1
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Delaunay A, Cossu-Doye O, Roura-Torres B, Sauvadet L, Ngoubangoye B, Huchard E, Charpentier MJE. An early-life challenge: becoming an older sibling in wild mandrills. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240597. [PMID: 39050716 PMCID: PMC11265912 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
In monotocous mammals, most individuals experience the birth of a younger sibling. This period may induce losses in maternal care and can be physiologically, energetically and emotionally challenging for the older sibling, yet has rarely been studied in wild primates. We used behavioural data collected from a natural population of mandrills to investigate changes in maternal care and mother-juvenile relationship throughout the transition to siblinghood (TTS), by comparing juveniles who recently experienced the birth of a younger sibling, to juveniles who did not. We found that the TTS was associated with an abrupt cessation of the weaning process for the juvenile, and to a decrease in maternal affiliation. Juveniles' reactions were sex-specific, as males associated less with their mother, while females tended to groom their mother more often after the birth of their sibling. Despite the substantial loss of maternal care, juveniles did not show an increase in conflict or anxiety-related behaviours. This study contributes to explain why short interbirth intervals often pose a risk to juveniles' survival in monotocous primates. Our results contrast existing studies and further highlight the importance of examining the TTS in species and populations with various life histories and ecologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axelle Delaunay
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Océane Cossu-Doye
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Berta Roura-Torres
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute of Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenback, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Elise Huchard
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie J. E. Charpentier
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestrasse 5, Konstanz78467, Germany
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2
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Catitti B, Grüebler MU, Farine DR, Kormann UG. Natal legacies cause social and spatial marginalization during dispersal. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14366. [PMID: 38332501 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14366] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Early-life experiences can drive subsequent variation in social behaviours, but how differences among individuals emerge remains unknown. We combined experimental manipulations with GPS-tracking to investigate the pathways through which developmental conditions affect social network position during the early dispersal of wild red kites (Milvus milvus). Across 211 juveniles from 140 broods, last-hatched chicks-the least competitive-had the fewest number of peer encounters after fledging. However, when food supplemented, they had more encounters than all others. Using 4425 bird-days of GPS data, we revealed that this was driven by differential responses to competition, with less competitive individuals naturally spreading out into marginal areas, and clustering in central foraging areas when food supplemented. Our results suggest that early-life adversities can cause significant natal legacies on individual behaviour beyond independence, with potentially far-reaching consequences on the social and spatial structure of animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Catitti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Urs G Kormann
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
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3
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Catitti B, Kormann UG, van Bergen VS, Grüebler MU. Turning tables: food availability shapes dynamic aggressive behaviour among asynchronously hatching siblings in red kites Milvus milvus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230328. [PMID: 37476514 PMCID: PMC10354486 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230328] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Aggression represents the backbone of dominance acquisition in several animal societies, where the decision to interact is dictated by its relative cost. Among siblings, such costs are weighted in the light of inclusive fitness, but how this translates to aggression patterns in response to changing external and internal conditions remains unclear. Using a null-model-based approach, we investigate how day-to-day changes in food provisioning affect aggression networks and food allocation in growing red kite (Milvus milvus) nestlings, whose dominance rank is largely dictated by age. We show that older siblings, irrespective of age, change from targeting only close-aged peers (close-competitor pattern) when food provisioning is low, to uniformly attacking all other peers (downward heuristic pattern) as food conditions improve. While food allocation was generally skewed towards the older siblings, the youngest sibling in the nest increased its probability of accessing food as more was provisioned and as downward heuristic patterns became more prominent, suggesting that different aggression patterns allow for catch-up growth after periods of low food. Our results indicate that dynamic aggression patterns within the nest modulate environmental effects on juvenile development by influencing the process of dominance acquisition and potentially impacting the fledging body condition, with far-reaching fitness consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Catitti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs G. Kormann
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
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4
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Delaunay A, Baniel A, Dezeure J, Carter AJ, Cowlishaw G, Charpentier MJ, Huchard E. Transition to siblinghood in a wild chacma baboon population. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.011] [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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5
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Migliaro M, Sánchez-Zavaleta R, Soto-Tinoco E, Ruiz-Contreras AE, Méndez-Díaz M, Herrera-Solís A, Pérez de la Mora M, Prospéro-García OE. Dominance status is associated with a variation in cannabinoid receptor 1 expression and amphetamine reward. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 221:173483. [PMID: 36270348 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173483] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding effects of psychostimulants appear to be distinct between dominant and subordinate individuals. In turn, the endocannabinoid system is an important modulator of drug reward in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex, however the connection with social dominance is yet to be established. Male rats were classified as dominant or subordinate on the basis of their spontaneous agonistic interactions and drug reward was assessed by means of conditioned place preference with amphetamine (AMPH). In addition, the expression of CB1R, CB2R, FAAH1, and DAGLa was quantified from accumbal and cortical tissue samples. Our findings demonstrate that dominant rats required a lesser dose of AMPH to acquire a preference for the drug-associated compartment, thereby suggesting a higher sensitivity to the rewarding effects of AMPH. Furthermore, dominants exhibited a lower expression of CB1R in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. This study illustrates how CBR1 expression could differentiate the behavioral phenotypes associated to social dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Migliaro
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Rodolfo Sánchez-Zavaleta
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Eva Soto-Tinoco
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Alejandra E Ruiz-Contreras
- Laboratorio de Neurogenómica Cognitiva, Coordinación de Psicobiología y Neurociencias, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mónica Méndez-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Andrea Herrera-Solís
- Laboratorio de Efectos Terapéuticos de los Cannabinoides, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Miguel Pérez de la Mora
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Oscar E Prospéro-García
