1
|
Ozogány K, Kerekes V, Fülöp A, Barta Z, Nagy M. Fine-scale collective movements reveal present, past and future dynamics of a multilevel society in Przewalski's horses. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5096. [PMID: 37669934 PMCID: PMC10480438 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40523-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying animal societies needs detailed observation of many individuals, but technological advances offer new opportunities in this field. Here, we present a state-of-the-art drone observation of a multilevel herd of Przewalski's horses, consisting of harems (one-male, multifemale groups). We track, in high spatio-temporal resolution, the movements of 238 individually identified horses on drone videos, and combine movement analyses with demographic data from two decades of population monitoring. Analysis of collective movements reveals how the structure of the herd's social network is related to kinship and familiarity of individuals. The network centrality of harems is related to their age and how long the harem stallions have kept harems previously. Harems of genetically related stallions are closer to each other in the network, and female exchange is more frequent between closer harems. High movement similarity of females from different harems predicts becoming harem mates in the future. Our results show that only a few minutes of fine-scale movement tracking combined with high throughput data driven analysis can reveal the structure of a society, reconstruct past group dynamics and predict future ones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Ozogány
- ELKH-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
| | - Viola Kerekes
- Hortobágy National Park Directorate, Sumen u. 2, Debrecen, 4024, Hungary
| | - Attila Fülöp
- ELKH-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Str. Clinicilor 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources (3B), Babeș-Bolyai University, Str. Clinicilor 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- STAR-UBB Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Str. Mihail Kogălniceanu 1, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Zoltán Barta
- ELKH-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Máté Nagy
- MTA-ELTE "Lendület" Collective Behaviour Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pázmány P. Stny. 1A, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
- Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Stny. 1A, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Statistical and Biological Physics Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pázmány P. Stny. 1A, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kappeler PM, Benhaiem S, Fichtel C, Fromhage L, Höner OP, Jennions MD, Kaiser S, Krüger O, Schneider JM, Tuni C, van Schaik J, Goymann W. Sex roles and sex ratios in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:462-480. [PMID: 36307924 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In species with separate sexes, females and males often differ in their morphology, physiology and behaviour. Such sex-specific traits are functionally linked to variation in reproductive competition, mate choice and parental care, which have all been linked to sex roles. At the 150th anniversary of Darwin's theory on sexual selection, the question of why patterns of sex roles vary within and across species remains a key topic in behavioural and evolutionary ecology. New theoretical, experimental and comparative evidence suggests that variation in the adult sex ratio (ASR) is a key driver of variation in sex roles. Here, we first define and discuss the historical emergence of the sex role concept, including recent criticisms and rebuttals. Second, we review the various sex ratios with a focus on ASR, and explore its theoretical links to sex roles. Third, we explore the causes, and especially the consequences, of biased ASRs, focusing on the results of correlational and experimental studies of the effect of ASR variation on mate choice, sexual conflict, parental care and mating systems, social behaviour, hormone physiology and fitness. We present evidence that animals in diverse societies are sensitive to variation in local ASR, even on short timescales, and propose explanations for conflicting results. We conclude with an overview of open questions in this field integrating demography, life history and behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute of Primatology, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, D-10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute of Primatology, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Ambiotica, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, D-10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, ANU College of Science, The Australian National University, RN Robertson Building, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Oliver Krüger
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jutta M Schneider
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cristina Tuni
- Department of Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Großhaderner Str 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jaap van Schaik
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Badihi G, Bodden K, Zuberbühler K, Samuni L, Hobaiter C. Flexibility in the social structure of male chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Budongo Forest, Uganda. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220904. [PMID: 36177197 PMCID: PMC9515636 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Individuals of social species experience competitive costs and social benefits of group living. Substantial flexibility in humans' social structure and the combination of different types of social structure with fission-fusion dynamics allow us to live in extremely large groups-overcoming some of the costs of group living while capitalizing on the benefits. Non-human species also show a range of social strategies to deal with this trade-off. Chimpanzees are an archetypical fission-fusion species, using dynamic changes in day-to-day association to moderate the costs of within-group competition. Using 4 years of association data from two neighbouring communities of East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), we describe an unexplored level of flexibility in chimpanzee social structure. We show that males from the larger Waibira community (N = 24-31) exhibited additional structural levels of semi-stable core-periphery society, while males from the smaller Sonso community (N = 10-13) did not. This novel core-periphery pattern adds to previous results describing alternative modular social structure in other large communities of chimpanzees. Our data support the hypothesis that chimpanzees can incorporate a range of strategies in addition to fission-fusion to overcome costs of social living, and that their social structures may be closer to that of modern humans than previously described.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gal Badihi
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Kelsey Bodden
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
- School of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
| | - Liran Samuni
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Characterization of Pan social systems reveals in-group/out-group distinction and out-group tolerance in bonobos. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201122119. [PMID: 35727986 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201122119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human between-group interactions are highly variable, ranging from violent to tolerant and affiliative. Tolerance between groups is linked to our unique capacity for large-scale cooperation and cumulative culture, but its evolutionary origins are understudied. In chimpanzees, one of our closest living relatives, predominantly hostile between-group interactions impede cooperation and information flow across groups. In contrast, in our other closest living relative, the bonobo, tolerant between-group associations are observed. However, as these associations can be frequent and prolonged and involve social interactions that mirror those within groups, it is unclear whether these bonobos really do belong to separate groups. Alternatively, the bonobo grouping patterns may be homologous to observations from the large Ngogo chimpanzee community, where individuals form within-group neighborhoods despite sharing the same membership in the larger group. To characterize bonobo grouping patterns, we compare the social structure of the Kokolopori bonobos with the chimpanzee group of Ngogo. Using cluster analysis, we find temporally stable clusters only in bonobos. Despite the large spatial overlap and frequent interactions between the bonobo clusters, we identified significant association preference within but not between clusters and a unique space use of each cluster. Although bonobo associations are flexible (i.e., fission-fusion dynamics), cluster membership predicted the bonobo fission compositions and the spatial cohesion of individuals during encounters. These findings suggest the presence of a social system that combines clear in-group/out-group distinction and out-group tolerance in bonobos, offering a unique referential model for the evolution of tolerant between-group interactions in humans.
