Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology Laboratory

Research in our lab focuses on establishing links between sensory physiology and evolutionary behavioural ecology using plant-animal mutualistic interactions as the model system. Why have animals evolved the senses they possess, and how do these senses contribute to their foraging ecology and behaviour? The methods we use are multi-pronged, incorporating field studies and behavioural experiments. We are part of the IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE).


Hema Somanathan
Professor, School of Biology
IISER Thiruvananthapuram
Maruthamala PO, Vithura
Thiruvananthapuram – 695551
Kerala, INDIA

Office: 0471 2778063
e-mail: hsomanathan@iisertvm.ac.in

News

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Paper Publication!

Hema’s review paper titled, ‘Left in the dark: nocturnal pollinators and the flowers they service in a brightly lit world’ was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250795 Abstract: Mutualistic interactions between night-blooming flowers and their nocturnal pollinators present unique challenges for both partners. Although most flowering plants and pollinators are diurnal, nocturnal pollination …

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Frontier Symposium in Biology 2026, IISER TVM

Hema gave a talk titled, ‘Minimal distortion of web vibrations facilitates collective prey capture in social Spiders’ as part of the Ecology and Evolution panel. Amal gave a flash talk titled, ‘Understanding the drivers of population differentiation in the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) in India’. Shahnaz presented a poster titled, ‘Understanding nectar robbery dynamics …

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