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Cavallino L, Florencia Scaia M, Gabriela Pozzi A, Eugenia Pedreira M. Recognizing the opponent: The consolidation of long-term social memory in zebrafish males. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 212:107939. [PMID: 38762038 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Recognizing and remembering another individual in a social context could be beneficial for individual fitness. Especially in agonistic encounters, remembering an opponent and the previous fight could allow for avoiding new conflicts. Considering this, we hypothesized that this type of social interaction forms a long-term recognition memory lasting several days. It has been shown that a second encounter 24 h later between the same pair of zebrafish males is resolved with lower levels of aggression. Here, we evaluated if this behavioral change could last for longer intervals and a putative mechanism associated with memory storage: the recruitment of NMDA receptors. We found that if a pair of zebrafish males fight and fight again 48 or 72 h later, they resolve the second encounter with lower levels of aggression. However, if opponents were exposed to MK-801 (NMDA receptor antagonist) immediately after the first encounter, they solved the second one with the same levels of aggression: that is, no reduction in aggressive behaviors was observed. These amnesic effect suggest the formation of a long-term social memory related to recognizing a particular opponent and/or the outcome and features of a previous fight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Cavallino
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología y comportamiento en peces y anfibios, DBBE, IBBEA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina; Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2, Piso 4°, Laboratorio26 (C1428EHA), Argentina.
| | - María Florencia Scaia
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología y comportamiento en peces y anfibios, DBBE, IBBEA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina; Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2, Piso 4°, Laboratorio26 (C1428EHA), Argentina
| | - Andrea Gabriela Pozzi
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología y comportamiento en peces y anfibios, DBBE, IBBEA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina; Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2, Piso 4°, Laboratorio26 (C1428EHA), Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Pedreira
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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2
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Monk CT, Aslak U, Brockmann D, Arlinghaus R. Rhythm of relationships in a social fish over the course of a full year in the wild. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:56. [PMID: 37710318 PMCID: PMC10502983 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00410-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animals are expected to adjust their social behaviour to cope with challenges in their environment. Therefore, for fish populations in temperate regions with seasonal and daily environmental oscillations, characteristic rhythms of social relationships should be pronounced. To date, most research concerning fish social networks and biorhythms has occurred in artificial laboratory environments or over confined temporal scales of days to weeks. Little is known about the social networks of wild, freely roaming fish, including how seasonal and diurnal rhythms modulate social networks over the course of a full year. The advent of high-resolution acoustic telemetry enables us to quantify detailed social interactions in the wild over time-scales sufficient to examine seasonal rhythms at whole-ecosystems scales. Our objective was to explore the rhythms of social interactions in a social fish population at various time-scales over one full year in the wild by examining high-resolution snapshots of a dynamic social network. METHODS To that end, we tracked the behaviour of 36 adult common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in a 25 ha lake and constructed temporal social networks among individuals across various time-scales, where social interactions were defined by proximity. We compared the network structure to a temporally shuffled null model to examine the importance of social attraction, and checked for persistent characteristic groups over time. RESULTS The clustering within the carp social network tended to be more pronounced during daytime than nighttime throughout the year. Social attraction, particularly during daytime, was a key driver for interactions. Shoaling behavior substantially increased during daytime in the wintertime, whereas in summer carp interacted less frequently, but the interaction duration increased. Therefore, smaller, characteristic groups were more common in the summer months and during nighttime, where the social memory of carp lasted up to two weeks. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that social relationships of carp change diurnally and seasonally. These patterns were likely driven by predator avoidance, seasonal shifts in lake temperature, visibility, forage availability and the presence of anoxic zones. The techniques we employed can be applied generally to high-resolution biotelemetry data to reveal social structures across other fish species at ecologically realistic scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Monk
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
- Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany.
| | - Ulf Aslak
- DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, DK-2800 Kgs.., Denmark
| | - Dirk Brockmann
- Robert Koch-Institute, Nordufer 20, Berlin, D-13353, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology and Integrative Research Institute for the Life Sciences, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Arlinghaus
- Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environmental Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Division of Integrative Fisheries Management, Department of Crop and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
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3
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Zhang M, Zou Y, Xiao S, Hou J. Environmental DNA metabarcoding serves as a promising method for aquatic species monitoring and management: A review focused on its workflow, applications, challenges and prospects. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115430. [PMID: 37647798 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Marine and freshwater biodiversity is under threat from both natural and manmade causes. Biological monitoring is currently a top priority for biodiversity protection. Given present limitations, traditional biological monitoring methods may not achieve the proposed monitoring aims. Environmental DNA metabarcoding technology reflects species information by capturing and extracting DNA from environmental samples, using molecular biology techniques to sequence and analyze the DNA, and comparing the obtained information with existing reference libraries to obtain species identification. However, its practical application has highlighted several limitations. This paper summarizes the main steps in the environmental application of eDNA metabarcoding technology in aquatic ecosystems, including the discovery of unknown species, the detection of invasive species, and evaluations of biodiversity. At present, with the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence, certain advanced technologies and devices can be combined with environmental DNA metabarcoding technology to promote further development of aquatic species monitoring and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaolian Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Systems Optimization, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yingtong Zou
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shan Xiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Systems Optimization, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jing Hou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Systems Optimization, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China.