- Laboratorio de Cannabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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6
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Ruiz-Raya F, Velando A. Sunlight and lifestyle: linking prenatal light conditions and personality development in a wild bird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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7
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Zhou L, Ge E, Micheletti AJC, Chen Y, Du J, Mace R. Monks relax sibling competition over parental resources in Tibetan populations. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Why parents in some societies induce some of their sons to become religious celibates is an evolutionary puzzle. Some have speculated that this might be associated with brother competition for family resources. However, the behavioral ecology of monks and the possible links with competition between brothers remain unexplored. Here, we use demographic data from Amdo Tibetan agropastoralists in western China to evaluate what factors determine the probability of becoming a monk and explore the possible association between wealth and having a monk brother. We found that boys with at least one older brother are more likely to become celibate monks. Patrilocal heads of household, who inherit parental property, are more likely to be first-born sons, whereas men who marry uxorilocally, that is they move to their wife’s household, are generally second- or later-born sons. Moreover, we find that men with at least one monk brother are wealthier than men who only have non-celibate brothers. Together, these results suggest that sending a son to the monastery is a way for parents to decrease competition between brothers over family resources. Harsh and resource-limited environments, like the one we consider, can lead to the emergence of communal households, including polyandrous families, which used to be common in Tibetan areas. Directing one son to become a religious celibate offers a potentially effective solution to brother competition in our population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University , 222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000 , PR China
| | - Erhao Ge
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
| | - Alberto J C Micheletti
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
| | - Yuan Chen
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
| | - Juan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University , 222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000 , PR China
| | - Ruth Mace
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
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8
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Ruiz-Raya F, Noguera JC, Velando A. Light received by embryos promotes postnatal junior phenotypes in a seabird. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Light is a salient and variable ecological factor that can impact developmental trajectories of vertebrate embryos, yet whether prenatal light environment can act as an anticipatory cue preparing organisms to cope with postnatal conditions is still unclear. In asynchronous birds, last-laid eggs are particularly exposed to sunlight as parental incubation behavior becomes intermittent after the hatching of senior chicks. Here, we explore whether natural variations in prenatal light exposure shape the distinctive phenotype showed by last-hatched chicks of a semi-precocial seabird, the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), potentially preparing them to cope with the postnatal competitive context. To do this, we manipulated the amount of light received by last-laid eggs (within a natural range) during last stages of embryonic development. Prenatal exposure to light cues promoted the development of the resilient “junior phenotype” exhibited by last-hatched gull chicks, characterized by accelerated hatching, increased begging behavior and a slower growth rate. These developmental and behavioral adjustments were accompanied by down-regulation of genes involved in metabolism and development regulation (SOD2 and TRalpha), as well as changes in the HPA-axis functioning (lower baseline corticosterone and robust adrenocortical response). Junior chicks exposed to light cues during the embryonic development showed longer telomeres during the early postnatal period, suggesting that light-induced adjustments could allow them to buffer the competitive disadvantages associated with hatching asynchrony. Our study provides evidence that postnatal junior phenotypes are, at least in part, prenatally shaped by light cues that act during a critical temporal window of developmental sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal , Vigo 36310 , Spain
| | - Jose C Noguera
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal , Vigo 36310 , Spain
| | - Alberto Velando
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal , Vigo 36310 , Spain
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9
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Dehnen T, Arbon JJ, Farine DR, Boogert NJ. How feedback and feed-forward mechanisms link determinants of social dominance. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1210-1230. [PMID: 35150197 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In many animal societies, individuals differ consistently in their ability to win agonistic interactions, resulting in dominance hierarchies. These differences arise due to a range of factors that can influence individuals' abilities to win agonistic interactions, spanning from genetically driven traits through to individuals' recent interaction history. Yet, despite a century of study since Schjelderup-Ebbe's seminal paper on social dominance, we still lack a general understanding of how these different factors work together to determine individuals' positions in hierarchies. Here, we first outline five widely studied factors that can influence interaction outcomes: intrinsic attributes, resource value asymmetry, winner-loser effects, dyadic interaction-outcome history and third-party support. A review of the evidence shows that a variety of factors are likely important to interaction outcomes, and thereby individuals' positions in dominance hierarchies, in diverse species. We propose that such factors are unlikely to determine dominance outcomes independently, but rather form part of feedback loops whereby the outcomes of previous agonistic interactions (e.g. access to food) impact factors that might be important in subsequent interactions (e.g. body condition). We provide a conceptual framework that illustrates the multitude potential routes through which such feedbacks can occur, and how the factors that determine the outcomes of dominance interactions are highly intertwined and thus rarely act independently of one another. Further, we generalise our framework to include multi-generational feed-forward mechanisms: how interaction outcomes in one generation can influence the factors determining interaction outcomes in the next generation via a range of parental effects. This general framework describes how interaction outcomes and the factors determining them are linked within generations via feedback loops, and between generations via feed-forward mechanisms. We then highlight methodological approaches that will facilitate the study of feedback loops and dominance dynamics. Lastly, we discuss how our framework could shape future research, including: how feedbacks generate variation in the factors discussed, and how this might be studied experimentally; how the relative importance of different feedback mechanisms varies across timescales; the role of social structure in modulating the effect of feedbacks on hierarchy structure and stability; and the routes of parental influence on the dominance status of offspring. Ultimately, by considering dominance interactions as part of a dynamic feedback system that also feeds forward into subsequent generations, we will understand better the factors that structure dominance hierarchies in animal groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobit Dehnen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Josh J Arbon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
| | - Neeltje J Boogert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K
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10
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Szenczi P, González D, Martínez-Byer S, Rödel HG, Hudson R, Bánszegi O. Motivation matters: lighter littermates of the domestic cat compete more successfully for meat at weaning. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03079-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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11
