Organizers

• Dr. Lindelani Makuya, CNRS Strasbourg, France and University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa

Invited Speakers

• Prof. Peter Kappeler, German Primate Centre, Germeny
• Prof. Markus Zoettl, Linnaeus University, Sweden

Abstract
In this symposium, we will highlight the importance to study solitary living species, which have so far been largely ignored. However, without understanding solitary living, we risk overlooking a fundamental category of social systems. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of social evolution is incomplete without examining solitary living. Moreover, understanding the costs and benefits of solitary living is essential to understand its alternative, pair and group living, and to determine which form of social organisation is most adaptive under various condition.

We will also highlight different solitary species (social organisation) that can differ in their social structure, i.e. how often and how they interact with other solitary conspecifics. Therefore, it is important to investigate the behavioral and physiological mechanisms that lead to solitary living.

Organizers

• Prof. Renee M. Borges, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

Invited Speakers

• Prof. Saskya van Nouhuys, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
• Dr. Radhika Venkatesan, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India

Abstract:
Mutualism are often embedded within parasitism, and often originate from parasitic interactions between partners. Parasitism, on the other hand, and behaviours associated with parasitism, are often the basal conditions from which benign and beneficial behaviours have arisen. Mutualism between partners can be direct wherein one partner directly benefits the other, or indirect in which a third partner prevents one of the mutualistic partners from over-exploiting the other. While mutualism and parasitism can be examined theoretically, and their net outcomes have been evaluated in terms of fitness benefits to the partners, they are effected via behaviours that are often intricate, stereotyped or plastic depending on the context. These behaviours may also vary with the context depending on whether there is intra- or inter-specific competition between mutualistic partners or between parasite and host.

This symposium will consist of talks including a lead talk that will explore behaviours in diverse mutualistic and parasitic systems, e.g. fig and fig wasp brood-site pollination mutualisms, plant–herbivore caterpillar–parasitoid interactions, potter wasp–dipteran parasitoid interactions, or nematode–fig wasp interactions. It will explore host finding and host exploitation behaviours using multitrophic systems as examples. The sensory ecology of these systems will also be examined.

Organizers

• Dr. Arik Kershenbaum, Girton College, University of Cambridge, USA

Invited speakers

• Prof. Angela Dassow, Carthage College, USA
• Prof. Dan Blumstein, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Abstract
Conservation of endangered species is often challenged by a lack of understanding of their behavioural ecology, particularly habitat use, dispersal, and inter-group interactions. Fragmentation of populations is often as much the result of behavioural disturbances (both anthropogenic and intraspecific) as habitat disruption. On top of this, endangered species often occupy remote and inaccessible areas, and small population sizes mean that a comprehensive understanding of their behavioural ecology is rarely easy to achieve.

Recent technological advances in the acoustic monitoring of wildlife populations have dramatically enhanced the ability to process large amounts of recorded data, using artificial intelligence to detect and classify animal sounds. In addition, using multiple recording devices to triangulate sound locations, and integrating cellular and radio communication channels means that animal activity can be monitored in real time. Autonomous detection of animal sounds allows for very large datasets to be used to monitor behavioural responses to conservation challenges, including anthropogenic disturbance.

Many research groups around the world are developing new machine learning algorithms to leverage artificial intelligence for analysing massive passive acoustic monitoring datasets, and to realise the potential for extracting conservation-relevant information. The time is ripe for gathering bioacoustics practitioners to share knowledge on these new and transformational techniques.

This symposium will allow researchers using bioacoustics for conservation behaviour research to present their new developments, learn from each other's techniques, and to synthesise new approaches that will leverage the power of new artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.

