1
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García-Ruiz I, Taborsky M. Nepotism mediates enforced cooperation in asymmetric negotiations. iScience 2024; 27:110334. [PMID: 39100926 PMCID: PMC11295936 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In cooperative societies, group members typically exchange different commodities among each other, which involves an incessant negotiation process. How is the conflict of fitness interests resolved in this continual bargaining process between unequal partners, so that maintaining the cooperative interaction is the best option for all parties involved? Theory predicts that relatedness between group members may alleviate the conflict of fitness interests, thereby promoting the evolution of cooperation. To evaluate the relative importance of relatedness and direct fitness effects in the negotiation process, we experimentally manipulated both the relatedness and mutual behavioral responses of dominant breeders and subordinate helpers in the cooperatively breeding cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher. Results show that coercion by breeders is crucial for the performance of alloparental egg care by helpers, but that kinship significantly decreases the need for coercion as predicted by theory. This illustrates the relative importance of kinship and enforcement in the bargaining process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene García-Ruiz
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin), 14193 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
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2
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Jungwirth A, Zöttl M, Bonfils D, Josi D, Frommen JG, Taborsky M. Philopatry yields higher fitness than dispersal in a cooperative breeder with sex-specific life history trajectories. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd2146. [PMID: 36867697 PMCID: PMC9984175 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Social evolution is tightly linked to dispersal decisions, but the ecological and social factors selecting for philopatry or dispersal often remain obscure. Elucidating selection mechanisms underlying alternative life histories requires measurement of fitness effects in the wild. We report on a long-term field study of 496 individually marked cooperatively breeding fish, showing that philopatry is beneficial as it increases breeding tenure and lifetime reproductive success in both sexes. Dispersers predominantly join established groups and end up in smaller groups when they ascend to dominance. Life history trajectories are sex specific, with males growing faster, dying earlier, and dispersing more, whereas females more likely inherit a breeding position. Increased male dispersal does not seem to reflect an adaptive preference but rather sex-specific differences in intrasexual competition. Cooperative groups may thus be maintained because of inherent benefits of philopatry, of which females seem to get the greater share in social cichlids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Jungwirth
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, EEMiS, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Danielle Bonfils
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Dario Josi
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Joachim G. Frommen
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, M1 5GD Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78467 Konstanz, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) Berlin, D-14193 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Culbert BM, Ligocki IY, Salena MG, Wong MYL, Hamilton IM, Bernier NJ, Balshine S. Galanin expression varies with parental care and social status in a wild cooperatively breeding fish. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105275. [PMID: 36272180 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
As many busy parents will attest, caring for young often comes at the expense of having time to feed and care for oneself. Galanin is a neuropeptide that regulates food intake and modulates parental care; however, the relative importance of galanin in the regulation of feeding versus caring by parents has never been evaluated before under naturalistic settings. Here, we assessed how expression of the galanin system varied in two brain regions, the hypothalamus (which regulates feeding) and the preoptic area (which modulates social behaviours including care) in a wild cichlid fish, Neolamprologus pulcher. Females with young had higher hypothalamic expression of galanin receptor 1a, and the highest expression of galanin and galanin receptor 1a was observed in females that foraged the least. However, expression of five other feeding-related neuropeptides did not change while females were caring for young suggesting that changes in the hypothalamic galanin system may not have been directly related to changes in food intake. The preoptic galanin system was unaffected by the presence of young, but preoptic galanin expression was higher in dominant females (which are aggressive, regularly reproduce and care for young) compared to subordinate females (which are submissive, rarely reproduce but often help care for young). Additionally, preoptic galanin expression was higher in fish that performed more territory defense. Overall, our results indicate that galanin has brain-region-specific roles in modulating both parental care and social status in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Culbert
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Isaac Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - Matthew G Salena
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marian Y L Wong
