1
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Clive J, Flintham E, Savolainen V. Same-sex sociosexual behaviour is widespread and heritable in male rhesus macaques. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1287-1301. [PMID: 37429903 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02111-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Numerous reports have documented the occurrence of same-sex sociosexual behaviour (SSB) across animal species. However, the distribution of the behaviour within a species needs to be studied to test hypotheses describing its evolution and maintenance, in particular whether the behaviour is heritable and can therefore evolve by natural selection. Here we collected detailed observations across 3 yr of social and mounting behaviour of 236 male semi-wild rhesus macaques, which we combined with a pedigree dating back to 1938, to show that SSB is both repeatable (19.35%) and heritable (6.4%). Demographic factors (age and group structure) explained SSB variation only marginally. Furthermore, we found a positive genetic correlation between same-sex mounter and mountee activities, indicating a common basis to different forms of SSB. Finally, we found no evidence of fitness costs to SSB, but show instead that the behaviour mediated coalitionary partnerships that have been linked to improved reproductive success. Together, our results demonstrate that SSB is frequent in rhesus macaques, can evolve, and is not costly, indicating that SSB may be a common feature of primate reproductive ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Clive
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Ewan Flintham
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Vincent Savolainen
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK.
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2
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Mielke A. Impact of dominance rank specification in dyadic interaction models. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277130. [PMID: 37471413 PMCID: PMC10358901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Dominance rank is a vital descriptor of social dynamics in animal societies and regularly used in studies to explain observed interaction patterns. However, researchers can choose between different indices and standardizations, and can specify dyadic rank relations differently when studying interaction distributions. These researcher degrees of freedom potentially introduce biases into studies and reduce replicability. Here, I demonstrate the impact of researcher choices by comparing the performance of different combinations of rank index, standardization, and model specification when explaining dyadic interaction patterns in sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys atys). I show that while no combination consistently performed best across interaction types (aggression, grooming, proximity, supplants), model specifications allowing for nonlinear patterns performed better than other models on average. Choices made in pre-processing and model building impacted model performance and subsequent interpretation of results. Researchers could end up describing social systems differently based on the same data. These results highlight the impact of researcher choices in the processing of behavioural data and potential limitations when using indirect species comparisons in animal behaviour research. To increase repeatability, researchers could make the impact of their processing choices more transparent and report results using a variety of indices and model specifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Mielke
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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3
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Krahn J, Foris B, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Invited review: Social dominance in dairy cattle: A critical review with guidelines for future research. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:1489-1501. [PMID: 36586796 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cattle are gregarious animals able to form social relationships. Dominance is one of the most widely studied social behaviors of dairy cattle, especially cows confined indoors. However, much of the past dairy cattle research has used an unstandardized approach, differing in definitions and conceptual understanding of dominance, as well as their methods of data collection and dominance calculation. The first of the 3 aims of this review is to evaluate how dominance relates to the social behavior of housed dairy cows. Cows engage in agonistic interactions to establish and reinforce dominance relationships. An individual's dominance is influenced by intrinsic characteristics, such as personality, and extrinsic factors, including group composition. When competing for resources, agonistic interactions can also be influenced by individual motivational differences, such as hunger, which may diminish the role of dominance in regulating competition. Our second aim is to critically review methods used to assess dominance in cows. This includes discussions on the effect of time and location of data collection on measured values as well as the viability and limitations of some dominance calculation methods. We propose that different methodologies lend themselves to different types of research questions. For example, the use of data stream-based methods that consider the sequence of interactions are useful for estimating how dominance fluctuates with changing conditions and can be used in a dynamically changing group. In contrast, matrix-based methods that aggregate social interactions may be best for identifying the social position of individuals and understanding how social characteristics influence the attributes of a stable hierarchy. Our third aim is to discuss the future of dominance research. We use a flowchart to illustrate guidelines for a more standardized approach to measuring dominance in cattle. We also identify areas in need of further conceptual clarification, suggest practical applications of dominance when managing dairy cattle, and discuss some limitations of dominance research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Krahn
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z6, Canada
| | - Borbala Foris
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z6, Canada
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z6, Canada
| | - Marina A G von Keyserlingk
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z6, Canada.
