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Picardi S, Abrahms BL, Merkle JA. Scale at the interface of spatial and social ecology. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220523. [PMID: 39230455 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0523] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals simultaneously navigate spatial and social environments, and their decision-making with respect to those environments constitutes their spatial (e.g. habitat selection) and social (e.g. conspecific associations) phenotypes. The spatial-social interface is a recently introduced conceptual framework linking these components of spatial and social ecology. The spatial-social interface is inherently scale-dependent, yet it has not been integrated with the rich body of literature on ecological scale. Here, we develop a conceptual connection between the spatial-social interface and ecological scale. We propose three key innovations that incrementally build upon each other. First, the use-availability framework that underpins a large body of literature in behavioural ecology can be used in analogy to the phenotype-environment nomenclature and is transferable across the spatial and social realms. Second, both spatial and social phenotypes are hierarchical, with nested components that are linked via constraints-from the top down-or emergent properties-from the bottom up. Finally, in both the spatial and social realms, the definitions of environment and phenotype depend on the focal scale of inquiry. These conceptual innovations cast our understanding of the relationships between social and spatial dimensions of animal ecology in a new light, allowing a more holistic understanding and clearer hypothesis development for 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)
- Simona Picardi
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho , Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Briana L Abrahms
- Department of Biology, Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, University of Washington , Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jerod A Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming , Laramie, WY, USA
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2
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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 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0530] [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: 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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Rudd LF, Packer C, Biro D, Firth JA, Albery GF. Sex-specific social aging in wild African lions. Curr Biol 2024; 34:4039-4046.e2. [PMID: 39111314 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.040] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in social behavior change with age,1,2,3,4,5 and the impacts of sociality on longevity,6,7,8 but current knowledge is broadly limited to primates, societies structured by dominance hierarchies, or single-sex studies. It is less clear how social aging patterns emerge in carnivores. The African lion (Panthera leo), a species that lives in egalitarian fission-fusion societies, presents an exceptional opportunity to examine social aging. Across felids, lions are unique in their dependence on conspecifics for many essential processes,9,10,11 and there is vast knowledge of lion behavioral ecology,10,11,12,13,14 including documented reproductive senescence in both sexes.14,15 Applying spatial-social network analyses across 30 years of data on the wild Serengeti lion population, we show that sex strongly modulates patterns of social aging and longevity. Group size increased with age for both sexes, but only males experienced significant changes in associate numbers (degree), specifically to females, which peaked in mid-life before declining. While aging females experienced declines in intra-sex connectivity (strength) and bond strength (mean strength), they peaked in both to males during mid-life. Male inter-sex strength also peaked in mid-life, while conversely their intra-sex strength and mean strength significantly dipped in mid-life. Although social associations were important for survival in both sexes, the investment diverged significantly: females' overall network connectivity was key for longevity, while the number of associates was important for males. These findings illustrate important potential effects of social aging in a wild carnivore and demonstrate how these diverge strongly between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren F Rudd
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK.
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Dora Biro
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Josh A Firth
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK; School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
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4
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Webber Q, Prokopenko C, Kingdon K, Turner J, Vander Wal E. Effects of the social environment on movement-integrated habitat selection. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:61. [PMID: 39238061 PMCID: PMC11378598 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00502-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Movement links the distribution of habitats with the social environment of animals using those habitats. Despite the links between movement, habitat selection, and socioecology, their integration remains a challenge due to lack of shared vocabulary across fields, methodological gaps, and the implicit (rather than explicit) historical development of theory in the fields of social and spatial ecology. Given these challenges can be addressed, opportunity for further study will provide insight about the links between social, spatial, and movement ecology. Here, our objective was to disentangle the roles of habitat selection and social association as drivers of movement in caribou (Rangifer tarandus). METHODS To accomplish our objective, we modelled the relationship between collective movement and selection of foraging habitats using socially informed integrated step selection function (iSSF). Using iSSF, we modelled the effect of social processes, i.e., nearest neighbour distance and social preference, and movement behaviour on patterns of habitat selection. RESULTS By unifying social network analysis with iSSF, we identified movement-dependent social association, where individuals took shorter steps in lichen habitat and foraged in close proximity to more familiar individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that social preference is context-dependent based on habitat selection and foraging behaviour. We therefore surmise that habitat selection and social association are drivers of collective movement, such that movement is the glue between habitat selection and social association. Here, we put these concepts into practice to demonstrate that movement is the glue connecting individual habitat selection to the social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Christina Prokopenko
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Katrien Kingdon
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Julie Turner
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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5
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Clein D, Burke K, Miller-Cushon E. Characterizing social networks and influence of early-life social housing in weaned heifers on pasture. JDS COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:441-446. [PMID: 39310821 PMCID: PMC11410473 DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2023-0473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Dairy cattle are gregarious animals that are commonly managed in social groups, yet group-level social dynamics remain underexplored in weaned heifers. We characterized activity and social networks after weaned heifers had been raised in social groups on pasture for approximately 2 mo and examined effects of preweaning social housing. Holstein heifers raised in individual pens (n = 17) or paired pens (n = 20; 10 pens of 2) were mingled between treatments and grouped (10-11 heifers/group; total of 4 groups observed) on pasture following weaning (8.8 ± 0.4 wk of age; mean ± standard deviation). When heifers were 17.8 ± 1.0 (mean ± standard deviation) wk of age, we conducted live observation over a period of 5 d (6 h/observation day; morning: 0800 to 1100 h and afternoon: 1200 to 1500 h) for a total of 30 h observation/group. Using instantaneous scans at 10 min intervals, we recorded behavior (feeding, lying, or standing) and social proximity (<3 body lengths of another heifer, with neighbor identity noted) of all heifers. Duration of lying and feeding did not differ between previous housing treatments, but heifers reared in pairs stood for longer in the morning than previously individually housed heifers (30% vs. 24% of scans; standard error = 0.03). Networks of different behaviors showed limited correlation, with some variability between groups. Centrality in social networks was minimally affected by preweaning social housing, although previously pair-housed calves had greater strength (sum of an individual's edge weights) and eigenvector centrality (sum of the centralities of an individual's connections) in the lying social network for one group. Preweaning pair assignment was correlated with network structure for lying and standing networks for some groups. These results suggest that preweaning social housing may subtly affect activity and social behavior longer-term, but that behavior may be most subject to current social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Clein
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - K.C. Burke
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - E.K. Miller-Cushon
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
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Chakravarty P, Ashbury AM, Strandburg-Peshkin A, Iffelsberger J, Goldshtein A, Schuppli C, Snell KRS, Charpentier MJE, Núñez CL, Gaggioni G, Geiger N, Rößler DC, Gall G, Yang PP, Fruth B, Harel R, Crofoot MC. The sociality of sleep in animal groups. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00176-9. [PMID: 39242333 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Group-living animals sleep together, yet most research treats sleep as an individual process. Here, we argue that social interactions during the sleep period contribute in important, but largely overlooked, ways to animal groups' social dynamics, while patterns of social interaction and the structure of social connections within animal groups play important, but poorly understood, roles in shaping sleep behavior. Leveraging field-appropriate methods, such as direct and video-based observation, and increasingly common on-animal motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers), behavioral indicators can be tracked to measure sleep in multiple individuals in a group of animals simultaneously. Sleep proximity networks and sleep timing networks can then be used to investigate the collective dynamics of sleep in wild group-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritish Chakravarty
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Alison M Ashbury
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Josefine Iffelsberger
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Aya Goldshtein
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Caroline Schuppli
- Development and Evolution of Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Katherine R S Snell
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Marie J E Charpentier
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), UMR5554, University of Montpellier/CNRS/IRD/EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Chase L Núñez
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Giulia Gaggioni
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), UMR5554, University of Montpellier/CNRS/IRD/EPHE, Montpellier, France; Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nadja Geiger
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniela C Rößler
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gabriella Gall
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Pei-Pei Yang
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China; International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei, China
| | - Barbara Fruth
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for Research and Conservation/KMDA, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Roi Harel
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Margaret C Crofoot
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
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DeSimone JG, DeGroote LW, MacKenzie SA, Owen JC, Patterson AJ, Cohen EB. Persistent species relationships characterize migrating bird communities across stopover sites and seasons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322063121. [PMID: 39136989 PMCID: PMC11348330 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322063121] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Global migrations of diverse animal species often converge along the same routes, bringing together seasonal assemblages of animals that may compete, prey on each other, and share information or pathogens. These interspecific interactions, when energetic demands are high and the time to complete journeys is short, may influence survival, migratory success, stopover ecology, and migratory routes. Numerous accounts suggest that interspecific co-migrations are globally distributed in aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial systems, although the study of migration to date has rarely investigated species interactions among migrating animals. Here, we test the hypothesis that migrating animals are communities engaged in networks of ecological interactions. We leverage over half a million records of 50 bird species from five bird banding sites collected over 8 to 23 y to test for species associations using social network analyses. We find strong support for persistent species relationships across sites and between spring and fall migration. These relationships may be ecologically meaningful: They are often stronger among phylogenetically related species with similar foraging behaviors and nonbreeding ranges even after accounting for the nonsocial contributions to associations, including overlap in migration timing and habitat use. While interspecific interactions could result in costly competition or beneficial information exchange, we find that relationships are largely positive, suggesting limited competitive exclusion at the scale of a banding station during migratory stopovers. Our findings support an understanding of animal migrations that consist of networked communities rather than random assemblages of independently migrating species, encouraging future studies of the nature and consequences of co-migrant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joely G. DeSimone
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD21532
| | - Lucaske W. DeGroote
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD21532
- Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Rector, PA15677