Collapse
|
5
|
Vachon F, Hersh TA, Rendell L, Gero S, Whitehead H. Ocean nomads or island specialists? Culturally driven habitat partitioning contrasts in scale between geographically isolated sperm whale populations. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211737. [PMID: 35619996 PMCID: PMC9114939 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a deep-diving cetacean with a global distribution and a multi-leveled, culturally segregated, social structure. While sperm whales have previously been described as 'ocean nomads', this might not be universal. We conducted surveys of sperm whales along the Lesser Antilles to document the acoustic repertoires, movements and distributions of Eastern Caribbean (EC) sperm whale cultural groups (called vocal clans). In addition to documenting a potential third vocal clan in the EC, we found strong evidence of fine-scale habitat partitioning between vocal clans with scales of horizontal movements an order of magnitude smaller than from comparable studies on Eastern Tropical Pacific sperm whales. These results suggest that sperm whales can display cultural ecological specialization and habitat partitioning on flexible spatial scales according to local conditions and broadens our perception of the ecological flexibility of the species. This study highlights the importance of incorporating multiple temporal and spatial scales to understand the impact of culture on ecological adaptability, as well as the dangers of extrapolating results across geographical areas and cultural groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Vachon
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Taylor A. Hersh
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Luke Rendell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, School of Biology, St Andrews, UK
| | - Shane Gero
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, School of Biology, St Andrews, UK
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
The Colombian Caribbean Sea: a tropical habitat for the Vulnerable sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus? ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
We studied the sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus in the Colombian Caribbean by combining data from our offshore surveys of behaviour, encounter rate, group structure and density with data from the literature. We describe for the first time the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, using sighting and acoustic data obtained during our surveys, published information, and opportunistic encounters during 1988–2020. We conducted surveys on seismic vessels over 703 days during 2011–2016, covering an area of 68,904 km2. We recorded 98 individuals in a total of 50 groups, a density of 1.42 individuals per 1,000 km2. To determine the potential distribution of the species, we built Maxent models with uncorrelated environmental variables at five depths (from the surface to c. 2,000 m). The model for 1,000 m depth had the best performance, with areas of high probability of occurrence of sperm whales in the south and north-east Colombian Caribbean over the shelf break to waters up to c. 3,000 m deep, at a median distance of 107 km from the coast, and near the Archipelago of San Andrés, Old Providence and Saint Catherine in the north-west. This area may be an important tropical habitat for sperm whales, in which they socialize, rest, breed and feed. Our study underlines the importance of monitoring marine mammals offshore and describes the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, supporting conservation actions for this Vulnerable species, which is currently facing several threats in this region.
Collapse
|
7
|
Teichroeb JA, Adams FV, Khwaja A, Stapelfeldt K, Stead SM. Tight quarters: ranging and feeding competition in a Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii multilevel society occupying a fragmented habitat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03166-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
8
|
Lee PC. Groups, grouping and networks: dynamic unanswered questions for primatologists. Primates 2022; 63:187-193. [PMID: 35412094 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-022-00988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis C Lee
- Behaviour and Evolution Research Group and Scottish Primate Research Group, Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Studying feral horse behavior from the sky. ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND ROBOTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10015-022-00746-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
10
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Montanari D, O’Hearn WJ, Hambuckers J, Fischer J, Zinner D. Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Sci Rep 2021; 11:21938. [PMID: 34754018 PMCID: PMC8578668 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01356-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective movement of social groups requires coordination between individuals. When cohesion is imperative, consensus must be reached, and specific individuals may exert disproportionate influence during decision-making. Animals living in multi-level societies, however, often split into consistent social subunits during travel, which may impact group coordination processes. We studied collective movement in the socially tolerant multi-level society of Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Using 146 group departures and 100 group progressions from 131 Guinea baboons ranging in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, we examined individual success at initiating group departures and position within progressions. Two-thirds of attempted departures were initiated by adult males and one third by adult females. Both sexes were equally successful at initiating departures (> 80% of initiations). During group progressions, bachelor males were predominantly found in front, while reproductively active 'primary' males and females were observed with similar frequency across the whole group. The pattern of collective movement in Guinea baboons was more similar to those described for baboons living in uni-level societies than to hamadryas baboons, the only other multi-level baboon species, where males initiate and decide almost all group departures. Social organization alone therefore does not determine which category of individuals influence group coordination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Montanari
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - William J. O’Hearn
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julien Hambuckers
- grid.4861.b0000 0001 0805 7253HEC Liège, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Julia Fischer
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.511272.2Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.511272.2Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
A boldly comparative approach will strengthen co-evolutionary accounts of musicality's origins. Behav Brain Sci 2021; 44:e89. [PMID: 34588064 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x20001715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Focus on the evolutionary origins of musicality has been neglected relative to attention on language, so these new proposals are welcome stimulants. We argue for a broad comparative approach to understanding how the elements of musicality evolved, and against the use of overly simplistic evolutionary accounts.
Collapse
|
13
|
Adams FV, Arseneau‐Robar TJM, Bonnell TR, Stead SM, Teichroeb JA. Temporal patterns in the social network of core units in Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkeys: Effects of food availability and interunit dispersal. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3251-3263. [PMID: 33841781 PMCID: PMC8019045 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-level societies are complex, nested social systems where basic social groups (i.e., core units) associate in a hierarchical manner, allowing animals to adjust their group sizes in response to variables such as food availability, predation, or conspecific threat. These pressures fluctuate over time and examining the extent to which this variation affects the clustering of core units into different tiers may be instrumental in understanding the evolution of multi-level societies.The goal of our study was to determine the degree of temporal variability in interunit associations in a multi-level society of Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii), and to determine the social and ecological factors that underlie association patterns. The C. a. ruwenzorii multi-level society consists of at least three tiers, with core units clustering into clans that share a home range in a band tier.We performed social network analyses on 21 months of association data from 13 core units (totaling 139 identifiable individuals) at Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. We described the patterns of variation in core-unit associations over time and investigated how changes in rainfall, food availability, and interunit dispersals were correlated with these associations over the short-term (month to month) and long-term (year to year).Although clans were relatively stable, larger-scale changes in association patterns included the formation of an all-male unit and the transfer of one core unit between clans (within the band tier). Seasonally, core units associated significantly more when fruit, their preferred food source, was abundant (i.e., social networks were denser and more clustered) and there was no direct effect of rainfall seasonality or young leaf availability. Male dispersals also occurred more during periods of high fruit availability, suggesting that greater band cohesion allowed males to prospect and transfer between core units. Once males transferred, their previous and new units associated significantly more with one another than with other core units for 1-2 months postdispersal. The dispersal of five males from one core unit to another in a different clan co-occurred with this core unit switching its clan affiliation.By examining temporal shifts in social network structure among core units, this study shows the interconnected roles that food availability and dispersal have in shaping the C. a. ruwenzorii multi-level social system. Our findings highlight how ecological conditions can drive association patterns, impact interunit relationships, and influence social organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frances V. Adams
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughTorontoONCanada
| | | | - Tyler R. Bonnell
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeABCanada
| | - Samantha M. Stead
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughTorontoONCanada
| | - Julie A. Teichroeb
