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Lazure L, Weladji RB. Exposure to humans and task difficulty levels affect wild raccoons ( Procyon lotor) learning. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae046. [PMID: 38912327 PMCID: PMC11190377 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognition helps wildlife exploit novel resources and environments. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) have successfully adapted to human presence, in part due to their cognitive abilities. However, interactions between humans and wildlife can create conflict. A better understanding of the raccoon's behavioral flexibility and learning ability could mitigate some conflicts. Our objective was to evaluate wild raccoons learning in contexts varying in terms of exposure to humans (recreational and preservation zoning within protected areas) and task difficulty. Learning can be evaluated over multiple exposures to a cognitive task. Across three years of experiment, we employed 2 food extraction tasks to gauge the change in problem-solving performance over trials. This assessment considered the success probability (the number of successful trials divided by the total number of trials) and the time taken to solve the puzzles. We also looked at the effects of 2 behavioral traits, exploratory diversity and persistence. We found strong evidence for learning over consecutive trials in terms of improved success probability. Improvement in terms of success probability and solving time was more pronounced with the initially easier task. We detected an increase in success probability over trials only in the recreation zones, and there was no evidence of an effect of behavioral traits. The improved performance attributed to learning was also maintained over consecutive years. We provide additional evidence that raccoons can learn how to solve a problem, resulting in a more effective solution in consecutive trials. Finally, we consider the management implications of dealing with raccoons accessing anthropogenic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Lazure
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Conservation and Research Department, Zoo de Granby, Granby, Québec, Canada
| | - Robert B Weladji
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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2
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Ridley AR, Speechley EM. Problem-solving ability: a link between cognition and conservation? Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:609-611. [PMID: 38821782 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.05.010] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Traditionally, conservation and cognition have been disparate research disciplines. However, Audet et al.'s recent research contributes to an increasing body of evidence that innovative behaviours may determine the ability of species to respond to rapid environmental change, identifying an opportunity for cognition research to directly contribute to conservation outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Ridley
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth M Speechley
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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3
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Speechley EM, Ashton BJ, Foo YZ, Simmons LW, Ridley AR. Meta-analyses reveal support for the Social Intelligence Hypothesis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38855980 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The Social Intelligence Hypothesis (SIH) is one of the leading explanations for the evolution of cognition. Since its inception a vast body of literature investigating the predictions of the SIH has accumulated, using a variety of methodologies and species. However, the generalisability of the hypothesis remains unclear. To gain an understanding of the robustness of the SIH as an explanation for the evolution of cognition, we systematically searched the literature for studies investigating the predictions of the SIH. Accordingly, we compiled 103 studies with 584 effect sizes from 17 taxonomic orders. We present the results of four meta-analyses which reveal support for the SIH across interspecific, intraspecific and developmental studies. However, effect sizes did not differ significantly between the cognitive or sociality metrics used, taxonomy or testing conditions. Thus, support for the SIH is similar across studies using neuroanatomy and cognitive performance, those using broad categories of sociality, group size and social interactions, across taxonomic groups, and for tests conducted in captivity or the wild. Overall, our meta-analyses support the SIH as an evolutionary and developmental explanation for cognitive variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Speechley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, 205b Culloden Road, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Yong Zhi Foo
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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4
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Speechley EM, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, King SL, Simmons LW, Woodiss-Field SL, Ridley AR. Aggressive interactions influence cognitive performance in Western Australian magpies. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240435. [PMID: 38835280 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0435] [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: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive research has investigated the relationship between the social environment and cognition, suggesting that social complexity may drive cognitive evolution and development. However, evidence for this relationship remains equivocal. Group size is often used as a measure of social complexity, but this may not capture intraspecific variation in social interactions. Social network analysis can provide insight into the cognitively demanding challenges associated with group living at the individual level. Here, we use social networks to investigate whether the cognitive performance of wild Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis) is related to group size and individual social connectedness. We quantified social connectedness using four interaction types: proximity, affiliative, agonistic and vocal. Consistent with previous research on this species, individuals in larger groups performed better on an associative learning task. However, social network position was also related to cognitive performance. Individuals receiving aggressive interactions performed better, while those involved in aggressive interactions with more group members performed worse. Overall, this suggests that cognitive performance is related to specific types of social interaction. The findings from this study highlight the value of considering fine-grained metrics of sociality that capture the challenges associated with social life when testing the relationship between the social environment and cognition.