| | | | - Jennifer C. Owen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI48824
- Michigan State Bird Observatory, East Lansing, MI48823
| | | | - Emily B. Cohen
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD21532
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Kaur P, Ciuti S, Ossi F, Cagnacci F, Morellet N, Loison A, Atmeh K, McLoughlin P, Reinking AK, Beck JL, Ortega AC, Kauffman M, Boyce MS, Haigh A, David A, Griffin LL, Conteddu K, Faull J, Salter-Townshend M. A protocol for assessing bias and robustness of social network metrics using GPS based radio-telemetry data. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:55. [PMID: 39107862 PMCID: PMC11304672 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social network analysis of animal societies allows scientists to test hypotheses about social evolution, behaviour, and dynamic processes. However, the accuracy of estimated metrics depends on data characteristics like sample proportion, sample size, and frequency. A protocol is needed to assess for bias and robustness of social network metrics estimated for the animal populations especially when a limited number of individuals are monitored. METHODS We used GPS telemetry datasets of five ungulate species to combine known social network approaches with novel ones into a comprehensive five-step protocol. To quantify the bias and uncertainty in the network metrics obtained from a partial population, we presented novel statistical methods which are particularly suited for autocorrelated data, such as telemetry relocations. The protocol was validated using a sixth species, the fallow deer, with a known population size where ∼ 85 % of the individuals have been directly monitored. RESULTS Through the protocol, we demonstrated how pre-network data permutations allow researchers to assess non-random aspects of interactions within a population. The protocol assesses bias in global network metrics, obtains confidence intervals, and quantifies uncertainty of global and node-level network metrics based on the number of nodes in the network. We found that global network metrics like density remained robust even with a lowered sample size, while local network metrics like eigenvector centrality were unreliable for four of the species. The fallow deer network showed low uncertainty and bias even at lower sampling proportions, indicating the importance of a thoroughly sampled population while demonstrating the accuracy of our evaluation methods for smaller samples. CONCLUSIONS The protocol allows researchers to analyse GPS-based radio-telemetry or other data to determine the reliability of social network metrics. The estimates enable the statistical comparison of networks under different conditions, such as analysing daily and seasonal changes in the density of a network. The methods can also guide methodological decisions in animal social network research, such as sampling design and allow more accurate ecological inferences from the available data. The R package aniSNA enables researchers to implement this workflow on their dataset, generating reliable inferences and guiding methodological decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhleen Kaur
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Simone Ciuti
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Federico Ossi
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Center (CRI), Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Center (CRI), Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Nicolas Morellet
- INRAE, CEFS, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, 31326, France
- LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, 31320, France
| | - Anne Loison
- Alpine Ecology Laboratory, Savoie Mont Blanc University, Chambéry, France
| | - Kamal Atmeh
- Biometrics and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Philip McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Adele K Reinking
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Beck
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
| | - Anna C Ortega
- Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
| | - Matthew Kauffman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Laramie, USA
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
| | - Mark S Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Amy Haigh
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anna David
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Laura L Griffin
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kimberly Conteddu
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jane Faull
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Yan JL, Dobbin ML, Dukas R. Sexual conflict and sexual networks in bed bugs: the fitness cost of traumatic insemination, female avoidance and male mate choice. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232808. [PMID: 39016237 PMCID: PMC11253432 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2808] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Sexual conflict is prevalent among animals and is primarily caused by the fact that the optimal mating rates are often higher in males than in females. While there is a growing appreciation that females can also gain from multiple matings, we still know relatively little about which sex controls the observed mating rates and how close it is to the optimal female mating rates. To address this issue, we tracked female bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) inseminated daily versus weekly and found that weekly inseminated females lived longer and produced over 50% more offspring. In a follow-up experiment employing a social network framework, we placed 24 bed bugs into a semi-naturalistic arena and recorded all sexual interactions. While recently inseminated females did not avoid males more often, they were more frequently rejected by males. Finally, we tracked avoidance behaviour in a single cohort of female bed bugs as they received six successive daily inseminations. Avoidance rates increased and insemination durations decreased with increasing number of prior inseminations. Overall, our results indicate high costs of polyandry. Although females possess some plastic avoidance strategies, the observed rates of insemination fall closer to the male rather than female optimum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice L. Yan
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maggie L. Dobbin
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Nautiyal H, Romano V, Tanaka H, Huffman MA. Female social dynamics as viewed from grooming networks in the Central Himalayan Langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23655. [PMID: 38922763 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23655] [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: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Enhanced survival and reproduction are associated with an individual's direct and indirect social connections with members of a group. Yet, the role of these connections is little known in a vast range of primate species. We studied female Central Himalayan Langur (CHL) to investigate the link between four specific attributes (dominance rank, age, genetic relatedness, and the presence of females carrying infants) and a female's direct and indirect social relationships. By analyzing grooming networks, we revealed different behavioral strategies: high-ranking females form relationships with many females (high degree), whereas females with dependent infants have strong relationships (high strength and eigenvector). Subadult females are important individuals that hold the social network together (high betweenness), while an immigrant female strategy is to integrate herself into the group by forming strong bonds with females who themselves have strong bonds (high eigenvector). Our study sheds light on how behavioral strategies shape female CHL grooming networks, which may help them to secure fitness and survival advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himani Nautiyal
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
- College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Valéria Romano
- IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, Marseille, France
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Ecological Research, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Michael A Huffman
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
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11
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Reichert MS, Luttbeg B, Hobson EA. Collective signalling is shaped by feedbacks between signaller variation, receiver perception and acoustic environment in a simulated communication network. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230186. [PMID: 38768210 PMCID: PMC11391285 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0186] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Communication takes place within a network of multiple signallers and receivers. Social network analysis provides tools to quantify how an individual's social positioning affects group dynamics and the subsequent biological consequences. However, network analysis is rarely applied to animal communication, likely due to the logistical difficulties of monitoring natural communication networks. We generated a simulated communication network to investigate how variation in individual communication behaviours generates network effects, and how this communication network's structure feeds back to affect future signalling interactions. We simulated competitive acoustic signalling interactions among chorusing individuals and varied several parameters related to communication and chorus size to examine their effects on calling output and social connections. Larger choruses had higher noise levels, and this reduced network density and altered the relationships between individual traits and communication network position. Hearing sensitivity interacted with chorus size to affect both individuals' positions in the network and the acoustic output of the chorus. Physical proximity to competitors influenced signalling, but a distinctive communication network structure emerged when signal active space was limited. Our model raises novel predictions about communication networks that could be tested experimentally and identifies aspects of information processing in complex environments that remain to be investigated. 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)
- Michael S Reichert
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University , Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Barney Luttbeg
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University , Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Hobson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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12
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Gaidica M, Zhang M, Dantzer B. A Wireless Wearable Ecosystem for Social Network Analysis in Free-living Animals. IEEE SENSORS LETTERS 2024; 8:6006804. [PMID: 38948074 PMCID: PMC11210449 DOI: 10.1109/lsens.2024.3406328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Studying animal social systems requires understanding variations in contact and interaction, influenced by factors like environmental conditions, resource availability, and predation risk. Traditional observational methods have limitations, but advancements in sensor technologies and data analytics provide new opportunities. We developed a wireless wearable sensor system, "Juxta," with features such as modular battery packs and a smartphone app for data collection. A pilot study on free-living prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a species with complex social behavior, demonstrated Juxta's potential for studying social networks and behavior. We propose a framework for merging temporal, spatial, and event-driven data, which can help explore complex social dynamics across species and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Gaidica
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mengxiao Zhang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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13
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Speechley EM, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, King SL, Simmons LW, Woodiss-Field SL, Ridley AR. Aggressive interactions influence cognitive performance in Western Australian magpies. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240435. [PMID: 38835280 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0435] [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: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive research has investigated the relationship between the social environment and cognition, suggesting that social complexity may drive cognitive evolution and development. However, evidence for this relationship remains equivocal. Group size is often used as a measure of social complexity, but this may not capture intraspecific variation in social interactions. Social network analysis can provide insight into the cognitively demanding challenges associated with group living at the individual level. Here, we use social networks to investigate whether the cognitive performance of wild Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis) is related to group size and individual social connectedness. We quantified social connectedness using four interaction types: proximity, affiliative, agonistic and vocal. Consistent with previous research on this species, individuals in larger groups performed better on an associative learning task. However, social network position was also related to cognitive performance. Individuals receiving aggressive interactions performed better, while those involved in aggressive interactions with more group members performed worse. Overall, this suggests that cognitive performance is related to specific types of social interaction. The findings from this study highlight the value of considering fine-grained metrics of sociality that capture the challenges associated with social life when testing the relationship between the social environment and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Speechley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Stephanie L King
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Sarah L Woodiss-Field
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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14
