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George AJ, Rose PE. Wing condition does not negatively impact time budget, enclosure usage, or social bonds in a flock of both full-winged and flight-restrained greater flamingos. Zoo Biol 2023; 42:766-779. [PMID: 37350422 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Zoo management techniques for captive birds, such as flight restraint and enclosure type, may affect behavioral performance and are consequently worthy of investigation. Flamingos are amongst the most popular of zoo-housed birds and, as such, research into their captive management and associated behavioral responses are widely applicable to many thousands of individuals. As a highly social species, understanding social bonds and behavior of the individual bird and the flock overall can help inform decisions that support husbandry and population management. In this project, 41 greater flamingos at Bristol Zoo Gardens were observed for 49 days across spring and summer 2013 to assess the following: (i) social associations within the flock, (ii) overall activity patterns, and (iii) distribution of time within specific enclosure zones for both full-winged and flight-restrained birds living in the same enclosure. Results showed that pinioning interacted with age in regard to flamingo time-activity patterns, but wing condition did not significantly influence association patterns, performance of social interactions, or performance of breeding behavior. Social network analysis revealed that associations were nonrandom and flamingos, of either wing condition, displayed different roles within the network. Birds of similar age formed the strongest bonds. Enclosure usage was not even, suggesting that the flamingos favored specific areas of the enclosure during the observation period. This study showed that wing condition does not affect flamingo behavior, social bonds, or space use, and that age and sex have more of an overall influence on what flamingos do, and with whom they chose to do it. Further research should extend this study into other, larger captive flocks to further refine behavioral measures of welfare for these popular zoo birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J George
- Bridgwater & Taunton College, Cannington Campus, Bridgwater, UK
| | - Paul E Rose
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psycholog, University of Exeter, Devon, UK
- WWT, Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Slimbridge, UK
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2
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Carlesso D, McNab JM, Lustri CJ, Garnier S, Reid CR. A simple mechanism for collective decision-making in the absence of payoff information. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216217120. [PMID: 37428910 PMCID: PMC10629567 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216217120] [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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals are often faced with time-critical decisions without prior information about their actions' outcomes. In such scenarios, individuals budget their investment into the task to cut their losses in case of an adverse outcome. In animal groups, this may be challenging because group members can only access local information, and consensus can only be achieved through distributed interactions among individuals. Here, we combined experimental analyses with theoretical modeling to investigate how groups modulate their investment into tasks in uncertain conditions. Workers of the arboreal weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina form three-dimensional chains using their own bodies to bridge vertical gaps between existing trails and new areas to explore. The cost of a chain increases with its length because ants participating in the structure are prevented from performing other tasks. The payoffs of chain formation, however, remain unknown to the ants until the chain is complete and they can explore the new area. We demonstrate that weaver ants cap their investment into chains, and do not form complete chains when the gap is taller than 90 mm. We show that individual ants budget the time they spend in chains depending on their distance to the ground, and propose a distance-based model of chain formation that explains the emergence of this tradeoff without the need to invoke complex cognition. Our study provides insights into the proximate mechanisms that lead individuals to engage (or not) in collective actions and furthers our knowledge of how decentralized groups make adaptive decisions in uncertain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Carlesso
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Justin M. McNab
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Lustri
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW2006, Australia
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Simon Garnier
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ07102
| | - Chris R. Reid
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW2109, Australia
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3
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Ishizuka S, Inoue E. Sex-Specific Effects of Juvenile Offspring on their Mothers’ Social Relationships with Other Females in Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) on Shodoshima Island. INT J PRIMATOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-023-00355-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
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4
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Temporal variation in the behaviour of a cooperatively breeding bird, Jungle Babbler (Argya striata). Trop Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42965-022-00254-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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5
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Kluiver CE, de Jong JA, Massen JJM, Bhattacharjee D. Personality as a Predictor of Time-Activity Budget in Lion-Tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12121495. [PMID: 35739832 PMCID: PMC9219468 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Time-activity budgets describe how animals divide their day into various behaviours and activities, e.g., time spent foraging or resting. Activity budgets can serve as crucial indicators of energy intake and expenditure, providing better knowledge of a species’ lifestyle. The conventional trend has been to explore group-level time-activity budgets; however, individuals may also vary in their time-activity budgets (e.g., one individual foraging more than another), with the influencing mechanisms still poorly understood. We propose that animal personality, a behavioural and cognitive profile that makes one individual different from another, may explain why individuals vary in their time-activity budgets. We used a multi-method approach comprised of behavioural observations and experiments to assess the personality traits of lion-tailed macaques. The observed traits were used to predict individual time-activity budgets, broadly categorised into food-related, active, and resting behaviours. We then discuss the significance of this novel approach in light of lion-tailed macaque ecology, conservation, and welfare. Abstract Time-activity budget, i.e., how a population or an individual divides their day into various behaviours and activities, is an important ecological aspect. Existing research primarily focused on group-level time-activity budgets, while individual variations have only been reported recently. However, little is known about how consistent inter-individual differences or personalities influence time-activity budgets. We examined the personalities of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) and investigated their influence on individual time-activity budgets. The resulting personality traits, namely persistence, sociability, affiliation, and anxiety, were used to predict the three broad categories of the time-activity budget—food-related, active, and resting behaviours. We found that persistence and sociability positively predicted the time spent being active. Food-related behaviours were positively predicted by persistence, while anxiety was found to influence them negatively. The time spent resting was negatively predicted by persistence. We did not find an effect of affiliation on the time-activity budgets. We discuss these findings in light of the ecology of lion-tailed macaques. Our study highlights the importance of a novel approach that uses animal personality traits as predictors of individual time-activity budgets and offers insights regarding the use of personality assessments in conservation and welfare activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E. Kluiver
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.E.K.); (J.J.M.M.)
