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Klarevas-Irby JA, Nyaguthii B, Farine DR. Moving as a group imposes constraints on the energetic efficiency of movement. Proc Biol Sci 2025; 292:20242760. [PMID: 39968615 PMCID: PMC11836700 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2024] [Revised: 01/12/2025] [Accepted: 01/26/2025] [Indexed: 02/20/2025] Open
Abstract
Movement is a key part of life for many species. In solitary animals, the energetic costs of movement can be mitigated through energetically efficient strategies that produce faster, straighter movements. However, little is known about whether moving as part of a collective enhances or limits the ability of individual group members to express such strategies. Drawing on 6 years of population-level, high-resolution (1 Hz) GPS tracking of group-living vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum), we detected 886 events from 94 tagged individuals where their groups made large, range-shifting displacements in response to changing environmental conditions. We contrasted these movements with data from 94 similarly large displacement events by 19 lone, dispersing individuals. Our results suggest that individuals in groups can significantly reduce their energetic cost of transport when making large displacements (15.3% more efficient relative to their normal daily ranging) by increasing the speed and straightness of their movements. However, even during their most efficient movements, individuals in groups could not achieve or maintain comparable increases in speed to lone individuals, resulting in significantly limited efficiency gains (35.7% less efficient than solitary individuals). Overall, this study provides evidence for a substantial energetic cost arising from collective movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Klarevas-Irby
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Brendah Nyaguthii
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
- Department of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
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2
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Teichroeb JA, Smeltzer EA, Mathur V, Anderson KA, Fowler EJ, Adams FV, Vasey EN, Tamara Kumpan L, Stead SM, Arseneau-Robar TJM. How can we apply decision-making theories to wild animal behavior? Predictions arising from dual process theory and Bayesian decision theory. Am J Primatol 2025; 87:e23565. [PMID: 37839050 PMCID: PMC11650956 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of decision-making processes and cognitive biases is ever increasing, thanks to an accumulation of testable models and a large body of research over the last several decades. The vast majority of this work has been done in humans and laboratory animals because these study subjects and situations allow for tightly controlled experiments. However, it raises questions about how this knowledge can be applied to wild animals in their complex environments. Here, we review two prominent decision-making theories, dual process theory and Bayesian decision theory, to assess the similarities in these approaches and consider how they may apply to wild animals living in heterogenous environments within complicated social groupings. In particular, we wanted to assess when wild animals are likely to respond to a situation with a quick heuristic decision and when they are likely to spend more time and energy on the decision-making process. Based on the literature and evidence from our multi-destination routing experiments on primates, we find that individuals are likely to make quick, heuristic decisions when they encounter routine situations, or signals/cues that accurately predict a certain outcome, or easy problems that experience or evolutionary history has prepared them for. Conversely, effortful decision-making is likely in novel or surprising situations, when signals and cues have unpredictable or uncertain relationships to an outcome, and when problems are computationally complex. Though if problems are overly complex, satisficing via heuristics is likely, to avoid costly mental effort. We present hypotheses for how animals with different socio-ecologies may have to distribute their cognitive effort. Finally, we examine the conservation implications and potential cognitive overload for animals experiencing increasingly novel situations caused by current human-induced rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Teichroeb
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eve A Smeltzer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Virendra Mathur
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karyn A Anderson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erica J Fowler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frances V Adams
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eric N Vasey
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ludmila Tamara Kumpan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samantha M Stead
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - T Jean M Arseneau-Robar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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3
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Contreras-Huerta LS, Pisauro MA, Küchenhoff S, Gekiere A, Le Heron C, Lockwood PL, Apps MAJ. A reward self-bias leads to more optimal foraging for ourselves than others. Sci Rep 2024; 14:26845. [PMID: 39500761 PMCID: PMC11538449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69452-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 11/08/2024] Open
Abstract
People are self-biased for rewards. We place a higher value on rewards if we receive them than if other people do. However, existing work has ignored one of the most powerful theorems from behavioural ecology of how animals seek resources in everyday life, the Marginal Value Theorem (MVT), which accounts for optimal behaviour for maximising resources intake rate. Does this self-bias help humans maximise rewards when foraging for their own benefit compared to foraging for the benefit of others? Participants had to decide when to leave patches where reward intake was gradually depleting, in environments with different average reward rates. Half of the time participants foraged for themselves, and in the other half they collected rewards for an anonymous stranger. The optimal MVT derived solution states people should leave when the instantaneous reward intake in a patch equals the average rate in an environment. Across two studies, people were more optimal when foraging for self, showing a reduced sensitivity to instantaneous rewards when foraging for other. Autistic traits were linked to reduced sensitivity to reward rates when foraging for self but not for other. These results highlight that the self-bias may be adaptive, helping people maximise reward intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Sebastian Contreras-Huerta
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, FMRIB, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Viña del Mar, Chile.
