1
|
Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Philson CS, Zhang X, Blumstein DT. Social control is associated with increased reproductive skew in a wild mammal. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240003. [PMID: 38835239 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In group-living species, reproductive variation among individuals of the same sex is widespread. By identifying the mechanisms underlying this reproductive skew, we gain fundamental insights into the evolution and maintenance of sociality. A common mechanism, social control, is typically studied by quantifying dominance, which is one of many attributes of sociality that describes how individuals exert influence on others and is an incomprehensive measure of social control as it accounts only for direct relationships. Here, we use the global reaching centrality (GRC), which quantifies the degree of hierarchy in a social network by accounting for both direct and indirect social relationships. Using a wild, free-living population of adult female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), we found a positive relationship between the reproductive skew index and GRC: more despotic social groups have higher reproductive skew. The GRC was stronger predictor for skew than traditional measures of social control (i.e. dominance). This allows deeper insights into the diverse ways individuals control other group members' reproduction, a core component in the evolution of sociality. Future studies of skew across taxa may profit by using more comprehensive, network-based measures of social control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana A Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Rosario , Bogota D.C. 111221, Colombia
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior , Radolfzell 78457, Germany
| | - Conner S Philson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory , Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter , Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Xinping Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory , Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ruby JG, Smith M, Buffenstein R. Five years later, with double the demographic data, naked mole-rat mortality rates continue to defy Gompertzian laws by not increasing with age. GeroScience 2024:10.1007/s11357-024-01201-4. [PMID: 38773057 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a mouse-sized rodent species, notable for its eusociality and long lifespan. Previously, we reported that demographic aging, i.e., the exponential increase of mortality hazard that accompanies advancing age in mammals and other organisms, does not occur in naked mole-rats (Ruby et al., 2018), a finding that has potential implications for human healthy aging. The demographic data supporting that conclusion had taken over three decades to accumulate, starting with the original rearing of H. glaber in captivity. This finding was controversial since many of the animals in that study were relatively young. In the 5 years following that study, we have doubled our quantity of demographic data. Here, we re-evaluated our prior conclusions in light of these new data and found them to be not only supported but indeed strengthened. We additionally provided insight into the social dynamics of captive H. glaber with data and analyses of body weight and colony size versus mortality. Finally, we provide a phylogenetically proximal comparator in the form of lifespan data from our Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) colony and demographic meta-analysis of those data along with published data from Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli). We found Fukomys mortality hazard to increase gradually with age, an observation with inferences on the evolution of exceptional lifespan among mole-rats and the ecological factors that may have accompanied that evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Graham Ruby
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Megan Smith
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago 845 W Taylor, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dyble M. Explaining variation in the kinship composition of mammal groups. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae032. [PMID: 38690088 PMCID: PMC11059295 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Variation in cooperative behavior across mammals is strongly related to the kinship composition of groups. Although the factors affecting average genetic relatedness within groups have been studied, the factors that contribute to the production of different categories of kin remain underexplored. Here, I use a mathematical model to explore the factors that determine the proportion of full siblings, maternal half-siblings, paternal half-siblings, and non-siblings within mammal groups. The results suggest that the production of paternal half-siblings is increased by high male reproductive skew and a female-biased sex ratio, the production of maternal half-siblings is increased by high female reproductive skew and male-biased sex ratio, and that there are two routes to the production of full siblings: either high reproductive skew in both sexes (as seen in cooperatively breeding species) or pair-bond stability within groups of low reproductive skew (as seen in humans). These results broadly correspond to observed variation in sibling composition across mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dyble
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3DZ Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Makuya L, Schradin C. The secret social life of solitary mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2402871121. [PMID: 38498729 PMCID: PMC10990138 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2402871121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lindelani Makuya
- School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
| | - Carsten Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien UMR 7178, StrasbourgF-67000, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vogt CC, Zipple MN, Sprockett DD, Miller CH, Hardy SX, Arthur MK, Greenstein AM, Colvin MS, Michel LM, Moeller AH, Sheehan MJ. Female behavior drives the formation of distinct social structures in C57BL/6J versus wild-derived outbred mice in field enclosures. BMC Biol 2024; 22:35. [PMID: 38355587 PMCID: PMC10865716 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01809-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social behavior and social organization have major influences on individual health and fitness. Yet, biomedical research focuses on studying a few genotypes under impoverished social conditions. Understanding how lab conditions have modified social organizations of model organisms, such as lab mice, relative to natural populations is a missing link between socioecology and biomedical science. RESULTS Using a common garden design, we describe the formation of social structure in the well-studied laboratory mouse strain, C57BL/6J, in replicated mixed-sex populations over 10-day trials compared to control trials with wild-derived outbred house mice in outdoor field enclosures. We focus on three key features of mouse social systems: (i) territory establishment in males, (ii) female social relationships, and (iii) the social networks formed by the populations. Male territorial behaviors were similar but muted in C57 compared to wild-derived mice. Female C57 sharply differed from wild-derived females, showing little social bias toward cage mates and exploring substantially more of the enclosures compared to all other groups. Female behavior consistently generated denser social networks in C57 than in wild-derived mice. CONCLUSIONS C57 and wild-derived mice individually vary in their social and spatial behaviors which scale to shape overall social organization. The repeatable societies formed under field conditions highlights opportunities to experimentally study the interplay between society and individual biology using model organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb C Vogt