| | - Jolanda A. de Jong
- Department of Applied Biology, Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Arboretum West 98, 1325 WB Almere, The Netherlands;
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.E.K.); (J.J.M.M.)
| | - Debottam Bhattacharjee
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (C.E.K.); (J.J.M.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-30-253-2550
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6
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Mixture models as a method for comparative sociality: social networks and demographic change in resident killer whales. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In studies of social behaviour, social bonds are usually inferred from rates of interaction or association. This approach has revealed many important insights into the proximate formation and ultimate function of animal social structures. However, it remains challenging to compare social structure between systems or time-points because extrinsic factors, such as sampling methodology, can also influence the observed rate of association. As a consequence of these methodological challenges, it is difficult to analyse how patterns of social association change with demographic processes, such as the death of key social partners. Here we develop and illustrate the use of binomial mixture models to quantitatively compare patterns of social association between networks. We then use this method to investigate how patterns of social preferences in killer whales respond to demographic change. Resident killer whales are bisexually philopatric, and both sexes stay in close association with their mother in adulthood. We show that mothers and daughters show reduced social association after the birth of the daughter’s first offspring, but not after the birth of an offspring to the mother. We also show that whales whose mother is dead associate more with their opposite sex siblings and with their grandmother than whales whose mother is alive. Our work demonstrates the utility of using mixture models to compare social preferences between networks and between species. We also highlight other potential uses of this method such as to identify strong social bonds in animal populations.
Significance statement
Comparing patters of social associations between systems, or between the same systems at different times, is challenging due to the confounding effects of sampling and methodological differences. Here we present a method to allow social associations to be robustly classified and then compared between networks using binomial mixture models. We illustrate this method by showing how killer whales change their patterns of social association in response to the birth of calves and the death of their mother. We show that after the birth of her calf, females associate less with their mother. We also show that whales’ whose mother is dead associate more with their opposite sex siblings and grandmothers than whales’ whose mother is alive. This clearly demonstrates how this method can be used to examine fine scale temporal processes in animal social systems.