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4
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Kraft S, Gandra M, Lennox RJ, Mourier J, Winkler AC, Abecasis D. Residency and space use estimation methods based on passive acoustic telemetry data. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:12. [PMID: 36859381 PMCID: PMC9976422 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00364-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic telemetry has helped overcome many of the challenges faced when studying the movement ecology of aquatic species, allowing to obtain unprecedented amounts of data. This has made it into one of the most widely used methods nowadays. Many ways to analyse acoustic telemetry data have been made available and deciding on how to analyse the data requires considering the type of research objectives, relevant properties of the data (e.g., resolution, study design, equipment), habits of the study species, researcher experience, among others. To ease this decision process, here we showcase (1) some of the methods used to estimate pseudo-positions and positions from raw acoustic telemetry data, (2) methods to estimate residency and (3) methods to estimate two-dimensional home and occurrence range using geometric or hull-based methods and density-distribution methods, a network-based approach, and three-dimensional methods. We provide examples of some of these were tested using a sample of real data. With this we intend to provide the necessary background for the selection of the method(s) that better fit specific research objectives when using acoustic telemetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kraft
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
| | - M Gandra
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - R J Lennox
- Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries at NORCE Norwegian Research Center, Bergen, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Mourier
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
| | - A C Winkler
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - D Abecasis
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Smart sharks: a review of chondrichthyan cognition. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:175-188. [PMID: 36394656 PMCID: PMC9877065 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01708-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
450 million years of evolution have given chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and allies) ample time to adapt perfectly to their respective everyday life challenges and cognitive abilities have played an important part in that process. The diversity of niches that sharks and rays occupy corresponds to matching diversity in brains and behaviour, but we have only scratched the surface in terms of investigating cognition in this important group of animals. The handful of species that have been cognitively assessed in some detail over the last decade have provided enough data to safely conclude that sharks and rays are cognitively on par with most other vertebrates, including mammals and birds. Experiments in the lab as well as in the wild pose their own unique challenges, mainly due to the handling and maintenance of these animals as well as controlling environmental conditions and elimination of confounding factors. Nonetheless, significant advancements have been obtained in the fields of spatial and social cognition, discrimination learning, memory retention as well as several others. Most studies have focused on behaviour and the underlying neural substrates involved in cognitive information processing are still largely unknown. Our understanding of shark cognition has multiple practical benefits for welfare and conservation management but there are obvious gaps in our knowledge. Like most marine animals, sharks and rays face multiple threats. The effects of climate change, pollution and resulting ecosystem changes on the cognitive abilities of sharks and stingrays remain poorly investigated and we can only speculate what the likely impacts might be based on research on bony fishes. Lastly, sharks still suffer from their bad reputation as mindless killers and are heavily targeted by commercial fishing operations for their fins. This public relations issue clouds people's expectations of shark intelligence and is a serious impediment to their conservation. In the light of the fascinating results presented here, it seems obvious that the general perception of sharks and rays as well as their status as sentient, cognitive animals, needs to be urgently revisited.
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6
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Social responses to the natural loss of individuals in Barbary macaques. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00283-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn recent years, there has been considerable interest in investigating how animal social structure is affected by the loss of individuals. This is often achieved using simulations that generate predictions regarding how the removal of ‘key’ individuals from a group affects network structure. However, little is known about the effects of such removals in wild and free-ranging populations, particularly the extent to which naturally occurring mortality events and the loss of a large proportion of individuals from a social group affects the overall structure of a social network. Here, we used data from a population of wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) that was exposed to an exceptionally harsh winter, culminating in the death of 64% of the adults from two groups. We analysed how social interaction patterns among surviving individuals were affected by the natural loss of group members using social networks based on affiliative (i.e., grooming) and aggressive social interactions. We show that only the structure of the pre-decline grooming networks was conserved in the post-decline networks, suggesting that grooming, but not aggression networks are resilient against the loss of group members. Surviving group members were not significantly different from the non-survivors in terms of their affiliative and agonistic relationships, and did not form assorted communities in the pre-decline networks. Overall, our results suggest that in primates, patterns of affiliative interactions are more resilient to changes in group composition than aggressive interaction patterns, which tend to be used more flexibly in new conditions.
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7
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Perryman RJ, Mourier J, Venables SK, Tapilatu RF, Setyawan E, Brown C. Reef manta ray social dynamics depend on individual differences in behaviour. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Abstract
Despite our critical dependence on aquatic wildlife, we lack a complete understanding of the drivers of population stability and structure for most fish species. Social network analysis has been increasingly used to investigate animal societies as it explicitly links individual decision-making to population-level processes and demography. While the study of social structure is of great ecological interest, it is also potentially important for species of economic value or of conservation concern. To date however, there has been little focus on how social processes are likely to influence the conservation of fish populations. Here we identify applications for how a social network approach can help address broad fish conservation themes such as population structure, biological invasions or fisheries management. We discuss the burgeoning opportunities offered and challenges still faced by current technologies to integrate social network approaches within fish conservation.