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nicholas J Bernier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Melgar J, Schou MF, Bonato M, Brand Z, Engelbrecht A, Cloete SWP, Cornwallis CK. Experimental evidence that group size generates divergent benefits of cooperative breeding for male and female ostriches. eLife 2022; 11:e77170. [PMID: 36193678 PMCID: PMC9531942 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative breeding allows the costs of parental care to be shared, but as groups become larger, such benefits often decline as competition increases and group cohesion breaks down. The counteracting forces of cooperation and competition are predicted to select for an optimal group size, but variation in groups is ubiquitous across cooperative breeding animals. Here, we experimentally test if group sizes vary because of sex differences in the costs and benefits of cooperative breeding in captive ostriches, Struthio camelus, and compare this to the distribution of group sizes in the wild. We established 96 groups with different numbers of males (1 or 3) and females (1, 3, 4, or 6) and manipulated opportunities for cooperation over incubation. There was a clear optimal group size for males (one male with four or more females) that was explained by high costs of competition and negligible benefits of cooperation. Conversely, female reproductive success was maximised across a range of group sizes due to the benefits of cooperation with male and female group members. Reproductive success in intermediate sized groups was low for both males and females due to sexual conflict over the timing of mating and incubation. Our experiments show that sex differences in cooperation and competition can explain group size variation in cooperative breeders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mads F Schou
- Department of Biology, Lund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Maud Bonato
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of StellenboschStellenboschSouth Africa
| | - Zanell Brand
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
| | - Anel Engelbrecht
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
| | - Schalk WP Cloete
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of StellenboschStellenboschSouth Africa
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of AgricultureElsenburgSouth Africa
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5
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Braga Goncalves I, Radford AN. Intraspecific variation in audience effects during outgroup conflict in a cooperatively breeding fish. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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6
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Bose APH, Dabernig-Heinz J, Koch L, Grimm J, Lang S, Hegedűs B, Banda T, Makasa L, Jordan A, Sefc KM. Parentage analysis across age cohorts reveals sex differences in reproductive skew in a group-living cichlid fish, Neolamprologus multifasciatus. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2418-2434. [PMID: 35170123 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Group-living animals are often faced with complex reproductive decisions, namely how to partition within-group reproduction, how to obtain extra-group reproduction, and how these two means of reproduction should be balanced. The solutions to these questions can be difficult to predict because ecological conditions can affect the scopes for within-group and extra-group reproduction in complex ways. For example, individuals that are restricted from moving freely around their habitats may have limited extra-group reproductive opportunities, but at the same time, groups may live in close proximities to one another, which could potentially have the opposite effect. The group-living cichlid fish, Neolamprologus multifasciatus, experiences such ecological conditions, and we conducted an intensive genetic parentage analysis to investigate how reproduction is distributed within and among groups for both males and females. We found that cohabiting males live in 'high-skew' societies, where dominant males monopolize the majority of within-group reproduction, while females live in 'low-skew' societies, where multiple females can produce offspring concurrently. Despite extremely short distances separating groups, we inferred only very low levels of extra-group reproduction suggesting that subordinate males have very limited reproductive opportunities. A strength of our parentage analysis lies in its inclusion of individuals that spanned a wide age range, from young fry to adults. We outline the logistical circumstances when very young offspring may not always be accessible to parentage researchers, and present strategies to overcome the challenges of inferring mating patterns from a wide age range of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesh P H Bose
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Lukas Koch
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Taylor Banda
- Lake Tanganyika Research Unit, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Mpulungu, Zambia
| | - Lawrence Makasa
- Lake Tanganyika Research Unit, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Mpulungu, Zambia
| | - Alex Jordan
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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7
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Josi D, Heg D, Takeyama T, Bonfils D, Konovalov DA, Frommen JG, Kohda M, Taborsky M. Age- and sex-dependent variation in relatedness corresponds to reproductive skew, territory inheritance, and workload in cooperatively breeding cichlids. Evolution 2021; 75:2881-2897. [PMID: 34555177 PMCID: PMC9298395 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Kin selection plays a major role in the evolution of cooperative systems. However, many social species exhibit complex within-group relatedness structures, where kin selection alone cannot explain the occurrence of cooperative behavior. Understanding such social structures is crucial to elucidate the evolution and maintenance of multi-layered cooperative societies. In lamprologine cichlids, intragroup relatedness seems to correlate positively with reproductive skew, suggesting that in this clade dominants tend to provide reproductive concessions to unrelated subordinates to secure their participation in brood care. We investigate how patterns of within-group relatedness covary with direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation in a highly social vertebrate, the cooperatively breeding, polygynous lamprologine cichlid Neolamprologus savoryi. Behavioral and genetic data from 43 groups containing 578 individuals show that groups are socially and genetically structured into subgroups. About 17% of group members were unrelated immigrants, and average relatedness between breeders and brood care helpers declined with helper age due to group membership dynamics. Hence the relative importance of direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation depends on helper age. Our findings highlight how both direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation and group membership can select for cooperative behavior in societies comprising complex social and relatedness structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Josi
