1
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Leeds A, Kakule D, Stalter L, Mbeke JK, Fawcett K. Group structure and individual relationships of sanctuary-living Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295561. [PMID: 38232054 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of individual social relationships and group structure provides insights into a species' natural history and can inform management decisions for animals living in human care. The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) center provides permanent sanctuary for a group of 14 Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri), a critically endangered and poorly studied subspecies of the genus gorilla, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We monitored the association patterns of the gorillas at GRACE over eight months and here describe their individual relationships and group structure via multiple social network statistics. The group was highly connected but associations between individuals were weak on average. Social network metrics describe that an adult female was the most gregarious and socially central individual within the group. In fact, adult females were the most gregarious and socially central on average. Group level association patterns were significantly correlated over the study period and across observation types, suggesting the group was socially stable during the eight month study period. The data collected in this study were done so by GRACE caregivers as part of their daily husbandry routine and provided important insights into this group's behavior, ultimately informing on their care, welfare and future release considerations. The methodological approaches implemented here are easily scalable to any primate sanctuary or care facility seeking to use data to inform husbandry and management procedures. Lastly, our study is the first social network analysis to be conducted on Grauer's gorillas and provides tentative insights into the behavior of this poorly studied subspecies. Though more research is needed to evaluate if the findings here are reflective of this subspecies' natural history or the idiosyncrasies of the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Leeds
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - Dalmas Kakule
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Laura Stalter
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jackson K Mbeke
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Katie Fawcett
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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2
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Rushmore J, Beechler BR, Tavalire H, Gorsich EE, Charleston B, Devan‐Song A, Glidden CK, Jolles AE. The heterogeneous herd: Drivers of close-contact variation in African buffalo and implications for pathogen invasion. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10447. [PMID: 37621318 PMCID: PMC10445036 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Many infectious pathogens are shared through social interactions, and examining host connectivity has offered valuable insights for understanding patterns of pathogen transmission across wildlife species. African buffalo are social ungulates and important reservoirs of directly-transmitted pathogens that impact numerous wildlife and livestock species. Here, we analyzed African buffalo social networks to quantify variation in close contacts, examined drivers of contact heterogeneity, and investigated how the observed contact patterns affect pathogen invasion likelihoods for a wild social ungulate. We collected continuous association data using proximity collars and sampled host traits approximately every 2 months during a 15-month study period in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Although the observed herd was well connected, with most individuals contacting each other during each bimonthly interval, our analyses revealed striking heterogeneity in close-contact associations among herd members. Network analysis showed that individual connectivity was stable over time and that individual age, sex, reproductive status, and pairwise genetic relatedness were important predictors of buffalo connectivity. Calves were the most connected members of the herd, and adult males were the least connected. These findings highlight the role susceptible calves may play in the transmission of pathogens within the herd. We also demonstrate that, at time scales relevant to infectious pathogens found in nature, the observed level of connectivity affects pathogen invasion likelihoods for a wide range of infectious periods and transmissibilities. Ultimately, our study identifies key predictors of social connectivity in a social ungulate and illustrates how contact heterogeneity, even within a highly connected herd, can shape pathogen invasion likelihoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Rushmore
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
- EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brianna R. Beechler
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Hannah Tavalire
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Erin E. Gorsich
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- The Zeeman Institute: Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology ResearchUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
| | | | - Anne Devan‐Song
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Anna E. Jolles
- Carlson College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
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3
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King GE. Baboon perspectives on the ecology and behavior of early human ancestors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2116182119. [PMID: 36279425 PMCID: PMC9659385 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116182119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
