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Chan SCY, Karczmarski L. Broad-scale impacts of coastal mega-infrastructure project on obligatory inshore delphinids: A cautionary tale from Hong Kong. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:169753. [PMID: 38181953 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Inshore marine habitats experience considerable anthropogenic pressure, as this is where many adverse effects of human activities concentrate. In the rapidly-changing seascape of the Anthropocene, Hong Kong waters at the heart of world's fastest developing coastal region can serve as a preview-window into coastal seas of the future, with ever-growing anthropogenic footprint. Here, we quantify how large-scale coastal infrastructure projects can affect obligatory inshore cetaceans, bringing about population-level consequences that may compromise their long-term demographic viability. As a case in point, we look at the construction of world's longest sea crossing system and broad-scale demographic, social and spatial responses it has caused in a shallow-water delphinid, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis). Soon after the infrastructure project began, dolphins markedly altered their home range near construction sites such that these waters no longer functioned as dolphin core areas despite the apparent presence of prey, indicating that anthropogenic impacts outweighed foraging benefits. The contraction of key habitats has in turn led individuals to interact over spatially more constricted area, reshaping their group dynamics and social network. Although there was no apparent decline in dolphin numbers that could be detected with mark-recapture estimates, adult survival rates decreased drastically from 0.960 to 0.904, the lowest estimate for these animals anywhere across the region to date, notably below the previously estimated demographic threshold of their long-term persistence (0.955). It is apparent that during an advanced stage of this coastal infrastructure project, dolphins were under a major anthropogenic pressure that, if sustained, could be detrimental to their long-term persistence as a viable demographic unit. As effective conservation of species and habitats depends on informed management decisions, this study offers a valuable lesson in environmental risk assessment, underscoring the implications of human-induced rapid environmental change on obligatory inshore delphinids-sentinels of coastal habitats that are increasingly degraded in fast-changing coastal seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C Y Chan
- Division of Cetacean Ecology, Cetacea Research Institute, Lantau, Hong Kong.
| | - Leszek Karczmarski
- Division of Cetacean Ecology, Cetacea Research Institute, Lantau, Hong Kong.
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2
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Wild S, Alarcón-Nieto G, Aplin LM. The ontogeny of social networks in wild great tits ( Parus major). Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae011. [PMID: 38495730 PMCID: PMC10941318 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae011] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Sociality impacts many biological processes and can be tightly linked to an individual's fitness. To maximize the advantages of group living, many social animals prefer to associate with individuals that provide the most benefits, such as kin, familiar individuals, or those of similar phenotypes. Such social strategies are not necessarily stable over time but can vary with changing selection pressures. In particular, young individuals transitioning to independence should continuously adjust their social behavior in light of developmental changes. However, social strategies exhibited during adolescence in animals are understudied, and the factors underlying social network formation during ontogeny remain elusive. Here, we tracked associations of wild great tits (Parus major) during the transition to independence and across their first year of life. Both spatial and social factors predicted dyadic associations. During the transition to independence in spring, fledglings initially preferred to associate with siblings and peers over non-parent adults. We found no evidence for preferred associations among juveniles of similar age or fledge weight during that time but weak evidence for some potential inheritance of the parental social network. By autumn, after juveniles had reached full independence, they exhibited social strategies similar to those of adults by establishing stable social ties based on familiarity that persisted through winter into the next spring. Overall, this research demonstrates dynamic changes in social networks during ontogeny in a species with a fast life history and limited parental care, which likely reflect changes in selective pressures. It further highlights the importance of long-term social bonds based on familiarity in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Wild
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA-95616, USA
| | - Gustavo Alarcón-Nieto
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Quantitative Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lucy M Aplin
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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3
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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] [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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4
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Baker CJ, Frère CH, Franklin CE, Campbell HA, Irwin TR, Dwyer RG. Long-term tracking reveals a dynamic crocodylian social system. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
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5
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Chan SCY, Karczmarski L, Lin W, Zheng R, Ho YW, Guo L, Mo Y, Lee ATL, Or CKM, Wu Y. An unknown component of a well-known population: socio-demographic parameters of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) at the western reaches of the Pearl River Delta region. Mamm Biol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00335-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Sunga J, Webber QM, Humber J, Rodrigues B, Broders HG. Roost fidelity partially explains maternity roosting association patterns in Myotis lucifugus. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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7
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Using spot pattern recognition to examine population biology, evolutionary ecology, sociality, and movements of giraffes: a 70-year retrospective. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00261-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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8
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Perryman RJ, Mourier J, Venables SK, Tapilatu RF, Setyawan E, Brown C. Reef manta ray social dynamics depend on individual differences in behaviour. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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9
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Chen R, Spiegel O, Bartan Y, Nathan R. Resource limitation drives fission–fusion dynamics of group composition and size in a social bird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Patterns of association and distribution of estuarine-resident common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in North Carolina, USA. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270057. [PMID: 35969521 PMCID: PMC9377618 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The social structure of estuarine-resident bottlenose dolphins is complex and varied. Residing in habitats often utilized for resource exploitation, dolphins are at risk due to anthropogenic pressures while still federally protected. Effective conservation is predicated upon accurate abundance estimates. In North Carolina, two estuarine-resident stocks (demographically independent groups) of common bottlenose dolphin have been designated using spatiotemporal criteria. Both stocks are subjected to bycatch in fishing gear. The southern North Carolina estuarine stock was estimated at <200 individuals from surveys in 2006, which is outdated per US guidelines. Thus, we conducted a new capture-mark-recapture survey in 2018, identifying 547 distinct individuals, about three times higher than the prior abundance estimate. We compared those individuals to our long-term photo-identification catalog (1995–2018, n = 2,423 individuals), matching 228 individuals. Of those 228, 65 were also included in the 2013 abundance estimate for the northern North Carolina estuarine stock. Using sighting histories for all individuals in the long-term catalog, we conducted a social network analysis, which is independent of a priori stock assignments. The three primary clusters identified were inconsistent with current stock designations and not defined by spatiotemporal distribution. All three clusters had sighting histories in the estuary and on the coast, however, that with the highest within-cluster associations appeared to use estuarine waters more often. The within-cluster association strength was low for one cluster, possibly due to only part of that cluster inhabiting the southern North Carolina estuarine system. Between-cluster differences occurred in infestation rates by the pseudostalked barnacle, Xenobalanus globicipitis, but that did not predict clusters. We suggest the need to re-evaluate the stock structure of estuarine-resident common bottlenose dolphins in North Carolina and currently have insufficient information to assign an abundance estimate to a currently designated stock.