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
- Conservation, Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Research Group, Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Dik Heg
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
- CTU BernUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Tomohiro Takeyama
- Department of Biosphere‐Geosphere ScienceOkayama University of ScienceOkayamaJapan
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of ScienceOsaka City UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Danielle Bonfils
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
| | | | - Joachim G. Frommen
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
- Conservation, Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Research Group, Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Masanori Kohda
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of ScienceOsaka City UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
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8
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Culbert BM, Ligocki IY, Salena MG, Wong MYL, Hamilton IM, Aubin-Horth N, Bernier NJ, Balshine S. Rank- and sex-specific differences in the neuroendocrine regulation of glucocorticoids in a wild group-living fish. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105079. [PMID: 34717080 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Individuals that live in groups experience different challenges based on their social rank and sex. Glucocorticoids have a well-established role in coordinating responses to challenges and glucocorticoid levels often vary between ranks and sexes. However, the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating glucocorticoid dynamics in wild groups are poorly understood, making it difficult to determine the functional consequences of differences in glucocorticoid levels. Therefore, we observed wild social groups of a cooperatively breeding fish (Neolamprologus pulcher) and evaluated how scale cortisol content (an emerging method to evaluate cortisol dynamics in fishes) and expression of glucocorticoid-related genes varied across group members. Scale cortisol was detectable in ~50% of dominant males (7/17) and females (7/15)-but not in any subordinates (0/16)-suggesting that glucocorticoid levels were higher in dominants. However, the apparent behavioural and neuroendocrine factors regulating cortisol levels varied between dominant sexes. In dominant females, higher cortisol was associated with greater rates of territory defense and increased expression of corticotropin-releasing factor in the preoptic and hypothalamic regions of the brain, but these patterns were not observed in dominant males. Additionally, transcriptional differences in the liver suggest that dominant sexes may use different mechanisms to cope with elevated cortisol levels. While dominant females appeared to reduce the relative sensitivity of their liver to cortisol (fewer corticosteroid receptor transcripts), dominant males appeared to increase hepatic cortisol breakdown (more catabolic enzyme transcripts). Overall, our results offer valuable insights on the mechanisms regulating rank- and sex-based glucocorticoid dynamics, as well as the potential functional outcomes of these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Culbert
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Isaac Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - Matthew G Salena
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marian Y L Wong
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nadia Aubin-Horth
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Bernier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Culbert BM, Tsui N, Balshine S. Learning performance is associated with social preferences in a group-living fish. Behav Processes 2021; 191:104464. [PMID: 34329728 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Many animals live in groups yet grouping tendencies and preferences for groups of different sizes vary considerably between individuals. This variation reflects, at least in part, differences in how individuals evaluate and perceive their physical surroundings and their social environment. While such differences are likely related to individual variation in cognition, there have been few studies that have directly investigated how cognitive abilities are linked to individual grouping decisions. Therefore, in this study we assessed whether performance on a foraging-based reversal learning task is related to grouping preferences (a group of three fish versus a single fish) in a group-living cichlid fish, Neolamprologus pulcher. While most fish preferred to associate with the group over a single fish, individuals that completed the reversal learning task the quickest were the least interested in the group under elevated predation risk. In addition, fish that quickly completed the reversal learning task also adjusted their grouping preferences the most when predation risk increased. This result suggests that the observed relationship between learning performance and grouping decisions may be linked to individual differences in behavioural flexibility. Overall, our results offer valuable insight into the potential factors that underlie inter-individual variation in grouping decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Culbert