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Matthew N Zipple
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Daniel D Sprockett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Caitlin H Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Summer X Hardy
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Matthew K Arthur
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Adam M Greenstein
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Melanie S Colvin
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lucie M Michel
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Moeller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Szemán K, Végvári Z, Gőri S, Kapocsi I, Székely T, Manning JA. Harem size should be measured by more than the sum of its parts: Phenology-based measurements reveal joint effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on a polygamous herbivore under non-stationary climatic conditions. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10865. [PMID: 38322007 PMCID: PMC10844713 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Social behaviour is thought to be a major component of survival, reproduction, and resilience of populations. Thus, it is a key component in management and conservation of wild populations. In polygynous breeding species, group size influences the reproductive success of males and females, and hence it is essential to understand the environmental and demographic factors that shape the phenology of group size within populations. Here, we investigate harem size and its determinants using a 15-year dataset of annual harem size phenology-based metrics from a reintroduced population of wild Przewalski horses in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary. From the initial reintroduction of 21 animals in 1997, the population grew to 174 animals in 2012. During that same period, the number of harems increased from three to 23. Despite the 8-fold increase in population size, harem sizes remained stable, and variability among harems within years decreased. The annual phenological cycle of harem size was not consistent over the 15-year period, and the associated annual phenology-based metrics varied differently over the years. The best predictors of our phenology-based harem size metrics were adult sex ratio, annual adult mortality and annual mean number of harems, with some evidence that mean age of harem stallions and drought severity were contributing factors. Our findings reveal that complex interactions between demography, climate, and harem size can emerge in social animals. Taken together, our results demonstrate that intrinsic population processes can regulate group size even in the presence of non-stationary climatic conditions during periods of growth in human-introduced, semi-free ranging animal populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karola Szemán
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Zsolt Végvári
- Centre for Ecological ResearchInstitute of Aquatic EcologyBudapestHungary
- Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches InstitutMunchebergGermany
| | - Szilvia Gőri
- Hortobágy National Park DirectorateDebrecenHungary
| | | | - Tamás Székely
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Milner Centre of EvolutionUniversity of BathBathUK
| | - Jeffrey A. Manning
- School of the Environment, Washington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Olivier CA, Martin JS, Pilisi C, Agnani P, Kauffmann C, Hayes L, Jaeggi AV, Schradin C. Primate social organization evolved from a flexible pair-living ancestor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2215401120. [PMID: 38154063 PMCID: PMC10769843 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215401120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Explaining the evolution of primate social organization has been fundamental to understand human sociality and social evolution more broadly. It has often been suggested that the ancestor of all primates was solitary and that other forms of social organization evolved later, with transitions being driven by various life history traits and ecological factors. However, recent research showed that many understudied primate species previously assumed to be solitary actually live in pairs, and intraspecific variation in social organization is common. We built a detailed database from primary field studies quantifying the number of social units expressing different social organizations in each population. We used Bayesian phylogenetic models to infer the probability of each social organization, conditional on several socioecological and life history predictors. Here, we show that when intraspecific variation is accounted for, the ancestral social organization of primates was inferred to be variable, with the most common social organization being pair-living but with approximately 10 to 20% of social units of the ancestral population deviating from this pattern by being solitary living. Body size and activity patterns had large effects on transitions between types of social organizations. As in other mammalian clades, pair-living is closely linked to small body size and likely more common in ancestral species. Our results challenge the assumption that ancestral primates were solitary and that pair-living evolved afterward emphasizing the importance of focusing on field data and accounting for intraspecific variation, providing a flexible statistical framework for doing so.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte-Anaïs Olivier
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
| | - Jordan S. Martin
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, ZurichCH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Camille Pilisi
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Paul Agnani
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Cécile Kauffmann
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
| | - Loren Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga37403, TN
| | - Adrian V. Jaeggi
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, ZurichCH-8057, Switzerland
| | - C. Schradin
