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Vékony K, Pongrácz P. Many faces of dominance: the manifestation of cohabiting companion dogs' rank in competitive and non-competitive scenarios. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:12. [PMID: 38429548 PMCID: PMC10907432 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01842-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
There are indications that companion dogs of multi-dog households form a hierarchy, maintained by formal and agonistic dominance. Although it was found that the behaviour of dogs depends on their rank in several contexts, so far, the assessment of their rank itself has been based on owner-completed questionnaires. With this research we endeavoured to find associations between rank scores from the Dog Rank Assessment Questionnaire (DRA-Q) and cohabiting dogs' behaviour in a competitive test (Toy Possession test-32 dog pairs) and a non-competitive, citizen science scenario (Greeting test-20 dog pairs). Based on the grabbing the toy first and keeping the toy at the end variables, the dogs' rank score provided a reliable indication of the dominant and subordinate dogs' behaviour in the Toy Possession test. Similarly, the occurrence of dominant and submissive behaviours in the Greeting Test showed a good match with the agonistic and leadership subscores of the composite rank score from the DRA-Q. Our results provide a pioneering case for validating a questionnaire-based rank scoring method with biologically meaningful behavioural tests in the case of companion dogs. The finer analysis of the results highlighted that in the case of a multi-question scoring system, some components might provide more effective prediction of the dogs' rank-related behaviour in some situations, while other components are more relevant in others, with traits related to agonistic dominance having relevance across contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kata Vékony
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/c, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
| | - Péter Pongrácz
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/c, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
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2
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Corral-Lopez A, Kotrschal A, Szorkovszky A, Garate-Olaizola M, Herbert-Read J, van der Bijl W, Romenskyy M, Zeng HL, Buechel SD, Fontrodona-Eslava A, Pelckmans K, Mank JE, Kolm N. Evolution of schooling drives changes in neuroanatomy and motion characteristics across predation contexts in guppies. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6027. [PMID: 37758730 PMCID: PMC10533906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41635-6] [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: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most spectacular displays of social behavior is the synchronized movements that many animal groups perform to travel, forage and escape from predators. However, elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the evolution of collective behaviors, as well as their fitness effects, remains challenging. Here, we study collective motion patterns with and without predation threat and predator inspection behavior in guppies experimentally selected for divergence in polarization, an important ecological driver of coordinated movement in fish. We find that groups from artificially selected lines remain more polarized than control groups in the presence of a threat. Neuroanatomical measurements of polarization-selected individuals indicate changes in brain regions previously suggested to be important regulators of perception, fear and attention, and motor response. Additional visual acuity and temporal resolution tests performed in polarization-selected and control individuals indicate that observed differences in predator inspection and schooling behavior should not be attributable to changes in visual perception, but rather are more likely the result of the more efficient relay of sensory input in the brain of polarization-selected fish. Our findings highlight that brain morphology may play a fundamental role in the evolution of coordinated movement and anti-predator behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Corral-Lopez
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK.