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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 , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Stephanie L King
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Sarah L Woodiss-Field
- 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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5
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Guadagno A, Triki Z. Executive functions and brain morphology of male and female dominant and subordinate cichlid fish. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3484. [PMID: 38680075 PMCID: PMC11056711 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Living in a social dominance hierarchy presents different benefits and challenges for dominant and subordinate males and females, which might in turn affect their cognitive needs. Despite the extensive research on social dominance in group-living species, there is still a knowledge gap regarding how social status impacts brain morphology and cognitive abilities. METHODS Here, we tested male and female dominants and subordinates of Neolamprologus pulcher, a social cichlid fish species with size-based hierarchy. We ran three executive cognitive function tests for cognitive flexibility (reversal learning test), self-control (detour test), and working memory (object permanence test), followed by brain and brain region size measurements. RESULTS Performance was not influenced by social status or sex. However, dominants exhibited a brain-body slope that was relatively steeper than that of subordinates. Furthermore, individual performance in reversal learning and detour tests correlated with brain morphology, with some trade-offs among major brain regions like telencephalon, cerebellum, and optic tectum. CONCLUSION As individuals' brain growth strategies varied depending on social status without affecting executive functions, the different associated challenges might yield a potential effect on social cognition instead. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of studying the individual and not just species to understand better how the individual's ecology might shape its brain and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Guadagno
- Behavioural Ecology Division, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Zegni Triki
- Behavioural Ecology Division, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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Isaksson E, Morand-Ferron J, Chaine A. Environmental harshness does not affect the propensity for social learning in great tits, Parus major. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:25. [PMID: 38467946 PMCID: PMC10927812 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01862-w] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
According to the harsh environment hypothesis, natural selection should favour cognitive mechanisms to overcome environmental challenges. Tests of this hypothesis to date have largely focused on asocial learning and memory, thus failing to account for the spread of information via social means. Tests in specialized food-hoarding birds have shown strong support for the effects of environmental harshness on both asocial and social learning. Whether the hypothesis applies to non-specialist foraging species remains largely unexplored. We evaluated the relative importance of social learning across a known harshness gradient by testing generalist great tits, Parus major, from high (harsh)- and low (mild)-elevation populations in two social learning tasks. We showed that individuals use social learning to find food in both colour-associative and spatial foraging tasks and that individuals differed consistently in their use of social learning. However, we did not detect a difference in the use or speed of implementing socially observed information across the elevational gradient. Our results do not support predictions of the harsh environment hypothesis suggesting that context-dependent costs and benefits as well as plasticity in the use of social information may play an important role in the use of social learning across environments. Finally, this study adds to the accumulating evidence that the harsh environment hypothesis appears to have more pronounced effects on specialists compared to generalist species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Isaksson
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | | | - Alexis Chaine
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS UAR2029, 2 route du cnrs, 09200, Moulis, France
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, 21 alleé de Brienne, 31015, Toulouse, France
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7
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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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8
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Soravia C, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Bourne AR, Ridley AR. High temperatures during early development reduce adult cognitive performance and reproductive success in a wild animal population. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169111. [PMID: 38070557 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Global warming is rapidly changing the phenology, distribution, behaviour and demography of wild animal populations. Recent studies in wild animals have shown that high temperatures can induce short-term cognitive impairment, and captive studies have demonstrated that heat exposure during early development can lead to long-term cognitive impairment. Given that cognition underpins behavioural flexibility and can be directly linked to fitness, understanding how high temperatures during early life might impact adult cognitive performance in wild animals is a critical next step to predict wildlife responses to climate change. Here, we investigated the relationship between temperatures experienced during development, adult cognitive performance, and reproductive success in wild southern pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor). We found that higher mean daily maximum temperatures during nestling development led to long-term cognitive impairment in associative learning performance, but not reversal learning performance. Additionally, a higher number of hot days (exceeding 35.5 °C, temperature threshold at which foraging efficiency and offspring provisioning decline) during post-fledging care led to reduced reproductive success in adulthood. We did not find evidence that low reproductive success was linked to impaired associative learning performance: associative learning performance was not related to reproductive success. In contrast, reversal learning performance was negatively related to reproductive success in breeding adults. This suggests that reproduction can carry a cost in terms of reduced performance in cognitively demanding tasks, confirming previous evidence in this species. Taken together, these findings indicate that naturally occurring high temperatures during early development have long-term negative effects on cognition and reproductive success in wild animals. Compounding effects of high temperatures on current nestling mortality and on the long-term cognitive and reproductive performance of survivors are highly concerning given ongoing global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Soravia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Benjamin J Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
| | - Amanda R Bourne
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Australian Wildlife Conservancy, 322 Hay Street, Subiaco, WA, Australia.
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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9
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McCallum E, Shaw RC. Repeatability and heritability of inhibitory control performance in wild toutouwai ( Petroica longipes). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231476. [PMID: 38026029 PMCID: PMC10646466 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231476] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing interest in the evolution of inhibitory control, few studies have examined the validity of widespread testing paradigms, the long-term repeatability and the heritability of this cognitive ability in the wild. We investigated these aspects in the inhibitory control performance of wild toutouwai (North Island robin; Petroica longipes), using detour and reversal learning tasks. We assessed convergent validity by testing whether individual performance correlated across detour and reversal learning tasks. We then further evaluated task validity by examining whether individual performance was confounded by non-cognitive factors. We tested a subset of subjects twice in each task to estimate the repeatability of performance across a 1-year period. Finally, we used a population pedigree to estimate the heritability of task performance. Individual performance was unrelated across detour and reversal learning tasks, indicating that these measured different cognitive abilities. Task performance was not influenced by body condition, boldness or prior experience, and showed moderate between-year repeatability. Yet despite this individual consistency, we found no evidence that task performance was heritable. Our findings suggest that detour and reversal learning tasks measure consistent individual differences in distinct forms of inhibitory control in toutouwai, but this variation may be environmentally determined rather than genetic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella McCallum
- School of Biological Sciences, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Rachael C. Shaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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10
