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Gaynor KM, Abrahms B, Manlove KR, Oestreich WK, Smith JA. Anthropogenic impacts at the interface of animal spatial and social behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220527. [PMID: 39230457 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human disturbance is contributing to widespread, global changes in the distributions and densities of wild animals. These anthropogenic impacts on wildlife arise from multiple bottom-up and top-down pathways, including habitat loss, resource provisioning, climate change, pollution, infrastructure development, hunting and our direct presence. Animal behaviour is an important mechanism linking these disturbances to population outcomes, although these behavioural pathways are often complex and can remain obscured when different aspects of behaviour are studied in isolation from one another. The spatial-social interface provides a lens for understanding how an animal's spatial and social environments interact to determine its spatial and social phenotype (i.e. measurable characteristics of an individual), and how these phenotypes interact and feed back to reshape environments. Here, we review studies of animal behaviour at the spatial-social interface to understand and predict how human disturbance affects animal movement, distribution and intraspecific interactions, with consequences for the conservation of populations and ecosystems. By understanding the spatial-social mechanisms linking human disturbance to conservation outcomes, we can better design management interventions to mitigate undesired consequences of disturbance.This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Briana Abrahms
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | | | - Justine A Smith
- Department of Wildlife Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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2
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Webber Q, Prokopenko C, Kingdon K, Turner J, Vander Wal E. Effects of the social environment on movement-integrated habitat selection. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:61. [PMID: 39238061 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00502-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Movement links the distribution of habitats with the social environment of animals using those habitats. Despite the links between movement, habitat selection, and socioecology, their integration remains a challenge due to lack of shared vocabulary across fields, methodological gaps, and the implicit (rather than explicit) historical development of theory in the fields of social and spatial ecology. Given these challenges can be addressed, opportunity for further study will provide insight about the links between social, spatial, and movement ecology. Here, our objective was to disentangle the roles of habitat selection and social association as drivers of movement in caribou (Rangifer tarandus). METHODS To accomplish our objective, we modelled the relationship between collective movement and selection of foraging habitats using socially informed integrated step selection function (iSSF). Using iSSF, we modelled the effect of social processes, i.e., nearest neighbour distance and social preference, and movement behaviour on patterns of habitat selection. RESULTS By unifying social network analysis with iSSF, we identified movement-dependent social association, where individuals took shorter steps in lichen habitat and foraged in close proximity to more familiar individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that social preference is context-dependent based on habitat selection and foraging behaviour. We therefore surmise that habitat selection and social association are drivers of collective movement, such that movement is the glue between habitat selection and social association. Here, we put these concepts into practice to demonstrate that movement is the glue connecting individual habitat selection to the social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Christina Prokopenko
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Katrien Kingdon
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Julie Turner
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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3
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Acácio M, Gahm K, Anglister N, Vaadia G, Hatzofe O, Harel R, Efrat R, Nathan R, Pinter-Wollman N, Spiegel O. Behavioral plasticity shapes population aging patterns in a long-lived avian scavenger. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2407298121. [PMID: 39163331 PMCID: PMC11363333 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2407298121] [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: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Studying the mechanisms shaping age-related changes in behavior ("behavioral aging") is important for understanding population dynamics in our changing world. Yet, studies that capture within-individual behavioral changes in wild populations of long-lived animals are still scarce. Here, we used a 15-y GPS-tracking dataset of a social obligate scavenger, the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), to investigate age-related changes in movement and social behaviors, and disentangle the role of behavioral plasticity and selective disappearance in shaping such patterns. We tracked 142 individuals for up to 12 y and found a nonlinear increase in site fidelity with age: a sharp increase in site fidelity before sexual maturity (<5 y old), stabilization during adulthood (6 to 15 y), and a further increase at old age (>15 y). This pattern resulted from individuals changing behavior throughout their life (behavioral plasticity) and not from selective disappearance. Mature vultures increased the predictability of their movement routines and spent more nights at the most popular roosting sites compared to younger individuals. Thus, adults likely have a competitive advantage over younger conspecifics. These changes in site fidelity and movement routines were mirrored in changes to social behavior. Older individuals interacted less with their associates (decreasing average strength with age), particularly during the breeding season. Our results reveal a variety of behavioral aging patterns in long-lived species and underscore the importance of behavioral plasticity in shaping such patterns. Comprehensive longitudinal studies are imperative for understanding how plasticity and selection shape the persistence of wild animal populations facing human-induced environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Acácio
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kaija Gahm
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Nili Anglister
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Gideon Vaadia
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ohad Hatzofe
- Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Roi Harel
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ron Efrat
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Ran Nathan
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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4
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Regan CE, Bogdanova MI, Newell M, Gunn C, Wanless S, Harris MP, Lopez SL, Benninghaus E, Bolton M, Daunt F, Searle KR. Seabirds show foraging site and route fidelity but demonstrate flexibility in response to local information. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:46. [PMID: 38872225 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00467-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fidelity to a given foraging location or route may be beneficial when environmental conditions are predictable but costly if conditions deteriorate or become unpredictable. Understanding the magnitude of fidelity displayed by different species and the processes that drive or erode it is therefore vital for understanding how fidelity may shape the demographic consequences of anthropogenic change. In particular, understanding the information that individuals may use to adjust their fidelity will facilitate improved predictions of how fidelity may change as environments change and the extent to which it will buffer individuals against such changes. METHODS We used movement data collected during the breeding season across eight years for common guillemots, Atlantic puffins, razorbills, and black-legged kittiwakes breeding on the Isle of May, Scotland to understand: (1) whether foraging site/route fidelity occurred within and between years, (2) whether the degree of fidelity between trips was predicted by personal foraging effort, and (3) whether different individuals made more similar trips when they overlapped in time at the colony prior to departure and/or when out at sea suggesting the use of the same local environmental cues or information on the decisions made by con- and heterospecifics. RESULTS All species exhibited site and route fidelity both within- and between-years, and fidelity between trips in guillemots and razorbills was related to metrics of foraging effort, suggesting they adjust fidelity to their personal foraging experience. We also found evidence that individuals used local environmental cues of prey location or availability and/or information gained by observing conspecifics when choosing foraging routes, particularly in puffins, where trips of individuals that overlapped temporally at the colony or out at sea were more similar. CONCLUSIONS The fidelity shown by these seabird species has the potential to put them at greater risk in the face of environmental change by driving individuals to continue using areas being degraded by anthropogenic pressures. However, our results suggest that individuals show some flexibility in their fidelity, which may promote resilience under environmental change. The benefits of this flexibility are likely to depend on numerous factors, including the rapidity and spatial scale of environmental change and the reliability of the information individuals use to choose foraging sites or routes, thus highlighting the need to better understand how organisms combine cues, prior experience, and other sources of information to make movement decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Regan
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK.