Organizers

• Prof. Masayo Soma, Hokkaido University, Japan
• Dr. Anand Krishnan, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, India

Invited speakers

• Dr. Anand Krishnan, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, India
• Dr. Thomas MacGillavry, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
• Dr. Yuhan Zhang, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract
What are the evolutionary drivers of complex communicative signals in animals? Birds have been an extremely intriguing research target to answer this question, and are well-studied across a broad range of mating-related contexts, such as mate choice, pair formation and bonding, and mating/resource competition. Classic examples lie in male songbird singing or lekking bird courtship dancing, where superior performance (e.g. acoustically complex songs, physically demanding acrobatic displays) by males indicates better condition, and is therefore advantageous in mating or preferred by females. Complex communication has evolved multiple times, serving a variety of potential functions, but we still lack a full picture of the evolution of communicative complexity. Recently, there is accumulating evidence that communicative displays are more complex than assumed. Birds may show multimodal (audio-visual) signals, which can deliver redundant back-up messages increasing signal efficacy, or otherwise code additional or different information that unimodal signals lack. Further, recent studies indicate that female signalling is more prevalent in birds than what used to be thought, but the selective forces driving the evolution of female signals is not well understood. When female signaling is present, males and females may show mutual interactions or coordinated performance (duets), possibly contributing to pair-bonding or joint resource defense, where honesty of the signal is not tested well. Finally, the role of social complexity and social learning in the evolution of complex communication remains poorly studied in birds. Given these, in this symposium, we aim to gather state-or-the-art research findings covering the above-mentioned topics, and explore the frontiers of this interdisciplinary area that spans from evolutionary ecology to neuroethology. The hope is to stimulate wide-ranging conversation and exchange of knowledge across taxa, to identify priority areas for future research.

Organizers

• Prof. Armin Bahl, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Vatsala Thirumalai, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India

Invited speakers

• Prof. Herwig Baier, Max Planck Institute of Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
• Dr. Kuo Hua Huang, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
• Prof. Sanjay Sane, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India
• Dr. Einat Couzin Fuchs, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
• Prof. Nachum Ulanovsky, Weizmann Institute, Israel
• Prof. Matthew Lovett Barron, University of California, San Diego, USA
• Dr. Emily Dennis, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia, USA
• Prof. Vishwesha Guttal, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
• Prof. Anuradha Bhat, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India

Abstract
Neuroscience experiments have been classically performed under well-constrained and highly controlled environmental conditions in the lab. There is a rich history in circuit neuroscience, where researchers employ simple moving gratings and bars in virtual reality, cleanly controlled odorant delivery, or precisely tuned tactile stimuli – usually in individual animals in isolation and confined spaces. Using advanced molecular and microscopy techniques, it is now possible to label individual neurons and populations of cells in the brain for activity and structural analysis and to test for causality with circuit manipulations – all of which have provided profound insights into the fundamental operations of nervous system function and motor control. However, to explore the neural basis and the evolutionary purpose of a certain behavior, it is critical to obtain a better understanding of the real-world problems that animals face in their daily lives – while being together as groups in the wild. Modern tools from neuroscience are now ready to be employed in the field, and virtual reality in the lab can mimic environmental conditions in a highly realistic manner. Our symposium seeks to bring together experts working at the interface of neuroscience, behavioral analysis in the lab, and field research. Through an exchange of the latest conceptual ideas and discussions on state-of-the-art tracking and recording technologies, we aim to bridge these still rather separate research disciplines. We hope this will open new possibilities for collaborations across laboratory and field settings.

Organizers

• Dr. Sruthi Unnikrishnan, Centre for Wildlife Studies, India

Invited speakers

• Mr. Sylvain Grison, University of Tokyo, Japan
• Prof. Deborah Smith, The University of Kansas, USA
• Prof. Hema Somanathan, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, India