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Szorkovszky
- RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maddi Garate-Olaizola
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - James Herbert-Read
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Aquatic Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Wouter van der Bijl
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Maksym Romenskyy
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Hong-Li Zeng
- School of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
| | - Severine Denise Buechel
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ada Fontrodona-Eslava
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Doody JS, Burghardt G, Dinets V. The Evolution of Sociality and the Polyvagal Theory. Biol Psychol 2023; 180:108569. [PMID: 37094735 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
The polyvagal theory (PT), offered by Porges (2021), proposes that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) was repurposed in mammals, via a "second vagal nerve", to suppress defensive strategies and support the expression of sociality. Three critical assumptions of this theory are that (1) the transition of the ANS was associated with the evolution of 'social' mammals from 'asocial' reptiles; (2) the transition enabled mammals, unlike their reptilian ancestors, to derive a biological benefit from social interactions; and (3) the transition forces a less parsimonious explanation (convergence) for the evolution of social behavior in birds and mammals, since birds evolved from a reptilian lineage. Two recently published reviews, however, provided compelling evidence that the social-asocial dichotomy is overly simplistic, neglects the diversity of vertebrate social systems, impedes our understanding of the evolution of social behavior, and perpetuates the erroneous belief that one group-non-avian reptiles-is incapable of complex social behavior. In the worst case, if PT depends upon a transition from 'asocial reptiles' to 'social mammals,' then the ability of PT to explain the evolution of the mammalian ANS is highly questionable. A great number of social behaviors occur in both reptiles and mammals. In the best case, PT has misused the terms 'social' and 'asocial'. Even here, however, the theory would still need to identify a particular suite of behaviors found in mammals and not reptiles that could be associated with, or explain, the transition of the ANS, and then replace the 'asocial' and 'social' labels with more specific descriptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sean Doody
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida - St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7(th) Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA
| | - Gordon Burghardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Vladimir Dinets
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996
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4
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Stronger maternal social bonds and higher rank are associated with accelerated infant maturation in Kinda baboons. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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5
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O'Brien SL, Irian CG, Bentley GE, Lacey EA. Sex, not social behavior, predicts fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in a facultatively social rodent, the highland tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus). Horm Behav 2022; 141:105152. [PMID: 35286897 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Social relationships may influence circulating glucocorticoid levels, particularly in group-living species in which individuals regularly engage in interactions with conspecifics. The effects of such interactions appear to vary, with greater social contact being associated with increased glucocorticoid concentrations in some species but decreased concentrations in others. These distinct responses raise intriguing questions regarding relationships among social behavior, individual phenotypes, and glucocorticoid physiology. To explore such relationships in a free-living mammal with a dynamic social organization, we quantified variation in baseline glucocorticoids in a population of highland tuco-tucos (Ctenomys opimus) from Jujuy Province, Argentina. These subterranean rodents are facultatively social, with lone and group-living individuals regularly occurring within the same population. To assess potential endocrine correlates of this behavioral variability, we examined differences in baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCm) concentrations as a function of social group size and composition as well as several metrics of social behavior derived from social network analyses. Despite marked variability in social relationships among the 37 (12 male, 25 female) free-living tuco-tucos sampled, none of the measures of social behavior examined were significant predictors of variation in fGCm concentrations. In contrast, individual variation in glucocorticoid metabolites was best explained by sex, with males having higher fGCm concentrations than females. These analyses provide the first characterization of the glucocorticoid physiology of highland tuco-tucos and underscore the potential importance of intrinsic phenotypic factors (e.g., sex) in shaping glucocorticoid variation in free-living mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L O'Brien
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Christian G Irian
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - George E Bentley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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6