| | - Maria I Bogdanova
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mark Newell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Carrie Gunn
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Sarah Wanless
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mike P Harris
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | | | - Ella Benninghaus
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mark Bolton
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, AB15 6GZ, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Francis Daunt
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - Kate R Searle
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, EH26 0QB, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
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5
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Falcón-Cortés A, Boyer D, Aldana M, Ramos-Fernández G. Lévy movements and a slowly decaying memory allow efficient collective learning in groups of interacting foragers. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011528. [PMID: 37844076 PMCID: PMC10602389 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animal species benefit from spatial learning to adapt their foraging movements to the distribution of resources. Learning involves the collection, storage and retrieval of information, and depends on both the random search strategies employed and the memory capacities of the individual. For animals living in social groups, spatial learning can be further enhanced by information transfer among group members. However, how individual behavior affects the emergence of collective states of learning is still poorly understood. Here, with the help of a spatially explicit agent-based model where individuals transfer information to their peers, we analyze the effects on the use of resources of varying memory capacities in combination with different exploration strategies, such as ordinary random walks and Lévy flights. We find that individual Lévy displacements associated with a slow memory decay lead to a very rapid collective response, a high group cohesion and to an optimal exploitation of the best resource patches in static but complex environments, even when the interaction rate among individuals is low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Falcón-Cortés
- Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Denis Boyer
- Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Maximino Aldana
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Gabriel Ramos-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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6
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Smith JB, Keiter DA, Sweeney SJ, Miller RS, Schlichting PE, Beasley JC. Habitat quality influences trade-offs in animal movement along the exploration-exploitation continuum. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4814. [PMID: 36964167 PMCID: PMC10039022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31457-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
To successfully establish itself in a novel environment, an animal must make an inherent trade-off between knowledge accumulation and exploitation of knowledge gained (i.e., the exploration-exploitation dilemma). To evaluate how habitat quality affects the spatio-temporal scale of switching between exploration and exploitation during home range establishment, we conducted experimental trials comparing resource selection and space-use of translocated animals to those of reference individuals using reciprocal translocations between habitat types of differing quality. We selected wild pigs (Sus scrofa) as a model species to investigate hypotheses related to the movement behavior of translocated individuals because they are globally distributed large mammals that are often translocated within their introduced range to facilitate recreational hunting. Individuals translocated to higher quality habitat (i.e. higher proportions of bottomland hardwood habitats) exhibited smaller exploratory movements and began exploiting resources more quickly than those introduced to lower quality areas, although those in lower-quality areas demonstrated an increased rate of selection for preferred habitat as they gained knowledge of the landscape. Our data demonstrate that habitat quality mediates the spatial and temporal scale at which animals respond behaviorally to novel environments, and how these processes may determine the success of population establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B Smith
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1401 Gekeler Ln, La Grande, OR, 97850, USA
| | - David A Keiter
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
- D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Steven J Sweeney
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Peter E Schlichting
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E., Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.