For more than 70 y researchers have looked to baboons (monkeys of the genus Papio) as a source of hypotheses about the ecology and behavior of early hominins (early human ancestors and their close relatives). This approach has undergone a resurgence in the last decade as a result of rapidly increasing knowledge from experimental and field studies of baboons and from archeological and paleontological studies of hominins. The result is a rich array of analogies, scenarios, and other stimuli to thought about the ecology and behavior of early hominins. The main intent here is to illustrate baboon perspectives on early hominins, with emphasis on recent developments. This begins with a discussion of baboons and hominins as we know them currently and explains the reasons for drawing comparisons between them. These include occupation of diverse environments, combination of arboreal and terrestrial capabilities, relatively large body size, and sexual dimorphism. The remainder of the paper illustrates the main points with a small number of examples drawn from diverse areas of interest: diet (grasses and fish), danger (leopards and crocodiles), social organization (troops and multilevel societies), social relationships (male-male, male-female, female-female), communication (possible foundations of language), cognition (use of social information, comparison of self to others), and bipedalism (a speculative developmental hypothesis about the neurological basis). The conclusion is optimistic about the future of baboon perspectives on early hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn E. King
- Department of History and Anthropology, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
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4
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Female demographic changes contribute to the maintenance of social stability within a primate multilevel society. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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5
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Respect for males amid suppression of females: Selective use of aggression and fitness correlates in the male-dominated society of hamadryas baboons. J Hum Evol 2022; 165:103151. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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6
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Camerlenghi E, McQueen A, Delhey K, Cook CN, Kingma SA, Farine DR, Peters A. Cooperative breeding and the emergence of multilevel societies in birds. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:766-777. [PMID: 35000255 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Multilevel societies (MLSs), where social levels are hierarchically nested within each other, are considered one of the most complex forms of animal societies. Although thought to mainly occurs in mammals, it is suggested that MLSs could be under-detected in birds. Here, we propose that the emergence of MLSs could be common in cooperatively breeding birds, as both systems are favoured by similar ecological and social drivers. We first investigate this proposition by systematically comparing evidence for multilevel social structure in cooperative and non-cooperative birds in Australia and New Zealand, a global hotspot for cooperative breeding. We then analyse non-breeding social networks of cooperatively breeding superb fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus) to reveal their structured multilevel society, with three hierarchical social levels that are stable across years. Our results confirm recent predictions that MLSs are likely to be widespread in birds and suggest that these societies could be particularly common in cooperatively breeding birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Camerlenghi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexandra McQueen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carly N Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Ekanayake-Weber M, Swedell L. An agent-based model of coercive female transfer in a multilevel society. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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8
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Petty LE, Phillippi-Falkenstein K, Kubisch HM, Raveendran M, Harris RA, Vallender EJ, Huff CD, Bohm RP, Rogers J, Below JE. Pedigree reconstruction and distant pairwise relatedness estimation from genome sequence data: A demonstration in a population of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 21:1333-1346. [PMID: 33386679 PMCID: PMC8247968 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A primary challenge in the analysis of free‐ranging animal populations is the accurate estimation of relatedness among individuals. Many aspects of population analysis rely on knowledge of relatedness patterns, including socioecology, demography, heritability and gene mapping analyses, wildlife conservation and the management of breeding colonies. Methods for determining relatedness using genome‐wide data have improved our ability to determine kinship and reconstruct pedigrees in humans. However, methods for reconstructing complex pedigree structures and estimating distant relatedness (beyond third‐degree) have not been widely applied to other species. We sequenced the genomes of 150 male rhesus macaques from the Tulane National Primate Research Center colony to estimate pairwise relatedness, reconstruct closely related pedigrees, estimate more distant relationships and augment colony records. Methods for determining relatedness developed for human genetic data were applied and evaluated in the analysis of nonhuman primates, including identity‐by‐descent‐based methods for pedigree reconstruction and shared segment‐based inference of more distant relatedness. We compared the genotype‐based pedigrees and estimated relationships to available colony pedigree records and found high concordance (95.5% agreement) between expected and identified relationships for close relatives. In addition, we detected distant relationships not captured in colony records, including some as distant as twelfth‐degree. Furthermore, while deep sequence coverage is preferable, we show that this approach can also provide valuable information when only low‐coverage (5×) sequence data is available. Our findings demonstrate the value of these methods for determination of relatedness in various animal populations, with diverse applications to conservation biology, evolutionary and ecological research and biomedical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Petty
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and Department of Genetic Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - H Michael Kubisch
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, USA
| | - Muthuswamy Raveendran
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Eric J Vallender
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Chad D Huff
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rudolf P Bohm
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer E Below
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and Department of Genetic Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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9