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4
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Ricardo M, Jaqueline L, Dafne GM, Hernández L. Close bonds and social rank similarities favor non‐random mating in captive stump‐tailed macaques (
Macaca arctoides
). Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mondragón‐Ceballos Ricardo
- Departamento de Etología Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz” Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - Lugo‐Ferrer Jaqueline
- Departamento de Etología Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz” Ciudad de México Mexico
| | | | - Leonor Hernández
- Departamento de Etología Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz” Ciudad de México Mexico
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5
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Migliaro M, Sánchez-Zavaleta R, Soto-Tinoco E, Ruiz-Contreras AE, Méndez-Díaz M, Herrera-Solís A, Pérez de la Mora M, Prospéro-García OE. Dominance status is associated with a variation in cannabinoid receptor 1 expression and amphetamine reward. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 221:173483. [PMID: 36270348 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding effects of psychostimulants appear to be distinct between dominant and subordinate individuals. In turn, the endocannabinoid system is an important modulator of drug reward in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex, however the connection with social dominance is yet to be established. Male rats were classified as dominant or subordinate on the basis of their spontaneous agonistic interactions and drug reward was assessed by means of conditioned place preference with amphetamine (AMPH). In addition, the expression of CB1R, CB2R, FAAH1, and DAGLa was quantified from accumbal and cortical tissue samples. Our findings demonstrate that dominant rats required a lesser dose of AMPH to acquire a preference for the drug-associated compartment, thereby suggesting a higher sensitivity to the rewarding effects of AMPH. Furthermore, dominants exhibited a lower expression of CB1R in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. This study illustrates how CBR1 expression could differentiate the behavioral phenotypes associated to social dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Migliaro
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Rodolfo Sánchez-Zavaleta
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Eva Soto-Tinoco
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Alejandra E Ruiz-Contreras
- Laboratorio de Neurogenómica Cognitiva, Coordinación de Psicobiología y Neurociencias, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mónica Méndez-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Andrea Herrera-Solís
- Laboratorio de Efectos Terapéuticos de los Cannabinoides, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Miguel Pérez de la Mora
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Oscar E Prospéro-García
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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6
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Saccà T, Gort G, van de Waal E, Hemelrijk CK. Reducing the bias due to unknown relationships in measuring the steepness of a dominance hierarchy. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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7
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Park J, Ha S, Shin H, Jeong J. Experience of a hierarchical relationship between a pair of mice specifically influences their affective empathy toward each other. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12810. [PMID: 35451184 PMCID: PMC9744536 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Prior experience of social hierarchy is known to modulate emotional contagion, a basic form of affective empathy. However, it is not known whether this behavioral effect occurs through changes in an individual's traits due to their experience of social hierarchy or specific social interrelationships between the individuals. Groups of four mice with an established in-group hierarchy were used to address this in conjunction with a tube test. The rank-1 and rank-4 mice were designated as the dominant or subordinate groups, respectively. The two individuals in between were designated as the intermediate groups, which were then used as the observers in observational fear learning (OFL) experiments, an assay for emotional contagion. The intermediate observers showed greater OFL responses to the dominant demonstrator than the subordinate demonstrators recruited from the same home-cage. When the demonstrators were strangers from different cages, the intermediate observers did not distinguish between dominant and subordinate, displaying the same level of OFL. In a reverse setting in which the intermediate group was used as the demonstrator, the subordinate observers showed higher OFL responses than the dominant observers, and this occurred only when the demonstrators were cagemates of the observers. Furthermore, the bigger the rank difference between a pair, the higher the OFL level that the observer displayed. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the hierarchical interrelationship established between a given pair of animals is critical for expressing emotional contagion between them rather than any potential changes in intrinsic traits due to the experience of dominant/subordinate hierarchy. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Subordinate observer or dominant demonstrator resulted in higher affective empathic response in familiar pairs but not unfamiliar pairs. The relative social rank of the observer with respect to the demonstrator had a negative linear correlation with the affective empathic response of the observer in familiar pairs but not unfamiliar pairs. The effect of social rank on affective empathy is attributed to the prior social hierarchical interrelationship between them and is not due to intrinsic attributes of an individual based on one's dominance rank.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungjoon Park