Abstract
Honey bees form a small group of closely related species that differ in colony size, worker body size, nesting behaviour and distribution range. These differences are likely associated with variation in social behaviour and communication. For example, differences in nesting behaviour have led to changes in habitat usage, onset of foraging and defense behaviour. Chemical communication became more complex with colony size. Additionally, single species might have evolved unique behaviours such as the long-range migration and night dances in the giant honey bee Apis dorsata, or wax salvage from old nests in the dwarf honey bee Apis florea. Currently, our knowledge of honey bee biology is dominated by studies on the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, which is derived and has a unique distribution over Africa and Europe. Research on the Asian honey bee species, which comprise all the other honey bee species, is still in its infancy. However, such research is very important, for two reasons, one, to better understand the ground plan and variation of honey bee behaviour, and second, to better know the wild Asian honey bees that are the most important pollinators in tropical Asia. The aim of the symposium is to address our knowledge gaps and bring together researchers working on Asian honey bees to showcase the recent advancements in the field. One of our confirmed invited speakers will talk about the latest advancement made in his research to fully automate decoding of honey bee dance language in the field. This research would be immensely useful for studying foraging ranges and strategies opted by different colonies. We also hope the symposium provides an opportunity for collaboration and explores promising directions for future research that could yield significant insights into the world of Asian honey bees.

Organizers

• Dr. Jitesh Jhawar, Ahmedabad University, India

Invited speakers

• Dr. Andrew King, Swansea University, Wales, UK
• Dr. Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Orit Peleg, University of Colorado Boulder, USA

Abstract
Animal collective behaviours such as fish schooling, insect swarming, and synchronising rhythms such as firefly flashing - are emergent phenomena. These behaviours occur at the level of the groups and require the individuals to sense and respond to each other for coordination. Although biologically, individuals differ, they can be approximated as individual particles interacting with each other, much like atoms or molecules. Therefore, collectives have traditionally been studied by physicists who are often interested in explaining them using universal mechanisms. These approaches have been phenomenally successful and generated interest amongst physicists and biologists alike. Biologists have been interested in testing the predictions from models developed by physicists and computational scientists in natural systems, in either labs or the wild. Over the years, with technological advancement, collective behaviour studies have moved beyond computer screens, toy models, and laboratories into the wild.

Researchers are now wondering about the effects and importance of individual differences or heterogeneity on collective behaviours. Yet, research using advanced tools and involving a range of complexity is highly active across the globe and is generating crucial knowledge for both basic and applied research, such as swarm robotics and identifying collective behaviours as ecosystem indicators. This symposium welcomes researchers working on collective behaviours and dynamics from various disciplines and aspects, from finding the mechanisms underlying emergent group patterns to their applications.

Organizers

• Dr. Pragya Singh, Bielefeld University, Germany
• Prof. Oliver Krüger, Bielefeld University, Germany

Invited speakers

• Prof. Tamas Szekely, University of Bath, UK

Abstract
Individualization refers to the process by which organisms develop distinct phenotypes in response to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Despite substantial research into individual behaviour, traditional frameworks often focus on species-level or population-level averages, overlooking the importance of variability within species. Heterogeneity in behavioural individualization can arise from genetic, epigenetic, developmental and environmental influences, and plays a critical role in the evolution of behavioural strategies, with consequences at the individual, population, and ecosystem levels.

This symposium will aim to bring together researchers from diverse fields such as behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology to discuss empirical and theoretical work on the causes and consequences of behavioural individualization. We also anticipate that speakers will disseminate recent methodological advances that enable the study of behavioural heterogeneity, including the use of modern statistical tools, long-term datasets, and advanced tracking technologies. By integrating insights from across disciplines, this symposium aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes driving heterogeneity in individualization and their broader implications for evolutionary biology, ecology and conservation efforts.

Organizers

• Prof. Rittik Deb, National Institute of Science Education and Research, India

Invited Speakers

• Prof. Bob Wong, Monash University, Australia
• Prof. Hanna Kokko, University of Mainz, Germany