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Kin bias and male pair-bond status shape male-male relationships in a multilevel primate society. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMale-male social relationships in group-living mammals vary from fierce competition to the formation of opportunistic coalitions or the development of long-lasting bonds. We investigated male-male relationships in Guinea baboons (Papio papio), a species characterized by male-male tolerance and affiliation. Guinea baboons live in a multi-level society, with units of one reproductively active “primary” male, 1–6 females, and offspring at the core level. Together with “bachelor” males, several units form a party, and 2–3 parties constitute a gang. We aimed to clarify to which degree male relationship patterns varied with relatedness and pair-bond status, i.e., whether males had primary or bachelor status. Data were collected from 24 males in two parties of Guinea baboons near Simenti in the Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal. Males maintained differentiated and equitable affiliative relationships (“strong bonds”) with other males that were stable over a 4-year period, irrespective of their pair-bond status. Remarkably, most bachelor males maintained strong bonds with multiple primary males, indicating that bachelor males play an important role in the cohesion of the parties. A clear male dominance hierarchy could not be established due to the high degree of uncertainty in individual rank scores, yet bachelor males were more likely to be found at the low end of the dominance hierarchy. Average relatedness was significantly higher between strongly bonded males, suggesting that kin biases contribute to the social preferences of males. Long-term data will be needed to test how male bonds affect male tenure and ultimately reproductive success.Significance statementMales living in social groups may employ different strategies to increase their reproductive success, from fierce fighting to opportunistic alliance formation or the development of long-term bonds. To shed light on the factors that shape male strategies, we investigated male-male social relationships in the multilevel society of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) where “primary” males are associated with a small number of females and their offspring in “units” while other males are “bachelors.” Strong bonds occurred among and between primary and bachelor males and strongly bonded males were, on average, more closely related. Bachelor males typically had multiple bond partners and thus play an important role in the fabric of Guinea baboon societies. Across primate species, neither dispersal patterns nor social organization clearly map onto the presence of strong bonds in males, suggesting multiple routes to the evolution of male bonds.
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10
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Dal Pesco F, Fischer J. On the evolution of baboon greeting rituals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190420. [PMID: 32594879 PMCID: PMC7423252 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To balance the trade-offs of male co-residence, males living in multi-male groups may exchange ritualized greetings. Although these non-aggressive signals are widespread in the animal kingdom, the repertoire described in the genus Papio is exceptional, involving potentially harmful behaviours such as genital fondling. Such greetings are among the most striking male baboon social interactions, yet their function remains disputed. Drawing on the comprehensive analysis from our own research on wild Guinea baboons, combined with a survey of the literature into other baboon species, we review the form and function of male-male ritualized greetings and their relation to the various social systems present in this genus. These ritualized signals differ between species in their occurrence, form and function. While ritualized greetings are rare in species with the most intense contest competition, the complexity of and risk involved in greeting rituals increase with the degree of male-male tolerance and cooperation. The variety of societies found in this genus, combined with its role as a model for human socioecological evolution, sheds light on the evolution of ritualized behaviour in non-human primates and rituals in humans. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ritual renaissance: new insights into the most human of behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Dal Pesco
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
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11
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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12
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Philopatry at the frontier: A demographically driven scenario for the evolution of multilevel societies in baboons (Papio). J Hum Evol 2020; 146:102819. [PMID: 32736063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The baboons (Papio sp.) exhibit marked interspecies variation in social behavior. The thesis presented here argues, first, that male philopatry is a crucial factor, arguably the crucial factor, underlying the other distinctive features (one-male units, multilevel society) shared by hamadryas and Guinea baboons, but not other species of Papio. The second suggestion is that male philopatry as a population norm was not an adaptation to a particular habitat or set of ecological circumstances but evolved in the common ancestor of hamadryas and Guinea baboons as a response to natural selection in the demographic context peculiar to the frontier of a rapidly expanding population. Other derived features of social structure (male-male tolerance, some facultative female dispersal) subsequently evolved to accommodate male philopatry. The mitochondrial genetic population structure of extant baboons preserves a footprint of the initial expansion of 'modern' Papio. Immediately after the expansion, male-philopatric, multilevel populations with a general physical and behavioral resemblance to Guinea baboons occupied the whole northern hemisphere range of the genus. Behavioral and physical autapomorphies of hamadryas baboons evolved in a subpopulation of this ancestral northern base, in response to a less productive habitat of the Horn of Africa. Subsequently, ancestral olive baboons 'reinvented' male dispersal. They and yellow baboons, another male-dispersing species, then replaced most of the male-philopatric northern populations, by male-driven introgression and nuclear swamping.