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11
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Everyone matters: identification with facial wrinkles allows more accurate inference of elephant social dynamics. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00257-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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12
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Danaher-Garcia N, Connor R, Fay G, Melillo-Sweeting K, Dudzinski KM. Using Social Network Analysis to Confirm the ‘Gambit of the Group’ Hypothesis for a Small Cetacean. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104694. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Wiśniewska M, Puga-Gonzalez I, Lee P, Moss C, Russell G, Garnier S, Sueur C. Simulated poaching affects global connectivity and efficiency in social networks of African savanna elephants—An exemplar of how human disturbance impacts group-living species. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009792. [PMID: 35041648 PMCID: PMC8797174 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective harvest, such as poaching, impacts group-living animals directly through mortality of individuals with desirable traits, and indirectly by altering the structure of their social networks. Understanding the relationship between disturbance-induced, structural network changes and group performance in wild animals remains an outstanding problem. To address this problem, we evaluated the immediate effect of disturbance on group sociality in African savanna elephants—an example, group-living species threatened by poaching. Drawing on static association data from ten free-ranging groups, we constructed one empirically based, population-wide network and 100 virtual networks; performed a series of experiments ‘poaching’ the oldest, socially central or random individuals; and quantified the immediate change in the theoretical indices of network connectivity and efficiency of social diffusion. Although the social networks never broke down, targeted elimination of the socially central conspecifics, regardless of age, decreased network connectivity and efficiency. These findings hint at the need to further study resilience by modeling network reorganization and interaction-mediated socioecological learning, empirical data permitting. The main contribution of our work is in quantifying connectivity together with global efficiency in multiple social networks that feature the sociodemographic diversity likely found in wild elephant populations. The basic design of our simulation makes it adaptable for hypothesis testing about the consequences of anthropogenic disturbance or lethal management on social interactions in a variety of group-living species with limited, real-world data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Wiśniewska
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ivan Puga-Gonzalez
- Institutt for global utvikling og samfunnsplanlegging, Universitetet i Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
- Center for Modeling Social Systems at NORCE, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Phyllis Lee
- Amboseli Trust for Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
- Faculty of Natural Science, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | | | - Gareth Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Simon Garnier
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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14
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Cloyed CS, Wilson RM, Balmer BC, Hohn AA, Schwacke LH, Zolman ES, Tumlin MC, Wells RS, Barleycorn AA, Allen JB, Carmichael RH. Specialization of a mobile, apex predator affects trophic coupling among adjacent habitats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19611. [PMID: 34608172 PMCID: PMC8490471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99017-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mobile, apex predators are commonly assumed to stabilize food webs through trophic coupling across spatially distinct habitats. The assumption that trophic coupling is common remains largely untested, despite evidence that individual behaviors might limit trophic coupling. We used stable isotope data from common bottlenose dolphins across the Gulf of Mexico to determine if these apex predators coupled estuarine and adjacent, nearshore marine habitats. δ13C values differed among the sites, likely driven by environmental factors that varied at each site, such as freshwater input and seagrass cover. Within most sites, δ13C values differed such that dolphins sampled in the upper reaches of embayments had values indicative of estuarine habitats while those sampled outside or in lower reaches of embayments had values indicative of marine habitats. δ15N values were more similar among and within sites than δ13C values. Data from multiple tissues within individuals corroborated that most dolphins consistently used a narrow range of habitats but fed at similar trophic levels in estuarine and marine habitats. Because these dolphins exhibited individual habitat specialization, they likely do not contribute to trophic coupling between estuarine and adjacent marine habitats at a regional scale, suggesting that not all mobile, apex predators trophically couple adjacent habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl S Cloyed
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, 36528, USA. .,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA.
