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Chimento M, Farine DR. The contribution of movement to social network structure and spreading dynamics under simple and complex transmission. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220524. [PMID: 39230450 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The structure of social networks fundamentally influences spreading dynamics. In general, the more contact between individuals, the more opportunity there is for the transmission of information or disease to take place. Yet, contact between individuals, and any resulting transmission events, are determined by a combination of spatial (where individuals choose to move) and social rules (who they choose to interact with or learn from). Here, we examine the effect of the social-spatial interface on spreading dynamics using a simulation model. We quantify the relative effects of different movement rules (localized, semi-localized, nomadic and resource-based movement) and social transmission rules (simple transmission, anti-conformity, proportional, conformity and threshold rules) to both the structure of social networks and spread of a novel behaviour. Localized movement created weakly connected sparse networks, nomadic movement created weakly connected dense networks, and resource-based movement generated strongly connected modular networks. The resulting rate of spreading varied with different combinations of movement and transmission rules, but-importantly-the relative rankings of transmission rules changed when running simulations on static versus dynamic representations of networks. Our results emphasize that individual-level social and spatial behaviours influence emergent network structure, and are of particular consequence for the spread of information under complex transmission rules.This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Chimento
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
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2
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Schlicht E, Gilsenan C, Santema P, Türk A, Wittenzellner A, Kempenaers B. Removal of older males increases extra-pair siring success of yearling males. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002584. [PMID: 38626215 PMCID: PMC11020368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In animals, reproductive performance typically improves over time early in life. Several ultimate and proximate mechanisms may contribute to such an age-related improvement and these mechanisms can act in a relative or in an absolute sense. Low performance of young individuals may be the consequence of a comparison or competition with older individuals (relative), or it may be due to specific traits of young individuals and be unrelated to the presence of older competitors (absolute). Here, we perform a test to disentangle whether the effect of age class (yearling or older) on male extra-pair siring success is relative or absolute. Male age is the most consistent predictor of male extra-pair siring success across bird species, yet the mechanisms underlying this pattern are not well understood. Low extra-pair siring success of yearling males may be a consequence of the presence of older ("adult") males (hypothesis 1), because adult males are more successful in intra- and intersexual interactions or because females prefer to copulate with adult males when available (relative preference). Alternatively, low extra-pair siring success of yearlings may be independent of the presence of adult males (hypothesis 2), for example, if yearling males on average invest less in extra-pair behavior or if females avoid them as extra-pair mates, independent of the availability of older males (absolute preference). To distinguish between these 2 hypotheses, we experimentally manipulated the age structure of a nest-box-breeding population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) by removing almost all adult males, and compared patterns of extra-pair paternity in the experimental year with those from the preceding 15 "control" years. Removal of adult males resulted in a substantial increase in the extra-pair siring success of yearling males compared to the "control" years, but did not affect the population-level frequency of extra-pair paternity or its spatial patterns. Our results provide clear evidence that extra-pair siring success of yearlings can increase and that it depends on the presence of older males in the population, indicating a relative effect of age on reproductive performance. These results suggest that older males outcompete yearling males in direct or indirect interactions, in sperm competition or as a result of differences in attractiveness to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Carol Gilsenan
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Santema
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Agnes Türk
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Andrea Wittenzellner
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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3
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Wild S, Alarcón-Nieto G, Aplin LM. The ontogeny of social networks in wild great tits ( Parus major). Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae011. [PMID: 38495730 PMCID: PMC10941318 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Sociality impacts many biological processes and can be tightly linked to an individual's fitness. To maximize the advantages of group living, many social animals prefer to associate with individuals that provide the most benefits, such as kin, familiar individuals, or those of similar phenotypes. Such social strategies are not necessarily stable over time but can vary with changing selection pressures. In particular, young individuals transitioning to independence should continuously adjust their social behavior in light of developmental changes. However, social strategies exhibited during adolescence in animals are understudied, and the factors underlying social network formation during ontogeny remain elusive. Here, we tracked associations of wild great tits (Parus major) during the transition to independence and across their first year of life. Both spatial and social factors predicted dyadic associations. During the transition to independence in spring, fledglings initially preferred to associate with siblings and peers over non-parent adults. We found no evidence for preferred associations among juveniles of similar age or fledge weight during that time but weak evidence for some potential inheritance of the parental social network. By autumn, after juveniles had reached full independence, they exhibited social strategies similar to those of adults by establishing stable social ties based on familiarity that persisted through winter into the next spring. Overall, this research demonstrates dynamic changes in social networks during ontogeny in a species with a fast life history and limited parental care, which likely reflect changes in selective pressures. It further highlights the importance of long-term social bonds based on familiarity in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Wild