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughTorontoONCanada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Whitehead H, Smith TD, Rendell L. Adaptation of sperm whales to open-boat whalers: rapid social learning on a large scale? Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210030. [PMID: 33726561 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals can mitigate human threats, but how do they do this, and how fast can they adapt? Hunting sperm whales was a major nineteenth century industry. Analysis of data from digitized logbooks of American whalers in the North Pacific found that the rate at which whalers succeeded in harpooning ('striking') sighted whales fell by about 58% over the first few years of exploitation in a region. This decline cannot be explained by the earliest whalers being more competent, as their strike rates outside the North Pacific, where whaling had a longer history, were not elevated. The initial killing of particularly vulnerable individuals would not have produced the observed rapid decline in strike rate. It appears that whales swiftly learned effective defensive behaviour. Sperm whales live in kin-based social units. Our models show that social learning, in which naive social units, when confronted by whalers, learned defensive measures from grouped social units with experience, could lead to the documented rapid decline in strike rate. This rapid, large-scale adoption of new behaviour enlarges our concept of the spatio-temporal dynamics of non-human culture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2
| | | | - Luke Rendell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit and Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Sarano F, Girardet J, Sarano V, Vitry H, Preud'homme A, Heuzey R, Garcia-Cegarra AM, Madon B, Delfour F, Glotin H, Adam O, Jung JL. Kin relationships in cultural species of the marine realm: case study of a matrilineal social group of sperm whales off Mauritius island, Indian Ocean. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201794. [PMID: 33972866 PMCID: PMC8074673 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the organization and dynamics of social groups of marine mammals through the study of kin relationships is particularly challenging. Here, we studied a stable social group of sperm whales off Mauritius, using underwater observations, individual-specific identification, non-invasive sampling and genetic analyses based on mitochondrial sequencing and microsatellite profiling. Twenty-four sperm whales were sampled between 2017 and 2019. All individuals except one adult female shared the same mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype-one that is rare in the western Indian Ocean-thus confirming with near certainty the matrilineality of the group. All probable first- and second-degree kin relationships were depicted in the sperm whale social group: 13 first-degree and 27 second-degree relationships were identified. Notably, we highlight the likely case of an unrelated female having been integrated into a social unit, in that she presented a distinct mtDNA haplotype and no close relationships with any members of the group. Investigating the possible matrilineality of sperm whale cultural units (i.e. vocal clans) is the next step in our research programme to elucidate and better apprehend the complex organization of sperm whale social groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Justine Girardet
- Université de Brest, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ISYEB, Brest, France
| | | | - Hugues Vitry
- Marine Megafauna Conservation Organisation, Mauritius
| | | | | | - Ana M. Garcia-Cegarra
- Centro de Investigación de Fauna Marina y Avistamiento de Cetáceos, CIFAMAC, Mejillones, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Bénédicte Madon
- Université de Brest, AMURE - Aménagement des Usages des Ressources et des Espaces marins et littoraux - Centre de droit et d'économie de la mer, Plouzané, France
| | - Fabienne Delfour
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée EA 4443, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Villetaneuse, France
| | - Hervé Glotin
- Toulon University, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LIS, DYNI Team, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Adam
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, UMR 7190, Paris, France
- Institute of Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Bioacoustics Team, CNRS UMR 9197, Université Paris Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Jean-Luc Jung
- Université de Brest, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ISYEB, Brest, France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Maeda T, Ochi S, Ringhofer M, Sosa S, Sueur C, Hirata S, Yamamoto S. Aerial drone observations identified a multilevel society in feral horses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:71. [PMID: 33420148 PMCID: PMC7794487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79790-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of non-human multilevel societies can give us insights into how group-level relationships function and are maintained in a social system, but their mechanisms are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to apply spatial association data obtained from drones to verify the presence of a multilevel structure in a feral horse society. We took aerial photos of individuals that appeared in pre-fixed areas and collected positional data. The threshold distance of the association was defined based on the distribution pattern of the inter-individual distance. The association rates of individuals showed bimodality, suggesting the presence of small social organizations or "units". Inter-unit distances were significantly smaller than those in randomly replaced data, which showed that units associate to form a higher-level social organization or "herd". Moreover, this herd had a structure where large mixed-sex units were more likely to occupy the center than small mixed-sex units and all-male-units, which were instead on the periphery. These three pieces of evidence regarding the existence of units, unit association, and stable positioning among units strongly indicated a multilevel structure in horse society. The present study contributes to understanding the functions and mechanisms of multilevel societies through comparisons with other social indices and models as well as cross-species comparisons in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamao Maeda
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Sakiho Ochi
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Monamie Ringhofer
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sebastian Sosa
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Satoshi Hirata
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kobayashi H, Whitehead H, Amano M. Long-term associations among male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244204. [PMID: 33362216 PMCID: PMC7757888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the social structure of male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) after they leave their natal units. While previous studies found no evidence for preferred associations among males, the observation of mass-strandings consisting exclusively of males, suggest that they have strong social bonds. To investigate the social associations among male sperm whales, we used half weight index of association, permutation tests and standardized lagged association rate models on a large photo-identification database collected between 2006 and 2017 in Nemuro Strait, Japan. Our results suggest that while male sperm whales are not as social as females, they do form long term associations, have preferred companionship, and forage in social proximity to each other. The best-fitting model to the standardized lagged association rate showed that associations among males last for at least 2.7 years and as most males leave the area after 2 years, associations may last for longer. Twenty dyads were observed associating over more than 2 years, for a maximum 5 years. One dyad was observed associating on 19 different days and clustered on 7 different days. Male associations may function to enhance foraging or to fend off predators. Such relationships seem to be adapted to a pelagic habitat with uncertain resource availability and predation pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayao Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Science, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Masao Amano
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Science, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Better together? How intergroup associations affect energy balance and feeding behavior in wild bonobos. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02943-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
When the benefits of interacting with out-group members exceed the associated costs, social groups may be expected to be tolerant towards each other. However, in many species exhibiting intergroup tolerance, the nature of benefits gained from intergroup encounters remains unclear. We investigated the potential costs and benefits associated with intergroup associations in bonobos, a species with varying degrees of intergroup tolerance, by testing whether these associations conferred energetic benefits to participants under different socioecological contexts and whether the consequences of these associations substantially differed from within-group competition. We used measures of socioecological factors (fruit abundance and group size), feeding and ranging behaviors, and a physiological marker of energy balance (urinary c-peptide of insulin) collected over a 19-month period from two neighboring wild communities in the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We found that intergroup associations were not related to individuals’ energy balance, but they were related to variations in individuals’ ranging and feeding behavior. Specifically, bonobos traveled longer distances, visited larger fruit patches, and increased the time spent feeding on fruits on days they associated with the neighboring group. These adaptations in feeding behavior may be strategies to offset the energetic costs of increased travel distances. In the absence of obvious energetic benefits and with clear strategies employed to offset energetic costs, it is likely that intergroup associations in bonobos provide benefits unrelated to energy acquisition, such as social benefits. Our study sheds light on the potential incentives promoting social networks to extend beyond and across groups in a tolerant species.
Significance statement
Intergroup encounters can be energetically costly due to increased competition over resources. Yet, some species associate with out-group individuals for extended periods of time when the benefits of participating in these associations exceed the potential costs. Bonobos, a species exhibiting intergroup tolerance, modified their feeding behavior during intergroup associations by feeding on larger fruit patches and increasing their time spent feeding on fruits, likely to offset energetic costs of increased travel distances. As results, individuals’ energy balance was not related with intergroup associations. The employment of such strategies in addition to the absence of clear energetic benefits suggests that intergroup associations in bonobos provide social rather than ecological benefits.