- Center of Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies, Santiago, Chile.
| | - M Andrea Pisauro
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Svenja Küchenhoff
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, FMRIB, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Arno Gekiere
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Campbell Le Heron
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
- New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Patricia L Lockwood
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, FMRIB, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Christ Church, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 1DP, UK
| | - Matthew A J Apps
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, FMRIB, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
- Christ Church, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 1DP, UK.
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4
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Merkle JA, Poulin MP, Caldwell MR, Laforge MP, Scholle AE, Verzuh TL, Geremia C. Spatial-social familiarity complements the spatial-social interface: evidence from Yellowstone bison. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220530. [PMID: 39230449 PMCID: PMC11449198 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Social animals make behavioural decisions based on local habitat and conspecifics, as well as memorized past experience (i.e. 'familiarity') with habitat and conspecifics. Here, we develop a conceptual and empirical understanding of how spatial and social familiarity fit within the spatial-social interface-a novel framework integrating the spatial and social components of animal behaviour. We conducted a multi-scale analysis of the movements of GPS-collared plains bison (Bison bison, n = 66) residing in and around Yellowstone National Park, USA. We found that both spatial and social familiarity mediate how individuals respond to their spatial and social environments. For instance, individuals with high spatial familiarity rely on their own knowledge as opposed to their conspecifics, and individuals with high social familiarity rely more strongly on the movement of conspecifics to guide their own movement. We also found that fine-scale spatial and social phenotypes often scale up to broad-scale phenotypes. For instance, bison that select more strongly to align with their nearest neighbour have larger home ranges. By integrating spatial and social familiarity into the spatial-social interface, we demonstrate the utility of the interface for testing hypotheses, while also highlighting the pervasive importance of cognitive mechanisms in animal behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod A Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Marie-Pier Poulin
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Molly R Caldwell
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Michel P Laforge
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University , Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Anne E Scholle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Tana L Verzuh
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Chris Geremia
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Mammoth Hot Springs , Yellowstone, WY, USA
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5
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Kao AB, Banerjee SC, Francisco FA, Berdahl AM. Timing decisions as the next frontier for collective intelligence. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:904-912. [PMID: 38964933 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in collective decision making, particularly the idea that groups can make more accurate decisions compared with individuals. However, nearly all research to date has focused on spatial decisions (e.g., food patches). Here, we highlight the equally important, but severely understudied, realm of temporal collective decision making (i.e., decisions about when to perform an action). We illustrate differences between temporal and spatial decisions, including the irreversibility of time, cost asymmetries, the speed-accuracy tradeoff, and game theoretic dynamics. Given these fundamental differences, temporal collective decision making likely requires different mechanisms to generate collective intelligence. Research focused on temporal decisions should lead to an expanded understanding of the adaptiveness and constraints of living in groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert B Kao
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA.
| | | | - Fritz A Francisco
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA.
