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Delval I, Fernández-Bolaños M, Izar P. Towards an Integrated Concept of Personality in Human and Nonhuman Animals. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2024; 58:271-302. [PMID: 37059965 PMCID: PMC10104772 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-023-09759-y] [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] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Every individual has an idiosyncratic way of feeling, thinking and behaving, which is relatively stable across time and situations. Usually known as Personality, today this phenomenon is recognized in many species, including arthropods, fish, avian or mammals. From an evolutionary perspective, research has shown that personality differences are manifest in distinctive forms of dealing with selective pressures, with consequences for fitness. Despite these facts, the study of personality in animals other than humans is relatively new. Only two decades ago, consistent behavioral individual differences were considered 'noise' around an optimal strategy for behavioral ecologists. Also, psychologists were not interested in animal personality as a consequence of the fear of anthropomorphization and the erroneous belief that humans are unique in nature. Fortunately, this misconception seems already overcome but there are still conceptual issues preventing a unified concept of personality. Throughout this review, we first explore the etymological origins of personality and other terminological issues. We further revise the historical course of the study of personality in humans and other animals, from the perspectives of Psychology and Behavioral Ecology, on the basis of the most used approach, the trait theory. We present the study of nonhuman primates as a paradigmatic example in between both frameworks. Finally, we discuss about the necessity of a unified science of personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Delval
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Fernández-Bolaños
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Izar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
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2
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Warrington MH, Beaulieu S, Jellicoe R, Vos S, Bennett NC, Waterman JM. Lovers, not fighters: docility influences reproductive fitness, but not survival, in male Cape ground squirrels, Xerus inauris. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2024; 78:6. [PMID: 38187116 PMCID: PMC10766660 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03421-8] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Over their lifetime, individuals may use different behavioural strategies to maximize their fitness. Some behavioural traits may be consistent among individuals over time (i.e., 'personality' traits) resulting in an individual behavioural phenotype with different associated costs and benefits. Understanding how behavioural traits are linked to lifetime fitness requires tracking individuals over their lifetime. Here, we leverage a long-term study on a multi-year living species (maximum lifespan ~ 10 years) to examine how docility (an individual's reaction to trapping and handling) may contribute to how males are able to maximize their lifetime fitness. Cape ground squirrels are burrowing mammals that live in social groups, and although males lack physical aggression and territoriality, they vary in docility. Males face high predation risk and high reproductive competition and employ either of two reproductive tactics ('natal' or 'band') which are not associated with different docility personalities. We found that although more docile individuals sired more offspring on an annual basis, docility did not affect an individual's long-term (lifetime) reproductive output. Survival was not associated with docility or body condition, but annual survival was influenced by rainfall. Our findings suggest that although docility may represent a behavioural strategy to maximize fitness by possibly playing a role in female-male associations or female mate-choice, variations in docility within our study population is likely maintained by other environmental drivers. However, individual variations in behaviours may still contribute as part of the 'tool kit' individuals use to maximize their lifetime fitness. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-023-03421-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miyako H. Warrington
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Sienna Beaulieu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Riley Jellicoe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Sjoerd Vos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa
| | - Jane M. Waterman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa
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3
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Branch CL, Welklin JF, Sonnenberg BR, Benedict LM, Heinen VK, Pitera AM, Bridge ES, Pravosudov VV. What's in a mate? Social pairing decisions and spatial cognitive ability in food-caching mountain chickadees. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231073. [PMID: 37700643 PMCID: PMC10498033 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1073] [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: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
While researchers have investigated mating decisions for decades, gaps remain in our understanding of how behaviour influences social mate choice. We compared spatial cognitive performance and food caching propensity within social pairs of mountain chickadees inhabiting differentially harsh winter climates to understand how these measures contribute to social mate choice. Chickadees rely on specialized spatial cognitive abilities to recover food stores and survive harsh winters, and females can discriminate among males with varying spatial cognition. Because spatial cognition and caching propensity are critical for survival and likely heritable, pairing with a mate with such enhanced traits may provide indirect benefits to offspring. Comparing the behaviour of social mates, we found that spatial cognitive performance approached a significant correlation within pairs at low, but not at high elevation. We found no correlation within pairs in spatial reversal cognitive performance at either elevation; however, females at high elevation tended to perform better than their social mates. Finally, we found that caching propensity correlated within pairs at low, while males cached significantly more food than their social mates at high elevations. These results suggest that cognition and caching propensity may influence social mating decisions, but only in certain environments and for some aspects of cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie L. Branch
- Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Benjamin R. Sonnenberg
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Lauren M. Benedict
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | | | - Angela M. Pitera
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Eli S. Bridge
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Vladimir V. Pravosudov
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
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4
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Nunes S. Animal-friendly behavioral testing in field studies: examples from ground squirrels. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1239774. [PMID: 37681193 PMCID: PMC10480841 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1239774] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Field studies of behavior provide insight into the expression of behavior in its natural ecological context and can serve as an important complement to behavioral studies conducted in the lab under controlled conditions. In addition to naturalistic observations, behavioral testing can be an important component of field studies of behavior. This mini review evaluates a sample of behavioral testing methods in field studies to identify ways in which behavioral testing can be animal-friendly and generate ethologically relevant data. Specific examples, primarily from studies of ground squirrels, are presented to illustrate ways in which principles of animal-friendly behavioral testing can be applied to and guide testing methods. Tests conducted with animals in their natural habitat and that elicit naturally occurring behavioral responses can minimize stress and disturbance for animals, as well as disruption of the larger ecosystem, and can have high ethological validity. When animals are trapped or handled as part of a study, behavioral testing can be incorporated into handling procedures to reduce overall disturbance. When behavior is evaluated in a testing arena, the arena can be designed to resemble natural conditions to increase the ethological relevance of the test. Efforts to minimize time spent in testing arenas can also reduce disturbance to animals. Adapting a behavioral test to a species or habitat conditions can facilitate reduced disruption to subjects and increased ethological relevance of the test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Nunes
- Department of Biology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Nunes S, Monroy Montemayor MP. Multiple benefits of juvenile play: A ground squirrel's perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105099. [PMID: 36804264 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive functions of play can vary across species, and also within species, reflecting behavioral ecology and evolutionary history. We evaluated juvenile play in Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi), a species for which field studies have assessed play behavior in the context of the squirrels' ecology and life history. Social play behavior in U. beldingi appears not to have the range of adaptive benefits related to social behavior apparent in species with more complex social organization. Play in juvenile U. beldingi improves general motor skill, which may translate to more proficient performance of behaviors during and beyond the juvenile period. Social play in juvenile squirrels is associated with refinement of temperament and behavior, promoting behavioral shifts toward less docile responses as well as more cautious behavior. Social play also influences behavior of juvenile squirrels in novel situations, fostering greater exploration and adaptability of responses. Important life events in U. beldingi such as the timing of natal dispersal and defense of maternal territories can be influenced by juvenile play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Nunes
- Department of Biology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA.
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Paradoxical associations between fitness components and behavioural phenotype in a wild bird. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
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7
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Tilgar V. Sex-Specific Effects of Blood Serotonin on Reproductive Effort in a Small Passerine. Physiol Biochem Zool 2023; 96:75-85. [PMID: 36626843 DOI: 10.1086/722132] [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] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AbstractLaboratory animal models have shown that blood serotonin levels reflect consistent individual differences in behavioral decision-making and maternal behavior. Serotonin could also help to understand intraspecific variation in reproductive strategies, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, the relationships of plasma serotonin with breeding parameters and parental behavior were examined in wild great tits (Parus major). Females who laid eggs earlier had higher levels of serotonin in the second half of the nestling period, while no significant relationship of serotonin with clutch size, brood size, and body size was detected. In males, serotonin levels were negatively related to clutch size and brood size and positively related to body size. The association of serotonin with provisioning behavior was sex specific, and acute fear stress induced by a predator presentation did not change this relationship. Food provisioning was positively related to size-corrected serotonin levels in females and negatively related to size-corrected serotonin levels in males. These results suggest that peripheral serotonin is a sensitive marker of parental behavior and reproductive effort in wild birds, while the mechanisms linking this neurotransmitter to reproduction are probably mediated by interplay between the serotonergic system, sex hormones, and other neurotransmitters.
