1
|
Morris-Drake A, Cobb B, Kern JM, Radford AN. A positive effect of cumulative intergroup threat on reproductive success. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231853. [PMID: 37964527 PMCID: PMC10646463 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1853] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Outgroup conflict is a powerful selective force across all social taxa. While it is well documented that individual outgroup contests can have a range of direct and indirect fitness consequences, the cumulative pressure of outgroup threats could also potentially impact reproductive success. Here, we use long-term life-history data from a wild population of dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) to investigate how intergroup interaction (IGI) rate might influence breeding and offspring survival. IGI rate did not predict the number of litters produced in a season or the inter-litter interval. Unexpectedly, IGI rate was positively associated with the number of pups alive three months after emergence from the breeding burrow. This was not due to a difference in how many pups emerged but because those in groups experiencing more IGIs had a higher survival likelihood post-emergence. Detailed natural observations revealed that both IGI occurrence and the threat of intergroup conflict led to more sentinel behaviour by adults, probably reducing the predation risk to young. Our results contrast the previously documented negative effects of outgroup interactions on reproductive success and highlight the need to assess cumulative threat, rather than just the impact of physical contests, when considering outgroup conflict as a social driver of fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Morris-Drake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Benjamin Cobb
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Julie M. Kern
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale 2351, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew N. Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sells SN, Mitchell MS, Podruzny KM, Ausband DE, Emlen DJ, Gude JA, Smucker TD, Boyd DK, Loonam KE. Competition, prey, and mortalities influence gray wolf group size. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N. Sells
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, 205 Natural Sciences Building University of Montana, Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, 205 Natural Sciences Building University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | | | - David E. Ausband
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1141 University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
| | - Douglas J. Emlen
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812
| | - Justin A. Gude
- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 1420 E. 6th St. Helena MT 59620
| | - Ty D. Smucker
- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 4600 Giant Springs Road Great Falls MT 59405
| | - Diane K. Boyd
- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 490 North Meridian Road Kalispell MT 59901
| | - Kenneth E. Loonam
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, 205 Natural Sciences Building University of Montana, Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sauvé CC, Rees EE, Gilbert AT, Berentsen AR, Allibert A, Leighton PA. Modeling Mongoose Rabies in the Caribbean: A Model-Guided Fieldwork Approach to Identify Research Priorities. Viruses 2021; 13:v13020323. [PMID: 33672496 PMCID: PMC7923793 DOI: 10.3390/v13020323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We applied the model-guided fieldwork framework to the Caribbean mongoose rabies system by parametrizing a spatially-explicit, individual-based model, and by performing an uncertainty analysis designed to identify parameters for which additional empirical data are most needed. Our analysis revealed important variation in output variables characterizing rabies dynamics, namely rabies persistence, exposure level, spatiotemporal distribution, and prevalence. Among epidemiological parameters, rabies transmission rate was the most influential, followed by rabies mortality and location, and size of the initial infection. The most influential landscape parameters included habitat-specific carrying capacities, landscape heterogeneity, and the level of resistance to dispersal associated with topography. Movement variables, including juvenile dispersal, adult fine-scale movement distances, and home range size, as well as life history traits such as age of independence, birth seasonality, and age- and sex-specific mortality were other important drivers of rabies dynamics. We discuss results in the context of mongoose ecology and its influence on disease transmission dynamics. Finally, we suggest empirical approaches and study design specificities that would provide optimal contributing data addressing the knowledge gaps identified by our approach, and would increase our potential to use epidemiological models to guide mongoose rabies control and management in the Caribbean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline C. Sauvé
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3190 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (E.E.R.); (A.A.); (P.A.L.)
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC H3N 1X9, Canada
- Correspondence:
| | - Erin E. Rees
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3190 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (E.E.R.); (A.A.); (P.A.L.)
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC H3N 1X9, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 3190 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Amy T. Gilbert
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United Sates Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; (A.T.G.); (A.R.B.)
| | - Are R. Berentsen
- National Wildlife Research Center, Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United Sates Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; (A.T.G.); (A.R.B.)
| | - Agathe Allibert
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3190 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (E.E.R.); (A.A.); (P.A.L.)
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC H3N 1X9, Canada
| | - Patrick A. Leighton
- Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health Research Group (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3190 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada; (E.E.R.); (A.A.); (P.A.L.)