| | - Rachel M Wilson
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Brian C Balmer
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, 92106, USA
| | - Aleta A Hohn
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, 92106, USA
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, 92106, USA
| | - Mandy C Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA
| | - Aaron A Barleycorn
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA
| | - Jason B Allen
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA
| | - Ruth H Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, 36528, USA.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA
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15
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Lavista Ferres JM, Lee DE, Nasir M, Chen YC, Bijral AS, Bercovitch FB, Bond ML. Social connectedness and movements among communities of giraffes vary by sex and age class. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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16
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Bond ML, König B, Ozgul A, Farine DR, Lee DE. Socially Defined Subpopulations Reveal Demographic Variation in a Giraffe Metapopulation. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Monica L. Bond
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Derek E. Lee
- Department of Biology Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania USA
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17
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Pace DS, Di Marco C, Giacomini G, Ferri S, Silvestri M, Papale E, Casoli E, Ventura D, Mingione M, Alaimo Di Loro P, Jona Lasinio G, Ardizzone G. Capitoline Dolphins: Residency Patterns and Abundance Estimate of Tursiops truncatus at the Tiber River Estuary (Mediterranean Sea). BIOLOGY 2021; 10:275. [PMID: 33800538 PMCID: PMC8066396 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphin are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber River estuary (central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2020. We used photo-identification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture-recapture models to estimate the population abundance. In all, 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labeled resident (individuals encountered at least five times, in three different months, over three distinct years; n = 42), part-time (individuals encountered at least on two occasions in a month, in at least two different years; n = 73), and transient (individuals encountered on more than one occasion, in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year; n = 232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456-614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber River estuary represent an important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite their proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of resident individuals with strong site fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber River mouths but extended to cover a broader scale of area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Silvia Pace
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Chiara Di Marco
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Giancarlo Giacomini
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Sara Ferri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Margherita Silvestri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Elena Papale
- CNR-IAS, Campobello di Mazara, 91021 Trapani, Italy;
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Edoardo Casoli
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Daniele Ventura
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Marco Mingione
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Pierfrancesco Alaimo Di Loro
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Giovanna Jona Lasinio
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Giandomenico Ardizzone
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
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18
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Cloyed CS, Balmer BC, Schwacke LH, Takeshita R, Hohn A, Wells RS, Rowles TK, Saliki JT, Smith CR, Tumlin MC, Zolman ES, Fauquier DA, Carmichael RH. Linking morbillivirus exposure to individual habitat use of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) between geographically different sites. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1191-1204. [PMID: 33608907 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) is a virulent pathogen that causes high mortality outbreaks in delphinids globally and is spread via contact among individuals. Broadly ranging nearshore and open-ocean delphinids are likely reservoir populations that transmit DMV to estuarine populations. We assessed the seroprevalence of DMV antibodies and determined the habitat use of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus truncatus, from two estuarine sites, Barataria Bay and Mississippi Sound, in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We predicted that risk to DMV exposure in estuarine dolphins is driven by spatial overlap in habitat use with reservoir populations. Serum was collected from live-captured dolphins and tested for DMV antibodies. Habitat use of sampled individuals was determined by analysing satellite-tracked movements and stable isotope values. DMV seroprevalences were high among dolphins at Barataria Bay (37%) and Mississippi Sound (44%), but varied differently within sites. Ranging patterns of Barataria Bay dolphins were categorized into two groups: Interior and Island-associated. DMV seroprevalences were absent in Interior dolphins (0%) but high in Island-associated dolphins (45%). Ranging patterns of Mississippi Sound dolphins were categorized into three groups: Interior, Island-east and Island-west. DMV seroprevalences were detected across Mississippi Sound (Interior: 60%; Island-east: 20%; and Island-west: 43%). At both sites, dolphins in habitats with greater marine influence had enriched δ13 C values, and Barataria Bay dolphins with positive DMV titres had carbon isotope values indicative of marine habitats. Positive titres for DMV antibodies were more common in the lower versus upper parts of Barataria Bay but evenly distributed across Mississippi Sound. A dolphin's risk of exposure to DMV is influenced by how individual ranging patterns interact with environmental geography. Barataria Bay's partially enclosed geography likely limits the nearshore or open-ocean delphinids that carry DMV from interacting with dolphins that use interior, estuarine habitats, decreasing their exposure to DMV. Mississippi Sound's relatively open geography allows for greater spatial overlap and mixing among estuarine, nearshore and/or open-ocean cetaceans. The spread of DMV, and likely other diseases, is affected by the combination of individual movements, habitat use and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl S Cloyed
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Aleta Hohn
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Teresa K Rowles
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jeremiah T Saliki
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Mandy C Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Deborah A Fauquier
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Ruth H Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
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19
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Balasubramaniam KN, Marty PR, Samartino S, Sobrino A, Gill T, Ismail M, Saha R, Beisner BA, Kaburu SSK, Bliss-Moreau E, Arlet ME, Ruppert N, Ismail A, Sah SAM, Mohan L, Rattan SK, Kodandaramaiah U, McCowan B. Impact of individual demographic and social factors on human-wildlife interactions: a comparative study of three macaque species. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21991. [PMID: 33319843 PMCID: PMC7738552 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite increasing conflict at human–wildlife interfaces, there exists little research on how the attributes and behavior of individual wild animals may influence human–wildlife interactions. Adopting a comparative approach, we examined the impact of animals’ life-history and social attributes on interactions between humans and (peri)urban macaques in Asia. For 10 groups of rhesus, long-tailed, and bonnet macaques, we collected social behavior, spatial data, and human–interaction data for 11–20 months on pre-identified individuals. Mixed-model analysis revealed that, across all species, males and spatially peripheral individuals interacted with humans the most, and that high-ranking individuals initiated more interactions with humans than low-rankers. Among bonnet macaques, but not rhesus or long-tailed macaques, individuals who were more well-connected in their grooming network interacted more frequently with humans than less well-connected individuals. From an evolutionary perspective, our results suggest that individuals incurring lower costs related to their life-history (males) and resource-access (high rank; strong social connections within a socially tolerant macaque species), but also higher costs on account of compromising the advantages of being in the core of their group (spatial periphery), are the most likely to take risks by interacting with humans in anthropogenic environments. From a conservation perspective, evaluating individual behavior will better inform efforts to minimize conflict-related costs and zoonotic-risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna N Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Pascal R Marty
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Shelby Samartino
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Alvaro Sobrino
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Taniya Gill
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Mohammed Ismail
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Primate Conservation Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Rajarshi Saha
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Brianne A Beisner
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Stefano S K Kaburu
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Biomedical Science and Physiology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Psychology and the California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Malgorzata E Arlet
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Nadine Ruppert
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Ismail
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Lalit Mohan
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Sandeep K Rattan
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Ullasa Kodandaramaiah
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala P.O., Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, 695551, India