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Abrantes K, Barnett A, Soetaert M, Kyne PM, Laird A, Squire L, Seymour J, Wueringer BE, Sleeman J, Huveneers C. Potential of electric fields to reduce bycatch of highly threatened sawfishes. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sawfishes are among the most threatened families of marine fishes and are susceptible to incidental capture in net fisheries. Since bycatch reduction devices currently used in trawl fisheries are not effective at reducing sawfish catches, new methods to minimise sawfish bycatch are needed. Ideally, these should affect sawfish behaviour and prevent contact with the fishing gear. We tested the effects of electric fields on sawfish behaviour to assess the potential of electric pulses in mitigating sawfish bycatch. Experiments were conducted in a tank where 2 electrodes were suspended in the water column, connected to a pulse generator, and placed across the swimming path of sawfish. Two largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis were tested in control conditions, in the presence of a baseline pulse, and of 5 variations of that pulse where 1 parameter (polarity, voltage, frequency, pulse shape, pulse duration) was altered at a time. Conditional inference trees were used to identify the effects of various parameters (e.g. treatment, individual) on reaction type, reaction distance, twitching presence and duration, and inter-approach times. Sawfish reacted to electric fields, but reaction distances were small (typically <1.2 m), and no field tested consistently led to reactions conducive to escaping from moving nets. The following parameters induced the most response in both individuals: bipolar current, rectangular shaped, 5-10 Hz, ~1500 µs duration, and 100 V. We recommend further research focussing on moving nets, testing a V-shaped electric array preceding the net mouth by at least 5 m, and testing a setup similar to electrotrawling.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Abrantes
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - A Barnett
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - M Soetaert
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Animal Sciences - Fisheries, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - PM Kyne
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0815, Australia
| | - A Laird
- Northern Prawn Fishery Industry Pty Ltd, Caloundra, Qld 4551, Australia
| | - L Squire
- Cairns Marine, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - J Seymour
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - BE Wueringer
- Sharks and Rays Australia, PO Box 575, Bungalow, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - J Sleeman
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
| | - C Huveneers
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia
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10
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Ip YCA, Chang JJM, Lim KKP, Jaafar Z, Wainwright BJ, Huang D. Seeing through sedimented waters: environmental DNA reduces the phantom diversity of sharks and rays in turbid marine habitats. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:166. [PMID: 34488638 PMCID: PMC8422768 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01895-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sharks and rays are some of the most threatened marine taxa due to the high levels of bycatch and significant demand for meat and fin-related products in many Asian communities. At least 25% of shark and ray species are considered to be threatened with extinction. In particular, the density of reef sharks in the Pacific has declined to 3-10% of pre-human levels. Elasmobranchs are thought to be sparse in highly urbanised and turbid environments. Low visibility coupled with the highly elusive behaviour of sharks and rays pose a challenge to diversity estimation and biomonitoring efforts as sightings are limited to chance encounters or from carcasses ensnared in nets. Here we utilised an eDNA metabarcoding approach to enhance the precision of elasmobranch diversity estimates in urbanised marine environments. RESULTS We applied eDNA metabarcoding on seawater samples to detect elasmobranch species in the hyper-urbanised waters off Singapore. Two genes-vertebrate 12S and elasmobranch COI-were targeted and amplicons subjected to Illumina high-throughput sequencing. With a total of 84 water samples collected from nine localities, we found 47 shark and ray molecular operational taxonomic units, of which 16 had species-level identities. When data were compared against historical collections and contemporary sightings, eDNA detected 14 locally known species as well as two potential new records. CONCLUSIONS Local elasmobranch richness uncovered by eDNA is greater than the seven species sighted over the last two decades, thereby reducing phantom diversity. Our findings demonstrate that eDNA metabarcoding is effective in detecting shark and ray species despite the challenges posed by the physical environment, granting a more consistent approach to monitor these highly elusive and threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Cheong Aden Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
| | - Jia Jin Marc Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
| | - Kelvin K P Lim
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, 2 Conservatory Drive, Singapore, 117377, Singapore
| | - Zeehan Jaafar
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
| | - Benjamin J Wainwright
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore, 138527, Singapore
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119227, Singapore
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Baremore IE, Graham RT, Burgess GH, Castellanos DW. Movements and residency of Caribbean reef sharks at a remote atoll in Belize, Central America. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201036. [PMID: 34430037 PMCID: PMC8355683 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201036] [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: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated spatial use patterns of 77 Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize over 7 years using residency patterns, kernel density (KD) estimation and network analysis. We found a high degree individual variation in spatial use of the atoll, but there were significant differences in residency and activity space between sexes, with females being overall more resident. Ontogenetic shifts in movement and residency were largely limited to females, as the residency index increased and activity space estimates decreased as females matured, while for males there was no relationship between space use or residency and size. KD analysis revealed many mature females were highly resident to discrete locations, and average activity space of the intermediate-sized sharks was significantly larger than that of the adults, but not the smallest sharks. Markov chain analyses indicated that the southwestern portion of the atoll was the most important movement corridor for all sharks. Both the Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye Natural Monuments provide some protection for larger Caribbean reef sharks; however, a gear ban on longlines on the southwestern forereef between Long Caye and the channel entrance to the Blue Hole would maximize the benefits for all sharks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - George H. Burgess
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Dickinson Hall, Museum Road, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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12
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Colman E, Colizza V, Hanks EM, Hughes DP, Bansal S. Social fluidity mobilizes contagion in human and animal populations. eLife 2021; 10:62177. [PMID: 34328080 PMCID: PMC8324292 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans and other group-living animals tend to distribute their social effort disproportionately. Individuals predominantly interact with a small number of close companions while maintaining weaker social bonds with less familiar group members. By incorporating this behavior into a mathematical model, we find that a single parameter, which we refer to as social fluidity, controls the rate of social mixing within the group. Large values of social fluidity correspond to gregarious behavior, whereas small values signify the existence of persistent bonds between individuals. We compare the social fluidity of 13 species by applying the model to empirical human and animal social interaction data. To investigate how social behavior influences the likelihood of an epidemic outbreak, we derive an analytical expression of the relationship between social fluidity and the basic reproductive number of an infectious disease. For species that form more stable social bonds, the model describes frequency-dependent transmission that is sensitive to changes in social fluidity. As social fluidity increases, animal-disease systems become increasingly density-dependent. Finally, we demonstrate that social fluidity is a stronger predictor of disease outcomes than both group size and connectivity, and it provides an integrated framework for both density-dependent and frequency-dependent transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan Colman