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC H3N 1X9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Federico V, Allainé D, Gaillard JM, Cohas A. Evolutionary Pathways to Communal and Cooperative Breeding in Carnivores. Am Nat 2020; 195:1037-1055. [PMID: 32469664 DOI: 10.1086/708639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In animal societies, individuals can cooperate in a variety of tasks, including rearing young. Such cooperation is observed in complex social systems, including communal and cooperative breeding. In mammals, both these social systems are characterized by delayed dispersal and alloparenting, whereas only cooperative breeding involves reproductive suppression. While the evolution of communal breeding has been linked to direct fitness benefits of alloparenting, the direct fitness cost of reproductive suppression has led to the hypothesis that the evolution of cooperative breeding is driven by indirect fitness benefits accrued through raising the offspring of related individuals. To decipher between the evolutionary scenarios leading to communal and cooperative breeding in carnivores, we investigated the coevolution among delayed dispersal, reproductive suppression, and alloparenting. We reconstructed ancestral states and transition rates between these traits. We found that cooperative breeding and communal breeding evolved along separate pathways, with delayed dispersal as the first step for both. The three traits coevolved, enhancing and stabilizing one another, which resulted in cooperative social systems as opposed to intermediate configurations being stable. These findings promote the key role of coevolution among traits to stabilize cooperative social systems and highlight the specificities of evolutionary patterns of sociality in carnivores.
Collapse
|
5
|
Pereira AC, Bandeira V, Fonseca C, Cunha MV. Crosstalk Between Culturomics and Microbial Profiling of Egyptian Mongoose ( Herpestes ichneumon) Gut Microbiome. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E808. [PMID: 32471180 PMCID: PMC7355707 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we unveiled taxonomical and functional differences in Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) gut microbiota across sex and age classes by microbial profiling. In this study, we generate, through culturomics, extended baseline information on the culturable bacterial and fungal microbiome of the species using the same specimens as models. Firstly, this strategy enabled us to explore cultivable microbial community differences across sexes and to ascertain the influence exerted by biological and environmental contexts of each host in its microbiota signature. Secondly, it permitted us to compare the culturomics and microbial profiling approaches and their ability to provide information on mongoose gut microbiota. In agreement with microbial profiling, culturomics showed that the core gut cultivable microbiota of the mongoose is dominated by Firmicutes and, as previously found, is able to distinguish sex- and age class-specific genera. Additional information could be obtained by culturomics, with six new genera unveiled. Richness indices and the Shannon index were concordant between culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches, highlighting significantly higher values when using microbial profiling. However, the Simpson index underlined higher values for the culturomics-generated data. These contrasting results were due to a differential influence of dominant and rare taxa on those indices. Beta diversity analyses of culturable microbiota showed similarities between adults and juveniles, but not in the data series originated from microbial profiling. Additionally, whereas the microbial profiling indicated that there were several bioenvironmental features related to the bacterial gut microbiota of the Egyptian mongoose, a clear association between microbiota and bioenvironmental features could not be established through culturomics. The discrepancies found between the data generated by the two methodologies and the underlying inferences, both in terms of β-diversity and role of bioenvironmental features, confirm that culture-independent, sequence-based methods have a higher ability to assess, at a fine scale, the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the microbial community composition of mongoose' gut. However, when used in a complementary perspective, this knowledge can be expanded by culturomics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André C. Pereira
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV, IP), Wildlife, Hunting and Biodiversity R&D Unit, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Victor Bandeira
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (V.B.); (C.F.)
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (V.B.); (C.F.)