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7
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Davidian E, Wachter B, Heckmann I, Dehnhard M, Hofer H, Höner OP. The interplay between social rank, physiological constraints and investment in courtship in male spotted hyenas. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eve Davidian
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Bettina Wachter
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Martin Dehnhard
- Department of Reproduction Biology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
- Department of Veterinary Medicine Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Oliver P. Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
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8
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Giles SL, Harris P, Rands SA, Nicol CJ. Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10305. [PMID: 33240636 PMCID: PMC7659649 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual animals experience different costs and benefits associated with group living, which may impact on their foraging efficiency in ways not yet well specified. This study investigated associations between social dominance, body condition and interruptions to foraging behaviour in a cross-sectional study of 116 domestic horses and ponies, kept in 20 discrete herds. Social dominance was measured for each individual alongside observations of winter foraging behaviour. During bouts of foraging, the duration, frequency and category (vigilance, movement, social displacements given and received, scratching and startle responses) of interruptions were recorded, with total interruption time taken as a proxy measure of foraging efficiency. Total foraging time was not influenced by body condition or social dominance. Body condition was associated with social dominance, but more strongly associated with foraging efficiency. Specifically, lower body condition was associated with greater vigilance. This demonstrates that factors other than social dominance can result in stable differences in winter body condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Giles
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, North Somerset, UK
| | - Pat Harris
- Equine Studies Group, WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Sean A Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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9
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O'Bryan LR, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, Wilson ML. Unpacking chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) patch use: Do individuals respond to food patches as predicted by the marginal value theorem? Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23208. [PMID: 33118192 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The marginal value theorem is an optimal foraging model that predicts how efficient foragers should respond to both their ecological and social environments when foraging in food patches, and it has strongly influenced hypotheses for primate behavior. Nevertheless, experimental tests of the marginal value theorem have been rare in primates and observational studies have provided conflicting support. As a step towards filling this gap, we test whether the foraging decisions of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) adhere to the assumptions and qualitative predictions of the marginal value theorem. We presented 12 adult chimpanzees with a two-patch foraging environment consisting of both low-quality (i.e., low-food density) and high-quality (i.e., high-food density) patches and examined the effect of patch quality on their search behavior, foraging duration, marginal capture rate, and its proxy measures: giving-up density and giving-up time. Chimpanzees foraged longer in high-quality patches, as predicted. In contrast to predictions, they did not depress high-quality patches as thoroughly as low-quality patches. Furthermore, since chimpanzees searched in a manner that fell between systematic and random, their intake rates did not decline at a steady rate over time, especially in high-quality patches, violating an assumption of the marginal value theorem. Our study provides evidence that chimpanzees are sensitive to their rate of energy intake and that their foraging durations correlate with patch quality, supporting many assumptions underlying primate foraging and social behavior. However, our results question whether the marginal value theorem is a constructive model of chimpanzee foraging behavior, and we suggest a Bayesian foraging framework (i.e., combining past foraging experiences with current patch sampling information) as a potential alternative. More work is needed to build an understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying primate foraging decisions, especially in more complex socioecological environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R O'Bryan
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Susan P Lambeth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
| | - Michael L Wilson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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10
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Canteloup C, Borgeaud C, Wubs M, Waal E. The effect of social and ecological factors on the time budget of wild vervet monkeys. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Canteloup
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
- Inkawu Vervet Project Mawana Game Reserve KwaZulu Natal South Africa
| | - Christèle Borgeaud
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
- Inkawu Vervet Project Mawana Game Reserve KwaZulu Natal South Africa
| | - Matthias Wubs
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Erica Waal
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
- Inkawu Vervet Project Mawana Game Reserve KwaZulu Natal South Africa
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11
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Gentry KE, Roche DP, Mugel SG, Lancaster ND, Sieving KE, Freeberg TM, Lucas JR. Flocking propensity by satellites, but not core members of mixed-species flocks, increases when individuals experience energetic deficits in a poor-quality foraging habitat. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209680. [PMID: 30625186 PMCID: PMC6326460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed-species bird flocks are complex social systems comprising core and satellite members. Flocking species are sensitive to habitat disturbance, but we are only beginning to understand how species-specific responses to habitat disturbance affect interspecific associations in these flocks. Here we demonstrate the effects of human-induced habitat disturbance on flocking species' behavior, demography, and individual condition within a remnant network of temperate deciduous forest patches in Indiana, USA. Specifically, we characterized the following properties of two core species, Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), across a secondary-forest disturbance gradient: foraging time budgets, home range size, fat scores, fledgling counts, survival rates, and abundance. We also report fat scores for two satellite species that flock with the core study species: white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) and downy woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens). Finally, we assess mixed-species flock sizes and composition, in addition to avian predator call rates, across the disturbance gradient. Foraging time budgets and home range size were highest and fat scores were lowest for core species in the most-disturbed site. Fat scores of two satellite species followed the same pattern. Additionally, the number of tufted titmice fledglings and winter survival rate of Carolina chickadees were lowest at the most-disturbed site. These results suggest that core species in the most-disturbed site experienced energetic deficits. Moreover, cumulative calling rate of raptors was lowest at the most-disturbed site, and none of the individual raptor species call rates were higher at the most-disturbed site-suggesting that perception of predation risk does not contribute to these patterns. Surprisingly, the satellites continued associating with mixed species flocks through the breeding season at the most-disturbed site. Total flock size and interspecific association patterns were otherwise consistent across the gradient. The fact that satellites continued to flock with core species during the breeding season suggests foraging niche expansion resulting from mixed-species flocking is important in disturbed sites even beyond the winter season. Our study reveals mechanisms underlying flock composition of birds surviving in remnant forest and links the mechanisms to degradation of foraging habitat. These findings offer important insight into the relative impact potential of forest disturbance on mixed-species flocks in the North Temperate Zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E. Gentry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Roche
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Stephen G. Mugel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Nolan D. Lancaster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kathryn E. Sieving
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey R. Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
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12
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Dunbar RIM, Cheyne SM, Lan D, Korstjens A, Lehmann J, Cowlishaw G. Environment and time as constraints on the biogeographical distribution of gibbons. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e22940. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan M. Cheyne
- Borneo Nature Foundation; Palangka Raya; Indonesia & Oxford Brookes University; Oxford UK
| | - Daoying Lan
- Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources; Guangzhou China
| | - Amanda Korstjens
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences; Bournemouth University; Poole UK
| | - Julia Lehmann
- Department of Life Science; University of Roehampton; London UK
| | - Guy Cowlishaw
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
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13
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Korstjens AH, Lehmann J, Dunbar RIM. Time Constraints Do Not Limit Group Size in Arboreal Guenons but Do Explain Community Size and Distribution Patterns. INT J PRIMATOL 2018; 39:511-531. [PMID: 30369685 PMCID: PMC6182722 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-018-0048-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
To understand how species will respond to environmental changes, it is important to know how those changes will affect the ecological stress that animals experience. Time constraints can be used as indicators of ecological stress. Here we test whether time constraints can help us understand group sizes, distribution patterns, and community sizes of forest guenons (Cercopithecus/Allochrocebus). Forest guenons typically live in small to medium sized one-male-multifemale groups and often live in communities with multiple forest guenon species. We developed a time-budget model using published data on time budgets, diets, body sizes, climate, and group sizes to predict maximum ecologically tolerable group and community sizes of forest guenons across 202 sub-Saharan African locations. The model correctly predicted presence/absence at 83% of these locations. Feeding-foraging time (an indicator of competition) limited group sizes, while resting and moving time constraints shaped guenon biogeography. Predicted group sizes were greater than observed group sizes but comparable to community sizes, suggesting community sizes are set by competition among guenon individuals irrespective of species. We conclude that time constraints and intraspecific competition are unlikely to be the main determinants of relatively small group sizes in forest guenons. Body mass was negatively correlated with moving time, which may give larger bodied species an advantage over smaller bodied species under future conditions when greater fragmentation of forests is likely to lead to increased moving time. Resting time heavily depended on leaf consumption and is likely to increase under future climatic conditions when leaf quality is expected to decrease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda H. Korstjens
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, BH14 5BB UK
| | - Julia Lehmann
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, SW15 5PJ UK
| | - R. I. M. Dunbar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3UD UK
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14
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Rangel-Negrín A, Coyohua-Fuentes A, Canales-Espinosa D, Dias PAD. The Influence of Leaf Consumption on Time Allocation in Black Howler Monkeys (Alouatta pigra). Folia Primatol (Basel) 2018. [PMID: 29514166 DOI: 10.1159/000486414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of factors that determine variation in time budgets is important to understand the interactions between environment, behaviour and fitness. We tested the hypothesis that changes in the dietary patterns of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) caused by a decrease in the availability of preferred foods are a main determinant of variation in time budgets. We predicted that individuals would trade off travel time for resting time (i.e., minimize energy expenditure) as the diet included more leaves. We conducted our study in the Mexican state of Campeche between 2005 and 2008, where we studied the behaviour of 28 adult males and 32 adult females belonging to 14 different groups for a total of 3,747.2 focal sampling hours. Study groups lived in forest fragments with variation in habitat quality. Individuals showed different rest:travel trade-offs in response to leaf consumption according to the quality of the forest fragments they lived in. Individuals that lived in high-quality fragments increased resting time under more folivorous regimes, whereas those living in low-quality fragments increased travel time. Our results suggest that howler monkeys living in low-quality fragments spend more time foraging to compensate for the low quality of the available resources.