- D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 East Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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7
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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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8
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Variation in plastic consumption: social group size enhances individual susceptibility to an evolutionary trap. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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9
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Chen R, Spiegel O, Bartan Y, Nathan R. Resource limitation drives fission–fusion dynamics of group composition and size in a social bird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Kohles JE, O'Mara MT, Dechmann DKN. A conceptual framework to predict social information use based on food ephemerality and individual resource requirements. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:2039-2056. [PMID: 35932159 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Environmental variability poses a range of challenges to foraging animals trying to meet their energetic needs. Where food patches are unpredictable but shareable, animals can use social information to locate patches more efficiently or reliably. However, resource unpredictability can be heterogeneous and complex. The behavioural strategies animals employ to exploit such resources also vary, particularly if, when, and where animals use available social information. We reviewed the literature on social information use by foraging animals and developed a novel framework that integrates four elements - (1) food resource persistence; (2) the relative value of social information use; (3) behavioural context (opportunistic or coordinated); and (4) location of social information use - to predict and characterize four strategies of social information use - (1) local enhancement; (2) group facilitation; (3) following; and (4) recruitment. We validated our framework by systematically reviewing the growing empirical literature on social foraging in bats, an ideal model taxon because they exhibit extreme diversity in ecological niche and experience low predation risk while foraging but function at high energy expenditures, which selects for efficient foraging behaviours. Our framework's predictions agreed with the observed natural behaviour of bats and identified key knowledge gaps for future studies. Recent advancements in technology, methods, and analysis will facilitate additional studies in bats and other taxa to further test the framework and our conception of the ecological and evolutionary forces driving social information use. Understanding the links between food distribution, social information use, and foraging behaviour will help elucidate social interactions, group structure, and the evolution of sociality for species across the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Kohles
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - M Teague O'Mara
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panama.,Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, 808 N. Pine Street, Hammond, LA, 70402, USA
| | - Dina K N Dechmann
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
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11
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Enhancing the ecological realism of evolutionary mismatch theory. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:233-245. [PMID: 34802715 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Following rapid environmental change, why do some animals thrive, while others struggle? We present an expanded, cue-response framework for predicting variation in behavioral responses to novel situations. We show how signal detection theory can be used when individuals have three behavioral options (approach, avoid, or ignore). Based on this theory, we outline predictions about which animals are more likely to make mistakes around novel conditions (i.e., fall for a trap or fail to use an undervalued resource) and the intensity of that mismatch (i.e., severe versus moderate). Explicitly considering three options provides a more holistic perspective and allows us to distinguish between severe and moderate traps, which could guide management strategies in a changing world.
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12
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Lewis MA, Fagan WF, Auger-Méthé M, Frair J, Fryxell JM, Gros C, Gurarie E, Healy SD, Merkle JA. Learning and Animal Movement. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.681704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrating diverse concepts from animal behavior, movement ecology, and machine learning, we develop an overview of the ecology of learning and animal movement. Learning-based movement is clearly relevant to ecological problems, but the subject is rooted firmly in psychology, including a distinct terminology. We contrast this psychological origin of learning with the task-oriented perspective on learning that has emerged from the field of machine learning. We review conceptual frameworks that characterize the role of learning in movement, discuss emerging trends, and summarize recent developments in the analysis of movement data. We also discuss the relative advantages of different modeling approaches for exploring the learning-movement interface. We explore in depth how individual and social modalities of learning can matter to the ecology of animal movement, and highlight how diverse kinds of field studies, ranging from translocation efforts to manipulative experiments, can provide critical insight into the learning process in animal movement.
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13
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Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. Context-dependent group size: effects of population density, habitat, and season. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Group size can vary in relation to population density, habitat, and season. Habitat and season may also interact with population density and affect group size through varying foraging benefits of social aggregation in different ecological contexts. We tested the hypothesis that group size varies across ecological contexts, including population density, habitat type, and season, for woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in ten herds over 25 years in Newfoundland, Canada. We predicted that group size would increase as a function of population density. Based on the foraging benefits of social aggregation, we predicted larger groups as habitat openness increased because open areas tend to have higher quality foraging resources. We predicted larger groups during winter when foraging resources are covered in snow because caribou and other social animals exploit social information about the location of foraging resources. In contrast to our prediction, group size decreased as a function of population density. In support of our prediction, group size was larger in winter than calving and summer, and we found that group size increased with habitat openness in some, but not all, cases. Patterns of animal grouping are context-dependent and the additive effect of different ecological contexts on variation in group size informs our understanding of the implicit trade-offs between competition, predation risk, and profitability of forage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9,Canada
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14
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Xu W, Barker K, Shawler A, Van Scoyoc A, Smith JA, Mueller T, Sawyer H, Andreozzi C, Bidder OR, Karandikar H, Mumme S, Templin E, Middleton AD. The plasticity of ungulate migration in a changing world. Ecology 2021; 102:e03293. [PMID: 33554353 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Migratory ungulates are thought to be declining globally because their dependence on large landscapes renders them highly vulnerable to environmental change. Yet recent studies reveal that many ungulate species can adjust their migration propensity in response to changing environmental conditions to potentially improve population persistence. In addition to the question of whether to migrate, decisions of where and when to migrate appear equally fundamental to individual migration tactics, but these three dimensions of plasticity have rarely been explored together. Here, we expand the concept of migratory plasticity beyond individual switches in migration propensity to also include spatial and temporal adjustments to migration patterns. We develop a novel typological framework that delineates every potential change type within the three dimensions, then use this framework to guide a literature review. We discuss broad patterns in migratory plasticity, potential drivers of migration change, and research gaps in the current understanding of this trait. Our result reveals 127 migration change events in direct response to natural and human-induced environmental changes across 27 ungulate species. Species that appeared in multiple studies showed multiple types of change, with some exhibiting the full spectrum of migratory plasticity. This result highlights that multidimensional migratory plasticity is pervasive in ungulates, even as the manifestation of plasticity varies case by case. However, studies thus far have rarely been able to determine the fitness outcomes of different types of migration change, likely due to the scarcity of long-term individual-based demographic monitoring as well as measurements encompassing a full behavioral continuum and environmental gradient for any given species. Recognizing and documenting the full spectrum of migratory plasticity marks the first step for the field of migration ecology to employ quantitative methods, such as reaction norms, to predict migration change along environmental gradients. Closer monitoring for changes in migratory propensity, routes, and timing may improve the efficacy of conservation strategies and management actions in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Xu