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Satoh S, Nishida Y, Saeki T, Kawasaka K, Kohda M, Awata S. The functional role of sibling aggression and “best of a bad job” strategies in cichlid juveniles. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Siblings often compete for limited resources, such as food provided by their parents. However, although several functions of nonlethal sibling (nonsiblicidal) aggression have been proposed, there is currently little empirical evidence for these, apart from food monopolization. Here, we investigated the functions of nonlethal sibling aggression in the biparental-caring territorial herbivorous cichlid Varibilichromis moorii. We found that the juveniles of this species are highly aggressive and that larger juveniles are more aggressive toward their smaller siblings. Larger juveniles feed on algae more frequently than smaller siblings, thereby indicating a dominance hierarchy. Sibling aggression decreased when algae in the nest was experimentally removed. Furthermore, the removal of smaller juveniles decreased sibling aggression among the remaining larger juveniles, whereas the removal of larger juveniles increased aggression among smaller juveniles. The algal feeding rate of juveniles only increased when larger individuals were removed from the nest. Moreover, larger juveniles attained higher growth rates and remained in natal nests longer than smaller individuals. Our results indicate that sibling aggression may facilitate the monopolization of resources by larger juveniles and extend the parental care period. Interestingly, a small subset of juveniles was observed to migrate to other nests. These juveniles were larger than those of the host brood, and their growth rate increased within the new nests. We suggest that subordinate juveniles may disperse from natal nests and sneak into new nests to enhance their rank, which may represent a novel example of a “best of a bad job” strategy associated with sibling competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Satoh
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Miura, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuusuke Nishida
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Taiga Saeki
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kento Kawasaka
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masanori Kohda
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Awata
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Japan
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12
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Brood sex ratio modulates the effects of extra food on parental effort and sibling competition in a sexually dimorphic raptor. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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13
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Desrochers L, Branconi R, Schlatter E, Dent B, Buston P. Sensory cues underlying competitive growth in the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula). Behav Processes 2020; 181:104276. [PMID: 33091543 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In some animal societies, access to breeding depends on the individual's position in a hierarchy, which often depends on an individual's size. In such societies, individuals may try to outgrow one another to attain a higher rank by engaging in a form of strategic growth (competitive growth). This suggests that members of the hierarchy can track changes in the growth and size of potential competitors and respond accordingly. The clown anemonefish, Amphiprion percula, is one species known to exhibit competitive growth at the initiation of size hierarchies. Here, we use 5 combinations of sensory cues to determine which cues must be available for individuals to engage in competitive growth. Our results show that mechanosensory (pressure and/or touch) cues or unobstructed interactions are necessary for competitive growth to occur. This study provides an understanding of the relationship between sensory cues and phenotypic responses to different social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Desrochers
- Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | | | - E Schlatter
- Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Brianne Dent
- Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Peter Buston
- Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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14
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Allen PE, Miller CW. The hidden cost of group living for aggregating juveniles in a sexually dimorphic species. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The number of conspecifics present during the juvenile stages can have profound consequences on development rates and adult body size, traits often closely related to fitness. Conspecifics can have direct negative effects on each other due to resource competition, and also direct positive effects due to benefits like improved thermoregulation. We investigated morphological and developmental consequences of juvenile group size in the leaf-footed cactus bug Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae). These insects are ideal to test the consequences of social environment during development because nymphs naturally aggregate in groups of varying size. Furthermore, the sexual dimorphism of this species allowed us to test for sex-specific effects of developmental density. Males possess enlarged hind legs used as weapons in male-male contests, yet females are physically larger. We found insects from smaller groups had 43% higher mortality than those from the larger groups. On average, adult body and hind leg sizes did not differ across densities for either sex. Interestingly, we found that those first to mature into adults within a sibling group became the largest adults. The largest, fastest males to adulthood also wielded the biggest weapons due to the positive allometry of this trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo E Allen
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Christine W Miller
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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16
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Hall CL, Porter MA, Dawkins MS. Dominance, sharing, and assessment in an iterated Hawk-Dove game. J Theor Biol 2019; 493:110101. [PMID: 31816295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.110101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Animals use a wide variety of strategies to reduce or avoid aggression in conflicts over resources. These strategies range from sharing resources without outward signs of conflict to the development of dominance hierarchies, in which initial fighting is followed by the submission of subordinates. Although models have been developed to analyse specific strategies for resolving conflicts over resources, little work has focused on trying to understand why particular strategies are more likely to arise in certain situations. In this paper, we use a model based on an iterated Hawk-Dove game to analyse how resource holding potentials (RHPs) and other factors affect whether sharing, dominance relationships, or other behaviours are evolutionarily stable. We find through extensive numerical simulations that sharing is stable only when the cost of fighting is low and the animals in a contest have similar RHPs, whereas dominance relationships are stable in most other situations. We also explore what happens when animals are unable to assess each other's RHPs without fighting, and we compare a range of strategies for contestants using simulations. We find (1) that the most successful strategies involve a limited period of assessment followed by a stable relationship in which fights are avoided and (2) that the duration of assessment depends both on the costliness of fighting and on the difference between the animals' RHPs. Along with our direct work on modelling and simulations, we develop extensive software to facilitate further testing. It is available at https://bitbucket.org/CameronLHall/dominancesharingassessmentmatlab/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Hall
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, UK; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Limerick, Ireland; Department of Mathematics, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Mason A Porter
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, UK; Department of Mathematics, University of California Los Angeles, USA.