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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20
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Albery GF, Kirkpatrick L, Firth JA, Bansal S. Unifying spatial and social network analysis in disease ecology. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:45-61. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Josh A. Firth
- Department of Zoology Edward Grey Institute University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Merton College Oxford University Oxford UK
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington DC USA
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21
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Genetic relatedness cannot explain social preferences in black-and-white ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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22
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Gysi DM, Nowick K. Construction, comparison and evolution of networks in life sciences and other disciplines. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20190610. [PMID: 32370689 PMCID: PMC7276545 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Network approaches have become pervasive in many research fields. They allow for a more comprehensive understanding of complex relationships between entities as well as their group-level properties and dynamics. Many networks change over time, be it within seconds or millions of years, depending on the nature of the network. Our focus will be on comparative network analyses in life sciences, where deciphering temporal network changes is a core interest of molecular, ecological, neuropsychological and evolutionary biologists. Further, we will take a journey through different disciplines, such as social sciences, finance and computational gastronomy, to present commonalities and differences in how networks change and can be analysed. Finally, we envision how borrowing ideas from these disciplines could enrich the future of life science research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deisy Morselli Gysi
- Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center of Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
- Swarm Intelligence and Complex Systems Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Complex Networks Research, Northeastern University, 177 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katja Nowick
- Human Biology Group, Institute for Biology, Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straβe 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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23
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Tringali A, Sherer DL, Cosgrove J, Bowman R. Life history stage explains behavior in a social network before and during the early breeding season in a cooperatively breeding bird. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8302. [PMID: 32095315 PMCID: PMC7020825 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In species with stage-structured populations selection pressures may vary between different life history stages and result in stage-specific behaviors. We use life history stage to explain variation in the pre and early breeding season social behavior of a cooperatively breeding bird, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) using social network analysis. Life history stage explains much of the variation we observed in social network position. These differences are consistent with nearly 50 years of natural history observations and generally conform to a priori predictions about how individuals in different stages should behave to maximize their individual fitness. Where the results from the social network analysis differ from the a priori predictions suggest that social interactions between members of different groups are more important for breeders than previously thought. Our results emphasize the importance of accounting for life history stage in studies of individual social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Tringali
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, United States of America
| | - David L Sherer
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, United States of America.,Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States of America
| | - Jillian Cosgrove
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
| | - Reed Bowman
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, United States of America
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24
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Bachorec E, Horáček I, Hulva P, Konečný A, Lučan RK, Jedlička P, Shohdi WM, Řeřucha Š, Abi-Said M, Bartonička T. Spatial networks differ when food supply changes: Foraging strategy of Egyptian fruit bats. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229110. [PMID: 32097434 PMCID: PMC7041839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals are faced with a range of ecological constraints that shape their behavioural decisions. Habitat features that affect resource abundance will also have an impact, especially as regards spatial distribution, which will in turn affect associations between the animals. Here we utilised a network approach, using spatial and genetic data, to describe patterns in use of space (foraging sites) by free-ranging Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) at the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt. We observed a decrease in home range size during spring, when food availability was lowest, which was reflected by differences in space sharing networks. Our data showed that when food was abundant, space sharing networks were less connected and more related individuals shared more foraging sites. In comparison, when food was scarce the bats had few possibilities to decide where and with whom to forage. Overall, both networks had high mean degree, suggesting communal knowledge of predictable food distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Bachorec
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Horáček
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Konečný
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radek K. Lučan
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Jedlička
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI), Královopolská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Šimon Řeřucha
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI), Královopolská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mounir Abi-Said
- Department of Earth and Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Lebanon
| | - Tomáš Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
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25
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O’Brien SL, Tammone MN, Cuello PA, Lacey EA. Facultative sociality in a subterranean rodent, the highland tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding why social relationships vary among conspecifics is central to studies of animal behaviour. For many species, patterns of space use provide important insights into social behaviour. To characterize the social organization of the highland tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus), we used visual observations and radiotelemetry to quantify spatial relationships among adults in a population at Laguna de los Pozuelos, Jujuy Province, Argentina. Specifically, we sought to confirm anecdotal reports that these subterranean rodents are social, meaning that adults share burrow systems and nest sites. Our data indicate that the animals live in spatially distinct groups, although the number of individuals per group varies markedly. Although these relationships were robust with regard to location (above vs. below ground) and type of data (visual vs. telemetry), some groups identified during the daytime fissioned during the night. We suggest that the population of C. opimus at Pozuelos is facultatively social, meaning that individuals display predictable, adaptive differences in social relationships with conspecifics. More generally, our findings add to the growing number of subterranean species of rodents recognized as social, thereby generating new opportunities for comparative studies of these animals aimed at assessing the causes and consequences of variation in social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L O’Brien
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mauro N Tammone
- INIBIOMA-CONICET and Programa de Estudios Aplicados a la Conservación del Parque Nacional Nanhuel Huapi (CENAC-PHHN, CONICET), Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Pablo A Cuello
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Aridas (IADIZA-CCT CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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26
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Watchorn DJ, Whisson DA. Quantifying the interactions between koalas in a high-density population during the breeding period. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/am18027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A species’ social structure influences its patterns of gene flow and disease transmission. Knowledge of social structure therefore is critical for understanding conservation challenges and informing management strategies. We examined the social structure of 33 free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a high-density population (6.7 koalas per hectare) during the early and peak phase of the breeding period (August–December) at Cape Otway, Victoria. We used GPS and proximity loggers to quantify koala space use and interactions, and direct observations to determine behaviours associated with interactions. Our proximity loggers recorded 661 interactions (64% male–female, 28% male–male and 8% female–female). A peak in male–male interactions at the onset of the breeding period suggested that males may physically compete for mates at this time. Male–female interactions increased from the onset of the breeding period, and were mostly of short duration (median duration 5.5 min). From field observations of interactions, and the absence of pouch young in December, many of these interactions may have been unsuccessful copulation attempts. Space use and social network analyses revealed that most males had strong links (total interaction duration >30 min) with only one or two females, despite their spatial overlap and interactions with multiple females. Body mass did not influence a male’s mating success in terms of number of female mates. Our results contrast with those of a lower-density population in central eastern Queensland, suggesting that some aspects of koala social structure may be plastic relative to population density.
