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Patterson SJ, Clutton-Brock TH, Pfeiffer DU, Drewe JA. Trait-Based Vaccination of Individual Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) against Tuberculosis Provides Evidence to Support Targeted Disease Control. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020192. [PMID: 35049814 PMCID: PMC8772857 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary There is evidence to show that, within a population, some individuals are more likely to spread infections than others. When trying to protect a population against infection, most strategies aim to vaccinate as many individuals as possible. However, vaccinating wildlife is difficult because individuals are difficult to find and capture. For wildlife therefore, the ideal strategy would involve targeting vaccinations at those individuals most likely to transmit infection, thus gaining maximum benefit from capturing a small number of individuals. Whilst this seems a very attractive solution, very few studies have attempted to provide evidence to support this theory. This study focuses on a population of meerkats with a history of tuberculosis. Previous work has suggested that socially dominant individuals are most likely to transmit infection, with subordinates most likely to become infected. Therefore, whilst some social groups were left untreated as a baseline, in others, either dominants or subordinates were vaccinated. All groups were monitored for two years, after which time the infection data was analysed. Groups in which vaccinations had been used showed reduced infection rates suggesting that the targeted approach had reduced transmission. A targeted approach may therefore offer an efficient option for vaccinating wildlife in the future. Abstract Individuals vary in their potential to acquire and transmit infections, but this fact is currently underexploited in disease control strategies. We trialled a trait-based vaccination strategy to reduce tuberculosis in free-living meerkats by targeting high-contact meerkats (socially dominant individuals) in one study arm, and high-susceptibility individuals (young subordinates) in a second arm. We monitored infection within vaccinated groups over two years comparing the results with untreated control groups. Being a member of a high-contact group had a protective effect on individuals’ survival times (Hazard Ratio = 0.5, 95% Confidence Interval, CI: 0.29–0.88, p = 0.02) compared to control groups. Over the study, odds of testing positive for tuberculosis increased more than five-fold in control groups (Odds Ratio = 5.40, 95% CI = 0.94–30.98, p = 0.058); however, no increases were observed in either of the treatment arms. Targeted disease control approaches, such as the one described in this study, allow for reduced numbers of interventions. Here, trait-based vaccination was associated with reduced infection rates and thus has the potential to offer more efficient alternatives to traditional mass-vaccination policies. Such improvements in efficiency warrant further study and could make infectious disease control more practically achievable in both animal (particularly wildlife) and human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J. Patterson
- Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK; (D.U.P.); (J.A.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tim H. Clutton-Brock
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK;
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Dirk U. Pfeiffer
- Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK; (D.U.P.); (J.A.D.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Julian A. Drewe
- Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK; (D.U.P.); (J.A.D.)
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2
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Jezovit JA, Alwash N, Levine JD. Using Flies to Understand Social Networks. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:755093. [PMID: 34924963 PMCID: PMC8683092 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.755093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals live in groups and interact with each other, creating an organized collective structure. Social network analysis (SNA) is a statistical tool that aids in revealing and understanding the organized patterns of shared social connections between individuals in groups. Surprisingly, the application of SNA revealed that Drosophila melanogaster, previously considered a solitary organism, displays group dynamics and that the structure of group life is inherited. Although the number of studies investigating Drosophila social networks is currently limited, they address a wide array of questions that have only begun to capture the details of group level behavior in this insect. Here, we aim to review these studies, comparing their respective scopes and the methods used, to draw parallels between them and the broader body of knowledge available. For example, we highlight how despite methodological differences, there are similarities across studies investigating the effects of social isolation on social network dynamics. Finally, this review aims to generate hypotheses and predictions that inspire future research in the emerging field of Drosophila social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A. Jezovit
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Nawar Alwash
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Joel D. Levine
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- International Research Centre for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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3
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De la Fuente MF, Sueur C, Garber PA, Bicca-Marques JC, Souto A, Schiel N. Foraging networks and social tolerance in a cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus). J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:138-153. [PMID: 34655252 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Within-group competition over food resources can be a major cost of social living. In the wild, foragers are confronted with social (e.g. hierarchical rank) and ecological (e.g. food availability and distribution) challenges that affect their foraging decisions and feeding success. Exhibiting prosocial behaviours, such as tolerance at feeding sites, can benefit group members by developing affiliative social relationships, enhancing access to resources and maximizing fitness. We examined social tolerance at feeding sites in Callithrix jacchus, a cooperatively breeding primate species. We investigated the set of social (rank, age and sex) and ecological (food availability) factors that influence the structure and dynamics of within-group foraging association networks. We designed and conducted an experimental field study of four wild groups of common marmosets in which we controlled food distribution (concentrated or scattered) and productivity (high, medium or low food rewards). Then, we used social network analyses to assess the number and strength of foraging associations among group members, their effects on individual food consumption, and whether recent experiences with conspecifics during foraging affected subsequent associations. Overall, common marmoset foraging association networks were cohesive, as group members jointly occupied feeding sites. The number and strength of associations varied depending on the ecological context. Associations were stronger during conditions in which food was concentrated at a single site. Individuals obtained greater access to food resources when sharing a feeding site with conspecifics, but once a food item was obtained, the forager moved to a nearby tree and consumed it away from others. Additionally, the strength of previous foraging associations and subsequent levels of social tolerance at feeding sites were positively related, a relationship compatible with the ability of memorizing associations over time and recalling the information in future decision-making. In sum, marmosets adjusted their partner choices and the strength of foraging associations in response to food availability. They exhibited increased social tolerance at feeding sites during conditions in which opportunities for contest competition were expected to be greatest. These cooperative breeding primates appear to mutually benefit by maintaining cohesive and strong affiliative relationships, and by increasing opportunities for coordinated behaviour and offspring survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Paul A Garber
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Antonio Souto
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Nicola Schiel
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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4
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Jordán F, Kovács B, Verdolin JL. Resource availability influences global social network properties in Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni). BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Increasingly we are discovering that the interactions between individuals within social groups can be quite complex and flexible. Social network analysis offers a toolkit to describe and quantify social structure, the patterns we observe, and evaluate the social and environmental factors that shape group dynamics. Here, we used 14 Gunnison’s prairie dogs networks to evaluate how resource availability and network size influenced four global properties of the networks (centralization, clustering, average path length, small word index). Our results suggest a positive correlation between overall network cohesion and resource availability, such that networks became less centralized and cliquish as biomass/m2 availability decreased. We also discovered that network size modulates the link between social interactions and resource availability and is consistent with a more ‘decentralized’ group. This study highlights the importance of how individuals modify social cohesions and network connectedness as a way to reduce intragroup competition under different ecological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenc Jordán
