Dr Hazel Nichols

Associate Professor

Biosciences

h.j.nichols@swansea.ac.uk

Academic Office - 202A
Second Floor
Wallace Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4455-6065

Google Scholar

About

My research uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate how animal societies evolve, combining observational data with genetic, ecological and biochemical data. In particular, my work has focused on four interconnecting themes relating to the evolution of animal societies 1) exploring the evolution of cooperation 2) understanding the importance of inbreeding and inbreeding avoidance in cooperative species 3) investigating the role of scent communication in cooperation and breeding decisions, and 4) understanding the genetic structure of mammalian societies. I am achieving this via Fellowships from the Leverhulme Trust and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, working with colleagues at Bielefeld University, University of Pretoria and University of Cambridge.

I am also interested in applying genetic techniques to conservation, for example, I am working on 1) genetic diversity in species reintroductions, 2) understanding landscape use and consequences for genetic diversity and 3) understanding impacts of climate change on animal societies.

Personal website: https://hazelnichols.weebly.com/

Areas Of Expertise

Zoology
Behavioural ecology
Molecular ecology
Population genetics
Conservation genetics
Mammals
Social behaviour

Publications

Research Highlights

Arbon, J., Morris-Drake, A., Kern, J., Howell, G., Wentzel, J., Radford, A., & Nichols, H. (2024). Life-history and genetic relationships in cooperatively breeding dwarf mongoose groups. Royal Society Open Science, 11(10), 241125
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241125, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67714
Nichols, H. (n.d.) Volatile odours reflect breeding status but not social group membership in captive Damaraland mole-rats. Animal Behaviour
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67713
Birch, G., Nichols, H., Mwanguhya, F., Thompson, F., Cant, M., & Blount, J. (2024). Lifetime trajectories of male mating effort under reproductive conflict in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291(2031)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1499, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67712
Birch, G., Meniri, M., Mitchell, C., Mwanguhya, F., Businge, R., Ahabyona, S., Nichols, H., Cant, M., & Blount, J. (2024). Variation in Lipid Peroxidation in the Ejaculates of Wild Banded Mongooses (Mungos mungo): A Test of the Oxidative Shielding Hypothesis. Antioxidants, 13(9), 1124
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13091124, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67711
McCormack, J., Arbuckle, K., Fullard, K., Amos, W., & Nichols, H. (2023). Lack of intergenerational reproductive conflict, rather than lack of inclusive fitness benefits, explains absence of post-reproductive lifespan in long-finned pilot whales. Behavioral Ecology, 34(6), 950-959.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad062, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64196
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad062

All Research

Journal Articles

Arbon, J., Morris-Drake, A., Kern, J., Howell, G., Wentzel, J., Radford, A., & Nichols, H. (2024). Life-history and genetic relationships in cooperatively breeding dwarf mongoose groups. Royal Society Open Science, 11(10), 241125
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241125, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67714
Birch, G., Nichols, H., Mwanguhya, F., Thompson, F., Cant, M., & Blount, J. (2024). Lifetime trajectories of male mating effort under reproductive conflict in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291(2031)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1499, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67712
Birch, G., Meniri, M., Mitchell, C., Mwanguhya, F., Businge, R., Ahabyona, S., Nichols, H., Cant, M., & Blount, J. (2024). Variation in Lipid Peroxidation in the Ejaculates of Wild Banded Mongooses (Mungos mungo): A Test of the Oxidative Shielding Hypothesis. Antioxidants, 13(9), 1124
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13091124, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67711
Khera, M., Arbuckle, K., Mwanguhya, F., Kyabulima, S., Mwesige, K., Businge, R., Blount, J., Cant, M., & Nichols, H. (2023). Small increases in ambient temperature reduce offspring body mass in an equatorial mammal. Biology Letters, 19(11)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0328, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65082
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0328
McCormack, J., Arbuckle, K., Fullard, K., Amos, W., & Nichols, H. (2023). Lack of intergenerational reproductive conflict, rather than lack of inclusive fitness benefits, explains absence of post-reproductive lifespan in long-finned pilot whales. Behavioral Ecology, 34(6), 950-959.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad062, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64196
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arad062
Vitikainen, E., Meniri, M., Marshall, H., Thompson, F., Businge, R., Mwanguhya, F., Kyabulima, S., Mwesige, K., Ahabonya, S., Sanderson, J., Kalema-Zikusoka, G., Hoffman, J., Wells, D., Lewis, G., Walker, S., Nichols, H., Blount, J., & Cant, M. (2023). The social formation of fitness: lifetime consequences of prenatal nutrition and postnatal care in a wild mammal population. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 378(1883)
https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0309, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63715
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0309
Ellis, S., Johnstone, R., Cant, M., Franks, D., Weiss, M., Alberts, S., Balcomb, K., Benton, C., Brent, L., Crockford, C., Davidian, E., Delahay, R., Ellifrit, D., Höner, O., Meniri, M., McDonald, R., Nichols, H., Thompson, F., Vigilant, L...., & Croft, D. (2022). Patterns and consequences of age-linked change in local relatedness in animal societies. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 6(11), 1766-1776.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01872-2, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60776
Nichols, H., Fuchs, B., Paijmans, A., Lewis, G., Bonin, C., Goebel, M., & Hoffman, J. (2022). Where are the beachmasters? Unexpectedly weak polygyny among southern elephant seals on a South Shetland Island. Journal of Zoology, 316(2), 104-117.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12936, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa58796
Nichols, H. & Arbuckle, K. (2022). A case of cooperative breeding in the European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. Ecology and Evolution, 12(2)
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8318, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59191
Meniri, M., Evans, E., Thompson, F., Marshall, H., Nichols, H., Lewis, G., Holt, L., Davey, E., Mitchell, C., Johnstone, R., Cant, M., & Blount, J. (2022). Untangling the oxidative cost of reproduction: An analysis in wild banded mongooses. Ecology and Evolution, 12(3), e8644
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8644, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59563
Khera, M., Arbuckle, K., Hoffman, J., Sanderson, J., Cant, M., & Nichols, H. (2021). Cooperatively breeding banded mongooses do not avoid inbreeding through familiarity-based kin recognition. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 75(9)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-021-03076-3, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57835
Nichols, H., Arbuckle, K., Sanderson, J., Vitikainen, E., Marshall, H., Thompson, F., Cant, M., & Wells, D. (2021). A double pedigree reveals genetic but not cultural inheritance of cooperative personalities in wild banded mongooses. Ecology Letters, 24(9), 1966-1975.
https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13833, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa56999
Marshall, H., Johnstone, R., Thompson, F., Nichols, H., Wells, D., Hoffman, J., Kalema-Zikusoka, G., Sanderson, J., Vitikainen, E., Blount, J., & Cant, M. (2021). A veil of ignorance can promote fairness in a mammal society. Nature Communications, 12(1), 3717
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23910-6, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa56998
Winternitz, J., Schubert, N., & Nichols, H. (2021). Let’s keep alternative hypotheses on the table: a response to comments on Schubert et al.. Behavioral Ecology, 32(3), 378-379.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arab039, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57079
Schubert, N., Nichols, H., & Winternitz, J. (2021). How can the MHC mediate social odor via the microbiota community? A deep dive into mechanisms. Behavioral Ecology, 32(3), 359-373.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arab004, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55992
Zecherle, L., Nichols, H., Bar‐David, S., Brown, R., Hipperson, H., Horsburgh, G., & Templeton, A. (2021). Subspecies hybridization as a potential conservation tool in species reintroductions. Evolutionary Applications, 14(5), 1216-1224.
https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13191, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55968
Wells, D., Cant, M., Thompson, F., Marshall, H., Vitikainen, E., Hoffman, J., & Nichols, H. (2021). Extra-group paternity varies with proxies of relatedness in a social mammal with high inbreeding risk. Behavioral Ecology, 32(1), 94-104.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa105, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55169
Zecherle, L., Bar-David, S., Nichols, H., Templeton, A., Hipperson, H., Horsburgh, G., & Brown, R. (2020). Landscape resistance affects individual habitat selection but not genetic relatedness in a reintroduced desert ungulate. Biological Conservation, 252, 108845
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108845, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55299
Wells, D., Cant, M., Hoffman, J., & Nichols, H. (2020). Inbreeding depresses altruism in a cooperative society. Ecology Letters, 23(10), 1460-1467.
https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13578, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54512
Nichols, H., Arbuckle, K., Fullard, K., & Amos, W. (2020). Why don’t long-finned pilot whales have a widespread postreproductive lifespan? Insights from genetic data. Behavioral Ecology, 31(2), 508-518.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz211, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa52952
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz211
Stoffel, M., Acevedo‐Whitehouse, K., Morales‐Durán, N., Grosser, S., Chakarov, N., Krüger, O., Nichols, H., Elorriaga‐Verplancken, F., & Hoffman, J. (2020). Early sexual dimorphism in the developing gut microbiome of northern elephant seals. Molecular Ecology
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15385, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa53584
Stoffel, M., Humble, E., Paijmans, A., Acevedo-Whitehouse, K., Chilvers, B., Dickerson, B., Galimberti, F., Gemmell, N., Goldsworthy, S., Nichols, H., Krüger, O., Negro, S., Osborne, A., Pastor, T., Robertson, B., Sanvito, S., Schultz, J., Shafer, A., Wolf, J., & Hoffman, J. (2018). Demographic histories and genetic diversity across pinnipeds are shaped by human exploitation, ecology and life-history. Nature Communications, 9(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06695-z, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44753
Ottensmann, M., Stoffel, M., Nichols, H., & Hoffman, J. (2018). GCalignR: An R package for aligning gas-chromatography data for ecological and evolutionary studies. PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198311
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198311, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44679
Sheppard, C., Marshall, H., Inger, R., Thompson, F., Vitikainen, E., Barker, S., Nichols, H., Wells, D., McDonald, R., & Cant, M. (2018). Decoupling of Genetic and Cultural Inheritance in a Wild Mammal. Current Biology, 28(11), 1846-1850.e2.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44680
Wells, D., Cant, M., Nichols, H., & Hoffman, J. (2018). A high-quality pedigree and genetic markers both reveal inbreeding depression for quality but not survival in a cooperative mammal. Molecular Ecology, 27(9), 2271-2288.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14570, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44683
Mitchell, J., Kyabulima, S., Businge, R., Cant, M., Nichols, H., & Nichols, H. (2018). Kin discrimination via odour in the cooperatively breeding banded mongoose. Royal Society Open Science, 5(3), 171798
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171798, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44684
Mitchell, J., Cant, M., Nichols, H., & Nichols, H. (2017). Pregnancy is detected via odour in a wild cooperative breeder. Biology Letters, 13(11), 20170441
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2017.0441, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44685
Nichols, H. (2017). The causes and consequences of inbreeding avoidance and tolerance in cooperatively breeding vertebrates. Journal of Zoology, 303(1), 1-14.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12466, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44722
Thompson, F., Cant, M., Marshall, H., Vitikainen, E., Sanderson, J., Nichols, H., Gilchrist, J., Bell, M., Young, A., Hodge, S., & Johnstone, R. (2017). Explaining negative kin discrimination in a cooperative mammal society. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(20), 5207-5212.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1612235114, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44724
http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/6551/
Vitikainen, E., Marshall, H., Thompson, F., Sanderson, J., Bell, M., Gilchrist, J., Hodge, S., Nichols, H., & Cant, M. (2017). Biased escorts: offspring sex, not relatedness explains alloparental care patterns in a cooperative breeder. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1854), 20162384
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2384, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44688
Mitchell, J., Vitikainen, E., Wells, D., Cant, M., Nichols, H., & Nichols, H. (2017). Heterozygosity but not inbreeding coefficient predicts parasite burdens in the banded mongoose. Journal of Zoology, 302(1), 32-39.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12424, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44689
Marshall, H., Vitikainen, E., Mwanguhya, F., Businge, R., Kyabulima, S., Hares, M., Inzani, E., Kalema-Zikusoka, G., Mwesige, K., Nichols, H., Sanderson, J., Thompson, F., & Cant, M. (2017). Lifetime fitness consequences of early-life ecological hardship in a wild mammal population. Ecology and Evolution, 7(6), 1712-1724.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2747, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44725
Mitchell, J., Cant, M., Vitikainen, E., & Nichols, H. (2017). Smelling fit: scent marking exposes parasitic infection status in the banded mongoose. Current Zoology, 63(3), 237-247.
https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zox003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44687
Stoffel, M., Esser, M., Kardos, M., Humble, E., Nichols, H., David, P., & Hoffman, J. (2016). inbreedR: anRpackage for the analysis of inbreeding based on genetic markers. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 7(11), 1331-1339.
https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12588, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44726
Vitikainen, E., Cant, M., Sanderson, J., Mitchell, C., Nichols, H., Marshall, H., Thompson, F., Gilchrist, J., Hodge, S., Johnstone, R., & Blount, J. (2016). Evidence of Oxidative Shielding of Offspring in a Wild Mammal. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 4