- Department of Bio and Brain EngineeringKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)DaejeonRepublic of Korea,Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Seungshin Ha
- Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Hee‐Sup Shin
- Center for Cognition and SocialityInstitute for Basic Science (IBS)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Jeong
- Department of Bio and Brain EngineeringKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
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8
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Strauss ED, Shizuka D. The dynamics of dominance: open questions, challenges and solutions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200445. [PMID: 35000440 PMCID: PMC8743878 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although social hierarchies are recognized as dynamic systems, they are typically treated as static entities for practical reasons. Here, we ask what we can learn from a dynamical view of dominance, and provide a research agenda for the next decades. We identify five broad questions at the individual, dyadic and group levels, exploring the causes and consequences of individual changes in rank, the dynamics underlying dyadic dominance relationships, and the origins and impacts of social instability. Although challenges remain, we propose avenues for overcoming them. We suggest distinguishing between different types of social mobility to provide conceptual clarity about hierarchy dynamics at the individual level, and emphasize the need to explore how these dynamic processes produce dominance trajectories over individual lifespans and impact selection on status-seeking behaviour. At the dyadic level, there is scope for deeper exploration of decision-making processes leading to observed interactions, and how stable but malleable relationships emerge from these interactions. Across scales, model systems where rank is manipulable will be extremely useful for testing hypotheses about dominance dynamics. Long-term individual-based studies will also be critical for understanding the impact of rare events, and for interrogating dynamics that unfold over lifetimes and generations. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli D. Strauss
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Daizaburo Shizuka
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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9
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The effects of female-male friendships on male postcopulatory levels of oxytocin and vasopressin, and sperm parameters in Macacaarctoides. Theriogenology 2022; 177:63-72. [PMID: 34666204 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Male and female stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) form close relationships akin to human friendships. Oxytocin and vasopressin modulate these and other social relationships and reproductive behavior and physiology in various mammal species. Besides the behavioral effects of oxytocin, this hormone plays an essential role in the ejaculatory process, favoring sperm transport upward the female reproductive tract. Therefore, we investigated the influence of friendships on postcopulatory serum levels of oxytocin and vasopressin in the stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). In addition, we searched for a correlation between this kind of social relationship and sperm transport in the vagina during the periovulatory and luteal phases. Six female and six male adult macaques having different friendship indices served as experimental animals. Allocated in 57 mating pairs combinations, these animals were allowed to copulate once in the luteal and periovulatory phases. Blood samples were collected from each animal finishing copulation to measure oxytocin and vasopressin. Afterward, we profoundly sedated the females and collected three semen samples from the vagina every 10 min to perform spermatobioscopies. Males' post-copulation oxytocin values increased along with the friendship index, while vasopressin behaves oppositely. Sperm concentration and immotile and motile sperm decreased from one sample to another as male-female closeness increased. Finally, in the periovulatory phase, only in the first vaginal sample, sperm velocities significantly increased with friendship indices. Our results showed that in stump-tailed macaques, heterosexual friendships promote higher postcopulatory oxytocin concentrations and better physiological conditions to males, which probably enhance reproductive success.
