1
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Merritt AE, St John ME, Leri F, Stein LR. Sensory cues of predation risk generate sex-specific changes in neural activity and behavior, but not hormones, in Trinidadian guppies. Horm Behav 2024; 166:105635. [PMID: 39303528 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
How an organism responds to risk depends on how that individual perceives such risk. Integrating cues from multiple sensory modalities allows individuals to extract information from their environment, and whether and how the brain and body respond differently to different sensory cues can help reveal mechanistic decision-making processes. Here, we assessed neural, hormonal, and behavioral responses to different sensory cues of predation risk in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Adult guppies were assigned to one of four treatment groups: control, visual, olfactory, and both sensory cues combined from a natural predator, the pike cichlid (Crenicichla alta), for 2 h. We found no difference in glucocorticoid response to any cue. However, we found behavioral and neural activation responses to olfactory-only cues. In addition, we found a sex by treatment effect, where males showed greater changes in neural activation in brain regions associated with avoidance behavior, while females showed greater changes in neural activation in regions associated with social behavior and memory, mirroring sex by treatment differences in behavioral antipredator responses. Altogether, our results demonstrate that single and combinatory cues may influence risk-taking behavior differently based on sex, suggesting that perception and integration of cues can cascade into sex differences in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Merritt
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America
| | - M E St John
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America
| | - F Leri
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America
| | - L R Stein
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America.
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2
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Dubois F. Game theory elucidates how competitive dynamics mediate animal social networks. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:116. [PMID: 39215219 PMCID: PMC11365163 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While most game theoretical models assume that individuals randomly interact with all other group members, strong evidence indicates that individuals tend to preferentially interact with some of them. The position of an individual in a network affects, among other factors related to survival, its predation risk and competitive success. Here I then modified the Hawk-Dove game to explore the effect of social network structure on competitive strategy of individuals that differ in their fighting ability and may adjust their use of the Hawk, Dove and Assessor tactics to maximize their foraging success when they meet opponents they are connected with. RESULTS From randomly generated networks, I demonstrate that phenotypic assortment by fighting ability reduces individuals' aggressiveness and, as such, favours cooperative interactions. Furthermore, the success of individuals with the weakest fighting ability is usually highest within networks where they most frequently meet opponents with the same fighting ability as their own, suggesting they might benefit from breaking connections with strong contestants. This might be the case when strong contestants systematically rely on the aggressive Hawk tactic or the risk of being predated is low and independent of the number of neighbours. Thus, I extended the model and built a dynamic model to allow individuals not only to adjust their behaviour to local conditions but also to modify the structure of the social network. The number of connections and degree of phenotypic assortment are then affected by ecological factors (e.g. resources value and predation risk), but above all by whether individuals can reliably assess the competitive ability of their opponents and adjust their behaviour accordingly. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide strong evidence that behaviour can play a key role in shaping network structure and highlight the importance of considering the coevolution of network and behaviour to apprehend its consequences on population dynamics.
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3
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Xu JX, Coker A, Dulaney Z, Furbish A, Xu FZ, Helke KL, Woster PM, Nietert PJ, Braxton AM. Establishing New Isosexual Pairs in Adult Male Guinea Pigs ( Cavia porcellus) to Facilitate Social Housing. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2024; 63:160-171. [PMID: 38262624 PMCID: PMC11022948 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are a commonly used species in biomedical research. As social creatures, compatible guinea pigs should be housed together unless scientific objectives or veterinary care require otherwise. Extensive literature suggests that adult male guinea pigs are highly aggressive in the presence of females, but data are lacking regarding the compatibility of cohoused adult males in the absence of females. Most studies that use adult males do not report housing densities. We used serial wound scoring and observations of behavior to determine whether unfamiliar adult male guinea pigs will develop stable, prosocial isosexual pairs. Wound scoring was performed before and 24 h after pairing. Serial behavioral observations assessed affiliative and agonistic behaviors at 0.5, 2, 24, and 48 h after pairing. Wound scoring and behavioral observations continued weekly for 1 mo and monthly thereafter. Wound scores were significantly higher at 24 h after pairing as compared with baseline and all other time points. Wounding was rare after week 2, indicating reduced aggression. Furthermore, affiliative behaviors significantly increased over time while agonistic behaviors were rare. Together, these data suggest that unfamiliar adult male guinea pigs establish stable prosocial pairs after an acclimation period. As was done in the present study, providing ample space, separate shelters for each animal, and the absence of female guinea pigs will likely facilitate successful pairing. We recommend consideration of a social housing program for adult male guinea pigs to provide companionship and enrich their housing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen X Xu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Ashton Coker
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Zadie Dulaney
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Amelia Furbish
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Frank Z Xu
- Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Kristi L Helke
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Patrick M Woster
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Paul J Nietert
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Alicia M Braxton
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina;,
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4
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Sandhu S, Mikheev V, Pasternak A, Taskinen J, Morozov A. Revisiting the role of behavior-mediated structuring in the survival of populations in hostile environments. Commun Biol 2024; 7:93. [PMID: 38216662 PMCID: PMC10786947 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05731-z] [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: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing the population density of target species is a major goal of ecosystem and agricultural management. This task is especially challenging in hazardous environments with a high abundance of natural enemies such as parasites and predators. Safe locations with lower mortality have been long considered a beneficial factor in enhancing population survival, being a promising tool in commercial fish farming and restoration of threatened species. Here we challenge this opinion and revisit the role of behavior structuring in a hostile environment in shaping the population density. We build a mathematical model, where individuals are structured according to their defensive tactics against natural enemies. The model predicts that although each safe zone enhances the survival of an individual, for an insufficient number of such zones, the entire population experiences a greater overall mortality. This is a result of the interplay of emergent dynamical behavioral structuring and strong intraspecific competition for safe zones. Non-plastic structuring in individuals' boldness reduces the mentioned negative effects. We demonstrate emergence of non-plastic behavioral structuring: the evolutionary branching of a monomorphic population into a dimorphic one with bold/shy strains. We apply our modelling approach to explore fish farming of salmonids in an environment infected by trematode parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Sandhu
- School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH, Leicester, UK
| | - Victor Mikheev
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Pasternak
- Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jouni Taskinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Andrew Morozov
- School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH, Leicester, UK.