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Conteddu K, English HM, Byrne AW, Amin B, Griffin LL, Kaur P, Morera-Pujol V, Murphy KJ, Salter-Townshend M, Smith AF, Ciuti S. A scoping review on bovine tuberculosis highlights the need for novel data streams and analytical approaches to curb zoonotic diseases. Vet Res 2024; 55:64. [PMID: 38773649 PMCID: PMC11110237 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01314-w] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases represent a significant societal challenge in terms of their health and economic impacts. One Health approaches to managing zoonotic diseases are becoming more prevalent, but require novel thinking, tools and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one example of a costly One Health challenge with a complex epidemiology involving humans, domestic animals, wildlife and environmental factors, which require sophisticated collaborative approaches. We undertook a scoping review of multi-host bTB epidemiology to identify trends in species publication focus, methodologies, and One Health approaches. We aimed to identify knowledge gaps where novel research could provide insights to inform control policy, for bTB and other zoonoses. The review included 532 articles. We found different levels of research attention across episystems, with a significant proportion of the literature focusing on the badger-cattle-TB episystem, with far less attention given to tropical multi-host episystems. We found a limited number of studies focusing on management solutions and their efficacy, with very few studies looking at modelling exit strategies. Only a small number of studies looked at the effect of human disturbances on the spread of bTB involving wildlife hosts. Most of the studies we reviewed focused on the effect of badger vaccination and culling on bTB dynamics with few looking at how roads, human perturbations and habitat change may affect wildlife movement and disease spread. Finally, we observed a lack of studies considering the effect of weather variables on bTB spread, which is particularly relevant when studying zoonoses under climate change scenarios. Significant technological and methodological advances have been applied to bTB episystems, providing explicit insights into its spread and maintenance across populations. We identified a prominent bias towards certain species and locations. Generating more high-quality empirical data on wildlife host distribution and abundance, high-resolution individual behaviours and greater use of mathematical models and simulations are key areas for future research. Integrating data sources across disciplines, and a "virtuous cycle" of well-designed empirical data collection linked with mathematical and simulation modelling could provide additional gains for policy-makers and managers, enabling optimised bTB management with broader insights for other zoonoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Conteddu
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Holly M English
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Andrew W Byrne
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, One Health Scientific Support Unit, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bawan Amin
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Laura L Griffin
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Prabhleen Kaur
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Virginia Morera-Pujol
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kilian J Murphy
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Adam F Smith
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- The Frankfurt Zoological Society, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of National Park Monitoring and Animal Management, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Simone Ciuti
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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15
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Bakner NW, Ulrey EE, Wightman PH, Gulotta NA, Collier BA, Chamberlain MJ. Spatial roost networks and resource selection of female wild turkeys. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231938. [PMID: 39076792 PMCID: PMC11285678 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Wildlife demography is influenced by behavioural decisions, with sleep being a crucial avian behaviour. Avian species use roost sites to minimize thermoregulation costs, predation risk and enhance foraging efficiency. Sleep locations are often reused, forming networks within the home range. Our study, focusing on female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) during the reproductive season, used social network analysis to quantify both roost site selection and network structure. We identified roost networks which were composed of a small percentage of hub roost sites connecting satellite roosts. Hub roosts were characterized by greater values of betweenness (β = 0.62, s.e. = 0.02), closeness (β = 0.59, s.e. = 0.03) and eigenvalue centrality (β = 1.15, s.e. = 0.05), indicating their importance as connectors and proximity to the network's functional centre. The probability of a roost being a hub increased significantly with greater eigenvalue centrality. Female wild turkeys consistently chose roost sites at lower elevations and with greater topographical ruggedness. Hub roost probability was higher near secondary roads and further from water. Our research highlights well-organized roost site networks around hub roosts, emphasizing the importance of further investigations into how these networks influence conspecific interactions, reproduction and resource utilization in wild turkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W. Bakner
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
| | - Erin E. Ulrey
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
| | - Patrick H. Wightman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
| | - Nick A. Gulotta
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
| | - Bret A. Collier
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA70803, USA
| | - Michael J. Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
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16
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Cortés B, Fidalgo A, Díaz S, Abáigar T. Agonistic interactions and social behaviors in the Saharan Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas neglecta): Using social network analysis to evaluate relationships and social structure in captive male groups. Zoo Biol 2024; 43:224-235. [PMID: 38318958 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21824] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Social interactions, including agonistic behavior, are very important for the management and welfare of individuals forming groups in captivity. One of the main concerns for the stability and durability of adult male groups is a noticeable level of intraspecific aggression. This study comprises a Social Network Analysis to illustrate social structure in different groups of captive Saharan Dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas neglecta). Our main objectives were to examine the relationship between agonistic, affiliative, and association networks and their reciprocity, assessing also whether the agonistic networks can conform to a linear dominance hierarchy. For these purposes, we recorded the behavior of 23 adult males organized in five herds, three composed only of Saharan Dorcas gazelle males and two mixed herds in which there were also Mhorr gazelle males (Nanger dama mohor). Observations were carried out during 295 h through scan sampling. We found no correlation between the affiliative and association networks in any group, although there was a significant correlation between the agonistic and association networks in mixed-species groups which was not present in single-species groups. Overall, there was no consistent reciprocity in either affiliative nor agonistic networks and none of the agonistic networks showed a linear structure. These results indicate that affiliative behavior in Saharan Dorcas gazelles offers distinctive and valuable information about the bonds between individuals, however, their dominance structure is far more complex than previously thought. As information provided by affiliative and proximity behaviors is different in this species, we suggest considering affiliative interactions to stablish affinity between individuals. Evaluating different social behaviors and not only agonistic interactions in later studies, is also recommended to develop a more accurately daily management in zoos that guarantee group stability and individuals' welfare, which will improve the conservation of captive populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Cortés
- Desertification and Geomorphology Department, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas-CSIC, Almería, Spain
| | - Ana Fidalgo
- Department of Biological and Health psychology, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Díaz
- Department of Biological and Health psychology, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Abáigar
- Desertification and Geomorphology Department, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas-CSIC, Almería, Spain
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17
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Yan JL, Rosenbaum JR, Esteves S, Dobbin ML, Dukas R. Sexual conflict and social networks in bed bugs: effects of social experience. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae030. [PMID: 38690087 PMCID: PMC11059254 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Living in groups can provide essential experience that improves sexual performance and reproductive success. While the effects of social experience have drawn considerable scientific interest, commonly used behavioral assays often do not capture the dynamic nature of interactions within a social group. Here, we conducted 3 experiments using a social network framework to test whether social experience during early adulthood improves the sexual competence of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) when placed in a complex and competitive group environment. In each experiment, we observed replicate groups of bed bugs comprising previously socialized and previously isolated individuals of the same sex, along with an equal number of standardized individuals of the opposite sex. Regardless of whether we controlled for their insemination history, previously isolated males mounted and inseminated females at significantly higher rates than previously socialized males. However, we found no evidence of social experience influencing our other measures of sexual competence: proportion of mounts directed at females, ability to overcome female resistance, and strength of opposite-sex social associations. We similarly did not detect effects of social experience on our female sexual competence metrics: propensity to avoid mounts, rate of successfully avoiding mounts, opposite-sex social association strength, and rate of receiving inseminations. Our findings indicate that early social experience does not improve sexual competence in male and female bed bugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice L Yan
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jack R Rosenbaum
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Selena Esteves
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Maggie L Dobbin
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
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18
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Hartman CRA, Wilkinson GS, Razik I, Hamilton IM, Hobson EA, Carter GG. Hierarchically embedded scales of movement shape the social networks of vampire bats. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232880. [PMID: 38654645 PMCID: PMC11040254 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2880] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Social structure can emerge from hierarchically embedded scales of movement, where movement at one scale is constrained within a larger scale (e.g. among branches, trees, forests). In most studies of animal social networks, some scales of movement are not observed, and the relative importance of the observed scales of movement is unclear. Here, we asked: how does individual variation in movement, at multiple nested spatial scales, influence each individual's social connectedness? Using existing data from common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), we created an agent-based model of how three nested scales of movement-among roosts, clusters and grooming partners-each influence a bat's grooming network centrality. In each of 10 simulations, virtual bats lacking social and spatial preferences moved at each scale at empirically derived rates that were either fixed or individually variable and either independent or correlated across scales. We found that numbers of partners groomed per bat were driven more by within-roost movements than by roost switching, highlighting that co-roosting networks do not fully capture bat social structure. Simulations revealed how individual variation in movement at nested spatial scales can cause false discovery and misidentification of preferred social relationships. Our model provides several insights into how nonsocial factors shape social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Raven A. Hartman
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Imran Razik
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Ian M. Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Hobson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Panama
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19
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Amici F, Meacci S, Caray E, Oña L, Liebal K, Ciucci P. A first exploratory comparison of the behaviour of wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf-dog hybrids in captivity. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:9. [PMID: 38429445 PMCID: PMC10907477 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01849-7] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Extensive introgression of genes from domesticated taxa may be a serious threat for the genomic integrity and adaptability of wild populations. Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are especially vulnerable to this phenomenon, but there are no studies yet assessing the potential behavioural effects of dog-introgression in wolves. In this study, we conducted a first systematic comparison of admixed (N = 11) and non-admixed (N = 14) wolves in captivity, focusing on their reaction to unfamiliar humans and novel objects, and the cohesiveness of their social groups. When exposed to unfamiliar humans in the experimental task, wolves were more vigilant, fearful and aggressive than admixed wolves, and less likely to approach humans, but also more likely to spend time in human proximity. When exposed to novel objects, wolves were more aggressive than admixed wolves, less likely to spend time in object proximity, and more likely to interact with objects, but also less vigilant and as fearful as admixed wolves. Finally, social networks were more cohesive in wolves than in admixed wolves. Although caution is needed when comparing groups of captive individuals with different life experiences, our study suggests that dog admixture may lead to important behavioural changes in wolves, with possible implications for conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Amici
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Simone Meacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emmeline Caray
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Linda Oña
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Liebal
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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20
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Wheatley T, Thornton MA, Stolk A, Chang LJ. The Emerging Science of Interacting Minds. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2024; 19:355-373. [PMID: 38096443 PMCID: PMC10932833 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231200177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