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10
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Dominance hierarchy and social network in a captive group of white-lipped peccary males: what happens after the alpha male leaves? Acta Ethol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-021-00386-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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11
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Ballesta S, Sadoughi B, Miss F, Whitehouse J, Aguenounon G, Meunier H. Assessing the reliability of an automated method for measuring dominance hierarchy in non-human primates. Primates 2021; 62:595-607. [PMID: 33847852 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00909-7] [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: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Among animal societies, dominance is an important social factor that influences inter-individual relationships. However, assessing dominance hierarchy can be a time-consuming activity which is potentially impeded by environmental factors, difficulties in the recognition of animals, or disturbance of animals during data collection. Here we took advantage of novel devices, machines for automated learning and testing (MALT), designed primarily to study non-human primate cognition, to additionally measure the dominance hierarchy of a semi-free-ranging primate group. When working on a MALT, an animal can be replaced by another, which could reflect an asymmetric dominance relationship. To assess the reliability of our method, we analysed a sample of the automated conflicts with video scoring and found that 74% of these replacements included genuine forms of social displacements. In 10% of the cases, we did not identify social interactions and in the remaining 16% we observed affiliative contacts between the monkeys. We analysed months of daily use of MALT by up to 26 semi-free-ranging Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and found that dominance relationships inferred from these interactions strongly correlated with the ones derived from observations of spontaneous agonistic interactions collected during the same time period. An optional filtering procedure designed to exclude chance-driven displacements or affiliative contacts suggests that the presence of 26% of these interactions in data sets did not impair the reliability of this new method. We demonstrate that this method can be used to assess the dynamics of both individual social status, and group-wide hierarchical stability longitudinally with minimal research labour. Further, it facilitates a continuous assessment of dominance hierarchies in captive groups, even during unpredictable environmental or challenging social events, which underlines the usefulness of this method for group management purposes. Altogether, this study supports the use of MALT as a reliable tool to automatically and dynamically assess dominance hierarchy within captive groups of non-human primates, including juveniles, under conditions in which such technology can be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Ballesta
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France. .,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.
| | - Baptiste Sadoughi
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.,Oniris - Nantes Atlantic College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Nantes, France
| | - Fabia Miss
- Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France.,Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jamie Whitehouse
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Géraud Aguenounon
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
| | - Hélène Meunier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.,Centre de Primatologie, Université de Strasbourg, Niederhausbergen, France
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12
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Computerized assessment of dominance hierarchy in baboons (Papio papio). Behav Res Methods 2021; 53:1923-1934. [PMID: 33687699 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01539-z] [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] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Dominance hierarchies are an important aspect of Primate social life, and there is an increasing need to develop new systems to collect social information automatically. The main goal of this research was to explore the possibility to infer the dominance hierarchy of a group of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) from the analysis of their spontaneous interactions with freely accessible automated learning devices for monkeys (ALDM, Fagot & Bonté Behavior Research Methods, 42, 507-516, 2010). Experiment 1 compared the dominance hierarchy obtained from conventional observations of agonistic behaviours to the one inferred from the analysis of automatically recorded supplanting behaviours within the ALDM workstations. The comparison, applied to three different datasets, shows that the dominance hierarchies obtained with the two methods are highly congruent (all rs ≥ 0.75). Experiment 2 investigated the experimental potential of inferring dominance hierarchy from ALDM testing. ALDM data previously published in Goujon and Fagot (Behavioural Brain Research, 247, 101-109, 2013) were re-analysed for that purpose. Results indicate that supplanting events within the workstations lead to a transient improvement of cognitive performance for the baboon supplanting its partners and that this improvement depends on the difference in rank between the two baboons. This study therefore opens new perspectives for cognitive studies conducted in a social context.