Collapse
|
19
|
Papageorgiou D, Farine DR. Group size and composition influence collective movement in a highly social terrestrial bird. eLife 2020; 9:59902. [PMID: 33168135 PMCID: PMC7655099 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A challenge of group-living is to maintain cohesion while navigating through heterogeneous landscapes. Larger groups benefit from information pooling, translating to greater ‘collective intelligence’, but face increased coordination challenges. If these facets interact, we should observe a non-linear relationship between group size and collective movement. We deployed high-resolution GPS tags to vulturine guineafowl from 21 distinct social groups and used continuous-time movement models to characterize group movements across five seasons. Our data revealed a quadratic relationship between group size and movement characteristics, with intermediate-sized groups exhibiting the largest home-range size and greater variation in space use. Intermediate-sized groups also had higher reproductive success, but having more young in the group reduced home-range size. Our study suggests the presence of an optimal group size, and composition, for collective movement. Many social animals live in stable groups that stay together for years, or even lifetimes. Being in a group offers a range of benefits, such as safety from predators, information on where to find food or water, and more accurate navigation. But these benefits come at a cost. The larger the group, the harder it is to make decisions that balance the needs of each individual. So, while members of a large group should be better at locating resources and finding their way, they may take longer to decide where to go next. In nature, groups of the same species can vary greatly in size and can have large or small numbers of offspring. This raises the question of whether there is an optimal group size where the benefits of living together are maximized relative to the costs? To help answer this question, Papageorgiou and Farine studied the group behaviour of vulturine guineafowl, a social, ground-dwelling bird found in the savannahs of East Africa. A lightweight GPS tracker was fitted to the members of 21 different groups of vulturine guineafowl to see how group size affects the movement of these birds. The tags collected data every five minutes from dawn until dusk each day, and remained active over five two-month spans of similar weather conditions. This revealed that groups of intermediate size, which contain 33 to 37 birds, ranged over larger areas allowing them to access more diverse resources, and used less energy by travelling shorter distances. Birds in these groups also explored more new areas, decreasing their chances of encountering a predator, and produced more chicks, suggesting that their collective behaviour gave them a reproductive advantage. These findings suggest that intermediate sized groups display an optimal level of movement compared to larger or smaller groups. Understanding how social groups of different sizes interact with their environment can aid conservation planning. Future work should focus on how this relationship changes with the seasons. This could reveal more about the effects of group size during challenging conditions, like drought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danai Papageorgiou
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Collective Behavior, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,University of Konstanz, Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Damien Roger Farine
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Collective Behavior, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,University of Konstanz, Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Universitätsstraße, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Morrison RE, Hirwa JP, Mucyo JPS, Stoinski TS, Vecellio V, Eckardt W. Inter‐group relationships influence territorial defence in mountain gorillas. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2852-2862. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robin E. Morrison
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Musanze Rwanda
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | | | | | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Musanze Rwanda
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Atlanta GA USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
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: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Lucchesi S, Cheng L, Janmaat K, Mundry R, Pisor A, Surbeck M. Beyond the group: how food, mates, and group size influence intergroup encounters in wild bonobos. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In social-living animals, interactions between groups are frequently agonistic, but they can also be tolerant and even cooperative. Intergroup tolerance and cooperation are regarded as a crucial step in the formation of highly structured multilevel societies. Behavioral ecological theory suggests that intergroup tolerance and cooperation can emerge either when the costs of hostility outweigh the benefits of exclusive resource access or when both groups gain fitness benefits through their interactions. However, the factors promoting intergroup tolerance are still unclear due to the paucity of data on intergroup interactions in tolerant species. Here, we examine how social and ecological factors affect the onset and termination of intercommunity encounters in two neighboring communities of wild bonobos, a species exhibiting flexible patterns of intergroup interactions, at Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We recorded the timing and location of intercommunity encounters and measured fruit abundance and distribution, groups’ social characteristics, and space-use dynamics over a 19-month period. We found that intercommunity tolerance was facilitated by a decrease in feeding competition, with high fruit abundance increasing the likelihood of communities to encounter, and high clumpiness of fruit patches increasing the probability to terminate encounters likely due to increased contest. In addition, the possibility for extra-community mating, as well as the potential benefits of more efficient foraging in less familiar areas, reduced the probability that the communities terminated encounters. By investigating the factors involved in shaping relationships across groups, this study contributes to our understanding of how animal sociality can extend beyond the group level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Lucchesi
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Leveda Cheng
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karline Janmaat
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Pisor
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Stead SM, Teichroeb JA. A multi-level society comprised of one-male and multi-male core units in an African colobine (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217666. [PMID: 31618212 PMCID: PMC6795445 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mammalian species exhibit complex, nested social organizations, termed multi-level or modular societies. Multi-level societies comprise stable core units that fission and fuse with one another in a hierarchical manner, forming groups that vary in size over time. Among nonhuman primates, these social systems have been confirmed in several African papionin and Asian colobine species. We use data from August 2017 to July 2018 on individually-recognized Rwenzori Angolan colobus living near Lake Nabugabo, Uganda to document the first multi-level society in an African colobine. The study band comprised up to 135 individuals organized into 12 socially and spatially distinct core units that ranged in size from 4 to 23 individuals. These core units showed a strong affinity to one another, spending roughly 75% of their time together. Core units fissioned and fused non-randomly with one another throughout the day, leading to different combinations of core units being observed. Using association indices between core units, we employed hierarchical cluster analyses and permutation tests to show that some core units associated preferentially into clans. Thus, we confirm three tiers of social organization for Rwenzori Angolan colobus: core unit, clan, and band. The social organization of this subspecies is unlike any reported previously in a nonhuman primate, with about half the core units containing a single adult male and the others containing multiple reproductive adult males. The discovery of a unique primate multi-level society in a novel lineage could allow for a better understanding of the evolution of these complex social systems across the Animal Kingdom. Preliminary data show males transfer within the band and females transfer outside of the band, which is proposed for hominin multi-level societies. This subspecies could thus also provide insight into the selective pressures underlying multi-level societies in our own lineage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Stead
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie A. Teichroeb
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Murphy D, Mumby HS, Henley MD. Age differences in the temporal stability of a male African elephant (Loxodonta africana) social network. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Social animals live in complex and variable socio-ecological environments where individuals adapt their behavior to local conditions. Recently, there have been calls for studies of animal social networks to take account of temporal dynamics in social relationships as these have implications for the spread of information and disease, group cohesion, and the drivers of sociality, and there is evidence that maintaining stable social relationships has fitness benefits. It has recently been recognized that male elephants form strong social bonds with other males. The nature of these relationships, and thus network structure, may vary over time in response to varying environmental conditions and as individuals age. Using social network analysis, we examine the stability of relationships and network centrality in a population of male African elephants. Our results suggest that males may maintain stable social relationships with others over time. Older males show greater stability in network centrality than younger males, suggesting younger males face uncertainty in transitioning to adult society. For elephants, where older individuals function as social repositories of knowledge, maintaining a social network underpinned by older males could be of particular importance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Derek Murphy
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hannah S Mumby
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- College for Life Sciences, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße, Berlin, Germany
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Wits, South Africa
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Michelle D Henley
- Elephants Alive, Hoedspruit, South Africa
- Applied Ecosystem and Conservation Research Unit, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Deep Machine Learning Techniques for the Detection and Classification of Sperm Whale Bioacoustics. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12588. [PMID: 31467331 PMCID: PMC6715799 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48909-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We implemented Machine Learning (ML) techniques to advance the study of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) bioacoustics. This entailed employing Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to construct an echolocation click detector designed to classify spectrograms generated from sperm whale acoustic data according to the presence or absence of a click. The click detector achieved 99.5% accuracy in classifying 650 spectrograms. The successful application of CNNs to clicks reveals the potential of future studies to train CNN-based architectures to extract finer-scale details from cetacean spectrograms. Long short-term memory and gated recurrent unit recurrent neural networks were trained to perform classification tasks, including (1) “coda type classification” where we obtained 97.5% accuracy in categorizing 23 coda types from a Dominica dataset containing 8,719 codas and 93.6% accuracy in categorizing 43 coda types from an Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) dataset with 16,995 codas; (2) “vocal clan classification” where we obtained 95.3% accuracy for two clan classes from Dominica and 93.1% for four ETP clan types; and (3) “individual whale identification” where we obtained 99.4% accuracy using two Dominica sperm whales. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying ML to sperm whale bioacoustics and establish the validity of constructing neural networks to learn meaningful representations of whale vocalizations.