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Kristin Barker
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Avery Shawler
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Amy Van Scoyoc
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Justine A Smith
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, Frankfurt (Main), 60438, Germany.,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt, 60325, Germany
| | - Hall Sawyer
- Western Ecosystems Technology, 1610 Reynolds Street, Laramie, Wyoming, 82072, USA
| | - Chelsea Andreozzi
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Owen R Bidder
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Harshad Karandikar
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Steffen Mumme
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA.,Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale dell'Università 32, Rome, 00185, Italy.,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), 38010, Italy
| | - Elizabeth Templin
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Arthur D Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
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15
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Davidson JD, Vishwakarma M, Smith ML. Hierarchical Approach for Comparing Collective Behavior Across Scales: Cellular Systems to Honey Bee Colonies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.581222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
How individuals in a group lead to collective behavior is a fundamental question across biological systems, from cellular systems, to animal groups, to human organizations. Recent technological advancements have enabled an unprecedented increase in our ability to collect, quantify, and analyze how individual responses lead to group behavior. However, despite a wealth of data demonstrating that collective behavior exists across biological scales, it is difficult to make general statements that apply in different systems. In this perspective, we present a cohesive framework for comparing groups across different levels of biological organization, using an intermediate link of “collective mechanisms” that connects individual responses to group behavior. Using this approach we demonstrate that an effective way of comparing different groups is with an analysis hierarchy that asks complementary questions, including how individuals in a group implement various collective mechanisms, and how these various mechanisms are used to achieve group function. We apply this framework to compare two collective systems—cellular systems and honey bee colonies. Using a case study of a response to a disturbance, we compare and contrast collective mechanisms used in each system. We then discuss how inherent differences in group structure and physical constraints lead to different combinations of collective mechanisms to solve a particular problem. Together, we demonstrate how a hierarchical approach can be used to compare and contrast different systems, lead to new hypotheses in each system, and form a basis for common research questions in collective behavior.
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16
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Tóth Z, Jaloveczki B, Tarján G. Diffusion of Social Information in Non-grouping Animals. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.586058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings indicate that the utilization of social information, produced inadvertently by other individuals through their spatial location and/or interaction with the environment, may be ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. If so, social information-mediated effects on population growth and interspecies interactions may be more prevalent than previously thought. However, little is known about how social information may spread among non-grouping individuals, i.e., in animals that do not form cohesive groups and therefore social attraction among group-mates does not facilitate information diffusion. Are there any perception-related, temporal, and/or spatial parameters that may facilitate or limit the spread of social information in temporary aggregations or among dispersed individuals in a population? We argue that living in cohesive groups is not necessarily required for the diffusion of social information and for social information-mediated effects to emerge in a population. We propose that while learning complex problem-solving techniques socially is less likely to occur in non-grouping animals, the spread of adaptive responses to social stimuli, especially to non-visual cues, can be common and may affect population, and/or community dynamics in a wide range of taxa. We also argue that network-based diffusion analysis could be a suitable analytical method for studying information diffusion in future investigations, providing comparable estimations of social effects on information spread to previous studies on group-living animals. We conclude that more studies are warranted to verify what intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence information propagation among incidentally and/or indirectly interacting individuals if we are to better understand the role of social information in animal populations and how the social and ecological characteristics of species are related to information spread in natural communities.
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17
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Koda H, Arai Z, Matsuda I. Agent-based simulation for reconstructing social structure by observing collective movements with special reference to single-file movement. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243173. [PMID: 33270712 PMCID: PMC7714185 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding social organization is fundamental for the analysis of animal societies. In this study, animal single-file movement data-serialized order movements generated by simple bottom-up rules of collective movements-are informative and effective observations for the reconstruction of animal social structures using agent-based models. For simulation, artificial 2-dimensional spatial distributions were prepared with the simple assumption of clustered structures of a group. Animals in the group are either independent or dependent agents. Independent agents distribute spatially independently each one another, while dependent agents distribute depending on the distribution of independent agents. Artificial agent spatial distributions aim to represent clustered structures of agent locations-a coupling of "core" or "keystone" subjects and "subordinate" or "follower" subjects. Collective movements were simulated following two simple rules, 1) initiators of the movement are randomly chosen, and 2) the next moving agent is always the nearest neighbor of the last moving agents, generating "single-file movement" data. Finally, social networks were visualized, and clustered structures reconstructed using a recent major social network analysis (SNA) algorithm, the Louvain algorithm, for rapid unfolding of communities in large networks. Simulations revealed possible reconstruction of clustered social structures using relatively minor observations of single-file movement, suggesting possible application of single-file movement observations for SNA use in field investigations of wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Koda
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Zin Arai
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ikki Matsuda
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan
- Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
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18
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Sigaud M, Mason THE, Barnier F, Cherry SG, Fortin D. Emerging conflict between conservation programmes: when a threatened vertebrate facilitates the dispersal of exotic species in a rare plant community. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Sigaud