- Balaton Limnological Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
- Evolutionary Systems Research Group, Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | | | - Jennifer L. Verdolin
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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5
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Pacheco XP, Madden JR. Does the social network structure of wild animal populations differ from that of animals in captivity? Behav Processes 2021; 190:104446. [PMID: 34147575 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The social behaviour of wild animals living in groups leads to social networks with structures that produce group-level effects and position individuals within them with differential consequences for an individual's fitness. Social dynamics in captivity can differ greatly from those in wild conspecifics given the different constraints on social organization in wild populations, e.g. group size, predation pressure, distribution of resources (food, mates), which are all regulated by human carers in captive populations. The social networks of animals in zoos is expected to differ from those of free-living conspecifics. While many studies have described the social networks of a wide diversity of wild and captive animals, none has directly compared the networks of multiple groups of a single species both in the wild and in captivity. Meerkats, Suricata suricatta, are an excellent species to compare the social networks of wild and captive groups. We replicated the methods of Madden et al. (2009, 2011), who studied eight groups in the wild, in fifteen captive groups. We tested how network structures and individual positions in grooming, foraging competition and dominance networks differed between wild and captive groups. Groups of wild and captive meerkats differed in various aspects of their social network structure. Differences in the network may be due to individuals occupying different network positions and the difference in the number and strength of their connections to other individuals. This distinct way of interacting and associating could be a result of group specific attributes, such as group size, and/or the attributes of the donor and recipient, including sex, status or age. Critically, the differences may be explained by the dissimilar living environment that each encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xareni P Pacheco
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, Washington Singer Building, University of Exeter, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK; Centre for Research in Applied Biological Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Instituto Literario 100, Centro, 50000 Toluca, Mexico.
| | - Joah R Madden
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, Washington Singer Building, University of Exeter, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK.
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Entry and aggregation at a Central African bai reveal social patterns in the elusive forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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7
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Webber QM, Schneider DC, Vander Wal E. Is less more? A commentary on the practice of ‘metric hacking’ in animal social network analysis. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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8
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de Freslon I, Peralta JM, Strappini AC, Monti G. Understanding Allogrooming Through a Dynamic Social Network Approach: An Example in a Group of Dairy Cows. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:535. [PMID: 32851054 PMCID: PMC7417353 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For gregarious species such as domestic cattle, the social environment is a very important determinant of their welfare and fitness. Understanding the complexity of cows' relationships can assist the development of management practices that are more integrated with the cows' social behavioral processes. The two aims of this study were: (1) to determine the dynamics of affiliative relationships, as indicated by allogrooming, by means of stochastic actor-oriented modeling, in dairy cows during early lactation; (2) to explore the underlying processes and the individual attributes, such as age, social rank and reproductive state, that could shape network pattern changes in grooming contacts between individual. We observed the allogrooming behavior of a dynamic group of 38 dairy cows for 4 h per day for 30 days. Using stochastic actor-oriented models, we modeled the dynamics of weekly contacts and studied how structural processes (e.g., reciprocity, transitivity, or popularity) and individual attributes (i.e., age, social rank, and reproductive state) influence network changes. We found that cows tended to groom individuals that had previously groomed them, implying a possible cooperation. Cows that groomed more actively did not appear to have a preference for specific individuals in the herd, and in return, tended to be groomed by fewer cows over time. Older individuals groomed more cows than younger ones, indicating that allogrooming could be related to seniority. Cows groomed mainly individuals of similar age, suggesting that familiarity and growing up together enhanced social grooming. Over time, cows with higher social rank were groomed by fewer cows and individuals recently reintroduced to the group groomed more herdmates. The study of social network dynamics can be used to better understand the complexity and non-linearity of cow relationships. Our findings, along with further research, can complement and strengthen the design of improved management practices that are more in line with the natural social behavior of cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés de Freslon
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Preventive Veterinary Medicine Institute, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - J M Peralta
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Ana C Strappini
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Animal Science Institute, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Gustavo Monti
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Preventive Veterinary Medicine Institute, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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9
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Pacheco XP. How consistently do personality attributes relate to an individual’s position within a social network: a comparison across groups of captive meerkats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02880-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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Triguero-Ocaña R, Martínez-López B, Vicente J, Barasona JA, Martínez-Guijosa J, Acevedo P. Dynamic Network of Interactions in the Wildlife-Livestock Interface in Mediterranean Spain: An Epidemiological Point of View. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9020120. [PMID: 32069995 PMCID: PMC7169396 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9020120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The correct management of diseases that are transmitted between wildlife and livestock requires a reliable estimate of the pathogen transmission rate. The calculation of this parameter is a challenge for epidemiologists, since transmission can occur through multiple pathways. The social network analysis is a widely used tool in epidemiology due to its capacity to identify individuals and communities with relevant roles for pathogen transmission. In the present work, we studied the dynamic network of interactions in a complex epidemiological scenario using information from different methodologies. In 2015, nine red deer, seven fallow deer, six wild boar and nine cattle were simultaneously monitored using GPS-GSM-Proximity collars in Doñana National Park. In addition, 16 proximity loggers were set in aggregation points. Using the social network analysis, we studied the dynamic network of interactions, including direct and indirect interactions, between individuals of different species and the potential transmission of pathogens within this network. The results show a high connection between species through indirect interactions, with a marked seasonality in the conformation of new interactions. Within the network, we differentiated four communities that included individuals of all the species. Regarding the transmission of pathogens, we observed the important role that fallow deer could be playing in the maintenance and transmission of pathogens to livestock. The present work shows the need to consider different types of methodologies in order to understand the complete functioning of the network of interactions at the wildlife/livestock interface. It also provides a methodological approach applicable to the management of shared diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Triguero-Ocaña
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (J.V.); (J.M.-G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance, Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (J.V.); (J.M.-G.)