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Watrobska CM, Pasquier G, Leadbeater E, Portugal SJ. Metabolic rate does not explain performance on a short-term memory task or personality traits in juvenile chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221650. [PMID: 37711148 PMCID: PMC10498036 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221650] [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: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic rate determines life processes and the physiological requirements of an individual, and has recently been implicated as a driver of inter-individual variation in behaviour, with positive correlations associated with boldness, exploration and aggressive behaviours being recorded. While the link between metabolism and personality has been explored, little is known about the influence of metabolism on cognitive abilities. Here we used juvenile female chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) to investigate the relationships between metabolic rate at rest, short-term memory, personality, and dominance. Resting metabolic rates of the chicks were measured over a three-week period, concurrently with measures of short-term memory using an analogue of the radial arm maze. We also measured latency to leave the shelter (boldness), neophobia (fear of novel objects) and dominance within a group, both before and after short-term memory trials. We found that metabolic rate did not explain inter-individual differences in short-term memory, personality traits or dominance, suggesting that energy allocated to these traits is independent of individual metabolic rate, and providing evidence for the independent energy-management hypothesis. Differences in short-term memory were also not explained by boldness or neophobia. Variation in behaviour in chicks, therefore, appears to be driven by separate, currently unknown variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecylia M. Watrobska
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Grégoire Pasquier
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Ellouise Leadbeater
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Steven J. Portugal
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
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11
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Harris H, Wat KKY, Banks PB, Greenville A, McArthur C. Grow up, be persistent, and stay focused: keys for solving foraging problems by free-ranging possums. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:790-803. [PMID: 38046238 PMCID: PMC10690113 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals within a species often vary in both their problem-solving approach and ability, affecting their capacity to access novel food resources. Testing problem-solving in free-ranging individuals is crucial for understanding the fundamental ecological implications of problem-solving capacity. To examine the factors affecting problem-solving in free-ranging animals, we presented three food-extraction tasks of increasing difficulty to urban common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). We quantified two measures of problem-solving performance: trial outcome (success/failure) and time to solve and tested the influence of a range of potential drivers, including individual traits (personality, body weight, sex, and age), mechanistic behaviors that quantify problem-solving approach (work time, functional behavior time, behavioral diversity, and flexibility), and prior experience with the puzzles. We found that mechanistic behaviors were key drivers of performance. Individuals displaying greater persistence (higher work and functional behavior time) were more likely to solve a food-extraction task on their first attempt. Individuals also solved problems faster if they were more persistent and had lower behavioral flexibility. Personality indirectly affected time to solve one of the three problems by influencing time allocated to functional behaviors. Finally, adults solved the most difficult problem faster than juveniles. Overall, our study provides rare insight into the drivers underlying the problem-solving performance of wild animals. Such insight could be used to improve management strategies and conservation efforts, such as food or bait deployment, tailored to suit the innovative foraging abilities of target individuals in new and changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Harris
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Katie K Y Wat
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Peter B Banks
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Aaron Greenville
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Clare McArthur
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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12
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McCune K, Blaisdell A, Johnson-Ulrich Z, Sevchik A, Lukas D, MacPherson M, Seitz B, Logan CJ. Using repeatability of performance within and across contexts to validate measures of behavioral flexibility. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15773. [PMID: 37605750 PMCID: PMC10440059 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15773] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Research into animal cognitive abilities is increasing quickly and often uses methods where behavioral performance on a task is assumed to represent variation in the underlying cognitive trait. However, because these methods rely on behavioral responses as a proxy for cognitive ability, it is important to validate that the task structure does, in fact, target the cognitive trait of interest rather than non-target cognitive, personality, or motivational traits (construct validity). Although it can be difficult, or impossible, to definitively assign performance to one cognitive trait, one way to validate that task structure is more likely to elicit performance based on the target cognitive trait is to assess the temporal and contextual repeatability of performance. In other words, individual performance is likely to represent an inherent trait when it is consistent across time and across similar or different tasks that theoretically test the same trait. Here, we assessed the temporal and contextual repeatability of performance on tasks intended to test the cognitive trait behavioral flexibility in great-tailed grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus). For temporal repeatability, we quantified the number of trials to form a color preference after each of multiple color reversals on a serial reversal learning task. For contextual repeatability, we then compared performance on the serial color reversal task to the latency to switch among solutions on each of two different multi-access boxes. We found that the number of trials to form a preference in reversal learning was repeatable across serial color reversals and the latency to switch a preference was repeatable across color reversal learning and the multi-access box contexts. This supports the idea that the reversal learning task structure elicits performance reflective of an inherent trait, and that reversal learning and solution switching on multi-access boxes similarly reflect the inherent trait of behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey McCune
- Institute for Social, Behavioral and Economic Research, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Aaron Blaisdell
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Zoe Johnson-Ulrich
- Institute for Social, Behavioral and Economic Research, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - August Sevchik
- Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Dieter Lukas
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maggie MacPherson
- Institute for Social, Behavioral and Economic Research, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Seitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Corina J. Logan
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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13
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Clark FE, Greggor AL, Montgomery SH, Plotnik JM. The endangered brain: actively preserving ex-situ animal behaviour and cognition will benefit in-situ conservation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230707. [PMID: 37650055 PMCID: PMC10465207 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Endangered species have small, unsustainable population sizes that are geographically or genetically restricted. Ex-situ conservation programmes are therefore faced with the challenge of breeding sufficiently sized, genetically diverse populations earmarked for reintroduction that have the behavioural skills to survive and breed in the wild. Yet, maintaining historically beneficial behaviours may be insufficient, as research continues to suggest that certain cognitive-behavioural skills and flexibility are necessary to cope with human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC). This paper begins by reviewing interdisciplinary studies on the 'captivity effect' in laboratory, farmed, domesticated and feral vertebrates and finds that captivity imposes rapid yet often reversible changes to the brain, cognition and behaviour. However, research on this effect in ex-situ conservation sites is lacking. This paper reveals an apparent mismatch between ex-situ enrichment aims and the cognitive-behavioural skills possessed by animals currently coping with HIREC. After synthesizing literature across neuroscience, behavioural biology, comparative cognition and field conservation, it seems that ex-situ endangered species deemed for reintroduction may have better chances of coping with HIREC if their natural cognition and behavioural repertoires are actively preserved. Evaluating the effects of environmental challenges rather than captivity per se is recommended, in addition to using targeted cognitive enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fay E. Clark
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Joshua M. Plotnik
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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14