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McCowan B, Vandeleest J, Balasubramaniam K, Hsieh F, Nathman A, Beisner B. Measuring dominance certainty and assessing its impact on individual and societal health in a nonhuman primate model: a network approach. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200438. [PMID: 35000448 PMCID: PMC8743881 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The notion of dominance is ubiquitous across the animal kingdom, wherein some species/groups such relationships are strictly hierarchical and others are not. Modern approaches for measuring dominance have emerged in recent years taking advantage of increased computational power. One such technique, named Percolation and Conductance (Perc), uses both direct and indirect information about the flow of dominance relationships to generate hierarchical rank order that makes no assumptions about the linearity of these relationships. It also provides a new metric, known as 'dominance certainty', which is a complimentary measure to dominance rank that assesses the degree of ambiguity of rank relationships at the individual, dyadic and group levels. In this focused review, we will (i) describe how Perc measures dominance rank while accounting for both nonlinear hierarchical structure as well as sparsity in data-here we also provide a metric of dominance certainty estimated by Perc, which can be used to compliment the information dominance rank supplies; (ii) summarize a series of studies by our research team reflecting the importance of 'dominance certainty' on individual and societal health in large captive rhesus macaque breeding groups; and (iii) provide some concluding remarks and suggestions for future directions for dominance hierarchy research. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jessica Vandeleest
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Krishna Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Fushing Hsieh
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Amy Nathman
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Brianne Beisner
- Colony Management Department, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
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7
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8
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Salena MG, Singh A, Weller O, Fang XX, Balshine S. Rapid spatial learning in cooperative and non-cooperative cichlids. Behav Processes 2021; 194:104550. [PMID: 34826584 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The number, duration and depth of social relationships that an individual maintains can impact social cognition, but the connection between sociality and other aspects of cognition has hardly been explored. To date, the link between social living and intelligence has been mainly supported by studies on primates, and far fewer tests connecting sociality to cognitive abilities have used other taxa. Here, we present the first comparative study in fishes that examines whether complex social living is associated with better performance on a cognitively demanding spatial task. Using three cooperative, group-living cichlid fish species and three of their non-cooperative, more solitary close relatives, we studied maze learning and employed a new statistical extension for the 'lme4' and 'glmmTMB' packages in R that allows phylogeny to be included as a random effect term. Across trials, the three cooperative and the three non-cooperative species completed the maze faster, made fewer mistakes, and improved their inhibitory control. Although fish improved their performance, we did not detect any differences in the extent of improvement between cooperative and non-cooperative species. Both the cooperative species and the non-cooperative species took similar amounts of time to complete the maze, had comparable numbers of mistakes, and exhibited similar inhibitory control while in the maze. Our results suggest that living and breeding in complex social groups does not necessarily imply enhancement of other forms of cognition nor, more specifically, an enhanced spatial learning capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Salena
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Angad Singh
- Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Olivia Weller
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Xiang Xiang Fang
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
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9
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10
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Abstract
Humpback dolphins (Sousa spp.) are obligate shallow-water and resident species, and they typically live in fission-fusion societies composed of small-sized groups with changeable membership. However, we have scant knowledge of their behavioral ecology, starting with potential factors influencing inter-population variability of their group sizes. Here, we compiled a new global dataset of humpback dolphin group sizes based on 150 published records. Our data indicated an inter-specific consistency of group-living strategy among the 4 species in the Sousa genus, as these species preferred living in small-sized groups with a mean size of mostly no more than 10, a minimum size of single individual or small pairs, and a maximum size of several tens or ≈100. In addition, we clearly showed the geographic variations in group sizes of humpback dolphins at a global scale. We found that the geographic variations in humpback dolphin group sizes were primarily associated with the latitude, sea surface temperature, and abundance. To conclude, our findings provide insights into social dynamics and socioecological trade-offs of humpback dolphins, and help better understand how these resident animals adapted to their shallow-water habitats from the perspectives of biogeography and socioecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Liu
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Mingli Lin
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - David Lusseau
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Songhai Li
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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11