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José A. Barasona
- VISAVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Jordi Martínez-Guijosa
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (J.V.); (J.M.-G.)
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) UCLM-CSIC-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (J.V.); (J.M.-G.)
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
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11
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Aguilar-Melo AR, Calmé S, Pinacho-Guendulain B, Smith-Aguilar SE, Ramos-Fernández G. Ecological and social determinants of association and proximity patterns in the fission-fusion society of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23077. [PMID: 31823407 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Some social species exhibit high levels of fission-fusion dynamics (FFD) that improve foraging efficiency. In this study, we shed light on the way that FFD allows animal groups to cope with fluctuations in fruit availability. We explore the relative contribution of fruit availability and social factors like sex in determining association and proximity patterns in spider monkeys. We tested the influence of fruit availability and social factors on the association and proximity patterns using three-year data from a group of spider monkeys in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. We identified subgroup members and estimated their Interindividual distances through instantaneous scan sampling. We evaluated fruit availability by monitoring the phenology of the 10 most important food tree species for spider monkeys in the study site. Social network analyses allowed us to evaluate association and proximity patterns in subgroups. We showed that association patterns vary between seasons, respond to changes in fruit availability, and are influenced by the sex of individuals, likely reflecting biological and behavioral differences between sexes and the interplay between ecological and social factors. In contrast, proximity patterns were minimally affected by changes in fruit availability, suggesting that social factors are more important than food availability in determining cohesion within subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sophie Calmé
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.,Departamento de conservación de la biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Braulio Pinacho-Guendulain
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Lerma, Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Dirección de Investigación Científica y Vinculación Académica, Conservación de la Biodiversidad del Usumacinta A.C., Municipio de Emiliano Zapata, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Sandra E Smith-Aguilar
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Conservación Biológica y Desarrollo Social A.C., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Ramos-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Unidad Interdisciplinaria en Ingeniería y Tecnologías Avanzadas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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12
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Snijders L, Kurvers RHJM, Krause S, Tump AN, Ramnarine IW, Krause J. Females facilitate male food patch discovery in a wild fish population. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1950-1960. [PMID: 31407342 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Responding to the information provided by others is an important foraging strategy in many species. Through social foraging, individuals can more efficiently find unpredictable resources and thereby increase their foraging success. When individuals are more socially responsive to particular phenotypes than others, however, the advantage they obtain from foraging socially is likely to depend on the phenotype composition of the social environment. We tested this hypothesis by performing experimental manipulations of guppy, Poecilia reticulata, sex compositions in the wild. Males found fewer novel food patches in the absence of females than in mixed-sex compositions, while female patch discovery did not differ regardless of the presence or absence of males. We argue that these results were driven by sex-dependent mechanisms of social association: Markov chain-based fission-fusion modelling revealed that less social individuals found fewer patches and that males reduced sociality when females were absent. In contrast, females were similarly social with or without males. Our findings highlight the relevance of considering how individual- and population-level traits interact in shaping the advantages of social foraging in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lysanne Snijders
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz-Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf H J M Kurvers
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Krause
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Alan N Tump
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Indar W Ramnarine
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Jens Krause
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universitӓt zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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13
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Muller Z, Cuthill IC, Harris S. Giraffe (
Giraffa camelopardalis
) social networks in areas of contrasting human activity and lion density. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Muller
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
- Giraffe Research & Conservation Trust Nairobi Kenya
| | | | - Stephen Harris
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
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14
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Büttner K, Czycholl I, Mees K, Krieter J. Impact of Significant Dyads on Dominance Indices in Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E344. [PMID: 31212789 PMCID: PMC6616878 DOI: 10.3390/ani9060344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominance indices are calculated by considering the differences between the number of won and lost fights. Whether these differences show a significant asymmetric outcome or not is neglected. Thus, two calculation methods for the limits of significant dyads are proposed using a sign test based on the differences in won and lost fights, considering all dyadic interactions in the pen (PEN: pen individual limits), and a sign test focusing on each individual dyad (DYAD: dyad individual limits). These were compared to the data set containing all dyadic interactions (ALL). Agonistic interactions in three mixing events were video recorded for two and a half days (weaned piglets) or one and a half days (fattening pigs, gilts). Dominance indices (DI) were calculated for all data sets. Pen/dyad individual limits revealed a small number of significant dyads (weaned piglets: 12.4%/8.8%; fattening pigs: 4.2%/0.6%; gilts: 3.6%/0.4%). Pen individual limits should be selected as they allow adaption of the limits according to the fighting frequency. Spearman rank correlation coefficients of the dominance indices between the data sets were always above 0.7, implying that the rank order remained relatively stable. Information about the impact of significant dyads on sociometric measures is important to prevent misinterpretations about the social structure in animal groups and should be considered in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Büttner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Irena Czycholl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Katharina Mees
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Joachim Krieter
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
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16
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Smith LA, Swain DL, Innocent GT, Nevison I, Hutchings MR. Considering appropriate replication in the design of animal social network studies. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7208. [PMID: 31076637 PMCID: PMC6510932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43764-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network analysis has increasingly been considered a useful tool to interpret the complexity of animal social relationships. However, group composition can affect the contact structure of the network resulting in variation between networks. Replication in contact network studies is rarely done but enables determination of possible variation in response across networks. Here we explore the importance of between-group variability in social behaviour and the impact of replication on hypothesis testing. We use an exemplar study of social contact data collected from six replicated networks of cattle before and after the application of a social disturbance treatment. In this replicated study, subtle but consistent changes in animal contact patterns were detected after the application of a social disturbance treatment. We then quantify both within- and between-group variation in this study and explore the importance of varying the number of replicates and the number of individuals within each network, on the precision of the differences in treatment effects for the contact behaviour of the resident cattle. The analysis demonstrates that reducing the number of networks observed in the study would reduce the probability of detecting treatment differences for social behaviours even if the total number of animals was kept the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley A Smith
- Disease Systems, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK.