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15
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Killen SS, Esbaugh AJ, F. Martins N, Tadeu Rantin F, McKenzie DJ, Farine D. Aggression supersedes individual oxygen demand to drive group air-breathing in a social catfish. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:223-234. [PMID: 28940526 PMCID: PMC5765462 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Group-living is widespread among animals and comes with numerous costs and benefits. To date, research examining group-living has focused on trade-offs surrounding foraging, while other forms of resource acquisition have been largely overlooked. Air-breathing has evolved in many fish lineages, allowing animals to obtain oxygen in hypoxic aquatic environments. Breathing air increases the threat of predation, so some species perform group air-breathing, to reduce individual risk. Within species, individual air-breathing can be influenced by metabolic rate as well as personality, but the mechanisms of group air-breathing remain unexplored. It is conceivable that keystone individuals with high metabolic demand or intrinsic tendency to breathe air may drive social breathing, especially in hypoxia. We examined social air-breathing in African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus, to determine whether individual physiological traits and spontaneous tendency to breathe air influence the behaviour of entire groups, and whether such influences vary in relation to aquatic oxygen availability. We studied 11 groups of four catfish in a laboratory arena and recorded air-breathing behaviour, activity and agonistic interactions at varying levels of hypoxia. Bimodal respirometry was used to estimate individual standard metabolic rate (SMR) and the tendency to utilize aerial oxygen when alone. Fish took more air breaths in groups as compared to when they were alone, regardless of water oxygen content, and displayed temporally clustered air-breathing behaviour, consistent with existing definitions of synchronous air-breathing. However, groups displayed tremendous variability in surfacing behaviour. Aggression by dominant individuals within groups was the main factor influencing air-breathing of the entire group. There was no association between individual SMR, or the tendency to obtain oxygen from air when in isolation, and group air-breathing. For C. gariepinus, synchronous air-breathing is strongly influenced by agonistic interactions, which may expose subordinate individuals to risk of predation. Influential individuals exerted an overriding effect on risk-taking by the entire group, for reasons independent of their physiological oxygen requirements. Overall, this illustrates that social context can obscure interactions between an individual's physiological and behavioural traits and their tendency to take risks to obtain resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun S. Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineCollege of Medical, Veterinary and Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Andrew J. Esbaugh
- Department of Marine ScienceMarine Science InstituteUniversity of Texas at AustinPort AransasTXUSA
| | - Nicolas F. Martins
- Department of Physiological SciencesFederal University of São CarlosSão CarlosBrazil
| | - F. Tadeu Rantin
- Department of Physiological SciencesFederal University of São CarlosSão CarlosBrazil
| | - David J. McKenzie
- Department of Physiological SciencesFederal University of São CarlosSão CarlosBrazil
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and ConservationUMR9190 (IRD, Ifremer, UM, CNRS)Université MontpellierMontpellier Cedex 5France
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Isojunno S, Sadykova D, DeRuiter S, Curé C, Visser F, Thomas L, Miller PJO, Harris CM. Individual, ecological, and anthropogenic influences on activity budgets of long‐finned pilot whales. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S. Isojunno
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB UK
- Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM) The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY169LZ UK
| | - D. Sadykova
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences School of Biological Sciences University of Aberdeen Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University Belfast 97 Lisburn Road Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - S. DeRuiter
- Mathematics and Statistics Department Calvin College Grand Rapids Michigan 49546 USA
| | - C. Curé
- Cerema, DTer Est Acoustics Group F‐67035 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - F. Visser
- Kelp Marine Research Loniusstraat 9 1624 CJ Hoorn The Netherlands
- Behavioural Biology Institute of Biology Leiden University P.O. Box 9505 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands
| | - L. Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM) The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY169LZ UK
| | - P. J. O. Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB UK
| | - C. M. Harris
- Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM) The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY169LZ UK
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17
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Dorning J, Harris S. Dominance, gender, and season influence food patch use in a group-living, solitary foraging canid. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
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18
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McFarland R, Murphy D, Lusseau D, Henzi SP, Parker JL, Pollet TV, Barrett L. The ‘strength of weak ties’ among female baboons: fitness-related benefits of social bonds. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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19
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Quick NJ, Isojunno S, Sadykova D, Bowers M, Nowacek DP, Read AJ. Hidden Markov models reveal complexity in the diving behaviour of short-finned pilot whales. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45765. [PMID: 28361954 PMCID: PMC5374633 DOI: 10.1038/srep45765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Diving behaviour of short-finned pilot whales is often described by two states; deep foraging and shallow, non-foraging dives. However, this simple classification system ignores much of the variation that occurs during subsurface periods. We used multi-state hidden Markov models (HMM) to characterize states of diving behaviour and the transitions between states in short-finned pilot whales. We used three parameters (number of buzzes, maximum dive depth and duration) measured in 259 dives by digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) deployed on 20 individual whales off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA. The HMM identified a four-state model as the best descriptor of diving behaviour. The state-dependent distributions for the diving parameters showed variation between states, indicative of different diving behaviours. Transition probabilities were considerably higher for state persistence than state switching, indicating that dive types occurred in bouts. Our results indicate that subsurface behaviour in short-finned pilot whales is more complex than a simple dichotomy of deep and shallow diving states, and labelling all subsurface behaviour as deep dives or shallow dives discounts a significant amount of important variation. We discuss potential drivers of these patterns, including variation in foraging success, prey availability and selection, bathymetry, physiological constraints and socially mediated behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Quick