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Moscovice LR, Sueur C, Aureli F. How socio-ecological factors influence the differentiation of social relationships: an integrated conceptual framework. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200384. [PMID: 32933407 PMCID: PMC7532722 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent of differentiation of social relationships within groups is a means to assess social complexity, with greater differentiation indicating greater social complexity. Socio-ecological factors are likely to influence social complexity, but no attempt has been made to explain the differentiation of social relationships using multiple socio-ecological factors. Here, we propose a conceptual framework based on four components underlying multiple socio-ecological factors that influence the differentiation of social relationships: the extent of within-group contest competition to access resources, the extent to which individuals differ in their ability to provide a variety of services, the need for group-level cooperation and the constraints on social interactions. We use the framework to make predictions about the degree of relationship differentiation that can be expected within a group according to the cumulative contribution of multiple socio-ecological factors to each of the four components. The framework has broad applicability, since the four components are likely to be relevant to a wide range of animal taxa and to additional socio-ecological factors not explicitly dealt with here. Hence, the framework can be used as the basis for the development of novel and testable hypotheses about intra- and interspecific differences in relationship differentiation and social complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza R Moscovice
- Institute of behavioural physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.,Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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12
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Hobson EA, Ferdinand V, Kolchinsky A, Garland J. Rethinking animal social complexity measures with the help of complex systems concepts. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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13
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Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9080528. [PMID: 31387204 PMCID: PMC6721218 DOI: 10.3390/ani9080528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the effects of two types of colony cages, in which rabbit does were always in a group (C1), and where they were in combi cages furnished with removable internal walls to allow both individual and grouphousing (C2), in addition to the control group (C: conventional individual cage), on welfare, reproductive performance, and global efficiency. Forty-eight New Zealand White nulliparous rabbit does underwent artificially insemination (AI) and were divided into three groups, and reared in the different systems for about 1 year. The reproductive rhythm provides AIs at weaning (30d). In the C1 system, does were continuously grouped, while in C2, walls were inserted four days before kindling and removed 1week after it (60% of the timesheet in group). Reproductive traits and behaviour were evaluated during the entire year. The behavioural observations were performed around days 7, 36, and 44, corresponding to the inclusion of the does in the maternal cages, the insertion of walls four days before kindling, and the removal of the walls 1week after parturition in the C2 group, respectively. The percentages of does with severe skin injuries and the distribution of the injuries on different parts of body were also registered. Does reared in conventional cages showed the greatest presence of stereotype behaviours, while the C1 group showed the highest (p < 0.05) incidence of aggressiveness after regrouping (attack, dominance features, and lower allo-grooming) in comparison to the C2 group (17% and 22%, in C2 and C1 does, respectively).Individually caged does achieved the best productive performance (sexual receptivity, fertility, kindling rate, and number of kits born alive and at weaning). The C1 group showed the lowest performance (p < 0.05), whereas C2 showed an intermediate one. Does housed in the combi cage (C2) had higher (p < 0.05) receptivity and fertility rates and higher numbers of kits born alive and at weaning (79.2% and 76.2%; 7.95 and 7.20, respectively) than the C1 group, but lower values (p < 0.05) than does that were individually housed.
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14
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Lewis RJ. Subordination signals improve the quality of social relationships in Verreaux's Sifaka: Implications for the evolution of power structures and social complexity. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 169:599-607. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J. Lewis
- Department of Anthropology; University of Texas-Austin; Austin Texas
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15
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Smith LA, Swain DL, Innocent GT, Nevison I, Hutchings MR. Considering appropriate replication in the design of animal social network studies. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7208. [PMID: 31076637 PMCID: PMC6510932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43764-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network analysis has increasingly been considered a useful tool to interpret the complexity of animal social relationships. However, group composition can affect the contact structure of the network resulting in variation between networks. Replication in contact network studies is rarely done but enables determination of possible variation in response across networks. Here we explore the importance of between-group variability in social behaviour and the impact of replication on hypothesis testing. We use an exemplar study of social contact data collected from six replicated networks of cattle before and after the application of a social disturbance treatment. In this replicated study, subtle but consistent changes in animal contact patterns were detected after the application of a social disturbance treatment. We then quantify both within- and between-group variation in this study and explore the importance of varying the number of replicates and the number of individuals within each network, on the precision of the differences in treatment effects for the contact behaviour of the resident cattle. The analysis demonstrates that reducing the number of networks observed in the study would reduce the probability of detecting treatment differences for social behaviours even if the total number of animals was kept the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley A Smith
- Disease Systems, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK.