| | - Andrew M Berdahl
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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6
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Ogino M, Farine DR. Collective intelligence facilitates emergent resource partitioning through frequency-dependent learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230177. [PMID: 39034703 PMCID: PMC11293853 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Deciding where to forage must not only account for variations in habitat quality but also where others might forage. Recent studies have suggested that when individuals remember recent foraging outcomes, negative frequency-dependent learning can allow them to avoid resources exploited by others (indirect competition). This process can drive the emergence of consistent differences in resource use (resource partitioning) at the population level. However, indirect cues of competition can be difficult for individuals to sense. Here, we propose that information pooling through collective decision-making-i.e. collective intelligence-can allow populations of group-living animals to more effectively partition resources relative to populations of solitary animals. We test this hypothesis by simulating (i) individuals preferring to forage where they were recently successful and (ii) cohesive groups that choose one resource using a majority rule. While solitary animals can partially avoid indirect competition through negative frequency-dependent learning, resource partitioning is more likely to emerge in populations of group-living animals. Populations of larger groups also better partition resources than populations of smaller groups, especially in environments with more choices. Our results give insight into the value of long- versus short-term memory, home range sizes and the evolution of specialization, optimal group sizes and territoriality. This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Ogino
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, ZurichWinterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Switzerland
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, KonstanzAm Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, ZurichWinterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Switzerland
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, KonstanzAm Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, CanberraACT 2600, Australia
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7
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Ghosh D, Borzée A. Biological pest regulation can benefit from diverse predation modes. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240535. [PMID: 39295914 PMCID: PMC11407875 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
Increases in agricultural intensity due to anthropogenic demands alongside the need to reduce the reliance on pesticides have resulted in an urgent need for sustainable options for pest control. Biological pest regulation is an alternative strategy that relies on natural predators and is essentially a by-product of successful foraging. Therefore, knowledge of the predator's specific foraging behaviour can significantly improve bioregulation. In this article, we discuss the implications of predators' diverse foraging modes on their efficiency as bioregulators of crop pests using amphibians and reptiles as models. Amphibians and reptiles are promising bioregulators as they are insectivorous, and the diversity in their foraging styles-ambush and active foraging, differing in energy expenditure, movement, cognitive abilities, reliance on cues, response to predatory risk, competition and prey salience-can have specific impacts on pest regulation. We propose the uptake of this concept into strategizing pest management actions. We are now moving towards an era of biological pest regulation, which is the most targeted, economically profitable method with zero negative impact on the ecosystem. Utilizing diverse traits associated with the different foraging modes in vertebrate predators can be a crucial tool in allowing pest management to adapt to the extreme challenges it is facing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyatima Ghosh
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Amaël Borzée
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Agricultural Biodiversity Cultivation and Utilization Research Center, Nanjing 210014, People's Republic of China
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8
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Hunt KL, Patel M, Croft DP, Franks DW, Green PA, Thompson FJ, Johnstone RA, Cant MA, Sankey DWE. The evolution of democratic peace in animal societies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6583. [PMID: 39097569 PMCID: PMC11297998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50621-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
A major goal in evolutionary biology is to elucidate common principles that drive human and other animal societies to adopt either a warlike or peaceful nature. One proposed explanation for the variation in aggression between human societies is the democratic peace hypothesis. According to this theory, autocracies are more warlike than democracies because autocratic leaders can pursue fights for private gain. However, autocratic and democratic decision-making processes are not unique to humans and are widely observed across a diverse range of non-human animal societies. We use evolutionary game theory to evaluate whether the logic of democratic peace may apply across taxa; specifically adapting the classic Hawk-Dove model to consider conflict decisions made by groups rather than individuals. We find support for the democratic peace hypothesis without mechanisms involving complex human institutions and discuss how these findings might be relevant to non-human animal societies. We suggest that the degree to which collective decisions are shared may explain variation in the intensity of intergroup conflict in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- K L Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
| | - M Patel
- Centre of Excellence for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Modelling and Department of Biology, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - D P Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - D W Franks
- Department of Biology and Department of Computer Science, University of York, York, UK
| | - P A Green
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - F J Thompson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - R A Johnstone
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - M A Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - D W E Sankey
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
- School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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9
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Liao CC, Magrath RD, Manser MB, Farine DR. The relative contribution of acoustic signals versus movement cues in group coordination and collective decision-making. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230184. [PMID: 38768199 PMCID: PMC11391321 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
