Do fish cooperate to inspect predators?

合作是生命的基本过程，从细菌的相互作用到人类国家。合作可以有多种形式，包括觅食、繁殖和防御。在后一种情况下，被捕食动物检查捕食者是合作的一个显著例子。总是逃跑是要付出代价的。因此，被捕食的动物应该检查潜在的捕食者，以确定他们是否构成威胁。捕食者的检查虽然有益，但本质上是有风险的。通过与同伴合作接近，如果捕食者发起攻击，视察员可以降低自己被捕获的风险。这在鱼类身上得到了很好的研究。离捕食者最近的鱼比跟在后面的同伴被捕获的风险更高。由于成本可能是不平等的，鱼类需要确保合作，只有当它们的伴侣留在它们身边时，它们才会继续靠近。由于这些早期的研究，对鱼类捕食者的检查被视为互惠合作的教科书范例。然而，这些研究引起了很多批评。有人认为，明显的合作捕食者检查可以用自私行为来解释，即伴侣平衡对捕食者的取向和对同伴的社会吸引力。批评人士认为，看似合作的东西只是互惠共生的副产品，是在危险面前浅滩行动的附带效果。幸运的是，最近的创新产生了新的实验和统计方法，可能会解决这个持续了30年的争论。首先，为了区分互惠和互惠，候选人将量化单独和成对鱼在接近真正的捕食者、非掠食性刺激和控制时的运动。统计模型将使信息流得以推断，对彼此运动的社会影响得以量化。偶然的运动和引线转换预计成对呈现与捕食者，如果合作正在发生。其次，将结合高分辨率运动跟踪开发动画计算机控制模型，以呈现合作或背叛伙伴的鱼，以识别合作检查中的偶然投资，这是互惠的基础。在进行这两个部分时，将比较来自有捕食者和没有捕食者种群的鱼，以及实验室培育的F1后代，使候选人能够量化遗传和经验的影响。这个项目将阐明一个重要的悖论：为什么个体要合作。尽管几十年来一直在研究合作存在的原因，但我们仍然不了解合作的广泛发生和稳定合作的机制，其中一个解决方案可能是互惠。证明鱼类的互惠性将挑战互惠性仅限于人类的普遍观点。请列出任何商定的培训要求：无具体要求。候选人将通过大学的研究生技能课程和选择适当的EastBio课程接受标准培训。这将包括但不限于统计培训，项目管理和提供有效的演讲。候选人已经接受过鱼类福利、处理和批准的S1K技术方面的培训。该候选人有望（并且已经开始）向本科生展示和辅导，并将得到持续的培训和支持。我们将鼓励候选人参加相关或可转移的外部课程和项目。这些可能包括定量技能、规划或外展等方面的讲习班。

Cooperation is a fundamental process of life, ranging from bacterial interactions to human nations. Cooperation can take various forms, including foraging, reproduction and defence. In the latter, inspection of predators by prey animals presents a striking example of cooperation. Always fleeing can be costly. Hence, prey animals should inspect potential predators to determine whether they pose a threat. While beneficial, predator inspection is inherently risky. By cooperatively approaching with a companion, inspectors can dilute their individual risk of capture, should the predator attack.This has been well studied in fishes. The fish closest to the predator is at higher risk of capture than their trailing partner. Since the costs can be unequal, fish need to ensure cooperation by only continuing their approach if their partner remains alongside them. Because of those early studies, predator inspection in fish had been presented as a textbook example of reciprocal cooperation. However, those studies have attracted much criticism. It has been argued that apparent cooperative predator inspections can be explained by selfish behaviour, i.e. partners balancing orientation towards the predator and social attraction to their companion. What looks like cooperation, critics suggest, is just by-product mutualism, an incidental effect of shoaling in presence of danger.Fortunately, recent innovations have produced novel experimental and statistical methods that might resolve this 30-year-old debate. First, to distinguish between reciprocity and mutualism the candidate will quantify the movement of lone fish and pairs when approaching real predators, non-predatory stimuli and a control. Statistical models will allow information flow to be inferred and social effects on one another's movement to be quantified. Contingent movements and lead switching are expected in pairs presented with predators, if cooperation is occurring. Second, animated computer-controlled model conspecifics will be developed in conjunction with high-resolution motion tracking to present fish with cooperating or defecting partners to identify contingent investment in cooperative inspection, the basis of reciprocity. In carrying out both parts, fish from populations with and without predators, and laboratory bred F1 offspring will be compared, allowing the candidate to quantify the influence of genetics and experience.This project will elucidate an important paradox: why individuals cooperate. Although research has been conducted over decades to explain why cooperation exists, we still do not understand its widespread occurrence and mechanisms enabling stable cooperation, of which one solution might be reciprocity. Demonstrating reciprocity in fish will challenge the widespread belief that reciprocity is limited to humans.Please list any agreed training requirements:Nothing specific. The candidate will receive standard training through the University's grad skills programme and through selection of appropriate EastBio courses. This will cover but is not limited to statistical training, project management and delivering effective presentations. The candidate has already been trained in fish welfare, handling and approved S1K techniques. The candidate is expected to (and has already commenced) demonstrating to and tutoring undergraduates and will receive ongoing training and support. The candidate will be encouraged to take part in external courses and programmes that are relevant or transferrable as these arise. These may include workshops in quantitative skills, programming or outreach for example.