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13
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Vilette C, Bonnell T, Henzi P, Barrett L. Comparing dominance hierarchy methods using a data-splitting approach with real-world data. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The development of numerical methods for inferring social ranks has resulted in an overwhelming array of options to choose from. Previous work has established the validity of these methods through the use of simulated datasets, by determining whether a given ranking method can accurately reproduce the dominance hierarchy known to exist in the data. Here, we offer a complementary approach that assesses the reliability of calculated dominance hierarchies by asking whether the calculated rank order produced by a given method accurately predicts the outcome of a subsequent contest between two opponents. Our method uses a data-splitting “training–testing” approach, and we demonstrate its application to real-world data from wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) collected over 3 years. We assessed the reliability of seven methods plus six analytical variants. In our study system, all 13 methods tested performed well at predicting future aggressive outcomes, despite some differences in the inferred rank order produced. When we split the dataset with a 6-month training period and a variable testing dataset, all methods predicted aggressive outcomes correctly for the subsequent 10 months. Beyond this 10-month cut-off, the reliability of predictions decreased, reflecting shifts in the demographic composition of the group. We also demonstrate how a data-splitting approach provides researchers not only with a means of determining the most reliable method for their dataset but also allows them to assess how rank reliability changes among age–sex classes in a social group, and so tailor their choice of method to the specific attributes of their study system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Vilette
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, Republic of South Africa
| | - Tyler Bonnell
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, Republic of South Africa
| | - Peter Henzi
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, Republic of South Africa
| | - Louise Barrett
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, Republic of South Africa
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14
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Levy EJ, Zipple MN, McLean E, Campos FA, Dasari M, Fogel AS, Franz M, Gesquiere LR, Gordon JB, Grieneisen L, Habig B, Jansen DJ, Learn NH, Weibel CJ, Altmann J, Alberts SC, Archie EA. A comparison of dominance rank metrics reveals multiple competitive landscapes in an animal society. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201013. [PMID: 32900310 PMCID: PMC7542799 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Across group-living animals, linear dominance hierarchies lead to disparities in access to resources, health outcomes and reproductive performance. Studies of how dominance rank predicts these traits typically employ one of several dominance rank metrics without examining the assumptions each metric makes about its underlying competitive processes. Here, we compare the ability of two dominance rank metrics—simple ordinal rank and proportional or ‘standardized’ rank—to predict 20 traits in a wild baboon population in Amboseli, Kenya. We propose that simple ordinal rank best predicts traits when competition is density-dependent, whereas proportional rank best predicts traits when competition is density-independent. We found that for 75% of traits (15/20), one rank metric performed better than the other. Strikingly, all male traits were best predicted by simple ordinal rank, whereas female traits were evenly split between proportional and simple ordinal rank. Hence, male and female traits are shaped by different competitive processes: males are largely driven by density-dependent resource access (e.g. access to oestrous females), whereas females are shaped by both density-independent (e.g. distributed food resources) and density-dependent resource access. This method of comparing how different rank metrics predict traits can be used to distinguish between different competitive processes operating in animal societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Levy
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Matthew N Zipple
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Emily McLean
- Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Oxford College of Emory University, 801 Emory Street, Oxford, GA 30054, USA
| | - Fernando A Campos
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Mauna Dasari
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Arielle S Fogel
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, 3 Genome Court, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mathias Franz
- Institute for Biology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 1-3, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Laurence R Gesquiere
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jacob B Gordon
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Laura Grieneisen
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, 420 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Bobby Habig
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.,Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, New York, NY 11367, USA
| | - David J Jansen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Niki H Learn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Chelsea J Weibel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jeanne Altmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.,Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
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15
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Tong X, Shen C, Chen R, Gao S, Liu X, Schinckel AP, Zhou B. Reestablishment of Social Hierarchies in Weaned Pigs after Mixing. Animals (Basel) 2019; 10:E36. [PMID: 31878050 PMCID: PMC7022989 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigs are animals that live in groups and have social hierarchies within the group. After mixing, they can re-establish social hierarchies within several days through fighting. Dominance hierarchical indices, such as I&SI, Elo rating, and Glicko rating, have been used to analyze social hierarchies of some social animals but not pigs. I&SI index involves iterative calculations that first minimize the number of inconsistencies (I) in a dominance matrix, and then minimize the strength of those inconsistencies (SI). Elo rating and Glicko rating indices are based on the sequence in which interactions occur, and continuously update ratings by looking at interactions sequentially. To study the temporal dynamics of social hierarchy formation and maintenance in weaned pigs after mixing, a total of 102 pigs (47 females and 55 barrows) were selected by similar body weight and mixed in 10 pens (10 or 11 females or barrows per pen). Their behavior was recorded and observed for 72 h after mixing. Results showed that hierarchical indices I&SI, Elo rating, and Glicko rating were associated with each other (|r| = 0.681 ~ 0.942, p < 0.001). I&SI was associated with logarithms of frequency of active attack (|r| = 0.65, p < 0.05) and tended to associated with logarithms of frequency of standoff (|r| = 0.48, p < 0.1). Elo rating, and Glicko rating were associated with the logarithms of duration of being bullied (|r| = 0.393~0.401, p < 0.05). In addition, Glicko rating tended to be associated with the logarithms of duration of active attack and frequency of active attack (|r| = 0.416~0.439, p < 0.1). Multiple linear regression analyses of logarithms of dyadic behavior indicators for three hierarchical indices indicated the same effects. The time (hours) to achieve social stability of pigs after mixing was lower for females than barrows (23.06 ± 4.15 vs. 40.55 ± 4.71 h; p < 0.001). The most dominant pig (the first ranked) in each pen quickly appeared within a few hours after mixing and remained stable. Overall, our study demonstrated that the ranks calculated by the three dominance hierarchical indices: I&SI, Elo rating, and Glicko rating, were consistent and partially associated with part of the dyadic behavioral indicators in weaned pigs after mixing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Tong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
| | - Chunyan Shen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
| | - Ruonan Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
| | - Siyuan Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
| | - Xinpeng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
| | - Allan P. Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA;
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.T.); (C.S.); (R.C.); (S.G.); (X.L.)