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
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5
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Yang Y, Axelrod CJ, Grant E, Earl SR, Urquhart EM, Talbert K, Johnson LE, Walker Z, Hsiao K, Stone I, Carlson BA, López-Sepulcre A, Gordon SP. Evolutionary divergence of developmental plasticity and learning of mating tactics in Trinidadian guppies. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 38156548 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural plasticity is a major driver in the early stages of adaptation, but its effects in mediating evolution remain elusive because behavioural plasticity itself can evolve. In this study, we investigated how male Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) adapted to different predation regimes diverged in behavioural plasticity of their mating tactic. We reared F2 juveniles of high- or low-predation population origins with different combinations of social and predator cues and assayed their mating behaviour upon sexual maturity. High-predation males learned their mating tactic from conspecific adults as juveniles, while low-predation males did not. High-predation males increased courtship when exposed to chemical predator cues during development; low-predation males decreased courtship in response to immediate chemical predator cues, but only when they were not exposed to such cues during development. Behavioural changes induced by predator cues were associated with developmental plasticity in brain morphology, but changes acquired through social learning were not. We thus show that guppy populations diverged in their response to social and ecological cues during development, and correlational evidence suggests that different cues can shape the same behaviour via different neural mechanisms. Our study demonstrates that behavioural plasticity, both environmentally induced and socially learnt, evolves rapidly and shapes adaptation when organisms colonize ecologically divergent habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusan Yang
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Caleb J Axelrod
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Elly Grant
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Shayna R Earl
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Ellen M Urquhart
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Katie Talbert
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Lauren E Johnson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zakiya Walker
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kyle Hsiao
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Isabel Stone
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Bruce A Carlson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Andrés López-Sepulcre
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Swanne P Gordon
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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6
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Leavell BC, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Vélez V, Hemingway CT, Wilhite K, Halfwerk W, Bernal XE. Ripple effects in a communication network: anti-eavesdropper defence elicits elaborated sexual signals in rival males. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231910. [PMID: 38113943 PMCID: PMC10730286 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1910] [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: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emitting conspicuous signals into the environment to attract mates comes with the increased risk of interception by eavesdropping enemies. As a defence, a commonly described strategy is for signallers to group together in leks, diluting each individual's risk. Lekking systems are often highly social settings in which competing males dynamically alter their signalling behaviour to attract mates. Thus, signalling at the lek requires navigating fluctuations in risk, competition and reproductive opportunities. Here, we investigate how behavioural defence strategies directed at an eavesdropping enemy have cascading effects across the communication network. We investigated these behaviours in the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), examining how a calling male's swatting defence directed at frog-biting midges indirectly affects the calling behaviour of his rival. We found that the rival responds to swat-induced water ripples by increasing his call rate and complexity. Then, performing phonotaxis experiments, we found that eavesdropping fringe-lipped bats (Trachops cirrhosus) do not exhibit a preference for a swatting male compared to his rival, but females strongly prefer the rival male. Defences to minimize attacks from eavesdroppers thus shift the mate competition landscape in favour of rival males. By modulating the attractiveness of signalling prey to female receivers, we posit that eavesdropping micropredators likely have an unappreciated impact on the ecology and evolution of sexual communication systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Viviana Vélez
- Program of Study and Control of Tropical Diseases, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Claire T. Hemingway
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kyle Wilhite
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
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7
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Padget RFB, Fawcett TW, Darden SK. Guppies in large groups cooperate more frequently in an experimental test of the group size paradox. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230790. [PMID: 37434522 PMCID: PMC10336388 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0790] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The volunteer's dilemma, in which a single individual is required to produce a public good, predicts that individuals in larger groups will cooperate less frequently. Mechanistically, this could result from trade-offs between costs associated with volunteering and costs incurred if the public good is not produced (nobody volunteers). During predator inspection, one major contributor to the cost of volunteering is likely increased probability of predation; however, a predator also poses a risk to all individuals if nobody inspects. We tested the prediction that guppies in larger groups will inspect a predator less than those in smaller groups. We also predicted that individuals in larger groups would perceive less threat from the predator stimulus because of the protective benefits of larger groups (e.g. dilution). Contrary to prediction, we found that individuals in large groups inspected more frequently than those in smaller groups, but (as predicted) spent less time in refuges. There was evidence that individuals in intermediate-sized groups made fewest inspections and spent most time in refuges, suggesting that any link between group size, risk and cooperation is not driven by simple dilution. Extensions of theoretical models that capture these dynamics will likely be broadly applicable to risky cooperative behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca F. B. Padget
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Tim W. Fawcett
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Safi K. Darden
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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8
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Ogino M, Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Aplin LM, Farine DR. Group-level differences in social network structure remain repeatable after accounting for environmental drivers. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230340. [PMID: 37476518 PMCID: PMC10354494 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Individuals show consistent between-individual behavioural variation when they interact with conspecifics or heterospecifics. Such patterns might underlie emergent group-specific behavioural patterns and between-group behavioural differences. However, little is known about (i) how social and non-social drivers (external drivers) shape group-level social structures and (ii) whether animal groups show consistent between-group differences in social structure after accounting for external drivers. We used automated tracking to quantify daily social interactions and association networks in 12 colonies of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We quantified the effects of five external drivers (group size, group composition, ecological factors, physical environments and methodological differences) on daily interaction and association networks and tested whether colonies expressed consistent differences in day-to-day network structure after controlling for these drivers. Overall, we found that external drivers contribute significantly to network structure. However, even after accounting for the contribution of external drivers, there remained significant support for consistent between-group differences in both interaction (repeatability R: up to 0.493) and association (repeatability R: up to 0.736) network structures. Our study demonstrates how group-level differences in social behaviour can be partitioned into different drivers of variation, with consistent contributions from both social and non-social factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Ogino