| | - Dave L Swain
- School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia
| | - Giles T Innocent
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), The King's Buildings, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Ian Nevison
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), The King's Buildings, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
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16
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17
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Aureli F, Schino G. Social complexity from within: how individuals experience the structure and organization of their groups. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2604-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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18
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de Bruin PR, Ganswindt A, Laver P, le Roux A. Friendly foxes: the relationship between steroid hormones and social behaviour in a monogamous African canid. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. R. de Bruin
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science Mammalian Cognition Research Group University of the Free State ‐ Qwaqwa Campus Phuthaditjhaba South Africa
| | - A. Ganswindt
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology Faculty of Veterinary Science Endocrine Research Laboratory University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - P. Laver
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology Faculty of Veterinary Science Endocrine Research Laboratory University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - A. le Roux
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science Mammalian Cognition Research Group University of the Free State ‐ Qwaqwa Campus Phuthaditjhaba South Africa
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19
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Teunissen N, Kingma SA, Hall ML, Hidalgo Aranzamendi N, Komdeur J, Peters A. More than kin: subordinates foster strong bonds with relatives and potential mates in a social bird. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Niki Teunissen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Michelle L Hall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Radolfzell, Germany
| | | | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Koyama NF, Ronkainen K, Aureli F. Durability and flexibility of chimpanzee grooming patterns during a period of dominance instability. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola F. Koyama
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology; Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool United Kingdom
| | - Kirsty Ronkainen
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology; Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool United Kingdom
- Berkshire College of Agriculture; Maidenhead United Kingdom
| | - Filippo Aureli
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology; Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool United Kingdom
- Instituto de Neuroetologia; Universidad Veracruzana; Xalapa Mexico
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Sosa S, Zhang P, Cabanes G. Social networks dynamics revealed by temporal analysis: An example in a non-human primate (Macaca sylvanus) in "La Forêt des Singes". Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [PMID: 28464245 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This study applied a temporal social network analysis model to describe three affiliative social networks (allogrooming, sleep in contact, and triadic interaction) in a non-human primate species, Macaca sylvanus. Three main social mechanisms were examined to determine interactional patterns among group members, namely preferential attachment (i.e., highly connected individuals are more likely to form new connections), triadic closure (new connections occur via previous close connections), and homophily (individuals interact preferably with others with similar attributes). Preferential attachment was only observed for triadic interaction network. Triadic closure was significant in allogrooming and triadic interaction networks. Finally, gender homophily was seasonal for allogrooming and sleep in contact networks, and observed in each period for triadic interaction network. These individual-based behaviors are based on individual reactions, and their analysis can shed light on the formation of the affiliative networks determining ultimate coalition networks, and how these networks may evolve over time. A focus on individual behaviors is necessary for a global interactional approach to understanding social behavior rules and strategies. When combined, these social processes could make animal social networks more resilient, thus enabling them to face drastic environmental changes. This is the first study to pinpoint some of the processes underlying the formation of a social structure in a non-human primate species, and identify common mechanisms with humans. The approach used in this study provides an ideal tool for further research seeking to answer long-standing questions about social network dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sosa
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guénaël Cabanes
- Université Paris XIII, Institut Galilée, Villetaneuse, France
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22
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Monks JM, O'Donnell CFJ. Social implications of a colony collapse in a highly structured vertebrate species (long-tailed bat, Chalinolobus tuberculatus
). Anim Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Monks
- Science and Policy Group; Department of Conservation; P O Box 5244 Dunedin New Zealand
| | - C. F. J. O'Donnell
- Science and Policy Group; Department of Conservation; Private Bag 4715; Christchurch Mail Centre; Christchurch New Zealand
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23
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McCowan B, Beisner B, Bliss-Moreau E, Vandeleest J, Jin J, Hannibal D, Hsieh F. Connections Matter: Social Networks and Lifespan Health in Primate Translational Models. Front Psychol 2016; 7:433. [PMID: 27148103 PMCID: PMC4841009 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans live in societies full of rich and complex relationships that influence health. The ability to improve human health requires a detailed understanding of the complex interplay of biological systems that contribute to disease processes, including the mechanisms underlying the influence of social contexts on these biological systems. A longitudinal computational systems science approach provides methods uniquely suited to elucidate the mechanisms by which social systems influence health and well-being by investigating how they modulate the interplay among biological systems across the lifespan. In the present report, we argue that nonhuman primate social systems are sufficiently complex to serve as model systems allowing for the development and refinement of both analytical and theoretical frameworks linking social life to health. Ultimately, developing systems science frameworks in nonhuman primate models will speed discovery of the mechanisms that subserve the relationship between social life and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Brianne Beisner