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13
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Grueter CC, Qi X, Zinner D, Bergman T, Li M, Xiang Z, Zhu P, Migliano AB, Miller A, Krützen M, Fischer J, Rubenstein DI, Vidya TNC, Li B, Cantor M, Swedell L. Multilevel Organisation of Animal Sociality. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:834-847. [PMID: 32473744 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Multilevel societies (MLSs), stable nuclear social units within a larger collective encompassing multiple nested social levels, occur in several mammalian lineages. Their architectural complexity and size impose specific demands on their members requiring adaptive solutions in multiple domains. The functional significance of MLSs lies in their members being equipped to reap the benefits of multiple group sizes. Here, we propose a unifying terminology and operational definition of MLS. To identify new avenues for integrative research, we synthesise current literature on the selective pressures underlying the evolution of MLSs and their implications for cognition, intersexual conflict, and sexual selection. Mapping the drivers and consequences of MLS provides a reference point for the social evolution of many taxa, including our own species.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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.
| | - Xiaoguang Qi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China.
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thore Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ming Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Zuofu Xiang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Pingfen Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | | | - Alex Miller
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Michael Krützen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T N C Vidya
- Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, 710069, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Maurício Cantor
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88048-970, Brazil; Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná, 83255-000, Brazil; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 11367, USA; Anthropology, Biology and Psychology Programs, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
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14
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Dahl CD, Ferrando E, Zuberbühler K. An information-theory approach to geometry for animal groups. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:807-817. [PMID: 32385570 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01374-3] [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] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
One of the hardest problems in studying animal behaviour is to quantify patterns of social interaction at the group level. Recent technological developments in global positioning system (GPS) devices have opened up new avenues for locating animals with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. Likewise, advances in computing power have enabled new levels of data analyses with complex mathematical models to address unresolved problems in animal behaviour, such as the nature of group geometry and the impact of group-level interactions on individuals. Here, we present an information theory-based tool for the analysis of group behaviour. We illustrate its affordances with GPS data collected from a freely interacting pack of 15 Siberian huskies (Canis lupus familiaris). We found that individual freedom in movement decisions was limited to about 4%, while a subject's location could be predicted with 96% median accuracy by the locations of other group members. Dominant individuals were less affected by other individuals' locations than subordinate ones, and same-sex individuals influenced each other more strongly than opposite-sex individuals. We also found that kinship relationships increased the mutual dependencies of individuals. Moreover, the network stability of the pack deteriorated with an upcoming feeding event. Together, we conclude that information theory-based approaches, coupled with state-of-the-art bio-logging technology, provide a powerful tool for future studies of animal social interactions beyond the dyadic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph D Dahl
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Brain and Consciousness Research Center, Taipei Medical University Shuang-Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan. .,Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
| | - Elodie Ferrando
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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15
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Fischer J, Higham JP, Alberts SC, Barrett L, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Carter AJ, Collins A, Elton S, Fagot J, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Hammerschmidt K, Henzi P, Jolly CJ, Knauf S, Kopp GH, Rogers J, Roos C, Ross C, Seyfarth RM, Silk J, Snyder-Mackler N, Staedele V, Swedell L, Wilson ML, Zinner D. Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies. eLife 2019; 8:e50989. [PMID: 31711570 PMCID: PMC6850771 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Baboons, members of the genus Papio, comprise six closely related species distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southwest Arabia. The species exhibit more ecological flexibility and a wider range of social systems than many other primates. This article summarizes our current knowledge of the natural history of baboons and highlights directions for future research. We suggest that baboons can serve as a valuable model for complex evolutionary processes, such as speciation and hybridization. The evolution of baboons has been heavily shaped by climatic changes and population expansion and fragmentation in the African savanna environment, similar to the processes that acted during human evolution. With accumulating long-term data, and new data from previously understudied species, baboons are ideally suited for investigating the links between sociality, health, longevity and reproductive success. To achieve these aims, we propose a closer integration of studies at the proximate level, including functional genomics, with behavioral and ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Department of Primate CognitionGeorg-August-University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