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Nicholas Tsui
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Culbert BM, Ligocki IY, Salena MG, Wong MYL, Bernier NJ, Hamilton IM, Balshine S. Glucocorticoids do not promote prosociality in a wild group-living fish. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104879. [PMID: 33121993 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Individuals often respond to social disturbances by increasing prosociality, which can strengthen social bonds, buffer against stress, and promote overall group cohesion. Given their importance in mediating stress responses, glucocorticoids have received considerable attention as potential proximate regulators of prosocial behaviour during disturbances. However, previous investigations have largely focused on mammals and our understanding of the potential prosocial effects of glucocorticoids across vertebrates more broadly is still lacking. Here, we assessed whether experimentally elevated glucocorticoid levels (simulating endogenous cortisol responses mounted following disturbances) promote prosocial behaviours in wild groups of the cichlid fish, Neolamprologus pulcher. Using SCUBA in Lake Tanganyika, we observed how subordinate group members adjusted affiliation, helping, and submission (all forms of prosocial behaviour) following underwater injections of either cortisol or saline. Cortisol treatment reduced affiliative behaviours-but only in females-suggesting that glucocorticoids may reduce overall prosociality. Fish with elevated glucocorticoid levels did not increase performance of submission or helping behaviours. Taken together, our results do not support a role for glucocorticoids in promoting prosocial behaviour in this species and emphasize the complexity of the proximate mechanisms that underlie prosociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Culbert
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Isaac Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - Matthew G Salena
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marian Y L Wong
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Bernier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Naef J, Taborsky M. Punishment controls helper defence against egg predators but not fish predators in cooperatively breeding cichlids. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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12
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Josi D, Taborsky M, Frommen JG. Investment of group members is contingent on helper number and the presence of young in a cooperative breeder. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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13
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Naef J, Taborsky M. Commodity-specific punishment for experimentally induced defection in cooperatively breeding fish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191808. [PMID: 32257335 PMCID: PMC7062066 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Coercion is an important but underrated component in the evolution of cooperative behaviour. According to the pay-to-stay hypothesis of cooperative breeding, subordinates trade alloparental care for the concession to stay in the group. Punishment of idle subordinates is a key prediction of this hypothesis, which has received some experimental scrutiny. However, previous studies neither allowed separating between punishment and effects of disruption of social dynamics, nor did they differentiate between different helping behaviours that may reflect either mutualistic or reciprocal interaction dynamics. In the cooperative breeder Neolamprologus pulcher, we experimentally engineered the ability of subordinates to contribute to alloparental care by manipulating two different helping behaviours independently from one another in a full factorial design. We recorded the treatment effects on breeder aggression, subordinate helping efforts and submissive displays. We found two divergent regulatory mechanisms of cooperation, dependent on behavioural function. Experimental impediment of territory maintenance of subordinates triggered punishment by dominants, whereas prevented defence against egg predators released a compensatory response of subordinates without any enforcement, suggesting pre-emptive appeasement. These effects occurred independently of one another. Apparently, in the complex negotiation process among members of cooperative groups, behaviours fulfilling different functions may be regulated by divergent interaction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Naef
- Department for Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, Hinterkappelen CH-3032, Switzerland
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14
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Submissive behaviour is mediated by sex, social status, relative body size and shelter availability in a social fish. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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15
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Raj Pant S, Komdeur J, Burke TA, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS. Socio-ecological conditions and female infidelity in the Seychelles warbler. Behav Ecol 2019; 30:1254-1264. [PMID: 31579133 PMCID: PMC6765383 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Within socially monogamous breeding systems, levels of extra-pair paternity can vary not only between species, populations, and individuals, but also across time. Uncovering how different extrinsic conditions (ecological, demographic, and social) influence this behavior will help shed light on the factors driving its evolution. Here, we simultaneously address multiple socio-ecological conditions potentially influencing female infidelity in a natural population of the cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis. Our contained study population has been monitored for more than 25 years, enabling us to capture