| | - Dave L Swain
- School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia
| | - Giles T Innocent
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), The King's Buildings, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Ian Nevison
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), The King's Buildings, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
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17
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Hamilton DG, Jones ME, Cameron EZ, McCallum H, Storfer A, Hohenlohe PA, Hamede RK. Rate of intersexual interactions affects injury likelihood in Tasmanian devil contact networks. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Identifying the types of contacts that result in disease transmission is important for accurately modeling and predicting transmission dynamics and disease spread in wild populations. We investigated contacts within a population of adult Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) over a 6-month period and tested whether individual-level contact patterns were correlated with accumulation of bite wounds. Bite wounds are important in the spread of devil facial tumor disease, a clonal cancer cell line transmitted through direct inoculation of tumor cells when susceptible and infected individuals bite each other. We used multimodel inference and network autocorrelation models to investigate the effects of individual-level contact patterns, identities of interacting partners, and position within the social network on the propensity to be involved in bite-inducing contacts. We found that males were more likely to receive potentially disease-transmitting bite wounds than females, particularly during the mating season when males spend extended periods mate-guarding females. The number of bite wounds individuals received during the mating season was unrelated to any of the network metrics examined. Our approach illustrates the necessity for understanding which contact types spread disease in different systems to assist the management of this and other infectious wildlife diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Hamilton
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia
| | - Menna E Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia
| | - Elissa Z Cameron
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland Australia
| | - Andrew Storfer
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Paul A Hohenlohe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Rodrigo K Hamede
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia
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18
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Use of social network analysis to improve the understanding of social behaviour in dairy cattle and its impact on disease transmission. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Social network properties predict chronic aggression in commercial pig systems. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205122. [PMID: 30286157 PMCID: PMC6171926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-mixing aggression in pigs is a harmful and costly behaviour which negatively impacts both animal welfare and farm efficiency. There is vast unexplained variation in the amount of acute and chronic aggression that dyadic behaviours do not fully explain. This study hypothesised that certain pen-level network properties may improve prediction of lesion outcomes due to the incorporation of indirect social interactions that are not captured by dyadic traits. Utilising current SNA theory, we investigate whether pen-level network properties affect the number of aggression-related injuries at 24 hours and 3 weeks post-mixing (24hr-PM and 3wk-PM). Furthermore we compare the predictive value of network properties to conventional dyadic traits. A total of 78 pens were video recorded for 24hr post-mixing. Each aggressive interaction that occurred during this time period was used to construct the pen-level networks. The relationships between network properties at 24hr and the pen level injuries at 24hr-PM and 3wk-PM were analysed using mixed models and verified using permutation tests. The results revealed that network properties at 24hr could predict long term aggression (3wk-PM) better than dyadic traits. Specifically, large clique formation in the first 24hr-PM predicted fewer injuries at 3wk-PM and high betweenness centralisation at 24hr-PM predicted increased rates of injury at 3wk-PM. This study demonstrates that network properties present during the first 24hr-PM have predictive value for chronic aggression, and have potential to allow identification and intervention for at risk groups.
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20
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Hellmann JK, Hamilton IM. Intragroup social dynamics vary with the presence of neighbors in a cooperatively breeding fish. Curr Zool 2018; 65:21-31. [PMID: 30697235 PMCID: PMC6347054 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflict is an inherent part of social life in group-living species. Group members may mediate conflict through submissive and affiliative behaviors, which can reduce aggression, stabilize dominance hierarchies, and foster group cohesion. The frequency and resolution of within-group conflict may vary with the presence of neighboring groups. Neighbors can threaten the territory or resources of the whole group, promoting behaviors that foster within-group cohesion. However, neighbors may also foster conflict of interests among group members: opportunities for subordinate dispersal may alter conflict among dominants and subordinates while opportunities for extra-pair reproduction may increase conflict between mates. To understand how neighbors mediate within-group conflict in the cooperatively breeding fish Neolamprologus pulcher, we measured behavioral dynamics and social network structure in isolated groups, groups recently exposed to neighbors, and groups with established neighbors. Aggression and submission between the dominant male and female pair were high in isolated groups, but dominant aggression was directly primarily at subordinates when groups had neighbors. This suggests that neighbors attenuate conflict between mates and foster conflict between dominants and subordinates. Further, aggression and submission between similarly sized group members were most frequent when groups had neighbors, suggesting that neighbors induce rank-related conflict. We found relatively little change in within-group affiliative networks across treatments, suggesting that the presence of neighbors does not alter behaviors associated with promoting group cohesion. Collectively, these results provide some of the first empirical insights into the extent to which intragroup behavioral networks are mediated by intergroup interactions and the broader social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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21
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Kulahci IG, Ghazanfar AA, Rubenstein DI. Consistent individual variation across interaction networks indicates social personalities in lemurs. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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22
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23
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Snijders L, Naguib M. Communication in Animal Social Networks. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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24
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Harvey BS, Dudzinski KM, Kuczaj SA. Associations and the role of affiliative, agonistic, and socio-sexual behaviors among common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Behav Processes 2016; 135:145-156. [PMID: 28017847 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the specific behavioral exchanges that occur on a day-to-day basis between dyads of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). This study assesses the proportion of time dyads spend in proximity (within ∼2m) and the proportion of time spent in affiliative, agonistic, or socio-sexual contexts within and between age/sex dolphin pairings to better understand their social relationships. Observations of bottlenose dolphins housed at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences provided 10.5h of underwater footage from which to examine association coefficients and inter-individual interactions. These data suggest similar patterns to previous studies on bottlenose dolphins: mother-calf dyads shared the highest coefficients of association, followed by male-male, female-female, and male-female dyads. Four classes of association coefficients were defined for the population including low, medium, medium-high and high. This study is the first to quantitatively assess association patterns concurrently with affiliative, agonistic, and socio-sexual behaviors for bottlenose dolphins. The predominant relationships were affiliative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana Seay Harvey
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. Hattiesburg, MS, 39406 USA.
| | - Kathleen Maria Dudzinski
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. Hattiesburg, MS, 39406 USA; Dolphin Communication Project, P.O. Box 7485, Port St. Lucie, FL, 34985, USA
| | - Stan Abraham Kuczaj
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. Hattiesburg, MS, 39406 USA
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25
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Ebensperger LA, Correa LA, León C, Ramírez‐Estrada J, Abades S, Villegas Á, Hayes LD. The modulating role of group stability on fitness effects of group size is different in females and males of a communally rearing rodent. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:1502-1515. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Loreto A. Correa
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Cecilia León
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Juan Ramírez‐Estrada
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Sebastian Abades
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB) Las Palmeras 3425 Santiago Chile
| | - Álvaro Villegas
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga TN 37403 USA
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26
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Šárová R, Gutmann AK, Špinka M, Stěhulová I, Winckler C. Important role of dominance in allogrooming behaviour in beef cattle. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2016.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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27
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Miller CT, Freiwald WA, Leopold DA, Mitchell JF, Silva AC, Wang X. Marmosets: A Neuroscientific Model of Human Social Behavior. Neuron 2016; 90:219-33. [PMID: 27100195 PMCID: PMC4840471 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has garnered interest recently as a powerful model for the future of neuroscience research. Much of this excitement has centered on the species' reproductive biology and compatibility with gene editing techniques, which together have provided a path for transgenic marmosets to contribute to the study of disease as well as basic brain mechanisms. In step with technical advances is the need to establish experimental paradigms that optimally tap into the marmosets' behavioral and cognitive capacities. While conditioned task performance of a marmoset can compare unfavorably with rhesus monkey performance on conventional testing paradigms, marmosets' social behavior and cognition are more similar to that of humans. For example, marmosets are among only a handful of primates that, like humans, routinely pair bond and care cooperatively for their young. They are also notably pro-social and exhibit social cognitive abilities, such as imitation, that are rare outside of the Apes. In this Primer, we describe key facets of marmoset natural social behavior and demonstrate that emerging behavioral paradigms are well suited to isolate components of marmoset cognition that are highly relevant to humans. These approaches generally embrace natural behavior, which has been rare in conventional primate testing, and thus allow for a new consideration of neural mechanisms underlying primate social cognition and signaling. We anticipate that through parallel technical and paradigmatic advances, marmosets will become an essential model of human social behavior, including its dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory T Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Winrich A Freiwald
- Laboratory of Neural Systems, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David A Leopold
- Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jude F Mitchell
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, 358 Meliora Hall, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Section on Cerebral Microcirculation, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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28
