On the benefit of a pure cost for the evolution of cooperative behavior (by Mohammad Salahshour) + The physiology of fear: predator-induced stress and human shields (by Laura LaBarge)

On the benefit of a pure cost for the evolution of cooperative behavior (by Mohammad Salahshour)

Although beneficial for the groups, cooperation is costly for individuals and subject to free-riding. How then has evolution given rise to a high level of cooperation between individuals in populations, from bacteria to humans? In this seminar, I will discuss how the density-dependent selection of a costly trait can give rise to cooperative behavior and underlie apparently unrelated phenomena, from the evolution of costly signals and the evolution of consistent cooperative personalities to the evolution of moral norms and the effectiveness of costly institutions.

The physiology of fear: predator-induced stress and human shields (by Laura LaBarge)

Environmental challenges are often associated with physiological changes in wildlife that allow animals to maintain homeostasis. Among these, scarcity in resources, and risks from predators, competitors, and humans can all result in psychological and physiological stress. Yet, for habituated species, it is not clear whether this relationship with humans still holds to a lesser degree or is outweighed by the benefits of human presence – such as serving as a buffer from competitors or predators. In this talk, I will discuss my work on the physiological consequences of the "human-shield effect" and how human presence can modulate predator-induced stress in a group of wild samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa.