Dissertation topic: Does size matter? Comparison of predator-prey interactions, foraging behaviour, costs and kinematics within the beaked whales.
I am interested in how body size impacts the metabolic rate, oxygen stores and manoeuvrability during foraging dives within the family Ziphidae. During my thesis I will try to develop novel methods to study the kinematics of wild cetaceans using new tags (medium term duration Dtags, Dtags with speed sensor, gyroscope Dtags). Due to the wide body size range of species within the family Ziphidae, the study of this family offers an opportunity to test hypotheses about how body size affects locomotor costs, kinematics, predator-prey interaction and foraging strategies.
Currently I am particularly interested in linking fine-scale animal movement data as measured with tags on wild animals to the anatomy and physiology of their locomotion muscles.
Contact Lucia
Email address: [email protected]