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Vandeleest
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Jian Jin
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis Davis, CA, USA
| | - Darcy Hannibal
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, DavisDavis, CA, USA
| | - Fushing Hsieh
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis Davis, CA, USA
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24
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Faughn C, Marrus N, Shuman J, Ross SR, Constantino JN, Pruett JR, Povinelli DJ. Brief Report: Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS) Detects Individual Variation in Social Responsiveness for Captive Chimpanzees. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 45:1483-8. [PMID: 25312279 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2273-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Comparative studies of social responsiveness, a core impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), will enhance our understanding of typical and atypical social behavior. We previously reported a quantitative, cross-species (human-chimpanzee) social responsiveness measure, which included the development of the Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS). Here, we augment our prior CSRS sample with 25 zoo chimpanzees at three sites: combined N = 54. The CSRS demonstrated strong interrater reliability, and low-ranked chimpanzees, on average, displayed higher CSRS scores. The CSRS continues to discriminate variation in chimpanzee social responsiveness, and the association of higher scores with lower chimpanzee social standing has implications for the relationship between autistic traits and human social status. Continued comparative investigations of social responsiveness will enhance our understanding of underlying impairments in ASD, improve early diagnosis, and inform future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley Faughn
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, USA,
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25
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Ligocki IY, Earley RL, Hellmann JK, Hamilton IM. Variation in glucocorticoid levels in relation to direct and third-party interactions in a social cichlid fish. Physiol Behav 2015; 151:386-94. [PMID: 26255122 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In complex animal societies, direct interactions between group members can influence the behavior and glucocorticoid levels of individuals involved. Recently, it has become apparent that third-party group members can influence dyadic interactions, and vice versa. Thus, glucocorticoid levels may vary depending on interactions of other members of the social group. Using the social cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher, we examined the relationship between levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol in subordinate females and 1) direct interactions with dominant group members, as well as 2) dyadic interactions between the dominant male and female, in which the subordinate female was not directly involved. Subordinate females that frequently engaged in non-aggressive interactions with dominant females had lower cortisol levels. There was no relationship between subordinate female cortisol and agonistic interactions between the subordinate female and either dominant. Subordinate females had higher cortisol levels when in groups in which the dominant breeding pair behaved agonistically towards each other and performed fewer courtship behaviors. For subordinate females in this species, variation in cortisol levels is associated with their own affiliative behavior, but also can be explained by the broader social context of interactions between dominant members of the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Caubet Y, Richard FJ. NEIGHBOUR-IN: Image processing software for spatial analysis of animal grouping. Zookeys 2015; 515:173-89. [PMID: 26261448 PMCID: PMC4525043 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.515.9390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal grouping is a very complex process that occurs in many species, involving many individuals under the influence of different mechanisms. To investigate this process, we have created an image processing software, called NEIGHBOUR-IN, designed to analyse individuals' coordinates belonging to up to three different groups. The software also includes statistical analysis and indexes to discriminate aggregates based on spatial localisation of individuals and their neighbours. After the description of the software, the indexes computed by the software are illustrated using both artificial patterns and case studies using the spatial distribution of woodlice. The added strengths of this software and methods are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Caubet
- Université de Poitiers - Faculté des Sciences, UMR CNRS 7267 EBI – “Écologie, Évolution, Symbiose”, Bat. B8-B35; 6, rue Michel Brunet, TSA 51106, F-86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
| | - Freddie-Jeanne Richard
- Université de Poitiers - Faculté des Sciences, UMR CNRS 7267 EBI – “Écologie, Évolution, Symbiose”, Bat. B8-B35; 6, rue Michel Brunet, TSA 51106, F-86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
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27
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Gardner MG, Pearson SK, Johnston GR, Schwarz MP. Group living in squamate reptiles: a review of evidence for stable aggregations. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:925-936. [PMID: 26052742 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
How sociality evolves and is maintained remains a key question in evolutionary biology. Most studies to date have focused on insects, birds, and mammals but data from a wider range of taxonomic groups are essential to identify general patterns and processes. The extent of social behaviour among squamate reptiles is under-appreciated, yet they are a promising group for further studies. Living in aggregations is posited as an important step in the evolution of more complex sociality. We review data on aggregations among squamates and find evidence for some form of aggregations in 94 species across 22 families. Of these, 18 species across 7 families exhibited 'stable' aggregations that entail overlapping home ranges and stable membership in long-term (years) or seasonal aggregations. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that stable aggregations have evolved multiple times in squamates. We: (i) identify significant gaps in our understanding; (ii) outline key traits which should be the focus of future research; and (iii) outline the potential for utilising reproductive skew theory to provide insights into squamate sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Gardner
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, Australia. .,South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000, Australia.