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516, USA
| | - Saana Isojunno
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Bute Building, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS UK
| | - Dina Sadykova
- Zoology School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Matthew Bowers
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516, USA
| | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516, USA.,Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Andrew J Read
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516, USA
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20
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Keesom SM, Finton CJ, Sell GL, Hurley LM. Early-Life Social Isolation Influences Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalizations during Male-Male Social Encounters. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169705. [PMID: 28056078 PMCID: PMC5215938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life social isolation has profound effects on adult social competence. This is often expressed as increased aggression or inappropriate displays of courtship-related behaviors. The social incompetence exhibited by isolated animals could be in part due to an altered ability to participate in communicatory exchanges. House mice (Mus musculus) present an excellent model for exploring this idea, because social isolation has a well-established influence on their social behavior, and mice engage in communication via multiple sensory modalities. Here, we tested the prediction that social isolation during early life would influence ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted by adult male mice during same-sex social encounters. Starting at three weeks of age, male mice were housed individually or in social groups of four males for five weeks, after which they were placed in one of three types of paired social encounters. Pair types consisted of: two individually housed males, two socially housed males, or an individually housed and a socially housed male (“mixed” pairs). Vocal behavior (USVs) and non-vocal behaviors were recorded from these 15-minute social interactions. Pairs of mice consisting of at least one individually housed male emitted more and longer USVs, with a greater proportional use of USVs containing frequency jumps and 50-kHz components. Individually housed males in the mixed social pairs exhibited increased levels of mounting behavior towards the socially housed males. Mounting in these pairs was positively correlated with increased number and duration of USVs as well as increased proportional use of spectrally more complex USVs. These findings demonstrate that USVs are part of the suite of social behaviors influenced by early-life social isolation, and suggest that altered vocal communication following isolation reflects reduced social competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Keesom
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Caitlyn J. Finton
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Gabrielle L. Sell
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Laura M. Hurley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
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21
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Visser F, Curé C, Kvadsheim PH, Lam FPA, Tyack PL, Miller PJO. Disturbance-specific social responses in long-finned pilot whales, Globicephala melas. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28641. [PMID: 27353529 PMCID: PMC4926103 DOI: 10.1038/srep28641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions among animals can influence their response to disturbance. We investigated responses of long-finned pilot whales to killer whale sound playbacks and two anthropogenic sources of disturbance: tagging effort and naval sonar exposure. The acoustic scene and diving behaviour of tagged individuals were recorded along with the social behaviour of their groups. All three disturbance types resulted in larger group sizes, increasing social cohesion during disturbance. However, the nature and magnitude of other responses differed between disturbance types. Tagging effort resulted in a clear increase in synchrony and a tendency to reduce surface logging and to become silent (21% of cases), whereas pilot whales increased surface resting during sonar exposure. Killer whale sounds elicited increased calling rates and the aggregation of multiple groups, which approached the sound source together. This behaviour appears to represent a mobbing response, a likely adaptive social defence against predators or competitors. All observed response-tactics would reduce risk of loss of group coordination, suggesting that, in social pilot whales, this could drive behavioural responses to disturbance. However, the behavioural means used to achieve social coordination depends upon other considerations, which are disturbance-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Visser
- Kelp Marine Research, Loniusstraat 9, 1624 CJ, Hoorn, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Biology Group, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, Leiden, 2300 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Curé
- CEREMA–DTer Est, Acoustics Group, F-67035, Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Petter H. Kvadsheim
- Norwegian Defence Research Establishment FFI, Maritime Systems Division, NO-3191, Horten, Norway
| | - Frans-Peter A. Lam
- Acoustics and Sonar, TNO, PO Box 96864, The Hague, 2509 JG, The Netherlands
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Patrick J. O. Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
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22
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Mirville MO, Kelley JL, Ridley AR. Group size and associative learning in the Australian magpie (Cracticus tibicen dorsalis). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2062-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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23
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Hidden Markov Models Capture Behavioral Responses to Suction-Cup Tag Deployment: A Functional State Approach to Behavioral Context. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015; 875:489-96. [PMID: 26610996 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2981-8_59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The biological consequences of behavioral responses to anthropogenic noise depend on context. We explore the links between individual motivation, condition, and external constraints in a concept model and illustrate the use of motivational-behavioral states as a means to quantify the biologically relevant effects of tagging. Behavioral states were estimated from multiple streams of data in a hidden Markov model and used to test the change in foraging effort and the change in energetic success or cost given the effort. The presence of a tag boat elicited a short-term reduction in time spent in foraging states but not for proxies for success or cost within foraging states.
