Dr. Ann Hedrick

My research program focuses on the evolution of behavior, particularly the evolution of mating behavior, antipredator behavior, and boldness. I am especially interested in the interplay between sexual selection and natural selection. My research falls into four general areas of inquiry: (1) Studies of individual variation in mating preferences, (2) Investigating links between mating behavior and anti-predator behavior, (3) Measuring correlations between different behavioral traits, and (4)Studies of animal personality. For this work, I am using the field cricket, Gryllus integer. In this species, males call to attract females using a rapid trill, and females generally prefer males with longer durations of uninterrupted trilling to those with shorter durations. Call duration is a heritable trait. I am now investigating causes for differences in mating selectivity among females, mating behavior and anti-predator behavior in populations that differ in predation, correlations among functionally different behavioral traits ("behavioral syndromes"), and animal personalities. My work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Academy of Finland.

Mate choice and sexual selection; antipredator behavior; genetic basis for individual differences in behavior; correlations among functionally different behavioral traits; animal personality.

• Behavior Ecology and Sociobiology

Animal behavior.