Abstract Under strong directional sexual selection, the reproductive success for the advertising sex is often highly skewed. Despite such skewness, variation in reproductive traits is maintained across evolutionary times. This 'lek paradox', observed in many mating systems across several taxa, is theoretically predicted to be driven by several drivers but with little empirical support. These drivers include sexual conflict, genetic variation of condition-dependent traits, predation pressure and mate sampling leading to suboptimal choices. Although the field of sexual selection has been heavily researched for decades, eco-evolutionary studies testing these hypotheses in natural populations are scarce and limited to a few species. Hence, in this symposium, we aim to bring together behavioural and field ecologists, quantitative geneticists, evolutionary biologists, and neuroethologists to explore the diverse drivers that maintain variation in sexually selected traits. We aim for this discourse to connect scientists from various disciplines and motivate young researchers to explore this paradox. Overall, in a rapidly changing world, we plan for the symposium to help us in two specific ways - develop general conceptual frameworks by unifying mechanistic drivers and equip ourselves better to conserve and manage populations to maintain genetic variation under strong selection. We are well-poised to propose and chair this symposium since we have extensively studied the causes and consequences of sexually selected traits using modern tools (theoretical and empirical) across multiple scales and systems, both in the laboratory and the field.

Organizers

• Dr. Priti Bangal, Nature Conservation Foundation, India
• Mr. Bharat Ahuja, Indian Institute of Science

Invited speakers

• Dr. Viraj Torsekar, Gandhi Institute of Technology (GITAM) University, India
• Prof. Kartik Shanker, Indian Institute of Science

Abstract
Mixed species animal groups (MSGs) are defined as moving groups of animals that are formed and maintained by interactions between participating species. Such groups are diverse with respect to taxa, habitats and regions they occur in, the duration for which they last and the social cohesion in these groups. MSGs include migratory associations that may last several months such as groups formed between various ungulate species in the grasslands of Africa, feeding associations formed between passerine birds in evergreen forests that can be measured by the minute, or ephemeral associations between reef-fish. The widespread prevalence of such groups raises interesting questions about the costs incurred and benefits derived for different participating species. By participating in such groups, species derive a range of foraging or antipredator benefits while minimizing the costs of intraspecific competition typically associated with single-species groups.

This cost-benefit trade-off drives behaviour and behaviour results in emergent patterns that can influence communities, and sometimes entire ecosystems. We are only at the beginning to understand the importance of these groups from the perspective of understanding group living and how they may alter the landscape of fear. Applying what we have learnt from studying the behaviour of mixed-species groups (at both individual and group levels) so far, has changed the way we think about various disciplines social structures and information networks in animal groups. This symposium aims to highlight how understanding such group behaviours can advance our understanding of animal sociality while also being an important contributing factor to conservation decisions based on animal behaviour. Our symposium will serve as a gregarious platform to share research on the behaviour and ecology of heterospecific associations from terrestrial to marine ecosystems across taxa.

Organizers

• Dr. Anuradha Bhat, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India
• Prof. Ratna Ghosal, Ahmedabad University, India

Invited speakers

• Dr. Zegni Triki, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, Bern University, Switzerland

Abstract
Inter- and intra-specific interactions are driven by a range of environmental factors that act as selective forces resulting in the complex species community structure of ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems are often determined by a combination of properties of aquatic habitat and the surrounding terrestrial systems. Studies have focused on understanding how species interactions with each other (such as predation, competition) and their environment (such as habitat structure, water quality) result in the plethora of behavioural traits found in aquatic organisms. Research ranging across fields from genetics, physiological, and behavioural investigations can help provide insights on proximate and ultimate causes and mechanisms for evolution of behavioural complexity. In the current scenario of climate change and human modifications to the environment, native species experience additional challenges and different species have evolved various adaptations in response to these challenges. Freshwater systems are relatively far more dynamic when compared to terrestrial habitats, and thus, adaptive traits are expected to be highly prevalent among aquatic organisms. Behavioural plasticity and modifications can potentially improve an organism's prospects of surviving and reproducing in a changing world. Changes in foraging patterns, timing of reproduction, shifts in population distribution, and a broad range of cognitive abilities are some of the many modifications in response to anthropogenic alteration to aquatic habitats.