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Aiello CM, Nussear KE, Esque TC, Emblidge PG, Sah P, Bansal S, Hudson PJ. Host contact and shedding patterns clarify variation in pathogen exposure and transmission in threatened tortoise Gopherus agassizii: implications for disease modelling and management. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:829-42. [PMID: 26935482 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Most directly transmitted infections require some form of close contact between infectious and susceptible hosts to spread. Often disease models assume contacts are equal and use mean field estimates of transmission probability for all interactions with infectious hosts. Such methods may inaccurately describe transmission when interactions differ substantially in their ability to cause infection. Understanding this variation in transmission risk may be critical to properly model and manage some infectious diseases. In this study, we investigate how varying exposure and transmission may be key to understanding disease dynamics in the threatened desert tortoise Gopherus agassizii. We created heterogeneity in Mycoplasma agassizii exposure (the putative bacterial agent of a respiratory disease) by varying the duration of interactions between naturally infected and uninfected captive desert tortoises. Using qPCR, we identified new infections and compared models of transmission probability as a function of contact duration and pathogen load. We then examined the contact patterns of a wild tortoise population using proximity loggers to identify heterogeneity in contact duration. The top-ranked model predicting M. agassizii transmission included a dose term defined as the product of the number of days in proximity to an infected host and the infection level of that host. Models predicted low transmission probability for short interactions, unless the infectious host had a high load of M. agassizii: such hosts were predicted to transmit infection at higher rates with any amount of contact. We observed predominantly short-lived interactions in a free-ranging tortoise population and thus, expect transmission patterns in this population to vary considerably with the frequency and duration of high infection levels. Mean field models may misrepresent natural transmission patterns in this and other populations depending on the distribution of high-risk contact and shedding events. Rapid outbreaks in generally solitary species may result from changes to their naturally low-risk contact patterns or due to increases in the frequency of severe infections or super-shedding events - population characteristics that should be further investigated to develop effective management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Aiello
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Las Vegas Field Station, 160 N. Stephanie St., Henderson, NV, 89074, USA
| | | | - Todd C Esque
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Las Vegas Field Station, 160 N. Stephanie St., Henderson, NV, 89074, USA
| | - Patrick G Emblidge
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Pratha Sah
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.,Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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29
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delBarco-Trillo J, Greene LK, Goncalves IB, Fenkes M, Wisse JH, Drewe JA, Manser MB, Clutton-Brock T, Drea CM. Beyond aggression: Androgen-receptor blockade modulates social interaction in wild meerkats. Horm Behav 2016; 78:95-106. [PMID: 26545817 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2015] [Revised: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In male vertebrates, androgens are inextricably linked to reproduction, social dominance, and aggression, often at the cost of paternal investment or prosociality. Testosterone is invoked to explain rank-related reproductive differences, but its role within a status class, particularly among subordinates, is underappreciated. Recent evidence, especially for monogamous and cooperatively breeding species, suggests broader androgenic mediation of adult social interaction. We explored the actions of androgens in subordinate, male members of a cooperatively breeding species, the meerkat (Suricata suricatta). Although male meerkats show no rank-related testosterone differences, subordinate helpers rarely reproduce. We blocked androgen receptors, in the field, by treating subordinate males with the antiandrogen, flutamide. We monitored androgen concentrations (via baseline serum and time-sequential fecal sampling) and recorded behavior within their groups (via focal observation). Relative to controls, flutamide-treated animals initiated less and received more high-intensity aggression (biting, threatening, feeding competition), engaged in more prosocial behavior (social sniffing, grooming, huddling), and less frequently initiated play or assumed a 'dominant' role during play, revealing significant androgenic effects across a broad range of social behavior. By contrast, guarding or vigilance and measures of olfactory and vocal communication in subordinate males appeared unaffected by flutamide treatment. Thus, androgens in male meerkat helpers are aligned with the traditional trade-off between promoting reproductive and aggressive behavior at a cost to affiliation. Our findings, based on rare endocrine manipulation in wild mammals, show a more pervasive role for androgens in adult social behavior than is often recognized, with possible relevance for understanding tradeoffs in cooperative systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier delBarco-Trillo
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, USA; School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Lydia K Greene
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, USA; University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, USA
| | - Ines Braga Goncalves
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Fenkes
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jillian H Wisse
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, USA
| | - Julian A Drewe
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Marta B Manser
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christine M Drea
- Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, USA; University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, USA.
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30
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Leu ST, Farine DR, Wey TW, Sih A, Bull CM. Environment modulates population social structure: experimental evidence from replicated social networks of wild lizards. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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31
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Gallos LK, Fefferman NH. The Effect of Disease-Induced Mortality on Structural Network Properties. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136704. [PMID: 26313926 PMCID: PMC4552173 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As the understanding of the importance of social contact networks in the spread of infectious diseases has increased, so has the interest in understanding the feedback process of the disease altering the social network. While many studies have explored the influence of individual epidemiological parameters and/or underlying network topologies on the resulting disease dynamics, we here provide a systematic overview of the interactions between these two influences on population-level disease outcomes. We show that the sensitivity of the population-level disease outcomes to the combination of epidemiological parameters that describe the disease are critically dependent on the topological structure of the population's contact network. We introduce a new metric for assessing disease-driven structural damage to a network as a population-level outcome. Lastly, we discuss how the expected individual-level disease burden is influenced by the complete suite of epidemiological characteristics for the circulating disease and the ongoing process of network compromise. Our results have broad implications for prediction and mitigation of outbreaks in both natural and human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lazaros K. Gallos
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America
- DIMACS, Rutgers University - Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America
| | - Nina H. Fefferman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America
- DIMACS, Rutgers University - Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America
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32
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Solomon-Lane TK, Pradhan DS, Willis MC, Grober MS. Agonistic reciprocity is associated with reduced male reproductive success within haremic social networks. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20150914. [PMID: 26156769 PMCID: PMC4528554 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While individual variation in social behaviour is ubiquitous and causes social groups to differ in structure, how these structural differences affect fitness remains largely unknown. We used social network analysis of replicate bluebanded goby (Lythrypnus dalli) harems to identify the reproductive correlates of social network structure. In stable groups, we quantified agonistic behaviour, reproduction and steroid hormones, which can both affect and respond to social/reproductive cues. We identified distinct, optimal social structures associated with different reproductive measures. Male hatching success (HS) was negatively associated with agonistic reciprocity, a network structure that describes whether subordinates 'reciprocated' agonism received from dominants. Egg laying was associated with the individual network positions of the male and dominant female. Thus, males face a trade-off between promoting structures that facilitate egg laying versus HS. Whether this reproductive conflict is avoidable remains to be determined. We also identified different social and/or reproductive roles for 11-ketotestosterone, 17β-oestradiol and cortisol, suggesting that specific neuroendocrine mechanisms may underlie connections between network structure and fitness. This is one of the first investigations of the reproductive and neuroendocrine correlates of social behaviour and network structure in replicate, naturalistic social groups and supports network structure as an important target for natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa K Solomon-Lane
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Madelyne C Willis
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
| | - Matthew S Grober
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