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16
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Social alliances improve rank and fitness in convention-based societies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:8919-8924. [PMID: 30858321 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1810384116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Social hierarchies are widespread in human and animal societies, and an individual's position in its hierarchy affects both its access to resources and its fitness. Hierarchies are traditionally thought of in terms of variation in individual ability to win fights, but many are structured around arbitrary conventions like nepotistic inheritance rather than such traits as physical strength or weapon size. These convention-based societies are perplexing because position in the hierarchy appears to be gained irrespective of individual physical ability, yet social status strongly affects access to resources and fitness. It remains unclear why individuals abide by seemingly arbitrary conventions regarding social status when they stand to benefit by ignoring these conventions and competing for top positions or access to resources. Using data from wild spotted hyenas collected over 27 y and five generations, we show that individuals who repeatedly form coalitions with their top allies are likely to improve their position in the hierarchy, suggesting that social alliances facilitate revolutionary social change. Using lifetime reproductive success as a fitness measure, we go on to demonstrate that these status changes can have major fitness consequences. Finally, we show that the consequences of these changes may become even more dramatic over multiple generations, as small differences in social rank become amplified over time. This work represents a first step in reconciling the advantages of high status with the appearance of "arbitrary" conventions that structure inequality in animal and human societies.
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17
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Strauss ED, Holekamp KE. Inferring longitudinal hierarchies: Framework and methods for studying the dynamics of dominance. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:521-536. [PMID: 30664242 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Social inequality is a consistent feature of animal societies, often manifesting as dominance hierarchies, in which each individual is characterized by a dominance rank denoting its place in the network of competitive relationships among group members. Most studies treat dominance hierarchies as static entities despite their true longitudinal, and sometimes highly dynamic, nature. To guide study of the dynamics of dominance, we propose the concept of a longitudinal hierarchy: the characterization of a single, latent hierarchy and its dynamics over time. Longitudinal hierarchies describe the hierarchy position (r) and dynamics (∆) associated with each individual as a property of its interaction data, the periods into which these data are divided based on a period delineation rule (p) and the method chosen to infer the hierarchy. Hierarchy dynamics result from both active (∆a) and passive (∆p) processes. Methods that infer longitudinal hierarchies should optimize accuracy of rank dynamics as well as of the rank orders themselves, but no studies have yet evaluated the accuracy with which different methods infer hierarchy dynamics. We modify three popular ranking approaches to make them better suited for inferring longitudinal hierarchies. Our three "informed" methods assign ranks that are informed by data from the prior period rather than calculating ranks de novo in each observation period and use prior knowledge of dominance correlates to inform placement of new individuals in the hierarchy. These methods are provided in an R package. Using both a simulated dataset and a long-term empirical dataset from a species with two distinct sex-based dominance structures, we compare the performance of these methods and their unmodified counterparts. We show that choice of method has dramatic impacts on inference of hierarchy dynamics via differences in estimates of ∆a. Methods that calculate ranks de novo in each period overestimate hierarchy dynamics, but incorporation of prior information leads to more accurately inferred ∆a. Of the modified methods, Informed MatReorder infers the most conservative estimates of hierarchy dynamics and Informed Elo infers the most dynamic hierarchies. This work provides crucially needed conceptual framing and methodological validation for studying social dominance and its dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli D Strauss
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Kay E Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
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18