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, CNRS, Department of Ethology and Evolutionary Physiology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg67200, France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg2050, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Santema P, Eberhart-Hertel L, Valcu M, Kempenaers B. Sexual selection for extreme physical performance in a polygynous bird is associated with exceptional sex differences in oxygen carrying capacity. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230391. [PMID: 37991194 PMCID: PMC10664278 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In many animals, males compete for access to fertile females. The resulting sexual selection leads to sex differences in morphology and behaviour, but may also have consequences for physiology. Pectoral sandpipers are an arctic-breeding polygynous shorebird in which males perform elaborate displays around-the-clock and move over long distances to sample potential breeding sites, implying the need for physiological adaptations to cope with extreme endurance. We examined the oxygen carrying capacity of pectoral sandpipers, measured as the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood (haematocrit, Hct). We found a remarkable sex difference in Hct levels, with males having much higher values (58.9 ± 3.8 s.d.) than females (49.8 ± 5.3 s.d.). While Hct values of male pectoral sandpipers are notable for being among the highest recorded in birds, the sex difference we report is unprecedented and more than double that of any previously described. We also show that Hct values declined after arrival to the breeding grounds in females, but not in males, suggesting that males maintain an aerobic capacity during the mating period equivalent to that sustained during trans-hemispheric migration. We conclude that sexual selection for extreme physical performance in male pectoral sandpipers has led to exceptional sex differences in oxygen carrying capacity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Santema
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luke Eberhart-Hertel
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Smit N, Dezeure J, Sauvadet L, Huchard E, Charpentier MJ. Socially bonded females face more sexual coercion in a female-philopatric primate. iScience 2023; 26:107358. [PMID: 37766985 PMCID: PMC10520811 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual coercion is a manifestation of sexual conflict increasing male mating success while inflicting costs to females. Although previous work has examined inter-individual variation in male sexually coercive tactics, little is known about female counter-strategies. We investigated whether social bonding mitigates the extent of sexual coercion faced by female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), as a putative mechanism linking sociality to fitness. Surprisingly, females faced the most coercion from those males with whom they formed the strongest bonds, while the strength of a female-male bond was also positively correlated with coercion from all other males. Finally, greater social integration in the female network was positively correlated with coercion, through a direct 'public exposure' mechanism and not mediated by female reproductive success or retaliation potential. Altogether, this study shows that neither between- nor within-sex bonds are protective against sexual coercion and identifies, instead, a hidden cost of social bonding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Smit
- Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Elise Huchard
- Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie J.E. Charpentier
- Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestrasse 5, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Gómez JM, Gónzalez-Megías A, Verdú M. The evolution of same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5719. [PMID: 37788987 PMCID: PMC10547684 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41290-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Same-sex sexual behaviour has attracted the attention of many scientists working in disparate areas, from sociology and psychology to behavioural and evolutionary biology. Since it does not contribute directly to reproduction, same-sex sexual behaviour is considered an evolutionary conundrum. Here, using phylogenetic analyses, we explore the evolution of same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals. According to currently available data, this behaviour is not randomly distributed across mammal lineages, but tends to be particularly prevalent in some clades, especially primates. Ancestral reconstruction suggests that same-sex sexual behaviour may have evolved multiple times, with its appearance being a recent phenomenon in most mammalian lineages. Our phylogenetically informed analyses testing for associations between same-sex sexual behaviour and other species characteristics suggest that it may play an adaptive role in maintaining social relationships and mitigating conflict.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José M Gómez
- Dpto de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Carretera de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 0-4120, Almería, Spain.
- Research Unit Modeling Nature (MNat), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - A Gónzalez-Megías
- Research Unit Modeling Nature (MNat), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
- Dpto de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
| | - M Verdú
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC-UV-GV), Crta Moncada-Náquera km 4.5, 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hansson LS, Lasselin J, Tognetti A, Axelsson J, Olsson MJ, Sundelin T, Lekander M. The walking sick: Perception of experimental sickness from biological motion. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 113:319-327. [PMID: 37517742 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of sick conspecifics allows for avoidance of infectious threats, and is therefore an important behavioral defense against diseases. Here, we investigated if humans can identify sick individuals solely from biological motion and posture (using point-light displays). Additionally, we sought to determine which movements and sickness parameters would predict such detection. We collected video clips and derived point-light displays (one stride presented in a loop) of sick walkers (injected with lipopolysaccharide at 2.0 ng/kg body weight) and the same walkers when healthy (injected with saline). We then presented these displays to two groups, one group classified each walker as sick or healthy (study 1, n = 106), and the other group scored the walkers' health on a visual analogue scale (study 2, n = 106). The raters were able to identify sick individuals above chance, and rated sick walkers as having worse health, both from observing video clips and point-light displays. Furthermore, both sickness detection and worse apparent health were predicted by inflammation-induced increase in rigidity and slower walking, but not other cues. Altogether, these findings indicate that biological motion can serve as a sickness cue, possibly allowing humans to identify sick conspecifics from a distance, and thereby allowing for disease avoidance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L S Hansson
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Osher Center for Integrative Health, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Lasselin