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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 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [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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15
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Fichtel C, Henke-von der Malsburg J, Kappeler PM. Cognitive performance is linked to fitness in a wild primate. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf9365. [PMID: 37436999 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf9365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive performance varies widely across animal species, but the processes underlying cognitive evolution remain poorly known. For cognitive abilities to evolve, performance must be linked to individual fitness benefits, but these links have been rarely studied in primates even though they exceed most other mammals in these traits. We subjected 198 wild gray mouse lemurs to four cognitive and two personality tests and subsequently monitored their survival in a mark-recapture study. Our study revealed that survival was predicted by individual variation in cognitive performance as well as body mass and exploration. Because cognitive performance covaried negatively with exploration, individuals gathering more accurate information enjoyed better cognitive performance and lived longer, but so did heavier and more explorative individuals. These effects may reflect a speed-accuracy trade-off, with alternative strategies yielding similar overall fitness. The observed intraspecific variation in selective benefits of cognitive performance, if heritable, can provide the basis for the evolution of cognitive abilities in members of our lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Johanna Henke-von der Malsburg
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Templeton CN, O’Connor A, Strack S, Meraz F, Herranen K. Traffic noise inhibits inhibitory control in wild-caught songbirds. iScience 2023; 26:106650. [PMID: 37168571 PMCID: PMC10165181 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is ubiquitous across environments and can have negative effects on animals, ranging from physiology to community structure. Recent work with captive-bred zebra finches demonstrated that traffic noise also affects cognitive performance. We examined whether these results extend to animals that have experienced noise in the wild. We collected black-capped chickadees from areas frequently exposed to road traffic noise and tested them on a detour reaching task, a commonly used measure of inhibitory control. Those chickadees exposed to traffic noise playback had much lower performance on the task than control birds, indicating that noise negatively impacts inhibitory control. These data corroborate previous findings in lab-reared zebra finches. Furthermore, these results suggest that prior experience with traffic noise is not sufficient for animals to habituate to noise and overcome its negative effects on cognitive performance. Instead, noise-induced cognitive effects might have broad impacts on animal species living in noise-polluted habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amber O’Connor
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Sarah Strack
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Franco Meraz
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Katri Herranen
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
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17
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Individual features influence the choice to attack in the southern lapwing Vanellus chilensis, but the opponent type dictates how the interaction goes. Acta Ethol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-023-00416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
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18
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Rochais C, Schradin C, Pillay N. Cognitive performance is linked to survival in free-living African striped mice. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230205. [PMID: 36883277 PMCID: PMC9993040 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0205] [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] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognition is shaped by evolution and is predicted to increase fitness. However, the link between cognition and fitness in free-living animals is unresolved. We studied the correlates of cognition and survival in a free-living rodent inhabiting an arid environment. We tested 143 striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) using a battery of cognitive tests, including: (i) an attention task, (ii) two problem-solving tasks, (iii) a learning and reversal learning task, and (iv) an inhibitory control task. We related cognitive performance with days of survival. Better problem-solving and inhibitory control performance were significant correlates of survival. Surviving males showed greater reversal learning which may be related to sex-specific behavioural and life-history characteristics. Specific cognitive traits and not a composite measure of general intelligence underpins fitness in this free-living rodent population, enhancing our understanding of the evolution of cognition in non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Rochais
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Carsten Schradin
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa
- IPHC, UNISTRA, CNRS, 23 Rue du Loess, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa
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19
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Sollis JG, Ashton BJ, Speechley EM, Ridley AR. Repeated testing does not confound cognitive performance in the Western Australian magpie (Cracticus tibicen dorsalis). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:579-588. [PMID: 36222936 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01699-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
A robust understanding of cognitive variation at the individual level is essential to understand selection for and against cognitive traits. Studies of animal cognition often assume that within-individual performance is highly consistent. When repeated tests of individuals have been conducted, the effects of test order (the overall sequence in which different tests are conducted) and test number (the ordinal number indicating when a specific test falls within a sequence)-in particular the potential for individual performance to improve with repeated testing-have received limited attention. In our study, we investigated test order and test number effects on individual performance in three inhibitory control tests in Western Australian magpies (Cracticus tibicen dorsalis). We presented adult magpies with three novel inhibitory control tasks (detour-reaching apparatuses) in random order to test whether experience of cognitive testing and the order in which the apparatuses were presented were predictors of cognitive performance. We found that neither test number nor test order had an effect on cognitive performance of individual magpies when presenting different variants of inhibitory control tasks. This suggests that repeated testing of the same cognitive trait, using causally identical but visually distinct cognitive tasks, does not confound cognitive performance. We recommend that repeated testing effects of cognitive performance in other species be studied to broadly determine the validity of repeated testing in animal cognition studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Sollis
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Benjamin J Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M Speechley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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20
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Delacoux M, Guenther A. Stressfulness of the design influences consistency of cognitive measures and their correlation with animal personality traits in wild mice (Mus musculus). Anim Cogn 2023; 26:997-1009. [PMID: 36737560 PMCID: PMC10066096 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01748-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Individual variation in cognition is being increasingly recognized as an important evolutionary force but contradictory results so far hamper a general understanding of consistency and association with other behaviors. Partly, this might be caused by external factors imposed by the design. Stress, for example, is known to influence cognition, with mild stress improving learning abilities, while strong or chronic stress impairs them. Also, there might be intraspecific variation in how stressful a given situation is perceived. We investigated two personality traits (stress coping and voluntary exploration), spatial learning with two mazes, and problem-solving in low- and high-stress tests with a group of 30 female wild mice (Mus musculus domesticus). For each test, perceived stress was assessed by measuring body temperature change with infrared thermography, a new non-invasive method that measures skin temperature as a proxy of changes in the sympathetic system activity. While spatial learning and problem-solving were found to be repeatable traits in mice in earlier studies, none of the learning measures were significantly repeatable between the two stress conditions in our study, indicating that the stress level impacts learning. We found correlations between learning and personality traits; however, they differed between the two stress conditions and between the cognitive tasks, suggesting that different mechanisms underlie these processes. These findings could explain some of the contradictory findings in the literature and argue for very careful design of cognitive test setups to draw evolutionary implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Delacoux
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany. .,Department for Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78464, Constance, Germany. .,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464, Constance, Germany.