Collapse
|
26
|
Rendell L, Cantor M, Gero S, Whitehead H, Mann J. Causes and consequences of female centrality in cetacean societies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180066. [PMID: 31303160 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cetaceans are fully aquatic predatory mammals that have successfully colonized virtually all marine habitats. Their adaptation to these habitats, so radically different from those of their terrestrial ancestors, can give us comparative insights into the evolution of female roles and kinship in mammalian societies. We provide a review of the diversity of such roles across the Cetacea, which are unified by some key and apparently invariable life-history features. Mothers are uniparous, while paternal care is completely absent as far as we currently know. Maternal input is extensive, lasting months to many years. Hence, female reproductive rates are low, every cetacean calf is a significant investment, and offspring care is central to female fitness. Here strategies diverge, especially between toothed and baleen whales, in terms of mother-calf association and related social structures, which range from ephemeral grouping patterns to stable, multi-level, societies in which social groups are strongly organized around female kinship. Some species exhibit social and/or spatial philopatry in both sexes, a rare phenomenon in vertebrates. Communal care can be vital, especially among deep-diving species, and can be supported by female kinship. Female-based sociality, in its diverse forms, is therefore a prevailing feature of cetacean societies. Beyond the key role in offspring survival, it provides the substrate for significant vertical and horizontal cultural transmission, as well as the only definitive non-human examples of menopause. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Rendell
- 1 Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews , St Andrews KY16 9TH , UK
| | - Mauricio Cantor
- 2 Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina , Florianópolis 88040-970 , Brazil.,3 Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná , Pontal do Paraná 83255-000 , Brazil.,4 School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg-Braamfontein , South Africa
| | - Shane Gero
- 5 Department of Zoophysiology, Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University , Aarhus 8000 , Denmark
| | - Hal Whitehead
- 6 Department of Biology, Dalhousie University , Halifax , Canada B3H 4J1
| | - Janet Mann
- 7 Department of Biology, Georgetown University , Washington, DC 20057 , USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Busson M, Authier M, Barbraud C, Tixier P, Reisinger RR, Janc A, Guinet C. Role of sociality in the response of killer whales to an additive mortality event. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:11812-11817. [PMID: 31110009 PMCID: PMC6575568 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1817174116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In highly social top predators, group living is an ecological strategy that enhances individual fitness, primarily through increased foraging success. Additive mortality events across multiple social groups in populations may affect the social structure, and therefore the fitness, of surviving individuals. This hypothesis was examined in a killer whale (Orcinus orca) population that experienced a 7-y period of severe additive mortality due to lethal interactions with illegal fishing vessels. Using both social and demographic analyses conducted on a unique long-term dataset encompassing periods before, during, and after this event, results indicated a decrease in both the number and the mean strength of associations of surviving individuals during the additive mortality period. A positive significant correlation between association strength and apparent survival suggested that the fitness of surviving individuals was impacted by the additive mortality event. After this event, individuals responded to the loss of relatives in their social groups by associating with a greater number of other social groups, likely to maintain a functional group size that maximized their foraging success. However, these associations were loose; individuals did not reassociate in highly stable social groups, and their survival remained low years after the mortality event. These findings demonstrate how the disruption of social structure in killer whales may lead to prolonged negative effects of demographic stress beyond an additive mortality event. More importantly, this study shows that sociality has a key role in the resilience of populations to human-induced mortality; this has major implications for the conservation of highly social and long-lived species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marine Busson
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79170 Villiers en Bois, France;
| | - Matthieu Authier
- ADERA, 33600 Pessac, France
- Observatoire PELAGIS (CRMM), UMS 3462, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79170 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Paul Tixier
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Ryan R Reisinger
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79170 Villiers en Bois, France
- Centre de Synthèse et d'Analyse sur la Biodiversité, Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité (CESAB-FRB), Bâtiment Henri Poincaré, Domain du Petit Arbois, 13100 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Anaïs Janc
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79170 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79170 Villiers en Bois, France
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Cuhra M. Observations of water-fleaDaphnia magnaand avian fecalia in rock pools: is traditional natural history reporting still relevant for science? J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1585587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marek Cuhra
- Marbank, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Beslin WAM, Whitehead H, Gero S. Automatic acoustic estimation of sperm whale size distributions achieved through machine recognition of on-axis clicks. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 144:3485. [PMID: 30599680 DOI: 10.1121/1.5082291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The waveforms of individual sperm whale clicks often appear as multiple pulses, which are the product of a single pulse reverberating throughout the spermaceti organ. Since there is a relationship between spermaceti organ size and total body size, it is possible to estimate a whale's length by measuring the inter-pulse intervals (IPIs) within its clicks. However, if a click is recorded off-axis, the IPI corresponding to spermaceti organ length is usually obscured. This paper presents an algorithm for automatically estimating the "true" IPIs of sperm whales in a recording by measuring them from on-axis clicks only. The routine works by classifying detected clicks with a support vector machine, assessing the stability of their IPIs, and then clustering the stable IPIs using Gaussian mixture models. Results show that the routine is very accurate in obtaining reliable IPIs, but has a high false negative rate. Nonetheless, since sperm whales click very frequently, it is possible to obtain useful IPI distributions with only a few minutes of recording. This algorithm makes it possible to estimate the body lengths of multiple sperm whales automatically with only one hydrophone. An implementation is available for download at http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/CABLE/cable.htm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wilfried A M Beslin
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Whitehead H, Ford JK. Consequences of culturally-driven ecological specialization: Killer whales and beyond. J Theor Biol 2018; 456:279-294. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
31
|
Konrad CM, Gero S, Frasier T, Whitehead H. Kinship influences sperm whale social organization within, but generally not among, social units. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:180914. [PMID: 30225081 PMCID: PMC6124104 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Sperm whales have a multi-level social structure based upon long-term, cooperative social units. What role kinship plays in structuring this society is poorly understood. We combined extensive association data (518 days, during 2005-2016) and genetic data (18 microsatellites and 346 bp mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences) for 65 individuals from 12 social units from the Eastern Caribbean to examine patterns of kinship and social behaviour. Social units were clearly matrilineally based, evidenced by greater relatedness within social units (mean r = 0.14) than between them (mean r = 0.00) and uniform mtDNA haplotypes within social units. Additionally, most individuals (82.5%) had a first-degree relative in their social unit, while we found no first-degree relatives between social units. Generally and within social units, individuals associated more with their closer relatives (matrix correlations: 0.18-0.25). However, excepting a highly related pair of social units that merged over the study period, associations between social units were not correlated with kinship (p > 0.1). These results are the first to robustly demonstrate kinship's contribution to social unit composition and association preferences, though they also reveal variability in association preferences that is unexplained by kinship. Comparisons with other matrilineal species highlight the range of possible matrilineal societies and how they can vary between and even within species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Konrad
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaB3H 4J1
| | - Shane Gero
- Department of Zoophysiology, Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Timothy Frasier
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaB3H 3C3
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaB3H 4J1
