Dr Tanya Pennell

Interests:

I am interested in what influences adaptive evolution within populations, why genetic variation exists for traits, and how this affects biological processes. My research is focussed on sexual selection and intralocus conflict between different morphs (e.g. the sexes and social insect castes). Conflict arises when individuals have differing phenotypic optima but are constrained from evolving independently due to a shared genome.  I seem to have a penchant for insects, having worked on field crickets, fruit flies, paper wasps, sweat bees and flour beetles. I am currently working with Prof. David Hosken and Dr. MD Sharma on reserch themes including i) intralocus sexual conflict; ii) the impacts of condition on sexual and non-sexual traits; iii) the effects of heatwaves of male reproduction and consequences for females; and iv) how predation impacts sex-specific traits. The focus of my efforts is currently on flies and flour beetles. 

Broad research specialisms:

• Sexual conflict (intralocus and interlocus)
• Sexual selection
• Drosophila, flour beetles, bees
• Quantitative genetics
• Population genetics
• Social insects
• Caste conflict
• Evolution of fitness and behavioural traits

Qualifications:

2012-2016: PhD (Evolutionary Dynamics of Intralocus Sexual Conflict)
2008-2011: BSc (Hons) Conservation Biology and Ecology