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Mónica Dafne GG, Leonor Estela HL, Ricardo MC. Sperm concentration, coagulum weight, and testosterone levels differences according to social rank in male stump-tail macaques (Macaca arctoides). Theriogenology 2019; 125:49-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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19
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Joly M, Micheletta J, De Marco A, Langermans JA, Sterck EHM, Waller BM. Comparing physical and social cognitive skills in macaque species with different degrees of social tolerance. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2738. [PMID: 28904133 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary evolutionary theories propose that living in groups drives the selection of enhanced cognitive skills to face competition and facilitate cooperation between individuals. Being able to coordinate both in space and time with others and make strategic decisions are essential skills for cooperating within groups. Social tolerance and an egalitarian social structure have been proposed as one specific driver of cooperation. Therefore, social tolerance is predicted to be associated with enhanced cognitive skills that underpin communication and coordination. Social tolerance should also be associated with enhanced inhibition, which is crucial for suppressing automatic responses and permitting delayed gratification in cooperative contexts. We tested the performance of four closely related non-human primate species (genus Macaca) characterized by different degrees of social tolerance on a large battery of cognitive tasks covering physical and social cognition, and on an inhibitory control task. All species performed at a comparable level on the physical cognition tasks but the more tolerant species outperformed the less tolerant species at a social cognition task relevant to cooperation and in the inhibitory control task. These findings support the hypothesis that social tolerance is associated with the evolution of sophisticated cognitive skills relevant for cooperative social living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Joly
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Jérôme Micheletta
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Arianna De Marco
- Fondazione Ethoikos, Radicondoli, Italy.,Parco Faunistico di Piano dell'Abatino, Poggio San Lorenzo, Italy
| | | | - Elisabeth H M Sterck
- Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.,Animal Ecology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bridget M Waller
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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20
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Sánchez-Tójar A, Schroeder J, Farine DR. A practical guide for inferring reliable dominance hierarchies and estimating their uncertainty. J Anim Ecol 2017; 87:594-608. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar
- Evolutionary Biology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Evolutionary Biology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
| | - Damien Roger Farine
- Department of Collective Behaviour; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Konstanz Germany
- Chair of Biodiversity and Collective Behaviour; Department of Biology; University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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21
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The prospect of rising in rank is key to long-term stability in Tibetan macaque society. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7082. [PMID: 28765545 PMCID: PMC5539219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07067-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most fundamental questions in behavioural biology is why societies can persist for a long period of time. While researchers in animal behaviour have been hindered by a lack of an aggregate measure (such as social mobility) to quantify the dynamics of animal societies, researchers in social sciences have been challenged by the complexity and diversity of human societies. As a result, direct empirical evidence is still lacking for the hypothesized causal relationship between social mobility and social stability. Here we attempt to fill the void by examining a much simpler society in the Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana), which we have tracked for 30 consecutive years. By testing two group-level hypotheses based on benefit-cost analysis and social stratification, we show the first quantitative evidence that an annual 2-to-1 stay/change ratio in the hierarchy with a 3-to-1 upward/downward ratio in intragenerational social mobility provides a substantive expected benefit for adult members to stay in the group and wait for their chances to advance. Furthermore, using a Markov transition matrix constructed from empirical data, we demonstrate that the 3-to-1 upward/downward ratio could lead to long-term structural stability in Tibetan macaque society.