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18
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Redondo T, Romero JM, Díaz‐Delgado R, Nagy J. Broodmate aggression and life history variation in accipitrid birds of prey. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9185-9206. [PMID: 31463015 PMCID: PMC6706193 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive sibling competition for parental food resources is relatively infrequent in animals but highly prevalent and extreme among certain bird families, particularly accipitrid raptors (Accipitriformes). Intense broodmate aggression within this group is associated with a suite of traits including a large adult size, small broods, low provisioning rates, and slow development. In this study, we apply phylogenetic comparative analyses to assess the relative importance of several behavioral, morphological, life history, and ecological variables as predictors of the intensity of broodmate aggression in 65 species of accipitrid raptors. We show that intensity of aggression increases in species with lower parental effort (small clutch size and low provisioning rates), while size effects (adult body mass and length of nestling period) are unimportant. Intense aggression is more closely related to a slow life history pace (high adult survival coupled with a restrained parental effort), rather than a by-product of allometry or food limitation. Consideration of several ecological variables affecting prey abundance and availability reveals that certain lifestyles (e.g., breeding in aseasonal habitats or hunting for more agile prey) may slow a species' life history pace and favor the evolution of intense broodmate aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jenő Nagy
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
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19
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Johnston GR. The role of hatching asynchrony and sibling rivalry in pelican brood reduction. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R Johnston
- Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, Adelaide Zoo, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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20
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Wells CP, Van Vuren DH. Developmental and social constraints on early reproduction in an asocial ground squirrel. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. P. Wells
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Crested Butte CO USA
| | - D. H. Van Vuren
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Crested Butte CO USA
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21
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González D, Szenczi P, Bánszegi O, Hudson R. Testing aggressive behaviour in a feeding context: Importance of ethologically relevant stimuli. Behav Processes 2018; 150:1-7. [PMID: 29454644 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The choice of stimuli used in tests of animal behaviour can have a critical effect on the outcome. Here we report two experiments showing how different foods influenced aggressive behaviour in competition tests at weaning among littermates of the domestic cat. Whereas in Experiment 1 canned food elicited almost no overt competition, a piece of raw beef rib elicited clearly aggressive behaviour among littermates. In Experiment 2 the food stimuli were chosen to differ from raw beef rib in various combinations of taste/smell, texture and monopolizability. Kittens showed different levels of aggression in response to the five stimuli tested, which suggests that the strong effect of beef rib in eliciting aggressive behaviour was due to a complex combination of features. We suggest that using stimuli approximating the evolved, functional significance to the species concerned is more likely to result in robust, biologically relevant behaviours than more artificial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel González
- Insituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Péter Szenczi
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km. 1.5 Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla, CP 90062 La Loma Xicohténcatl, Mexico.
| | - Oxána Bánszegi
- Insituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Robyn Hudson
- Insituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, CP 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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22
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Responsiveness to siblings’ need increases with age in vocally negotiating barn owl nestlings. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2342-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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23
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Augustine L. Crocodilian perivitelline membrane-bound sperm detection. Zoo Biol 2017; 36:213-219. [PMID: 28497618 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Advanced reproductive technologies (ART's) are often employed with various taxa to enhance captive breeding programs and maintain genetic diversity. Perivitelline membrane-bound (PVM-bound) sperm detection has previously been demonstrated in avian and chelonian species as a useful technique for breeding management. In the absence of embryotic development within an egg, this technique can detect the presence of sperm trapped on the oocyte membrane confirming breeding, male reproductive status, and pair compatibility. PVM-bound sperm were successfully detected in three clutches of Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) eggs at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park (NZP) for the first time in any crocodilian species. PVM-bound sperm were detected in fresh and incubated C. rhombifer eggs, as well as eggs that were developing (banded) and those that were not (not banded). The results of this study showed significant differences in average sperm densities per egg between clutches (p = 0.001). Additionally, there was not a significant difference within clutches between eggs that banded and those that did not band (Clutch A, p = 0.505; Clutch B, p = 0.665; Clutch C, p = 0.266). The results of this study demonstrate the necessity to microscopically examine eggs that do not develop (do not band), to determine if sperm is present, which can help animal managers problem solve reproductive shortcomings. PVM-bound sperm detection could be a useful technique in assessing crocodilian breeding programs, as well as have potential uses in studies assessing sperm storage, artificial insemination, and artificial incubation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Augustine
- George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.,Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, Washington DC
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24
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Hernández-Reyes R, Rodríguez C, Drummond H. Aggressive defence of food by precocial chicks varies with its concentration in space. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In juvenile and adult animals, including mammals, birds, fishes and a crustacean, competition for food becomes increasingly aggressive as its spatial concentration increases. This ecological relationship has not been investigated in infant animals, although it is thought that broods of precocial chicks of some avian species compete aggressively for food or status in a brood hierarchy. When pairs of common quail broodmates were offered the same amount of ground corn in four spatial concentrations between ages 15 and 59 days, aggression increased progressively with concentration, culminating in an overall 16-fold increase when corn was in a single clump. These results suggest that aggressive defence may increase with spatial concentration of food in precocial chicks generally, and raise the possibility that a similar pattern could occur in some altricial chicks during the transition to independence and in infants of other animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Rodríguez
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-275; CP 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, México City, México
| | - Hugh Drummond
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-275; CP 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, México City, México
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25
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Rome was not built in one day: Underlying biological and cognitive factors responsible for the emergence of agriculture and ultrasociality. Behav Brain Sci 2016; 39:e100. [PMID: 27562680 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x15001065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Agriculture represented a major transition in human evolution, but the appearance of ultrasociality must have included previous steps. We argue that ultrasociality would not have suddenly emerged with agriculture, but rather developed from pre-existing cognitive and social mechanisms. Discussions must include necessary depth about the historical origins of human ultrasociality, and agriculture's aftereffects on large-scale social organization.