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27
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Prox L, Farine D. A framework for conceptualizing dimensions of social organization in mammals. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:791-807. [PMID: 32015844 PMCID: PMC6988527 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian societies represent many different types of social systems. While some aspects of social systems have been extensively studied, there is little consensus on how to conceptualize social organization across species. Here, we present a framework describing eight dimensions of social organization to capture its diversity across mammalian societies. The framework uses simple information that is clearly separated from the three other aspects of social systems: social structure, care system, and mating system. By applying our framework across 208 species of all mammalian taxa, we find a rich multidimensional landscape of social organization. Correlation analysis reveals that the dimensions have relatively high independence, suggesting that social systems are able to evolve different aspects of social behavior without being tied to particular traits. Applying a clustering algorithm allows us to identify the relative importance of key dimensions on patterns of social organization. Finally, mapping mating system onto these clusters shows that social organization represents a distinct aspect of social systems. In the future, this framework will aid reporting on important aspects of natural history in species and facilitate comparative analyses, which ultimately will provide the ability to generate new insights into the primary drivers of social patterns and evolution of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Prox
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterGöttingenGermany
| | - Damien Farine
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of Collective BehaviourMax Planck Institute for Animal BehaviorKonstanzGermany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
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28
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29
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Perryman RJY, Venables SK, Tapilatu RF, Marshall AD, Brown C, Franks DW. Social preferences and network structure in a population of reef manta rays. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2720-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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30
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Félix F, Van Bressem MF, Van Waerebeek K. Role of social behaviour in the epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in estuarine common bottlenose dolphins from Ecuador. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 134:75-87. [PMID: 31020950 DOI: 10.3354/dao03356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) is a chronic granulomatous skin disorder that affects Delphinidae worldwide. LLD has been observed in common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, since 1990. Although exogenous factors such as salinity and pollution may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease in estuarine and coastal dolphin communities, we hypothesized that demography and social behaviour may also influence its epidemiology. To address this issue, the role of social behaviour in the distribution and prevalence of LLD was assessed through hierarchical cluster analysis and spatial distribution analysis in 7 dolphin communities inhabiting the inner estuary. Individuals with LLD lesions were observed in 5 of the 7 dolphin communities, with 13 of the 163 (8%) animals being positive, all adults. Among 8 dolphins of known sex, LLD affected mostly males (86%), who usually were found in pairs. Prevalence was low to moderate (5.1-13%) in dolphin communities where low-rank males had LLD. Conversely, it was high (44.4%, n = 9) in a small community where a high-rank male was infected. LLD affected both dolphins in 2 of the 4 male pairs for which large time series data were available, suggesting horizontal transmission due to contact. Thus, association with LLD-positive males seems to be an important risk factor for infections. Additionally, low-rank males had larger home ranges than high-rank males, indicating that low-status LLD-affected dolphins are likely responsible for the geographic dissemination of the disease in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Félix
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 170143 Quito, Ecuador
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31
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Fotouhi B, Momeni N, Allen B, Nowak MA. Evolution of cooperation on large networks with community structure. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20180677. [PMID: 30862280 PMCID: PMC6451403 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperation is a major factor in the evolution of human societies. The structure of social networks, which affects the dynamics of cooperation and other interpersonal phenomena, have common structural signatures. One of these signatures is the tendency to organize as groups. This tendency gives rise to networks with community structure, which are composed of distinct modules. In this paper, we study analytically the evolutionary game dynamics on large modular networks in the limit of weak selection. We obtain novel analytical conditions such that natural selection favours cooperation over defection. We calculate the transition point for each community to favour cooperation. We find that a critical inter-community link creation probability exists for given group density, such that the overall network supports cooperation even if individual communities inhibit it. As a byproduct, we present solutions for the critical benefit-to-cost ratio which perform with remarkable accuracy for diverse generative network models, including those with community structure and heavy-tailed degree distributions. We also demonstrate the generalizability of the results to arbitrary two-player games.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Fotouhi
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Naghmeh Momeni
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Allen
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Mathematical Sciences and Applications, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martin A. Nowak
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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32
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Diaz-Aguirre F, Parra GJ, Passadore C, Möller L. Genetic relatedness delineates the social structure of southern Australian bottlenose dolphins. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractSocial relationships represent an adaptive behavioral strategy that can provide fitness benefits to individuals. Within mammalian societies, delphinids are known to form diverse grouping patterns and show a variety of social systems. However, how ecological and intrinsic factors have shaped the evolution of such diverse societies is still not well understood. In this study, we used photo-identification data and biopsy samples collected between March 2013 and October 2015 in Coffin Bay, a heterogeneous environment in South Australia, to investigate the social structure of southern Australian bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops cf. australis). Based on the data from 657 groups of dolphins, we used generalized affiliation indices, and applied social network and modularity methods to study affiliation patterns among individuals and investigate the potential presence of social communities within the population. In addition, we investigated genetic relatedness and kinship relationships within and between the communities identified. Modularity analysis revealed that the Coffin Bay population is structured into 2 similar sized, mixed-sex communities which differed in ranging patterns, affiliation levels and network metrics. Lagged association rates also indicated that nonrandom affiliations persisted over the study period. The genetic analyses suggested that there was higher relatedness, and a higher proportion of inferred full-sibs and half-sibs, within than between communities. We propose that differences in environmental conditions between the bays and kinship relationships are important factors contributing to the delineation and maintenance of this social structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Diaz-Aguirre
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
- Molecular Ecology Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Guido J Parra
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cecilia Passadore
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciana Möller
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
- Molecular Ecology Lab, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