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, United States.,Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Vittoria Colizza
- INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP UMRS 1136), F75012, Paris, France
| | - Ephraim M Hanks
- Department of Statistics, Eberly College of Science, Penn State University, State College, United States
| | - David P Hughes
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State University, State College, United States
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, United States
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13
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le Roux CE, Nocera JJ. Roost sites of chimney swift ( Chaetura pelagica) form large-scale spatial networks. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3820-3829. [PMID: 33976777 PMCID: PMC8093691 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Several biodiversity-centered metrics exist to quantify the importance of landscape and habitat features for conservation efforts. However, for species whose habitat use is not quantified by these metrics, such as those in urban areas, we need a method to best identify features for targeted conservation efforts. We investigated the use of social network analysis (SNA) to identify and quantify these critical habitat features. We used SNA to identify network existence in chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) roost usage, quantify the importance of each roost site, and evaluate the impact of the loss of key sites. We identified a network consisting of ten chimney swift roosts in southern Nova Scotia, Canada, and found that 76% of swifts used more than one roost throughout the breeding season. We also isolated three key (most connected) roost sites. We evaluated the effect of loss of these key sites on the network by using a Wilcoxon-Pratt signed-rank test and by analyzing the structure of the subsequent network. We found that connections between roosts and the structure of the network were significantly affected by the loss of these key sites. Our results show that SNA is a valuable tool that can identify key sites for targeted conservation efforts for species that may not be included in conservation efforts focused purely on biodiversity.
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Hearst S, Streeter S, Hannah J, Taylor G, Shepherd S, Winn B, Mao J. Scraping Network Analysis: A Method to Explore Complex White-Tailed Deer Mating Systems. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scoty Hearst
- Department of Biology, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
| | - Sharron Streeter
- Computer Science Department, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
| | - Justin Hannah
- Department of Biology, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
| | - George Taylor
- Computer Science Department, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
| | | | - Bryce Winn
- Department of Biology, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
| | - Jinghe Mao
- Department of Biology, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174
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Abstract
Abstract
Genetic relatedness in animal societies is often a factor that drives the structure of social groups. In the marine world, most studies which have investigated this question have focused on marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. For sharks, recent studies have demonstrated preferential associations among individuals from which social communities emerge. Assortment patterns have been found according to phenotypic or behavioral traits, but the role of genetic relatedness in shaping the social structure of adult shark populations has, to the best of our knowledge, never been investigated. Here, we used a social network analysis crossed with DNA microsatellite genotyping to investigate the role of the genetic relatedness in the social structure of a blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) population. Based on the data from 156 groups of sharks, we used generalized affiliation indices to isolate social preferences from nonsocial associations, controlling for the contribution of sex, size, gregariousness, spatial, and temporal overlap on social associations, to test for the influence of genetic relatedness on social structure. A double-permutation procedure was employed to confirm our results and account for issues arising from potentially elevated type I and type II error rates. Kinship was not a predictor of associations and affiliations among sharks at the dyad or community levels as individuals tended to associate independently of the genetic relatedness among them. The lack of parental care in this species may contribute to the breakdown of family links in the population early in life, thereby preventing the formation of kin-based social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Mourier
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD Sète, France
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
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Salena MG, Turko AJ, Singh A, Pathak A, Hughes E, Brown C, Balshine S. Understanding fish cognition: a review and appraisal of current practices. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:395-406. [PMID: 33595750 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01488-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
With over 30,000 recognized species, fishes exhibit an extraordinary variety of morphological, behavioural, and life-history traits. The field of fish cognition has grown markedly with numerous studies on fish spatial navigation, numeracy, learning, decision-making, and even theory of mind. However, most cognitive research on fishes takes place in a highly controlled laboratory environment and it can therefore be difficult to determine whether findings generalize to the ecology of wild fishes. Here, we summarize four prominent research areas in fish cognition, highlighting some of the recent advances and key findings. Next, we survey the literature, targeting these four areas, and quantify the nearly ubiquitous use of captive-bred individuals and a heavy reliance on lab-based research. We then discuss common practices that occur prior to experimentation and within experiments that could hinder our ability to make more general conclusions about fish cognition, and suggest possible solutions. By complementing ecologically relevant laboratory-based studies with in situ cognitive tests, we will gain further inroads toward unraveling how fishes learn and make decisions about food, mates, and territories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Salena
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Andy J Turko
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angad Singh
- Department of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Avani Pathak
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Hughes
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Culum Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Fish Behavior for the Exotic Pet Practitioner. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2021; 24:211-227. [PMID: 33189252 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2020.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Interpreting fish behavior is an important component of providing veterinary care. There are over 28,000 species of fish and while only a handful are commonly encountered by exotic pet and public display veterinarians, there are still hundreds of species to consider. Three models-natural history (species typical modal action patterns), medical (disease state), and learning experience (classical and operant conditioning)-are useful for taking an actionable, holistic approach to interpreting behavior. Models help clinicians formulate appropriate differentials, ensuring they do not exclusively consider disease, particularly in unfamiliar species.