| | - Anja Guenther
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany
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21
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Holveck M, Muller D, Visser B, Timmermans A, Colonval L, Jan F, Crucifix M, Nieberding CM. Warmer temperatures result in maladaptive learning of sexual preferences. Funct Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie‐Jeanne Holveck
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Doriane Muller
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Bertanne Visser
- Evolution and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology University of Liège ‐ Gembloux Agro‐Bio Tech Gembloux Belgium
| | - Arthur Timmermans
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Lidwine Colonval
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Fabrice Jan
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Michel Crucifix
- Earth and Climate, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Caroline M. Nieberding
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Group Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
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22
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Cauchard L, Doligez B. Editorial: Links between cognition and fitness: Mechanisms and constraints in the wild. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1113701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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23
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Soravia C, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Ridley AR. General cognitive performance declines with female age and is negatively related to fledging success in a wild bird. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221748. [PMID: 36541175 PMCID: PMC9768653 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the causes and fitness consequences of intraspecific variation in cognitive performance is fundamental to understand how cognition evolves. Selection may act on different cognitive traits separately or jointly as part of the general cognitive performance (GCP) of the individual. To date, few studies have examined simultaneously whether individual cognitive performance covaries across different cognitive tasks, the relative importance of individual and social attributes in determining cognitive variation, and its fitness consequences in the wild. Here, we tested 38 wild southern pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor) on a cognitive test battery targeting associative learning, reversal learning and inhibitory control. We found that a single factor explained 59.5% of the variation in individual cognitive performance across tasks, suggestive of a general cognitive factor. GCP varied by age and sex; declining with age in females but not males. Older females also tended to produce a higher average number of fledglings per year compared to younger females. Analysing over 10 years of breeding data, we found that individuals with lower general cognitive performance produced more fledglings per year. Collectively, our findings support the existence of a trade-off between cognitive performance and reproductive success in a wild bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Soravia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Ashton
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Amanda R. Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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24
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Yin J, Yu G, Zhang J, Li J. Behavioral laterality is correlated with problem-solving performance in a songbird. Anim Cogn 2022; 26:837-848. [PMID: 36449141 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01724-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral lateralization, which is often reflected in an individual's behavioral laterality (e.g., handedness and footedness), may bring animals certain benefits such as enhanced cognitive performance. Although the lateralization-cognition relationship has been widely studied in humans and other animals, current evidence supporting their relationship is ambiguous and warrants additional insights from more studies. Moreover, the lateralization-cognition relationship in non-human animals has been mostly studied in human-reared populations, and investigations of wild populations are particularly scarce. Here, we test the footedness of wild-caught male yellow-bellied tits (Pardaliparus venustulus) and investigate its association with their performance in learning to solve a toothpick-pulling problem and a drawer-opening problem. The tested birds showed an overall trend to gradually spent less time solving the problems, implying that they learned to solve the problems. Left- and right-footed individuals showed no significant differences in the latency to explore the experimental apparatuses and in the proportions that completed and did not complete the tasks. However, the left-footed individuals learned faster than the right-footed individuals in the drawer-opening experiment, indicating a potential cognitive advantage associated with left-footedness. These results contribute to the understanding of the behavioral differences between differently footed individuals and, in particular, the relationship between lateralization and cognitive ability in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangnan Yin
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Gaoyang Yu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jinggang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
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25
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Rosati AG, Machanda ZP, Slocombe KE. Cognition in the wild: understanding animal thought in its natural context. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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26
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Stanton LA, Bridge ES, Huizinga J, Benson-Amram S. Environmental, individual and social traits of free-ranging raccoons influence performance in cognitive testing. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276535. [PMID: 36137301 PMCID: PMC9637273 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive abilities, such as learning and flexibility, are hypothesized to aid behavioral adaptation to urbanization. Although growing evidence suggests that cognition may indeed facilitate persistence in urban environments, we currently lack knowledge of the cognitive abilities of many urban taxa. Recent methodological advances, including radio frequency identification (RFID), have extended automated cognitive testing into the field but have yet to be applied to a diversity of taxa. Here, we used an RFID-enabled operant conditioning device to assess the habituation, learning and cognitive flexibility of a wild population of raccoons (Procyon lotor). We examined how several biological and behavioral traits influenced participation and performance in testing. We then compared the cognitive performance of wild raccoons tested in natural conditions with that of wild-caught raccoons tested in captivity from a previous study. In natural conditions, juvenile raccoons were more likely to habituate to the testing device, but performed worse in serial reversal learning, compared with adults. We also found that docile raccoons were more likely to learn how to operate the device in natural conditions, which suggests a relationship between emotional reactivity and cognitive ability in raccoons. Although raccoons in both captive and natural conditions demonstrated rapid associative learning and flexibility, raccoons in captive conditions generally performed better, likely owing to the heightened vigilance and social interference experienced by raccoons in natural conditions. Our results have important implications for future research on urban carnivores and cognition in field settings, as well as our understanding of behavioral adaptation to urbanization and coexistence with urban wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Stanton
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.,Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | | | - Sarah Benson-Amram
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.,Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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27
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Albers J, Reichert MS. Personality affects individual variation in olfactory learning and reversal learning in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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28
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Texas field crickets (Gryllus texensis) use visual cues to place learn but perform poorly when intra- and extra-maze cues conflict. Learn Behav 2022; 50:306-316. [DOI: 10.3758/s13420-022-00532-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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29
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Nord C, Bonnell T, Roth D, Clarke M, Dostie M, Henzi P, Barrett L. Fear of missing out? Personality and plasticity in food neophilia by wild vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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30
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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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31
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Hooper R, Brett B, Thornton A. Problems with using comparative analyses of avian brain size to test hypotheses of cognitive evolution. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270771. [PMID: 35867640 PMCID: PMC9307164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There are multiple hypotheses for the evolution of cognition. The most prominent hypotheses are the Social Intelligence Hypothesis (SIH) and the Ecological Intelligence Hypothesis (EIH), which are often pitted against one another. These hypotheses tend to be tested using broad-scale comparative studies of brain size, where brain size is used as a proxy of cognitive ability, and various social and/or ecological variables are included as predictors. Here, we test how robust conclusions drawn from such analyses may be. First, we investigate variation in brain and body size measurements across >1000 bird species. We demonstrate that there is substantial variation in brain and body size estimates across datasets, indicating that conclusions drawn from comparative brain size models are likely to differ depending on the source of the data. Following this, we subset our data to the Corvides infraorder and interrogate how modelling decisions impact results. We show that model results change substantially depending on variable inclusion, source and classification. Indeed, we could have drawn multiple contradictory conclusions about the principal drivers of brain size evolution. These results reflect concerns from a growing number of researchers that conclusions drawn from comparative brain size studies may not be robust. We suggest that to interrogate hypotheses of cognitive evolution, a fruitful way forward is to focus on testing cognitive performance within and between closely related taxa, with an emphasis on understanding the relationship between informational uncertainty and cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Hooper