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA-95616, USA
| | - Gustavo Alarcón-Nieto
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Quantitative Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lucy M Aplin
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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4
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Schlicht E, Kempenaers B. Age trajectories in extra-pair siring success suggest an effect of maturation or early-life experience. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1213-1225. [PMID: 37438929 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Across birds, male age is the most consistent predictor of extra-pair siring success, yet little is known about age effects on paternity over the lifetime of individuals. Here, we use data from a 13-year study of a population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to investigate how extra-pair siring success changes with age within individuals. Our results indicate that extra-pair siring success does not continuously increase with male age. Instead, siring success was related to male age in a threshold fashion, whereby yearling males were less likely to gain paternity than older males. This effect was independent of the age of the social partner, but influenced by the age of the extra-pair female: success of yearlings at siring extra-pair young (EPY) with older females was even lower. Among males that sired at least one EPY, the number of extra-pair mates and the proportion of EPY sired were unrelated to male age. We found no evidence for an influence of selective disappearance on extra-pair reproduction. Senescence, if anything, only occurs at ages blue tits rarely reach. A literature review indicates that an effect of male age on extra-pair siring success may be limited to the switch from yearling to older in many species. Thus, the generally observed age effect on male extra-pair siring success may be linked to age class rather than continuous ageing. This suggests that lack of experience or not fully completed maturation are important drivers of age patterns in extra-pair paternity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
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Dunning J, Burke T, Hoi Hang Chan A, Ying Janet Chik H, Evans T, Schroeder J. Opposite-sex associations are linked with annual fitness, but sociality is stable over lifetime. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:315-324. [PMID: 37192923 PMCID: PMC10183206 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal sociality, an individual's propensity to associate with others, has fitness consequences through mate choice, for example, directly, by increasing the pool of prospective partners, and indirectly through increased survival, and individuals benefit from both. Annually, fitness consequences are realized through increased mating success and subsequent fecundity. However, it remains unknown whether these consequences translate to lifetime fitness. Here, we quantified social associations and their link to fitness annually and over lifetime, using a multi-generational, genetic pedigree. We used social network analysis to calculate variables representing different aspects of an individual's sociality. Sociality showed high within-individual repeatability. We found that birds with more opposite-sex associates had higher annual fitness than those with fewer, but this did not translate to lifetime fitness. Instead, for lifetime fitness, we found evidence for stabilizing selection on opposite-sex sociality, and sociality in general, suggesting that reported benefits are only short-lived in a wild population, and that selection favors an average sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Dunning
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Terry Burke
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Alex Hoi Hang Chan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Germany
- Max Plank Institute of Animal Behaviour, Germany
| | - Heung Ying Janet Chik
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Tim Evans
- Center for Complexity Science, Imperial College London, UK
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6
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Berberi I, Miller ET, Dakin R. The effect of sociality on competitive interactions among birds. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221894. [PMID: 36855867 PMCID: PMC9975650 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociality can provide many benefits, including increased foraging success, reproductive opportunities and defence against predation. How does sociality influence the dominance hierarchies of ecological competitors? Here, we address this question using a large citizen science dataset of competitive interactions among birds foraging at backyard feeders, representing a network of over 55 000 interactions among 68 common species. We first show that species differ in average group size (the number of conspecifics observed together) as a fundamental measure of sociality. When analysing heterospecific competition, we find that sociality is inversely related to dominance. On average, a single individual from a solitary species is more likely to displace a size-matched opponent than a single individual from a social species. Yet, we find that social species gain an increase in their competitive advantage when in the presence of their conspecifics, which may occur as a result of dynamics within their groups. Finally, we show that more social species have relatively fewer dominance interactions with heterospecifics, and more with conspecifics. Overall, these results demonstrate that sociality can influence competition in ecological networks. More social species have decreased competitive ability as individuals, but they may gain competitive ability in groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Berberi