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Legaspi C, Miranda J, Labaja J, Snow S, Ponzo A, Araujo G. In-water observations highlight the effects of provisioning on whale shark behaviour at the world's largest whale shark tourism destination. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200392. [PMID: 33489251 PMCID: PMC7813242 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The whale shark is the world's largest fish that forms predictable aggregations across its range, many of which support tourism industries. The largest non-captive provisioned whale shark destination globally is at Oslob, Philippines, where more than 500 000 tourists visit yearly. There, the sharks are provisioned daily, year-round, allowing the human-shark interaction in nearshore waters. We used in-water behavioural observations of whale sharks between 2015 and 2017 to understand the relationship between external stimuli and shark behaviour, whether frequency of visits at the site can act as a predictor of behaviour, and the tourist compliance to the code of conduct. Mixed effects models revealed that the number of previous visits at the site was a strong predictor of whale shark behaviour, and that provisioned sharks were less likely to exhibit avoidance. Compliance was poor, with 93% of surveys having people less than 2 m from the animal, highlighting overcrowding of whale sharks at Oslob. Given the behavioural implications to whale sharks highlighted here and the local community's reliance on the tourism industry, it is imperative to improve management strategies to increase tourist compliance and strive for sustainable tourism practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Legaspi
- Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, Cagulada Compound, Brgy. Tejero, Jagna, Bohol 6308, Philippines
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Abstract
Animal populations are occasionally shocked by epidemics of contagious diseases. The ability of social systems to withstand epidemic shocks and mitigate disruptions could shape the evolution of complex animal societies. We present a mathematical model to explore the potential impact of disease on the evolutionary fitness of different organizational strategies for populations of social species whose survival depends on collaborative efficiency. We show that infectious diseases select for a specific feature in the organization of collaborative roles-cohort stability-and that this feature is costly, and therefore unlikely to be maintained in environments where infection risks are absent. Our study provides evidence for an often-stated (but rarely supported) claim that pathogens have been the dominant force shaping the complexity of division of labour in eusocial societies of honeybees and termites and establishes a general theoretical approach for assessing evolutionary constraints on social organization from disease risk in other collaborative taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyita Udiani
- National Institute for Mathematical & Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Nina H Fefferman
- National Institute for Mathematical & Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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20
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Bierbach D, Krause S, Romanczuk P, Lukas J, Arias-Rodriguez L, Krause J. An interaction mechanism for the maintenance of fission-fusion dynamics under different individual densities. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8974. [PMID: 32461823 PMCID: PMC7231501 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals often show high consistency in their social organisation despite facing changing environmental conditions. Especially in shoaling fish, fission-fusion dynamics that describe for which periods individuals are solitary or social have been found to remain unaltered even when density changed. This compensatory ability is assumed to be an adaptation towards constant predation pressure, but the mechanism through which individuals can actively compensate for density changes is yet unknown. The aim of the current study is to identify behavioural patterns that enable this active compensation. We compared the fission-fusion dynamics of two populations of the live-bearing Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana) that live in adjacent habitats with very different predator regimes: cave mollies that inhabit a low-predation environment inside a sulfidic cave with a low density of predatory water bugs (Belostoma sp.), and mollies that live directly outside the cave (henceforth called "surface" mollies) in a high-predation environment. We analysed their fission-fusion dynamics under two different fish densities of 12 and 6 fish per 0.36 m2. As expected, surface mollies spent more time being social than cave mollies, and this difference in social time was a result of surface mollies being less likely to discontinue social contact (once they had a social partner) and being more likely to resume social contact (once alone) than cave mollies. Interestingly, surface mollies were also less likely to switch among social partners than cave mollies. A random walk simulation predicted each population to show reduced social encounters in the low density treatment. While cave mollies largely followed this prediction, surface mollies maintained their interaction probabilities even at low density. Surface mollies achieved this by a reduction in the size of a convex polygon formed by the group as density decreased. This may allow them to largely maintain their fission-fusion dynamics while still being able to visit large parts of the available area as a group. A slight reduction (21%) in the area visited at low densities was also observed but insufficient to explain how the fish maintained their fission-fusion dynamics. Finally, we discuss potential movement rules that could account for the reduction of polygon size and test their performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bierbach
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Thaer Institute, Humboldt Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Krause
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Pawel Romanczuk
- Department of Biology, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Humboldt Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Lukas
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Thaer Institute, Humboldt Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lenin Arias-Rodriguez
- División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Mexico
| | - Jens Krause