- Département de Biologie et Centre d’Étude de la Forêt Université Laval Québec QC Canada
- Primate Research Institute Kyoto University Inuyama Japan
| | - T. H. E. Mason
- Département de Biologie et Centre d’Étude de la Forêt Université Laval Québec QC Canada
- Biological and Environmental Sciences School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
| | - F. Barnier
- Département de Biologie et Centre d’Étude de la Forêt Université Laval Québec QC Canada
- UMS Patrimoine Naturel Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris France
| | - S. G. Cherry
- Parks Canada Agency Radium Hot Springs BC Canada
| | - D. Fortin
- Département de Biologie et Centre d’Étude de la Forêt Université Laval Québec QC Canada
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19
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Fortin D, Brooke CF, Lamirande P, Fritz H, McLoughlin PD, Pays O. Quantitative Spatial Ecology to Promote Human-Wildlife Coexistence: A Tool for Integrated Landscape Management. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.600363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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20
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Merrill E, Killeen J, Pettit J, Trottier M, Martin H, Berg J, Bohm H, Eggeman S, Hebblewhite M. Density-Dependent Foraging Behaviors on Sympatric Winter Ranges in a Partially Migratory Elk Population. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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21
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Shave JR, Cherry SG, Derocher AE, Fortin D. Seasonal and inter-annual variation in diet for gray wolves Canis lupus in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin R. Shave
- J. R. Shave ✉ and A. E. Derocher, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Seth G. Cherry
- S. G. Cherry, Parks Canada Agency, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew E. Derocher
- J. R. Shave ✉ and A. E. Derocher, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- D. Fortin, Dépt de biologie and Centre d'étude de la Foret; Univ. Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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22
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Wilson MW, Ridlon AD, Gaynor KM, Gaines SD, Stier AC, Halpern BS. Ecological impacts of human-induced animal behaviour change. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1522-1536. [PMID: 32705769 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has documented myriad effects of human activities on animal behaviour, yet the ultimate ecological consequences of these behavioural shifts remain largely uninvestigated. While it is understood that, in the absence of humans, variation in animal behaviour can have cascading effects on species interactions, community structure and ecosystem function, we know little about whether the type or magnitude of human-induced behavioural shifts translate into detectable ecological change. Here we synthesise empirical literature and theory to create a novel framework for examining the range of behaviourally mediated pathways through which human activities may affect different ecosystem functions. We highlight the few empirical studies that show the potential realisation of some of these pathways, but also identify numerous factors that can dampen or prevent ultimate ecosystem consequences. Without a deeper understanding of these pathways, we risk wasting valuable resources on mitigating behavioural effects with little ecological relevance, or conversely mismanaging situations in which behavioural effects do drive ecosystem change. The framework presented here can be used to anticipate the nature and likelihood of ecological outcomes and prioritise management among widespread human-induced behavioural shifts, while also suggesting key priorities for future research linking humans, animal behaviour and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret W Wilson
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - April D Ridlon
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Steven D Gaines
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Adrian C Stier
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.,National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
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23
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Simon RN, Fortin D. Crop raiders in an ecological trap: optimal foraging individual-based modeling quantifies the effect of alternate crops. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02111. [PMID: 32112455 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Crop raiding is an increasing source of human-wildlife conflict that antagonizes humans and can lead to heightened killing of wildlife. Attraction to crops can trigger ecological traps, where animals prefer areas of their range that confer relatively low fitness. Food can be used to draw animals away from problematic areas, but an alternative considered less often is to replace high-quality food with poorer alternatives. In any case, managers often have no means of anticipating by how much such interventions should impact animal use of space. Optimal foraging theory predicts that foragers optimizing their diet should choose food items according to their relative profitability (i.e., digestible energy/ handling time), a theoretical prediction that can orient management actions. Accordingly, we developed an individual-based model (IBM) simulating movement through empirical rules under an optimal foraging framework. Our objective was to quantify the effect size of cultivating alternate crops to reduce crop raiding and the associated human-induced mortality driving an ecological trap for an energy maximizer, plains bison (Bison bison bison). Results showed that almost tripling the area of cultivation of crops of lower profitability (from 24.3% of the bison range outside the protected area in one management scenario to 70.3% in another) only led to a 25% additional decrease in the intensity of crop raiding (from a decrease of 40% in the first scenario to a decrease of 65% in the second). This suggests that localized interventions in the landscape are likely to have a stronger impact in mitigating crop raiding than broad actions ignoring spatial patterns in food distribution. However, we obtained no significant reduction in the number of simulated bison being harvested in the first scenario, and only a small reduction in the second, when the intervention was spatially broad. Our individual-based approach to animal movement informed by optimal foraging demonstrates that linking landscape configuration to mortality rates can help managers anticipate the effectiveness of manipulating food to keep animals away from problematic zones. Yet disarming ecological traps driven by human hunting appears to be a much more challenging undertaking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Nouailhetas Simon
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045, avenue de la Médecine, bureau 2050, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045, avenue de la Médecine, bureau 2050, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
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24
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Webber QMR, Laforge MP, Bonar M, Robitaille AL, Hart C, Zabihi-Seissan S, Vander Wal E. The Ecology of Individual Differences Empirically Applied to Space-Use and Movement Tactics. Am Nat 2020; 196:E1-E15. [PMID: 32552106 DOI: 10.1086/708721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Movement provides a link between individual behavioral ecology and the spatial and temporal variation in an individual's landscape. Individual variation in movement traits is an important axis of animal personality, particularly in the context of foraging ecology. We tested whether individual caribou (Rangifer tarandus) displayed plasticity in movement and space-use behavior across a gradient of resource aggregation. We quantified first-passage time and range-use ratio as proxies for movement-related foraging behavior and examined how these traits varied at the individual level across a foraging resource gradient. Our results suggest that individuals adjusted first-passage time but not range-use ratio to maximize access to high-quality foraging resources. First-passage time was repeatable, and intercepts for first-passage time and range-use ratio were negatively correlated. Individuals matched first-passage time but not range-use ratio to the expectations of our patch-use model that maximized access to foraging resources, a result that suggests that individuals acclimated their movement patterns to accommodate both intra- and interannual variation in foraging resources on the landscape. Collectively, we highlight repeatable movement and space-use tactics and provide insight into how individual plasticity in movement interacts with landscape processes to affect the distribution of behavioral phenotypes and potentially fitness and population dynamics.