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24
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Lehmann J, Majolo B, McFarland R. The effects of social network position on the survival of wild Barbary macaques,Macaca sylvanus. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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25
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Uccheddu S, Body G, Weladji RB, Holand Ø, Nieminen M. Foraging competition in larger groups overrides harassment avoidance benefits in female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Oecologia 2015; 179:711-8. [PMID: 26188521 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3392-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Male harassment toward females during the breeding season may have a negative effect on their reproductive success by disturbing their foraging activity, thereby inducing somatic costs. Accordingly, it is predicted that females will choose mates based on their ability to provide protection or will aggregate into large groups to dilute per capita harassment level. Conversely, increasing group size may also lead to a decrease in foraging activity by increasing foraging competition, but this effect has rarely been considered in mating tactic studies. This study examined the importance of two non-exclusive hypotheses in explaining the variations of the female activity budget during the breeding season: the male harassment hypothesis, and the female foraging competition hypothesis. We used focal observations of female activity from known mating groups collected during the breeding season from a long-term (15 years) study on reindeer Rangifer tarandus. We found that females were more disturbed (i.e., spent less time feeding) in the presence of young dominant males, and marginally disturbed in the presence of satellite males, which supports the male harassment hypothesis. We also found that female disturbance level increased with group size, being independent of the adult sex ratio. Consequently, these results rejected the dilution effect, but strongly supported the foraging competition hypothesis. This study therefore highlights a potential conflict in female behaviour. Indeed, any gains from harassment protection were negated by an increase of 6-7 females, since adult males lead larger groups than young males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Uccheddu
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Guillaume Body
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Robert B Weladji
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Øystein Holand
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Mauri Nieminen
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Reindeer Research Station, Kaamanen, Finland
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26
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Marshall HH, Carter AJ, Ashford A, Rowcliffe JM, Cowlishaw G. Social effects on foraging behavior and success depend on local environmental conditions. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:475-92. [PMID: 25691973 PMCID: PMC4314278 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In social groups, individuals' dominance rank, social bonds, and kinship with other group members have been shown to influence their foraging behavior. However, there is growing evidence that the particular effects of these social traits may also depend on local environmental conditions. We investigated this by comparing the foraging behavior of wild chacma baboons, Papio ursinus, under natural conditions and in a field experiment where food was spatially clumped. Data were collected from 55 animals across two troops over a 5-month period, including over 900 agonistic foraging interactions and over 600 food patch visits in each condition. In both conditions, low-ranked individuals received more agonism, but this only translated into reduced foraging performances for low-ranked individuals in the high-competition experimental conditions. Our results suggest one possible reason for this pattern may be low-ranked individuals strategically investing social effort to negotiate foraging tolerance, but the rank-offsetting effect of this investment being overwhelmed in the higher-competition experimental environment. Our results also suggest that individuals may use imbalances in their social bonds to negotiate tolerance from others under a wider range of environmental conditions, but utilize the overall strength of their social bonds in more extreme environments where feeding competition is more intense. These findings highlight that behavioral tactics such as the strategic investment of social effort may allow foragers to mitigate the costs of low rank, but that the effectiveness of these tactics is likely to be limited in certain environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry H Marshall
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonRegent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonSilwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of ExeterPenryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EF, U.K
| | - Alecia J Carter
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonRegent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National UniversityActon, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
| | - Alexandra Ashford
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonRegent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonSilwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
| | - J Marcus Rowcliffe
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonRegent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
| | - Guy Cowlishaw
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonRegent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
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27
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Body G, Weladji RB, Holand Ø, Nieminen M. Fission-fusion group dynamics in reindeer reveal an increase of cohesiveness at the beginning of the peak rut. Acta Ethol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-014-0190-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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28