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Eliot T. Miller
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Roslyn Dakin
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Canada K1S 5B6
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7
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Webber QMR, Albery GF, Farine DR, Pinter-Wollman N, Sharma N, Spiegel O, Vander Wal E, Manlove K. Behavioural ecology at the spatial-social interface. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:868-886. [PMID: 36691262 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Spatial and social behaviour are fundamental aspects of an animal's biology, and their social and spatial environments are indelibly linked through mutual causes and shared consequences. We define the 'spatial-social interface' as intersection of social and spatial aspects of individuals' phenotypes and environments. Behavioural variation at the spatial-social interface has implications for ecological and evolutionary processes including pathogen transmission, population dynamics, and the evolution of social systems. We link spatial and social processes through a foundation of shared theory, vocabulary, and methods. We provide examples and future directions for the integration of spatial and social behaviour and environments. We introduce key concepts and approaches that either implicitly or explicitly integrate social and spatial processes, for example, graph theory, density-dependent habitat selection, and niche specialization. Finally, we discuss how movement ecology helps link the spatial-social interface. Our review integrates social and spatial behavioural ecology and identifies testable hypotheses at the spatial-social interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße 19, 14193, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitatsstraße 10, 78464, Constance, Germany.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nitika Sharma
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
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8
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Welklin JF, Lantz SM, Khalil S, Moody NM, Karubian J, Webster MS. Photoperiod and rainfall are associated with seasonal shifts in social structure in a songbird. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Seasonally breeding animals often exhibit different social structures during non-breeding and breeding periods that coincide with seasonal environmental variation and resource abundance. However, we know little about the environmental factors associated with when seasonal shifts in social structure occur. This lack of knowledge contrasts with our well-defined knowledge of the environmental cues that trigger a shift to breeding physiology in seasonally breeding species. Here, we identified some of the main environmental factors associated with seasonal shifts in social structure and initiation of breeding in the red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus), an Australian songbird. Social network analyses revealed that social groups, which are highly territorial during the breeding season, interact in social “communities” on larger home ranges during the non-breeding season. Encounter rates among non-breeding groups were related to photoperiod and rainfall, with shifting photoperiod and increased rainfall associated with a shift toward territorial breeding social structure characterized by reductions in home range size and fewer encounters among non-breeding social groups. Similarly, onset of breeding was highly seasonal and was also associated with non-breeding season rainfall, with greater rainfall leading to earlier breeding. These findings reveal that for some species, the environmental factors associated with the timing of shifts in social structure across seasonal boundaries can be similar to those that determine timing of breeding. This study increases our understanding of the environmental factors associated with seasonal variation in social structure and how the timing of these shifts may respond to changing climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph F Welklin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , 215 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853 , USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
| | - Samantha M Lantz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Sarah Khalil
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Nicole M Moody
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University , 80 Waterman St, Providence, RI 02912 , USA
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University , 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118 , USA
| | - Michael S Webster
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , 215 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853 , USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology , 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 , USA
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9
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Bennett S, Harris MP, Wanless S, Green JA, Newell M, Searle KR, Daunt F. Earlier and more frequent occupation of breeding sites during the non-breeding season increases breeding success in a colonial seabird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9213. [PMID: 36177129 PMCID: PMC9463023 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Competition for high-quality breeding sites in colonial species is often intense, such that individuals may invest considerable time in site occupancy even outside the breeding season. The site defense hypothesis predicts that high-quality sites will be occupied earlier and more frequently, consequently those sites will benefit from earlier and more successful breeding. However, few studies relate non-breeding season occupancy to subsequent breeding performance limiting our understanding of the potential life-history benefits of this behavior. Here, we test how site occupancy in the non-breeding season related to site quality, breeding timing, and breeding success in a population of common guillemots Uria aalge, an abundant and well-studied colonially breeding seabird. Using time-lapse photography, we recorded occupancy at breeding sites from October to March over three consecutive non-breeding seasons. We then monitored the successive breeding timing (lay date) and breeding success at each site. On average, sites were first occupied on the 27th October ± 11.7 days (mean ± SD), subsequently occupied on 46 ± 18% of survey days and for 55 ± 15% of the time when at least one site was occupied. Higher-quality sites, sites with higher average historic breeding success, were occupied earlier, more frequently and for longer daily durations thereafter. Laying was earlier at sites that were occupied more frequently and sites occupied earlier were more successful, supporting the site defense hypothesis. A path analysis showed that the return date had a greater or equal effect on breeding success as lay date. Pair level occupancy had no effect on breeding timing or success. The clear effect of non-breeding occupancy of breeding sites on breeding timing and success highlights the benefits of this behavior on demography in this population and the importance of access to breeding sites outside the breeding season in systems where competition for high-quality sites is intense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Bennett
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology EdinburghMidlothianUK
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Sarah Wanless
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | | | | | | | - Francis Daunt
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology EdinburghMidlothianUK
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10
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Sierro J, de Kort SR, Riebel K, Hartley IR. Female blue tits sing frequently: a sex comparison of occurrence, context, and structure of song. Behav Ecol 2022; 33:912-925. [PMID: 36382229 PMCID: PMC9639586 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In species with mutual mate choice, we should expect adaptive signaling in both sexes. However, the role of female sexual signals is generally understudied. A case in point is female birdsong that has received considerably less attention than male song. This holds even for well-studied species such as the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), an important model in evolutionary ecology. Although there have been anecdotal reports of female song from three populations, there are no quantitative studies on female song in this species. Here, we report systematic sampling from a population of individually marked blue tits over 3 years, revealing that females sang frequently throughout the sampling period. Notably, daytime singing of females occurred in functionally similar contexts as in males (agonistic, solo song, and alarm contexts) but females had lower song output than males and were not observed singing dawn song, while males showed long singing displays at dawn before copulations take place. Female and male song overlapped substantially in acoustic structure (i.e., same song types or peak frequency) but females had smaller individual song-type repertoires, shorter trills, and lower vocal consistency. Differential selection pressures related to functional differences in male and female song might explain the observed variation in acoustic structure. With the first quantitative study of female song in such a well-studied species, we hope to stimulate further investigations into the functions of female singing, especially in the Northern temperate zones where female song may have been overlooked, not only in this but perhaps in other monomorphic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Sierro
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LEC Building, Lancaster, UK
| | - Selvino R de Kort
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, E437 John Dalton Building, Manchester Campus, Manchester, UK
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology (IBL), Leiden University, Room number 7.4.17, Sylvius Building, Sylviusweg 72, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Ian R Hartley
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LEC Building, Lancaster, UK
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11
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Danaher-Garcia N, Connor R, Fay G, Melillo-Sweeting K, Dudzinski KM. Using Social Network Analysis to Confirm the ‘Gambit of the Group’ Hypothesis for a Small Cetacean. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104694. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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12
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Abstract
In many monogamous species, a substantial proportion of offspring is sired by other males than the one providing care at the nest. Although females often solicit extra-pair mating, the benefits of extra-pair copulations to females are not fully understood. In this study on pied flycatchers, we tested whether extra-pair paternity in neighboring nests may have affected the likelihood that males helped defend extra-pair offspring against predators. We found that extra-pair sires were more often engaged and invested more heavily in cooperative predator defense than males without extra-pair offspring. For female flycatchers, extra-pair mating may thus be an adaptive strategy for enhancing offspring survival and breeding success. In many social animals, females mate with multiple males, but the adaptive value of female extra-pair mating is not fully understood. Here, we tested whether male pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) engaging in extra-pair copulations with neighboring females were more likely to assist their neighbors in antipredator defense. We found that extra-pair sires joined predator-mobbing more often, approached predators more closely, and attacked predators more aggressively than males without extra-pair offspring in the neighboring nest. Extra-pair mating may incentivize males to assist in nest defense because of the benefits that this cooperative behavior has on their total offspring production. For females, this mating strategy may help recruit more males to join in antipredator defense, offering better protection and ultimately improving reproductive success. Our results suggest a simple mechanism by which extra-pair mating can improve reproductive success in breeding birds. In summary, males siring extra-pair offspring in neighboring nests assist neighbors in antipredator defense more often than males without extra-pair offspring.