To benefit from group living, individuals need to maintain cohesion and coordinate their activities. Effective communication thus becomes critical, facilitating rapid coordination of behaviours and reducing consensus costs when group members have differing needs and information. In many bird and mammal species, collective decisions rely on acoustic signals in some contexts but on movement cues in others. Yet, to date, there is no clear conceptual framework that predicts when decisions should evolve to be based on acoustic signals versus movement cues. Here, we first review how acoustic signals and movement cues are used for coordinating activities. We then outline how information masking, discrimination ability (Weber's Law) and encoding limitations, as well as trade-offs between these, can identify which types of collective behaviours likely rely on acoustic signals or movement cues. Specifically, our framework proposes that behaviours involving the timing of events or expression of specific actions should rely more on acoustic signals, whereas decisions involving complex choices with multiple options (e.g. direction and destination) should generally use movement cues because sounds are more vulnerable to information masking and Weber's Law effects. We then discuss potential future avenues of enquiry, including multimodal communication and collective decision-making by mixed-species animal groups. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamic'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Chieh Liao
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University , Canberra, ACT , 2600, Australia
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University , Canberra, ACT , 2600, Australia
| | - Marta B Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich , Zürich , 8057, Switzerland
| | - Damien R Farine
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University , Canberra, ACT , 2600, Australia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich , Zürich , 8057, Switzerland
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior , Radolfzell , 78315, Germany
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10
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Bousquet CAH, Sueur C, King AJ, O'Bryan LR. Individual and ecological heterogeneity promote complex communication in social vertebrate group decisions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230204. [PMID: 38768211 PMCID: PMC11391315 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
To receive the benefits of social living, individuals must make effective group decisions that enable them to achieve behavioural coordination and maintain cohesion. However, heterogeneity in the physical and social environments surrounding group decision-making contexts can increase the level of difficulty social organisms face in making decisions. Groups that live in variable physical environments (high ecological heterogeneity) can experience barriers to information transfer and increased levels of ecological uncertainty. In addition, in groups with large phenotypic variation (high individual heterogeneity), individuals can have substantial conflicts of interest regarding the timing and nature of activities, making it difficult for them to coordinate their behaviours or reach a consensus. In such cases, active communication can increase individuals' abilities to achieve coordination, such as by facilitating the transfer and aggregation of information about the environment or individual behavioural preferences. Here, we review the role of communication in vertebrate group decision-making and its relationship to heterogeneity in the ecological and social environment surrounding group decision-making contexts. We propose that complex communication has evolved to facilitate decision-making in specific socio-ecological contexts, and we provide a framework for studying this topic and testing related hypotheses as part of future research in this area. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe A. H. Bousquet
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Institut pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Strasbourg67000, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris75005, France
| | - Andrew J. King
- Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, SwanseaSA2 8PP, UK
| | - Lisa R. O'Bryan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX77005, USA
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11
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John C, Avgar T, Rittger K, Smith JA, Stephenson LW, Stephenson TR, Post E. Pursuit and escape drive fine-scale movement variation during migration in a temperate alpine ungulate. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15068. [PMID: 38956435 PMCID: PMC11219842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65948-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change reduces snowpack, advances snowmelt phenology, drives summer warming, alters growing season precipitation regimes, and consequently modifies vegetation phenology in mountain systems. Elevational migrants track spatial variation in seasonal plant growth by moving between ranges at different elevations during spring, so climate-driven vegetation change may disrupt historic benefits of migration. Elevational migrants can furthermore cope with short-term environmental variability by undertaking brief vertical movements to refugia when sudden adverse conditions arise. We uncover drivers of fine-scale vertical movement variation during upland migration in an endangered alpine specialist, Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) using a 20-year study of GPS collar data collected from 311 unique individuals. We used integrated step-selection analysis to determine factors that promote vertical movements and drive selection of destinations following vertical movements. Our results reveal that relatively high temperatures consistently drive uphill movements, while precipitation likely drives downhill movements. Furthermore, bighorn select destinations at their peak annual biomass and maximal time since snowmelt. These results indicate that although Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep seek out foraging opportunities related to landscape phenology, they compensate for short-term environmental stressors by undertaking brief up- and downslope vertical movements. Migrants may therefore be impacted by future warming and increased storm frequency or intensity, with shifts in annual migration timing, and fine-scale vertical movement responses to environmental variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian John
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
| | - Tal Avgar
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
- Wildlife Science Centre, Biodiversity Pathways Ltd., Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Karl Rittger
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Justine A Smith
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Logan W Stephenson
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Thomas R Stephenson
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, Bishop, CA, USA
| | - Eric Post
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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12
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Reina A, Njougouo T, Tuci E, Carletti T. Speed-accuracy trade-offs in best-of-n collective decision making through heterogeneous mean-field modeling. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:054307. [PMID: 38907396 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.054307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