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8006, Switzerland
| | - Adriana A. Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Cra 26 # 63B – 48, Colombia
| | - Lucy M. Aplin
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell 78315, Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8006, Switzerland
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9
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Bernal XE, Leavell BC, Page RA. Assessing patterns of eavesdropper risk on sexual signals and the use of meta-analysis in behavioural ecology: a comment on: 'The exploitation of sexual signals by predators: a meta-analysis' White et al. (2022). Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221866. [PMID: 37161325 PMCID: PMC10170210 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ximena E Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
| | - Brian C Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
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10
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Williams DM, Beckert S, Martin JG, Blumstein DT. Agonistic and affiliative social relationships are associated with marmot docility but not boldness. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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11
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Allibhai I, Zanghi C, How MJ, Ioannou CC. Increased water temperature and turbidity act independently to alter social behavior in guppies ( Poecilia reticulata). Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9958. [PMID: 37006888 PMCID: PMC10049887 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in environmental conditions can shift the costs and benefits of aggregation or interfere with the sensory perception of near neighbors. This affects group cohesion with potential impacts on the benefits of collective behavior such as reduced predation risk. Organisms are rarely exposed to one stressor in isolation, yet there are only a few studies exploring the interactions between multiple stressors and their effects on social behavior. Here, we tested the effects of increased water temperature and turbidity on refuge use and three measures of aggregation in guppies (Poecilia reticulata), increasing temperature and turbidity in isolation or in combination. When stressors were elevated in isolation, the distribution of fish within the arena as measured by the index of dispersion became more aggregated at higher temperatures but less aggregated when turbidity was increased. Another measure of cohesion at the global scale, the mean inter-individual distance, also indicated that fish were less aggregated in turbid water. This is likely due to turbidity acting as a visual constraint, as there was no evidence of a change in risk perception as refuge use was not affected by turbidity. Fish decreased refuge use and were closer to their nearest neighbor at higher temperatures. However, the nearest neighbor distance was not affected by turbidity, suggesting that local-scale interactions can be robust to the moderate increase in turbidity used here (5 NTU) compared with other studies that show a decline in shoal cohesion at higher turbidity (>100 NTU). We did not observe any significant interaction terms between the two stressors, indicating no synergistic or antagonistic effects. Our study suggests that the effects of environmental stressors on social behavior may be unpredictable and dependent on the metric used to measure cohesion, highlighting the need for mechanistic studies to link behavior to the physiology and sensory effects of environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martin J. How
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
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12
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Keshavarzi H, Lee C, Dyall TR, Johnson M, Campbell DLM. Shared stressful experiences affect social proximity in Merino sheep. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20220396. [PMID: 36750179 PMCID: PMC9904948 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0396] [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: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
While it is well established that humans develop stronger relationship bonds when they share stressful experiences, there is little known on how shared stressful experiences may influence relationship bonding in animals. Here, we present a study looking at social proximity between individuals in small groups of Merino ewes following a shared stressful experience compared with control sheep that were not exposed to stress. Some sheep were familiar to each other. Analyses of social proximity using real-time-kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) on-animal devices showed sheep preferred to be closest to familiar individuals, but across the study duration they also developed a preference for the individuals they shared the stressful experience with, relative to their proximity to control individuals. These results contribute to limited research on what factors may instigate the development of bonds between unfamiliar sheep. Between-individual bonds may develop as a means of socially mediated stress buffering. Social bonding following a shared stressful experience aligns with human social relationships and increases our understanding of how animals perceive their conspecifics in relation to stressful environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamideh Keshavarzi
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Caroline Lee
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Tim R. Dyall
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Mark Johnson
- Data61, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Marsfield, New South Wales 2122, Australia
| | - Dana L. M. Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
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13
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Bordes CNM, Beukeboom R, Goll Y, Koren L, Ilany A. High-resolution tracking of hyrax social interactions highlights nighttime drivers of animal sociality. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1378. [PMID: 36522486 PMCID: PMC9755157 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04317-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Network structure is a key driver of animal fitness, pathogen transmission, information spread, and population demographics in the wild. Although a considerable body of research applied network analysis to animal societies, only little effort has been devoted to separate daytime and nighttime sociality and explicitly test working hypotheses on social structures emerging at night. Here, we investigated the nighttime sociality of a wild population of rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) and its relation to daytime social structure. We recorded nearly 15,000 encounters over 27 consecutive days and nights using proximity loggers. Overall, we show that hyraxes are more selective of their social affiliates at night compared to daytime. We also show that hyraxes maintain their overall network topology while reallocating the weights of social relationships at the daily and monthly scales, which could help hyraxes maintain their social structure over long periods while adapting to local constraints and generate complex social dynamics. These results suggest that complex network dynamics can be a by-product of simple daily social tactics and do not require high cognitive abilities. Our work sheds light on the function of nighttime social interactions in diurnal social species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille N. M. Bordes
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Rosanne Beukeboom
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yael Goll
- grid.12136.370000 0004 1937 0546School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lee Koren