| | - Sarah K Pearson
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Gregory R Johnston
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, Australia.,South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000, Australia
| | - Michael P Schwarz
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
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Abstract
Social conflict is mostly studied in relation to aggression. A more integral approach, including aggressive and affiliative behaviour as well as physiology, may however give a better understanding of the animals' experience during social conflict. The experience of social conflict may also be reflected in the spatial distribution between conspecifics. The objective was to assess the relationship between behaviour, physiology, and spatial integration in pigs (Sus scrofa) during social conflict. Hereto, 64 groups of pigs (9 wk of age) were studied in a 24 h regrouping test whereby pairs of familiar pigs were grouped with 2 unfamiliar pairs, in either barren or straw-enriched housing. Data on aggressive and affiliative behaviour, skin lesions, body weight, and haptoglobin could be summarized into three principal component analysis factors. These three factors were analysed in relation to spatial integration, i.e. inter-individual distances and lying in body contact. Pigs stayed up to 24 h after encounter in closer proximity to the familiar pig than to unfamiliar pigs. Pigs with a high factor 1 score were more inactive, gave little social nosing, had many skin lesions and a high body weight. They tended to space further away from the familiar pig (b = 1.9 cm; P = 0.08) and unfamiliar ones (b = 0.7 cm; P = 0.05). Pigs that were involved in much aggression (factor 2), and that had a strong increase in haptoglobin (factor 3), tended to be relatively most far away from unfamiliar pigs (b = 0.03 times further; P = 0.08). Results on lying in body contact were coherent with results on distances. Pigs in enriched housing spaced further apart than pigs in barren housing (P<0.001). The combined analysis of measures revealed animals that may either promote or slow down group cohesion, which may not have become clear from single parameters. This emphasizes the importance of an integral approach to social conflict.
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29
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Cordoni G, Norscia I. Peace-making in marsupials: the first study in the red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus). PLoS One 2014; 9:e86859. [PMID: 24489796 PMCID: PMC3906073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The issue of reconciliation has been widely investigated in many eutherian mammal species. Nevertheless, no data are available for marsupial mammals. Indeed, the majority of reports focus on group dynamics from an ecological and reproductive perspective, but no study has investigated them from a social point of view. We observed the red-necked wallaby colony (Macropus rufogriseus) hosted at the Tierparc Zoo Berlin (Germany) and collected data on aggressive and post-conflict interactions between group members. We found that the phenomenon of reconciliation is present in the study species (mean group CCT 27.40% ± 8.89% SE). Therefore, we demonstrated, for the first time, the occurrence of reconciliation in a gregarious marsupial mammal. Post-conflict reunion was not affected by the relationship quality between individuals (friendship or kinship) but it was fine-tuned according to the aggression intensity. For example, low intensity conflicts were reconciled whereas high intensity ones were not. Reconciliation reduced anxiety-related scratching in both of the former opponents and limited further attacks towards the victim during the post-conflict period. These findings suggest that the red-necked wallaby, like many eutherian species, can evaluate the costs of reconciliation and engage in peace-making behavior in the right contexts, in order to maximize its pay-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Cordoni
- Museo di Storia Naturale - University of Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Museo di Storia Naturale - University of Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
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31
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Vanden Hole C, Van Daele PA, Desmet N, Devos P, Adriaens D. Does sociality imply a complex vocal communication system? A case study forFukomys micklemi(Bathyergidae, Rodentia). BIOACOUSTICS 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2013.841085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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32
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Kilgour R, Faure P, Brigham R. Evidence of social preferences in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Among social species, iterative interactions may lead to social preferences among group-mates and often are associated with increased mating opportunities or improved indirect fitness benefits. Although preferential associations have been documented in multiple species, this phenomenon has never been empirically studied in bats—the second largest order of mammals, where many of the 1200+ species live in groups of tens to hundreds of individuals. Given the current understanding of the social behaviour exhibited in this species, we explored the possibility that adult female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus (Beauvois, 1796)) show preferential association between group-mates using a pairwise choice design with individuals from a captive colony. Focal individuals were placed in a Y-maze and were given free choice of two familiar conspecifics. We measured the time focal individuals spent in close proximity to each conspecific. Our results indicate that some bats exhibit preferential association between group-mates, as multiple individuals spent significantly more time in close proximity to one conspecific versus another, despite randomizing the position of stimulus bats between trials. Given the frequent and long-term associations between group members of this species, social preferences could play a significant role in the outcomes of their long-term fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.J. Kilgour