| | - Mónica V. Cunha
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV, IP), Wildlife, Hunting and Biodiversity R&D Unit, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jaeggi AV, Miles MI, Festa-Bianchet M, Schradin C, Hayes LD. Variable social organization is ubiquitous in Artiodactyla and probably evolved from pair-living ancestors. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200035. [PMID: 32370675 PMCID: PMC7282923 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies to understand the evolution of interspecific variation in mammalian social organization (SO; composition of social units) produced inconsistent results, possibly by ignoring intraspecific variation. Here we present systematic data on SO in artiodactyl populations, coding SO as solitary, pair-living, group-living, sex-specific or variable (different kinds of SOs in the same population). We found that 62% of 245 populations and 83% of species (83/100) exhibited variable SO. Using Bayesian phylogenetic mixed-effects models, we simultaneously tested whether research effort, habitat, sexual dimorphism, breeding seasonality or body size predicted the likelihood of different SOs and inferred the ancestral SO. Body size and sexual dimorphism were strongly associated with different SOs. Contingent on the small body size (737 g) and putative sexual monomorphism of the earliest fossil artiodactyl, the ancestral SO was most likely to be pair-living (probability = 0.76, 95% CI = 0-1), followed by variable (p = 0.19, 95% CI = 0-0.99). However, at body size values typical of extant species, variable SO becomes the dominant form (p = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.18-1.00). Distinguishing different kinds of 'variable' highlights transitions from SOs involving pair-living to SOs involving solitary and/or group-living with increasing body size and dimorphism. Our results support the assumption that ancestral artiodactyl was pair-living and highlight the ubiquity of intraspecific variation in SO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A. V. Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Wintherthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M. I. Miles
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, USA
| | - M. Festa-Bianchet
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaJ1K 2R1
| | - C. Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050 Johannesburg, South Africa
- IPHC, UNISTRA, CNRS, 23 rue du Loess, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - L. D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Houslay TM, Vullioud P, Zöttl M, Clutton-Brock TH. Benefits of cooperation in captive Damaraland mole-rats. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAlthough the social mole-rats are commonly classified as eusocial breeders on the grounds that groups include a single breeding female (the “queen”) and a number of nonbreeding individuals (“helpers”) of both sexes, alloparental care is not highly developed in these species and there is no direct evidence that the presence or number of nonbreeders is associated with reductions in the workload of the “queen.” An alternative interpretation of mole-rat groups is that the social mole-rats are cooperative foragers rather than cooperative or eusocial breeders. Here, in captive colonies of Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis), we provide the first evidence that increases in the number of nonbreeding subordinates in mole-rat groups are associated with reductions in the workload of “queens” and with increases in their fecundity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Markus Zöttl
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- EEMiS, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pereira AC, Bandeira V, Fonseca C, Cunha MV. Egyptian Mongoose ( Herpestes ichneumon) Gut Microbiota: Taxonomical and Functional Differences across Sex and Age Classes. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8030392. [PMID: 32168965 PMCID: PMC7143146 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8030392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) is a medium-size carnivore that, in Europe, is restricted to Iberia. The bio-ecology of this species remains to be elucidated in several dimensions, including gut microbiota that is nowadays recognized as a fundamental component of mammals. In this work, we investigated the gut microbiota of this herpestid by single-molecule real-time sequencing of twenty paired male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) intestinal samples. This culture-independent approach enabled microbial profiling based on 16S rDNA and investigation of taxonomical and functional features. The core gut microbiome of the adult subpopulation was dominated by Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Eight genera were uniquely found in adults and five in non-adults. When comparing gut bacterial communities across sex, four genera were exclusive of females and six uniquely found in males. Despite these compositional distinctions, alpha- and beta-diversity analyses showed no statistically significant differences across sex or between adult and non-adult specimens. However, when function was inferred, males presented a significantly higher abundance of amino acid and citrate cycle metabolic pathways, compared to the significant overrepresentation in females of galactose metabolic pathways. Additionally, adults exhibited a significantly higher abundance of cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance pathways, while non-adults bared a significant overrepresentation of two-component systems associated with antibiotic synthesis, flagellin and biofilm production, and chemotaxis control. This study adds new insights into the mongoose bio-ecology palette, highlighting taxonomical and functional microbiome dissimilarities across sex and age classes, possibly related to primary production resources and life-history traits that impact on behavior and diet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André C. Pereira
- INIAV, IP- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Victor Bandeira
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (V.B.)