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Body G, Weladji RB, Holand Ø, Nieminen M. Highly competitive reindeer males control female behavior during the rut. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95618. [PMID: 24759701 PMCID: PMC3997419 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During the rut, female ungulates move among harems or territories, either to sample mates or to avoid harassment. Females may be herded by a male, may stay with a preferred male, or aggregate near a dominant male to avoid harassment from other males. In fission-fusion group dynamics, female movement is best described by the group’s fission probability, instead of inter-harem movement. In this study, we tested whether male herding ability, female mate choice or harassment avoidance influence fission probability. We recorded group dynamics in a herd of reindeer Rangifer tarandus equipped with GPS collars with activity sensors. We found no evidence that the harassment level in the group affected fission probability, or that females sought high rank (i.e. highly competitive and hence successful) males. However, the behavior of high ranked males decreased fission probability. Male herding activity was synchronous with the decrease of fission probability observed during the rut. We concluded that male herding behavior stabilized groups, thereby increasing average group size and consequently the opportunity for sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Body
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Robert B Weladji
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Øystein Holand
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Mauri Nieminen
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Reindeer Research Station, Kaamanen, Finland
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29
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Rands SA, Muir H, Terry NL. Red deer synchronise their activity with close neighbours. PeerJ 2014; 2:e344. [PMID: 24765578 PMCID: PMC3994637 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Models of collective animal behaviour frequently make assumptions about the effects of neighbours on the behaviour of focal individuals, but these assumptions are rarely tested. One such set of assumptions is that the switch between active and inactive behaviour seen in herding animals is influenced by the activity of close neighbours, where neighbouring animals show a higher degree of behavioural synchrony than would be expected by chance. We tested this assumption by observing the simultaneous behaviour of paired individuals within a herd of red deer Cervus elaphus. Focal individuals were more synchronised with their two closest neighbours than with the third closest or randomly selected individuals from the herd. Our results suggest that the behaviour of individual deer is influenced by immediate neighbours. Even if we assume that there are no social relationships between individuals, this suggests that the assumptions made in models about the influence of neighbours may be appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Hayley Muir
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Naomi L Terry
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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30
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Fear responses to novelty in testing environments are related to day-to-day activity in the home environment in dairy cattle. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2013.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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31
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Tettamanti F, Viblanc VA. Influences of mating group composition on the behavioral time-budget of male and female Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) during the rut. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86004. [PMID: 24416453 PMCID: PMC3885753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During the rut, polygynous ungulates gather in mixed groups of individuals of different sex and age. Group social composition, which may vary on a daily basis, is likely to have strong influences on individual's time-budget, with emerging properties at the group-level. To date, few studies have considered the influence of group composition on male and female behavioral time budget in mating groups. Focusing on a wild population of Alpine ibex, we investigated the influence of group composition (adult sex ratio, the proportion of dominant to subordinate males, and group size) on three behavioral axes obtained by Principal Components Analysis, describing male and female group time-budget. For both sexes, the first behavioral axis discerned a trade-off between grazing and standing/vigilance behavior. In females, group vigilance behavior increased with increasingly male-biased sex ratio, whereas in males, the effect of adult sex ratio on standing/vigilance behavior depended on the relative proportion of dominant males in the mating group. The second axis characterized courtship and male-male agonistic behavior in males, and moving and male-directed agonistic behavior in females. Mating group composition did not substantially influence this axis in males. However, moving and male-directed agonistic behavior increased at highly biased sex ratios (quadratic effect) in females. Finally, the third axis highlighted a trade-off between moving and lying behavior in males, and distinguished moving and female-female agonistic behavior from lying behavior in females. For males, those behaviors were influenced by a complex interaction between group size and adult sex ratio, whereas in females, moving and female-female agonistic behaviors increased in a quadratic fashion at highly biased sex ratios, and also increased with increasing group size. Our results reveal complex behavioral trade-offs depending on group composition in the Alpine ibex, and emphasize the importance of social factors in influencing behavioral time-budgets of wild ungulates during the rut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Tettamanti
- Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Vincent A. Viblanc
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Equipe Ecologie Comportementale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5175, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
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33
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McFarland R, Majolo B. Coping with the cold: predictors of survival in wild Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130428. [PMID: 23804292 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the death of 30 wild Barbary macaques, living in two groups, during an exceptionally cold and snowy winter in the Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco. We examined whether an individual's time spent feeding, the quality and number of its social relationships, sex and rank predicted whether it survived the winter or not. The time an individual spent feeding and the number of social relationships that an individual had in the group were positive and significant predictors of survival. This is the first study to show that the degree of sociality affects an individual's chance of survival following extreme environmental conditions. Our findings support the view that sociality is directly related to an individual's fitness, and that factors promoting the establishment and maintenance of social relationships are favoured by natural selection.
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