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Amiyaal Ilany
- grid.22098.310000 0004 1937 0503Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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14
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Fan R, Reader SM, Sakata JT. Alarm cues and alarmed conspecifics: neural activity during social learning from different cues in Trinidadian guppies. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220829. [PMID: 36043284 PMCID: PMC9428528 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0829] [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: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning to respond appropriately to novel dangers is often essential to survival and success, but carries risks. Learning about novel threats from others (social learning) can reduce these risks. Many species, including the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), respond defensively to both conspecific chemical alarm cues and conspecific anti-predator behaviours, and in other fish such social information can lead to a learned aversion to novel threats. However, relatively little is known about the neural substrates underlying social learning and the degree to which different forms of learning share similar neural mechanisms. Here, we explored the neural substrates mediating social learning of novel threats from two different conspecific cues (i.e. social cue-based threat learning). We first demonstrated that guppies rapidly learn about threats paired with either alarm cues or with conspecific threat responses (demonstration). Then, focusing on acquisition rather than recall, we discovered that phospho-S6 expression, a marker of neural activity, was elevated in guppies during learning from alarm cues in the putative homologue of the mammalian lateral septum and the preoptic area. Surprisingly, these changes in neural activity were not observed in fish learning from conspecific demonstration. Together, these results implicate forebrain areas in social learning about threat but raise the possibility that circuits contribute to such learning in a stimulus-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raina Fan
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Simon M. Reader
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jon T. Sakata
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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15
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Danaher-Garcia N, Connor R, Fay G, Melillo-Sweeting K, Dudzinski KM. Using Social Network Analysis to Confirm the ‘Gambit of the Group’ Hypothesis for a Small Cetacean. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104694. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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16
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Static and dynamic methods in social network analysis reveal the association patterns of desert-dwelling giraffe. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03167-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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17
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Razik I, Brown BKG, Carter GG. Forced proximity promotes the formation of enduring cooperative relationships in vampire bats. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220056. [PMID: 35382586 PMCID: PMC8984352 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial assortment can be both a cause and a consequence of cooperation. Proximity promotes cooperation when individuals preferentially help nearby partners, and conversely, cooperation drives proximity when individuals move towards more cooperative partners. However, these two causal directions are difficult to distinguish with observational data. Here, we experimentally test if forcing randomly selected pairs of equally familiar female common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) into close spatial proximity promotes the formation of enduring cooperative relationships. Over 114 days, we sampled 682 h of interactions among 21 females captured from three distant sites to track daily allogrooming rates over time. We compared these rates before, during and after a one-week period, during which we caged random triads of previously unfamiliar and unrelated vampire bats in proximity. After the week of proximity when all bats could again freely associate, the allogrooming rates of pairs forced into proximity increased more than those of the 126 control pairs. This work is the first to experimentally demonstrate the causal effect of repeated interactions on cooperative investments in vampire bats. Future work should determine the relative importance of mere association versus interactions (e.g. reciprocal allogrooming) in shaping social preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran Razik
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancón, Panama
| | | | - Gerald G. Carter
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancón, Panama
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18
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Giuliano C, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) grouping patterns in an open and dry savanna landscape, Issa Valley, western Tanzania. J Hum Evol 2022; 163:103137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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19
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MacGregor HEA, Ioannou CC. Collective motion diminishes, but variation between groups emerges, through time in fish shoals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210655. [PMID: 34703618 PMCID: PMC8527212 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive interest in the dynamic interactions between individuals that drive collective motion in animal groups, the dynamics of collective motion over longer time frames are understudied. Using three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, randomly assigned to 12 shoals of eight fish, we tested how six key traits of collective motion changed over shorter (within trials) and longer (between days) timescales under controlled laboratory conditions. Over both timescales, groups became less social with reduced cohesion, polarization, group speed and information transfer. There was consistent inter-group variation (i.e. collective personality variation) for all collective motion parameters, but groups also differed in how their collective motion changed over days in their cohesion, polarization, group speed and information transfer. This magnified differences between groups, suggesting that over time the 'typical' collective motion cannot be easily characterized. Future studies are needed to understand whether such between-group differences in changes over time are adaptive and represent improvements in group performance or are suboptimal but represent a compromise between individuals in their preferences for the characteristics of collective behaviour.
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20
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Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus). Sci Rep 2021; 11:15349. [PMID: 34321512 PMCID: PMC8319288 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94608-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological factors, such as predation, have traditionally been used to explain sociability. However, it is increasingly recognised that individuals within a group do not associate randomly, and that these non-random associations can generate fitness advantages. The majority of the empirical evidence on differentiated associations in group-living mammals, however, comes from a limited number of taxa and we still know very little about their occurrence and characteristics in some highly social species, such as rats (Rattus spp.). Here, using network analysis, we quantified association patterns in four groups of male fancy rats. We found that the associations between rats were not randomly distributed and that most individuals had significantly more preferred/avoided associates than expected by random. We also found that these preferences can be stable over time, and that they were not influenced by individuals’ rank position in the dominance hierarchy. Our findings are consistent with work in other mammals, but contrast with the limited evidence available for other rat strains. While further studies in groups with different demographic composition are warranted to confirm our findings, the occurrence of differentiated associations in all male groups of rats have important implications for the management and welfare of captive rat populations.