- University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- University of Exeter, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Streatham Campus, Exeter, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (RH); (AT)
| | - Becky Brett
- University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Thornton
- University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (RH); (AT)
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32
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Liu J, Singh AK, Wunderlich A, Gramann K, Lin CT. Redesigning navigational aids using virtual global landmarks to improve spatial knowledge retrieval. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2022; 7:17. [PMID: 35853945 PMCID: PMC9296625 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-022-00132-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although beacon- and map-based spatial strategies are the default strategies for navigation activities, today's navigational aids mostly follow a beacon-based design where one is provided with turn-by-turn instructions. Recent research, however, shows that our reliance on these navigational aids is causing a decline in our spatial skills. We are processing less of our surrounding environment and relying too heavily on the instructions given. To reverse this decline, we need to engage more in map-based learning, which encourages the user to process and integrate spatial knowledge into a cognitive map built to benefit flexible and independent spatial navigation behaviour. In an attempt to curb our loss of skills, we proposed a navigation assistant to support map-based learning during active navigation. Called the virtual global landmark (VGL) system, this augmented reality (AR) system is based on the kinds of techniques used in traditional orienteering. Specifically, a notable landmark is always present in the user's sight, allowing the user to continuously compute where they are in relation to that specific location. The efficacy of the unit as a navigational aid was tested in an experiment with 27 students from the University of Technology Sydney via a comparison of brain dynamics and behaviour. From an analysis of behaviour and event-related spectral perturbation, we found that participants were encouraged to process more spatial information with a map-based strategy where a silhouette of the compass-like landmark was perpetually in view. As a result of this technique, they consistently navigated with greater efficiency and better accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Avinash Kumar Singh
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
| | - Anna Wunderlich
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chin-Teng Lin
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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33
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No reproductive fitness benefits of dear enemy behaviour in a territorial songbird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03199-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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34
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Cauchoix M, Barragan Jason G, Biganzoli A, Briot J, Guiraud V, El Ksabi N, Lieuré D, Morand‐Ferron J, Chaine AS. The
OpenFeeder
: a flexible automated
RFID
feeder to measure inter and intraspecies differences in cognitive and behavioral performance in wild birds. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Cauchoix
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS, Moulis France
| | - G. Barragan Jason
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS, Moulis France
| | - A. Biganzoli
- LAPLACE Université de Toulouse CNRS, INPT, UPS Toulouse France
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center Université de Toulouse Inserm, UPS Toulouse France
| | | | - V. Guiraud
- SelectDesign, 121 Rue Jean Bart, 31670 Labège
| | - N. El Ksabi
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS, Moulis France
| | | | | | - A. S. Chaine
- Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS, Moulis France
- Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse Toulouse School of Economics Toulouse France
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35
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How does selection shape spatial memory in the wild? Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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36
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Connelly F, Hall ML, Johnsson RD, Elliot-Kerr S, Dow BR, Lesku JA, Mulder RA. Urban noise does not affect cognitive performance in wild Australian magpies. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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37
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Blackburn G, Broom E, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Ridley AR. Heat stress inhibits cognitive performance in wild Western Australian magpies, Cracticus tibicen dorsalis. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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38
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De Petrillo F, Bettle R, Rosati AG. Insights from matched species comparisons for understanding cognition in the wild. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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39
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Šlipogor V, Graf C, Massen JJM, Bugnyar T. Personality and social environment predict cognitive performance in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Sci Rep 2022; 12:6702. [PMID: 35513400 PMCID: PMC9072541 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10296-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Consistent inter-individual variation in cognition has been increasingly explored in recent years in terms of its patterns, causes and consequences. One of its possible causes are consistent inter-individual differences in behaviour, also referred to as animal personalities, which are shaped by both the physical and the social environment. The latter is particularly relevant for group-living species like common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), apt learners that display substantial variation in both their personality and cognitive performance, yet no study to date has interlinked these with marmosets' social environment. Here we investigated (i) consistency of learning speed, and (ii) whether the PCA-derived personality traits Exploration-Avoidance and Boldness-Shyness as well as the social environment (i.e., family group membership) are linked with marmosets' speed of learning. We tested 22 individuals in series of personality and learning-focused cognitive tests, including simple motor tasks and discrimination learning tasks. We found that these marmosets showed significant inter-individual consistency in learning across the different tasks, and that females learned faster than males. Further, bolder individuals, and particularly those belonging to certain family groups, learned faster. These findings indicate that both personality and social environment affect learning speed in marmosets and could be important factors driving individual variation in cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedrana Šlipogor
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Christina Graf
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorg J M Massen
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition Group, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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40
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Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Cauchoix M, Ridley AR. Long-term repeatability of cognitive performance. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220069. [PMID: 35620015 PMCID: PMC9128854 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Measures of cognitive performance, derived from psychometric tasks, have yielded important insights into the factors governing cognitive variation. However, concerns remain over the robustness of these measures, which may be susceptible to non-cognitive factors such as motivation and persistence. Efforts to quantify short-term repeatability of cognitive performance have gone some way to address this, but crucially the long-term repeatability of cognitive performance has been largely overlooked. Quantifying the long-term repeatability of cognitive performance provides the opportunity to determine the stability of cognitive phenotypes and the potential for selection to act on them. To this end, we quantified long-term repeatability of cognitive performance in wild Australian magpies over a three-year period. Cognitive performance was repeatable in two out of four cognitive tasks-associative learning and reversal-learning performance was repeatable, but spatial memory and inhibitory control performance, although trending toward significance, was not. Measures of general cognitive performance, obtained from principal components analyses carried out on each cognitive test battery, were highly repeatable. Together, these findings provide evidence that at least some cognitive phenotypes are stable, which in turn has important implications for our understanding of cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Ashton
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Maxime Cauchoix
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS (UMR5321), Moulis, France
| | - Amanda R. Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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41
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Using virtual global landmark to improve incidental spatial learning. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6744. [PMID: 35469001 PMCID: PMC9039035 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10855-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To reduce the decline of spatial cognitive skills caused by the increasing use of automated GPS navigation, the virtual global landmark (VGL) system is proposed to help people naturally improve their sense of direction. Designed to accompany a heads-up navigation system, VGL system constantly displays silhouette of global landmarks in the navigator’s vision as a notable frame of reference. This study exams how VGL system impacts incidental spatial learning, i.e., subconscious spatial knowledge acquisition. We asked 55 participants to explore a virtual environment and then draw a map of what they had explored while capturing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and eye activity. The results suggest that, with the VGL system, participants paid more attention during exploration and performed significantly better at the map drawing task—a result that indicates substantially improved incidental spatial learning. This finding might kickstart a redesigning navigation aids, to teach users to learn a route rather than simply showing them the way.
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42
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Felin T, Koenderink J. A Generative View of Rationality and Growing Awareness †. Front Psychol 2022; 13:807261. [PMID: 35465538 PMCID: PMC9021390 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.807261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper we contrast bounded and ecological rationality with a proposed alternative, generative rationality. Ecological approaches to rationality build on the idea of humans as "intuitive statisticians" while we argue for a more generative conception of humans as "probing organisms." We first highlight how ecological rationality's focus on cues and statistics is problematic for two reasons: (a) the problem of cue salience, and (b) the problem of cue uncertainty. We highlight these problems by revisiting the statistical and cue-based logic that underlies ecological rationality, which originate from the misapplication of concepts in psychophysics (e.g., signal detection, just-noticeable-differences). We then work through the most popular experimental task in the ecological rationality literature-the city size task-to illustrate how psychophysical assumptions have informally been linked to ecological rationality. After highlighting these problems, we contrast ecological rationality with a proposed alternative, generative rationality. Generative rationality builds on biology-in contrast to ecological rationality's focus on statistics. We argue that in uncertain environments cues are rarely given or available for statistical processing. Therefore we focus on the psychogenesis of awareness rather than psychophysics of cues. For any agent or organism, environments "teem" with indefinite cues, meanings and potential objects, the salience or relevance of which is scarcely obvious based on their statistical or physical properties. We focus on organism-specificity and the organism-directed probing that shapes awareness and perception. Cues in teeming environments are noticed when they serve as cues-for-something, requiring what might be called a "cue-to-clue" transformation. In this sense, awareness toward a cue or cues is actively "grown." We thus argue that perception might more productively be seen as the presentation of cues and objects rather than their representation. This generative approach not only applies to relatively mundane organism (including human) interactions with their environments-as well as organism-object relationships and their embodied nature-but also has significant implications for understanding the emergence of novelty in economic settings. We conclude with a discussion of how our arguments link with-but modify-Herbert Simon's popular "scissors" metaphor, as it applies to bounded rationality and its implications for decision making in uncertain, teeming environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teppo Felin
- Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Koenderink
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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43
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Okada K, Kumano N. Reproduction-related interactions and loads induce continuous turn alternation leading to linearity in a terrestrial isopod. Naturwissenschaften 2022; 109:23. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-022-01795-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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44
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Vincze E, Kovács B. Urbanization’s Effects on Problem Solving Abilities: A Meta-Analysis. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.834436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities are often assumed to be advantageous in urban habitats, but relatively few studies tested this assumption. In a meta-analysis, we tested whether urban animals have better problem-solving abilities compared to their less urbanized conspecifics. After screening 210 papers we collected by keyword search and forward search, we found 12 studies that compared the ability to solve food-extraction or obstacle-removal problems between urban and non-urban populations of the same animal species. These studies were published between 2009 and 2021, and were performed mostly on birds, whereas a quarter of them used mammals as study species. We found a statistically non-significant trend that urban animals are more successful and faster problem-solvers compared to their less urbanized conspecifics. However, both solving success and solving latency effect sizes were highly heterogeneous, therefore hard to generalize. Though the sample was too low to test the factors explaining this high heterogeneity, we suggest that it may be explained by variation in task types, study species, definitions of urbanization, whether the study was performed on captive or free-living animals, geographical location, or publication bias in both directions. Altogether, more studies are needed to either confirm or disprove this trend.
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45
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Davidson GL, Reichert MS, Coomes JR, Kulahci IG, de la Hera I, Quinn JL. Inhibitory control performance is repeatable over time and across contexts in a wild bird population. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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46
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Abstract
Linking cognitive performance with fitness outcomes, measured using both reproductive and survival metrics, of free-living animals is crucial for understanding the evolution of cognition. Although there is increasing evidence showing a link between cognitive traits and reproductive success metrics, studies specifically exploring the link between cognition and survival are scarce. We first explore which cognitive traits related to survival have been investigated in free-living animals. We also discuss the challenges associated with investigating the links between cognition and survival. We then review studies that specifically consider survival of animals of known cognitive abilities that are either free-living or in captivity and later released into the wild. We found nine studies exploring cognitive traits in wild populations. The relationships between these cognitive traits and survival were equivocal. We found a further nine studies in captive-reared populations trained to predator cues and later released into the wild. Training to recognize predator cues was correlated with increased survival in the majority of studies. Finally, different individual intrinsic characteristics (i.e., age, body condition, personality, sex) showed varied effects between studies. We argue that finding ecologically relevant cognitive traits is crucial for gaining a better understanding of how selection impacts certain cognitive traits, and how these might contribute to an individual’s survival. We also suggest possible standardized, easy to implement, cognitive tests that can be used in long-term studies, which would generate large sample sizes, take into account intrinsic characteristics, and provide an opportunity to understand the mechanisms, development and evolution of cognition.
