DrMylene Mariette

My research focuses on the importance of social selection and acoustic
communication for the evolution of parental care and cooperation. In
particular, I am interested in the role of acoustic communication in
regulating cooperation and conflicts within the family, and the effects of
early environment on development and individual life history strategies.
PhD POSITION AVAILABLE in our lab, deadline for applying 30/04/2018:
https://www.ecolsoc.org.au/files/files/ad Incubation Behaviour Deakin
studentship 2018.pdf
Currently, I am working on:
Prenatal communication in birds: I am investigating the potential for
parents to program the development of their offspring using acoustic signals
before hatching, and the role this may play in species adaptation to
unpredictable environments. ([full text: Mariette & Buchanan 2016
Science](http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/353/6301/812?ijkey=TA9c088lXS1Us&keytype=ref&siteid=sci);
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDg67kUPAcc)
Social network and reproductive strategies: I am studying how position in a
social network affects reproductive and foraging tactics, as well as the
information transfer between colony members in wild zebra finches.
Coordination of parental care: I test the fitness advantages of behavioural
coordination between breeding partners in provisioning and foraging, and their
implications for the evolution of bi-parental care.

Recently I have also worked on:
the effect of sociality and coloniality on parental care, reproductive
success and foraging behaviour
social influences on mate choice, including the rare male effect, and the
loser effect (traditionally applied to a fighting context)
the development of social phenotypes and their relevance for mating
strategies and parental care.

I mostly conduct large-scale experiments in the wild or in captivity. The
iconic zebra finch has inspired a lot of my research questions, together with
the unpredictable arid landscapes that it inhabits.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Mariette M.M. & Buchanan K.L., 2016. Prenatal acoustic communication programs
offspring for high posthatching temperatures in a songbird. Science. 353:
812-814. [link full
text](http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/353/6301/812?ijkey=TA9c088lXS1Us&keytype=ref&siteid=sci)

Boucaud I.C.A., Mariette M.M. Villain A.S & Vignal C. 2015. Vocal negotiation
over parental care? Acoustic communication at the nest predicts partners
incubation share. J. Linnean Soc. 117:322-336.

Mariette M.M., Buchanan K.L., Buttemer W.A. & Careau V. 2015. Tough decisions:
reproductive timing and output vary with individuals' physiology, behavior and
past success in a social opportunistic breeder. Hormone & Behavior. 76:
SI23-33.

Mariette M.M. & Griffith S.C. 2015. The adaptive significance of provisioning
and foraging coordination between breeding partners. American Naturalist.
185:270-280. "highly cited paper" in Web of Science

Mariette M.M., Cathaud C., Chambon R. & Vignal C. 2013. Juvenile social
experience affects pairing success at adulthood: congruence with the loser
effect? Proc. Roy. B. 280: 20131514.

Full list at:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mylene_Mariette/contributions