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21
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Kalbitzer U, Chapman CA. Patterns of female social relationships in a primate with female-biased dispersal. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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22
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Goldman JA, Crane AL, Feyten LEA, Collins E, Brown GE. Disturbance cue communication is shaped by emitter diet and receiver background risk in Trinidadian guppies. Curr Zool 2021; 68:433-440. [PMID: 36090140 PMCID: PMC9450174 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In animal communication systems, individuals that detect a cue (i.e., “receivers”) are often influenced by characteristics of the cue emitter. For instance, in many species, receivers avoid chemical cues that are released by emitters experiencing disturbance. These chemical “disturbance cues” appear to benefit receivers by warning them about nearby danger, such as a predator’s approach. While the active ingredients in disturbance cues have been largely unexplored, by-products of metabolized protein are thought to play a role for some species. If so, the content (quality) and volume (quantity) of the emitter’s diet should affect their disturbance cues, thus altering how receivers perceive the cues and respond. Guppies Poecilia reticulata are a species known to discriminate among disturbance cues from different types of donors, but dietary variation has yet to be explored. In this study, we found evidence that diet quality and quantity can affect disturbance cues released by guppy emitters (i.e., experimental “donors”). Receivers discriminated between donor cue treatments, responding more strongly to cues from donors fed a protein-rich bloodworm diet (Experiment 1), as well as an overall larger diet (Experiment 2). We also found that receivers exposed to higher background risk were more sensitive to disturbance cue variation, with the strongest avoidance responses displayed by high-risk receivers toward disturbance cues from donors fed the high-quality diet. Therefore, diet, and perhaps protein specifically, affects either the concentration or composition of disturbance cues released by guppies. Such variation may be important in information signaling in social species like the guppy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack A Goldman
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada H4B 1R6
| | - Adam L Crane
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada H4B 1R6
| | - Laurence E A Feyten
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada H4B 1R6
| | - Emily Collins
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada H4B 1R6
| | - Grant E Brown
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada H4B 1R6
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23
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Cantor M, Maldonado‐Chaparro AA, Beck KB, Brandl HB, Carter GG, He P, Hillemann F, Klarevas‐Irby JA, Ogino M, Papageorgiou D, Prox L, Farine DR. The importance of individual‐to‐society feedbacks in animal ecology and evolution. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:27-44. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maurício Cantor
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Florianópolis Brazil
- Centro de Estudos do Mar Universidade Federal do Paraná Pontal do Paraná Brazil
| | - Adriana A. Maldonado‐Chaparro
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Kristina B. Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Hanja B. Brandl
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University Columbus OH USA
| | - Peng He
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Friederike Hillemann
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - James A. Klarevas‐Irby
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Konstanz Germany
| | - Mina Ogino
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Danai Papageorgiou
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Lea Prox
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute of Zoology & Anthropology University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit German Primate Center Göttingen Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
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24
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Chin JSR, Loomis CL, Albert LT, Medina-Trenche S, Kowalko J, Keene AC, Duboué ER. Analysis of stress responses in Astyanax larvae reveals heterogeneity among different populations. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2020; 334:486-496. [PMID: 32767504 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Stress responses are conserved physiological and behavioral outcomes as a result of facing potentially harmful stimuli, yet in pathological states, stress becomes debilitating. Stress responses vary considerably throughout the animal kingdom, but how these responses are shaped evolutionarily is unknown. The Mexican cavefish has emerged as a powerful system for examining genetic principles underlying behavioral evolution. Here, we demonstrate that cave Astyanax have reduced behavioral and physiological measures of stress when examined at larval stages. We also find increased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor, a repressible element of the neuroendocrine stress pathway. Additionally, we examine stress in three different cave populations, and find that some, but not all, show reduced stress measures. Together, these results reveal a mechanistic system by which cave-dwelling fish reduced stress, presumably to compensate for a predator poor environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline S R Chin
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Cody L Loomis
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Lydia T Albert
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Shirley Medina-Trenche
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Johanna Kowalko
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Alex C Keene
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
| | - Erik R Duboué
- Program in Neurogenetics, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida.,Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
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25
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Cattelan S, Herbert-Read J, Panizzon P, Devigili A, Griggio M, Pilastro A, Morosinotto C. Maternal predation risk increases offspring’s exploration but does not affect schooling behavior. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The environment that parents experience can influence their reproductive output and their offspring’s fitness via parental effects. Perceived predation risk can affect both parent and offspring phenotype, but it remains unclear to what extent offspring behavioral traits are affected when the mother is exposed to predation risk. This is particularly unclear in live-bearing species where maternal effects could occur during embryogenesis. Here, using a half-sib design to control for paternal effects, we experimentally exposed females of a live-bearing fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), to visual predator cues and conspecific alarm cues during their gestation. Females exposed to predation risk cues increased their antipredator behaviors throughout the entire treatment. Offspring of mothers exposed to the predation stimuli exhibited more pronounced exploratory behavior, but did not show any significant differences in their schooling behavior, compared to controls. Thus, while maternally perceived risk affected offspring’s exploration during early stages of life, offspring’s schooling behavior could be influenced more by direct environmental experience rather than via maternal cues. Our results suggest a rather limited role in predator-induced maternal effects on the behavior of juvenile guppies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Herbert-Read
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biology, Aquatic Ecology Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Paolo Panizzon
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Ekenäs, Finland
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26
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Busia L, Griggio M. The dawn of social bonds: what is the role of shared experiences in non-human animals? Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200201. [PMID: 32673550 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Group-living animals can develop social bonds. Social bonds can be considered a type of social relationship characterized by frequent and consistent affiliative (non-reproductive) interactions. Social bonds with conspecifics bring many advantages, also in terms of direct fitness. A characteristic of social bonds is that they need time to develop. Several studies on humans have emphasized the fact that sharing experiences can affect the strength of social bonds. A similar trend can be spotted in non-human species. For example, a recent experiment showed that if chimpanzees watched a video together with a conspecific, they spent more time in proximity compared to conspecifics with whom they did not actively watch a video. Another experiment on fish showed that individuals who experienced a situation of high predation risk together, showed preference for each other compared to those who did not. As the link between shared experiences and social bonds is not explicitly recognized in non-human animals, the main goal of this work is to propose the exploration of this novel research path. This exploration would contribute to shed light on the evolutionary mechanisms of social bond (or friendship) development and maintenance between individuals in different vertebrate species, from fish to non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Busia