variation in socio-ecological conditions between individuals and across time and to accurately assign parentage. We test hypotheses predicting the influence of territory quality, breeding density and synchrony, group size and composition (number and sex of subordinates), and inbreeding avoidance on female infidelity. We find that a larger group size promotes the likelihood of extra-pair paternity in offspring from both dominant and subordinate females, but this paternity is almost always gained by dominant males from outside the group (not by subordinate males within the group). Higher relatedness between a mother and the dominant male in her group also results in more extra-pair paternity-but only for subordinate females-and this does not prevent inbreeding occurring in this population. Our findings highlight the role of social conditions favoring infidelity and contribute toward understanding the evolution of this enigmatic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Raj Pant
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry A Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Nature Seychelles, Roche Caiman, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles
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Jungwirth A, Balzarini V, Zöttl M, Salzmann A, Taborsky M, Frommen JG. Long-term individual marking of small freshwater fish: the utility of Visual Implant Elastomer tags. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2659-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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17
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Ligocki IY, Earley RL, Hamilton IM. How individual and relative size affect participation in territorial defense and cortisol levels in a social fish. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 331:217-226. [PMID: 30650252 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
For many species, behaviors such as territory defense and parental care are energetically costly, but are nonetheless can provide substantial fitness gains. In systems in which both parents provide parental care, each of the parents benefits from exhibiting (or having their partner exhibit) these behaviors. However, in many cases, costs and benefits differ between parents due to factors such as size or sex. Different intruder types may also impose different costs on parents. Predatory intruders might consume offspring, whereas conspecifics might threaten the social status of a parent, or provide benefits as a potential group joiner or mate. Responses to these intrusions may also be associated with variation in individual stress responses. We investigated associations among male and female sizes, and the interaction between these, with defense against conspecific and heterospecific territorial intruders by members of successfully breeding pairs in the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher. We also investigated whether cortisol levels were associated with size or participation in territory defense because each may be a cause or consequence of individual variation in the stress response. We found that females paired with large males performed fewer defensive behaviors than females paired with smaller males. Males paired with relatively large females had higher baseline cortisol levels than those paired with smaller females. Collectively, individual characteristics such as size have consequences for each individual's behavior, and also influence the behavior, and endocrine state of social partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.,Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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18
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Maytin AK, Ligocki IY. Dominance hierarchy establishment in the invasive round goby, Neogobius melanostomus. Behav Processes 2018; 158:41-46. [PMID: 30445120 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.10.024] [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: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Organisms living at high densities may be forced to engage in conflict for access to resources such as food or shelter. When these resources are limited, the outcome of interactions may have important fitness implications. We investigated the behavioural interactions of the invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in a shelter-limited environment. Round Goby are benthic fish that utilize rocky shelters for predator avoidance and as reproductive sites in which territorial males defend clutches of eggs. Previous work on this and other species has shown that larger individuals have greater resource holding potential in dyadic interactions. In order to understand the outcome of agonistic interactions in more complex social environments, we observed groups of three goby of the same sex which varied in relative size in an aquarium in which individuals had the opportunity to compete for access to shelters. We predicted that larger goby would behave aggressively towards smaller goby, and outcompete smaller goby for access to shelters. Because males defend shelters while breeding, we also predicted that male goby would compete more aggressively than females over dominance status. We found that larger goby in groups were socially dominant to smaller goby, regardless of sex. Additionally, we found that the largest goby in each group was involved in more aggressive interactions than the second or third largest goby in each group. We found no effect of relative size or sex on aggressive interaction or the emergent dominance relationships. Our findings highlight that aspects of the social environment may limit the opportunity for individuals to establish dominance or establish ownership of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K Maytin
- The Ohio State University, Stone Laboratory, United States; Boston University, Biology Department, United States
| | - Isaac Y Ligocki
- The Ohio State University, Stone Laboratory, United States; The Ohio State University, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, United States.