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25
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Ofstad EG, Markussen SS, Sæther B, Solberg EJ, Heim M, Haanes H, Røed KH, Herfindal I. Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1701-1710. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Endre Grüner Ofstad
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Stine S. Markussen
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Bernt‐Erik Sæther
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | | | - Morten Heim
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway
| | | | - Knut H. Røed
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine Norwegian University of Life Sciences Oslo Norway
| | - Ivar Herfindal
- Department of Biology Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
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26
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Cherry SG, Merkle JA, Sigaud M, Fortin D, Wilson GA. Managing Genetic Diversity and Extinction Risk for a Rare Plains Bison (Bison bison bison) Population. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 64:553-563. [PMID: 31578626 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-019-01206-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Unfenced plains bison are rare and only occur in a small number of locations throughout Canada and the United States. We examined management guidelines for maintenance of genetic health and population persistence for a small and isolated population of plains bison that occupy the interface between a protected national park and private agricultural lands. To address genetic health concerns, we measured genetic diversity relative to other populations and assessed the potential effects of genetic augmentation. We then used individual-based population viability analyses (PVA) to determine the minimum abundance likely to prevent genetic diversity declines. We assessed this minimum relative to a proposed maximum social carrying capacity related to bison use of human agricultural lands. We also used the PVA to assess the probability of population persistence given the limiting factors of predation, hunting, and disease. Our results indicate that genetic augmentation will likely be required to achieve genetic diversity similar to that of other plains bison populations. We also found that a minimum population of 420 bison yields low probability of additional genetic loss while staying within society-based maxima. Population estimates based on aerial surveys indicated that the population has been below this minimum since 2007. Our PVA simulations indicate that current hunting practices will result in undesirable levels of population extinction risk and further declines in genetic variability. Our study demonstrates that PVA can be used to evaluate potential management scenarios as they relate to long-term genetic conservation and population persistence for rare species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth G Cherry
- Parks Canada Agency, Box 100, Waskesiu, SK, S0J 2Y0, Canada.
- Parks Canada Agency, Box 220, Radium Hot Springs, BC, V0A 1M0, Canada.
| | - Jerod A Merkle
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université Laval, 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3166, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Marie Sigaud
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université Laval, 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université Laval, 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Greg A Wilson
- Parks Canada Agency, 1-55401 R.R. 203, Fort Saskatchewan, T8L 0V3, AB, Canada
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27
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Merkle JA, Sawyer H, Monteith KL, Dwinnell SPH, Fralick GL, Kauffman MJ. Spatial memory shapes migration and its benefits: evidence from a large herbivore. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1797-1805. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jerod A. Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
| | - Hall Sawyer
- Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc. Laramie WY USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Laramie WY USA
| | | | | | - Matthew J. Kauffman
- US Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
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28
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Shave JR, Derocher AE, Cherry SG, Thiemann GW. Chronic stress and body condition of wolf-killed prey in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz037. [PMID: 31308948 PMCID: PMC6618025 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress and poor body condition can cause adverse physiological and behavioural responses and may make animals more vulnerable to predation. We examined hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and marrow lipid content, as bioindicators of chronic stress and body condition, respectively, of bison (Bison bison bison), moose (Alces alces) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) killed by wolves (Canis lupus) in Prince Albert National Park (PANP), Saskatchewan, Canada. The Sturgeon River plains bison population in PANP is one of only a few wild populations of plains bison in their historical range in Canada and has experienced a decline of around 50% since 2005. We expected wolf-killed bison to have elevated HCC compared to human-harvested bison and that there would be a negative relationship between HCC and marrow lipids among wolf-killed animals. We compared HCC between different mortality sources for bison (wolf-killed n = 20 or human-harvested n = 23) and found that HCC was significantly elevated in wolf-killed bison (¯ = 7.56 ± 1.35 pg/mg). We found that HCC, species, sex and snow depth were all significant predictor variables of marrow lipid content of bison (n = 14), moose (n = 11) and deer (n = 27). Bison displayed the strongest negative correlation between HCC and marrow lipid content (r2 = 0.31). Our results suggest that chronic stress and poor body condition make prey more vulnerable to predation by wolves. HCC and marrow lipid content can provide reliable indicators of the physiological response of animals to stressors and may provide information on expected predator success that can be used to predict predator population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R Shave
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Andrew E Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Gregory W Thiemann
- Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Barrett B, Zepeda E, Pollack L, Munson A, Sih A. Counter-Culture: Does Social Learning Help or Hinder Adaptive Response to Human-Induced Rapid Environmental Change? Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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30
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Simon RN, Cherry SG, Fortin D. Complex tactics in a dynamic large herbivore–carnivore spatiotemporal game. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Nouailhetas Simon
- Dépt de Biologie and Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Univ. Laval, Pavillon Alexandre‐Vachon, 1045, avenue de la Médecine bureau 2050 Québec QC G1V 0A6 Canada
| | - Seth G. Cherry
- Parks Canada, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit, Lake Louise Radium Springs BC Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Dépt de Biologie and Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Univ Laval Quebec QC Canada
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31
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Branco PS, Merkle JA, Pringle RM, Pansu J, Potter AB, Reynolds A, Stalmans M, Long RA. Determinants of elephant foraging behaviour in a coupled human‐natural system: Is brown the new green? J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:780-792. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paola S. Branco