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Büttner K, Scheffler K, Czycholl I, Krieter J. Network characteristics and development of social structure of agonistic behaviour in pigs across three repeated rehousing and mixing events. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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34
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Büttner K, Scheffler K, Czycholl I, Krieter J. Social network analysis - centrality parameters and individual network positions of agonistic behavior in pigs over three different age levels. SPRINGERPLUS 2015; 4:185. [PMID: 25932371 PMCID: PMC4409614 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-0963-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge of the network structure of agonistic interactions helps to understand the formation and the development of aggressive behavior. Therefore, video observation data of 149 pigs over three different age levels were investigated for 2 days each directly after mixing (65 groups in the rearing area, 24 groups in the growing stable and 12 groups in the breeding stable). The aim of the study was to use network analysis to investigate the development of individual network positions of specific animals and to determine whether centrality parameters in previous mixing situations have an impact on the future behavior of the animals. The results of the weighted degree centrality indicated that weaned pigs had a higher fighting intensity directly after mixing compared to growing pigs and gilts. Also, the number of different opponents (degree centrality) was higher compared to the older age groups. The betweenness centrality showed relatively small values and no significant differences between the different age levels, whereas the closeness centrality showed high values at all observed age levels. Experiences gained in previous agonistic interactions had an impact on the centrality parameters in subsequent mixing situations. It was shown that the position of individual animals in agonistic interaction networks can be characterized using social network analysis and that changes over different age levels can be detected. Therefore, social network analysis provides insights into the formation and evolution of behavioral patterns which could be of particular interest for the identification of key factors with regard to abnormal behavior (e.g. tail biting).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Büttner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Katharina Scheffler
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Irena Czycholl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Joachim Krieter
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
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Demographic Factors Are Associated with Intergroup Variation in the Grooming Networks of Female Colobus (Colobus vellerosus). INT J PRIMATOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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36
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Verdolin JL, Traud AL, Dunn RR. Key players and hierarchical organization of prairie dog social networks. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2014.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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37
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Sherwen SL, Magrath MJ, Butler KL, Phillips CJ, Hemsworth PH. A multi-enclosure study investigating the behavioural response of meerkats to zoo visitors. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2014.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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38
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Being in the thick of things: context-dependent network centrality in a captive flock of American flamingos. J ETHOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-014-0398-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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39
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Wilson ADM, Krause S, James R, Croft DP, Ramnarine IW, Borner KK, Clement RJG, Krause J. Dynamic social networks in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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40
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Schneider TC, Kappeler PM. Social systems and life-history characteristics of mongooses. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:173-98. [PMID: 23865895 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The diversity of extant carnivores provides valuable opportunities for comparative research to illuminate general patterns of mammalian social evolution. Recent field studies on mongooses (Herpestidae), in particular, have generated detailed behavioural and demographic data allowing tests of assumptions and predictions of theories of social evolution. The first studies of the social systems of their closest relatives, the Malagasy Eupleridae, also have been initiated. The literature on mongooses was last reviewed over 25 years ago. In this review, we summarise the current state of knowledge on the social organisation, mating systems and social structure (especially competition and cooperation) of the two mongoose families. Our second aim is to evaluate the contributions of these studies to a better understanding of mammalian social evolution in general. Based on published reports or anecdotal information, we can classify 16 of the 34 species of Herpestidae as solitary and nine as group-living; there are insufficient data available for the remainder. There is a strong phylogenetic signal of sociality with permanent complex groups being limited to the genera Crossarchus, Helogale, Liberiictis, Mungos, and Suricata. Our review also indicates that studies of solitary and social mongooses have been conducted within different theoretical frameworks: whereas solitary species and transitions to gregariousness have been mainly investigated in relation to ecological determinants, the study of social patterns of highly social mongooses has instead been based on reproductive skew theory. In some group-living species, group size and composition were found to determine reproductive competition and cooperative breeding through group augmentation. Infanticide risk and inbreeding avoidance connect social organisation and social structure with reproductive tactics and life histories, but their specific impact on mongoose sociality is still difficult to evaluate. However, the level of reproductive skew in social mongooses is not only determined by the costs and benefits of suppressing each other's breeding attempts, but also influenced by resource abundance. Thus, dispersal, as a consequence of eviction, is also linked to the costs of co-breeding in the context of food competition. By linking these facts, we show that the socio-ecological model and reproductive skew theory share some determinants of social patterns. We also conclude that due to their long bio-geographical isolation and divergent selection pressures, future studies of the social systems of the Eupleridae will be of great value for the elucidation of general patterns in carnivore social evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilman C Schneider
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
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41
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Pinter-Wollman N, Hobson EA, Smith JE, Edelman AJ, Shizuka D, de Silva S, Waters JS, Prager SD, Sasaki T, Wittemyer G, Fewell J, McDonald DB. The dynamics of animal social networks: analytical, conceptual, and theoretical advances. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 278] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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42
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Social dynamics among females and their influence on social structure in an East African chimpanzee community. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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43
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Wey TW, Burger JR, Ebensperger LA, Hayes LD. Reproductive correlates of social network variation in plurally breeding degus ( Octodon degus). Anim Behav 2013; 85:1407-1414. [PMID: 24511149 PMCID: PMC3914217 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Studying the causes and reproductive consequences of social variation can provide insight into the evolutionary basis of sociality. Individuals are expected to behave adaptively to maximize reproductive success, but reproductive outcomes can also depend on group structure. Degus (Octodon degus) are plurally breeding rodents, in which females allonurse indiscriminately. However, communal rearing does not appear to enhance female reproductive success, and larger group sizes are correlated with decreasing per capita pup production. To further investigate mechanisms underlying these patterns, we asked how differences in sex, season and average group reproductive success are related to degu association networks. We hypothesized that if reproductive differences mirror social relationships, then females (core group members) should show stronger and more stable associations than males, and female association strength should be strongest during lactation. We also hypothesized that, at the group level, social cohesion would increase reproductive output, while social conflict would decrease it. Females did have higher association strength and more preferred partners than males, but only during lactation, when overall female associations increased. Females also had more stable preferred social partnerships between seasons. A measure of social cohesion (average association strength) was not related to per capita pup production of female group members, but potential social conflict (heterogeneity of association strengths) was negatively related to per capita pup production of female group members. Our results highlight temporal and multilevel patterns of social structure that may reflect reproductive costs and benefits to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina W. Wey