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Thaer Institute, Humboldt Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Evans JC, Liechti JI, Boatman B, König B. A natural catastrophic turnover event: individual sociality matters despite community resilience in wild house mice. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192880. [PMID: 32370672 PMCID: PMC7282912 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural disasters can cause rapid demographic changes that disturb the social structure of a population as individuals may lose connections. These changes also have indirect effects as survivors alter their within-group connections or move between groups. As group membership and network position may influence individual fitness, indirect effects may affect how individuals and populations recover from catastrophic events. Here we study changes in the social structure after a large predation event in a population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), when a third of adults were lost. Using social network analysis, we examine how heterogeneity in sociality results in varied responses to losing connections. We then investigate how these differences influence the overall network structure. An individual's reaction to losing associates depended on its sociality prior to the event. Those that were less social before formed more weak connections afterwards, while more social individuals reduced the number of survivors they associated with. Otherwise, the number and size of social groups were highly robust. This indicates that social preferences can drive how individuals adjust their social behaviour after catastrophic turnover events, despite the population's resilience in social structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Evans
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonas I Liechti
- Institute for Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bruce Boatman
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Triki Z, Bshary R. Long‐term memory retention in a wild fish species
Labroides dimidiatus
eleven months after an aversive event. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zegni Triki
- Behavioural Ecology Laboratory Faculty of Science University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Behavioural Ecology Laboratory Faculty of Science University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
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24
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The role of social network behavior, swimming performance, and fish size in the determination of angling vulnerability in bluegill. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2754-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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25
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Perryman RJY, Venables SK, Tapilatu RF, Marshall AD, Brown C, Franks DW. Social preferences and network structure in a population of reef manta rays. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2720-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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26
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Abstract
Abstract
Demographic processes play a key role in shaping the patterns of social relations among individuals in a population. Social network analysis is a powerful quantitative tool for assessing the social structure formed by associations between individuals. However, demographic processes are rarely accounted for in such analyses. Here, we summarize how the structure of animal social networks is shaped by the joint effects of social behavior and turnover of individuals and suggest how a deeper understanding of these processes can open new, exciting avenues for research. Death or dispersal can have the direct effect of removing an individual and all its social connections, and can also have indirect effects, spurring changes in the distribution of social connections between remaining individuals. Recruitment and integration of juveniles and immigrant into existing social networks are critical to the emergence and persistence of social network structure. Together, these behavioral responses to loss and gain of social partners may impact how societies respond to seasonal or catastrophic turnover events. The fitness consequences of social position (e.g., survival and reproductive rates) may also create feedback between the social network structure and demography. Understanding how social structure changes in response to turnover of individuals requires further integration between long-term field studies and network modeling methods. These efforts will likely yield new insights into the connections between social networks and life history, ecological change, and evolutionary dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison E Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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27
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Isolation and no-entry marine reserves mitigate anthropogenic impacts on grey reef shark behavior. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2897. [PMID: 30814640 PMCID: PMC6393451 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37145-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef sharks are vulnerable predators experiencing severe population declines mainly due to overexploitation. However, beyond direct exploitation, human activities can produce indirect or sub-lethal effects such as behavioral alterations. Such alterations are well known for terrestrial fauna but poorly documented for marine species. Using an extensive sampling of 367 stereo baited underwater videos systems, we show modifications in grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) occurrence and feeding behavior along a marked gradient of isolation from humans across the New Caledonian archipelago (South-Western Pacific). The probability of occurrence decreased by 68.9% between wilderness areas (more than 25 hours travel time from the capital city) and impacted areas while the few individuals occurring in impacted areas exhibited cautious behavior. We also show that only large no-entry reserves (above 150 km²) can protect the behavior of grey reef sharks found in the wilderness. Influencing the fitness, human linked behavioral alterations should be taken into account for management strategies to ensure the persistence of populations.
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28
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Samsing F, Johnsen I, Treml EA, Dempster T. Identifying 'firebreaks' to fragment dispersal networks of a marine parasite. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:277-286. [PMID: 30660636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are beset by disease outbreaks, and efficient strategies to control dispersal of pathogens are scarce. We tested whether introducing no-farming areas or 'firebreaks' could disconnect dispersal networks of a parasitic disease affecting the world's largest marine fish farming industry (∼1000 farms). Larval salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) are released from and transported among salmon farms by ocean currents, creating inter-farm networks of louse dispersal. We used a state-of-the-art biophysical model to predict louse movement along the Norwegian coastline and network analysis to identify firebreaks to dispersal. At least one firebreak that fragmented the network into two large unconnected groups of farms was identified for all seasons. During spring, when wild salmon migrate out into the ocean, and louse levels per fish at farms must be minimised, two effective firebreaks were created by removing 13 and 21 farms (1.3% and 2.2% of all farms in the system) at ∼61°N and 67°N, respectively. We have demonstrated that dispersal models coupled with network analysis can identify no-farming zones that fragment dispersal networks. Reduced dispersal pathways should lower infection pressure at farms, slow the evolution of resistance to parasite control measures, and alleviate infection pressure on wild salmon populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Samsing
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia; CSIRO, Castray Esplanade, Hobart 7004 TAS, Australia.
