Behavioral Ecology conferences

The conference brings together empirical and theoretical research applying evolutionary explanations to behaviour. It spans behavioural ecology, comparative and developmental psychology, ethology, anthropology, cultural evolution and archaeology, with contributions from other relevant social and biological sciences. The programme encourages interdisciplinary work on the relationships among biology, social environments, culture and human behaviour.

The meeting examines social behaviour in ants, bees, wasps and termites through comparative and functional genomics. Topics include caste determination, division of labour, plasticity, learning, physiology and immunity, with particular sessions on microbiomes and immune processes. The organizer offers a paid virtual-attendance package; presenting an abstract normally requires attendance in person.

Investigate how the human capacity to understand and create complex sequences in language, memory, music, dance and narrative relates to behavioural sequencing in other animals. The meeting uses ecological demands on animal behaviour to explore the evolution of these abilities and fundamental questions in comparative cognitive science. This Theo Murphy meeting is intended for researchers in relevant fields and takes place in person. Attendance is free but requires an invitation: applicants state their expertise and reasons for attending, and organisers review requests on a rolling basis. Catering and accommodation are separate. Registered participants are invited to submit posters; submissions within one month of the event may miss the programme booklet.

The meeting studies animal movement from individual cognition and decision-making through social coordination, populations and evolutionary change. It examines responses to extreme conditions, the effects of movement on species interactions and disease, and connections with conservation, land use and infrastructure. New tracking technologies, multiple sensor streams, onboard processing, near-real-time observations and AI-based analyses will be discussed as ways to connect mechanisms with environmental change. Animals are considered both study subjects and indicators of changing habitats. Attendance applications are reviewed and capacity may fill before the application deadline.

The meeting examines the neural mechanisms that produce behaviour in natural settings and how those mechanisms evolved. It connects comparative neuroscience with behavioural ecology through molecular specialization, electrophysiology, synaptic and modulatory mechanisms, neural population dynamics and causal circuit experiments. Participants will assess how new methods for tracking behaviour and recording freely moving animals can strengthen mechanistic explanations across species and guide future collaborative research. Attendance requires a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering, or an accepted equivalent. Applications are subject to selection and available capacity.