Given the importance of aquatic (particularly freshwater) habitats to all living organisms (including humans), and increasing awareness towards impacts of disturbances to these ecosystems, there is increasing interest among behavioural biologists to investigate behavioural and cognitive traits in aquatic animals, the modes via which the organism cope with the possible challenges. The proposed symposium aims to bring aquatic behavioural ecologists from across the world together to present their research and will not only provide a platform to help foster networking to encourage and foster cross collaborative opportunities but also a venue for younger researchers to learn and interact with experts of the field. Submissions for contributed talks will be invited from active researchers working on broad aspects of behavioural plasticity, learning and cognition, as well as inter species interactions among freshwater species.

Organizers

• Prof. Anindya Sinha, National Institute of Advanced Studies, India

Invited speakers

• Prof. Anindya Sinha, National Institute of Advanced Studies, India
• Ms. Ishika Ramakrishna, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, India
• Dr. Samira Agnihotri, University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru, India
• Dr. Nishant Srinivasaiah, University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru, India
• Dr. Shweta Shivakumar, Nature Conservation Foundation, India
• Ms. Dhee NA, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
• Mr. Arjun Kamdar, Canopy Collective, Tezpur, India

Abstract
The lives of nonhumans are typically examined through anthropocentric perspectives, relying heavily on the lived experiences of people and researchers to interpret the behaviours and decisions of other-than-humans. To effectively study nonhuman behaviour and increasingly, human and nonhuman relationships, we should pay closer attention to animal agency and their affectual geographies from a nonhuman rather than a human perspective. In this symposium, we emphasise a series of novel approaches, perspectives, methodologies and academic interpretations that are imperative in contemporary ethno-ethological studies of more-than-humans.

The papers presented in this symposium will shed a light on the collection of innovative inquiries into animal behaviour, using case studies from across India, including work with elephants, racket-tailed drongos and other birds, western hoolock gibbons, different macaque species, sloth bears and leopards. Apart from being unique in their approaches, these studies lay a crucial focus on other-than-human perspectives and explore deep understandings of how and why animals exhibit certain behaviours and make the decisions they do, especially in changing landscapes.

We thus propose a paradigm shift from anthropocentric approaches in the study of nonhuman ecology and behaviour to more nonhuman species-centric perspectives, to learn more about other-than-human individuals as themselves, wherein human biology, behaviour and cognition are no longer employed as gold standards against which all other species are measured.

Through the fascinating insights obtained from the work of the presenters of this symposium, we also argue that although we may never completely comprehend nonhuman perspectives first-hand and uncover the details of their cognitive processes, we must do our best to incorporate their agency and the impacts of their own lived experiences and affect in shaping their worlds while studying their ecologies, behaviours and interactions with people, and in developing management and conservation strategies for their populations and their interactions with human communities in the long term.

Organizers

• Prof. Ludwig Huber, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
• Dr. Christoph Völter, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany

Invited speakers

• Dr. Christopher Krupenye, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
• Dr. Fumihiro Kano, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior & University of Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Juliane Kaminski, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
• Dr. Christoph Völter, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
• Dr. Daniel Horschler, Hill's Pet Nutrition, USA

Abstract
Learning about another individual's mental state would enable individuals to interpret, predict, and manipulate the behaviour of others (Krupenye & Call, 2019). While, for humans, the main question is when and under what circumstances these "higher" mind-reading processes emerge during development, the corresponding research on non-human animals has been primarily motivated by the question whether such skills exist at all outside the genus Homo. Since the seminal paper by Premack and Woodruff (1978), it is mainly primates that have been tested in such tasks (Krupenye and Call 2019; Horschler et al., 2020). In recent years, canines have been added to this area of research (Huber & Lonardo, 2023). Dogs have solved several perspective-taking tasks instantly and reliably across a large number of variations, including concealing information from others and guesser/knower differentiation. However, whether any of these studies show that primates or canines truly attribute mental states to other individuals is still a highly controversial issue. It is possible that animals do not form concepts of others' mental states but rather about others' behavior, and that this is sufficient to succeed in all paradigms used with animals so far (Kaminksi 2017).