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, Kang Le Lu, Haizhu Qu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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27
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Galezo AA, Foroughirad V, Krzyszczyk E, Frère CH, Mann J. Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The juvenile period is a challenging life-history stage, especially in species with a high degree of fission–fusion dynamics, such as bottlenose dolphins, where maternal protection is virtually absent. Here, we examined how juvenile male and female bottlenose dolphins navigate this vulnerable period. Specifically, we examined their grouping patterns, activity budget, network dynamics, and social associations in the absence of adults. We found that juveniles live in highly dynamic groups, with group composition changing every 10 min on average. Groups were generally segregated by sex, and segregation was driven by same-sex preference rather than opposite-sex avoidance. Juveniles formed strong associations with select individuals, especially kin and same-sex partners, and both sexes formed cliques with their preferred partners. Sex-specific strategies in the juvenile period reflected adult reproductive strategies, in which the exploration of potential social partners may be more important for males (which form long-term alliances in adulthood) than females (which preferentially associate with kin in adulthood). Females spent more time alone and were more focused on foraging than males, but still formed close same-sex associations, especially with kin. Males cast a wider social net than females, with strong same-sex associations and many male associates. Males engaged in more affiliative behavior than females. These results are consistent with the social bonds and skills hypothesis and suggest that delayed sexual maturity in species with relational social complexity may allow individuals to assess potential associates and explore a complex social landscape without the risks associated with sexual maturity (e.g., adult reproductive competition; inbreeding).
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A Galezo
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Vivienne Foroughirad
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, DukeUniversity Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Ewa Krzyszczyk
- Center for Marine Resource Studies, The School for Field Studies, Beverly, MA, USA
| | - Céline H Frère
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Janet Mann
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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28
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Bonar M, Lewis KP, Webber QMR, Dobbin M, Laforge MP, Vander Wal E. Geometry of the ideal free distribution: individual behavioural variation and annual reproductive success in aggregations of a social ungulate. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1360-1369. [PMID: 32602664 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Variation in social environment can mitigate risks and rewards associated with occupying a particular patch. We aim to integrate Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) and Geometry of the Selfish Herd (GSH) to address an apparent conflict in their predictions of equal mean fitness between patches (IFD) and declining fitness benefits within a patch (GSH). We tested these hypotheses in a socio-spatial context using individual caribou that were aggregated or disaggregated during calving and varied in their annual reproductive success (ARS). We then tested individual consistency of these spatial tactics. We reveal that two socio-spatial tactics accorded similar mean ARS (IFD); however, ARS for aggregated individuals declined near the periphery (GSH). Individuals near the aggregation periphery exhibited flexibility, whereas others were consistent. The integration of classical theories through a contemporary lens of consistent individual differences provides evidence for an integrated GSH and IFD strategy that may represent an evolutionary stable state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maegwin Bonar
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Keith P Lewis
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Quinn M R Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Maria Dobbin
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Michel P Laforge
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA.,Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
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29
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Crane AL, Feyten LEA, Ramnarine IW, Brown GE. High-risk environments promote chemical disturbance signalling among socially familiar Trinidadian guppies. Oecologia 2020; 193:89-95. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04652-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Monteforte S, Cattelan S, Morosinotto C, Pilastro A, Grapputo A. Maternal predator-exposure affects offspring size at birth but not telomere length in a live-bearing fish. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2030-2039. [PMID: 32128135 PMCID: PMC7042736 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The perception of predation risk could affect prey phenotype both within and between generations (via parental effects). The response to predation risk could involve modifications in physiology, morphology, and behavior and can ultimately affect long-term fitness. Among the possible modifications mediated by the exposure to predation risk, telomere length could be a proxy for investigating the response to predation risk both within and between generations, as telomeres can be significantly affected by environmental stress. Maternal exposure to the perception of predation risk can affect a variety of offspring traits but the effect on offspring telomere length has never been experimentally tested. Using a live-bearing fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), we tested if the perceived risk of predation could affect the telomere length of adult females directly and that of their offspring with a balanced experimental setup that allowed us to control for both maternal and paternal contribution. We exposed female guppies to the perception of predation risk during gestation using a combination of both visual and chemical cues and we then measured female telomere length after the exposure period. Maternal effects mediated by the exposure to predation risk were measured on offspring telomere length and body size at birth. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find a significant effect of predation-exposure neither on female nor on offspring telomere length, but females exposed to predation risk produced smaller offspring at birth. We discuss the possible explanations for our findings and advocate for further research on telomere dynamics in ectotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
- Bioeconomy Research TeamNovia University of Applied SciencesEkenäsFinland
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31
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32
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Ellis S, Snyder-Mackler N, Ruiz-Lambides A, Platt ML, Brent LJN. Deconstructing sociality: the types of social connections that predict longevity in a group-living primate. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191991. [PMID: 31822256 PMCID: PMC6939919 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species use social interactions to cope with challenges in their environment and a growing number of studies show that individuals which are well-connected to their group have higher fitness than socially isolated individuals. However, there are many ways to be 'well-connected' and it is unclear which aspects of sociality drive fitness benefits. Being well-connected can be conceptualized in four main ways: individuals can be socially integrated by engaging in a high rate of social behaviour or having many partners; they can have strong and stable connections to favoured partners; they can indirectly connect to the broader group structure; or directly engage in a high rate of beneficial behaviours, such as grooming. In this study, we use survival models and long-term data in adult female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to compare the fitness outcomes of multiple measures of social connectedness. Females that maintained strong connections to favoured partners had the highest relative survival probability, as did females well-integrated owing to forming many weak connections. We found no survival benefits to being structurally well-connected or engaging in high rates of grooming. Being well-connected to favoured partners could provide fitness benefits by, for example, increasing the efficacy of coordinated or mutualistic behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ellis