| | - Ingrid Johnsen
- Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Eric A Treml
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Tim Dempster
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia
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29
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Bouyoucos IA, Weideli OC, Planes S, Simpfendorfer CA, Rummer JL. Dead tired: evaluating the physiological status and survival of neonatal reef sharks under stress. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy053. [PMID: 30254751 PMCID: PMC6142904 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) can protect shark populations from targeted fisheries, but resident shark populations may remain exposed to stressors like capture as bycatch and environmental change. Populations of young sharks that rely on shallow coastal habitats, e.g. as nursery areas, may be at risk of experiencing these stressors. The purpose of this study was to characterize various components of the physiological stress response of neonatal reef sharks following exposure to an exhaustive challenge under relevant environmental conditions. To accomplish this, we monitored markers of the secondary stress response and measured oxygen uptake rates ( M˙O2 ) to compare to laboratory-derived baseline values in neonatal blacktip reef (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and sicklefin lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens). Measurements occurred over three hours following exposure to an exhaustive challenge (gill-net capture with air exposure). Blood lactate concentrations and pH deviated from baseline values at the 3-h sample, indicating that both species were still stressed 3 h after capture. Evidence of a temperature effect on physiological status of either species was equivocal over 28-31°C. However, aspects of the physiological response were species-specific; N. acutidens exhibited a larger difference in blood pH relative to baseline values than C. melanopterus, possibly owing to higher minimum M˙O2 . Neither species experienced immediate mortality during the exhaustive challenge; although, single instances of delayed mortality were documented for each species. Energetic costs and recovery times could be extrapolated for C. melanopterus via respirometry; sharks were estimated to expend 9.9 kJ kg-1 (15% of energy expended on daily swimming) for a single challenge and could require 8.4 h to recover. These data suggest that neonatal C. melanopterus and N. acutidens are resilient to brief gill-net capture durations, but this was under a narrow temperature range. Defining species' vulnerability to stressors is important for understanding the efficacy of shark conservation tools, including MPAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A Bouyoucos
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Ornella C Weideli
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, Perpignan Cedex, France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Colin A Simpfendorfer
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture & College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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31
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Boussarie G, Bakker J, Wangensteen OS, Mariani S, Bonnin L, Juhel JB, Kiszka JJ, Kulbicki M, Manel S, Robbins WD, Vigliola L, Mouillot D. Environmental DNA illuminates the dark diversity of sharks. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaap9661. [PMID: 29732403 PMCID: PMC5931749 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aap9661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In the era of "Anthropocene defaunation," large species are often no longer detected in habitats where they formerly occurred. However, it is unclear whether this apparent missing, or "dark," diversity of megafauna results from local species extirpations or from failure to detect elusive remaining individuals. We find that despite two orders of magnitude less sampling effort, environmental DNA (eDNA) detects 44% more shark species than traditional underwater visual censuses and baited videos across the New Caledonian archipelago (south-western Pacific). Furthermore, eDNA analysis reveals the presence of previously unobserved shark species in human-impacted areas. Overall, our results highlight a greater prevalence of sharks than described by traditional survey methods in both impacted and wilderness areas. This indicates an urgent need for large-scale eDNA assessments to improve monitoring of threatened and elusive megafauna. Finally, our findings emphasize the need for conservation efforts specifically geared toward the protection of elusive, residual populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germain Boussarie
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Laboratoire d’Excellence Labex Corail, UMR IRD-UR-CNRS ENTROPIE, Centre IRD de Nouméa, BP A5, 98800 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia, France
- MARBEC, UMR IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER 9190, Université de Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Judith Bakker
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
| | - Owen S. Wangensteen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
- Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø N-9037, Norway
| | - Stefano Mariani
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
| | - Lucas Bonnin
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Laboratoire d’Excellence Labex Corail, UMR IRD-UR-CNRS ENTROPIE, Centre IRD de Nouméa, BP A5, 98800 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia, France
- MARBEC, UMR IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER 9190, Université de Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Juhel
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Laboratoire d’Excellence Labex Corail, UMR IRD-UR-CNRS ENTROPIE, Centre IRD de Nouméa, BP A5, 98800 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia, France
- MARBEC, UMR IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER 9190, Université de Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Jeremy J. Kiszka
- Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 Northeast 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Michel Kulbicki
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Laboratoire d’Excellence Labex Corail, UMR IRD-UR-CNRS ENTROPIE, Université de Perpignan, 66860 Perpignan Cedex 9, France
| | - Stephanie Manel
- EPHE, PSL Research University, CNRS, UM, SupAgro, IND, INRA, UMR 5175 CEFE, F- 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - William D. Robbins
- Wildlife Marine, Perth, Western Australia 6020, Australia
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Laurent Vigliola
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Laboratoire d’Excellence Labex Corail, UMR IRD-UR-CNRS ENTROPIE, Centre IRD de Nouméa, BP A5, 98800 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia, France
| | - David Mouillot
- MARBEC, UMR IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER 9190, Université de Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
- Corresponding author.