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26
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McCormick MI. Protogyny in a tropical damselfish: females queue for future benefit. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2198. [PMID: 27413641 PMCID: PMC4933090 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Membership of the group is a balance between the benefits associated with group living and the cost of socially constrained growth and breeding opportunities, but the costs and benefits are seldom examined. The goal of the present study was to explore the trade-offs associated with group living for a sex-changing, potentially protogynous coral reef fish, the Ambon damselfish, Pomacentrus amboinensis. Extensive sampling showed that the species exhibits resource defence polygyny, where dominant males guard a nest site that is visited by females. P. amboinensis have a longevity of about 6.5 years on the northern Great Barrier Reef. While the species can change sex consistent with being a protogynous hermaphrodite, it is unclear the extent to which the species uses this capability. Social groups are comprised of one reproductive male, 1-7 females and a number of juveniles. Females live in a linear dominance hierarchy, with the male being more aggressive to the beta-female than the alpha-female, who exhibits lower levels of ovarian cortisol. Surveys and a tagging study indicated that groups were stable for at least three months. A passive integrated transponder tag study showed that males spawn with females from their own group, but also females from neighbouring groups. In situ behavioural observations found that alpha-females have priority of access to the nest site that the male guarded, and access to higher quality foraging areas. Male removal studies suggest that the alpha-females can change sex to take over from the male when the position becomes available. Examination of otolith microstructure showed that those individuals which change sex to males have different embryonic characteristics at hatching, suggesting that success may involve a component that is parentally endowed. The relative importance of parental effects and social organisation in affecting the importance of female queuing is yet to be studied, but will likely depend on the strength of social control by the dominant members of the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark I McCormick
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and Department of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, James Cook University , Townsville , Queensland , Australia
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27
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Diaz-Real J, Kim SY, Velando A. Hatching hierarchy but not egg-related effects governs behavioral phenotypes in gull chicks. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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28
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Ejsmond MJ, Varpe Ø, Czarnoleski M, Kozłowski J. Seasonality in Offspring Value and Trade-Offs with Growth Explain Capital Breeding. Am Nat 2015. [DOI: 10.1086/683119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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29
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Furness AI, Morrison KR, Orr TJ, Arendt JD, Reznick DN. Reproductive mode and the shifting arenas of evolutionary conflict. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1360:75-100. [PMID: 26284738 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, the genetic interests of individuals are not perfectly aligned. Conflicts among family members are prevalent since interactions involve the transfer of limited resources between interdependent players. Intrafamilial conflict has traditionally been considered along three major axes: between the sexes, between parents and offspring, and between siblings. In these interactions, conflict is expected over traits in which the resulting phenotypic value is determined by multiple family members who have only partially overlapping fitness optima. We focus on four major categories of animal reproductive mode (broadcast spawning, egg laying, live bearing, and live bearing with matrotrophy) and identify the shared phenotypes or traits over which conflict is expected, and then review the empirical literature for evidence of their occurrence. Major transitions among reproductive mode, such as a shift from external to internal fertilization, an increase in egg-retention time, modifications of embryos and mothers for nutrient transfer, the evolution of postnatal parental care, and increased interaction with the kin network, mark key shifts that both change and expand the arenas in which conflict is played out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew I Furness
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Keenan R Morrison
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Teri J Orr
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Jeff D Arendt
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
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30
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Differential metabolism of brown adipose tissue in newborn rabbits in relation to position in the litter huddle. J Therm Biol 2015; 51:33-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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31
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Grueber CE, Hogg CJ, Ivy JA, Belov K. Impacts of early viability selection on management of inbreeding and genetic diversity in conservation. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:1645-53. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E. Grueber
- Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
- San Diego Zoo Global; PO Box 120551 San Diego CA 92112 USA
| | - Carolyn J. Hogg
- Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia; PO Box 20 Mosman NSW 2088 Australia
| | - Jamie A. Ivy
- San Diego Zoo Global; PO Box 120551 San Diego CA 92112 USA
| | - Katherine Belov
- Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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32
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Information Retention During Competitive Interactions: Siblings Need to Constantly Repeat Vocal Displays. Evol Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-014-9299-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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33