For over a century, psychology has focused on uncovering mental processes of a single individual. However, humans rarely navigate the world in isolation. The most important determinants of successful development, mental health, and our individual traits and preferences arise from interacting with other individuals. Social interaction underpins who we are, how we think, and how we behave. Here we discuss the key methodological challenges that have limited progress in establishing a robust science of how minds interact and the new tools that are beginning to overcome these challenges. A deep understanding of the human mind requires studying the context within which it originates and exists: social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalia Wheatley
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH USA
- Santa Fe Institute
| | - Mark A. Thornton
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH USA
| | - Arjen Stolk
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH USA
| | - Luke J. Chang
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH USA
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21
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Ross CT, McElreath R, Redhead D. Modelling animal network data in R using STRAND. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:254-266. [PMID: 37936514 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
There have been recent calls for wider application of generative modelling approaches in applied social network analysis. At present, however, it remains difficult for typical end users-for example, field researchers-to implement generative network models, as there is a dearth of openly available software packages that make application of such models as simple as other, permutation-based approaches. Here, we outline the STRAND R package, which provides a suite of generative models for Bayesian analysis of animal social network data that can be implemented using simple, base R syntax. To facilitate ease of use, we provide a tutorial demonstrating how STRAND can be used to model proportion, count or binary network data using stochastic block models, social relation models or a combination of the two modelling frameworks. STRAND facilitates the application of generative network models to a broad range of data found in the animal social networks literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Redhead
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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22
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Bogdziewicz M, Chybicki I, Szymkowiak J, Ulaszewski B, Burczyk J, Szarek-Łukaszewska G, Meyza K, Sztupecka E, Ledwoń M, Piechnik Ł, Seget B, Kondrat K, Gazda A, Żywiec M. Relatives reproduce in synchrony: kinship and individual condition shape intraspecific variation in masting phenotype. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232732. [PMID: 38412970 PMCID: PMC10898974 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Masting (synchronous and interannually variable seed production) is frequently called a reproductive strategy; yet it is unclear whether the reproductive behaviour of individuals has a heritable component. To address this, we used 22 years of annual fruit production data from 110 Sorbus aucuparia L. trees to examine the contributions of genetic factors to the reproductive phenotype of individuals, while controlling for environmental variation. Trees sharing close genetic relationships and experiencing similar habitat conditions exhibited similar levels of reproductive synchrony. Trees of comparable sizes displayed similar levels of year-to-year variation in fruiting, with relatedness contributing to this variation. External factors, such as shading, influenced the time intervals between years with abundant fruit production. The effects of genetic relatedness on the synchrony of reproduction among trees and on interannual variation provide long-awaited evidence that the masting phenotype is heritable, and can respond to natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Bogdziewicz
- Forest Biology Center, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Igor Chybicki
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 10, 85-090, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Jakub Szymkowiak
- Forest Biology Center, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Bartosz Ulaszewski
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 10, 85-090, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Jaroslaw Burczyk
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 10, 85-090, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | | | - Katarzyna Meyza
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 10, 85-090, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Ewa Sztupecka
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 10, 85-090, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mateusz Ledwoń
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Piechnik
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Seget
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kondrat
- Forest Biology Center, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Gazda
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Żywiec
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
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23
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Vogt CC, Zipple MN, Sprockett DD, Miller CH, Hardy SX, Arthur MK, Greenstein AM, Colvin MS, Michel LM, Moeller AH, Sheehan MJ. Female behavior drives the formation of distinct social structures in C57BL/6J versus wild-derived outbred mice in field enclosures. BMC Biol 2024; 22:35. [PMID: 38355587 PMCID: PMC10865716 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01809-0] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social behavior and social organization have major influences on individual health and fitness. Yet, biomedical research focuses on studying a few genotypes under impoverished social conditions. Understanding how lab conditions have modified social organizations of model organisms, such as lab mice, relative to natural populations is a missing link between socioecology and biomedical science. RESULTS Using a common garden design, we describe the formation of social structure in the well-studied laboratory mouse strain, C57BL/6J, in replicated mixed-sex populations over 10-day trials compared to control trials with wild-derived outbred house mice in outdoor field enclosures. We focus on three key features of mouse social systems: (i) territory establishment in males, (ii) female social relationships, and (iii) the social networks formed by the populations. Male territorial behaviors were similar but muted in C57 compared to wild-derived mice. Female C57 sharply differed from wild-derived females, showing little social bias toward cage mates and exploring substantially more of the enclosures compared to all other groups. Female behavior consistently generated denser social networks in C57 than in wild-derived mice. CONCLUSIONS C57 and wild-derived mice individually vary in their social and spatial behaviors which scale to shape overall social organization. The repeatable societies formed under field conditions highlights opportunities to experimentally study the interplay between society and individual biology using model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb C Vogt
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Matthew N Zipple
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Daniel D Sprockett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Caitlin H Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Summer X Hardy
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Matthew K Arthur
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Adam M Greenstein
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Melanie S Colvin
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lucie M Michel
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Moeller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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24
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Zhou L, Mammides C, Chen Y, Zhou W, Dai W, Braun EL, Kimball RT, Liu Y, Robinson SK, Goodale E. High association strengths are linked to phenotypic similarity, including plumage color and patterns, of participants in mixed-species bird flocks of southwestern China. Curr Zool 2024; 70:34-44. [PMID: 38476134 PMCID: PMC10926261 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Participants in mixed-species bird flocks (MSFs) have been shown to associate with species that are similar in body size, diet, and evolutionary history, suggesting that facilitation structures these assemblages. In addition, several studies have suggested that species in MSFs resemble each other in their plumage, but this question has not been systematically investigated for any MSF system. During the nonbreeding season of 2020 and 2021, we sampled 585 MSFs on 14 transects in 2 habitats of Tongbiguang Nature Reserve in western Yunnan Province, China. We performed social network analysis and the Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure to evaluate the effect of 4 species traits (body size, overall plumage color, distinctive plumage patterns, and diet) and evolutionary history on species association strength at the whole-MSF and within-MSF levels. All 41 significant relationships showed that species with stronger associations were more similar in their various traits. Body size had the strongest effect on association strength, followed by phylogeny, plumage patterns, and plumage color; diet had the weakest effect. Our results are consistent with the hypotheses that the benefits of associating with phenotypically similar species outweigh the potential costs of interspecific competition, and that trait matching can occur in plumage characteristics, albeit more weakly than in other traits. Several explanations exist as to why similarities in plumage may occur in MSFs, including that they could reduce predators' ability to target phenotypically "odd" individuals. Whether trait matching in plumage occurs through assortative processes in ecological time or is influenced by co-evolution requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Zhou
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Christos Mammides
- Nature Conservation Unit, Frederick University, 7, Yianni Frederickou Street, Pallouriotissa, Nicosia 1036, Cyprus
| | - Youfang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Wenyi Zhou
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 34201, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 34201, USA
| | - Wenzhang Dai
- School of Life Science and Institute of Wetland Ecology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Edward L Braun
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 34201, USA
| | - Rebecca T Kimball
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 34201, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun-Yatsen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Scott K Robinson
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 34201, USA
| | - Eben Goodale
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Department of Health and Environmental Science, Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
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25
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English HM, Börger L, Kane A, Ciuti S. Advances in biologging can identify nuanced energetic costs and gains in predators. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:7. [PMID: 38254232 PMCID: PMC10802026 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00448-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Foraging is a key driver of animal movement patterns, with specific challenges for predators which must search for mobile prey. These patterns are increasingly impacted by global changes, principally in land use and climate. Understanding the degree of flexibility in predator foraging and social strategies is pertinent to wildlife conservation under global change, including potential top-down effects on wider ecosystems. Here we propose key future research directions to better understand foraging strategies and social flexibility in predators. In particular, rapid continued advances in biologging technology are helping to record and understand dynamic behavioural and movement responses of animals to environmental changes, and their energetic consequences. Data collection can be optimised by calibrating behavioural interpretation methods in captive settings and strategic tagging decisions within and between social groups. Importantly, many species' social systems are increasingly being found to be more flexible than originally described in the literature, which may be more readily detectable through biologging approaches than behavioural observation. Integrating the effects of the physical landscape and biotic interactions will be key to explaining and predicting animal movements and energetic balance in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly M English
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Adam Kane
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Simone Ciuti
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Gaidica M, Zhang M, Dantzer B. A Wireless Wearable Ecosystem for Social Network Analysis in Free-living Animals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575769. [PMID: 38293211 PMCID: PMC10827137 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of animal social systems requires studying variation in contact and interaction, which is influenced by environmental conditions, resource availability, and predation risk, among other factors. Traditional (direct) observational methods have limitations, but advancements in sensor technologies and data analytics provide unprecedented opportunities to study these complex systems in naturalistic environments. Proximity logging and tracking devices, capturing movement, temperature, and social interactions, offer non-invasive means to quantify behavior and develop empirical models of animal social networks. However, challenges remain in integrating different data types, incorporating more sensor modalities, and addressing logistical constraints. To address these gaps, we developed a wireless wearable sensor system with novel features (called "Juxta"), including modular battery packs, memory management for combining data types, reconfigurable deployment modes, and a smartphone app for data collection. We present data from a pilot study on prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ), which is a small mammal species that exhibits relatively complex social behavior. We demonstrate the potential for Juxta to increase our understanding of the social networks and behavior of free-living animals. Additionally, we propose a framework to guide future research in merging temporal, spatial, and event-driven data. By leveraging wireless technology, battery efficiency, and smart sensing modalities, our wearable ecosystem offers a scalable solution for real-time, high-resolution data capture and analysis in animal social network studies, opening new avenues for exploring complex social dynamics across species and environments.