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Osher Center for Integrative Health, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - A Tognetti
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Axelsson
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M J Olsson
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - T Sundelin
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Lekander
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Osher Center for Integrative Health, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Majelantle TL, Ganswindt A, Ganswindt SB, Hagenah N, Hart DW, Bennett NC. Non-Invasive Quantification of Faecal and Urine Reproductive Hormone Metabolites in the Naked Mole-Rat ( Heterocephalus glaber). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3039. [PMID: 37835644 PMCID: PMC10571929 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) occurs in colonies with a distinct dominance hierarchy, including one dominant, breeding female (the queen), 1-3 breeding males, and non-reproductive subordinates of both sexes that are reproductively suppressed while in the colony. To non-invasively evaluate reproductive capacity in the species, we first had to examine the suitability of enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for determining progestogen and androgen metabolite concentrations in the naked mole-rat, using urine and faeces. A saline control and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were administered to twelve (six males and six females) naked mole-rats which were previously identified as dispersers and housed singly. The results revealed that urine is possibly not an ideal matrix for progestogen and androgen metabolite quantification in naked mole-rats as no signal was detected in the matrix post GnRH administration. A 5α-Progesterone EIA and an Epiandrosterone EIA were identified as suitable for quantifying faecal progesterone metabolites (fPMs) and faecal androgen metabolites (fAMs) in males and females, respectively. The results suggest that there are individual variations in baseline fPM and fAM concentrations, and only two out of six females and no males exhibited an increase in fPM concentrations greater than 100% (-20% SD) post GnRH administration. Conversely, only four out of six females and three out of six males had an increase in fAM concentrations greater than 100% (-20% SD) following GnRH administration. These results imply that some naked mole-rat individuals have a reduced reproductive capacity even when they are separated from the queen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tshepiso Lesedi Majelantle
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa; (A.G.); (S.B.G.); (N.H.); (D.W.H.); (N.C.B.)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wallace KME, Hart DW, Venter F, van Vuuren AKJ, Bennett NC. The best of both worlds: no apparent trade-off between immunity and reproduction in two group-living African mole-rat species. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220310. [PMID: 37381852 PMCID: PMC10291439 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-operatively breeding mammals often exhibit a female reproductive skew and suppression of the subordinate non-breeding group members. According to evolutionary theory and the immunity-fertility axis, an inverse relationship between reproductive investment and survival (through immunocompetence) is expected. As such, this study investigated if a trade-off between immunocompetence and reproduction arises in two co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, namely the Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) and common mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus), which possess female reproductive division of labour. This study also attempted to investigate the relationship between the immune and endocrine systems in Damaraland mole-rats. There was no trade-off between reproduction and immunocompetence in co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, and in the case of the Damaraland mole-rats, breeding females (BFs) possessed increased immunocompetence compared with non-breeding females (NBFs). Furthermore, the increased levels of progesterone possessed by Damaraland mole-rat BFs compared with NBFs appear to be correlated to increased immunocompetence. In comparison, BF and NBF common mole-rats possess similar immunocompetence. The species-specific differences in the immunity-fertility axis may be due to variations in the strengths of reproductive suppression in each species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K. M. E. Wallace
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Daniel W. Hart
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - F. Venter
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - A. K. Janse van Vuuren
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - N. C. Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shah SS, Rubenstein DR. Group augmentation underlies the evolution of complex sociality in the face of environmental instability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212211120. [PMID: 37094171 PMCID: PMC10160950 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212211120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Although kin selection is assumed to underlie the evolution of sociality, many vertebrates-including nearly half of all cooperatively breeding birds-form groups that also include unrelated individuals. Theory predicts that despite reducing kin structure, immigration of unrelated individuals into groups can provide direct, group augmentation benefits, particularly when offspring recruitment is insufficient for group persistence. Using population dynamic modeling and analysis of long-term data, we provide clear empirical evidence of group augmentation benefits favoring the evolution and maintenance of complex societies with low kin structure and multiple reproductives. We show that in the superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)-a plural cooperative breeder that forms large groups with multiple breeding pairs, and related and unrelated nonbreeders of both sexes-offspring recruitment alone cannot prevent group extinction, especially in smaller groups. Further, smaller groups, which stand to benefit more from immigration, exhibit lower reproductive skew for immigrants, suggesting that reproductive opportunities as joining incentives lead to plural breeding. Yet, despite a greater likelihood of becoming a breeder in smaller groups, immigrants are more likely to join larger groups where they experience increased survivorship and greater reproductive success as breeders. Moreover, immigrants form additional breeding pairs, increasing future offspring recruitment into the group and guarding against complete reproductive failure in the face of environmental instability and high nest predation. Thus, plural breeding likely evolves because the benefits of group augmentation by immigrants generate a positive feedback loop that maintains societies with low and mixed kinship, large group sizes, and multiple reproductives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shailee S. Shah
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