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Genov T, Centrih T, Kotnjek P, Hace A. Behavioural and temporal partitioning of dolphin social groups in the northern Adriatic Sea. MARINE BIOLOGY 2019; 166:11. [PMID: 30613111 PMCID: PMC6299055 DOI: 10.1007/s00227-018-3450-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Complex social structure is a prominent feature in several mammal species. Such structure may lead to behavioural diversity not only among populations, but also within a single population, where different subsets of a population may exhibit different types of behaviour. As a consequence, understanding social structure is not only interesting biologically, but may also help conservation and management efforts, because not all segments of a population necessarily respond to or interact with human activities in the same way, or at the same time. In this study, we examined the social structure of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Gulf of Trieste and adjacent waters (northern Adriatic Sea), based on a 9-year dataset, using social network metrics and association indices. We assessed whether different segments of the population show differences in behaviour and interactions with fisheries. Dolphin social network was structured into distinct social clusters of mixed sexes. We found no evidence of male alliances. The two largest social clusters overlapped spatially, but not temporally, as they used the same area at different times of day. Such diel temporal partitioning does not appear to have been documented in cetaceans previously. The two clusters also differed in ways they interact with fisheries, as one regularly interacted with trawlers, while the other did not. This study demonstrates how different segments of animal populations can interact differently with human activities and in turn respond differently to anthropogenic impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilen Genov
- Morigenos—Slovenian Marine Mammal Society, Piran, Slovenia
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Tina Centrih
- Morigenos—Slovenian Marine Mammal Society, Piran, Slovenia
| | - Polona Kotnjek
- Morigenos—Slovenian Marine Mammal Society, Piran, Slovenia
| | - Ana Hace
- Morigenos—Slovenian Marine Mammal Society, Piran, Slovenia
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Balmer B, Zolman E, Rowles T, Smith C, Townsend F, Fauquier D, George C, Goldstein T, Hansen L, Quigley B, McFee W, Morey J, Rosel P, Saliki J, Speakman T, Schwacke L. Ranging patterns, spatial overlap, and association with dolphin morbillivirus exposure in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Georgia, USA coast. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12890-12904. [PMID: 30619591 PMCID: PMC6308875 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
During 2013-2015, an outbreak of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) occurred in the western North Atlantic, which resulted in the stranding of over 1,600 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). There are currently five coastal and 10 bay, sound, and estuary dolphin stocks along the U.S. Atlantic coast, yet there is very limited understanding of which stocks were exposed to DMV during the recent outbreak, or how DMV was transmitted across stocks. In order to address these questions, information is needed on spatial overlap and stock interactions. The goals of this project were to determine ranging patterns, prevalence of DMV, and spatial overlap of the South Carolina-Georgia (SC-GA) Coastal Stock, and adjacent Southern Georgia Estuarine System (SGES) Stock. During September 2015, a health assessment and telemetry study was conducted in which 19 dolphins were captured, tested for antibodies to DMV, and satellite tagged. Dolphins were classified into one of three ranging patterns (Coastal, Sound, or Estuary) based upon telemetry data. Coastal dolphins (likely members of the SC-GA Coastal Stock) had a significantly higher prevalence of positive DMV antibody titers (0.67; N = 2/3), than Sound and Estuary dolphins (likely members of the SGES Stock) (0.13; N = 2/16). These results suggest that the SC-GA Coastal Stock may have experienced greater exposure to DMV as compared to the SGES Stock. However, due to the small size of the SGES Stock and its exposure to high levels of persistent contaminants, this stock may be particularly vulnerable to DMV infection in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Balmer
- Jardon and Howard Technologies (JHT) IncorporatedOrlandoFlorida
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Eric Zolman
- Jardon and Howard Technologies (JHT) IncorporatedOrlandoFlorida
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Teri Rowles
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceOffice of Protected ResourcesSilver SpringMaryland
| | - Cynthia Smith
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
| | | | - Deborah Fauquier
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceOffice of Protected ResourcesSilver SpringMaryland
| | - Clay George
- Georgia Department of Natural ResourcesNongame Wildlife ConservationBrunswickGeorgia
| | - Tracey Goldstein
- Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia
| | - Larry Hansen
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Brian Quigley
- Jardon and Howard Technologies (JHT) IncorporatedOrlandoFlorida
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
| | - Wayne McFee
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
| | - Jeanine Morey
- Jardon and Howard Technologies (JHT) IncorporatedOrlandoFlorida
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Patricia Rosel
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceSoutheast Fisheries Science CenterLafayetteLouisiana
| | - Jerry Saliki
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic LaboratoryUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | - Todd Speakman
- Jardon and Howard Technologies (JHT) IncorporatedOrlandoFlorida
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
| | - Lori Schwacke
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean ServiceNational Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceCharlestonSouth Carolina
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan DiegoCalifornia
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Genoves RC, Fruet PF, Di Tullio JC, Möller LM, Secchi ER. Spatiotemporal use predicts social partitioning of bottlenose dolphins with strong home range overlap. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12597-12614. [PMID: 30619567 PMCID: PMC6309009 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ranging behaviour and temporal patterns of individuals are known to be fundamental sources of variation in social networks. Spatiotemporal dynamics can both provide and inhibit opportunities for individuals to associate, and should therefore be considered in social analysis. This study investigated the social structure of a Lahille's bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) population, which shows different spatiotemporal patterns of use and gregariousness between individuals. For this, we constructed an initial social network using association indices corrected for gregariousness and then uncovered affiliations from this social network using generalized affiliation indices. The association-based social network strongly supported that this dolphin population consists of four social units highly correlated to spatiotemporal use patterns. Excluding the effects of gregariousness and spatiotemporal patterns, the affiliation-based social network suggested an additional two social units. Although the affiliation-based social units shared a large part of their core areas, space and/or time use by individuals of the different units were generally distinct. Four of the units were strongly associated with both estuarine and shallow coastal areas, while the other two units were restricted to shallow coastal waters to the south (SC) and north of the estuary (NC), respectively. Interactions between individuals of different social units also occurred, but dolphins from the NC were relatively more isolated and mainly connected to SC dolphins. From a conservation management perspective, it is recommended that information about the dolphin social units should be incorporated in modeling intrapopulation dynamics and viability, as well as for investigating patterns of gene flow among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo C. Genoves
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – EcoMega, Instituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
- Molecular Ecology LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Pedro F. Fruet
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – EcoMega, Instituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos – CMAICMBio/MMASantosSPBrazil
| | - Juliana C. Di Tullio
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – EcoMega, Instituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
| | - Luciana M. Möller
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
- Molecular Ecology LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Eduardo R. Secchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – EcoMega, Instituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
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Social cohesion and intra-population community structure in southern Australian bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2557-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D. Watts