To succeed in their objectives, groups of individuals must be able to make quick and accurate collective decisions on the best option among a set of alternatives with different qualities. Group-living animals aim to do that all the time. Plants and fungi are thought to do so too. Swarms of autonomous robots can also be programed to make best-of-n decisions for solving tasks collaboratively. Ultimately, humans critically need it and so many times they should be better at it! Thanks to their mathematical tractability, simple models like the voter model and the local majority rule model have proven useful to describe the dynamics of such collective decision-making processes. To reach a consensus, individuals change their opinion by interacting with neighbors in their social network. At least among animals and robots, options with a better quality are exchanged more often and therefore spread faster than lower-quality options, leading to the collective selection of the best option. With our work, we study the impact of individuals making errors in pooling others' opinions caused, for example, by the need to reduce the cognitive load. Our analysis is grounded on the introduction of a model that generalizes the two existing models (local majority rule and voter model), showing a speed-accuracy trade-off regulated by the cognitive effort of individuals. We also investigate the impact of the interaction network topology on the collective dynamics. To do so, we extend our model and, by using the heterogeneous mean-field approach, we show the presence of another speed-accuracy trade-off regulated by network connectivity. An interesting result is that reduced network connectivity corresponds to an increase in collective decision accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreagiovanni Reina
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies on Artificial Intelligence (IRIDIA), Université Libre de Bruxelles, B1050 Brussels, Belgium; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Universität Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany; and Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thierry Njougouo
- Faculty of Computer Science and Namur Institute for Complex Systems, naXys Université de Namur, Rue Grandgagnage 21, B5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Elio Tuci
- Faculty of Computer Science and Namur Institute for Complex Systems, naXys Université de Namur, Rue Grandgagnage 21, B5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Timoteo Carletti
- Department of Mathematics and Namur Institute for Complex Systems, naXys Université de Namur, Rue Grafé 2, B5000 Namur, Belgium
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13
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Zhang N, Zhang Z, Liu C, Xiong Z, Wei Y, Meng D, Zhan M, Li Z, Zhao Y, Teng L, Liu Z. Seasonal Diet Composition of Goitered Gazelle ( Gazella subgutturosa) in an Arid and Semi-Arid Region of Western China. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:663. [PMID: 38473048 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Global climate change, habitat fragmentation, and human interference have resulted in a significant, ongoing decline in the population of goitered gazelles. Effective conservation strategies require an understanding of resource requirements of threatened species, such as dietary needs. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the food composition and seasonal dietary changes of goitered gazelles through microhistological analyses of fresh feces. Fabaceae (11.5%), Gramineae (9.4%), Chenopodiaceae (20.2%), Asteraceae (10.1%), and Rosaceae (19.5%) formed the primary dietary components of goitered gazelle. Additionally, Krascheninnikovia arborescens (13.4%) and Prunus sibirica (16.3%) were identified as the key forage plants. Forbs (50.4%) were the predominant plants for grazing throughout the year, particularly in the spring (72.9%). The proportion of trees in the diet was highest in the autumn (36.7%) and comparatively lower in other seasons. Furthermore, the proportions of shrubs (22.0%) and graminoids (14.8%) both reached their peaks in the winter. Our findings indicate that goitered gazelles strategically forage seasonally to cope with resource bottlenecks, enhancing their adaptability to arid and semi-arid habitats. Our study provides essential ecological information for the conservation of goitered gazelles and emphasizes the importance of dietary studies of species of ecological significance in environmentally sensitive areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhirong Zhang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Zeqin Xiong
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Yaoyun Wei
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Dehuai Meng
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Meiling Zhan
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zongzhi Li
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Liwei Teng
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhensheng Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Harbin 150040, China
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14
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Li C, Zhang X, Cheng L, Zhang B, Zhang F. Food patch use of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) varies with personality traits. Front Zool 2023; 20:30. [PMID: 37653456 PMCID: PMC10468902 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00510-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The classic optimal foraging theory (OFT) predicts animals' food patch use assuming that individuals in a population use the same strategy while foraging. However, due to the existence of animal personality, i.e. repeatable inter-individual differences and intra-individual consistency in behaviours over time and/or across contexts, individuals often exhibit different behavioural strategies, challenging the basic assumptions of the OFT. Here, we tested whether personality traits (boldness and exploration in open arena) of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica, 38 females and 34 males) influenced their patch use in two foraging experiments with different inter-patch distances (i.e. 2 m in Experiment 1 and 3 m in Experiment 2). RESULTS The total feeding time and food intake of individuals did not differ between Experiment 1 and 2, but in both experiments, proactive (i.e. bolder and more explorative) individuals had longer feeding time and higher food intake than reactive individuals. In Experiment 1, proactive quails changed patches more frequently and had shorter mean patch residence time than reactive individuals, while the effects were not significant in Experiment 2. The quails reduced patch residence time along with feeding, and this trend was weakened in Experiment 2 which had longer inter-patch distance. CONCLUSIONS The above results suggest that personality traits affect animals' patch use, while the effects might be weakened with longer inter-patch distance. Our study highlights that animal personality should be considered when investigating animals' foraging behaviours because individuals may not adopt the same strategy as previously assumed. Furthermore, the interaction between personality traits and inter-patch distances, which is related to movement cost and capacity of information gathering, should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlin Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, No.111, Jiulong Road, Hefei, 230601, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, No.111, Jiulong Road, Hefei, 230601, China
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Dongzhi, 247230, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, No.111, Jiulong Road, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Lin Cheng
- Anhui Vocational and Technical College of Forestry, No. 99, Yulan Road, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Baowei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, No.111, Jiulong Road, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Statistics and Mathematics, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Kunming, 650221, China.