| | - Dustin R. Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Schradin C, Makuya L, Pillay N, Rimbach R. Harshness is not stress. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:224-227. [PMID: 36641304 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
We must differentiate between stressful and harsh environments to understand animals' resilience to global change. Harshness is not stress. Stressful environments activate the physiological stress response to increase energy availability, while harsh environments inhibit the physiological stress response to save energy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Schradin
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Lindelani Makuya
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rebecca Rimbach
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dyble M, Clutton-Brock TH. Turnover in male dominance offsets the positive effect of polygyny on within-group relatedness. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:261-268. [PMID: 36998996 PMCID: PMC10047635 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Evidence of an association between cooperative breeding systems and average coefficients of relatedness between group members in vertebrates have led to increased interest in the social and ecological factors affecting average kinship within groups. Previous studies have suggested that polygynous mating systems and high degrees of male reproductive skew increase average relatedness because they increase the proportion of offspring born in each group that are paternal siblings. Although this may be the case in semelparous organisms, in many multiparous polygynous animals, intense competition between males shortens the breeding tenure of males and leads to their frequent replacement by competitors which reduces paternal relatedness and average kinship between members of multigenerational groups. Here, we explore the interaction between male reproductive skew and the frequency of turnover in breeding males and its effects on within-group relatedness. Our theoretical model shows that increases in rates of dominance turnover in polygynous systems can offset the positive effect of male skew on relatedness between group members within seasons, showing that polygynous mating systems will not necessarily lead to significant increases in average relatedness, especially in species where there is extensive overlap between generations among group members.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dyble
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge , Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ , UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhu P, Liu W, Zhang X, Li M, Liu G, Yu Y, Li Z, Li X, Du J, Wang X, Grueter CC, Li M, Zhou X. Correlated evolution of social organization and lifespan in mammals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:372. [PMID: 36720880 PMCID: PMC9889386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35869-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Discerning the relationship between sociality and longevity would permit a deeper understanding of how animal life history evolved. Here, we perform a phylogenetic comparative analysis of ~1000 mammalian species on three states of social organization (solitary, pair-living, and group-living) and longevity. We show that group-living species generally live longer than solitary species, and that the transition rate from a short-lived state to a long-lived state is higher in group-living than non-group-living species, altogether supporting the correlated evolution of social organization and longevity. The comparative brain transcriptomes of 94 mammalian species identify 31 genes, hormones and immunity-related pathways broadly involved in the association between social organization and longevity. Further selection features reveal twenty overlapping pathways under selection for both social organization and longevity. These results underscore a molecular basis for the influence of the social organization on longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pingfen Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Weiqiang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Meng Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Gaoming Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yang Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Zihao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuanjing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Juan Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.,International Center of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, 671003, China
| | - Ming Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
| | - Xuming Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, 100101, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Schacht R, Beissinger SR, Wedekind C, Jennions MD, Geffroy B, Liker A, Kappeler PM, Weissing FJ, Kramer KL, Hesketh T, Boissier J, Uggla C, Hollingshaus M, Székely T. Adult sex ratios: causes of variation and implications for animal and human societies. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1273. [PMID: 36402823 PMCID: PMC9675760 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04223-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging lines of inquiry from across the social and biological sciences target the adult sex ratio (ASR; the proportion of males in the adult population) as a fundamental population-level determinant of behavior. The ASR, which indicates the relative number of potential mates to competitors in a population, frames the selective arena for competition, mate choice, and social interactions. Here we review a growing literature, focusing on methodological developments that sharpen knowledge of the demographic variables underlying ASR variation, experiments that enhance understanding of the consequences of ASR imbalance across societies, and phylogenetic analyses that provide novel insights into social evolution. We additionally highlight areas where research advances are expected to make accelerating contributions across the social sciences, evolutionary biology, and biodiversity conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Schacht
- grid.255364.30000 0001 2191 0423Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC USA
| | - Steven R. Beissinger
- grid.47840.3f0000 0001 2181 7878Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Claus Wedekind
- grid.9851.50000 0001 2165 4204Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael D. Jennions
- grid.1001.00000 0001 2180 7477Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601 Australia
| | - Benjamin Geffroy
- MARBEC Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - András Liker
- grid.7336.10000 0001 0203 5854ELKH-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, 8210 Veszprém, Hungary ,grid.7336.10000 0001 0203 5854Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Center for Natural Sciences, University of Pannonia, 8210 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute of Primate Biology, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franz J. Weissing
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karen L. Kramer
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Therese Hesketh