- The Center for Conservation BiologyCollege of William and Mary and Virginia Commonwealth UniversityP.O. Box 8795WilliamsburgVA 23187USA
| | - Rodney J. Dyer
- Department of BiologyVirginia Commonwealth University1000 W Cary StreetRichmondVA 23284‐2012USA
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Romeu B, Cantor M, Bezamat C, Simões-Lopes PC, Daura-Jorge FG. Bottlenose dolphins that forage with artisanal fishermen whistle differently. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Romeu
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Mauricio Cantor
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Carolina Bezamat
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Paulo C. Simões-Lopes
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
| | - Fábio G. Daura-Jorge
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Florianópolis Brazil
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Sosa S, Zhang P, Cabanes G. Social networks dynamics revealed by temporal analysis: An example in a non-human primate (Macaca sylvanus) in "La Forêt des Singes". Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [PMID: 28464245 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This study applied a temporal social network analysis model to describe three affiliative social networks (allogrooming, sleep in contact, and triadic interaction) in a non-human primate species, Macaca sylvanus. Three main social mechanisms were examined to determine interactional patterns among group members, namely preferential attachment (i.e., highly connected individuals are more likely to form new connections), triadic closure (new connections occur via previous close connections), and homophily (individuals interact preferably with others with similar attributes). Preferential attachment was only observed for triadic interaction network. Triadic closure was significant in allogrooming and triadic interaction networks. Finally, gender homophily was seasonal for allogrooming and sleep in contact networks, and observed in each period for triadic interaction network. These individual-based behaviors are based on individual reactions, and their analysis can shed light on the formation of the affiliative networks determining ultimate coalition networks, and how these networks may evolve over time. A focus on individual behaviors is necessary for a global interactional approach to understanding social behavior rules and strategies. When combined, these social processes could make animal social networks more resilient, thus enabling them to face drastic environmental changes. This is the first study to pinpoint some of the processes underlying the formation of a social structure in a non-human primate species, and identify common mechanisms with humans. The approach used in this study provides an ideal tool for further research seeking to answer long-standing questions about social network dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sosa
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guénaël Cabanes
- Université Paris XIII, Institut Galilée, Villetaneuse, France
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Silk MJ, Croft DP, Delahay RJ, Hodgson DJ, Boots M, Weber N, McDonald RA. Using Social Network Measures in Wildlife Disease Ecology, Epidemiology, and Management. Bioscience 2017; 67:245-257. [PMID: 28596616 PMCID: PMC5384163 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biw175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Contact networks, behavioral interactions, and shared use of space can all have important implications for the spread of disease in animals. Social networks enable the quantification of complex patterns of interactions; therefore, network analysis is becoming increasingly widespread in the study of infectious disease in animals, including wildlife. We present an introductory guide to using social-network-analytical approaches in wildlife disease ecology, epidemiology, and management. We focus on providing detailed practical guidance for the use of basic descriptive network measures by suggesting the research questions to which each technique is best suited and detailing the software available for each. We also discuss how using network approaches can be used beyond the study of social contacts and across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Finally, we integrate these approaches to examine how network analysis can be used to inform the implementation and monitoring of effective disease management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Silk
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - Darren P Croft
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - Richard J Delahay
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - David J Hodgson
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - Mike Boots
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - Nicola Weber
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
| | - Robbie A McDonald
- Matthew J. Silk and Robbie A. McDonald are affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Darren P. Croft is with the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. Richard J. Delahay is affiliated with the National Wildlife Management Centre of the Animal and Plant Health Agency at Woodchester Park, in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. David J. Hodgson, Mike Boots, and Nicola Weber are with the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, in Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom; MB is also affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
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Naďo L, Chromá R, Kaňuch P. Structural, temporal and genetic properties of social groups in the short-lived migratory bat Nyctalus leisleri. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Social groups of bats that operate under fission–fusion dynamics tend to establish and maintain non-random associations. We examined the social and genetic structure of the Leisler’s bat (Nyctalus leisleri), a species that is typical of tree-dwelling and long-distance migratory species in Europe. We used long-term co-occurrence data (capture-recapture sampling of roosting individuals) in combination with individual genetic relatedness (inferred from a set of microsatellite markers) to assess relationships between structural, temporal and genetic properties of roosting groups. Our results showed that social structure in groups of roosting Leisler’s bat was not random. Social clusters revealed by network analysis were almost identical to demographic cohorts, which indicates that Leisler’s bats are able to maintain social bonds only over a single season. After the period of active maternal care, roosting groups became smaller with a significantly higher level of genetic relatedness among adult females in contrast to the pregnancy and lactation stages. This provides some evidence that temporal social associations may be positively correlated with genetic relatedness. Low recapture rates of bats across seasons in light of natal philopatry indicates a shorter life span of individuals likely due to high mortality during long distance migratory movements. This probably has the most significant effect on the social system of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Naďo
- aInstitute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Renáta Chromá
- bInstitute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Peter Kaňuch
- aInstitute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovakia
- bInstitute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
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Moreno K, Acevedo-Gutiérrez A. The social structure of Golfo Dulce bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus) and the influence of behavioural state. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160010. [PMID: 27853584 PMCID: PMC5108934 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ecological factors such as habitat and food availability affect the social structure of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.). Here, we describe the social structure of bottlenose dolphins (T. truncatus) in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, a semi-enclosed, fjord-like tropical embayment resembling a pelagic system. We also examine behaviour-linked social strategies by comparing social structure relative to behavioural state: feeding versus non-feeding. We analysed 333 sightings over 210 days from boat-based surveys. Despite the uniqueness of the area, the 47 analysed adults had a social structure similar to other populations: a well-differentiated fission-fusion society with sex-specific patterns of associations and aggression. These results indicate that differences in social structure relative to other populations were a matter of degree. Association strength of dyads was highly correlated across behavioural states, indicating constraints on social fluidity. Males displayed a marked difference in lagged association rate and females displayed a small difference in association homogeneity between states. We suggest this difference in population-wide social connections between behavioural states, particularly for males, was due to mating strategies, a pressure which is strongest during non-feeding behaviour and relaxed during feeding. This finding highlights the importance of considering behavioural state when examining individual bonds and the behavioural plasticity for which the bottlenose dolphin is well known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Moreno
