Rufus A. Johnstone

A landscape of intergroup conflict shapes den site choice in banded mongooses

This study shows that banded mongooses choose den sites based on the potential risks and rewards of intergroup conflict, with non-babysitting groups taking greater risks by denning near rival territories.

Spend today or build for tomorrow? Kinship dynamics and the evolution of alternative helping strategies in cooperative breeders.

The paper uses mathematical models to show that kinship dynamics influence whether helpers in cooperative breeders prioritize immediate or durable benefits.

Predicting the patterns of kinship dynamics in human societies

The paper develops a model to predict human kinship dynamics using marriage practices, residence rules, and demographic parameters, showing it captures patterns of male and female kinship dynamics across diverse societies.

Predicting kinship dynamics during pre- and post reproductive life stages

This study extends kinship dynamics models to include age-linked changes in survival and fecundity, showing improved predictions of female kinship dynamics in killer whales across life stages.