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Institute of Global Health, University College London, London, UK ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XCentre for Global Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jérôme Boissier
- grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282IHPE Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Caroline Uggla
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Stockholm University Demography Unit, Sociology Department, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mike Hollingshaus
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Tamás Székely
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY UK ,grid.7122.60000 0001 1088 8582ELKH-DE Reproductive Strategies Research Group, Department of Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Pemberton JM, Kruuk LE, Clutton-Brock T. The Unusual Value of Long-Term Studies of Individuals: The Example of the Isle of Rum Red Deer Project. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012722-024041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Long-term studies of individuals enable incisive investigations of questions across ecology and evolution. Here, we illustrate this claim by reference to our long-term study of red deer on the Isle of Rum, Scotland. This project has established many of the characteristics of social organization, selection, and population ecology typical of large, polygynous, seasonally breeding mammals, with wider implications for our understanding of sexual selection and the evolution of sex differences, as well as for their population dynamics and population management. As molecular genetic techniques have developed, the project has pivoted to investigate evolutionary genetic questions, also breaking new ground in this field. With ongoing advances in genomics and statistical approaches and the development of increasingly sophisticated ways to assay new phenotypic traits, the questions that long-term studies such as the red deer study can answer become both broader and ever more sophisticated. They also offer powerful means of understanding the effects of ongoing climate change on wild populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josephine M. Pemberton
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Loeske E.B. Kruuk
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kurvers RHJM, Snijders L. The balance of the sexes. eLife 2022; 11:83254. [PMID: 36205708 PMCID: PMC9545519 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A large-scale experiment demonstrates sex differences in cooperation and competition that can explain group size variation in ostriches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralf H J M Kurvers
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lysanne Snijders
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Dheer A, Davidian E, Courtiol A, Bailey LD, Wauters J, Naman P, Shayo V, Höner OP. Diurnal pastoralism does not reduce juvenile recruitment nor elevate allostatic load in spotted hyenas. J Anim Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Dheer
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
| | - Eve Davidian
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
| | - Alexandre Courtiol
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Liam D. Bailey
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Jella Wauters
- Department of Reproduction Biology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Philemon Naman
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
| | - Victoria Shayo
- Department of Wildlife and Rangeland Management, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
| | - Oliver P. Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Melgar J, Schou MF, Bonato M, Brand Z, Engelbrecht A, Cloete SWP, Cornwallis CK. Experimental evidence that group size generates divergent benefits of cooperative breeding for male and female ostriches. eLife 2022; 11:e77170. [PMID: 36193678 PMCID: PMC9531942 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative breeding allows the costs of parental care to be shared, but as groups become larger, such benefits often decline as competition increases and group cohesion breaks down. The counteracting forces of cooperation and competition are predicted to select for an optimal group size, but variation in groups is ubiquitous across cooperative breeding animals. Here, we experimentally test if group sizes vary because of sex differences in the costs and benefits of cooperative breeding in captive ostriches, Struthio camelus, and compare this to the distribution of group sizes in the wild. We established 96 groups with different numbers of males (1 or 3) and females (1, 3, 4, or 6) and manipulated opportunities for cooperation over incubation. There was a clear optimal group size for males (one male with four or more females) that was explained by high costs of competition and negligible benefits of cooperation. Conversely, female reproductive success was maximised across a range of group sizes due to the benefits of cooperation with male and female group members. Reproductive success in intermediate sized groups was low for both males and females due to sexual conflict over the timing of mating and incubation. Our experiments show that sex differences in cooperation and competition can explain group size variation in cooperative breeders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mads F Schou
- Department of Biology, Lund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Maud Bonato
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of StellenboschStellenboschSouth Africa
| | - Zanell Brand
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
| | - Anel Engelbrecht
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
| | - Schalk WP Cloete
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of StellenboschStellenboschSouth Africa
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wang Z, Zhang Y, Feng W, Pang Y, Chen S, Ding S, Chen Y, Sheng C, Marshall C, Shi J, Xiao M. Miconazole Promotes Cooperative Ability of a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 25:951-967. [PMID: 36112386 PMCID: PMC9670758 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cooperative defect is 1 of the earliest manifestations of disease patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) exhibit, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. METHODS We evaluated the cooperative function of APP/PS1 transgenic AD model mice at ages 2, 5, and 8 months by using a cooperative drinking task. We examined neuropathologic changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Another experiment was designed to observe whether miconazole, which has a repairing effect on myelin sheath, could promote the cooperative ability of APP/PS1 mice in the early AD-like stage. We also investigated the protective effects of miconazole on cultured mouse cortical oligodendrocytes exposed to human amyloid β peptide (Aβ1-42). RESULTS We observed an age-dependent impairment of cooperative water drinking behavior in APP/PS1 mice. The AD mice with cooperative dysfunction showed decreases in myelin sheath thickness, oligodendrocyte nuclear heterochromatin percentage, and myelin basic protein expression levels in the mPFC. The cooperative ability was significantly improved in APP/PS1 mice treated with miconazole. Miconazole treatment increased oligodendrocyte maturation and myelin sheath thickness without reducing Aβ plaque deposition, reactive gliosis, and inflammatory factor levels in the mPFC. Miconazole also protected cultured oligodendrocytes from the toxicity of Aβ1-42. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that mPFC hypomyelination is involved in the cooperative deficits of APP/PS1 mice. Improving myelination through miconazole therapy may offer a potential therapeutic approach for early intervention in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Weixi Feng