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2016.00058, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44727
Amos, W., Nichols, H., Churchyard, T., Brooke, M., & Nichols, H. (2016). Rat eradication comes within a whisker! A case study of a failed project from the South Pacific. Royal Society Open Science, 3(4), 160110
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160110, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44728
Thompson, F., Marshall, H., Sanderson, J., Vitikainen, E., Nichols, H., Gilchrist, J., Young, A., Hodge, S., & Cant, M. (2016). Reproductive competition triggers mass eviction in cooperative banded mongooses. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1826), 20152607
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2607, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44729
Nichols, H., Zecherle, L., Arbuckle, K., Arbuckle, K., & Nichols, H. (2016). Patterns of philopatry and longevity contribute to the evolution of post-reproductive lifespan in mammals. Biology Letters, 12(2), 20150992
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0992, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44730
Inzani, E., Marshall, H., Sanderson, J., Nichols, H., Thompson, F., Kalema-Zikusoka, G., Hodge, S., Cant, M., & Vitikainen, E. (2016). Female reproductive competition explains variation in prenatal investment in wild banded mongooses. Scientific Reports, 6(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep20013, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44731
Nichols, H., Cant, M., & Sanderson, J. (2015). Adjustment of costly extra-group paternity according to inbreeding risk in a cooperative mammal. Behavioral Ecology, 26(6), 1486-1494.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arv095, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44734
Sanderson, J., Nichols, H., Marshall, H., Vitikainen, E., Thompson, F., Walker, S., Cant, M., Young, A., & Nichols, H. (2015). Elevated glucocorticoid concentrations during gestation predict reduced reproductive success in subordinate female banded mongooses. Biology Letters, 11(10), 20150620
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0620, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44733
Sanderson, J., Wang, J., Vitikainen, E., Cant, M., & Nichols, H. (2015). Banded mongooses avoid inbreeding when mating with members of the same natal group. Molecular Ecology, 24(14), 3738-3751.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13253, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44735
Slight, D., Nichols, H., & Arbuckle, K. (2015). Are mixed diets beneficial for the welfare of captive axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum)? Effects of feeding regimes on growth and behavior. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 10(2), 185-190.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2014.09.004, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44736
Nichols, H., Cant, M., Hoffman, J., Sanderson, J., & Nichols, H. (2014). Evidence for frequent incest in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Biology Letters, 10(12), 20140898-20140898.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0898, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44738
Nichols, H., Fullard, K., & Amos, W. (2014). Costly sons do not lead to adaptive sex ratio adjustment in pilot whales, Globicephala melas. Animal Behaviour, 88, 203-209.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.12.015, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44739
Cant, M., Nichols, H., Johnstone, R., & Hodge, S. (2014). Policing of reproduction by hidden threats in a cooperative mammal. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(1), 326-330.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1312626111, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44740
Nichols, H., Jordan, N., Jamie, G., Cant, M., & Hoffman, J. (2012). Fine-scale spatiotemporal patterns of genetic variation reflect budding dispersal coupled with strong natal philopatry in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Molecular Ecology, 21(21), 5348-5362.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12015, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44745
Nichols, H., Amos, W., Bell, M., Mwanguhya, F., Kyabulima, S., & Cant, M. (2012). Food availability shapes patterns of helping effort in a cooperative mongoose. Animal Behaviour, 83(6), 1377-1385.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.03.005, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44746
Nichols, H., Bell, M., Hodge, S., Cant, M., & Nichols, H. (2012). Resource limitation moderates the adaptive suppression of subordinate breeding in a cooperatively breeding mongoose. Behavioral Ecology, 23(3), 635-642.
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ars008, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44747
Bell, M., Nichols, H., Gilchrist, J., Cant, M., Hodge, S., & Nichols, H. (2012). The cost of dominance: suppressing subordinate reproduction affects the reproductive success of dominant female banded mongooses. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 279(1728), 619-624.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.1093, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44750
Hoffman, J. & Nichols, H. (2011). A Novel Approach for Mining Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers In Silico. PLoS ONE, 6(8), e23283
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0023283, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44749
Nichols, H., Amos, W., Cant, M., Bell, M., & Hodge, S. (2010). Top males gain high reproductive success by guarding more successful females in a cooperatively breeding mongoose. Animal Behaviour, 80(4), 649-657.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.06.025, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44751
HOFFMAN, J., DASMAHAPATRA, K., & Nichols, H. (2008). PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Ten novel polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite loci cloned from the Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella. Molecular Ecology Resources, 8(2), 459-461.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01993.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44752
Nichols, H. (n.d.) Volatile odours reflect breeding status but not social group membership in captive Damaraland mole-rats. Animal Behaviour
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67713