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Angelina Ruiz-Lambides
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Michael L. Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Marketing, University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lauren J. N. Brent
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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33
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Male guppies differ in daily frequency but not diel pattern of display under daily light changes. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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34
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Dimitriadou S, Croft DP, Darden SK. Divergence in social traits in Trinidadian guppies selectively bred for high and low leadership in a cooperative context. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17194. [PMID: 31748621 PMCID: PMC6868185 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53748-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, individuals with certain morphological, physiological, or behavioural traits may have a disproportionately large role in determining group behaviour. While most empirical studies of leadership have focused on behaviour of individuals exploring new environments or foraging, little is known about leading behaviour in other ecological contexts. Here, we use a selective breeding design in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) to quantify the heritability of leadership in a cooperative context, and determine the behavioural traits associated with it. Firstly we found that phenotypic selection for high and low leadership (HL and LL, respectively) over three filial generations resulted in pronounced differences in leadership tendency with a moderate degree of heritability. In our assay of other social traits, LL males were more aggressive and sampled their social environment less than HL males, but HL and LL females did not differ in either aggressiveness or sociability. Traits such as boldness and exploratory tendency did not diverge between the two lines. Leading behaviour was thus associated with social traits in males, but not females; suggesting that there may be sex-specific mechanisms driving the emergence of leadership in this context. We discuss our findings in the context of the evolution of cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Dimitriadou
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK.
| | - D P Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK
| | - S K Darden
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK
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35
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Mikheev VN, Pasternak AF, Morozov AY, Taskinen J. Innate antipredator behavior can promote infection in fish even in the absence of predators. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Natural enemies—predators and parasites—largely shape the dynamics of ecosystems. It is known that antipredator and antiparasite defense can be mutually conflicting, however consequences of this trade-off for the regulation of infection burden in animals are still poorly understood. We hypothesize that even in the absence of cues from predators, innate antipredator behavior (“ghost of predation past”) interferes with defense against parasites and can enhance the infection risk. As a case study, we explore interactions between a commercial species, the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, and its parasite, the trematode eye-fluke Diplostomum pseudospathaceum. Fish–parasite interactions were tested in compartmentalized tanks where shelters and parasites were presented in different combinations providing various conditions for microhabitat choice and territorial behavior. Shelters were attractive and contestable despite the absence of predators and presence of parasites. The individuals fighting for shelters acquired more than twice the number of cercariae as compared to those in infected shelter-free compartments. Most infected were subordinate fish with a higher ventilation rate. Fish possessing shelters were less vulnerable to parasites than fighting fish. Grouping reduced the infection load, although less efficiently than sheltering. Our data demonstrate that the innate antipredator behavior can undermine antiparasite tactics of the fish and result in higher infection rates. Using our empirical results, we construct a mathematical model which predicts that enriching the environment in fish farming will be beneficial only when a large number of shelters is provided. Using insufficient number of shelters will increase the parasite burden in the fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor N Mikheev
- Laboratory of Fish Behavior, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna F Pasternak
- Laboratory of Plankton Ecology, Institute of Oceanology Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrew Yu Morozov
- Laboratory of Plankton Ecology, Institute of Oceanology Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Mathematics, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | - Jouni Taskinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä,, PL, Jyväskylä, Finland
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36
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37
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Sosa SO, Pelé M, Debergue É, Kuntz C, Keller B, Robic F, Siegwalt-Baudin F, Richer C, Ramos A, Sueur C. Impact of Group Management and Transfer on Individual Sociality in Highland Cattle ( Bos taurus). Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:183. [PMID: 31245398 PMCID: PMC6581677 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The sociality of cattle facilitates the maintenance of herd cohesion and synchronization, making these species the ideal choice for domestication as livestock for humans. However, livestock populations are not self-regulated, and farmers transfer individuals across different groups. Individuals consequently have to adapt to different group compositions during their lives rather than choose their own herd mates, as they would do in the wild. These changes may lead to social instability and stress, entailing potentially negative effects on animal welfare. In this study, we assess how the transfer of Highland cattle (Bos taurus) impacts individual and group social network measures. Four groups with nine different compositions and 18 individual transfers were studied to evaluate 1) the effect of group composition on individual social centralities and 2) the effect of group composition changes on these centralities. This study reveals that the relative stability of dyadic spatial relationships between changes in group composition or enclosure is due to the identities of transferred individuals more than the quantity of individuals that are transferred. Older cattle had higher network centralities than other individuals. The centrality of individuals was also affected by their sex and the number of familiar individuals in the group. This study reveals the necessity of understanding the social structure of a group to predict social instability following the transfer of individuals between groups. The developing of guidelines for the modification of group composition could improve livestock management and reduce stress for the animals concerned.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Pelé
- Ethobiosciences, Research and Consultancy Agency in Animal Well-Being and Behaviour, Strasbourg, France
| | - Élise Debergue
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Kuntz
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Blandine Keller
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Florian Robic
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Camille Richer
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Amandine Ramos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
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38
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Riehl C, Strong MJ. Stable social relationships between unrelated females increase individual fitness in a cooperative bird. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2018.0130. [PMID: 29643212 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social animals often form long-lasting relationships with fellow group members, usually with close kin. In primates, strong social bonds have been associated with increased longevity, offspring survival and reproductive success. However, little is known about the fitness effects of social bonds between non-kin, especially outside of mammals. In this study, we use long-term field research on a cooperatively breeding bird, the greater ani (Crotophaga major), to ask whether adult females benefit by remaining in long-term associations with unrelated, co-breeding females. We find that females that have previously nested together synchronize their reproduction more rapidly than those nesting with unfamiliar partners, which leads to lower competition and higher fledging success. Importantly, although previous experience with a co-breeding female influenced reproductive synchrony, the degree of reproductive synchrony did not influence whether co-breeding females remained together in subsequent years, ruling out the alternate hypothesis that highly synchronized females are simply more likely to remain together. These results indicate that switching groups is costly to females, and that social familiarity improves reproductive coordination. Stable social relationships therefore have significant fitness consequences for cooperatively nesting female birds, suggesting that direct benefits alone may favour the evolution of associations between non-relatives and contribute to long-term group stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Riehl
- Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Meghan J Strong
- Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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39
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Webber QM, Vander Wal E. Trends and perspectives on the use of animal social network analysis in behavioural ecology: a bibliometric approach. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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40
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Cattelan S, Lucon-Xiccato T, Pilastro A, Griggio M. Familiarity mediates equitable social associations in guppies. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Department of Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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41
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Sueur C, Romano V, Sosa S, Puga-Gonzalez I. Mechanisms of network evolution: a focus on socioecological factors, intermediary mechanisms, and selection pressures. Primates 2018; 60:167-181. [PMID: 30206778 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0682-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Valéria Romano
- Kyoto University Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Sebastian Sosa
- Primates and Evolution Anthropology Laboratory, Anthropology Department, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ivan Puga-Gonzalez
- Institute for Religion, Philosophy and History, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
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42
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Individual- and population-level drivers of consistent foraging success across environments. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1610-1618. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0658-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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43
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Hasenjager MJ, Dugatkin LA. Fear of predation shapes social network structure and the acquisition of foraging information in guppy shoals. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.2020. [PMID: 29167364 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatio-temporal variation in predation risk is predicted to select for plastic anti-predator responses, which may in turn impact the fine-scale social structure of prey groups and processes mediated by that structure. To test these predictions, we manipulated the ambient predation risk experienced by Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) groups before quantifying their social networks and recording individual latencies to approach and solve a novel foraging task. High-risk conditions drove the formation of social networks that were more strongly assorted by body size than those exposed to low ambient risk and promoted longer durations of contact between preferred partners. Additionally, high background predation risk reduced the probability individuals would approach and solve a novel foraging task. Network-based diffusion analysis revealed that while social transmission of the task solution from knowledgeable to naive individuals occurred at a higher rate within low-risk groups, individuals in high-risk groups were particularly likely to investigate the task while shoaling with preferred social partners. Taken together, our results suggest that the structure and functional importance of prey social networks may partly depend on local predation pressure. Furthermore, by influencing individuals' access to information, fear of predation may impact decision-making in a potentially wide array of behavioural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Hasenjager
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA .,School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Lee A Dugatkin
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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44
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Brent LJN, Ruiz-Lambides A, Platt ML. Persistent social isolation reflects identity and social context but not maternal effects or early environment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17791. [PMID: 29259240 PMCID: PMC5736592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18104-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals who are well integrated into society have greater access to resources and tend to live longer. Why some individuals are socially isolated and others are not is therefore puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. Answering this question requires establishing the mix of intrinsic and contextual factors that contribute to social isolation. Using social network data spanning up to half of the median adult lifespan in a gregarious primate, we found that some measures of social isolation were modestly repeatable within individuals, consistent with a trait. By contrast, social isolation was not explained by the identity of an animal's mother or the group into which it was born. Nevertheless, age, sex and social status each played a role, as did kin dynamics and familiarity. Females with fewer close relatives were more isolated, and the more time males spent in a new group the less isolated they became, independent of their social status. These results show that social isolation results from a combination of intrinsic and environmental factors. From an evolutionary perspective, these findings suggest that social isolation could be adaptive in some contexts and partly maintained by selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J N Brent
- School of Psychology, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
| | - A Ruiz-Lambides
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - M L Platt
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Marketing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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45
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Borgeaud C, Sosa S, Sueur C, Bshary R. The influence of demographic variation on social network stability in wild vervet monkeys. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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46
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47
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Social security: social relationship strength and connectedness influence how marmots respond to alarm calls. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2374-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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48
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Ladds Z, Hoppitt W, Boogert NJ. Social learning in otters. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170489. [PMID: 28878997 PMCID: PMC5579113 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The use of information provided by others to tackle life's challenges is widespread, but should not be employed indiscriminately if it is to be adaptive. Evidence is accumulating that animals are indeed selective and adopt 'social learning strategies'. However, studies have generally focused on fish, bird and primate species. Here we extend research on social learning strategies to a taxonomic group that has been neglected until now: otters (subfamily Lutrinae). We collected social association data on captive groups of two gregarious species: smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), known to hunt fish cooperatively in the wild, and Asian short-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus), which feed individually on prey requiring extractive foraging behaviours. We then presented otter groups with a series of novel foraging tasks, and inferred social transmission of task solutions with network-based diffusion analysis. We show that smooth-coated otters can socially learn how to exploit novel food sources and may adopt a 'copy when young' strategy. We found no evidence for social learning in the Asian short-clawed otters. Otters are thus a promising model system for comparative research into social learning strategies, while conservation reintroduction programmes may benefit from facilitating the social transmission of survival skills in these vulnerable species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zosia Ladds
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - William Hoppitt
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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