| | - James P Higham
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Institute of Primate ResearchNairobiKenya
| | - Louise Barrett
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeCanada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Jacinta C Beehner
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Thore J Bergman
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Alecia J Carter
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHEMontpellierFrance
| | - Anthony Collins
- Gombe Stream Research CentreJane Goodall InstituteKigomaUnited Republic of Tanzania
| | - Sarah Elton
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUnited Kingdom
| | - Joël Fagot
- Aix Marseille UniversitéMarseilleFrance
- Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueMontpellierFrance
| | - Maria Joana Ferreira da Silva
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas, School of Social and PoliticalSciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Peter Henzi
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Clifford J Jolly
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology UnitGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Division of Microbiology and Animal HygieneGeorg-August-UniversityGöttingenGermany
| | - Gisela H Kopp
- ZukunftskollegUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of MigrationMax Planck Institute for Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing CenterHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of PrimatesGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Primate Genetics LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Caroline Ross
- Department of Life SciencesRoehampton UniversityLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert M Seyfarth
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Joan Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social ChangeArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
- Institute for Human OriginsArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Center for Studies in Demography and EcologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- National Primate Research CenteUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Veronika Staedele
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Larissa Swedell
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyQueens College, City University of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
- Department of ArchaeologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Michael L Wilson
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Institute on the EnvironmentUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulUnited States
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
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Swedell L, Plummer T. Social evolution in Plio-Pleistocene hominins: Insights from hamadryas baboons and paleoecology. J Hum Evol 2019; 137:102667. [PMID: 31629289 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Reconstructions of hominin evolution have long benefited from comparisons with nonhuman primates, especially baboons and chimpanzees. The hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) is arguably one of the best such models, as it exhibits both the male kin bonding and the cross-sex pair bonding thought to have been important in hominin evolution. Here we link processes of behavioral evolution in hamadryas baboons with those in a Plio-Pleistocene hominin, provisionally identified as Homo erectus (sensu lato) - a pivotal species in that its larger body and brain size and wider ranging patterns increased female costs of reproduction, increasing the importance of sociality. The combination of these higher costs of reproduction and shifts in diet and food acquisition have previously been argued to have been alleviated either via strengthening of male-female bonds (involving male provisioning and the evolution of monogamy) or via the assistance of older, post-reproductive females (leading to post-reproductive longevity in females, i.e., the grandmother hypothesis). We suggest that both arrangements could have been present in Plio-Pleistocene hominins if they lived in multilevel societies. Here we expand on our earlier scenario with two sets of recent data in support of it, (1) archaeological data from the 2 million year old Oldowan site of Kanjera South, Kenya and other sites that are suggestive of tool dependent foraging on nutrient dense resources (animal carcasses and plant underground storage organs), cooperation, and food sharing; and (2) a pattern of genetic variation in hamadryas baboons that suggests the operation of kin selection among both males and females at multiple levels of society. Taken together, these two sets of data strengthen our model and support the idea of a complex society linked by male-male, male-female, and female-female bonds at multiple levels of social organization in Plio-Pleistocene hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Swedell
- Dept of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Anthropology Program, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Biology and Psychology Programs, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Dept of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Thomas Plummer
- Dept of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Anthropology Program, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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17
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Lutz MC, Ratsimbazafy J, Judge PG. Use of social network models to understand play partner choice strategies in three primate species. Primates 2019; 60:247-260. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-00708-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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18
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Dunbar RIM, Mac Carron P. Does a trade‐off between fertility and predation risk explain social evolution in baboons? J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. I. M. Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Department of Computer Science Aalto University Espoo Finland