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Schnitzler JG, Pinzone M, Autenrieth M, van Neer A, IJsseldijk LL, Barber JL, Deaville R, Jepson P, Brownlow A, Schaffeld T, Thomé JP, Tiedemann R, Das K, Siebert U. Inter-individual differences in contamination profiles as tracer of social group association in stranded sperm whales. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10958. [PMID: 30026609 PMCID: PMC6053436 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29186-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological and physiological factors lead to different contamination patterns in individual marine mammals. The objective of the present study was to assess whether variations in contamination profiles are indicative of social structures of young male sperm whales as they might reflect a variation in feeding preferences and/or in utilized feeding grounds. We used a total of 61 variables associated with organic compounds and trace element concentrations measured in muscle, liver, kidney and blubber gained from 24 sperm whales that stranded in the North Sea in January and February 2016. Combining contaminant and genetic data, there is evidence for at least two cohorts with different origin among these stranded sperm whales; one from the Canary Island region and one from the northern part of the Atlantic. While genetic data unravel relatedness and kinship, contamination data integrate over areas, where animals occured during their lifetime. Especially in long-lived animals with a large migratory potential, as sperm whales, contamination data may carry highly relevant information about aggregation through time and space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Schnitzler
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761, Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
| | - Marianna Pinzone
- Freshwater and Oceanic sciences Unit of reSearch - Oceanology, University of Liège, Allée du 6 Août, B6C, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marijke Autenrieth
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Abbo van Neer
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761, Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Lonneke L IJsseldijk
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jonathan L Barber
- Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Rob Deaville
- CSIP, Institute of Zoology, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Paul Jepson
- CSIP, Institute of Zoology, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | - Tobias Schaffeld
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761, Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Jean-Pierre Thomé
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology (CART-LEAE) B6c, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ralph Tiedemann
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Krishna Das
- Freshwater and Oceanic sciences Unit of reSearch - Oceanology, University of Liège, Allée du 6 Août, B6C, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761, Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Patel S, Thompson KF, Santure AW, Constantine R, Millar CD. Genetic Kinship Analyses Reveal That Gray's Beaked Whales Strand in Unrelated Groups. J Hered 2017; 108:456-461. [PMID: 28498990 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Some marine mammals are so rarely seen that their life history and social structure remain a mystery. Around New Zealand, Gray's beaked whales (Mesoplodon grayi) are almost never seen alive, yet they are a commonly stranded species. Gray's are unique among the beaked whales in that they frequently strand in groups, providing an opportunity to investigate their social organization. We examined group composition and genetic kinship in 113 Gray's beaked whales with samples collected over a 20-year period. Fifty-six individuals stranded in 19 groups (2 or more individuals), and 57 whales stranded individually. Mitochondrial control region haplotypes and microsatellite genotypes (16 loci) were obtained for 103 whales. We estimated pairwise relatedness between all pairs of individuals and average relatedness within, and between, groups. We identified 6 mother-calf pairs and 2 half-siblings, including 2 whales in different strandings 17 years and 1500 km apart. Surprisingly, none of the adults stranding together were related suggesting that groups are not formed through the retention of kin. These data suggest that both sexes may disperse from their mothers, and groups consisting of unrelated subadults are common. We also found no instances of paternity within the groups. Our results provide the first insights into dispersal, social organization, and the mating system in this rarely sighted species. Why whales strand is still unknown but, in Gray's beaked whales, the dead can tell us much about the living.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selina Patel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Kirsten F Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.,Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Anna W Santure
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Rochelle Constantine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Craig D Millar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Irvine L, Palacios DM, Urbán J, Mate B. Sperm whale dive behavior characteristics derived from intermediate-duration archival tag data. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:7822-7837. [PMID: 29043037 PMCID: PMC5632629 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe the diving behavior of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using the Advanced Dive Behavior (ADB) tag, which records depth data at 1‐Hz resolution and GPS‐quality locations for over 1 month, before releasing from the whale for recovery. A total of 27 ADB tags were deployed on sperm whales in the central Gulf of California, Mexico, during spring 2007 and 2008, of which 10 were recovered for data download. Tracking durations of all tags ranged from 0 to 34.5 days (median = 2.3 days), and 0.6 to 26.6 days (median = 5.0 days) for recovered tags. Recovered tags recorded a median of 50.8 GPS‐quality locations and 42.6 dives per day. Dive summary metrics were generated for archived dives and were subsequently classified into six categories using hierarchical cluster analysis. A mean of 77% of archived dives per individual were one of four dive categories with median Maximum Dive Depth >290 m (V‐shaped, Mid‐water, Benthic, or Variable), likely associated with foraging. Median Maximum Dive Depth was <30 m for the other two categories (Short‐ and Long‐duration shallow dives), likely representing socializing or resting behavior. Most tagged whales remained near the tagging area during the tracking period, but one moved north of Isla Tiburón, where it appeared to regularly dive to, and travel along the seafloor. Three whales were tagged on the same day in 2007 and subsequently traveled in close proximity (<1 km) for 2 days. During this period, the depth and timing of their dives were not coordinated, suggesting they were foraging on a vertically heterogeneous prey field. The multiweek dive records produced by ADB tags enabled us to generate a robust characterization of the diving behavior, activity budget, and individual variation for an important predator of the mesopelagos over temporal and spatial scales not previously possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ladd Irvine
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University Newport OR USA
| | - Daniel M Palacios
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University Newport OR USA
| | - Jorge Urbán
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur La Paz Baja California Sur México
| | - Bruce Mate
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University Newport OR USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Herzing DL, Augliere BN, Elliser CR, Green ML, Pack AA. Exodus! Large-scale displacement and social adjustments of resident Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180304. [PMID: 28792947 PMCID: PMC5549894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, significant habitat shifts have been documented in some populations of cetaceans. On Little Bahama Bank (LBB) there are sympatric communities of resident Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), monitored since 1985. The size and social structure (three clusters: Northern, Central, Southern) have been stable among the spotted dolphin community with little immigration/emigration, even after large demographic losses (36%) following two major hurricanes in 2004. In 2013 an unprecedented exodus of over 50% (52 individuals) of the spotted dolphin community was documented. The entire Central cluster and a few Northern and Southern individuals relocated 161 km south to Great Bahama Bank (GBB), also home to two sympatric resident communities of spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. During the late summer of 2013 and the summers of 2014 and 2015 both sites were regularly monitored but no former LBB dolphins returned to LBB. Uncharacteristic matriline splits were observed. Social analyses revealed random associations for those spotted dolphins and very little integration between spotted dolphins that moved to GBB (MGBB) and those dolphin resident to GBB (RGBB). Male alliances among spotted dolphins were present, with some altered patterns. On LBB, the operational sex ratio (OSR) was reduced (.40 to .25). OSR for MGBB and RGBB dolphins were similar (.45 and .43). A significant steady decrease in sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a (a proxy for plankton production) occurred on LBB leading up to this exodus. Similar trends were not present over the same period on GBB. The sudden large-scale shift of spotted dolphins from LBB to GBB in association with the gradual decline in certain environmental factors suggests that a possible "tipping point" was reached in prey availability. This study provides a unique view into social and genetic implications of large-scale displacement of stable dolphin communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denise L. Herzing