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27
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Sunga J, Humber J, Broders HG. Co-roosting relationships are consistent across years in a bat maternity group. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1395. [PMID: 38228618 PMCID: PMC10791638 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50191-4] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Long-lived, group living animals have the potential to form multiyear relationships. In some temperate bat species, maternity groups break apart and rejoin both daily, as females depart to forage and select day roosts to use, and annually, as bats leave for and return from hibernation. Here, we investigated whether bats have persistent social preferences by testing whether relationships between dyads in a focal year could be predicted by previous years. We also hypothesized that experience influences social preferences and predicted that an individual's age would influence its network position, while familiarity with bats of the same cohort would drive persistent social preferences. We quantified roost co-occurrence in little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) in Salmonier Nature Park, Newfoundland, Canada both within and among years. We found that roost co-occurrence patterns of previous years still had predictive value even when accounting for potential roost fidelity. However, we found no evidence that cohort familiarity or age explained any of the variation. Overall, we found long-term patterns of association in this temperate bat species that suggest levels of social complexity akin to other large mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Sunga
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jessica Humber
- Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, 192 Wheeler's Road, PO Box 2007, Corner Brook, NL, A2H 7S1, Canada
| | - Hugh G Broders
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3, Canada.
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
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28
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Skinner M, Hazell M, Jameson J, Lougheed SC. Social networks reveal sex- and age-patterned social structure in Butler's gartersnakes ( Thamnophis butleri). Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arad095. [PMID: 38193014 PMCID: PMC10773305 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex- and age-based social structures have been well documented in animals with visible aggregations. However, very little is known about the social structures of snakes. This is most likely because snakes are often considered non-social animals and are particularly difficult to observe in the wild. Here, we show that wild Butler's Gartersnakes have an age and sex assorted social structure similar to more commonly studied social animals. To demonstrate this, we use data from a 12-year capture-mark-recapture study to identify social interactions using social network analyses. We find that the social structures of Butler's Gartersnakes comprise sex- and age-assorted intra-species communities with older females often central and age segregation partially due to patterns of study site use. In addition, we find that females tended to increase in sociability as they aged while the opposite occurred in males. We also present evidence that social interaction may provide fitness benefits, where snakes that were part of a social network were more likely to have improved body condition. We demonstrate that conventional capture data can reveal valuable information on social structures in cryptic species. This is particularly valuable as research has consistently demonstrated that understanding social structure is important for conservation efforts. Additionally, research on the social patterns of animals without obvious social groups provides valuable insight into the evolution of group living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Skinner
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada
| | - Megan Hazell
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Joel Jameson
- WSP, 1600 Boulevard Rene-Levesque West, 11th floor, Montreal, QC H3H 1P9, Canada
| | - Stephen C Lougheed
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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29
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Larter LC, Ryan MJ. Female Preferences for More Elaborate Signals Are an Emergent Outcome of Male Chorusing Interactions in Túngara Frogs. Am Nat 2024; 203:92-108. [PMID: 38207138 DOI: 10.1086/727469] [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] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIn chorusing species, conspecific interference exerts strong selection on signal form and timing to maximize conspicuousness and attractiveness within the signaling milieu. We investigated how túngara frog calling strategies were influenced by varied social environments and male phenotypes and how calling interactions influenced female preferences. When chorusing, túngara frog calls consist of a whine typically followed by one to three chucks. In experimental choruses we saw that as chorus size increased, calls increasingly had their chucks overlapped by the high-amplitude beginning section of other callers' whines. Playback experiments revealed that such overlap reduced the attractiveness of calls to females but that appending additional chucks mitigated this effect. Thus, more elaborate calls were preferred when calls suffered overlap, although they were not preferred when overlap was absent. In response to increasing risk of overlap in larger choruses, males increased call elaboration. However, males overwhelmingly produced two-chuck calls in even the largest choruses, despite our results suggesting that additional chucks would more effectively safeguard calls. Furthermore, aspects of male phenotypes predicted to limit call elaboration had negligible or uncertain effects, suggesting that other constraints are operating. These results highlight how complex interrelations among signal form, signaling interactions, and the social environment shape the evolution of communication in social species.
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30
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Blersch R, Vandeleest JJ, Nathman AC, Pósfai M, D'Souza R, McCowan B, Beisner BA. What you have, not who you know: food-enhanced social capital and changes in social behavioural relationships in a non-human primate. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231460. [PMID: 38234443 PMCID: PMC10791527 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Social network position in non-human primates has far-reaching fitness consequences. Critically, social networks are both heterogeneous and dynamic, meaning an individual's current network position is likely to change due to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, our understanding of the drivers of changes in social network position is largely confined to opportunistic studies. Experimental research on the consequences of in situ, controlled network perturbations is limited. Here we conducted a food-based experiment in rhesus macaques to assess whether allowing an individual the ability to provide high-quality food to her group changed her social behavioural relationships. We considered both her social network position across five behavioural networks, as well as her dominance and kin interactions. We found that gaining control over a preferential food resource had far-reaching social consequences. There was an increase in both submission and aggression centrality and changes in the socio-demographic characteristics of her agonistic interaction partners. Further, we found that her grooming balance shifted in her favour as she received more grooming than she gave. Together, these results provide a novel, preliminary insight into how in situ, experimental manipulations can modify social network position and point to broader network-level shifts in both social capital and social power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Blersch
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J. Vandeleest
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Amy C. Nathman
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Márton Pósfai
- Dept. of Network and Data Science, Central European University, Budapest, Nadoru 13104, Hungary
| | - Raissa D'Souza
- University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- The Sante Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brianne A. Beisner
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 2409 Taylor Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024, USA
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31
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Albery GF, Bansal S, Silk MJ. Comparative approaches in social network ecology. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14345. [PMID: 38069575 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14345] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Social systems vary enormously across the animal kingdom, with important implications for ecological and evolutionary processes such as infectious disease dynamics, anti-predator defence, and the evolution of cooperation. Comparing social network structures between species offers a promising route to help disentangle the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape this diversity. Comparative analyses of networks like these are challenging and have been used relatively little in ecology, but are becoming increasingly feasible as the number of empirical datasets expands. Here, we provide an overview of multispecies comparative social network studies in ecology and evolution. We identify a range of advancements that these studies have made and key challenges that they face, and we use these to guide methodological and empirical suggestions for future research. Overall, we hope to motivate wider publication and analysis of open social network datasets in animal ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Matthew J Silk
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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32
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Downie AE, Oyesola O, Barre RS, Caudron Q, Chen YH, Dennis EJ, Garnier R, Kiwanuka K, Menezes A, Navarrete DJ, Mondragón-Palomino O, Saunders JB, Tokita CK, Zaldana K, Cadwell K, Loke P, Graham AL. Spatiotemporal-social association predicts immunological similarity in rewilded mice. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh8310. [PMID: 38134275 PMCID: PMC10745690 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh8310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Environmental influences on immune phenotypes are well-documented, but our understanding of which elements of the environment affect immune systems, and how, remains vague. Behaviors, including socializing with others, are central to an individual's interaction with its environment. We therefore tracked behavior of rewilded laboratory mice of three inbred strains in outdoor enclosures and examined contributions of behavior, including associations measured from spatiotemporal co-occurrences, to immune phenotypes. We found extensive variation in individual and social behavior among and within mouse strains upon rewilding. In addition, we found that the more associated two individuals were, the more similar their immune phenotypes were. Spatiotemporal association was particularly predictive of similar memory T and B cell profiles and was more influential than sibling relationships or shared infection status. These results highlight the importance of shared spatiotemporal activity patterns and/or social networks for immune phenotype and suggest potential immunological correlates of social life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Downie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Oyebola Oyesola
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ramya S. Barre
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Quentin Caudron
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Ying-Han Chen
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Emily J. Dennis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Romain Garnier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Kasalina Kiwanuka
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arthur Menezes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Daniel J. Navarrete
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Octavio Mondragón-Palomino
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jesse B. Saunders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Christopher K. Tokita
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Kimberly Zaldana
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ken Cadwell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - P’ng Loke
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Andrea L. Graham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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Reyes FS, White HM, Weigel KA, Van Os JMC. Social interactions, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency of same- and mixed-parity groups of lactating cows. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:9410-9425. [PMID: 37641318 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23295] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Social dynamics in group-housed animals can have important effects on their welfare, feed efficiency, and production potential. Our objectives were to: (1) evaluate the effects of parity and social grouping on competition behavior, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency, and (2) investigate cow-level relationships between competition and feeding behavior, production, and feed efficiency. Fifty-nine Holstein cows (144.5 ± 21.8 starting days in milk, mean ± SD) were housed in a freestall pen with 30 Roughage Intake Control (RIC) bins. We evaluated the effects of parity (primiparous [PR, n = 29] vs. multiparous [MU, n = 30]) and group composition at the feed bunk (same-parity [SM, n = 39] vs. mixed-parity [MX, n = 20, 50% of each parity]) with a 2 × 2 factorial design (SM-MU: n = 20; SM-PR: n = 19; MX-MU: n = 10; MX-PR: n = 10) on competition behavior, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency. Within the pen, groups of 9 to 10 cows were considered subgroups and assigned to treatments defined by sets of 5 assigned bins (2:1 stocking density). Feed bunk competition and feeding patterns were recorded via continuous video in the first hour after morning feed delivery and 24-h RIC data, respectively. Residual feed intake (RFI) was calculated as the difference between predicted and observed dry matter intake (DMI) after accounting for known energy sinks. Linear models were used to evaluate the effects and interactions of parity and group composition on competition, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency. Within-cow correlations were performed between competition, feeding behavior, and RFI. Cows in MX, compared with SM, were involved in more competitive interactions [mean (95% CI): competitive contacts: 11.5 (8.1, 16.3) vs. 7.2 (5.5, 9.3) events; displacements: 4.0 (3.0, 5.3) vs. 2.1 (1.7, 2.7) events, and replacements: 3.5 (2.6, 4.7) vs. 1.9 (1.5, 2.5) events]. Cows in MX vs. those in SM had more bunk visits/meal ( 4.3 [3.9, 4.8] vs. 3.7 [3.4, 3.9] visits/meal) and longer meals (31.2 vs. 27.4 ± 0.9 min/meal) and tended to have higher RFI (0.41 ± 0.3 vs. -0.21 ± 0.2) and were therefore less feed efficient. Multiparous versus PR cows had greater DMI per day (29.3 ± 0.6 vs. 25.5 ± 0.4 kg/d) and per meal (4.2 [4.0, 4.4] vs. 3.4 [3.2, 3.6] kg/meal), faster eating rates (0.14 [0.13, 0.15] vs. 0.12 [0.11, 0.13] kg/min), and fewer bunk visits/d (26.6 [24.0, 29.4] vs. 32.8 [29.7, 35.9]). Regardless of grouping or parity, cows with shorter latencies to first visit the bunk after feed delivery were involved in more competition and tended to be less feed efficient. Overall, individual cow- and group-level relationships among competition, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency play an important role in feed bunk social dynamics. At a competitive 2:1 stocking density, mixed-parity groups for lactating cows may have potentially negative animal welfare and feed efficiency implications that should be considered when selecting grouping strategies on the farm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith S Reyes
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Heather M White
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Kent A Weigel
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Jennifer M C Van Os
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706.