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Brena PF, Mourier J, Planes S, Clua EE. Concede or clash? Solitary sharks competing for food assess rivals to decide. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0006. [PMID: 29593111 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To adapt to their environment, organisms can either directly interact with their surroundings or use social information (i.e. information provided by neighbouring individuals). Social information relates to the external features of surrounding peers, and little is known about its use by solitary species. Here, we investigated the use of social cues in a solitary marine predator by creating artificial aggregations of free-ranging sicklefin lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens). Using a novel monitoring protocol, we analysed both dominance interactions and tolerance associations between sharks competing for food in relation with the number, the morphology and the behaviour of rivals. Sharks produced more agonistic displays and spent more time around the bait as competitors were more abundant. Moreover, the morphological attributes of competitors had very limited influence on the structure of shark social interactions. Instead, sharks appeared to establish tolerance relationships with competitors according to their individual behaviour. Furthermore, the more two sharks were observed together at a given study site, the fewer agonistic interactions they exchanged. We discuss these findings as evidence of the use of social cues in a non-gregarious predatory species and suggest directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo F Brena
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Johann Mourier
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Eric E Clua
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
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Jones K, Thompson R, Godfrey S. Social networks: a tool for assessing the impact of perturbations on wildlife behaviour and implications for pathogen transmission. BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Wildlife are increasingly subject to perturbations, which can impact pathogen transmission and lead to disease emergence. While a myriad of factors influence disease dynamics in wildlife, behaviour is emerging as a major influence. In this review, we examine how perturbations alter the behaviour of individuals and how, in turn, disease transmission may be impacted, with a focus on the use of network models as a powerful tool. There are emerging hypotheses as to how networks respond to different types of perturbations. The broad effects of perturbations make predicting potential outcomes and identifying mitigation opportunities for disease emergence critical; yet, the current paucity of data makes identification of underlying trends difficult. Social network analysis facilitates a mechanistic approach to how perturbation-induced behavioural changes result in shifts in pathogen transmission. However, the field is still developing, and future work should strive to address current deficits. There is particular need for empirical data to support modelling predictions and increased inclusion of pathogen monitoring in network studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.L. Jones
- aSchool of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - R.C.A. Thompson
- aSchool of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - S.S. Godfrey
- aSchool of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
- bDepartment of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Mourier J, Brown C, Planes S. Learning and robustness to catch-and-release fishing in a shark social network. Biol Lett 2017; 13:rsbl.2016.0824. [PMID: 28298593 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals can play different roles in maintaining connectivity and social cohesion in animal populations and thereby influence population robustness to perturbations. We performed a social network analysis in a reef shark population to assess the vulnerability of the global network to node removal under different scenarios. We found that the network was generally robust to the removal of nodes with high centrality. The network appeared also highly robust to experimental fishing. Individual shark catchability decreased as a function of experience, as revealed by comparing capture frequency and site presence. Altogether, these features suggest that individuals learnt to avoid capture, which ultimately increased network robustness to experimental catch-and-release. Our results also suggest that some caution must be taken when using capture-recapture models often used to assess population size as assumptions (such as equal probabilities of capture and recapture) may be violated by individual learning to escape recapture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Mourier
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France .,Laboratoire d'excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Culum Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
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Mourier J, Bass NC, Guttridge TL, Day J, Brown C. Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry? ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170485. [PMID: 28989756 PMCID: PMC5627096 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Accurately estimating contacts between animals can be critical in ecological studies such as examining social structure, predator-prey interactions or transmission of information and disease. While biotelemetry has been used successfully for such studies in terrestrial systems, it is still under development in the aquatic environment. Acoustic telemetry represents an attractive tool to investigate spatio-temporal behaviour of marine fish and has recently been suggested for monitoring underwater animal interactions. To evaluate the effectiveness of acoustic telemetry in recording interindividual contacts, we compared co-occurrence matrices deduced from three types of acoustic receivers varying in detection range in a benthic shark species. Our results demonstrate that (i) associations produced by acoustic receivers with a large detection range (i.e. Vemco VR2W) were significantly different from those produced by receivers with smaller ranges (i.e. Sonotronics miniSUR receivers and proximity loggers) and (ii) the position of individuals within their network, or centrality, also differed. These findings suggest that acoustic receivers with a large detection range may not be the best option to represent true social networks in the case of a benthic marine animal. While acoustic receivers are increasingly used by marine ecologists, we recommend users first evaluate the influence of detection range to depict accurate individual interactions before using these receivers for social or predator-prey studies. We also advocate for combining multiple receiver types depending on the ecological question being asked and the development of multi-sensor tags or testing of new automated proximity loggers, such as the Encounternet system, to improve the precision and accuracy of social and predator-prey interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Mourier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- Laboratoire d'excellence ‘CORAIL’, PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Nathan Charles Bass
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Tristan L. Guttridge
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, 15 Elizabeth Drive, South Bimini, Bahamas
| | - Joanna Day
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia
| | - Culum Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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Firth JA, Voelkl B, Crates RA, Aplin LM, Biro D, Croft DP, Sheldon BC. Wild birds respond to flockmate loss by increasing their social network associations to others. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20170299. [PMID: 28515203 PMCID: PMC5443949 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the consequences of losing individuals from wild populations is a current and pressing issue, yet how such loss influences the social behaviour of the remaining animals is largely unexplored. Through combining the automated tracking of winter flocks of over 500 wild great tits (Parus major) with removal experiments, we assessed how individuals' social network positions responded to the loss of their social associates. We found that the extent of flockmate loss that individuals experienced correlated positively with subsequent increases in the number of their social associations, the average strength of their bonds and their overall connectedness within the social network (defined as summed edge weights). Increased social connectivity was not driven by general disturbance or changes in foraging behaviour, but by modifications to fine-scale social network connections in response to losing their associates. Therefore, the reduction in social connectedness expected by individual loss may be mitigated by increases in social associations between remaining individuals. Given that these findings demonstrate rapid adjustment of social network associations in response to the loss of previous social ties, future research should examine the generality of the compensatory adjustment of social relations in ways that maintain the structure of social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh A Firth
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Bernhard Voelkl
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University Bern, Laenggassstrasse 120, 3012 Bern, CH, Switzerland
| | - Ross A Crates
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
- Fenner School, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Lucy M Aplin
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Dora Biro
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Darren P Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Ben C Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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