I have broad interests in cognitive and behavioural psychology. To date, my research has investigated how chemicals can affect decision-making processes in insect models.
Bees feed on floral nectar, and are exceptionally capable of learning to find, collect and store it. In turn, plants may gain reproductive benefit from conspecific pollen transfer. Some plants express drugs in their nectar (such as caffeine and nicotine) which could change the way nectar rewards are perceived, perhaps therefore influencing foraging decisions and thus plant reproductive success. My project investigates whether plants have co-evolved psychoactive nectar to manipulate their pollinators.