In this symposium, a group of researchers in this field will discuss (i) whether non-human animals are not only sensitive to what others see but also what others know and do next (intend); (ii) whether they are able to use the other's perspective in an altercentric manner; (iii) whether they can comprehend reality-incongruent mental states; and (iv) what are the best paradigms to test these abilities in a comparative manner. The use of promising paradigms (like Guesser-Knower, False Belief), important controls (like self-experience, submentalizing) and new methodologies (like eye-tracking) have brought a new impetus to the debate.

Organizers

• Dr. Hemal Naik, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Ebi Antony George, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Invited speakers

• Dr. Hemal Naik, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Vivek Hari Sridhar, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Germany and University of Washington, USA

Abstract
Observing animal behavior in an affordable and minimally intrusive way is not trivial. Modern Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) tools offer promising solutions for automated multisensory data (cameras, audio, biologgers etc.) processing which can be adapted to study a large range of behaviours across taxa. However, the field of AI/ML is evolving at a rapid pace making it difficult to find the right tool to address specific behavioural contexts. Incorporating AI based tools into behavioural research requires a strategic approach which involves multiple steps: methodical data collection, dataset preparation with annotations, selection of a suitable tool(s) and validation of the chosen method on the behaviour of interest. In this symposium, we will start with a broad overview on the use of AI based tools in each step of this process. Speakers will then share their experience with implementing AI/ML solutions to study behaviour. Beyond the talks, the symposium should spark discussions between researchers using these tools and others interested in integrating AI/ML tools in their research. The core objectives of the symposium are to promote the effective use of AI in the behavioural research community and highlight steps that can be taken to increase engagement with the AI/ML research community (e.g., through the publication of annotated datasets).

Organizers

• Dr. Chayan Munshi, Ethophilia Research Foundation, India
• Dr. Maria Thaker, Indian Institute of Science, India
• Shawn Dsouza, Indian Institute of Science, India

Abstract
Humans are a global species that interact with every extant ecosystem in order to make the Earth more habitable for themselves. They are also unique among animals in occupying multiple niches, sometimes within the same ecosystem. As hunters and fishers, humans can replace top predators in a system by targeting them directly. The superpredator hypothesis suggests that humans, due to their lethality, should elicit greater anti-predator behavior than any other predator in the same system. However, humans may also interact with animals in benign ways.

Despite the massive and ubiquitous effects of human interactions, there is still a lack of a coherent and predictive framework for understanding the effects of human-animal interactions. Growing interest in non-lethal human-animal interactions has led to a greater recognition of the impact of anthropogenic activities on ecosystems and biodiversity. These unnatural activities encompass a range of issues, including pollution (environmental contamination), urbanization, deforestation, artificial light at night (ALAN), and excessive noise.

It is of great concern to behavioral ecologists and evolutionary biologists to understand how animals are responding to humans. This symposium aims to discuss the ways in which animals are adapting to humans, focusing on responses to both lethal and non-lethal human interactions. We welcome talks that examine animal responses to humans when they are either lethal (as hunters or fishers) or non-lethal but present in the environment or causing environmental change. The session will highlight immediate responses of animals and how plasticity and evolution can shape adaptations to the anthropogenic world.

Organizers

• Dr. Lauren Guillette, University of Alberta, Canada
• Prof. Debbie Kelly, University of Manitoba, Canada
• Prof. Oliveira Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida, Lisboa, Portugal
• Prof. Zhanna Reznikova, Independent scientist (a former Russian scientist)

Invited speakers

• Prof. Molly Cummings, University of Texas at Austin, USA
• Prof. Rui Oliveira, Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas Sociais e da Vida, Lisboa, Portugal
• Dr. Sarah Benson-Amram, University of British Columbia, Canada
• Dr. Rosa Rugani, University of Padova Via Venezia, Italy
• Prof. Ludwig Huber, Messerli Research Institute, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)
• Prof. Debbie Kelly, University of Manitoba, Canada
• Dr. Lauren Guillette, University of Alberta, Canada
• Prof. Thomas Bugnyar, University of Vienna
• Dr. Daniil Ryabko, INRIA, France and Fishlife Research, Belize
• Prof. Zhanna Reznikova, Independent scientist (a former Russian scientist)