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Tanaka H, Frommen JG, Koblmüller S, Sefc KM, McGee M, Kohda M, Awata S, Hori M, Taborsky M. Evolutionary transitions to cooperative societies in fishes revisited. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Tanaka
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
- Department of Biology and Geosciences; Osaka City University; Osaka Japan
| | - Joachim G. Frommen
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Masanori Kohda
- Department of Biology and Geosciences; Osaka City University; Osaka Japan
| | - Satoshi Awata
- Department of Biology and Geosciences; Osaka City University; Osaka Japan
| | - Michio Hori
- Department of Zoology; Kyoto University; Kyoto Japan
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
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20
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Stiver KA, Kindsvater HK, Tamburello N, Heckman KL, Klein J, Alonzo SH. Intentional multiple mating by females in a species where sneak fertilization circumvents female choice for parental males. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2018; 93:324-333. [PMID: 30105785 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes how individual female ocellated wrasse Symphodus ocellatus distribute their spawning among males and nests in space and time. It is based on previously collected genetic data of larvae from ten different nests (used to reconstruct half and full-sibling groupings both within and among nests on multiple days) and behavioural data of marked females across the reproductive season. Both the genetic analyses and behavioural observations confirm that female S. ocellatus intentionally engage in multiple mating, by repeatedly spawning at the same nest on different days and at several different nests (up to 12 spawning events over 3 weeks), leading to mixed paternity among her young. The main benefit of such high and intentional multiple mating is probably insurance against brood failure due to nest predation, desertion or poor paternal care by the male. These findings reveal that even in systems where females attempt to avoid male-controlled mixed paternity, they may still engage in intentional multiple mating due to these potential benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Stiver
- Psychology Department, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Holly K Kindsvater
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | | | - Kellie L Heckman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Joanne Klein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Suzanne H Alonzo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
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Hellmann JK, Hamilton IM. Dominant and subordinate outside options alter help and eviction in a pay-to-stay negotiation model. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Hellmann JK, Hamilton IM. Intragroup social dynamics vary with the presence of neighbors in a cooperatively breeding fish. Curr Zool 2018; 65:21-31. [PMID: 30697235 PMCID: PMC6347054 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflict is an inherent part of social life in group-living species. Group members may mediate conflict through submissive and affiliative behaviors, which can reduce aggression, stabilize dominance hierarchies, and foster group cohesion. The frequency and resolution of within-group conflict may vary with the presence of neighboring groups. Neighbors can threaten the territory or resources of the whole group, promoting behaviors that foster within-group cohesion. However, neighbors may also foster conflict of interests among group members: opportunities for subordinate dispersal may alter conflict among dominants and subordinates while opportunities for extra-pair reproduction may increase conflict between mates. To understand how neighbors mediate within-group conflict in the cooperatively breeding fish Neolamprologus pulcher, we measured behavioral dynamics and social network structure in isolated groups, groups recently exposed to neighbors, and groups with established neighbors. Aggression and submission between the dominant male and female pair were high in isolated groups, but dominant aggression was directly primarily at subordinates when groups had neighbors. This suggests that neighbors attenuate conflict between mates and foster conflict between dominants and subordinates. Further, aggression and submission between similarly sized group members were most frequent when groups had neighbors, suggesting that neighbors induce rank-related conflict. We found relatively little change in within-group affiliative networks across treatments, suggesting that the presence of neighbors does not alter behaviors associated with promoting group cohesion. Collectively, these results provide some of the first empirical insights into the extent to which intragroup behavioral networks are mediated by intergroup interactions and the broader social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ian M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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24
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Balshine S, Wong MY, Reddon AR. Social motivation and conflict resolution tactics as potential building blocks of sociality in cichlid fishes. Behav Processes 2017; 141:152-160. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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25
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Direct benefits and evolutionary transitions to complex societies. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:137. [PMID: 28812693 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The selective forces that drive the evolution of cooperation have been intensely debated. Evolutionary transitions to cooperative breeding, a complex form of cooperation, have been hypothesized to be linked to low degrees of promiscuity, which increases intragroup relatedness and the indirect (that is, kin selected) benefits of helping. However, ecological factors also promote cooperative breeding, and may be more important than relatedness in some contexts. Identifying the key evolutionary drivers of cooperative breeding therefore requires an integrated assessment of these hypotheses. Here we show, using a phylogenetic framework that explicitly evaluates mating behaviours and ecological factors, that evolutionary transitions to cooperative breeding in cichlid fishes were not associated with social monogamy. Instead, group living, biparental care and diet type directly favoured the evolution of cooperative breeding. Our results suggest that cichlid fishes exhibit an alternative path to the evolution of complex societies compared to other previously studied vertebrates, and these transitions are driven primarily by direct fitness benefits.
