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Synopsis

Competing for a mate is one thing—but what happens to the loser? In bulb mites, males come in two forms: fighters, who battle rivals for access to females, and scramblers, who mate opportunistically without engaging in combat. But what if a female never witnesses the fight? Can she still recognize a male as a winner or loser? This project explores whether females can detect and respond to male quality based on cues other than direct observation of the fight.

Aims

This project will investigate whether females can distinguish between winning and losing males without witnessing the outcome of their battles.

Student benefits

• Design and carry out experiments 
• Gain hands-on experience with lab techniques 
• Collect, manage, and analyse real research data 
• Apply advanced statistical methods to test hypotheses 
• Communicate science effectively through writing and presentations 
• Collaborate with a research team in a dynamic environment 
• Write a scientific paper that contributes to the field