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingting Pang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sijia Chen
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shixin Ding
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chengyu Sheng
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Charles Marshall
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health, Hazard, USA
| | - Jingping Shi
- Brain Institute, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China,Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Xiao
- Correspondence: Ming Xiao, MD, PhD, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, No. 101 Longmian Ave, Nanjing 211166, China ()
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Drea CM, Davies CS. Meerkat manners: Endocrine mediation of female dominance and reproductive control in a cooperative breeder. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105245. [PMID: 35988450 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue (Hormones and Hierarchies). To gain more balanced understanding of sexual selection and mammalian sexual differentiation processes, this review addresses behavioral sex differences and hormonal mediators of intrasexual competition in the meerkat (Suricata suricatta) - a cooperative breeder unusual among vertebrates in its female aggression, degree of reproductive skew, and phenotypic divergence. Focused on the evolution, function, mechanism, and development of female dominance, the male remains a key reference point throughout. Integrated review of endocrine function does not support routine physiological suppression in subordinates of either sex, but instead a ramp up of weight, reproduction, aggression, and sex steroids, particularly androgens, in dominant females. Important and timely questions about female competition are thus addressed by shifting emphasis from mediators of reproductive suppression to mediators of reproductive control, and from organizational and activational roles of androgens in males to their roles in females. Unusually, we ask not only how inequity is maintained, but how dominance is acquired within a lifetime and across generations. Antiandrogens administered in the field to males and pregnant dominant females confirm the importance of androgen-mediated food competition. Moreover, effects of maternal endocrine milieu on offspring development reveal a heritable, androgenic route to female aggression, likely promoting reproductive priority along dominant matrilines. Integrating endocrine measures with long-term behavioral, ecological, morphological, and life-history data on normative and experimental individuals, across life stages and generations, provides better appreciation of the role of naturally circulating androgens in regulating the female phenotype, and sheds new light on the evolution of female dominance, reproductive inequity, and cooperative breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA; Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa.
| | - Charli S Davies
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA; Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Brambilla A, von Hardenberg A, Canedoli C, Brivio F, Sueur C, Stanley CR. Long term analysis of social structure: evidence of age‐based consistent associations in male Alpine ibex. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Brambilla
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Alpine Wildlife Research Center, Gran Paradiso National Park Torino Italy
| | - Achaz von Hardenberg
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Chester Chester UK
| | - Claudia Canedoli
- Dept of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Milano Bicocca Milano Italy
| | | | - Cédric Sueur
- Univ. de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178 Strasbourg France
- Inst. Universitaire de France, Saint‐Michel 103 Paris France
| | - Christina R. Stanley
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Chester Chester UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Olivier CA, Schradin C, Makuya L. Global Change and Conservation of Solitary Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.906446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
27
|
Koenig A, Miles A, Riaz DEA, Borries C. Intersexual Agonism in Gray Langurs Reflects Male Dominance and Feeding Competition. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.860437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male-female agonism varies throughout the primate order with males often dominating females, especially in sexually dimorphic species. While intersexual agonism has been attributed to sexually coercive contexts, it can also occur for other reasons and intersexual dominance may be influenced by the adult sex ratio. If the proportion of males is high, certain males will regularly lose against other males. Loser-effects may then pave the way for some females to dominate these males, an effect that has been described in a few primate species. Here we investigated the frequency, general style, and context of agonism among gray langurs (Semnopithecus spp.). Data were collected at two study sites, at Jodhpur, India (one group), and at Ramnagar, Nepal (two groups). The adult sex ratio varied between 0.077 and 1.000 males to females. At both sites, data on agonistic interactions (aggression and submission) were collected in continuous focal animal and ad libitum sampling techniques during 1,945 contact hours (including 1,220 focal animal hours, total). Although aggression intensity was low, high directional consistency and the rare occurrence of counteraggression suggested a despotic dominance style, a likely prerequisite for dominance effects based on adult sex ratio. Aggression by females against males was very rare and mainly occurred in the defense of offspring. We found little evidence for partial female dominance regardless of adult sex ratio. In a few cases in which a female had a higher dominance index than a male, she did not dominate this male in dyadic encounters. Agonism by males directed at females occurred mainly in a feeding context while male policing and a sexual context were both rare. The latter was mostly restricted to females after they had harassed a sexual interaction or after they had behaved proceptively toward a male. Our study suggests that across species the effect of adult sex ratio on female dominance might be more variable than previously suggested. The fact that most agonism between males and females occurred over food identifies intersexual feeding competition as a new research avenue with potentially important consequences for existing ideas on the costs and benefits of group life and composition.