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15
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Ogino M, Strauss ED, Farine DR. Challenges of mismatching timescales in longitudinal studies of collective behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220064. [PMID: 36802775 PMCID: PMC9939264 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
How individuals' prior experience and population evolutionary history shape emergent patterns in animal collectives remains a major gap in the study of collective behaviour. One reason for this is that the processes that can shape individual contributions to collective actions can happen over very different timescales from each other and from the collective actions themselves, resulting in mismatched timescales. For example, a preference to move towards a specific patch might arise from phenotype, memory or physiological state. Although providing critical context to collective actions, bridging different timescales remains conceptually and methodologically challenging. Here, we briefly outline some of these challenges, and discuss existing approaches that have already generated insights into the factors shaping individual contributions in animal collectives. We then explore a case study of mismatching timescales-defining relevant group membership-by combining fine-scaled GPS tracking data and daily field census data from a wild population of vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum). We show that applying different temporal definitions can produce different assignments of individuals into groups. These assignments can then have consequences when determining individuals' social history, and thus the conclusions we might draw on the impacts of the social environment on collective actions. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Collective behaviour through time'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Ogino
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Eli D. Strauss
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitatsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 104 Natural Science Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1115, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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16
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Webber QMR, Albery GF, Farine DR, Pinter-Wollman N, Sharma N, Spiegel O, Vander Wal E, Manlove K. Behavioural ecology at the spatial-social interface. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:868-886. [PMID: 36691262 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Spatial and social behaviour are fundamental aspects of an animal's biology, and their social and spatial environments are indelibly linked through mutual causes and shared consequences. We define the 'spatial-social interface' as intersection of social and spatial aspects of individuals' phenotypes and environments. Behavioural variation at the spatial-social interface has implications for ecological and evolutionary processes including pathogen transmission, population dynamics, and the evolution of social systems. We link spatial and social processes through a foundation of shared theory, vocabulary, and methods. We provide examples and future directions for the integration of spatial and social behaviour and environments. We introduce key concepts and approaches that either implicitly or explicitly integrate social and spatial processes, for example, graph theory, density-dependent habitat selection, and niche specialization. Finally, we discuss how movement ecology helps link the spatial-social interface. Our review integrates social and spatial behavioural ecology and identifies testable hypotheses at the spatial-social interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße 19, 14193, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitatsstraße 10, 78464, Constance, Germany.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nitika Sharma
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
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17
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Williams L, Shultz S, Jensen K. The primate workplace: Cooperative decision-making in human and non-human primates. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.887187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of group foraging in primates is not only determined by ecological and social factors. It is also influenced by cognition. Group foraging success is constrained, for instance, by the challenges of coordination, synchrony and decision-making, and it is enhanced by the ability to share, learn from others and coordinate actions. However, what we currently know about the cognition of individuals in groups comes primarily from experiments on dyads, and what we know of the effect of ecological factors on group dynamics comes from larger wild groups. Our current knowledge of primate group behaviour is thus incomplete. In this review, we identify a gap in our knowledge of primate group dynamics between the dyadic studies on primate cooperation and the large group observational studies of behavioural ecology. We highlight the potential for controlled experimental studies on coordination and cooperation in primate groups. Currently, these exist primarily as studies of dyads, and these do not go far enough in testing limits of group-level behaviours. Controlled studies on primate groups beyond the dyad would be highly informative regarding the bounds of non-human primate collaboration. We look to the literature on how humans behave in groups, specifically from organisational psychology, draw parallels between human and non-human group dynamics and highlight approaches that could be applied across disciplines. Organisational psychology is explicitly concerned with the interactions between individuals in a group and the emergent properties at the group-level of these decisions. We propose that some of the major shortfalls in our understanding of primate social cognition and group dynamics can be filled by using approaches developed by organisational psychologists, particularly regarding the effects of group size and composition on group-level cooperation. To illustrate the potential applications, we provide a list of research questions drawn from organisational psychology that could be applied to non-human primates.
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