, the connection between life-history decisions and sexual selection, and the role of sexual selection in the speciation process. In that way we hope to get a synthesis and a deeper understanding of the evolutionary process. We also believe that a firm understanding of the evolutionary process help us to understand the need for conservation and biodiversity. Therefore, conservation issues spring naturally from the study of the ecological factors underlying evolutionary processes.

To solve the scientific problems we are using a wide variety of methods:

■detailed behavioural studies in natural populations
■experiments in the lab and in the field
■molecular studies of paternity and populationdifferences
■mathematical modelling and computer simulations

Our aim is to solve general evolutionary problems. Therefore, we are choosing the most appropriate organisms that can help us to solve these problems.

Currently, we study:

■birds (flycatchers, finches)
■insects (bean weavils, beetles, Drosophila, mosquitoes)
■fish (pipefish, cyprinids, perch, cichlids)
■other invertebrates (marine invertebrates, Daphnia)

The organism is not the main issue – it is the evolutionary question!