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (V.B.)
| | - Mónica V. Cunha
- INIAV, IP- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-214-403-500
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tichon J, Gilchrist JS, Rotem G, Ward P, Spiegel O. Social interactions in striped hyena inferred from camera trap data: is it more social than previously thought? Curr Zool 2020; 66:345-353. [PMID: 32617083 PMCID: PMC7319470 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the drivers promoting sociality over solitariness in animal species is imperative for predicting future population trends and informing conservation and management. In this study we investigate the social structure of a desert dwelling population of striped hyena Hyaena hyaena. This species is historically regarded as strictly solitary albeit being the least studied of the extant Hyaenids. Accumulating evidence regarding the frequency of social interactions suggests a revision of striped hyena social structure is required. We hypothesized that striped hyena has a social structure that is more complex than expected for a strictly solitary species. For that end, we deployed an array of camera-traps in a remote desert region in Israel, and compared observed frequencies of striped hyena co-occurrence against null models to test whether hyena co-occurred more than expected by chance. Seven adults were (re)captured by our camera-traps in 49 different instances over 83 tracking days. Of these, 6 exhibited shared space-use around a scarce, isolated perennial water source. Five of them, co-occurred with other hyena (in 3 instances) significantly more frequent than expected by chance (and that timing suggests reproduction is unlikely to be the driving factor). Our findings substantiate evidence of complex social structure in striped hyena, highlight the importance of a scarce resource in space-use and sociality, and provide a baseline for future research of striped hyena social structure. We suggest that similar methods be employed to evaluate social structure in other “solitary species” to better understand their social dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tichon
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 84990, Israel.,School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, 1 Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK
| | - Jason S Gilchrist
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, 1 Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK
| | - Guy Rotem
- Spatial Ecology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba, Israel
| | - Paul Ward
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, 1 Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK
| | - Orr Spiegel
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Holekamp KE, Sawdy MA. The evolution of matrilineal social systems in fissiped carnivores. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180065. [PMID: 31303158 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We review matrilineal relationships in the societies of fissiped mammalian carnivores, focusing on how the most complex of these may have evolved from simpler systems. Although competition for food is very intense at the trophic level occupied by most carnivores, and although most species of extant fissiped carnivores therefore lead solitary lives, some species show at least rudimentary clustering of maternal kin and matrilineal resource-sharing or transmission of critical resources between generations. The resources shared or transmitted range from individual food items and territories to entire networks of potential allies. The greatest elaboration of matrilineal relationships has occurred in two large carnivores, lions and spotted hyenas, which occur sympatrically throughout much of Africa. The societies of both these species apparently evolved in response to a shared suite of ecological conditions. The highly matrilineal societies of spotted hyenas are unique among carnivores and closely resemble the societies of many cercopithecine primates. The conditions favouring the evolution of matrilineal societies in carnivores include male-biased dispersal, female philopatry, the need for assistance in protecting or provisioning offspring, reliance on large or abundant prey, particularly in open habitat, high population density and kin-structured cooperative interactions that have strong positive effects on fitness. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kay E Holekamp
- 1 Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA.,2 Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA
| | - Maggie A Sawdy
- 1 Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA.,2 Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Rauber R, Clutton-Brock TH, Manser MB. Drought decreases cooperative sentinel behavior and affects vocal coordination in meerkats. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Cooperative breeding often evolved in harsh and arid habitats characterized by high levels of environmental uncertainty. Most forms of cooperative behavior have energetic costs and previous studies have shown that the contributions of individuals to alloparental provisioning are conditional on their food intake. However, the effect of naturally occurring, extreme environmental conditions on the persistence of costly forms of cooperative behaviors and their coordination by communication remain unknown. Here, we show that in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) the probability to act as sentinel, a cooperative vigilance behavior, was the same for typically occurring dry and wet conditions, but significantly reduced during a drought condition with almost no rain, especially in young individuals, members of small groups and groups with pups. The duration an individual stayed on sentinel guard, however, was most reduced during dry conditions. Besides reductions in sentinel behavior, the vocal coordination of foraging meerkats differed when comparing drought and wet conditions. Individuals responded more strongly to playbacks of sentinel “all-clear” calls and close calls, resulting in less vigilance and more foraging behavior during the drought condition. We conclude that while meerkats are adapted to commonly occurring dry periods with low rainfall, the extreme drought period with almost no rain, led to a decrease of the frequency of costly forms of cooperative behaviors in favor of behaviors that maximize direct fitness benefits and also affected the vocal coordination among group members.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Rauber