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Kaburu SSK, Balasubramaniam KN, Marty PR, Beisner B, Fuji K, Bliss-Moreau E, McCowan B. Effect of behavioural sampling methods on local and global social network metrics: a case-study of three macaque species. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231001. [PMID: 38077223 PMCID: PMC10698479 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Social network analysis (SNA) is a powerful, quantitative tool to measure animals' direct and indirect social connectedness in the context of social groups. However, the extent to which behavioural sampling methods influence SNA metrics remains unclear. To fill this gap, here we compare network indices of grooming, huddling, and aggression calculated from data collected from three macaque species through two sampling methods: focal animal sampling (FAS) and all-occurrences behaviour sampling (ABS). We found that measures of direct connectedness (degree centrality, and network density) were correlated between FAS and ABS for all social behaviours. Eigenvector and betweenness centralities were correlated for grooming and aggression networks across all species. By contrast, for huddling, we found a correlation only for betweenness centrality while eigenvector centralities were correlated only for the tolerant bonnet macaque but not so for the despotic rhesus macaque. Grooming and huddling network modularity and centralization were correlated between FAS and ABS for all but three of the eight groups. By contrast, for aggression network, we found a correlation for network centralization but not modularity between the sampling methodologies. We discuss how our findings provide researchers with new guidelines regarding choosing the appropriate sampling method to estimate social network metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano S. K. Kaburu
- School of Animal Rural & Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Krishna N. Balasubramaniam
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
| | | | - Brianne Beisner
- Animal Resources Division, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 16 Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Kevin Fuji
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
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Kohler J, Gore M, Ormond R, Johnson B, Austin T. Individual residency behaviours and seasonal long-distance movements in acoustically tagged Caribbean reef sharks in the Cayman Islands. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293884. [PMID: 38011196 PMCID: PMC10681323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how reef-associated sharks use coastal waters through their ontogeny is important for their effective conservation and management. This study used the horizontal movements of acoustically tagged Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) to examine their use of coastal space around the Cayman Islands between 2009 and 2019. A total of 39 (59.1%) tagged sharks (male = 22, female = 17, immature = 18, mature = 21) were detected on the islands wide network of acoustic receivers. The detection data were used to calculate values of Residency Index (RI), Site-Fidelity Index (SFI) and minimum linear displacement (MLD), as well as for network analysis of individual shark movements to test for differences between demographics, seasons, and diel periods. Sharks were detected for up to 1,598 days post-tagging and some individuals showed resident behaviour but the majority of tagged individuals appear to have been one-off or only occasional transient visitors to the area. Generally, individuals showed strong site-fidelity to different areas displaying linear home ranges of < 20 km. The evidence indicates that there was no pattern of diel behaviour. Tagged sharks generally showed increased movements within and between islands during the summer (April-September), which may be related to breeding activity. Some individuals even made occasional excursions across 110 km of open water > 2,000 m deep between Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. One mature female shark showed a displacement of 148.21 km, the greatest distance reported for this species. The data shows that the distances over which some sharks moved, greatly exceeded the extent of any one of the islands' marine protected areas indicating that this species may be more mobile and dispersive than previously thought. This study provides support for the blanket protection to all sharks throughout Cayman waters, which was incorporated within the National Conservation Act in 2015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Kohler
- Department of the Environment, Cayman Islands Government, George Town, Cayman Islands
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Mauvis Gore
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Marine Conservation International, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rupert Ormond
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Marine Conservation International, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Bradley Johnson
- Department of the Environment, Cayman Islands Government, George Town, Cayman Islands
| | - Timothy Austin
- Department of the Environment, Cayman Islands Government, George Town, Cayman Islands
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Wang M, Mei J, Darras KFA, Liu F. VGGish-based detection of biological sound components and their spatio-temporal variations in a subtropical forest in eastern China. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16462. [PMID: 38025750 PMCID: PMC10656901 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring technology is widely used to monitor the diversity of vocal animals, but the question of how to quickly extract effective sound patterns remains a challenge due to the difficulty of distinguishing biological sounds within multiple sound sources in a soundscape. In this study, we address the potential application of the VGGish model, pre-trained on Google's AudioSet dataset, for the extraction of acoustic features, together with an unsupervised clustering method based on the Gaussian mixture model, to identify various sound sources from a soundscape of a subtropical forest in China. The results show that different biotic and abiotic components can be distinguished from various confounding sound sources. Birds and insects were the two primary biophony sound sources, and their sounds displayed distinct temporal patterns across both diurnal and monthly time frames and distinct spatial patterns in the landscape. Using the clustering and modeling method of the general sound feature set, we quickly depicted the soundscape in a subtropical forest ecosystem, which could be used to track dynamic changes in the acoustic environment and provide help for biodiversity and ecological environment monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jinjuan Mei
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Kevin FA Darras
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems & Engineering Lab, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fanglin Liu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
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37
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Persson Waller K, Myrenås M, Börjesson S, Kim H, Widerström M, Monsen T, Sigurðarson Sandholt AK, Östlund E, Cha W. Genotypic characterization of Staphylococcus chromogenes and Staphylococcus simulans from Swedish cases of bovine subclinical mastitis. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:7991-8004. [PMID: 37641317 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus chromogenes and Staphylococcus simulans are commonly found in intramammary infections (IMI) associated with bovine subclinical mastitis, but little is known about genotypic variation and relatedness within species. This includes knowledge about genes encoding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and potential virulence factors (pVF). The aim of this study was therefore to investigate these aspects by whole-genome sequencing of milk isolates from Swedish dairy cows with subclinical mastitis in an observational study. We also wanted to study if specific genotypes were associated with persistent IMI and the inflammatory response at udder quarter level. In total, 105 and 118 isolates of S. chromogenes and S. simulans, respectively, were included. Isolates were characterized using a 7-locus multilocus sequence typing (7-MLST), core genome analysis and in-silico analysis of AMR and pVF genes. Forty-seven sequence types (ST) and 7 core genome clusters of S. chromogenes were identified, and the most common ST were ST-6 and ST-109, both belonging to cluster VII. A 7-locus MLST scheme for S. simulans was not available, but 3 core genome clusters and 5 subclusters were described. Overall, substantial variation in ST and clusters among cows and herds were found in both species. Some ST of S. chromogenes were found in several herds, indicating spread between herds. Moreover, within-herd spread of the same genotype was observed for both species. Only a few AMR genes [blaZ, strpS194, vga(A)] were detected in a limited number of isolates, with the exception of blaZ coding for β-lactamase, which was identified in 22% of the isolates of S. chromogenes with ST-19, ST-102, and ST-103 more commonly carrying this gene compared with other ST. However, the blaZ gene was not identified in S. simulans. The average total number of pVF detected per isolate was similar in S. chromogenes (n = 30) and S. simulans (n = 33), but some variation in total numbers and presence of specific pVF or functional groups of pVF, was shown between ST/clusters within species. Differences in inflammatory response and potentially in persistent IMI at udder quarter level were found between S. chromogenes subtypes but not between S. simulans subtypes. In conclusion, the results from the present study generates new insight into the epidemiology of bovine S. chromogenes and S. simulans IMI, which can have implications for future prevention and antimicrobial treatment of infections related to these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Persson Waller
- Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - M Myrenås
- Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - S Börjesson
- School of Health Science, Örebro University, Örebro, SE-701 82, Sweden
| | - H Kim
- Department of Disease Control and Epidemiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Widerström
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå SE-90185, Sweden
| | - T Monsen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå SE-90185, Sweden
| | | | - E Östlund
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-75189 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - W Cha
- Department of Disease Control and Epidemiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
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38
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Cook PA, Costello RA, Formica VA, Brodie ED. Individual and Population Age Impact Social Behavior and Network Structure in a Long-Lived Insect. Am Nat 2023; 202:667-680. [PMID: 37963123 DOI: 10.1086/726063] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
AbstractSocial behaviors vary among individuals, and social networks vary among groups. Understanding the causes of such variation is important for predicting or altering ecological processes such as infectious disease outbreaks. Here, we ask whether age contributes to variation in social behavior at multiple levels of organization: within individuals over time, among individuals of different ages, among local social environments, and among populations. We used experimental manipulations of captive populations and a longitudinal dataset to test whether social behavior is associated with age across these levels in a long-lived insect, the forked fungus beetle (Bolitotherus cornutus). In cross-sectional analyses, we found that older beetles were less connected in their social networks. Longitudinal data confirmed that this effect was due in part to changes in behavior over time; beetles became less social over 2 years, possibly because of increased social selectivity or reproductive investment. Beetles of different ages also occupied different local social neighborhoods. The effects of age on behavior scaled up: populations of older individuals had fewer interactions, fewer but more variable relationships, longer network path lengths, and lower clustering than populations of young individuals. Age therefore impacted not only individual sociality but also the network structures that mediate critical population processes.
