Professor in Evolutionary Biology, University of East Anglia (2006-present)
Reader, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (2003-2006)
Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (2000-2002)
Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (1992-2000)
Junior Research Fellow (Jesus College), University of Cambridge (1988-1991)

Key Research Interests

I am an evolutionary biologist and behavioural ecologist interested in the evolutionary, ecological and genetic basis of social behaviour. Using social insects as model systems, I am especially interested in testing hypotheses concerning the evolution of within-group, kin-selected conflict. I am also interested in the genetics of caste determination and the conservation biology of social insects.  

Current Research Projects

Effect of social conflict on ageing in bumble bees
Reproductive conflicts over male production in bumble bees
Conflicts over reproduction and sex ratio in multiple-queen ants
Differential gene expression in queen-worker caste determination in bumble bees
Conservation ecology and genetics of scarce bumble bees and ants
Investigating effectiveness of agri-environment schemes for bumble bees using genetic methods


 

Life in our research group

Our laboratory work is based on captive colonies of ants and bumble bees. The ants are collected from the field and we either rear our own bumble bee colonies from wild-caught queens or buy in colonies from commercial suppliers. Our study methods include direct observation and filming to investigate within-nest behaviour and the monitoring of wild-reared bumble bee nests placed outside to look at behaviour in a field setting. They also include microsatellite genotyping to measure relatedness in our study colonies or to investigate space use by free-flying bees, and (with collaborators) RT-PCR to measure expression levels of candidate genes. As a research group we hold a weekly meeting and group lunch to troubleshoot problems and discuss the latest research by ourselves and others. In addition, we benefit from the lively and supportive research environment provided by the Organisms and Environment Research Theme, CEEC and the BIO School as a whole, as well as the wider Norwich Research Park. Each of these organizations runs seminar programs and social events. Everyone in the group is encouraged to attend and present at national and international conferences such as meetings of ASAB, BES, ESEB, ISBE and IUSSI.

PhD Positions

Click here for current PhD opportunities in BIO. But feel free to email me to discuss projects outside these areas and alternative sources of funding.

Postdocs & Fellows

I am happy to discuss ideas for research collaboration, postdoctoral projects and independent fellowships. My group has previously hosted fellows funded by the Academy of Finland and the British Ecological Society, while fellowship schemes such as those of the EU, NERC and the Royal Society also represent excellent routes for supporting the type of research that we carry out.

Research Group

Edd Almond NERC-funded Senior Research Associate (2009-2012) -- Kin-selected conflicts and ageing in bumble bees

Tim Huggins NERC-funded Research Technician (2009-2012) -- Kin-selected conflicts and ageing in bumble bees

Jacob Holland NERC-funded PhD student (2009-2012) -- Influence of the queen on life history traits of bumble bee colonies

Lorenzo Zanette NERC-funded Postdoctoral Research Assistant (2007-2009) - Reproductive conflicts and worker drifting in bumble bees

Lucy Friend NERC-funded PhD student (2007-2010) - Testing kin selection theory in multiple-queen ants.

Christiana Faria NERC-funded Research Technician (2009) - Reproductive conflicts and worker drifting in bumble bees

External & Professional Activities

International Union for the Study of Social Insects, President, North-west European Section, 2007-2009
Editor-in-Chief, Behavioral Ecology, 2004-2006; Editor, Behavioral Ecology, 2000-2004
Editorial Board, Insectes Sociaux, 2000-2006
Member, NERC Peer Review College, 2005-2009
Panel Evaluator, European Research Council, 2007
Member, Ecology Grant Assessment Panel, Research Council for Biosciences and Environment, Academy of Finland, Helsinki, 2005
Independent Advisor to European Commission, Mid-Term Review of EU-Improving Human Potential 'INSECTS' Network, Laufen, Germany, 2003

Internal Administration & Teaching Activities

Theme Leader, Organisms and the Environment Research Theme
Member, BIO Promotions Committee
Module organizer and lecturer, Social Evolution (BIO-3C38)
Seminar leader, Mathematics and Statistics (BIO-1A6Y)