- Animal Behaviour, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Meerkat Project, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Meerkat Project, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marta B Manser
- Animal Behaviour, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Meerkat Project, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hing ML, Klanten OS, Wong MYL, Dowton M. Drivers of sociality in Gobiodon fishes: An assessment of phylogeny, ecology and life-history. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 137:263-273. [PMID: 31125658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
What drives the evolution of sociality in animals? Many robust studies in terrestrial organisms have pointed toward various kinship-based, ecological and life-history traits or phylogenetic constraint which have played a role in the evolution of sociality. These traits are not mutually exclusive and the exact combination of traits is likely taxon-specific. Phylogenetic comparative analyses have been instrumental in identifying social lineages and comparing various traits with non-social lineages to give broad evolutionary perspectives on the development of sociality. Few studies have attempted this approach in marine vertebrate systems. Social marine fishes are particularly interesting because many have a pelagic larval phase and non-conventional life-history strategies (e.g. bi-directional sex-change) not often observed in terrestrial animals. Such strategies provide novel insights into terrestrially-derived theories of social evolution. Here, we assess the strength of the phylogenetic signal of sociality in the Gobiodon genus with Pagel's lambda and Blomberg's K parameters. We found some evidence of a phylogenetic signal of sociality, but factors other than phylogenetic constraint also have a strong influence on the extant social state of each species. We then use phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses to examine several ecological and life-history traits that may have influenced the evolution of sociality in the genus. We found an interaction of habitat size and fish length was the strongest predictor of sociality. Sociality in larger species was more dependent on coral size than in smaller species, but smaller species were more social overall, regardless of coral size. Finally, we comment on findings regarding the validity of the species G. spilophthalmus which arose during the course of our research. These findings in a group of marine fishes add a unique perspective on the evolution of sociality to the excellent terrestrial work conducted in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin L Hing
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
| | - O Selma Klanten
- Fish Ecology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - Marian Y L Wong
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Mark Dowton
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Graw B, Kranstauber B, Manser MB. Social organization of a solitary carnivore: spatial behaviour, interactions and relatedness in the slender mongoose. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:182160. [PMID: 31218040 PMCID: PMC6549956 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.182160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The majority of carnivore species are described as solitary, but little is known about their social organization and interactions with conspecifics. We investigated the spatial organization and social interactions as well as relatedness of slender mongooses (Galerella sanguinea) living in the southern Kalahari. This is a little studied small carnivore previously described as solitary with anecdotal evidence for male associations. In our study population, mongooses arranged in spatial groups consisting of one to three males and up to four females. Male ranges, based on sleeping sites, were large and overlapping, encompassing the smaller and more exclusive female ranges. Spatial groups could be distinguished by their behaviour, communal denning and home range. Within spatial groups animals communally denned in up to 33% of nights, mainly during winter months, presumably to gain thermoregulatory benefits. Associations of related males gained reproductive benefits likely through increased territorial and female defence. Our study supports slender mongooses to be better described as solitary foragers living in a complex system of spatial groups with amicable social interactions between specific individuals. We suggest that the recognition of underlying 'hidden' complexities in these apparently 'solitary' organizations needs to be accounted for when investigating group living and social behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beke Graw
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
| | - Bart Kranstauber
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
| | - Marta B. Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Graw B, Manser M. Life history patterns and biology of the slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea) in the Kalahari Desert. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
|
15
|
Khoobdel M, Jafari H, Firouzi F. Evaluation of biological control of rattus population by mongoose (Herpestidae, Carnivora) in Abu-Musa Island, Iran. ASIAN PACIFIC JOURNAL OF TROPICAL DISEASE 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s2222-1808(16)61134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
16
|
