RESEARCH   My broad research interests lie in the field of behavioural and evolutionary ecology. My current PhD research focuses on the costs of mating and the costs of mate choice. In particular, I am interested in how these interact and influence the evolution of mating behaviour.   To address these questions I use two model systems: house crickets (Acheata domesticus), in which I examine fitness costs associated with mating with attractive males, and guppies (Poecilia reticulata), where I aim to determine how differing environmental conditions affect the costs of mate choice and the costs of mating and how this in turn affects the outcome of female choice.   Previously I examined chemical communication in lizards and its importance in kin recognition, predator avoidance and the detection of female receptivity.     SEE ALSO EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION RESEARCH GROUP

• Head, ML., JS Keogh, P Doughty (2002) Experimental evidence of an age-specific shift in chemical detection of predators in a lizard. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 28 (3): 541-554.
  
• Head, ML., JS Keogh, P Doughty, A Cowling, SP Blomberg (2003) Chemical mediation of reciprocal mother-offspring recognition in the southern water skink, Eulamprus heatwolei. Submitted.

I can be contacted via Rob Brooks: rob.brooksunsw.edu.au