Research Interests (major projects)
I am fascinated by the intersection of behavior, ecology, and evolution, particularly the active role that behavior can play in both evolutionary and ecological dynamics. My research explores (1) how and why organisms behaviorally shape both their physical and social environments in ways that increase social complexity and (2) why such social complexity ultimately feeds back with strong natural selection pressures for specialized adaptations. I address these questions with field and laboratory experiments, theoretical modeling and computer simulations, and comparative studies spanning invertebrates to humans. |
Selected Publications (full publication list)
Laidre, M.E. 2014. The social lives of hermits. Natural History 122: 24-29. [LINK]
(Cover of June 2014 issue)
Laidre, M.E. 2013. Eavesdropping foragers use level of collective commotion as public information to target high quality patches. Oikos 122: 1505-1511.
Laidre, M.E. & R.A. Johnstone. 2013. Animal signals: a primer. Current Biology 23: R829-R833.
Laidre, M.E., A. Lamb, S. Shultz & M. Olsen. 2013. Making sense of information in noisy networks: human communication, gossip, and distortion. Journal of Theoretical Biology 317: 152-160.
Laidre, M.E. 2012. Niche construction drives social dependence in hermit crabs. Current Biology 22: R861- R863.
Laidre, M.E., E. Patten & L. Pruitt. 2012. Costs of a more spacious home after remodelling by hermit crabs. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9: 3574-3577.
Laidre, M.E. 2011. Meaningful gesture in monkeys? Investigating whether mandrills create social culture. PLoS ONE 6: e14610.
Laidre, M.E. 2010. How rugged individualists enable one another to find food and shelter: field experiments with tropical hermit crabs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 277: 1361-1369.
Laidre, M.E. 2009. How often do animals lie about their intentions? An experimental test. The American Naturalist 173: 337-346.
Laidre, M.E. 2009. Informative breath: olfactory cues sought during social foraging among old world monkeys (Mandrillus sphinx, M. leucophaeus, and Papio anubis). Journal of Comparative Psychology 123: 34-44.
Couzin, I.D. & M.E. Laidre. 2009. Fission-fusion populations. Current Biology 19: R633-635.
Laidre, M.E. 2008. Spontaneous performance of wild baboons on three novel food-access puzzles. Animal Cognition 11: 223-230.
Laidre, M.E. & S.L. Vehrencamp. 2008. Is bird song a reliable signal of aggressive intent? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62: 1207-1211.
Laidre, M.E. 2007. Vulnerability and reliable signaling in conflicts between hermit crabs. Behavioral Ecology 18: 736-741.
Laidre, M.E. 2014. The social lives of hermits. Natural History 122: 24-29. [LINK]
(Cover of June 2014 issue)
Laidre, M.E. 2013. Eavesdropping foragers use level of collective commotion as public information to target high quality patches. Oikos 122: 1505-1511.
Laidre, M.E. & R.A. Johnstone. 2013. Animal signals: a primer. Current Biology 23: R829-R833.
Laidre, M.E., A. Lamb, S. Shultz & M. Olsen. 2013. Making sense of information in noisy networks: human communication, gossip, and distortion. Journal of Theoretical Biology 317: 152-160.
Laidre, M.E. 2012. Niche construction drives social dependence in hermit crabs. Current Biology 22: R861- R863.
Laidre, M.E., E. Patten & L. Pruitt. 2012. Costs of a more spacious home after remodelling by hermit crabs. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9: 3574-3577.
Laidre, M.E. 2011. Meaningful gesture in monkeys? Investigating whether mandrills create social culture. PLoS ONE 6: e14610.
Laidre, M.E. 2010. How rugged individualists enable one another to find food and shelter: field experiments with tropical hermit crabs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 277: 1361-1369.
Laidre, M.E. 2009. How often do animals lie about their intentions? An experimental test. The American Naturalist 173: 337-346.
Laidre, M.E. 2009. Informative breath: olfactory cues sought during social foraging among old world monkeys (Mandrillus sphinx, M. leucophaeus, and Papio anubis). Journal of Comparative Psychology 123: 34-44.
Couzin, I.D. & M.E. Laidre. 2009. Fission-fusion populations. Current Biology 19: R633-635.
Laidre, M.E. 2008. Spontaneous performance of wild baboons on three novel food-access puzzles. Animal Cognition 11: 223-230.
Laidre, M.E. & S.L. Vehrencamp. 2008. Is bird song a reliable signal of aggressive intent? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62: 1207-1211.
Laidre, M.E. 2007. Vulnerability and reliable signaling in conflicts between hermit crabs. Behavioral Ecology 18: 736-741.
© Mark Laidre 2014