Abstract
From ants to whales, the lives of animals have challenges that demand minute-by-minute decisions: to fight or flee, dominate or obey, take off, share, eat, spit out or court. This symposium focuses on the cognitive abilities of animals that allow them to solve problems that they face in their daily lives and bridges the gap between studies of intelligence in vertebrates and invertebrates. In particular, learning results in adaptive tuning to the changeable environment; while intelligence helps, animals use their learned experiences in new situations. There is a beautiful world of intellectual biodiversity and different aspects of learning, from the spinal reflex to cultural transmission. Members of some species, whether pig-headed or bird-brained, display learning within specific domains that are closely connected with their ecological traits and evolutionary history. In many cases, species long known from classic natural history have been re-studied with modern methods to exacting standards. This resurgence of research on mammals, birds, fish and arthropods gives a multifaceted panorama of intellectual convergences in a range of cognitive domains, from 'language' and numerical abilities to the theory of mind. One of the symposium organizers (Reznikova) submitted a book with the symposium title that will be published by Cambridge University Press.

Organisers

• Dr. Saikat Ray, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
• Dr. Juan Ignacio Sanguinetti-Scheck, Harvard University, USA

Invited Speakers

• Prof. Michael Brecht, Humboldt University, Germany
• Dr. Daniela Vallentin, Max Plank Institute of Biological Intelligence, Germany
• Dr. Juan Ignacio Sanguinetti-Scheck, Harvard University, USA
• Camille Testard, Harvard University, USA
• Selmaan Chettih, Columbia University, USA
• Dr. Saikat Ray, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Abstract Animal brains and behaviours have evolved in the natural world – to allow different species to meet their daily life challenges. However, our understanding of the mechanisms that drive behaviours in ecologically relevant settings are poorly understood. While ethology experiments typically ask questions related to the ultimate evolutionary mechanisms of why a behaviour might have evolved in a species – they are rather limited in uncovering the exact proximate mechanisms for the basis of such behaviours. Conversely, neuroscientific studies aimed at understanding the neural basis of behaviours, often focus on rather reduced and simplified settings and behaviours – making it unclear how much of the neural understanding that we glean from such studies can translate to behaviours that animals have evolved to do. This symposium will highlight the best of both worlds – and we will explore a range of organisms performing natural and social behaviours, from birds, to deer mice, to bats, monkeys and elephants to uncover the proximate neural mechanisms that drive such diverse natural behaviours

Organisers

• Dr. Mokkapati Jaya Sravanthi, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
• Prof. Hema Somanathan, IISER Trivandrum, India

Invited Speakers

• Dr. Jaya Sravanthi Mokkapati, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
• Ms. Kavya Mohan, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, India
• Dr. Michiyo Kinoshita, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Japan
• Dr. Vivek Nithyananda, Newcastle University, United Kingdom
• Dr. Anna Stockl, University of Konstanz, Germany
• Dr. Sajesh Vijayan, Western University, Canada

Abstract
Pollinators are crucial to ecosystems and agriculture, influencing biodiversity and crop productivity. Our symposium seeks to advance our knowledge of how pollinators interact with their environment, make foraging decisions, and adapt to changing conditions. We aim to gather researchers, practitioners, and technology experts to discuss the latest developments in sensory biology and cognitive ecology of pollinator foraging and how emerging technologies are revolutionising our understanding and management of pollinators.

Recent technological advancements, including computer vision/AI, have provided unprecedented tools and methods to explore complex pollinator behaviours in greater detail. Our symposium focuses on understanding how pollinators make foraging decisions by exploring theoretical frameworks within the scope of sensory behaviour (visual, olfactory, tactile, auditory etc.), cognition, optimal foraging, and nutritional geometry.