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47
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Cognitive flexibility in the wild: Individual differences in reversal learning are explained primarily by proactive interference, not by sampling strategies, in two passerine bird species. Learn Behav 2022; 50:153-166. [PMID: 35015239 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-021-00505-1] [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] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural flexibility allows animals to adjust to changes in their environment. Although the cognitive processes that explain flexibility have been relatively well studied in psychology, this is less true for animals in the wild. Here we use data collected automatically during self-administered discrimination-learning trials for two passerine species, and during four phases (habituation, initial learning, first reversal and second reversal) in order to decompose sources of consistent among-individual differences in reversal learning, a commonly used measure for cognitive flexibility. First, we found that, as expected, proactive interference was significantly repeatable and had a negative effect on reversal learning, confirming that individuals with poor ability to inhibit returning to a previously rewarded feeder were also slower to reversal learn. Second, to our knowledge for the first time in a natural population, we examined how sampling of non-rewarding options post-learning affected reversal-learning performance. Sampling quantity was moderately repeatable in blue tits but not great tits; sampling bias, the variance in the proportion of visits to each non-rewarded feeder, was not repeatable for either species. Sampling behaviour did not predict variation in reversal-learning speed to any significant extent. Finally, the repeatability of reversal learning was explained almost entirely by proactive interference for blue tits; in great tits, the effects of proactive interference and sampling bias on the repeatability of reversal learning were indistinguishable. Our results highlight the value of proactive interference as a more direct measurement of cognitive flexibility and shed light on how animals respond to changes in their environment.
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48
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Shogren EH. Cognition: 'Caching' in to find the genetic basis of spatial cognitive ability. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R37-R39. [PMID: 35015993 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Natural selection on spatial cognition requires genetic heritability of traits contributing to cognitive ability. A new study of food-caching birds demonstrates that genomic markers linked to neural development are associated with variation in cognitive phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsie H Shogren
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
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49
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Dore A, Pasquaretta C, Henry D, Ricard E, Bompa JF, Bonneau M, Boissy A, Hazard D, Lihoreau M, Aubert H. A Non-Invasive Millimetre-Wave Radar Sensor for Automated Behavioural Tracking in Precision Farming-Application to Sheep Husbandry. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21238140. [PMID: 34884145 PMCID: PMC8662461 DOI: 10.3390/s21238140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The automated quantification of the behaviour of freely moving animals is increasingly needed in applied ethology. State-of-the-art approaches often require tags to identify animals, high computational power for data collection and processing, and are sensitive to environmental conditions, which limits their large-scale utilization, for instance in genetic selection programs of animal breeding. Here we introduce a new automated tracking system based on millimetre-wave radars for real time robust and high precision monitoring of untagged animals. In contrast to conventional video tracking systems, radar tracking requires low processing power, is independent on light variations and has more accurate estimations of animal positions due to a lower misdetection rate. To validate our approach, we monitored the movements of 58 sheep in a standard indoor behavioural test used for assessing social motivation. We derived new estimators from the radar data that can be used to improve the behavioural phenotyping of the sheep. We then showed how radars can be used for movement tracking at larger spatial scales, in the field, by adjusting operating frequency and radiated electromagnetic power. Millimetre-wave radars thus hold considerable promises precision farming through high-throughput recording of the behaviour of untagged animals in different types of environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Dore
- Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems, Toulouse University, CNRS, INPT, 31400 Toulouse, France; (D.H.); (H.A.)
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS, University Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, 31400 Toulouse, France; (C.P.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Cristian Pasquaretta
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS, University Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, 31400 Toulouse, France; (C.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Dominique Henry
- Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems, Toulouse University, CNRS, INPT, 31400 Toulouse, France; (D.H.); (H.A.)
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS, University Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, 31400 Toulouse, France; (C.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Edmond Ricard
- GenPhySE, Toulouse University, INRAE, ENVT, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; (E.R.); (J.-F.B.); (D.H.)
| | - Jean-François Bompa
- GenPhySE, Toulouse University, INRAE, ENVT, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; (E.R.); (J.-F.B.); (D.H.)
| | | | - Alain Boissy
- UMR Herbivores, Clermont University, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, 63122 Saint-Genès Champanelle, France;
| | - Dominique Hazard
- GenPhySE, Toulouse University, INRAE, ENVT, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; (E.R.); (J.-F.B.); (D.H.)
| | - Mathieu Lihoreau
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS, University Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, 31400 Toulouse, France; (C.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Hervé Aubert
- Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems, Toulouse University, CNRS, INPT, 31400 Toulouse, France; (D.H.); (H.A.)
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50
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Ruiz-Raya F. Ecophysiology of egg rejection in hosts of avian brood parasites: new insights and perspectives. Curr Zool 2021; 67:631-638. [PMID: 34805540 PMCID: PMC8599070 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Egg rejection is the most effective and widespread defense used by host species to counteract the extreme fitness costs frequently imposed by obligate avian brood parasites. Yet, the proximate mechanisms underlying between- and within-individual variation in host responses remain poorly explored. Emerging evidence suggests that egg rejection is dependent on individual physiological states, and draws attention to the role of hormones as mediators of flexible antiparasitic responses. In this perspective article, I outline recent advances in our understanding of the proximate factors that mediate egg rejection. I also point out some areas where knowledge remains still lacking, especially those related to the development and maintenance of effective cognitive functions, the potential role of oxidative stress, immunological state, and developmental stressors. I propose new hypotheses that stimulate future research on behavioral host responses toward brood parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, GEA, Vigo 36310, Spain
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