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - P.A. Faure
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - R.M. Brigham
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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Patriquin KJ, Palstra F, Leonard ML, Broders HG. Female northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) that roost together are related. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Abstract
Although rabbit does are generally single housed on rabbit farms worldwide, it has been suggested by some specialists and recommendation of organic rabbit production systems that group housing of does is more comfortable and similar to the living conditions of the European wild rabbits. The aim of this experiment was to compare production of single-caged (S) and group-housed does (G). The S does were housed in commercial rabbit cages (floor area 0.32 m(2) and 0.3 m high). In treatment G, four does and one buck were housed in four pens measuring 7.7 m(2) (half of the floor was deep litter and the other half was plastic slat), with four nest boxes in each pen (n = 16). In treatment S, approximately half of the does (n = 18) were inseminated 2 days after kindling (S-33), whereas in the remaining does (n = 16) AI was done 11 days after kindling (S-42). A single-batch system (all of the does in the group were inseminated on the same day) was used in both S treatments. Kindling rates were 77.6%, 85.2% and 45.6% in treatments S-33, S-42 and G, respectively (P < 0.05). During the experiment, the percentage of does that kindled 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 times were 17%, 25%, 17%, 25%, 17% and 0% (G); 0%, 0%, 0%, 8%, 69% and 23% (S-33); and 0%, 0%, 17%, 58% and 25% (S-42, in this treatment does had a maximum of four kindlings). There were no significant differences among treatments for litter size. In treatments S-33, S-42 and G, suckling mortality was 14.0%, 15.2% and 38.5%, respectively (P < 0.001); survival of does was 71%, 81% and 50% (P = 0.084); and faecal corticosterone concentrations were 61, 54 and 175 nmol/g (P < 0.001). The high mortality of kits was associated with stress and aggressive behaviour of does, including scratching, biting or killing the kits, which resulted in the high rates of mortality and culling, as well as shorter lifespan of does. Because of high stress, increased mortality and morbidity, and low productivity, group housing of rabbit does resulted in poorer animal welfare and increased production costs, and therefore is not recommended.
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Andino N, Reus L, Cappa FM, Campos VE, Giannoni SM. Social Environment and Agonistic Interactions: Strategies in a Small Social Mammal. Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01956.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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39
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Szendrő Z, Dalle Zotte A. Effect of housing conditions on production and behaviour of growing meat rabbits: A review. Livest Sci 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2010.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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40
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Smith JE, Powning KS, Dawes SE, Estrada JR, Hopper AL, Piotrowski SL, Holekamp KE. Greetings promote cooperation and reinforce social bonds among spotted hyaenas. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Peter Kappeler (ed): Animal behaviour: evolution and mechanisms. Primates 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-010-0216-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
The quality of a social relationship represents the history of past social interactions between two individuals, from which the nature and outcome of future interactions can be predicted. Current theory predicts that relationship quality comprises three separate components, its value, compatibility and security. This study is the first to investigate the components of relationship quality in a large-brained bird. Following methods recently used to obtain quantitative measures of each relationship quality component in chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, we entered data on seven behavioural variables from a group of 11 ravens, Corvus corax, into a principal components analysis. The characteristics of the extracted components matched those predicted for value, compatibility and security, and were labelled as such. When the effects of kinship and sex combination on each relationship quality component were analysed, we found that kin had more valuable relationships, whereas females had less secure and compatible relationships, although the effect of sex combination on compatibility only applied to nonkin. These patterns are consistent with what little knowledge we have of raven relationships from aviary studies and show that the components of relationship quality in ravens may indeed be analogous to those in chimpanzees.
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