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Joseph R. Burger
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A
| | - Luis A. Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN, U.S.A
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Blumstein DT. Yellow-bellied marmots: insights from an emergent view of sociality. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 368:20120349. [PMID: 23569297 PMCID: PMC3638452 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological factors explain variation in sociality both within and between species of marmots-large alpine ground squirrels. Fifty years of study, by me and my colleagues, of the yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, near Crested Butte, CO, USA, has created opportunities to see how sociality changes with population and group size. Over the past decades, we have witnessed a natural experiment whereby the population tripled in size. If we view sociality as an emergent process, then demography acts as a constraint on interactions between individuals, and the threefold increase in population size should have consequences for group structure. We have used social network statistics to study the causes and consequences of social interactions by capitalizing on this demographic variation. Such an emergent view is ideally studied in an integrative Tinbergian way that focuses on both mechanism and function. We have determined that some social attributes are heritable, that social cohesion is established through age and kin structure, that well-embedded females (but not males) are less likely to disperse, and that there are fitness consequences of social attributes. Together, this integrative relationship-centred view expands on the traditional ecological model of sociality and offers a framework that can be applied to other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
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Brent LJ, MacLarnon A, Platt ML, Semple S. Seasonal changes in the structure of rhesus macaque social networks. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013; 67:349-359. [PMID: 23565026 PMCID: PMC3613995 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1455-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Social structure emerges from the patterning of interactions between individuals and plays a critical role in shaping some of the main characteristics of animal populations. The topological features of social structure, such as the extent to which individuals interact in clusters, can influence many biologically important factors, including the persistence of cooperation, and the rate of spread of disease. Yet the extent to which social structure topology fluctuates over relatively short periods of time in relation to social, demographic or environmental events remains unclear. Here, we use social network analysis to examine seasonal changes in the topology of social structures that emerge from socio-positive associations in adult female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Behavioral data for two different association types (grooming, spatial proximity) were collected for females in two free-ranging groups during two seasons: the mating and birth seasons. Stronger dyadic bonds resulted in social structures that were more tightly connected (i.e. of greater density) in the mating season compared to the birth season. Social structures were also more centralized around a subset of individuals, and were more clustered in the mating season than the birth season, although the latter differences were mostly driven by differences in density alone. Our results suggest a degree of temporal variation in the topological features of social structure in this population. Such variation may feed back on interactions, hence affecting the behaviors of individuals, and may therefore be important to take into account in studies of animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J.N. Brent
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Environmental Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Ave, London SW15 4JD, United Kingdom
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, United States of America
| | - Ann. MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Environmental Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Ave, London SW15 4JD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael L. Platt
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, 450 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, United States of America
- Department of Neurobiology, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, and Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Stuart Semple
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Environmental Anthropology, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Ave, London SW15 4JD, United Kingdom
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MacIntosh AJJ, Jacobs A, Garcia C, Shimizu K, Mouri K, Huffman MA, Hernandez AD. Monkeys in the middle: parasite transmission through the social network of a wild primate. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51144. [PMID: 23227246 PMCID: PMC3515516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In wildlife populations, group-living is thought to increase the probability of parasite transmission because contact rates increase at high host densities. Physical contact, such as social grooming, is an important component of group structure, but it can also increase the risk of exposure to infection for individuals because it provides a mechanism for transmission of potentially pathogenic organisms. Living in groups can also create variation in susceptibility to infection among individuals because circulating levels of immunosuppressive hormones like glucocorticoids often depend on an individual's position within the group's social structure. Yet, little is known about the relative roles of socially mediated exposure versus susceptibility in parasite transmission among free-living animal groups. To address this issue, we investigate the relationship between host dominance hierarchy and nematode parasite transmission among females in a wild group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). We use social network analysis to describe each individual female's position within the grooming network in relation to dominance rank and relative levels of infection. Our results suggest that the number of directly-transmitted parasite species infecting each female, and the relative amount of transmission stages that one of these species sheds in faeces, both increase with dominance rank. Female centrality within the network, which shows positive associations with dominance hierarchy, is also positively associated with infection by certain parasite species, suggesting that the measured rank-bias in transmission may reflect variation in exposure rather than susceptibility. This is supported by the lack of a clear relationship between rank and faecal cortisol, as an indicator of stress, in a subset of these females. Thus, socially mediated exposure appears to be important for direct transmission of nematode parasites, lending support to the idea that a classical fitness trade-off inherent to living in groups can exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. J. MacIntosh
- Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Armand Jacobs
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7178, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, Alsace, France
| | - Cécile Garcia
- Laboratoire de Dynamique de l’Évolution Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UPR 2147, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Keiko Shimizu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama City, Okayama, Japan
| | - Keiko Mouri
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama City, Okayama, Japan
| | - Michael A. Huffman
- Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Alexander D. Hernandez
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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48
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Hock K, Fefferman NH. Social organization patterns can lower disease risk without associated disease avoidance or immunity. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2012.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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49
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Robert K, Garant D, Pelletier F. Keep in touch: Does spatial overlap correlate with contact rate frequency? J Wildl Manage 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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50
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Social attributes and associated performance measures in marmots: bigger male bullies and weakly affiliating females have higher annual reproductive success. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1358-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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