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39
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Gilbertson MLJ, Hart SN, VanderWaal K, Onorato D, Cunningham M, VandeWoude S, Craft ME. Seasonal changes in network connectivity and consequences for pathogen transmission in a solitary carnivore. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17802. [PMID: 37853051 PMCID: PMC10584909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44815-y] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variation in habitat use and animal behavior can alter host contact patterns with potential consequences for pathogen transmission dynamics. The endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) has experienced significant pathogen-induced mortality and continues to be at risk of future epidemics. Prior research has found increased panther movement in Florida's dry versus wet seasons, which may affect panther population connectivity and seasonally increase potential pathogen transmission. Our objective was to determine if Florida panthers are more spatially connected in dry seasons relative to wet seasons, and test if identified connectivity differences resulted in divergent predicted epidemic dynamics. We leveraged extensive panther telemetry data to construct seasonal panther home range overlap networks over an 11 year period. We tested for differences in network connectivity, and used observed network characteristics to simulate transmission of a broad range of pathogens through dry and wet season networks. We found that panthers were more spatially connected in dry seasons than wet seasons. Further, these differences resulted in a trend toward larger and longer pathogen outbreaks when epidemics were initiated in the dry season. Our results demonstrate that seasonal variation in behavioral patterns-even among largely solitary species-can have substantial impacts on epidemic dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie L J Gilbertson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - S Niamh Hart
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Dave Onorato
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Naples, FL, 34114, USA
| | - Mark Cunningham
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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40
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Villa-Galaviz E, Smart SM, Ward SE, Fraser MD, Memmott J. Fertilization using manure minimizes the trade-offs between biodiversity and forage production in agri-environment scheme grasslands. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290843. [PMID: 37792796 PMCID: PMC10550152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A common practice used to restore and maintain biodiversity in grasslands is to stop or decrease the use of fertilizers as they are a major cause of biodiversity loss. This practice is problematic for farmers who need fertilizers to increase forage and meet the nutritional needs of livestock. Evidence is needed that helps identify optimal fertilizer regimes that could benefit biodiversity and livestock production simultaneously over the long-term. Here, we evaluated the impact of different fertilizer regimes on indicators related to both biodiversity (plant, pollinator, leaf miners and parasitoid Shannon-Weiner diversity, bumblebee abundance, nectar productivity and forb species richness), and forage production (ash, crude protein, ruminant metabolizable energy and dry matter). To this end, we used data from a grassland restoration experiment managed under four nutrient inputs schemes for 27 years: farmyard manure (FYM; 72 kg N ha-1 yr-1), artificial nitrogen-phosphorus and potassium (NPK; 25 kg N ha-1 yr-1), FYM + NPK (97 kg N ha-1 yr-1) and no-fertilizer. Results showed strong trade-offs between biodiversity and forage production under all treatments even in applications lower than the critical load in the EU. Overall, farmyard manure was the fertilizer that optimized production and biodiversity while 97 kg N ha-1 yr-1 of fertilizer addition (FYM+NPK) had the most negative impact on biodiversity. Finally, forage from places where no fertilizer has been added for 27 years did not meet the nutritional requirements of cattle, but it did for sheep. Rethinking typical approaches of nutrient addition could lead to land management solutions suitable for biological conservation and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Villa-Galaviz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Simon M. Smart
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Susan E. Ward
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Mariecia D. Fraser
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Pwllpeiran, Cwmystwyth, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
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41
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Mauri D, Bonelli S, Ozella L. The "Second Life" of laboratory rats ( Rattus norvegicus): Assessment of social behavior of a colony of rats based on social network analysis. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2023; 26:693-707. [PMID: 36217647 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2022.2132826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Rattus norvegicus is a social animal and holds a significant economic value, considering its use in scientific research. Here, we use the Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach to study the social interactions of a group of rats held in a post-laboratory animal care facility. We collected interaction data during four study periods, for a total of 60 days. At the group level, rats presented two communities for each study period, consisting mainly of littermates. At individual level, we found that the rats preferred to interact with individuals of the same strain and laboratory of origin and with littermates. At temporal level, we studied how stable social interactions were over time. During the first study period, we found high social stability, whereas the introduction of new individuals in the subsequent period caused social rearrangements; however, the initial social stability was restored. Our findings have shown that studying the social behavior of rats using SNA is a valuable tool for advancing our understanding of the social system of this species, which has the potential to enhance management and welfare practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Mauri
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- "La Collina dei Conigli" non-profit Organization, Monza, Italy
| | - Simona Bonelli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Ozella
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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42
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Kings M, Arbon JJ, McIvor GE, Whitaker M, Radford AN, Lerner J, Thornton A. Wild jackdaws can selectively adjust their social associations while preserving valuable long-term relationships. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5103. [PMID: 37696804 PMCID: PMC10495349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40808-7] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Influential theories of the evolution of cognition and cooperation posit that tracking information about others allows individuals to adjust their social associations strategically, re-shaping social networks to favour connections between compatible partners. Crucially, to our knowledge, this has yet to be tested experimentally in natural populations, where the need to maintain long-term, fitness-enhancing relationships may limit social plasticity. Using a social-network-manipulation experiment, we show that wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula) learned to favour social associations with compatible group members (individuals that provided greater returns from social foraging interactions), but resultant change in network structure was constrained by the preservation of valuable pre-existing relationships. Our findings provide insights into the cognitive basis of social plasticity and the interplay between individual decision-making and social-network structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kings
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Josh J Arbon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Guillam E McIvor
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Martin Whitaker
- technologywithin, Chevron Business Park, Limekiln Lane, Holbury, Southampton, SO45 2QL, UK
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Jürgen Lerner
- Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- HumTec Institute, RWTH Aachen University, 52062, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
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43
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Madsen AE, Lyon BE, Chaine AS, Block TA, Shizuka D. Loss of flockmates weakens winter site fidelity in golden-crowned sparrows ( Zonotrichia atricapilla). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219939120. [PMID: 37523568 PMCID: PMC10410770 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219939120] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal social interactions have an intrinsic spatial basis as many of these interactions occur in spatial proximity. This presents a dilemma when determining causality: Do individuals interact socially because they happen to share space, or do they share space because they are socially linked? We present a method that uses demographic turnover events as a natural experiment to investigate the links between social associations and space use in the context of interannual winter site fidelity in a migratory bird. We previously found that golden-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla) show consistent flocking relationships across years, and that familiarity between individuals influences the dynamics of social competition over resources. Using long-term data on winter social and spatial behavior across 10 y, we show that i) sparrows exhibit interannual fidelity to winter home ranges on the scale of tens of meters and ii) the precision of interannual site fidelity increases with the number of winters spent, but iii) this fidelity is weakened when sparrows lose close flockmates from the previous year. Furthermore, the effect of flockmate loss on site fidelity was higher for birds that had returned in more than 2 winters, suggesting that social fidelity may play an increasingly important role on spatial behavior across the lifetime of this migratory bird. Our study provides evidence that social relationships can influence site fidelity, and shows the potential of long-term studies for disentangling the relationship between social and spatial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia E. Madsen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588
| | - Bruce E. Lyon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA90560
| | - Alexis S. Chaine
- Station d´Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du Centre National de la Recerche Scientifique (UAR2029), Moulis09200, France
| | - Theadora A. Block
- Research Department, National Headquarters, Canine Companions for Independence, Santa Rosa, CA95407
| | - Daizaburo Shizuka
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588
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44
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Lacetera P, Mason SJ, Tixier P, Arnould JPY. Using ecotourism boats for estimating the abundance of a bottlenose dolphin population in south-eastern Australia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289592. [PMID: 37540663 PMCID: PMC10403133 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289592] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is challenging to collect robust, long-term datasets to properly monitor the viability and social structure of large, long-lived animals, especially marine mammals. The present study used a unique long-term dataset to investigate the population parameters and social structure of a poorly studied population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) in southern Port Phillip Bay, south-eastern Australia. Photo-identification images have been collected between 2012-2022 both opportunistically and following a protocol by patrons, staff, and volunteers of ecotourism companies using their vessels as platforms. The resulting large dataset was available to be processed through the online platform Flukebook and used in capture recapture models to estimate abundance and demographic parameters. In addition, the social structure of the population and the reproductive parameters were investigated. The marked adult population abundance (45.2 ± 2.7 individuals) was found to be stable over the last decade and the calving rate ranged between 0.06-0.19 new calves per identified individuals per year, while the inter-birth interval was 3.7 ± 0.8 years. Social analysis suggested the population has a fission-fusion structure with no apparent clusters. The stability of the population over the study period suggests no deleterious effect of anthropogenic or environmental factors during the last decade. This study is the outcome of the effort of the ecotourism organisations and the results obtained, along with their similarity to those of other dolphin populations worldwide, highlight the importance of such data sources for long-term information that would otherwise be too expensive or logistically difficult to obtain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lacetera
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Science, Krijgslaan, Gent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Suzanne J. Mason
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- Cetacean Science Connections, Forest Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Tixier
