Melissa Collier

Georgetown University | GU · Department of Biology

High population density should drive individuals to more frequently share space and interact, producing better-connected spatial and social networks. Despite this widely-held assumption, it remains unconfirmed how local density generally drives individuals' positions within wild animal networks. We analysed 34 datasets of simultaneous spatial and s...

The social brain hypothesis posits that species with larger brains tend to have greater social complexity. Various lines of empirical evidence have supported the social brain hypothesis, including evidence from the structure of social networks. Cooperation is a key component of group living, particularly among primates, and theoretical research has...

Habitat edge effects can have profound impacts on biodiversity throughout terrestrial and aquatic biomes. Yet, few studies have examined how habitat edge effects impact the spatial patterning of sediment properties and microbial communities, especially in coastal ecosystems. Coastal salt marshes throughout the world are being transformed by sea lev...

Dolphin morbillivirus has caused mass mortalities in dolphin populations globally. Given their role as ecosystem sentinels, mass mortalities among these populations can be detrimental. Morbillivirus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and occurs when dolphins breathe synchronously, a variable social behavior. To assess the role of variable...

Barnacles can reveal much about the physiology, health, and spatial ecology of their cetacean hosts. Here, we examine how temperature and hydrodynamic factors impact presence of Xenobalanus globicipitis, a pseudo-stalked barnacle that attaches exclusively to cetaceans. We hypothesized that temperature is a key environmental factor (i.e., water temp...

The social brain hypothesis states that the relative size of the neocortex is larger for species with higher social complexity as a result of evolution. Various lines of empirical evidence have supported the social brain hypothesis, including evidence from the structure of social networks. Social complexity may itself positively impact cooperation...

Pathogen traits can vary greatly and heavily impact the ability of a pathogen to persist in a population. Although this variation is fundamental to disease ecology, little is known about the evolutionary pressures that drive these differences, particularly where they interact with host behaviour. We hypothesized that host behaviours relevant to dif...

Pathogen traits can vary greatly and impact the ability of a pathogen to persist in a population. Although this variation is fundamental to disease ecology, little is known about the evolutionary pressures that drive these differences, particularly where they interact with host behavior. We hypothesized that host behaviors relevant to different tra...

Humans have been altering wildlife habitatsHabitat and wildlife behavior worldwide at an accelerated pace in recent decades. While it is well-understood how human-induced behavioral changes affect infectious disease risk in terrestrial wildlife, less is known in marine life. Here we examine this link in marine mammalMarine mammals populations by (1...

Humans have been altering wildlife habitats and wildlife behavior worldwide at an accelerated pace in recent decades. While it is well-understood how human-induced behavioral changes affect infectious disease risk in terrestrial wildlife, less is known in marine life. Here we examine this link in marine mammal populations by (1) conducting a system...