Book Chapters

Cant, M., Nichols, H., Thompson, F., & Vitikainen, E. (2016). Banded mongooses: Demography, life history, and social behavior. Cooperative Breeding in Vertebrates -337).
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107338357.019, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44732
Cant, M., Vitikainen, E., & Nichols, H. (2013). Demography and Social Evolution of Banded Mongooses. -445).
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407186-5.00006-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa44744

Supervision

Untitled (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Kayleigh Rose
Untitled (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Kevin Arbuckle
Untitled (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Tamsyn Uren Webster
The routes of inheritance of personality traits and the microbiome in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Rory Wilson
Examining Mutual Predation: the Evolution and Behavioural Ecology of Natural Predator Interactions (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Kevin Arbuckle
The effect of climatic variables on the demography and behaviours of banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) (awarded 2024)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Kevin Arbuckle
Genetic Profiling of a Scottish Source Population: Informing Reintroduction Efforts for the Pine Marten Martes martes«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /» (current)

MRes

Other supervisor: Dr Tamsyn Uren Webster
The ecology and evolution of the northern pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae) and the importance of its conservation in England (current)

MRes

Other supervisor: Dr Kevin Arbuckle
Towards a remote animal tagging method with minimal detriment; how do animals react to new constructions in their environment? (awarded 2024)

MRes

Other supervisor: Prof Rory Wilson
Short legs racing towards extinction: the landscape genetics of UK hedgehogs (awarded 2024)

MRes

Other supervisor: Dr Kevin Arbuckle

Taught Modules

BIO108 Evolution and Genetics

¿Nothing in Biology makes sense except in the light of evolution¿ was the title of a 1973 essay by the evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky. The module links fundamental understanding of molecular biology and genetics to a broader appreciation of evolution and how it shapes the natural world around us.
BIO234 Animal Conservation and Welfare

This module assesses how animal behaviour is often the most significant cause of species declines and how understanding patterns of behaviour can assist in developing effective conservation and management strategies for species on the brink of extinction. Students will be introduced to the concept of conservation biology and the vast array of human-induced activities that currently threaten biological diversity on a global scale. There is a focus on the five main activities of conversational concern; fragmentation, habitat degradation, over-exploitation, invasive species and climate change. Examples will be provided from specific taxa affected. The shortfalls of in situ and ex situ conservation are introduced and examples are provided of how behavioural studies and knowledge of animal behaviour can, and have been used within conservation. The role of understanding behaviour in domestic animal welfare is also introduced. Here students learn about the history and current UK policy on the use of farm and laboratory animals. Following that an insight is provided into how our domesticated animals perceive the captive environment and have developed behavioural mechanisms to cope with incarceration that can also be assessed to ensure sufficient welfare is provided.

Affiliated Positions

Advanced Research Fellow, University of Bielefeld

2018 - Present

Dr Hazel Nichols

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The routes of inheritance of personality traits and the microbiome in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) (current)

Examining Mutual Predation: the Evolution and Behavioural Ecology of Natural Predator Interactions (current)

The effect of climatic variables on the demography and behaviours of banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) (awarded 2024)

Genetic Profiling of a Scottish Source Population: Informing Reintroduction Efforts for the Pine Marten Martes martes«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /»«br /» (current)

The ecology and evolution of the northern pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae) and the importance of its conservation in England (current)

Towards a remote animal tagging method with minimal detriment; how do animals react to new constructions in their environment? (awarded 2024)

Short legs racing towards extinction: the landscape genetics of UK hedgehogs (awarded 2024)

Taught Modules

BIO108 Evolution and Genetics

BIO234 Animal Conservation and Welfare

Affiliated Positions

Advanced Research Fellow, University of Bielefeld