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225-9160, USA
| | - Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225-9160, USA
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77551, USA
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43
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Guiana dolphins form social modules in a large population with high ranging overlap and small demographic changes. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2188-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Eifler D, Eifler M, Malela K, Childers J. Social networks in the Little Scrub Island ground lizard (Ameiva corax). J ETHOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-016-0481-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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45
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Viblanc VA, Pasquaretta C, Sueur C, Boonstra R, Dobson FS. Aggression in Columbian ground squirrels: relationships with age, kinship, energy allocation, and fitness. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Borgeaud C, Sosa S, Bshary R, Sueur C, van de Waal E. Intergroup Variation of Social Relationships in Wild Vervet Monkeys: A Dynamic Network Approach. Front Psychol 2016; 7:915. [PMID: 27445890 PMCID: PMC4914564 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network analysis is a powerful tool that enables us to describe and quantify relationships between individuals. So far most of the studies rely on the analyses of various network snapshots, but do not capture changes over time. Here we use a stochastic actor-oriented model (SAOM) to test both the structure and the dynamics of relationships of three groups of wild vervet monkeys. We found that triadic closure (i.e., the friend of a friend is a friend) was significant in all three groups while degree popularity (i.e., the willingness to associate with individuals with high degree of connections) was significant in only two groups (AK, BD). The structure and dynamics of relationships according to the attributes of sex, matrilineand age differed significantly among groups. With respect to the structure, when analyzing the likelihood of bonds according to the different attributes, we found that individuals associate themselves preferably to individuals of the same sex only in two groups (AK, NH), while significant results for attachment to individuals of the same matriline were found also in two groups (BD, NH). With respect to the dynamics, i.e., how quickly relationships are modified, we found in two groups (AK, BD) that females' relationships were more prone to variation than males.' In the BD group, relationships within high-ranking matrilines were less stable than low-ranking ones while in the NH group, juveniles' relationships were also less stable than adults' ones. The intergroup variation indicates that establishing species-specific or even population specific characteristics of social networks for later between-species comparisons will be challenging. Although, such variation could also indicate some methodological issue, we are quite confident that data was collected similarly within the different groups. Our study therefore provides a potential new method to quantify social complexity according to natural demographic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christèle Borgeaud
- Laboratory of Eco-Ethology, Institute of Biology, University of NeuchâtelNeuchâtel, Switzerland; Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game ReserveKwaZulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Sebastian Sosa
- Adaptive Behavior and Interaction Research Group, University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Laboratory of Eco-Ethology, Institute of Biology, University of NeuchâtelNeuchâtel, Switzerland; Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game ReserveKwaZulu Natal, South Africa
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueStrasbourg, France; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg, France
| | - Erica van de Waal
- Inkawu Vervet Project, Mawana Game ReserveKwaZulu Natal, South Africa; Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
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Sah P, Nussear KE, Esque TC, Aiello CM, Hudson PJ, Bansal S. Inferring social structure and its drivers from refuge use in the desert tortoise, a relatively solitary species. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2136-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Naud A, Chailleux E, Kestens Y, Bret C, Desjardins D, Petit O, Ngoubangoye B, Sueur C. Relations between Spatial Distribution, Social Affiliations and Dominance Hierarchy in a Semi-Free Mandrill Population. Front Psychol 2016; 7:612. [PMID: 27199845 PMCID: PMC4853437 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there exist advantages to group-living in comparison to a solitary lifestyle, costs and gains of group-living may be unequally distributed among group members. Predation risk, vigilance levels and food intake may be unevenly distributed across group spatial geometry and certain within-group spatial positions may be more or less advantageous depending on the spatial distribution of these factors. In species characterized with dominance hierarchy, high-ranking individuals are commonly observed in advantageous spatial position. However, in complex social systems, individuals can develop affiliative relationships that may balance the effect of dominance relationships in individual's spatial distribution. The objective of the present study is to investigate how the group spatial distribution of a semi-free ranging colony of Mandrills relates to its social organization. Using spatial observations in an area surrounding the feeding zone, we tested the three following hypothesis: (1) does dominance hierarchy explain being observed in proximity or far from a food patch? (2) Do affiliative associations also explain being observed in proximity or far from a food patch? (3) Do the differences in rank in the group hierarchy explain being co-observed in proximity of a food patch? Our results showed that high-ranking individuals were more observed in proximity of the feeding zone while low-ranking individuals were more observed at the boundaries of the observation area. Furthermore, we observed that affiliative relationships were also associated with individual spatial distributions and explain more of the total variance of the spatial distribution in comparison with dominance hierarchy. Finally, we found that individuals observed at a same moment in proximity of the feeding zone were more likely to be distant in the hierarchy while controlling for maternal kinship, age and sex similarity. This study brings some elements about how affiliative networks and dominance hierarchy are related to spatial positions in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Naud
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Ecologie, Physiologie, et EthologieStrasbourg, France
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, École de Santé Publique, Université de MontréalMontréal, QC, Canada
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg, France
| | | | - Yan Kestens
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, École de Santé Publique, Université de MontréalMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Céline Bret
- Jr Research Group “Sexual Selection,” German Primate CenterGöttingen, Germany
| | - Dominic Desjardins
- Départements des Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de MontréalMontréal, QC, Canada
| | - Odile Petit
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Ecologie, Physiologie, et EthologieStrasbourg, France
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg, France
| | | | - Cédric Sueur
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Ecologie, Physiologie, et EthologieStrasbourg, France
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg, France
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Armansin N, Lee K, Huveneers C, Harcourt R. Integrating social network analysis and fine-scale positioning to characterize the associations of a benthic shark. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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50
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Carnabuci M, Schiavon G, Bellingeri M, Fossa F, Paoli C, Vassallo P, Gnone G. Connectivity in the network macrostructure of Tursiops truncatus in the Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): does landscape matter? POPUL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-016-0540-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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