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22
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Flood CE, Wong MY. Social stability in times of change: effects of group fusion and water depth on sociality in a globally invasive fish. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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23
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Balasubramaniam K, Berman C. Grooming interchange for resource tolerance: biological markets principles within a group of free-ranging rhesus macaques. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In group-living animals, allogrooming is a common, heterogeneously distributed affiliative behaviour. Among non-human primates, Barrett et al. (1999) predicted ways in which Biological Markets principles interact with competitive regimes to influence grooming reciprocity and interchange. Most tests of these predictions, done at a group level, have produced inconsistent results. Here we take a novel approach by testing these predictions across individuals within a group. This is based on the premise that in groups facing moderate-to-high within-group-competition, individuals vary in their abilities to access resources based on their competitive abilities, causing them to pursue different grooming exchange strategies. We examine evidence for grooming reciprocity and interchange for tolerance at drinking sources among adult females within a group of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago. We test the above premise by assessing hierarchical steepness, and the relationship between individuals’ David’s scores (DS) and access to drinking sources. Finally, we examine the relationship of DS with grooming reciprocity and interchange to see whether they are consistent with the operation of market forces among individuals. Social network comparisons revealed that giving grooming was strongly predicted by both receiving drinking tolerance (interchange) and receiving grooming (reciprocity), despite strong associations with proximity and maternal kinship. The group showed a moderately steep hierarchy, and negative correlations between individuals’ David’s scores and difficulties in accessing drinking stations. Finally, we found partial support for a market-based explanation. Individuals with relatively low David’s scores were more likely to interchange grooming with drinking tolerance. However, grooming reciprocity wasn’t greater among individuals with higher David’s scores. Our findings suggest that multiple explanatory frameworks — reciprocity, market-based interchange, and/or proximity-mediated interchange/social bond investment — may all shape rhesus grooming exchange patterns. Future directions include examining evidence for additional forms of grooming interchange, and the influence of between-group-competition and stress-indicators on grooming reciprocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.N. Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - C.M. Berman
- Department of Anthropology and Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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24
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van der Borg JAM, Schilder MBH, Vinke CM, de Vries H. Dominance in Domestic Dogs: A Quantitative Analysis of Its Behavioural Measures. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133978. [PMID: 26309101 PMCID: PMC4556277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A dominance hierarchy is an important feature of the social organisation of group living animals. Although formal and/or agonistic dominance has been found in captive wolves and free-ranging dogs, applicability of the dominance concept in domestic dogs is highly debated, and quantitative data are scarce. Therefore, we investigated 7 body postures and 24 behaviours in a group of domestic dogs for their suitability as formal status indicators. The results showed that high posture, displayed in most dyadic relationships, and muzzle bite, displayed exclusively by the highest ranking dogs, qualified best as formal dominance indicators. The best formal submission indicator was body tail wag, covering most relationships, and two low postures, covering two-thirds of the relationships. In addition, both mouth lick, as included in Schenkel's active submission, and pass under head qualified as formal submission indicators but were shown almost exclusively towards the highest ranking dogs. Furthermore, a status assessment based on changes in posture displays, i.e., lowering of posture (LoP) into half-low, low, low-on-back or on-back, was the best status indicator for most relationships as it showed good coverage (91% of the dyads), a nearly linear hierarchy (h' = 0.94, p<0.003) and strong unidirectionality (DCI = 0.97). The associated steepness of 0.79 (p<0.0001) indicated a tolerant dominance style for this dog group. No significant correlations of rank with age or weight were found. Strong co-variation between LoP, high posture, and body tail wag justified the use of dominance as an intervening variable. Our results are in line with previous findings for captive wolves and free-ranging dogs, for formal dominance with strong linearity based on submission but not aggression. They indicate that the ethogram for dogs is best redefined by distinguishing body postures from behavioural activities. A good insight into dominance hierarchies and its indicators will be helpful in properly interpreting dog-dog relationships and diagnosing problem behaviour in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne A. M. van der Borg
- Wageningen University Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs B. H. Schilder
- Utrecht University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animals in Science & Society, P.O. Box 80166, 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia M. Vinke
- Utrecht University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animals in Science & Society, P.O. Box 80166, 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Han de Vries
- Utrecht University Animal Ecology Group, Department of Biology, Padualaan 8, f3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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