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
| | - Jerod A. Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming
| | - Robert M. Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey
| | - Johan Pansu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey
| | - Arjun B. Potter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey
| | - Alana Reynolds
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey
| | - Marc Stalmans
- Department of Scientific Services Gorongosa National Park Sofala Mozambique
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
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32
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Nakayama S, Krasner E, Zino L, Porfiri M. Social information and spontaneous emergence of leaders in human groups. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20180938. [PMID: 30958196 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of social networks is the objective of interdisciplinary research ranging from animal collective behaviour to epidemiology, political science and marketing. Social influence is key to comprehending emergent group behaviour, but we know little about how inter-individual relationships emerge in the first place. We conducted an experiment where participants repeatedly performed a cognitive test in a small group. In each round, they were allowed to change their answers upon seeing the current answers of other members and their past performance in selecting correct answers. Rather than following a simple majority rule, participants granularly processed the performance of others in deciding how to change their answers. Toward a network model of the experiment, we associated a directed link of a time-varying network with every change in a participant's answer that mirrored the answer of another group member. The rate of growth of the network was not constant in time, whereby links were found to emerge faster as time progressed. Further, repeated interactions reinforced relationships between individuals' performance and their network centrality. Our results provide empirical evidence that inter-individual relationships spontaneously emerge in an adaptive way, where good performers rise as group leaders over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinnosuke Nakayama
- 1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering , 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, 11201 New York, NY , USA
| | - Elizabeth Krasner
- 1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering , 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, 11201 New York, NY , USA
| | - Lorenzo Zino
- 1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering , 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, 11201 New York, NY , USA.,3 Department of Mathematical Sciences, Politecnico di Torino , Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin , Italy
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- 1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering , 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, 11201 New York, NY , USA.,2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering , 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, 11201 New York, NY , USA
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Torney CJ, Lamont M, Debell L, Angohiatok RJ, Leclerc LM, Berdahl AM. Inferring the rules of social interaction in migrating caribou. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0385. [PMID: 29581404 PMCID: PMC5882989 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions are a significant factor that influence the decision-making of species ranging from humans to bacteria. In the context of animal migration, social interactions may lead to improved decision-making, greater ability to respond to environmental cues, and the cultural transmission of optimal routes. Despite their significance, the precise nature of social interactions in migrating species remains largely unknown. Here we deploy unmanned aerial systems to collect aerial footage of caribou as they undertake their migration from Victoria Island to mainland Canada. Through a Bayesian analysis of trajectories we reveal the fine-scale interaction rules of migrating caribou and show they are attracted to one another and copy directional choices of neighbours, but do not interact through clearly defined metric or topological interaction ranges. By explicitly considering the role of social information on movement decisions we construct a map of near neighbour influence that quantifies the nature of information flow in these herds. These results will inform more realistic, mechanism-based models of migration in caribou and other social ungulates, leading to better predictions of spatial use patterns and responses to changing environmental conditions. Moreover, we anticipate that the protocol we developed here will be broadly applicable to study social behaviour in a wide range of migratory and non-migratory taxa. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Collective movement ecology’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Torney
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QW, UK .,Centre for Mathematics & the Environment, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Myles Lamont
- TerraFauna Wildlife Consulting, 19313 Zero Avenue, Surrey, BC, Canada, V3Z 9R9.,Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Kugluktuk, NU, Canada, X0B 0E0
| | - Leon Debell
- Centre for Mathematics & the Environment, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | | | - Lisa-Marie Leclerc
- Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Kugluktuk, NU, Canada, X0B 0E0
| | - Andrew M Berdahl
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA .,School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Berdahl AM, Kao AB, Flack A, Westley PAH, Codling EA, Couzin ID, Dell AI, Biro D. Collective animal navigation and migratory culture: from theoretical models to empirical evidence. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0009. [PMID: 29581394 PMCID: PMC5882979 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals often travel in groups, and their navigational decisions can be influenced by social interactions. Both theory and empirical observations suggest that such collective navigation can result in individuals improving their ability to find their way and could be one of the key benefits of sociality for these species. Here, we provide an overview of the potential mechanisms underlying collective navigation, review the known, and supposed, empirical evidence for such behaviour and highlight interesting directions for future research. We further explore how both social and collective learning during group navigation could lead to the accumulation of knowledge at the population level, resulting in the emergence of migratory culture. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Collective movement ecology’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Berdahl
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA .,School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Albert B Kao
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrea Flack
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Peter A H Westley
- Department of Fisheries, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Edward A Codling
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Iain D Couzin
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Konstanz, Germany.,Chair of Biodiversity and Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anthony I Dell
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Alton, IL 62024, USA.,Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Dora Biro