- MARBEC, Université de Montpellier-CNRS-IFREMER-IRD, Sète, France
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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Rushmore J, Beechler BR, Tavalire H, Gorsich EE, Charleston B, Devan‐Song A, Glidden CK, Jolles AE. The heterogeneous herd: Drivers of close-contact variation in African buffalo and implications for pathogen invasion. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10447. [PMID: 37621318 PMCID: PMC10445036 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Many infectious pathogens are shared through social interactions, and examining host connectivity has offered valuable insights for understanding patterns of pathogen transmission across wildlife species. African buffalo are social ungulates and important reservoirs of directly-transmitted pathogens that impact numerous wildlife and livestock species. Here, we analyzed African buffalo social networks to quantify variation in close contacts, examined drivers of contact heterogeneity, and investigated how the observed contact patterns affect pathogen invasion likelihoods for a wild social ungulate. We collected continuous association data using proximity collars and sampled host traits approximately every 2 months during a 15-month study period in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Although the observed herd was well connected, with most individuals contacting each other during each bimonthly interval, our analyses revealed striking heterogeneity in close-contact associations among herd members. Network analysis showed that individual connectivity was stable over time and that individual age, sex, reproductive status, and pairwise genetic relatedness were important predictors of buffalo connectivity. Calves were the most connected members of the herd, and adult males were the least connected. These findings highlight the role susceptible calves may play in the transmission of pathogens within the herd. We also demonstrate that, at time scales relevant to infectious pathogens found in nature, the observed level of connectivity affects pathogen invasion likelihoods for a wide range of infectious periods and transmissibilities. Ultimately, our study identifies key predictors of social connectivity in a social ungulate and illustrates how contact heterogeneity, even within a highly connected herd, can shape pathogen invasion likelihoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Rushmore
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brianna R. Beechler
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Hannah Tavalire
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Erin E. Gorsich
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- The Zeeman Institute: Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology ResearchUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
| | | | - Anne Devan‐Song
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Anna E. Jolles
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
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46
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Ogino M, Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Aplin LM, Farine DR. Group-level differences in social network structure remain repeatable after accounting for environmental drivers. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230340. [PMID: 37476518 PMCID: PMC10354494 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Individuals show consistent between-individual behavioural variation when they interact with conspecifics or heterospecifics. Such patterns might underlie emergent group-specific behavioural patterns and between-group behavioural differences. However, little is known about (i) how social and non-social drivers (external drivers) shape group-level social structures and (ii) whether animal groups show consistent between-group differences in social structure after accounting for external drivers. We used automated tracking to quantify daily social interactions and association networks in 12 colonies of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We quantified the effects of five external drivers (group size, group composition, ecological factors, physical environments and methodological differences) on daily interaction and association networks and tested whether colonies expressed consistent differences in day-to-day network structure after controlling for these drivers. Overall, we found that external drivers contribute significantly to network structure. However, even after accounting for the contribution of external drivers, there remained significant support for consistent between-group differences in both interaction (repeatability R: up to 0.493) and association (repeatability R: up to 0.736) network structures. Our study demonstrates how group-level differences in social behaviour can be partitioned into different drivers of variation, with consistent contributions from both social and non-social factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Ogino
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8006, Switzerland
| | - Adriana A. Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Cra 26 # 63B – 48, Colombia
| | - Lucy M. Aplin
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell 78315, Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8006, Switzerland
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47
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Catitti B, Kormann UG, van Bergen VS, Grüebler MU. Turning tables: food availability shapes dynamic aggressive behaviour among asynchronously hatching siblings in red kites Milvus milvus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230328. [PMID: 37476514 PMCID: PMC10354486 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Aggression represents the backbone of dominance acquisition in several animal societies, where the decision to interact is dictated by its relative cost. Among siblings, such costs are weighted in the light of inclusive fitness, but how this translates to aggression patterns in response to changing external and internal conditions remains unclear. Using a null-model-based approach, we investigate how day-to-day changes in food provisioning affect aggression networks and food allocation in growing red kite (Milvus milvus) nestlings, whose dominance rank is largely dictated by age. We show that older siblings, irrespective of age, change from targeting only close-aged peers (close-competitor pattern) when food provisioning is low, to uniformly attacking all other peers (downward heuristic pattern) as food conditions improve. While food allocation was generally skewed towards the older siblings, the youngest sibling in the nest increased its probability of accessing food as more was provisioned and as downward heuristic patterns became more prominent, suggesting that different aggression patterns allow for catch-up growth after periods of low food. Our results indicate that dynamic aggression patterns within the nest modulate environmental effects on juvenile development by influencing the process of dominance acquisition and potentially impacting the fledging body condition, with far-reaching fitness consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Catitti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs G. Kormann
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
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Soben C, Llorente M, Villariezo P, Liebal K, Amici F. Maternal Investment Fosters Male but Not Female Social Interactions with Other Group Members in Immature Wild Spider Monkeys ( Ateles geoffroyi). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1802. [PMID: 37889718 PMCID: PMC10251948 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In several species, individuals form long-lasting social relationships with other group members, which provide them with important fitness benefits. In primates, patterns of social relationships are known to differ between sexes, but little is known about how these differences emerge through development or the role that mothers might have in this process. Here, we investigated how sex differences in social behaviour emerge during the first six years of primate life and how sex-biased maternal investment can foster immatures' social development and social interaction with other group members. For this purpose, we observed 20 males and females aged between zero and six years in a wild group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) that was male-philopatric and, therefore, expected to show sex-biased maternal investment. Our results showed no sex difference in the social development of offspring with regards to body contact and grooming, but the probability of play was rather constant throughout age for females, whereas, for males, it became higher than females around two years of age, peaking between three and four years of age. Moreover, we found differences between female and male immatures in the importance of maternal investment (which included the time mothers spent nursing, carrying, grooming, touching and playing with their offspring) for their social integration in the natal group. In particular, maternal investment increased the probability of playing with other group members for sons, but not for daughters. Our findings suggest that mothers, through sex-biased maternal investment, might have a crucial function in the social development of spider monkeys, fostering the abilities that young offspring need to thrive as adults. By shedding light on maternal investment and social development in a still understudied primate species, these findings contribute to understanding the evolutionary roots of human maternal care and social development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Soben
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
- Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d’Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Paula Villariezo
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Katja Liebal
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Federica Amici
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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49
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Díaz S, Sánchez S, Fidalgo A. Social Network Changes in Cotton-Top Tamarins ( Saguinus oedipus) after the Birth of New Infants. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1758. [PMID: 37889666 PMCID: PMC10252032 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111758] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) are characterized by a system of cooperative breeding where helpers, in addition to the reproductive pair, contribute to infant care. Grooming interactions between individuals play an important role in establishing social relationships, creating an interconnected social network in the group. We used social network analysis to investigate the social structure of two groups of cotton-top tamarins with different sizes and compositions and study whether they remain stable after the birth of new infants. We also investigated the possible correlation between the time spent carrying infants and an increase in the grooming centrality. We found that group A (n = 13) had a stable grooming network that showed consistent stability after the birth, although group B (n = 8 and no adult helpers) changed its grooming network and showed a lower density after the birth. Infant carrying was not correlated with increased grooming centrality after the birth. These findings highlight the usefulness of social network analysis in the study of group structure in cooperatively breeding primates and suggest that the birth of offspring has a greater impact on the stability of groups without adult helpers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Díaz
- Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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50
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Beck KB, Sheldon BC, Firth JA. Social learning mechanisms shape transmission pathways through replicate local social networks of wild birds. eLife 2023; 12:85703. [PMID: 37128701 PMCID: PMC10154030 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of novel behaviours via social learning can lead to rapid population-level changes whereby the social connections between individuals shape information flow. However, behaviours can spread via different mechanisms and little is known about how information flow depends on the underlying learning rule individuals employ. Here, comparing four different learning mechanisms, we simulated behavioural spread on replicate empirical social networks of wild great tits and explored the relationship between individual sociality and the order of behavioural acquisition. Our results reveal that, for learning rules dependent on the sum and strength of social connections to informed individuals, social connectivity was related to the order of acquisition, with individuals with increased social connectivity and reduced social clustering adopting new behaviours faster. However, when behavioural adoption depends on the ratio of an individuals' social connections to informed versus uninformed individuals, social connectivity was not related to the order of acquisition. Finally, we show how specific learning mechanisms may limit behavioural spread within networks. These findings have important implications for understanding whether and how behaviours are likely to spread across social systems, the relationship between individuals' sociality and behavioural acquisition, and therefore for the costs and benefits of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B Beck
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ben C Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Josh A Firth
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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