Schneider TC, Kappeler PM, Pozzi L. Genetic population structure and relatedness in the narrow-striped mongoose ( Mungotictis decemlineata), a social Malagasy carnivore with sexual segregation. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3734-3749. [PMID: 27231532 PMCID: PMC4864277 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on the genetic structure of animal populations can allow inferences about mechanisms shaping their social organization, dispersal, and mating system. The mongooses (Herpestidae) include some of the best-studied mammalian systems in this respect, but much less is known about their closest relatives, the Malagasy carnivores (Eupleridae), even though some of them exhibit unusual association patterns. We investigated the genetic structure of the Malagasy narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata), a small forest-dwelling gregarious carnivore exhibiting sexual segregation. Based on mtDNA and microsatellite analyses, we determined population-wide haplotype structure and sex-specific and within-group relatedness. Furthermore, we analyzed parentage and sibship relationships and the level of reproductive skew. We found a matrilinear population structure, with several neighboring female units sharing identical haplotypes. Within-group female relatedness was significantly higher than expected by chance in the majority of units. Haplotype diversity of males was significantly higher than in females, indicating male-biased dispersal. Relatedness within the majority of male associations did not differ from random, not proving any kin-directed benefits of male sociality in this case. We found indications for a mildly promiscuous mating system without monopolization of females by males, and low levels of reproductive skew in both sexes based on parentages of emergent young. Low relatedness within breeding pairs confirmed immigration by males and suggested similarities with patterns in social mongooses, providing a starting point for further investigations of mate choice and female control of reproduction and the connected behavioral mechanisms. Our study contributes to the understanding of the determinants of male sociality in carnivores as well as the mechanisms of female competition in species with small social units.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tilman C. Schneider
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Luca Pozzi
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gregarious sexual segregation: the unusual social organization of the Malagasy narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2113-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
|
18
|
Kappeler PM, Fichtel C. Eco-evo-devo of the lemur syndrome: did adaptive behavioral plasticity get canalized in a large primate radiation? Front Zool 2015; 12 Suppl 1:S15. [PMID: 26816515 PMCID: PMC4722368 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-12-s1-s15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive explanations of behavioral adaptations rarely invoke all levels famously admonished by Niko Tinbergen. The role of developmental processes and plasticity, in particular, has often been neglected. In this paper, we combine ecological, physiological and developmental perspectives in developing a hypothesis to account for the evolution of 'the lemur syndrome', a combination of reduced sexual dimorphism, even adult sex ratios, female dominance and mild genital masculinization characterizing group-living species in two families of Malagasy primates. RESULTS We review the different components of the lemur syndrome and compare it with similar adaptations reported for other mammals. We find support for the assertion that the lemur syndrome represents a unique set of integrated behavioral, demographic and morphological traits. We combine existing hypotheses about underlying adaptive function and proximate causation by adding a potential developmental mechanism linking maternal stress and filial masculinization, and outline an evolutionary scenario for its canalization. CONCLUSIONS We propose a new hypothesis linking ecological, physiological, developmental and evolutionary processes to adumbrate a comprehensive explanation for the evolution of the lemur syndrome, whose assumptions and predictions can guide diverse future research on lemurs. This hypothesis should also encourage students of other behavioral phenomena to consider the potential role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary innovation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Owen M, Lahti D. Sexual dimorphism and condition dependence in the anal pad of the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus). CAN J ZOOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2014-0288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Secondary sexual traits tend to be sexually dimorphic, and theory predicts that such traits should also be condition-dependent in a sex-specific manner. We investigate these phenomena in a field study of the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus (Hodgson, 1836); formerly Herpestes javanicus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, 1818)), in the first attempt at understanding secondary sexual traits and sexual selection in this species. Small Indian mongooses are solitary and nonterritorial, and they likely depend on chemical (scent) rather than visual or acoustic signals for communication. Additionally, they possess a fleshy projection around their anus, the anal pad, thought to aid in scent-marking. Our results revealed strong male-biased sexual dimorphism in mass, skull and body lengths, canine diameters, and anal pad area. After controlling for the influence of body length, males were 31% heavier and possessed anal pads that were 68% larger than females’. Additionally, anal pad size was positively related to body size in males but not in females and was condition-dependent in males but not in females. Taken together, our findings provide indirect evidence that the anal pad might have evolved, at least in part, via sexual selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M.A. Owen
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367, USA; Graduate Subprogram in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367, USA; Graduate Subprogram in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - D.C. Lahti
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367, USA; Graduate Subprogram in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367, USA; Graduate Subprogram in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Quaglietta L, Fonseca VC, Mira A, Boitani L. Sociospatial organization of a solitary carnivore, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). J Mammal 2014. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-073.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
21
|
Manser MB, Jansen DA, Graw B, Hollén LI, Bousquet CA, Furrer RD, le Roux A. Vocal Complexity in Meerkats and Other Mongoose Species. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800286-5.00006-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|