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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Fryxell JM, Berdahl AM. Fitness trade-offs of group formation and movement by Thomson's gazelles in the Serengeti ecosystem. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0013. [PMID: 29581398 PMCID: PMC5882983 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective behaviours contributing to patterns of group formation and coordinated movement are common across many ecosystems and taxa. Their ubiquity is presumably due to altering interactions between individuals and their predators, resources and physical environment in ways that enhance individual fitness. On the other hand, fitness costs are also often associated with group formation. Modifications to these interactions have the potential to dramatically impact population-level processes, such as trophic interactions or patterns of space use in relation to abiotic environmental variation. In a wide variety of empirical systems and models, collective behaviour has been shown to enhance access to ephemeral patches of resources, reduce the risk of predation and reduce vulnerability to environmental fluctuation. Evolution of collective behaviour should accordingly depend on the advantages of collective behaviour weighed against the costs experienced at the individual level. As an illustrative case study, we consider the potential trade-offs on Malthusian fitness associated with patterns of group formation and movement by migratory Thomson's gazelles in the Serengeti ecosystem. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Collective movement ecology’.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Andrew M Berdahl
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.,School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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Gil MA, Hein AM, Spiegel O, Baskett ML, Sih A. Social Information Links Individual Behavior to Population and Community Dynamics. Trends Ecol Evol 2018; 33:535-548. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Lesmerises F, Johnson CJ, St-Laurent MH. Landscape knowledge is an important driver of the fission dynamics of an alpine ungulate. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Westley PAH, Berdahl AM, Torney CJ, Biro D. Collective movement in ecology: from emerging technologies to conservation and management. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170004. [PMID: 29581389 PMCID: PMC5882974 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in technology and quantitative methods have led to the emergence of a new field of study that stands to link insights of researchers from two closely related, but often disconnected disciplines: movement ecology and collective animal behaviour. To date, the field of movement ecology has focused on elucidating the internal and external drivers of animal movement and the influence of movement on broader ecological processes. Typically, tracking and/or remote sensing technology is employed to study individual animals in natural conditions. By contrast, the field of collective behaviour has quantified the significant role social interactions play in the decision-making of animals within groups and, to date, has predominantly relied on controlled laboratory-based studies and theoretical models owing to the constraints of studying interacting animals in the field. This themed issue is intended to formalize the burgeoning field of collective movement ecology which integrates research from both movement ecology and collective behaviour. In this introductory paper, we set the stage for the issue by briefly examining the approaches and current status of research in these areas. Next, we outline the structure of the theme issue and describe the obstacles collective movement researchers face, from data acquisition in the field to analysis and problems of scale, and highlight the key contributions of the assembled papers. We finish by presenting research that links individual and broad-scale ecological and evolutionary processes to collective movement, and finally relate these concepts to emerging challenges for the management and conservation of animals on the move in a world that is increasingly impacted by human activity.This article is part of the theme issue 'Collective movement ecology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A H Westley
- Department of Fisheries, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Andrew M Berdahl
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Colin J Torney
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8SQ, UK
| | - Dora Biro
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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Stutz R, Bergvall U, Leimar O, Tuomi J, Rautio P. Cohesiveness reduces foraging efficiency in a social herbivore. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. An evolutionary framework outlining the integration of individual social and spatial ecology. J Anim Ecol 2017; 87:113-127. [PMID: 29055050 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Behaviour is the interface between an organism and its environment, and behavioural plasticity is important for organisms to cope with environmental change. Social behaviour is particularly important because sociality is a dynamic process, where environmental variation influences group dynamics and social plasticity can mediate resource acquisition. Heterogeneity in the ecological environment can therefore influence the social environment. The combination of the ecological and social environments may be interpreted collectively as the "socioecological environment," which could explain variation in fitness. Our objective was to outline a framework through which individual social and spatial phenotypes can be integrated and interpreted as phenotypes that covary as a function of changes in the socioecological environment. We propose the socioecological environment is composed of individual behavioural traits, including sociality and habitat selection, both of which are repeatable, potentially heritable and may reflect animal personality traits. We also highlight how ecological and social niche theory can be applied to the socioecological environment framework, where individuals occupy different socioecological niches. Individual sociality and habitat selection are also density-dependent, and theory predicts that density-dependent traits should affect reproduction, survival, and therefore fitness and population dynamics. We then illustrate the proximate links between sociality, habitat selection and fitness as well as the ultimate, and possibly adaptive, consequences associated with changes in population density. The ecological, evolutionary and applied implications of our proposed socioecological environment framework are broad and changes in density could influence individual fitness and population dynamics. For instance, human-induced environmental changes can influence population density, which can affect the distribution of social and spatial phenotypes within a population. In summary, we outline a conceptual framework that incorporates individual social and spatial behavioural traits with fitness and we highlight a range of ecological and evolutionary processes that are likely associated with the socioecological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.,Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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Bennitt E, Bonyongo MC, Harris S. Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) social dynamics in a flood-pulsed environment. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Berdahl A, Westley PA, Quinn TP. Social interactions shape the timing of spawning migrations in an anadromous fish. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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