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Granroth-Wilding HMV, Burthe SJ, Lewis S, Reed TE, Herborn KA, Newell MA, Takahashi EA, Daunt F, Cunningham EJA. Parasitism in early life: environmental conditions shape within-brood variation in responses to infection. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:3408-19. [PMID: 25535557 PMCID: PMC4228615 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites play key ecological and evolutionary roles through the costs they impose on their host. In wild populations, the effect of parasitism is likely to vary considerably with environmental conditions, which may affect the availability of resources to hosts for defense. However, the interaction between parasitism and prevailing conditions is rarely quantified. In addition to environmental variation acting on hosts, individuals are likely to vary in their response to parasitism, and the combined effect of both may increase heterogeneity in host responses. Offspring hierarchies, established by parents in response to uncertain rearing conditions, may be an important source of variation between individuals. Here, we use experimental antiparasite treatment across 5 years of variable conditions to test how annual population productivity (a proxy for environmental conditions) and parasitism interact to affect growth and survival of different brood members in juvenile European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). In control broods, last-hatched chicks had more plastic growth rates, growing faster in more productive years. Older siblings grew at a similar rate in all years. Treatment removed the effect of environment on last-hatched chicks, such that all siblings in treated broods grew at a similar rate across environmental conditions. There were no differences in nematode burden between years or siblings, suggesting that variation in responses arose from intrinsic differences between chicks. Whole-brood growth rate was not affected by treatment, indicating that within-brood differences were driven by a change in resource allocation between siblings rather than a change in overall parental provisioning. We show that gastrointestinal parasites can be a key component of offspring's developmental environment. Our results also demonstrate the value of considering prevailing conditions for our understanding of parasite effects on host life-history traits. Establishing how environmental conditions shape responses to parasitism is important as environmental variability is predicted to increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna M V Granroth-Wilding
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories King's Buildings, West Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, U.K
| | - Sarah J Burthe
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, U.K
| | - Sue Lewis
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories King's Buildings, West Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, U.K
| | - Thomas E Reed
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork Cork, Ireland
| | - Katherine A Herborn
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, U.K
| | - Mark A Newell
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, U.K
| | - Emi A Takahashi
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories King's Buildings, West Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, U.K
| | - Francis Daunt
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, U.K
| | - Emma J A Cunningham
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories King's Buildings, West Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, U.K
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Braasch A, Becker PH, Groothuis TGG. Response of testosterone and corticosterone plasma levels to the challenge of sibling competition: a study in common terns. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 204:95-103. [PMID: 24859255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2013] [Revised: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The hormonal response to social challenges has been widely studied, however, most work focused on adult behavior in a reproductive context although developing animals also encounter important social challenges early in life. We studied the relationship between acute sibling competition and plasma corticosterone (CORT) and testosterone (T) in common tern (Sterna hirundo) chicks, a species whose young compete for access to food by scramble interactions. Blood samples were taken in nests with two and only one single chick both immediately after a feeding bout and in non-challenged controls. We found that T levels were lower in siblings challenged by a feeding bout as compared to controls, which may be explained by the fact that T suppresses begging behavior and is only elevated in response to territorial intrusion but not sibling competition in a related species. Singletons had, corrected for body condition, generally lower CORT levels than siblings suggesting that growing up with siblings creates a competitive environment in which high CORT levels are sustained irrespective of a social challenge. CORT levels were also negatively correlated with body condition and were higher in males than in females. The latter may be related to sex-specific food requirements and susceptibility to stress. Our results suggest a possible suppressive effect of acute sibling competition on T secretion, and a positive effect on CORT levels by longer term sibling competition. The degree to which these dynamics are related to begging or aggression, or both, needs further experimental work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Braasch
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, D-26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Peter H Becker
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, D-26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Behavioural Biology, Centre for Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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37
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The good, the bad, and the ugly: agonistic behaviour in juvenile crocodilians. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80872. [PMID: 24349018 PMCID: PMC3859503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined agonistic behaviour in seven species of hatchling and juvenile crocodilians held in small groups (N = 4) under similar laboratory conditions. Agonistic interactions occurred in all seven species, typically involved two individuals, were short in duration (5–15 seconds), and occurred between 1600–2200 h in open water. The nature and extent of agonistic interactions, the behaviours displayed, and the level of conspecific tolerance varied among species. Discrete postures, non-contact and contact movements are described. Three of these were species-specific: push downs by C. johnstoni; inflated tail sweeping by C. novaeguineae; and, side head striking combined with tail wagging by C. porosus. The two long-snouted species (C. johnstoni and G. gangeticus) avoided contact involving the head and often raised the head up out of the way during agonistic interactions. Several behaviours not associated with aggression are also described, including snout rubbing, raising the head up high while at rest, and the use of vocalizations. The two most aggressive species (C. porosus, C. novaeguineae) appeared to form dominance hierarchies, whereas the less aggressive species did not. Interspecific differences in agonistic behaviour may reflect evolutionary divergence associated with morphology, ecology, general life history and responses to interspecific conflict in areas where multiple species have co-existed. Understanding species-specific traits in agonistic behaviour and social tolerance has implications for the controlled raising of different species of hatchlings for conservation, management or production purposes.