Recent Publications (2001-present)

Bourke, A.F.G., 2009,  The kin structure of sexual interactions,Biology Letters, 5, 689-692,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Raine, N.E., Koning, J.W., Brown, R.M., Pereboom, J.J.M., Ings, T.C., Ramos-Rodriguez, O., Jordan, W.C. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2009,  Lifetime reproductive success and longevity of queens in an annual social insect,Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 22, 983-996,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Rees, S.D., Orledge, G.M., Bruford, M.W., Bourke, A.F.G., 2009,  Genetic structure of the Black Bog Ant (Formica picea Nylander) in the United Kingdom,Conservation Genetics, , ,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2008,  Social evolution: daily self-sacrifice by worker ants,Current Biology, 18, R1100-1101,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Heard, M.S., Carvell, C., Carreck, N.L., Rothery, P., Osborne, J.L. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2007,  Landscape context not patch size determines bumble-bee density on flower mixtures sown for agri-environment schemes,Biology Letters, 3, 638-641,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Brown, R.M., Lucas, E.R., Pereboom, J.J.M., Jordan, W.C. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2007,  Effect of the queen on worker reproduction and new queen production in the bumble bee Bombus terrestris.,Apidologie, 38, 171-180,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2007,  Kin selection and the evolutionary theory of aging,Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 38, 103-128,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2007,  Social evolution: community policing in insects,Current Biology, 17, R519-R520,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hammond, R.L., Bruford, M.W. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2006,  A test of reproductive skew models in a field population of a multiple-queen ant.,Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 61, 265-275,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2005,  Genetics, relatedness and social behaviour in insect societies.,In: Fellowes, M.D.E., Holloway, G.J. & Rolff, J. (eds) Insect Evolutionary Ecology, , 1-30,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Pereboom, J.J.M., Jordan, W.C., Sumner, S., Hammond, R.L. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2005,  Differential gene expression in queen-worker caste determination in bumble-bees.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 272, 1145-1152,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Koning, J.W., Brown, R.M., Jordan, W.C. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2004,  Social parasitism by male-producing reproductive workers in a eusocial insect.,Nature, 430, 557-560,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Koning, J.W., Jordan, W.C. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2004,  A test of information use by reproductive bumblebee workers.,Animal Behaviour, 68, 811-818,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Chapman, R.E., Wang, J. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2003,  Genetic analysis of spatial foraging patterns and resource sharing in bumble bee pollinators.,Molecular Ecology, 12, 2801-2808,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hammond, R.L., Bruford, M.W. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2003,  Male parentage does not vary with colony kin structure in a multiple-queen ant.,Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16, 446-455,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Holehouse, K.A., Hammond, R.L. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2003,  Non-lethal sampling of DNA from bumble bees for conservation genetics.,Insectes Sociaux, 50, 277-285,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Koning, J.W., Jordan, W.C. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2003,  No evidence that reproductive bumblebee workers reduce the production of new queens.,Animal Behaviour, 66, 577-584,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2002,  Genetics of social behaviour in fire ants.,Trends in Genetics, 18, 221-223,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hammond, R.L., Bruford, M.W. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2002,  Ant workers selfishly bias sex ratios by manipulating female development.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 269, 173-178,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2001,  Reproductive skew and split sex ratios in social Hymenoptera.,Evolution, 55, 2131-2136,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G. & Ratnieks, F.L.W., 2001,  Kin-selected conflict in the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae).,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 268, 347-355,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Chapman, R.E. & Bourke, A.F.G., 2001,  The influence of sociality on the conservation biology of social insects.,Ecology Letters, 4, 650-662,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hammond, R.L., Bourke, A.F.G. & Bruford, M.W., 2001,  Mating frequency and mating system of the polygynous ant, Leptothorax acervorum.,Molecular Ecology, 10, 2719-2728,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Bourke, A.F.G., 2001,  Social insects and selfish genes.,Biologist, 48, 205-208,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication