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Berlinghieri F, Rizzuto G, Kruizinga L, Riedstra B, Groothuis T, Brown C. Are lateralized and bold fish optimistic or pessimistic? Anim Cogn 2024; 27:42. [PMID: 38833197 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01876-4] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive bias is defined as the influence of emotions on cognitive processes. The concept of the cognitive judgement bias has its origins in human psychology but has been applied to animals over the past 2 decades. In this study we were interested in determining if laterality and personality traits, which are known to influence learning style, might also be correlated with a cognitive bias in the three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We used the judgement bias test with the go/no-go procedure where fish were first trained to discriminate between a black and white card and, after reaching a minimum learning criterion, tested their response to an ambiguous card (grey). Optimistic subjects were expected to have a high expectation of reward associated with an ambiguous stimulus, whereas pessimistic subjects a high expectation of non-reward. We used an emergence and a mirror test to quantify boldness and laterality, respectively. We hypothesised that male, bolder and more strongly lateralized fish would be more optimistic than female, shy and less strongly lateralised fish. We found that males and more strongly lateralized fish were more optimistic than females and less strongly lateralized fish. In addition, bold males were more optimistic than shy males as we predicted, but females showed the opposite pattern. Finally, fish trained on the black colour card learned the training task faster than those trained on a white card. Our results indicate that both laterality and personality traits are linked to animals' internal states (pessimistic or optimistic outlooks) which likely has broad implications for understanding animal behaviour particularly in a welfare context.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Berlinghieri
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747, AG, The Netherlands.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
| | - G Rizzuto
- CoNISMa, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - L Kruizinga
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747, AG, The Netherlands
| | - B Riedstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747, AG, The Netherlands
| | - Tgg Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747, AG, The Netherlands
| | - C Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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2
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Speechley EM, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Simmons LW, Ridley AR. Heritability of cognitive performance in wild Western Australian magpies. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231399. [PMID: 38481983 PMCID: PMC10933533 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Individual differences in cognitive performance can have genetic, social and environmental components. Most research on the heritability of cognitive traits comes from humans or captive non-human animals, while less attention has been given to wild populations. Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis, hereafter magpies) show phenotypic variation in cognitive performance, which affects reproductive success. Despite high levels of individual repeatability, we do not know whether cognitive performance is heritable in this species. Here, we quantify the broad-sense heritability of associative learning ability in a wild population of Western Australian magpies. Specifically, we explore whether offspring associative learning performance is predicted by maternal associative learning performance or by the social environment (group size) when tested at three time points during the first year of life. We found little evidence that offspring associative learning performance is heritable, with an estimated broad-sense heritability of just -0.046 ± 0.084 (confidence interval: -0.234/0.140). However, complementing previous findings, we find that at 300 days post-fledging, individuals raised in larger groups passed the test in fewer trials compared with individuals from small groups. Our results highlight the pivotal influence of the social environment on cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Speechley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, PenrynTR10 9FE, UK
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Amanda R. Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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3
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Kikuchi DW. Who innovates? Abundance of novel and familiar food changes which animals are most persistent. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20231936. [PMID: 38228174 PMCID: PMC10791525 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Novel behaviours are the raw material of cultural evolution, yet we do not have a clear picture of when they are likely to arise. I use a state-dependent model to examine how individual age and energy reserves interact with the abundance of known and novel prey to promote dietary innovation (incorporating a new food item into the diet). I measure innovativeness as persistence in attempting to capture novel prey. I find a trend towards greater persistence among younger individuals. Decreased abundance of known prey and increased abundance of novel prey also favour persistence. However, many exceptions to these trends occur. These exceptions are critical because they may explain inconsistencies among studies of animal innovation. Care must be taken in experiments to control for multiple factors relevant to an animal's energy budget and foraging opportunities. We may learn more about innovation in experimental contexts by (i) manipulating the abundance of novel and familiar food resources, (ii) directly measuring animal age and condition, and-where possible-(iii) fitting nonlinear models to innovative behaviour. Results indicate that selection for persistence may also favour neophilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Kikuchi
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Dissegna A, Borrelli L, Ponte G, Chiandetti C, Fiorito G. Octopus vulgaris Exhibits Interindividual Differences in Behavioural and Problem-Solving Performance. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1487. [PMID: 38132313 PMCID: PMC10740590 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
By presenting individual Octopus vulgaris with an extractive foraging problem with a puzzle box, we examined the possible correlation between behavioural performances (e.g., ease of adaptation to captive conditions, prevalence of neophobic and neophilic behaviours, and propensity to learn individually or by observing conspecifics), biotic (body and brain size, age, sex) and abiotic (seasonality and place of origin) factors. We found more neophilic animals showing shorter latencies to approach the puzzle box and higher probability of solving the task; also, shorter times to solve the task were correlated with better performance on the individual learning task. However, the most neophilic octopuses that approached the puzzle box more quickly did not reach the solution earlier than other individuals, suggesting that strong neophilic tendency may lead to suboptimal performance at some stages of the problem-solving process. In addition, seasonal and environmental characteristics of location of origin appear to influence the rate of expression of individual traits central to problem solving. Overall, our analysis provides new insights into the traits associated with problem solving in invertebrates and highlights the presence of adaptive mechanisms that promote population-level changes in octopuses' behavioural traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Dissegna
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (A.D.); (C.C.)
| | - Luciana Borrelli
- Animal Physiology and Evolution Lab, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Cinzia Chiandetti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (A.D.); (C.C.)
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
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5
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Prentice PM, Thornton A, Kolm N, Wilson AJ. Genetic and context-specific effects on individual inhibitory control performance in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1796-1810. [PMID: 37916730 PMCID: PMC10947024 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Among-individual variation in cognitive traits, widely assumed to have evolved under adaptive processes, is increasingly being demonstrated across animal taxa. As variation among individuals is required for natural selection, characterizing individual differences and their heritability is important to understand how cognitive traits evolve. Here, we use a quantitative genetic study of wild-type guppies repeatedly exposed to a 'detour task' to test for genetic variance in the cognitive trait of inhibitory control. We also test for genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) by testing related fish under alternative experimental treatments (transparent vs. semi-transparent barrier in the detour-task). We find among-individual variation in detour task performance, consistent with differences in inhibitory control. However, analysis of GxE reveals that heritable factors only contribute to performance variation in one treatment. This suggests that the adaptive evolutionary potential of inhibitory control (and/or other latent variables contributing to task performance) may be highly sensitive to environmental conditions. The presence of GxE also implies that the plastic response of detour task performance to treatment environment is genetically variable. Our results are consistent with a scenario where variation in individual inhibitory control stems from complex interactions between heritable and plastic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela M. Prentice
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
- SRUC, Easter Bush, Roslin Institute BuildingMidlothianUK
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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van den Heuvel K, Quinn JL, Kotrschal A, van Oers K. Artificial selection for reversal learning reveals limited repeatability and no heritability of cognitive flexibility in great tits ( Parus major). Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231067. [PMID: 37464752 PMCID: PMC10354490 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility controls how animals respond to changing environmental conditions. Individuals within species vary considerably in cognitive flexibility but the micro-evolutionary potential in animal populations remains enigmatic. One prerequisite for cognitive flexibility to be able to evolve is consistent and heritable among-individual variation. Here we determine the repeatability and heritability of cognitive flexibility among great tits (Parus major) by performing an artificial selection experiment on reversal learning performance using a spatial learning paradigm over three generations. We found low, yet significant, repeatability (R = 0.15) of reversal learning performance. Our artificial selection experiment showed no evidence for narrow-sense heritability of associative or reversal learning, while we confirmed the heritability of exploratory behaviour. We observed a phenotypic, but no genetic, correlation between associative and reversal learning, showing the importance of prior information on reversal learning. We found no correlation between cognitive and personality traits. Our findings emphasize that cognitive flexibility is a multi-faceted trait that is affected by memory and prior experience, making it challenging to retrieve reliable values of temporal consistency and assess the contribution of additive genetic variation. Future studies need to identify what cognitive components underlie variation in reversal learning and study their between-individual and additive genetic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista van den Heuvel
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - John L. Quinn
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T23 N73K4, Ireland
- Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Innovative problem-solving in a small, wild canid. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:405-413. [PMID: 35994141 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01678-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Innovation - the ability to solve problems in a novel way - is not only associated with cognitive abilities and relative brain size, but also by noncognitive traits, such as personality and motivation. We used a novel foraging task with three access options to determine how neophobia, exploration, and persistence influence innovation in 12 habituated bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) in the Kalahari Desert. Bat-eared foxes offer a unique system to understand cognition as they have the smallest relative brain size of measured canids and a specialized, termite-based diet, yet have displayed foraging innovations. Interestingly, most of our individuals solved the task at least once and six individuals solved the task in every trial. Neophobia did not influence success on the first trial, but both exploration and persistence influenced success across all trials. Those individuals that solved the puzzle over multiple trials became faster over time, suggesting that they learned how to open the box more efficiently. We found some variation in the method to open the puzzle box with six individuals solving the puzzle using two methods and one individual using all three methods. This is the first study to show innovation in a novel foraging task in wild bat-eared foxes.
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Rowell MK, Rymer TL. Problem solving in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats Melomys cervinipes is not significantly influenced by maternal care or genetic effects. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:802-811. [PMID: 35754194 PMCID: PMC9796929 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Innovative problem solving is thought to be a flexible trait that allows animals to adjust to changing or challenging environmental conditions. However, it is not known how problem solving develops during an animal's early life, or whether it may have a heritable component. We investigated whether maternal genetic and nongenetic effects influenced problem-solving ability in a native Australian rodent, the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat Melomys cervinipes. We measured direct (time spent grooming and huddling), indirect (time spent nesting), and total amount of maternal care received across pup development (postnatal Days 1-13). We measured problem solving in juveniles using matchbox tasks, and in mothers and adult offspring using six tasks of varying complexity (matchbox, cylinder, obstruction, pillar, tile, and lever tasks). We found no relationship between any maternal care measures and problem-solving abilities across multiple tests, suggesting limited (if any) maternal nongenetic effects. We also found that, as shown by low heritability estimates, problem solving only had a small heritable component in some tasks, but this was nonsignificant and requires further investigation. These results suggest that problem solving is unlikely to be constrained by maternal effects experienced during early development, and is, instead, more likely to be influenced by other factors (e.g., experience) later in an individual's lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misha K. Rowell
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityCairnsQueenslandAustralia,Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability SciencesJames Cook UniversityCairnsQueenslandAustralia
| | - Tasmin L. Rymer
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityCairnsQueenslandAustralia,Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability SciencesJames Cook UniversityCairnsQueenslandAustralia
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9
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De Meester G, Pafilis P, Vasilakis G, Van Damme R. Exploration and spatial cognition show long-term repeatability but no heritability in the Aegean wall lizard. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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10
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Barou‐Dagues M, Dubois F. Exploring the interplay between natural and intersexual selection on the evolution of a cognitive trait. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9066. [PMID: 35813909 PMCID: PMC9251863 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Frédérique Dubois
- Département des Sciences Biologiques Université de Montréal Montréal Quebec Canada
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11
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Individual differences in spatial learning are correlated across tasks but not with stress response behaviour in guppies. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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12
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Bold and bright: shy and supple? The effect of habitat type on personality-cognition covariance in the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Anim Cogn 2022; 25:745-767. [PMID: 35037121 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01587-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Animals exhibit considerable and consistent among-individual variation in cognitive abilities, even within a population. Recent studies have attempted to address this variation using insights from the field of animal personality. Generally, it is predicted that animals with "faster" personalities (bolder, explorative, and neophilic) should exhibit faster but less flexible learning. However, the empirical evidence for a link between cognitive style and personality is mixed. One possible reason for such conflicting results may be that personality-cognition covariance changes along ecological conditions, a hypothesis that has rarely been investigated so far. In this study, we tested the effect of habitat complexity on multiple aspects of animal personality and cognition, and how this influenced their relationship, in five populations of the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Overall, lizards from both habitat types did not differ in average levels of personality or cognition, with the exception that lizards from more complex habitats performed better on a spatial learning task. Nevertheless, we found an intricate interplay between ecology, cognition, and personality, as behavioral associations were often habitat- but also year-dependent. In general, behavioral covariance was either independent of habitat, or found exclusively in the simple, open environments. Our results highlight that valuable insights may be gained by taking ecological variation into account while studying the link between personality and cognition.
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Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Staes N, Thys B, Pinxten R, Eens M. Serotonin transporter (SERT) polymorphisms, personality and problem-solving in urban great tits. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24270. [PMID: 34930949 PMCID: PMC8688470 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03466-7] [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: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding underlying genetic variation can elucidate how diversity in behavioral phenotypes evolves and is maintained. Genes in the serotonergic signaling pathway, including the serotonin transporter gene (SERT), are candidates for affecting animal personality, cognition and fitness. In a model species, the great tit (Parus major), we reevaluated previous findings suggesting relationships between SERT polymorphisms, neophobia, exploratory behavior and fitness parameters, and performed a first test of the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SERT and problem-solving in birds. We found some evidence for associations between SERT SNPs and neophobia, exploratory behavior and laying date. Furthermore, several SNPs were associated with behavioral patterns and success rates during obstacle removal problem-solving tests performed at nest boxes. In females, minor allele homozygotes (AA) for nonsynonymous SNP226 in exon 1 made fewer incorrect attempts and were more likely to problem-solve. In both sexes, there was some evidence that minor allele homozygotes (CC) for SNP84 in exon 9 were more likely to problem-solve. Only one SNP-behavior relationship was statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons, but several were associated with substantial effect sizes. Our study provides a foundation for future research on the genetic basis of behavioral and cognitive variation in wild animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Grunst
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Littoral Environnement Et Sociétés, La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France.
| | - Melissa L Grunst
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Littoral Environnement Et Sociétés, La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Nicky Staes
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bert Thys
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rianne Pinxten
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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An investigation of population variation in maze exploration and its predictors in wild Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Processes 2021; 192:104475. [PMID: 34375727 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Individuals often face unpredictable and harsh environments, presenting them with novel ecological problems. Behaviour can provide an adaptive response in such conditions and where these conditions vary between populations, we may predict development and evolution to shape differences in behaviour such as exploration, innovation, and learning, as well as other traits. Here, we compared in the wild the maze swimming performance of groups of female guppies from two Trinidadian populations that differ in numerous ecological characteristics, the Upper and Lower Aripo river. Compared to Upper Aripo fish, Lower Aripo fish were slower to complete the maze, our measure of propensity to innovate, and scored lower on a combined measure of activity and exploration. More active-exploratory groups were faster to complete the maze, but only in the Lower Aripo. We found no evidence for learning the maze. Our results suggest that activity-exploratory and innovative propensities can vary between populations, as can predictors of innovation. These findings are consistent with high predation risk shaping decreased activity-exploratory propensities, but further population comparisons are required to reliably determine the drivers of the observed population difference. Our results emphasize that individual and population differences in activity-exploration and innovation can be shaped by numerous factors.
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Problem Solving in Animals: Proposal for an Ontogenetic Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030866. [PMID: 33803609 PMCID: PMC8002912 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animals must be able to solve problems to access food and avoid predators. Problem solving is not a complicated process, often relying only on animals exploring their surroundings, and being able to learn and remember information. However, not all species, populations, or even individuals, can solve problems, or can solve problems in the same way. Differences in problem-solving ability could be due to differences in how animals develop and grow, including differences in their genetics, hormones, age, and/or environmental conditions. Here, we consider how an animal’s problem-solving ability could be impacted by its development, and what future work needs to be done to understand the development of problem solving. We argue that, considering how many different factors are involved, focusing on individual animals, and individual variation, is the best way to study the development of problem solving. Abstract Problem solving, the act of overcoming an obstacle to obtain an incentive, has been studied in a wide variety of taxa, and is often based on simple strategies such as trial-and-error learning, instead of higher-order cognitive processes, such as insight. There are large variations in problem solving abilities between species, populations and individuals, and this variation could arise due to differences in development, and other intrinsic (genetic, neuroendocrine and aging) and extrinsic (environmental) factors. However, experimental studies investigating the ontogeny of problem solving are lacking. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of problem solving from an ontogenetic perspective. The focus is to highlight aspects of problem solving that have been overlooked in the current literature, and highlight why developmental influences of problem-solving ability are particularly important avenues for future investigation. We argue that the ultimate outcome of solving a problem is underpinned by interacting cognitive, physiological and behavioural components, all of which are affected by ontogenetic factors. We emphasise that, due to the large number of confounding ontogenetic influences, an individual-centric approach is important for a full understanding of the development of problem solving.
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Animal Creativity as a Function of Behavioral Innovation and Behavior Flexibility in Problem-solving Situations. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2021; 56:218-233. [PMID: 33733318 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-020-09586-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A natural approach of animal creativity through insightful problem-solving may offer a panel of how physiological, contextual, cultural and developmental variables related to each other to produce new behaviors. The spontaneous interconnection of acquire behaviors is an Insightful Problem-Solving model based on the new combination and/or chaining of behaviors that were previously and independently trained. This model seems to offer an integrative alternative for the studies of Innovation and Behavioral Flexibility because it allows the research on innovation in a scenario in which the response that solves the problem situation is not available by trial-and-error. Measuring task-appropriateness by behavior flexibility and novelty by behavior innovation under insightful problem-solving paradigm can contribute for the integration of decades of evidence in Cognitive Psychology, Neuro-ethology, Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Neurosciences. The Insightful Problem-Solving allows the independent test of behavioral innovation and behavioral flexibility as it measures the behavioral innovation inside insightful test and tests if the BF depends on variables arranged in the problem-situation and/or on the previous training (e.g. familiarity with access to appetitive stimulus in the pre-test, the number of distinct behaviors trained, and contingency changes in the post-test).
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Rochais C, Pillay N, Schradin C. Do alternative reproductive tactics predict problem-solving performance in African striped mice? Anim Cogn 2021; 24:703-716. [PMID: 33420858 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01459-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In changing environments, animals face unexpected problems to solve. Not all individuals in a population are equally able to solve new problems. It still remains unclear what factors (e.g. age and body condition) influence the propensity of problem solving. We investigated variation in problem-solving performance among males following alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs). We studied a free-ranging population of the African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio). Adult male striped mice can employ 3 ARTs: (1) dominant group-living breeders, (2) philopatric living in their natal group, and (3) solitary-living roamers. ARTs in male striped mice reflect differences in competitiveness, sociality and physiology which could influence their problem-solving performance. We tested a total of 48 males in 2 years with two tasks: a string-pulling task to reach food and a door-opening task to reach the nest. Since male striped mice differ in personality traits independent of ARTs, we also measured activity, boldness and exploration. In addition, we assessed the association of body condition and age with problem solving. Problem solving was related the interaction of age and ARTs. The younger philopatrics had better performance in a food-extraction task whereas the older breeders were faster at solving the door-opening task. Individual differences in traits related to personality were significant correlates of problem-solving performance: pro-active mice (i.e. more active and explorative and bolder) performed better in both tasks. Finally, problem-solving performance was not consistent between the two tasks. Our study provides evidence of correlates of ARTs, age and personality on problem-solving abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Rochais
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Carsten Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,IPHC, UNISTRA, CNRS, 23 Rue du Loess, 67200, Strasbourg, France
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18
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Davidson GL, Wiley N, Cooke AC, Johnson CN, Fouhy F, Reichert MS, de la Hera I, Crane JMS, Kulahci IG, Ross RP, Stanton C, Quinn JL. Diet induces parallel changes to the gut microbiota and problem solving performance in a wild bird. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20783. [PMID: 33247162 PMCID: PMC7699645 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77256-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbial community in the gut is influenced by environmental factors, especially diet, which can moderate host behaviour through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. However, the ecological relevance of microbiome-mediated behavioural plasticity in wild animals is unknown. We presented wild-caught great tits (Parus major) with a problem-solving task and showed that performance was weakly associated with variation in the gut microbiome. We then manipulated the gut microbiome by feeding birds one of two diets that differed in their relative levels of fat, protein and fibre content: an insect diet (low content), or a seed diet (high content). Microbial communities were less diverse among individuals given the insect compared to those on the seed diet. Individuals were less likely to problem-solve after being given the insect diet, and the same microbiota metrics that were altered as a consequence of diet were also those that correlated with variation in problem solving performance. Although the effect on problem-solving behaviour could have been caused by motivational or nutritional differences between our treatments, our results nevertheless raise the possibility that dietary induced changes in the gut microbiota could be an important mechanism underlying individual behavioural plasticity in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle L Davidson
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland.
- Department of Psychology, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Niamh Wiley
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Amy C Cooke
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
| | - Crystal N Johnson
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Fiona Fouhy
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Michael S Reichert
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Iván de la Hera
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
| | - Jodie M S Crane
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
- Kākāpō Recovery Programme, Department of Conservation, 7th Floor, 33 Don Street, Invercargill, 9810, New Zealand
| | - Ipek G Kulahci
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - R Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Catherine Stanton
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - John L Quinn
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland.
- Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Szabo B, Damas-Moreira I, Whiting MJ. Can Cognitive Ability Give Invasive Species the Means to Succeed? A Review of the Evidence. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Langley EJG, Adams G, Beardsworth CE, Dawson DA, Laker PR, van Horik JO, Whiteside MA, Wilson AJ, Madden JR. Heritability and correlations among learning and inhibitory control traits. Behav Ecol 2020; 31:798-806. [PMID: 32821079 PMCID: PMC7428062 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the evolution of cognitive abilities, we need to understand both how selection acts upon them and their genetic (co)variance structure. Recent work suggests that there are fitness consequences for free-living individuals with particular cognitive abilities. However, our current understanding of the heritability of these abilities is restricted to domesticated species subjected to artificial selection. We investigated genetic variance for, and genetic correlations among four cognitive abilities: inhibitory control, visual and spatial discrimination, and spatial ability, measured on >450 pheasants, Phasianus colchicus, over four generations. Pheasants were reared in captivity but bred from adults that lived in the wild and hence, were subject to selection on survival. Pheasant chicks are precocial and were reared without parents, enabling us to standardize environmental and parental care effects. We constructed a pedigree based on 15 microsatellite loci and implemented animal models to estimate heritability. We found moderate heritabilities for discrimination learning and inhibitory control (h2 = 0.17-0.23) but heritability for spatial ability was low (h2 = 0.09). Genetic correlations among-traits were largely positive but characterized by high uncertainty and were not statistically significant. Principle component analysis of the genetic correlation matrix estimate revealed a leading component that explained 69% of the variation, broadly in line with expectations under a general intelligence model of cognition. However, this pattern was not apparent in the phenotypic correlation structure which was more consistent with a modular view of animal cognition. Our findings highlight that the expression of cognitive traits is influenced by environmental factors which masks the underlying genetic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellis J G Langley
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Gracie Adams
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Alfred Denny Building, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christine E Beardsworth
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Deborah A Dawson
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Alfred Denny Building, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Philippa R Laker
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Jayden O van Horik
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Mark A Whiteside
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Joah R Madden
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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21
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Reichert MS, Crofts SJ, Davidson GL, Firth JA, Kulahci IG, Quinn JL. Multiple factors affect discrimination learning performance, but not between-individual variation, in wild mixed-species flocks of birds. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:192107. [PMID: 32431886 PMCID: PMC7211855 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cognition arguably drives most behaviours in animals, but whether and why individuals in the wild vary consistently in their cognitive performance is scarcely known, especially under mixed-species scenarios. One reason for this is that quantifying the relative importance of individual, contextual, ecological and social factors remains a major challenge. We examined how many of these factors, and sources of bias, affected participation and performance, in an initial discrimination learning experiment and two reversal learning experiments during self-administered trials in a population of great tits and blue tits. Individuals were randomly allocated to different rewarding feeders within an array. Participation was high and only weakly affected by age and species. In the initial learning experiment, great tits learned faster than blue tits. Great tits also showed greater consistency in performance across two reversal learning experiments. Individuals assigned to the feeders on the edge of the array learned faster. More errors were made on feeders neighbouring the rewarded feeder and on feeders that had been rewarded in the previous experiment. Our estimates of learning consistency were unaffected by multiple factors, suggesting that, even though there was some influence of these factors on performance, we obtained a robust measure of discrimination learning in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Reichert
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sam J. Crofts
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gabrielle L. Davidson
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Josh A. Firth
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Merton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ipek G. Kulahci
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John L. Quinn
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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22
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23
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Boogert NJ, Madden JR, Morand-Ferron J, Thornton A. Measuring and understanding individual differences in cognition. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0280. [PMID: 30104425 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals vary in their cognitive performance. While this variation forms the foundation of the study of human psychometrics, its broader importance is only recently being recognized. Explicitly acknowledging this individual variation found in both humans and non-human animals provides a novel opportunity to understand the mechanisms, development and evolution of cognition. The papers in this special issue highlight the growing emphasis on individual cognitive differences from fields as diverse as neurobiology, experimental psychology and evolutionary biology. Here, we synthesize this body of work. We consider the distinct challenges in quantifying individual differences in cognition and provide concrete methodological recommendations. In particular, future studies would benefit from using multiple task variants to ensure they target specific, clearly defined cognitive traits and from conducting repeated testing to assess individual consistency. We then consider how neural, genetic, developmental and behavioural factors may generate individual differences in cognition. Finally, we discuss the potential fitness consequences of individual cognitive variation and place these into an evolutionary framework with testable hypotheses. We intend for this special issue to stimulate researchers to position individual variation at the centre of the cognitive sciences.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje J Boogert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Daphne du Maurier Building, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Joah R Madden
- Department of Psychology, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Julie Morand-Ferron
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Daphne du Maurier Building, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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24
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25
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Hochberg ME, Marquet PA, Boyd R, Wagner A. Innovation: an emerging focus from cells to societies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0414. [PMID: 29061887 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovations are generally unexpected, often spectacular changes in phenotypes and ecological functions. The contributions to this theme issue are the latest conceptual, theoretical and experimental developments, addressing how ecology, environment, ontogeny and evolution are central to understanding the complexity of the processes underlying innovations. Here, we set the stage by introducing and defining key terms relating to innovation and discuss their relevance to biological, cultural and technological change. Discovering how the generation and transmission of novel biological information, environmental interactions and selective evolutionary processes contribute to innovation as an ecosystem will shed light on how the dominant features across life come to be, generalize to social, cultural and technological evolution, and have applications in the health sciences and sustainability.This article is part of the theme issue 'Process and pattern in innovations from cells to societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Hochberg
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France .,Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.,Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, 31015 Toulouse, France
| | - Pablo A Marquet
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.,Departamento de Ecologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Sistemas Complejos de Valparaíso (ISCV), Artillería 4780, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Robert Boyd
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.,School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Andreas Wagner
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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26
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Kim JM, Santure AW, Barton HJ, Quinn JL, Cole EF, Visser ME, Sheldon BC, Groenen MAM, van Oers K, Slate J. A high-density SNP chip for genotyping great tit (Parus major) populations and its application to studying the genetic architecture of exploration behaviour. Mol Ecol Resour 2018; 18:877-891. [PMID: 29573186 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
High-density SNP microarrays ("SNP chips") are a rapid, accurate and efficient method for genotyping several hundred thousand polymorphisms in large numbers of individuals. While SNP chips are routinely used in human genetics and in animal and plant breeding, they are less widely used in evolutionary and ecological research. In this article, we describe the development and application of a high-density Affymetrix Axiom chip with around 500,000 SNPs, designed to perform genomics studies of great tit (Parus major) populations. We demonstrate that the per-SNP genotype error rate is well below 1% and that the chip can also be used to identify structural or copy number variation. The chip is used to explore the genetic architecture of exploration behaviour (EB), a personality trait that has been widely studied in great tits and other species. No SNPs reached genomewide significance, including at DRD4, a candidate gene. However, EB is heritable and appears to have a polygenic architecture. Researchers developing similar SNP chips may note: (i) SNPs previously typed on alternative platforms are more likely to be converted to working assays; (ii) detecting SNPs by more than one pipeline, and in independent data sets, ensures a high proportion of working assays; (iii) allele frequency ascertainment bias is minimized by performing SNP discovery in individuals from multiple populations; and (iv) samples with the lowest call rates tend to also have the greatest genotyping error rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-M Kim
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - A W Santure
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - H J Barton
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J L Quinn
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - E F Cole
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - M E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - B C Sheldon
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M A M Groenen
- Wageningen University and Research - Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - K van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J Slate
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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27
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Davidson GL, Reichert MS, Crane JMS, O'Shea W, Quinn JL. Repeatable aversion across threat types is linked with life-history traits but is dependent on how aversion is measured. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172218. [PMID: 29515906 PMCID: PMC5830795 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Personality research suggests that individual differences in risk aversion may be explained by links with life-history variation. However, few empirical studies examine whether repeatable differences in risk avoidance behaviour covary with life-history traits among individuals in natural populations, or how these links vary depending on the context and the way risk aversion is measured. We measured two different risk avoidance behaviours (latency to enter the nest and inspection time) in wild great tits (Parus major) in two different contexts-response to a novel object and to a predator cue placed at the nest-box during incubation---and related these behaviours to female reproductive success and condition. Females responded equally strongly to both stimuli, and although both behaviours were repeatable, they did not correlate. Latency to enter was negatively related to body condition and the number of offspring fledged. By contrast, inspection time was directly explained by whether incubating females had been flushed from the nest before the trial began. Thus, our inferences on the relationship between risk aversion and fitness depend on how risk aversion was measured. Our results highlight the limitations of drawing conclusions about the relevance of single measures of a personality trait such as risk aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle L. Davidson
- Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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28
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Serrano-Davies E, O’Shea W, Quinn JL. Individual foraging preferences are linked to innovativeness and personality in the great tit. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2389-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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29
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O’Shea W, Serrano-Davies E, Quinn JL. Do personality and innovativeness influence competitive ability? An experimental test in the great tit. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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30
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Cauchard L, Angers B, Boogert NJ, Lenarth M, Bize P, Doligez B. An Experimental Test of a Causal Link between Problem-Solving Performance and Reproductive Success in Wild Great Tits. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Reichert MS, Quinn JL. Cognition in Contests: Mechanisms, Ecology, and Evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:773-785. [PMID: 28823589 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Animal contests govern access to key resources and are a fundamental determinant of fitness within populations. Little is known about the mechanisms generating individual variation in strategic contest behavior or what this variation means for population level processes. Cognition governs the expression of behaviors during contests, most notably by linking experience gained with decision making, but its role in driving the evolutionary ecological dynamics of contests is only beginning to emerge. We review the kinds of cognitive mechanisms that underlie contest behavior, emphasize the importance of feedback loops and socio-ecological context, and suggest that contest behavior provides an ideal focus for integrative studies of phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Reichert
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland.
| | - John L Quinn
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland
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32
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Morand-Ferron J. Why learn? The adaptive value of associative learning in wild populations. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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33
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Wetzel DP. Problem‐solving skills are linked to parental care and offspring survival in wild house sparrows. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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34
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Bókony V, Pipoly I, Szabó K, Preiszner B, Vincze E, Papp S, Seress G, Hammer T, Liker A. Innovative females are more promiscuous in great tits (Parus major). Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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35
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Griffin AS. Innovativeness as an emergent property: a new alignment of comparative and experimental research on animal innovation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0544. [PMID: 26926287 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovation and creativity are key defining features of human societies. As we face the global challenges of the twenty-first century, they are also facets upon which we must become increasingly reliant. But what makes Homo sapiens so innovative and where does our high innovation propensity come from? Comparative research on innovativeness in non-human animals allows us to peer back through evolutionary time and investigate the ecological factors that drove the evolution of innovativeness, whereas experimental research identifies and manipulates underpinning creative processes. In commenting on the present theme issue, I highlight the controversies that have typified this research field and show how a paradigmatic shift in our thinking about innovativeness will contribute to resolving these tensions. In the past decade, innovativeness has been considered by many as a trait, a direct product of cognition, and a direct target of selection. The evidence I review here suggests that innovativeness will be hereon viewed as one component, or even an emergent property of a larger array of traits, which have evolved to deal with environmental variation. I illustrate how research should capitalize on taxonomic diversity to unravel the full range of psychological processes that underpin innovativeness in non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Griffin
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, 2308 New South Wales, Australia
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36
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Sterelny K. Adaptable individuals and innovative lineages. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0196. [PMID: 26926286 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper suggests (i) that while work on animal innovation has made good progress in understanding some of the proximate mechanisms and selective regimes through which innovation emerges, it has somewhat neglected the role of the social environment of innovation; a neglect manifest in the fact that innovation counts are almost always counts of resource-acquisition innovations; the invention of social tools is rarely considered. The same is true of many experimental projects, as these typically impose food acquisition tasks on their experimental subjects. (ii) That neglect is important, because innovations often pose collective action problems; the hominin species were technically innovative because they were also socially adaptable. (iii) In part for this reason, there remains a disconnect between research on hominin innovation and research on animal innovation. (iv) Finally, the paper suggests that there is something of a disconnect between the theoretical work on innovation in hominin evolution (based on theories of cultural evolution) and the experimental tradition on human innovation. That disconnect is largely due to the theoretical work retreating from strong claims about the proximate mechanisms of human cultural accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Sterelny
- School of Philosophy, Australian National University, Coombs Building, Fellows Road, Acton, Canberra, 0200 ACT, Australia
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Preiszner B, Papp S, Pipoly I, Seress G, Vincze E, Liker A, Bókony V. Problem-solving performance and reproductive success of great tits in urban and forest habitats. Anim Cogn 2016; 20:53-63. [PMID: 27294267 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-016-1008-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Success in problem solving, a form of innovativeness, can help animals exploit their environments, and recent research suggests that it may correlate with reproductive success. Innovativeness has been proposed to be especially beneficial in urbanized habitats, as suggested by superior problem-solving performance of urban individuals in some species. If there is stronger selection for innovativeness in cities than in natural habitats, we expect problem-solving performance to have a greater positive effect on fitness in more urbanized habitats. We tested this idea in great tits (Parus major) breeding at two urban sites and two forests by measuring their problem-solving performance in an obstacle-removal task and a food-acquisition task. Urban pairs were significantly faster problem-solvers in both tasks. Solving speed in the obstacle-removal task was positively correlated with hatching success and the number of fledglings, whereas performance in the food-acquisition task did not correlate with reproductive success. These relationships did not differ between urban and forest habitats. Neophobia, sensitivity to human disturbance, and risk taking in the presence of a predator did not explain the relationships of problem-solving performance either with habitat type or with reproductive success. Our results suggest that the benefit of innovativeness in terms of reproductive success is similar in urban and natural habitats, implying that problem-solving skills may be enhanced in urban populations by some other benefits (e.g. increased survival) or reduced costs (e.g. more opportunities to gain practice with challenging tasks).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Preiszner
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary. .,Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, Pf. 23, Csopak, 8229, Hungary.
| | - Sándor Papp
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary.,Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, Pf. 23, Csopak, 8229, Hungary
| | - Ivett Pipoly
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary
| | - Gábor Seress
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary
| | - Ernő Vincze
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary.,Department II: Behavioural Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Grosshaderner St. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - András Liker
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, Veszprém, 8201, Hungary.,Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó u. 15, Budapest, 1022, Hungary
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Reader SM, Morand-Ferron J, Flynn E. Animal and human innovation: novel problems and novel solutions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150182. [PMID: 26926273 PMCID: PMC4780525 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This theme issue explores how and why behavioural innovation occurs, and the consequences of innovation for individuals, groups and populations. A vast literature on human innovation exists, from the development of problem-solving in children, to the evolution of technology, to the cultural systems supporting innovation. A more recent development is a growing literature on animal innovation, which has demonstrated links between innovation and personality traits, cognitive traits, neural measures, changing conditions, and the current state of the social and physical environment. Here, we introduce these fields, define key terms and discuss the potential for fruitful exchange between the diverse fields researching innovation. Comparisons of innovation between human and non-human animals provide opportunities, but also pitfalls. We also summarize some key findings specifying the circumstances in which innovation occurs, discussing factors such as the intrinsic nature of innovative individuals and the environmental and socio-ecological conditions that promote innovation, such as necessity, opportunity and free resources. We also highlight key controversies, including the relationship between innovation and intelligence, and the notion of innovativeness as an individual-level trait. Finally, we discuss current research methods and suggest some novel approaches that could fruitfully be deployed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M Reader
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 avenue Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1B1
| | - Julie Morand-Ferron
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Emma Flynn
- School of Education, Durham University, Durham DH1 1TE, UK
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