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States of America
| | | | - Cindy R. Elliser
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Pacific Mammal Research, Anacortes, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Green
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Animal Science and Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Adam A. Pack
- Departments of Psychology and Biology, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
- The Dolphin Institute, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Mann J, Karniski C. Diving beneath the surface: long-term studies of dolphins and whales. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Mann
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Caitlin Karniski
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, NW, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Schnitzler JG, Frédérich B, Früchtnicht S, Schaffeld T, Baltzer J, Ruser A, Siebert U. Size and shape variations of the bony components of sperm whale cochleae. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46734. [PMID: 28440286 PMCID: PMC5404505 DOI: 10.1038/srep46734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mass strandings of sperm whales occurred in the North Sea during January and February 2016. Twelve animals were necropsied and sampled around 48 h after their discovery on German coasts of Schleswig Holstein. The present study aims to explore the morphological variation of the primary sensory organ of sperm whales, the left and right auditory system, using high-resolution computerised tomography imaging. We performed a quantitative analysis of size and shape of cochleae using landmark-based geometric morphometrics to reveal inter-individual anatomical variations. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on thirty-one external morphometric characters classified these 12 individuals in two stranding clusters. A relative amount of shape variation could be attributable to geographical differences among stranding locations and clusters. Our geometric data allowed the discrimination of distinct bachelor schools among sperm whales that stranded on German coasts. We argue that the cochleae are individually shaped, varying greatly in dimensions and that the intra-specific variation observed in the morphology of the cochleae may partially reflect their affiliation to their bachelor school. There are increasing concerns about the impact of noise on cetaceans and describing the auditory periphery of odontocetes is a key conservation issue to further assess the effect of noise pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Schnitzler
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Bruno Frédérich
- Laboratoire de Morphologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, AFFISH Research Center, Université de Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.,Laboratoire d'Océanologie, MARE Center, Université de Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Sven Früchtnicht
- Röntgenpraxis Heide, Rungholtstr. 5 E-F, 25746 Heide, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Tobias Schaffeld
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Johannes Baltzer
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Andreas Ruser
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 25761 Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Augusto J, Frasier T, Whitehead H. Social structure of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) off northern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cetacean social structures include fluid and stable elements. Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) live in units that interact forming labile groups. In this study conducted off Cape Breton Island, between 1998–2011, we confirm unit membership predicts associations between individuals. We determine how units are structured and interact. We delineated 21 nearly-stable social units, with an average 7 members. For units where multiple individuals are sexed, both sexes are present. Most units showed long-term stability, while one showed evidence of splitting. Three units shared individuals with the largest unit (K, average size = 29). Splitting is likely triggered by size and difficulties maintaining associations between all individuals. Pilot whales face many pressures driving sociality at a range of temporal and social scales producing a multilevel society. While we have produced a more detailed model of long-finned pilot whale social structure, there are still unanswered questions, particularly whether units are strict matrilines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J.F. Augusto
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2
| | - T.R. Frasier
- Department of Biology & Forensic Sciences Programme, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 3C3
| | - H. Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Tavares SB, Samarra FI, Miller PJ. A multilevel society of herring-eating killer whales indicates adaptation to prey characteristics. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara B. Tavares
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK, and
| | - Filipa I.P. Samarra
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK, and
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Patrick J.O. Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK, and
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Gero S, Whitehead H. Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162019. [PMID: 27706153 PMCID: PMC5051958 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) populations were expected to rebuild following the end of commercial whaling. We document the decline of the population in the eastern Caribbean by tracing demographic changes of well-studied social units. We address hypotheses that, over a ten-year period of dedicated effort (2005–2015), unit size, numbers of calves and/or calving rates have each declined. Across 16 units, the number of adults decreased in 12 units, increased in two, and showed no change in two. The number of adults per unit decreased at -0.195 individuals/yr (95% CI: -0.080 to -0.310; P = 0.001). The number of calves also declined, but the decline was not significant. This negative trend of -4.5% per year in unit size started in about 2010, with numbers being fairly stable until then. There are several natural and anthropogenic threats, but no well-substantiated cause for the decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Dept. of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Cantor M, Whitehead H, Gero S, Rendell L. Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160615. [PMID: 27853582 PMCID: PMC5099007 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
While populations may wax and wane, it is rare for an entire population to be replaced by a completely different set of individuals. We document the large-scale relocation of cultural groups of sperm whale off the Galápagos Islands, in which two sympatric vocal clans were entirely replaced by two different ones. Between 1985 and 1999, whales from two clans (called Regular and Plus-One) defined by cultural dialects in coda vocalizations were repeatedly photo-identified off Galápagos. Their occurrence in the area declined through the 1990s; by 2000, none remained. We reassessed Galápagos sperm whales in 2013-2014, identifying 463 new females. However, re-sighting rates were low, with no matches with the Galápagos 1985-1999 population, suggesting an eastward shift to coastal areas. Their vocal repertoires matched those of two other clans (called Short and Four-Plus) found across the Pacific but previously rare or absent around Galápagos. The mechanisms behind this cultural turnover may include large-scale environmental regime shifts favouring clan-specific foraging strategies, and a response to heavy whaling in the region involving redistribution of surviving whales into high-quality habitats. The fall and rise of sperm whale cultures off Galápagos reflect the structuring of the Pacific population into large, enduring clans with dynamic ranges. Long-lasting clan membership illustrates how culture can be bound up in the structure and dynamics of animal populations and so how tracking cultural traits can reveal large-scale population shifts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Cantor
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Luke Rendell
- School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Rendell L, Frantzis A. Mediterranean Sperm Whales, Physeter macrocephalus: The Precarious State of a Lost Tribe. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2016; 75:37-74. [PMID: 27770991 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
First observed in the classical era, a population of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) persists to this day in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Genetic and observational evidence support the notion that this is an isolated population, separated from its Atlantic neighbours. These whales depend on mesopelagic squid for food, and appear to occupy a very similar ecological niche to sperm whales in the open oceans. Recent evidence proving that individuals can pass between the eastern and western deep water basins confirms that this is a single population, not isolated into western and eastern stocks. We lack robust information on their population status, but they could number in the hundreds rather than thousands, and current densities appear to be much lower than those reported in the 1950s, suggesting that we should be very concerned about the conservation status of this population. This makes it vitally important to address the serious threats posed by ship strikes and entanglement in fishing nets, especially driftnets, and to carefully monitor other potential sources of anthropogenic impact. A step change in funding to collect better data and a clear shift in policy priorities are needed if we are to be serious about conserving this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Rendell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom.