Our symposium will feature several talks on diverse topics under this theme that further our understanding of pollinator behaviour and ecology from mechanistic and evolutionary standpoints. Notably, the opening talk by our co-organizer Dr. Mokkapati, will present the opportunities and challenges in studying plant-pollinator interactions using automated monitoring coupled with plant genetics. We also propose to include contributing speakers who work on diverse pollinator taxa and employ psychophysics, computer simulations, and field studies to answer fundamental and contemporary questions on pollinator behaviour. The data, tools and strategies generated from these studies can be harnessed to address global challenges such as insect biodiversity declines, pest/pesticide/habitat management, and vector-borne disease control.

Our symposium will facilitate the integration of animal behaviour with diverse fields, including entomology, plant genetics, chemical ecology, computer science, and engineering, and it will provide opportunities for these collaborations to form. Thus, we aim to address pressing challenges and promote innovative solutions for the conservation and management of pollinator species. We will provide opportunities for early and later career researchers working on tropical and temperate pollinators to showcase their work.

Organisers

• Dr. Delphine De Moor, University of Exeter, UK
• Prof. Anindya Sinha, National Institute of Advanced Studies, India
• Prof. Lauren Brent, University of Exeter, England

Invited Speakers

• Dr. Stotra Chakrabarti, Macalester College, USA
• Dr. Jacob Feder, Arizona State University, USA
• Dr. Krishna Balasubramaniam, Anglia Ruskin University, England
• Dr. Greg Albery, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Abstract
There is a vast and ever-accumulating amount of social behavioural data across related animal taxa, an incredible resource to shed light on the ecological and evolutionary drivers of variation in animal social behaviour. Yet, substantial logistical and analytical challenges impede systematic comparisons of these data. A first major challenge is the lack of persistent, accessible, and standardised databases that can be used for comparative research. This is due to several reasons, including difficulties in storing complex behavioural data in a flexible and searchable format, as well as researchers' lack of awareness of their data's potential or even a hesitance to share them. A second major challenge lies in accurately analysing data collected over decades across different species and research sites. Addressing the confounding effects of varying data collection protocols, phylogenetic influences, intraspecific differences, and the inherent complexities of cross-species comparisons requires novel analytical approaches. Despite these challenges, efforts are underway to apply comparative methods to questions in animal social behaviour, with many of these approaches being collaborative. This symposium will bring together leading researchers in comparative animal social behaviour to share their exciting new results, as well as their experiences and strategies for overcoming the challenges of consolidating and analysing comparative datasets. Through a series of presentations, we will demonstrate the potential of comparative research to answer fundamental questions in cross-species social evolution, highlight existing gaps in analytical methods and data-sharing practices, and outline the next steps needed to facilitate collaborative comparative behavioural research within and across taxa.

Organizers

• Dr. Deyatima Ghosh, Nanjing Forestry University (People's Republic of China), Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (India), University of Lincoln (UK)
• Prof. Anna Wilkinson, University of Lincoln, United Kingdom

Invited speakers

• Prof. Anindya Sinha, National Institute of Advanced Studies
• Dr. Deyatima Ghosh, Nanjing Forestry University
• Prof. Anna Wilkinson, University of Lincoln
• Rößler Theresa, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Abstract
Cognition - the way in which animals process and act on information, is fundamental to all aspects of animal behaviour. This symposium aims to push the boundaries of what we know about animal cognition at a fundamental level and also examine its potential impact on conservation and ecosystem processes.

Animal behaviour has been applied in many pressing animal conservation issues such as eradicating invasive species, developing sustainable pest management strategies, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict which depend upon successfully manipulating animal behaviour. However, cognition is what ultimately shapes behavioural patterns. Therefore, understanding cognition can help us better understand various current challenges, from preventing species extinction, to mitigating human-wildlife conflict and improving the wellbeing of animals in captivity.

We now have a strong understanding of animal cognition at a fundamental level, it is now time to utilise this knowledge and apply it to current challenges. By bringing together leading experts in the field of animal cognition and researchers at the cutting edge of conservation, human wildlife conflict and ecosystem services, we will discuss new directions for the field and consider how animal cognition can contribute to solving global challenges and fostering healthier, more resilient ecosystems. We believe this symposium will be a pivotal event, setting the stage for innovative new research in animal cognition and beyond.