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38
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Merkling T, Agdere L, Albert E, Durieux R, Hatch SA, Danchin E, Blanchard P. Is natural hatching asynchrony optimal? An experimental investigation of sibling competition patterns in a facultatively siblicidal seabird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1646-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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39
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Müller MS, Moe B, Groothuis TGG. Testosterone increases siblicidal aggression in black-legged kittiwake chicks (Rissa tridactyla). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1637-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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40
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Boncoraglio G, Groothuis TGG. Effect of rapid modulation of circulating plasma testosterone concentration on begging, aggressive behavior and competition for food in black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus) chicks. Horm Behav 2013; 64:487-93. [PMID: 23962563 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Revised: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Sibling competition mediated by begging behavior is extremely common in avian species and recent studies have highlighted the role of endogenous testosterone in regulating such phenomenon. However, current literature depicts an inconsistent pattern in altricial vs. semi-precocial species, with stimulating versus inhibitory effects of the hormone respectively. This is possibly due to a difference in the methodology of hormone treatment (short-term moderate dose versus a long-term stronger elevation, respectively) between the studies performed so far. In this study, we induced short-term moderate peaks in plasma testosterone levels, as applied in altricial bird species, and assessed the effects of our manipulation on begging, competitive and aggressive behavior in black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus) chicks, a semi-precocial species. Our results suggest that, unlike in altricial songbirds, temporary increase of plasma testosterone concentration suppresses begging and enhances aggressiveness towards intruders. However, it also increases aggression and the chances of getting priority while scrambling with nest mates to gain access to food. Thus, the inconsistencies in the hormonal control of begging behavior observed between altricial vs. semi-precocial birds seem real and perhaps related to species differences in complexity of the display and the nature of competition. These may be elucidated by future comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Boncoraglio
- Behavioural Biology, University of Groningen, Centre for Behaviour and Neuroscience, Nijenborgh 7, 9747AG, Groningen The Netherlands; Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milano, Italy.
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41
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Benhaiem S, Hofer H, Dehnhard M, Helms J, East ML. Sibling competition and hunger increase allostatic load in spotted hyaenas. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130040. [PMID: 23616643 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Allostatis is the process of maintaining homeostatis through behavioural or physiological responses to challenges, and its cumulative energetic cost is termed allostatic load. The allostatic load hypothesis predicts that hunger and the mechanisms that establish and maintain social dominance should have a strong impact on allostatic load. In spotted hyaenas, dominance between twin siblings emerges during intense early competition for maternal milk and involves trained winner/loser effects. Conflict over access to teats declines with age as behavioural dominance conventions are established. In young litters, the allostatic load of subordinates measured in terms of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations (fGMCs) should be higher than that of dominants. When low milk provisioning threatens survival, hungry subordinates are more assertive, particularly when competing against a dominant sister. Dominants challenged by assertive subordinates should have allostatic loads and fGMCs above those of dominants with subordinates that adhere to dominance conventions. We show that in young litters, subordinates had significantly higher fGMCs than dominants, and dominant sisters had significantly higher fGMCs than dominant brothers. When hungry, both dominants and subordinates had significantly higher fGMCs than when fed. Our results provide evidence that hunger and sibling competition affect allostatic load in spotted hyaenas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Benhaiem
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, Berlin 10315, Germany.
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Interaction between distant taxa in the use of tree cavities in African ecosystems: a study using nest-boxes. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1017/s026646741300014x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Convergence in the use of resources may occur between distantly related organisms. A major ecological resource in which members of various taxa may be interested is a cavity for nesting. A variety of social hymenopterans and vertebrates may nest within tree cavities in tropical ecosystems. We used 241 nest-boxes placed in seven Kenyan localities to investigate the use of nesting cavities by members of distant taxa and discuss whether interaction between them is a potential factor shaping cavity-nester communities in tropical regions. The nest-boxes were occupied by social insects (ants, bees and wasps) (30.1% of nest-boxes in April–May and 33.1% in September–October) and vertebrates (birds and mammals) (20% and 7.7%, respectively). Hymenopterans were more abundant in forest boxes (36.2% of nest-boxes occupied in April–May and 37% in September–October), whereas savannas had lower figures (21.7% and 31.3%, respectively). Among vertebrates, most occupants of nest-boxes in savanna were birds (17.8% of nest-boxes occupied vs. 8% in mammals), while mammals predominated in forests (4.9% of the nest-boxes occupied vs. 0.3% in birds). Spatial and temporal patterns of occupation highlight the potential that interaction between distant taxa may have on the access to nesting cavities. More nest-boxes remained unoccupied in forested areas than in savanna areas suggesting that a shorter supply of nesting sites in the savanna may be a source of competition. The simultaneous occupation of a nest-box by two different taxa was exceptional, also supporting the hypothesized inter-taxon competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Ciudad Universitaria; México; DF; Mexico
| | - Hans Distel
- Institut für Medizinische Psychologie; Ludwig-Maximilians Universität; München; Germany
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Drummond H, Rodríguez C. Costs of growing up as a subordinate sibling are passed to the next generation in blue-footed boobies. J Evol Biol 2013; 26:625-34. [PMID: 23305448 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Revised: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