| | - A Frantzis
- Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, Vouliagmeni, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Gero S, Bøttcher A, Whitehead H, Madsen PT. Socially segregated, sympatric sperm whale clans in the Atlantic Ocean. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160061. [PMID: 27429766 PMCID: PMC4929901 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are unusual in that there is good evidence for sympatric populations with distinct culturally determined behaviour, including potential acoustic markers of the population division. In the Pacific, socially segregated, vocal clans with distinct dialects coexist; by contrast, geographical variation in vocal repertoire in the Atlantic has been attributed to drift. We examine networks of acoustic repertoire similarity and social interactions for 11 social units in the Eastern Caribbean. We find the presence of two socially segregated, sympatric vocal clans whose dialects differ significantly both in terms of categorical coda types produced by each clan (Mantel test between clans: matrix correlation = 0.256; p ≤ 0.001) and when using classification-free similarity which ignores defined types (Mantel test between clans: matrix correlation = 0.180; p ≤ 0.001). The more common of the two clans makes a characteristic 1 + 1 + 3 coda, while the other less often sighted clan makes predominantly regular codas. Units were only observed associating with other units within their vocal clan. This study demonstrates that sympatric vocal clans do exist in the Atlantic, that they define a higher order level of social organization as they do in the Pacific, and suggests that cultural identity at the clan level is probably important in this species worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shane Gero
- Department of Zoophysiology, Institute of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Author for correspondence: Shane Gero e-mail:
| | - Anne Bøttcher
- Department of Zoophysiology, Institute of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Peter Teglberg Madsen
- Department of Zoophysiology, Institute of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Alexander A, Steel D, Hoekzema K, Mesnick SL, Engelhaupt D, Kerr I, Payne R, Baker CS. What influences the worldwide genetic structure of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)? Mol Ecol 2016; 25:2754-72. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alana Alexander
- Marine Mammal Institute; Hatfield Marine Science Center; Oregon State University; 2030 SE Marine Science Drive Newport OR 97365 USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97330 USA
- Biodiversity Institute; University of Kansas; 1345 Jayhawk Blvd Lawrence KS 66045 USA
| | - Debbie Steel
- Marine Mammal Institute; Hatfield Marine Science Center; Oregon State University; 2030 SE Marine Science Drive Newport OR 97365 USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97330 USA
| | - Kendra Hoekzema
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97330 USA
| | - Sarah L. Mesnick
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center; National Marine Fisheries Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | | | - Iain Kerr
- Ocean Alliance; 32 Horton Street Gloucester MA 01930 USA
| | - Roger Payne
- Ocean Alliance; 32 Horton Street Gloucester MA 01930 USA
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute; Hatfield Marine Science Center; Oregon State University; 2030 SE Marine Science Drive Newport OR 97365 USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97330 USA
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Oliveira C, Wahlberg M, Silva MA, Johnson M, Antunes R, Wisniewska DM, Fais A, Gonçalves J, Madsen PT. Sperm whale codas may encode individuality as well as clan identity. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 139:2860. [PMID: 27250178 DOI: 10.1121/1.4949478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Sperm whales produce codas for communication that can be grouped into different types according to their temporal patterns. Codas have led researchers to propose that sperm whales belong to distinct cultural clans, but it is presently unclear if they also convey individual information. Coda clicks comprise a series of pulses and the delay between pulses is a function of organ size, and therefore body size, and so is one potential source of individual information. Another potential individual-specific parameter could be the inter-click intervals within codas. To test whether these parameters provide reliable individual cues, stereo-hydrophone acoustic tags (Dtags) were attached to five sperm whales of the Azores, recording a total of 802 codas. A discriminant function analysis was used to distinguish 288 5 Regular codas from four of the sperm whales and 183 3 Regular codas from two sperm whales. The results suggest that codas have consistent individual features in their inter-click intervals and inter-pulse intervals which may contribute to individual identification. Additionally, two whales produced different coda types in distinct foraging dive phases. Codas may therefore be used by sperm whales to convey information of identity as well as activity within a social group to a larger extent than previously assumed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Oliveira
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre and Institute of Marine Research, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Magnus Wahlberg
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Mónica A Silva
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre and Institute of Marine Research, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Mark Johnson
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Antunes
- Ocean Giants Program, Global Conservation Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460, USA
| | - Danuta M Wisniewska
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Andrea Fais
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - João Gonçalves
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre and Institute of Marine Research, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Gero S, Whitehead H, Rendell L. Individual, unit and vocal clan level identity cues in sperm whale codas. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:150372. [PMID: 26909165 PMCID: PMC4736920 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.150372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The 'social complexity hypothesis' suggests that complex social structure is a driver of diversity in animal communication systems. Sperm whales have a hierarchically structured society in which the largest affiliative structures, the vocal clans, are marked on ocean-basin scales by culturally transmitted dialects of acoustic signals known as 'codas'. We examined variation in coda repertoires among both individual whales and social units-the basic element of sperm whale society-using data from nine Caribbean social units across six years. Codas were assigned to individuals using photo-identification and acoustic size measurement, and we calculated similarity between repertoires using both continuous and categorical methods. We identified 21 coda types. Two of those ('1+1+3' and '5R1') made up 65% of the codas recorded, were shared across all units and have dominated repertoires in this population for at least 30 years. Individuals appear to differ in the way they produce '5R1' but not '1+1+3' coda. Units use distinct 4-click coda types which contribute to making unit repertoires distinctive. Our results support the social complexity hypothesis in a marine species as different patterns of variation between coda types suggest divergent functions, perhaps representing selection for identity signals at several levels of social structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Jutland, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada B3H 4J1
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, UK
- Author for correspondence: Shane Gero e-mail:
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada B3H 4J1
| | - Luke Rendell
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, and Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Multilevel animal societies can emerge from cultural transmission. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8091. [PMID: 26348688 PMCID: PMC4569709 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Multilevel societies, containing hierarchically nested social levels, are remarkable social structures whose origins are unclear. The social relationships of sperm whales are organized in a multilevel society with an upper level composed of clans of individuals communicating using similar patterns of clicks (codas). Using agent-based models informed by an 18-year empirical study, we show that clans are unlikely products of stochastic processes (genetic or cultural drift) but likely originate from cultural transmission via biased social learning of codas. Distinct clusters of individuals with similar acoustic repertoires, mirroring the empirical clans, emerge when whales learn preferentially the most common codas (conformism) from behaviourally similar individuals (homophily). Cultural transmission seems key in the partitioning of sperm whales into sympatric clans. These findings suggest that processes similar to those that generate complex human cultures could not only be at play in non-human societies but also create multilevel social structures in the wild. Multilevel societies are comprised of hierarchically nested levels of social organization, but how they arise is not well understood. Here Cantor et al. find that the emergence of sperm whale clans is more likely to be driven by cultural transmission of acoustic repertoires than via stochastic processes.
Collapse
|
48
|
Gero S, Gordon J, Whitehead H. Individualized social preferences and long-term social fidelity between social units of sperm whales. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
49
|
Guo S, Huang K, Ji W, Garber PA, Li B. The role of kinship in the formation of a primate multilevel society. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 156:606-13. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Songtao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China of Ministry of Education and College of Life Sciences; Northwest University; Xi'an 710069 China
| | - Kang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China of Ministry of Education and College of Life Sciences; Northwest University; Xi'an 710069 China
| | - Weihong Ji
- Human and Wildlife Interactions Research Group Institute of Natural Mathematical Sciences; Massey University; Albany Auckland New Zealand 1311
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Anthropology Department; University Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana IL 61801
| | - Baoguo Li
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China of Ministry of Education and College of Life Sciences; Northwest University; Xi'an 710069 China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Snyder-Mackler N, Alberts SC, Bergman TJ. The socio-genetics of a complex society: female gelada relatedness patterns mirror association patterns in a multilevel society. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:6179-91. [PMID: 25362869 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 10/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Multilevel societies with fission-fusion dynamics--arguably the most complex animal societies--are defined by two or more nested levels of organization. The core of these societies are modular social units that regularly fission and fuse with one another. Despite convergent evolution in disparate taxa, we know strikingly little about how such societies form and how fitness benefits operate. Understanding the kinship structure of complex societies could inform us about the origins of the social structure as well as about the potential for individuals in these societies to accrue indirect fitness benefits. Here, we combined genetic and behavioural data on geladas (Theropithecus gelada), an Old World Monkey, to complete the most comprehensive socio-genetic analysis of a multilevel society to date. In geladas, individuals in the core social 'units', associate at different frequencies to form 'teams', 'bands' and, the largest aggregations, 'communities'. Units were composed of closely related females, and females remained with their close kin during permanent fissions of units. Interestingly, female-female relatedness also significantly predicted between-unit, between-team and between-band association patterns, while male-male relatedness did not. Thus, it is likely that the socio-genetic structure of gelada society results from females maintaining associations with their female relatives during successive unit fissions--possibly in an attempt to balance the direct and indirect fitness benefits of group living. Overall, the persistence of associations among related females across generations appears to drive the formation of higher levels of gelada society, suggesting that females seek kin for inclusive fitness benefits at multiple levels of gelada society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Dr., Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|