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) and the Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) live in large colonies in underground tunnel systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Most members of the colonies are suppressed from reproduction and they are unlikely to reproduce during their lifetime. Only one female and a small number of males reproduce. This extreme cooperative social system has fascinated researchers since the naked mole-rat was first described as eusocial. Despite much research into the mechanisms of social suppression, the exact mechanisms are still unclear. Much evidence points towards high glucocorticoid concentrations caused by agonistic behaviour by the breeding female suppressing reproduction of non-breeders, but laboratory studies have not found any differences in glucocorticoids between breeders and non-breeders. There is, however, considerable evidence from field studies and other social mole-rats that social stress may indeed be an important factor of social suppression in social mole-rats and that those mechanisms are affected by the stability of the colony and environmental conditions. This review aims to provide a summary of the current knowledge of the relationship between environmental conditions, colony stability, glucocorticoids and reproductive suppression in social mole-rat species and suggests some avenues for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Medger
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Reichard M, Blažek R, Žák J, Cellerino A, Polačik M. The sources of sex differences in aging in annual fishes. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:540-550. [PMID: 34954818 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Inter-sexual differences in lifespan (age at death) and aging (increase in mortality risk associated with functional deterioration) are widespread among animals, from nematodes to humans. Males often live shorter than females, but there is substantial unexplained variation among species and populations. Despite extensive research, it is poorly understood how lifespan differences between the sexes are modulated by an interplay among genetic, environmental and social factors. The goal of our study was to test how sex differences in lifespan and ageing are modulated by social and environmental factors, and by intrinsic differences between males and females. To disentangle the complex basis of sex differences in lifespan and aging, we combined comparative data from sex ratios in 367 natural populations of four species of African annual killifish with experimental results on sex differences in lifespan and aging from eight laboratory populations tested in treatments that varied social and environmental conditions. In the wild, females consistently outlived males. In captivity, sex-specific mortality depended on social conditions. In social-housed experimental groups, male-biased mortality persisted in two aggressive species, but ceased in two placid species. When social and physical contacts were prevented by housing all fish individually, male-biased mortality ceased in all four species. This outcome held across benign and challenging environmental conditions. Fitting demographic survival models revealed that increased baseline mortality was primarily responsible for a shorter male lifespan in social-housing conditions. The timing and rate of aging were not different between the sexes. No marker of functional aging we recorded in our study (lipofuscin accumulation, proliferative changes in kidney and liver) differed between males and females, despite their previously confirmed association with functional aging in Nothobranchius killifish. We show that sex differences in lifespan and aging in killifish are driven by a combination of social and environmental conditions, rather than differential functional aging. They are primarily linked to sexual selection but precipitated through multiple processes (predation, social interference). This demonstrates how sex-specific mortality varies among species even within an ecologically and evolutionary discrete lineage and explains how external factors mediate this difference.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Reichard
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Blažek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Žák
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Department of Neurosciences, Pisa, Italy.,Fritz Lipmann Institute for Age Research, Leibniz Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11, Jena, Germany
| | - Matej Polačik
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Börger L. Research Highlight: Social dispersal in giraffes. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2726-2728. [PMID: 34873696 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Research Highlight: Bond, M. L., Lee, D. E., Ozgul, A., Farine, D. R., & König, B. (2021). Leaving by staying: Social dispersal in giraffes. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13582. Dispersal is a key ecological and evolutionary process, which shows marked variability between and within species. The social and kinship structure of species fundamentally affects the patterns and types of dispersal, but information on how animals with fission-fusion group dynamics disperse is missing. Bond et al. provide novel data on natal dispersal of giraffe calves in relation to their dynamic multilayered social system, showing that individuals from both sexes can disperse socially, by switching association with different social groups, without leaving their natal area. The results highlight that traditional spatial-only measures of dispersal, such as dispersal distance, may be inadequate for social species with overlapping social units.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Canine sexual dimorphism in Ardipithecus ramidus was nearly human-like. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2116630118. [PMID: 34853174 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116630118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Body and canine size dimorphism in fossils inform sociobehavioral hypotheses on human evolution and have been of interest since Darwin's famous reflections on the subject. Here, we assemble a large dataset of fossil canines of the human clade, including all available Ardipithecus ramidus fossils recovered from the Middle Awash and Gona research areas in Ethiopia, and systematically examine canine dimorphism through evolutionary time. In particular, we apply a Bayesian probabilistic method that reduces bias when estimating weak and moderate levels of dimorphism. Our results show that Ar. ramidus canine dimorphism was significantly weaker than in the bonobo, the least dimorphic and behaviorally least aggressive among extant great apes. Average male-to-female size ratios of the canine in Ar. ramidus are estimated as 1.06 and 1.13 in the upper and lower canines, respectively, within modern human population ranges of variation. The slightly greater magnitude of canine size dimorphism in the lower than in the upper canines of Ar. ramidus appears to be shared with early Australopithecus, suggesting that male canine reduction was initially more advanced in the behaviorally important upper canine. The available fossil evidence suggests a drastic size reduction of the male canine prior to Ar. ramidus and the earliest known members of the human clade, with little change in canine dimorphism levels thereafter. This evolutionary pattern indicates a profound behavioral shift associated with comparatively weak levels of male aggression early in human evolution, a pattern that was subsequently shared by Australopithecus and Homo.
Collapse
|
32
|
|