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Hellmann JK, Sovic MG, Gibbs HL, Reddon AR, O'Connor CM, Ligocki IY, Marsh-Rollo S, Balshine S, Hamilton IM. Within-group relatedness is correlated with colony-level social structure and reproductive sharing in a social fish. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:4001-13. [PMID: 27297293 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2016] [Revised: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology; The Ohio State University; 318 West 12th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - Michael G. Sovic
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology; The Ohio State University; 318 West 12th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - H. Lisle Gibbs
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology; The Ohio State University; 318 West 12th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - Adam R. Reddon
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour; Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Constance M. O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour; Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Isaac Y. Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology; The Ohio State University; 318 West 12th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - Susan Marsh-Rollo
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour; Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour; Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Ian M. Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology; The Ohio State University; 318 West 12th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
- Department of Mathematics; The Ohio State University; 231 West 18th Avenue Columbus OH 43210 USA
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Hellmann JK, Ligocki IY, O'Connor CM, Reddon AR, Farmer TM, Marsh-Rollo SE, Balshine S, Hamilton IM. The influence of status and the social environment on energy stores in a social fish. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2016; 88:1321-1334. [PMID: 26840014 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This study explores how muscle and liver energy stores are linked with social status and the social environment in Neolamprologus pulcher, a cooperatively breeding fish that lives in colonies comprised of up to 200 distinct social groups. Subordinate muscle energy stores were positively correlated with the number of neighbouring social groups in the colony, but this pattern was not observed in dominant N. pulcher. Furthermore, liver energy stores were smaller in dominants living at the edge of the colony compared with those living in the colony centre, with no differences among subordinates in liver energy stores. Subordinate N. pulcher may build up large energy stores in the muscles to fuel rapid growth after dispersal, which could occur more frequently in high-density environments. Dominant N. pulcher may use the more easily mobilized energy stores in the liver to fuel daily activities, which could be more energetically demanding on the edge of the colony as a result of the increased predation defence needed on the edge. Overall, this study demonstrates that both subordinate and dominant physiology in N. pulcher varies with characteristics of the social environment. Furthermore, dominant and subordinate energy storage strategies appear to differ due to status-dependent variation in daily activities and variation in the need to prepare for future reproductive or dispersal opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
| | - I Y Ligocki
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
| | - C M O'Connor
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - A R Reddon
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, The Ohio State University, 231 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
| | - T M Farmer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
| | - S E Marsh-Rollo
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - S Balshine
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - I M Hamilton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, U.S.A
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O'Connor CM, Marsh-Rollo SE, Aubin-Horth N, Balshine S. Species-specific patterns of nonapeptide brain gene expression relative to pair-bonding behavior in grouping and non-grouping cichlids. Horm Behav 2016; 80:30-38. [PMID: 26519858 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 10/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Comparative studies have revealed that vasopressin-oxytocin pathways are associated with both pair bonding and grouping behavior. However, the relationship between pair bonding and grouping behavior remains unclear. In this study, our aim was to identify whether two species that differ in grouping behavior display a corresponding difference in their pair bonds, and in the underlying vasopressin-oxytocin hormonal pathways. Using two species of cichlid fishes, the highly social Neolamprologus pulcher and the non-social Telmatochromis temporalis, we measured proximity of pairs during pair bond formation, and then measured social behaviors (proximity, aggression, submission, affiliation) and brain gene expression of isotocin and arginine vasotocin (the teleost homologues of oxytocin and vasopressin, respectively), as well as their receptors, after a temporary separation and subsequent reunion of the bonded pairs. Pairs of the social species spent more time in close proximity relative to the non-social species. Rates of aggression increased in both species following the separation and reunion treatment, relative to controls that were not separated. Overall, whole brain expression of isotocin was higher in the social species relative to the non-social species, and correlated with proximity, submission, and affiliation, but only in the social species. Our results suggest that both a social and a non-social cichlid species have similar behavioral responses to a temporary separation from a mate, and we found no difference in the brain gene expression of measured hormones and receptors based on our separation-reunion treatment. However, our results highlight the importance of isotocin in mediating submissive and affiliative behaviors in cichlid fishes, and demonstrate that isotocin has species-specific correlations with socially relevant behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance M O'Connor
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Susan E Marsh-Rollo
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Nadia Aubin-Horth
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Québec, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Aquatic Behavioural Ecology Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
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Jungwirth A, Brena PF, Keller I, Taborsky M. Polygyny affects paternal care, but not survival, pair stability, and group tenure in a cooperative cichlid. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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30
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