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13
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14
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Beck KB, Farine DR, Kempenaers B. Social network position predicts male mating success in a small passerine. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:856-864. [PMID: 34690546 PMCID: PMC8528538 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals differ in the quantity and quality of their associations with conspecifics. The resulting variation in the positions that individuals occupy within their social environment can affect several aspects of life history, including reproduction. While research increasingly shows how social factors can predict dyadic mating patterns (who will breed with whom), much less is known about how an individual's social position affects its overall likelihood to acquire mating partner(s). We studied social networks of socially monogamous blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to investigate whether the number and strength of connections to opposite-sex conspecifics, the ratio between same- and opposite-sex connections, and the tendency to move between social groups in the months prior to breeding affect individuals' success in acquiring 1) a breeding partner and 2) an extrapair partner. After controlling for differences in spatial location, we show that males that moved more often between social groups were more likely to acquire a breeding partner. Moreover, adult males that associated with more females were more likely to sire extrapair young. The number of female associates also predicted the proportion of familiar female breeding neighbors, suggesting that familiarity among neighbors may facilitate opportunities for extrapair matings. In females, none of the network metrics significantly predicted the likelihood of acquiring a breeding or extrapair partner. Our study suggests that the positioning of males within their social environment prior to breeding can translate into future mating success, adding an important new dimension to studies of (extrapair) mating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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Santema P, Schlicht L, Beck KB, Sheldon BC, Kempenaers B. Why do nestling birds fledge early in the day? Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Ogino M, Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Farine DR. Drivers of alloparental provisioning of fledglings in a colonially breeding bird. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Reproduction is costly. Despite this, evidence suggests that parents sometimes feed unrelated offspring. Several hypotheses could explain this puzzling phenomenon. Adults could feed unrelated offspring that are 1) of their close social associates to facilitate these juveniles’ integration into their social network (the social inheritance hypothesis), 2) potential extrapair offspring, 3) at a similar developmental stage as their own, 4) coercing feeding by begging, or 5) less-developed (to enhance their survival, which could benefit the adult or its offspring; the group augmentation hypothesis). Colonial breeders are ideal for investigating the relative importance of these hypotheses because offspring are often kept in crèches where adults can exhibit allofeeding. Using automated monitoring of replicated captive zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) colonies, we found that while parents selectively fed their own offspring, they also consistently fed unrelated offspring (32.48% of feeding events). Social relationships among adults prior to breeding did not predict allofeeding, nor was allofeeding directed toward potential genetic offspring. Instead, adults with more-developed offspring preferentially fed less-developed non-offspring over non-offspring at a similar developmental stage as their own offspring, and this tendency was not explained by differences in begging behavior. Our study suggests that allofeeding is consistent with group augmentation, potentially benefiting adults through colony maintenance or increased offspring survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Ogino
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Adriana A Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
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Beck KB, Valcu M, Kempenaers B. Analysis of within-individual variation in extrapair paternity in blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) shows low repeatability and little effect of changes in neighborhood. Behav Ecol 2020; 31:1303-1315. [PMID: 33281500 PMCID: PMC7689542 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies investigated variation in the frequency of extrapair paternity (EPP) among individuals. However, our understanding of within-individual variation in EPP remains limited. Here, we comprehensively investigate variation in EPP at the within-individual level in a population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Our study is based on parentage data comprising >10 000 genotyped offspring across 11 breeding seasons. First, we examined the repeatability of the occurrence of EPP, the number of extrapair offspring, the number of extrapair partners, and the occurrence of paternity loss using data from males and females that bred in multiple years. Second, we tested whether within-individual changes in EPP between breeding seasons relate to between-year changes in the local social environment. Repeatabilities were generally low but significant for the occurrence and number of extrapair young in females and for whether a male sired extrapair young or not. We found no evidence that the presence of the former social partner or changes in the proportion of familiar individuals or in phenotypic traits of the neighbors influenced changes in levels of EPP in females. However, in adult males, a decrease in the average body size of male neighbors was associated with higher extrapair siring success. If confirmed, this result suggests that the competitive ability of a male relative to its neighbors influences his extrapair mating success. We suggest that alternative hypotheses, including the idea that within-individual changes in EPP are due to "chance events" rather than changes in an individual's social breeding environment, deserve more consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str. 7, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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Zonana DM, Gee JM, Breed MD, Doak DF. Dynamic shifts in social network structure and composition within a breeding hybrid population. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:197-211. [PMID: 32772372 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Mating behaviour and the timing of reproduction can inhibit genetic exchange between closely related species; however, these reproductive barriers are challenging to measure within natural populations. Social network analysis provides promising tools for studying the social context of hybridization, and the exchange of genetic variation, more generally. We test how social networks within a hybrid population of California Callipepla californica and Gambel's quail Callipepla gambelii change over discrete periods of a breeding season. We assess patterns of phenotypic and genotypic assortment, and ask whether altered associations between individuals (association rewiring), or changes to the composition of the population (individual turnover) drive network dynamics. We use genetic data to test whether social associations and relatedness between individuals correlate with patterns of parentage within the hybrid population. To achieve these aims, we combine RFID association data, phenotypic data and genomic measures with social network analyses. We adopt methods from the ecological network literature to quantify shifts in network structure and to partition changes into those due to individual turnover and association rewiring. We integrate genomic data into networks as node-level attributes (ancestry) and edges (relatedness, parentage) to test links between social and parentage networks. We show that rewiring of associations between individuals that persist across network periods, rather than individual turnover, drives the majority of the changes in network structure throughout the breeding season, and that the traits involved in phenotypic/genotypic assortment were highly dynamic over time. Social networks were randomly assorted based on genetic ancestry, suggesting weak behavioural reproductive isolation within this hybrid population. Finally, we show that the strength of associations within the social network, but not levels of genetic relatedness, predicts patterns of parentage. Social networks play an important role in population processes such as the transmission of disease and information, yet there has been less focus on how networks influence the exchange of genetic variation. By integrating analyses of social structure, phenotypic assortment and reproductive outcomes within a hybrid zone, we demonstrate the utility of social networks for analysing links between social context and gene flow within wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Zonana
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer M Gee
- James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve, University of California - Riverside, University of California Natural Reserve System, Idyllwild, CA, USA
| | - Michael D Breed
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Daniel F Doak
- Environmental Studies Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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Ferreira AC, Covas R, Silva LR, Esteves SC, Duarte IF, Fortuna R, Theron F, Doutrelant C, Farine DR. How to make methodological decisions when inferring social networks. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9132-9143. [PMID: 32953051 PMCID: PMC7487238 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network analyses allow studying the processes underlying the associations between individuals and the consequences of those associations. Constructing and analyzing social networks can be challenging, especially when designing new studies as researchers are confronted with decisions about how to collect data and construct networks, and the answers are not always straightforward. The current lack of guidance on building a social network for a new study system might lead researchers to try several different methods and risk generating false results arising from multiple hypotheses testing. Here, we suggest an approach for making decisions when starting social network research in a new study system that avoids the pitfall of multiple hypotheses testing. We argue that best edge definition for a network is a decision that can be made using a priori knowledge about the species and that is independent from the hypotheses that the network will ultimately be used to evaluate. We illustrate this approach with a study conducted on a colonial cooperatively breeding bird, the sociable weaver. We first identified two ways of collecting data using different numbers of feeders and three ways to define associations among birds. We then evaluated which combination of data collection and association definition maximized (a) the assortment of individuals into previously known "breeding groups" (birds that contribute toward the same nest and maintain cohesion when foraging) and (b) socially differentiated relationships (more strong and weak relationships than expected by chance). This evaluation of different methods based on a priori knowledge of the study species can be implemented in a diverse array of study systems and makes the case for using existing, biologically meaningful knowledge about a system to help navigate the myriad of methodological decisions about data collection and network inference.
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Affiliation(s)
- André C. Ferreira
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et EvolutiveUniv MontpellierCNRSEPHE, IRDUniv Paul‐Valery Montpellier 3MontpellierFrance
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
- Department of Collective BehaviorMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorKonstanzGermany
| | - Rita Covas
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Liliana R. Silva
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
| | - Sandra C. Esteves
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
| | - Inês F. Duarte
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
| | - Rita Fortuna
- CIBIO‐InBioResearch Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesVairãoPortugal
| | - Franck Theron
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et EvolutiveUniv MontpellierCNRSEPHE, IRDUniv Paul‐Valery Montpellier 3MontpellierFrance
| | - Claire Doutrelant
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et EvolutiveUniv MontpellierCNRSEPHE, IRDUniv Paul‐Valery Montpellier 3MontpellierFrance
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Collective BehaviorMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorKonstanzGermany
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
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Beck KB, Farine DR, Kempenaers B. Winter associations predict social and extra-pair mating patterns in a wild songbird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192606. [PMID: 32070248 PMCID: PMC7062020 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research, our understanding of the underlying causes of within-population variation in patterns of extra-pair paternity (EPP) remains limited. Previous studies have shown that extra-pair mating decisions are linked to both individual traits and ecological factors. Here, we examine whether social associations among individuals prior to breeding also shape mating patterns, specifically the occurrence of EPP, in a small songbird, the blue tit. We test whether associations during the non-breeding period predict (1) future social pairs, (2) breeding proximity (i.e. the distance between breeding individuals) and (3) the likelihood that individuals have extra-pair young together. Individuals that were more strongly associated (those that foraged more often together) during winter tended to nest closer together. This, by itself, predicts EPP patterns, because most extra-pair sires are close neighbours. However, even after controlling for spatial effects, female-male dyads with stronger social associations prior to breeding were more likely to have extra-pair young. Our findings reveal a carry-over from social associations into future mating decisions. Quantifying the long-term social environment of individuals and studying its dynamics is a promising approach to enhance our understanding of the process of (extra-)pair formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B. Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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