As stresses in early development may generate costs in adult life, sibling competition and conflict in infancy are expected to diminish the reproductive value of surviving low-status members of broods and litters. We analysed delayed costs to blue-footed booby fledglings, Sula nebouxii, of junior status in the brood, which involves aggressive subordination, food deprivation and elevated corticosterone, but little or no deficit in size at fledging. In ten cohorts observed for up to 16 years, juniors showed no deficit in breeding success at any age, independent of lifespan, including in a sample of sibling pairs. Among females, juniors actually outreproduced seniors across the 16-year span. However, offspring produced by juniors in the first 3 years of life were less likely to recruit into the breeding population than offspring of seniors. Since junior fledglings survive, recruit and compete as well as seniors (shown earlier), and breed as successfully as seniors across the lifespan, it appears the delayed cost of subordination is passed to offspring, and only to those few offspring produced in the first 3 years of life. These correlational results indicate that systematic competition-related differences in developmental conditions of infant siblings can alter their reproductive value by affecting the viability of their eventual offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Drummond
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
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Brien ML, Webb GJ, Lang JW, Christian KA. Intra- and interspecific agonistic behaviour in hatchling Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) and saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). AUST J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1071/zo13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We examined agonistic behaviour in hatchling Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) at 2 weeks, 13 weeks, and 50 weeks after hatching, and between C. johnstoni and saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) at 40–50 weeks of age. Among C. johnstoni, agonistic interactions (15–23 s duration) were well established by two weeks old and typically involved two and occasionally three individuals, mostly between 17 : 00 and 24 : 00 hours in open-water areas of enclosures. A range of discrete postures, non-contact and contact movements are described. The head is rarely targeted in contact movements with C. johnstoni because they exhibit a unique ‘head raised high’ posture, and engage in ‘push downs’. In contrast with C. porosus of a similar age, agonistic interactions between C. johnstoni were conducted with relatively low intensity and showed limited ontogenetic change; there was also no evidence of a dominance hierarchy among hatchlings by 50 weeks of age, when the frequency of agonistic interactions was lowest. Agonistic interactions between C. johnstoni and C. porosus at 40–50 weeks of age were mostly low level, with no real exclusion or dominance observed. However, smaller individuals of both species moved slowly out of the way when a larger individual of either species approached. When medium- or high-level interspecific interactions did occur, it was between similar-sized individuals, and each displayed species-specific behaviours that appeared difficult for contestants to interpret: there was no clear winner or loser. The nature of agonistic interactions between the two species suggests that dominance may be governed more strongly by size rather than by species-specific aggressiveness.
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Dreiss AN, Ruppli CA, Faller C, Roulin A. Big brother is watching you: eavesdropping to resolve family conflicts. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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Antonevich AL, Erofeeva MN, Naidenko CV. Early sibling aggression of Eurasian lynx depends on the growth rate. DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTIONS 2012; 447:360-362. [PMID: 23292470 DOI: 10.1134/s001249661206004x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A L Antonevich
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow, 117071 Russia
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Arteaga L, Rödel HG, Elizalde MT, González D, Hudson R. The Pattern of Nipple Use Before Weaning Among Littermates of the Domestic Dog. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Arteaga
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta; Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala; Tlaxcala; Mexico
| | - Heiko G. Rödel
- Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité; Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée; Villetaneuse; France
| | - Marise T. Elizalde
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico; DF; Mexico
| | - Daniel González
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico; DF; Mexico
| | - Robyn Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico; DF; Mexico
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Müller MS, Roelofs Y, Erikstad KE, Groothuis TGG. Maternal androgens increase sibling aggression, dominance, and competitive ability in the siblicidal black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). PLoS One 2012; 7:e47763. [PMID: 23112843 PMCID: PMC3480423 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals and plants routinely produce more offspring than they can afford to rear. Mothers can favour certain young by conferring on them competitive advantages such as a leading position in the birth sequence, more resources or hormones. Avian mothers create hatching asynchrony within a clutch and at the same time bestow the eggs with different concentrations of androgens that may enhance or counteract the competitive advantage experienced by early-hatching “core” young. In siblicidal birds, core young assume a dominant social position in the nest due to their size advantage and when threatened with starvation fatally attack subdominant later-hatching “marginal” young. A role for maternal androgens in siblicidal aggression has frequently been suggested but never tested. We studied this in the facultatively siblicidal black-headed kittiwake. We found that marginal eggs contain higher instead of lower concentrations of androgens than core eggs. Surprisingly, exposure to experimentally elevated yolk androgens increased sibling aggression and dominance, even though in nature marginal eggs never produce dominant chicks. We propose the “adoption facilitation hypothesis” to explain this paradox. This cliff-nesting colonial species has a high adoption rate: ejected marginal kittiwake chicks frequently fall into other nests containing chicks of similar or smaller size and exposure to yolk androgens might help them integrate themselves into a foster nest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina S Müller
- Centre of Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Lötter TK, Pillay N. Post-Weaning Social behaviour within Mother—Offspring Groups of the Bushveld Gerbil,Gerbilliscus leucogaster: Implications for Dispersal. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.3377/004.047.0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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