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OVERVIEW
Why do some young individuals stay with their maternal group while others quickly establish themselves as independent? What are the causes and fitness consequences of this key difference in life-history strategy? This project will investigate these questions using free-ranging male fallow deer fawns as the model.
As in many species including humans, there is considerable variation in the age at which the young leave their mother. Why is this the case? What are the causes for this decision to leave or not? Further, the consequences for the development of the young, its future survival and reproductive success remains unclear. Fallow deer are an ideal model system in which to investigate these questions.
From birth young fallow deer go through several life-critical stages. While initially they are fully dependent on the mother for nutrition, fawns experience a gradual withdrawal of this maternal investment until fully weaned at about six months of age. The mothers decision regarding when and how much to restrict resources impacts on fawn growth influencing adult body size whilst also affecting the fawns over-winter survival.
Weaning also coincides with a change in the fawns behaviour; specifically, a decline in social contact with the mother and a broadening of social networks involving other fawns and adults. For males in particular, withdrawal of investment promotes dispersal from the female herd and integration into male-only bachelor groups containing older males.
This project investigates why some males disperse and others do not in a large free-ranging population of fallow deer. Specifically, whether males that disperse invest in more in growth prior to dispersal, whether dispersing males have a bolder personality style, and whether they have wider social networks (i.e. greater levels of socialisation) than males that remain in the maternal group.
Research Information
PhD Supervisors
Information on the research interests and activities of academics in Biological Sciences can be accessed via the School website and the Find a Supervisor facility.
Career Prospects
Introduction
Queen’s postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as the DegreePlus/Future Ready Award, bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. Career prospects in the biological sciences are exceptionally good. To some extent it depends on the specific topic, of course, but laboratory-based and especially quantitative skills and the proven innovation of a PhD or MPhil are highly sought after. Degrees are very much in demand, both in commercial science and public sector research and development (e.g. drug discovery and development, crop and animal improvements and welfare, sustainable agriculture and resource use, human nutrition and health, animal health, ecological management, food safety and technology, scientific communications, regulation, and many more fields).
Employment after the Course
Graduates have gone on to be professional research scientists, consultants, or hold technical and junior executive positions in commerce and government.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant subject from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.
International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
International students wishing to apply to Queen’s University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen’s University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
Find a supervisor
If you’re interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.
To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.
You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.
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