| | - P. Mac Carron
- Department of Experimental Psychology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Maynooth University Maynooth Co. Kildare Ireland
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19
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Baboon vocal repertoires and the evolution of primate vocal diversity. J Hum Evol 2018; 126:1-13. [PMID: 30583838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A remarkable and derived trait of humans is the faculty for language, and considerable research effort has been devoted to understanding the evolution of speech. In contrast to spoken language, which constitutes a (learned) symbolic communication system, the acoustic structure of nonhuman primate vocalizations is largely genetically fixed. Yet, appreciable differences between different genera and species may exist. Environmental conditions, sexual selection, and characteristics of the social system have been invoked to explain these differences. Here, we studied the acoustic variation of call types and vocal repertoires in the genus Papio. Because the genus comprises both stable groups as well as multi-level societies, and reveals striking variation in the degree of aggressiveness from south to north, it constitutes a promising model to assess the link between social system characteristics and vocal communication. We found that, the vocal repertoires of the different species were composed of the same general call types. A quantitative analysis of the acoustic features of the grunts and loud calls of chacma (Papio ursinus), olive (P. anubis), and Guinea (P. papio) baboons showed subtle acoustic differences within call types, however. Social system characteristics did not map onto acoustic variation. We found no correlation between the structure of grunts and geographic distance; the same was true for female loud calls. Only for male loud calls from three populations, call structure varied with geographic distance. Our findings corroborate the view that the structure of nonhuman primate vocalizations is highly conserved, despite the differences in social systems. Apparently, variation in rate and intensity of occurrence of signals, probably due to different behavioral dispositions in species, are sufficient to allow for plasticity at the level of the social relationships, mating patterns, and social organization.
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20
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Matsudaira K, Ishida T, Malaivijitnond S, Reichard UH. Short dispersal distance of males in a wild white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar
) population. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:61-71. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kazunari Matsudaira
- Unit of Human Biology and Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science; The University of Tokyo; Tokyo Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science; Chulalongkorn University; Bangkok Thailand
| | - Takafumi Ishida
- Unit of Human Biology and Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science; The University of Tokyo; Tokyo Japan
| | - Suchinda Malaivijitnond
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science; Chulalongkorn University; Bangkok Thailand
- National Primate Research Center of Thailand, Chulalongkorn University; Saraburi Thailand
| | - Ulrich H. Reichard
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Ecology; Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Carbondale Illinois
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21
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Contexts and consequences of takeovers in hamadryas baboons: Female parity, reproductive state, and observational evidence of pregnancy loss. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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22
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Städele V, Vigilant L. Strategies for determining kinship in wild populations using genetic data. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:6107-20. [PMID: 27648229 PMCID: PMC5016635 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of kin relationships between members of wild animal populations has broad application in ecology and evolution research by allowing the investigation of dispersal dynamics, mating systems, inbreeding avoidance, kin recognition, and kin selection as well as aiding the management of endangered populations. However, the assessment of kinship among members of wild animal populations is difficult in the absence of detailed multigenerational pedigrees. Here, we first review the distinction between genetic relatedness and kinship derived from pedigrees and how this makes the identification of kin using genetic data inherently challenging. We then describe useful approaches to kinship classification, such as parentage analysis and sibship reconstruction, and explain how the combined use of marker systems with biparental and uniparental inheritance, demographic information, likelihood analyses, relatedness coefficients, and estimation of misclassification rates can yield reliable classifications of kinship in groups with complex kin structures. We outline alternative approaches for cases in which explicit knowledge of dyadic kinship is not necessary, but indirect inferences about kinship on a group- or population-wide scale suffice, such as whether more highly related dyads are in closer spatial proximity. Although analysis of highly variable microsatellite loci is still the dominant approach for studies on wild populations, we describe how the long-awaited use of large-scale single-nucleotide polymorphism and sequencing data derived from noninvasive low-quality samples may eventually lead to highly accurate assessments of varying degrees of kinship in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Städele
- Department of PrimatologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyDeutscher Platz 6D‐04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of PrimatologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyDeutscher Platz 6D‐04103LeipzigGermany
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