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McCully FR, Weimerskirch H, Cornell SJ, Hatchwell BJ, Cairo M, Patrick SC. Partner intrinsic characteristics influence foraging trip duration, but not coordination of care in wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9621. [PMID: 36540077 PMCID: PMC9754911 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lived monogamous species gain long-term fitness benefits by equalizing effort during biparental care. For example, many seabird species coordinate care by matching foraging trip durations within pairs. Age affects coordination in some seabird species; however, the impact of other intrinsic traits, including personality, on potential intraspecific variation in coordination strength is less well understood. The impacts of pair members' intrinsic traits on trip duration and coordination strength were investigated using data from saltwater immersion loggers deployed on 71 pairs of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans. These were modeled against pair members' age, boldness, and their partner's previous trip duration. At the population level, the birds exhibited some coordination of parental care that was of equal strength during incubation and chick-brooding. However, there was low variation in coordination between pairs and coordination strength was unaffected by the birds' boldness or age in either breeding stage. Surprisingly, during incubation, foraging trip duration was mainly driven by partner traits, as birds which were paired to older and bolder partners took shorter trips. During chick-brooding, shorter foraging trips were associated with greater boldness in focal birds and their partners, but age had no effect. These results suggest that an individual's assessment of their partner's capacity or willingness to provide care may be a major driver of trip duration, thereby highlighting the importance of accounting for pair behavior when studying parental care strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueVilliers en BoisFrance
| | - Stephen J. Cornell
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Milena Cairo
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (UMR 7204)Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
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Caspi T, Johnson JR, Lambert MR, Schell CJ, Sih A. Behavioral plasticity can facilitate evolution in urban environments. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1092-1103. [PMID: 36058767 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity-led evolution is central to evolutionary theory. Although challenging to study in nature, this process may be particularly apparent in novel environments such as cities. We document abundant evidence of plastic behavioral changes in urban animals, including learning, contextual, developmental, and transgenerational plasticities. Using behavioral drive as a conceptual framework, our analysis of notable case studies suggests that plastic behaviors, such as altered habitat use, migration, diurnal and seasonal activity, and courtship, can have faciliatory and cascading effects on urban evolution via spatial, temporal, and mate-choice mechanisms. Our findings highlight (i) the need to incorporate behavioral plasticity more formally into urban evolutionary research and (ii) the opportunity provided by urban environments to study behavioral mechanisms of plasticity-led processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Caspi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Jacob R Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Max R Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Science Division, Habitat Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Christopher J Schell
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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10
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Assessing neophobia and exploration while accounting for social context: an example application in scimitar-horned oryx. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00271-1] [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]
Abstract
AbstractSpatial neophobia and exploration are often assessed in nonhuman animals by measuring behavioral responses to novel environments. These traits may especially affect the performance of individuals translocated to novel environments for conservation purposes. Here, we present methods to administer and analyze a minimally invasive novel environment test that accounts for the social context of focal individuals. We used an aerial platform to capture video footage of a captive herd of scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) entering an unfamiliar enclosure. We analyzed footage for seven individually identifiable oryx, scoring their behavioral responses (i.e., latency to enter the enclosure, and movement and posture after entering the enclosure) and social context (i.e., relative position and number of nearby animals). We performed a principal components analysis (PCA) to explore individual traits and responses, and used generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to determine the effect of individual traits and social context on individual posture and movement behaviors. Both PCA and GLMMs supported our expectation that social context affects individual behavior: high neighbor density and relative position were negatively related to individual movement, and variation in social context was positively related with head-up postures and movement. Oryx were well differentiated along two principal components that reflected (1) vigilance or caution, and (2) changing social context and age. These methods provide a framework for assessing individual responses to a novel environment in a group setting, which can inform reintroduction and wildlife management efforts, while minimizing interference with animal behavior and management operations.
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11
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Superb fairy-wrens with extreme exploration phenotypes respond more strongly to simulated territory intrusions. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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12
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Gibert RG, Maag DW, Sanders LN, Clark RW. Investigating personality in vipers: individual rattlesnakes exhibit consistent behavioral responses in defensive and exploratory contexts. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03239-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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13
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Similarity of locomotor personality trait within parents improves their reproduction in the common vole (Microtus arvalis) under laboratory conditions. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00649-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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14
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Kelleher SR, Silla AJ, Hunter DA, McFadden MS, Byrne PG. Captive diet does not influence exploration behavior upon reintroduction to the wild in a critically endangered amphibian. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.985545] [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
Exploration behavior can have profound effects on individual fitness. Consequently, knowledge of the proximate mechanisms underpinning exploration behavior may inform conservation breeding programs (CBPs) for threatened species. However, the environmental factors that influence exploration behavior in captivity and during the reintroduction process remain poorly understood. Dietary micronutrients, such as carotenoids, are known to affect the expression of energetically costly behavioral traits, and theoretically may also influence the degree of exploration behavior in various contexts. Here, we investigate whether dietary β-carotene supplementation in captivity influences exploration behavior upon reintroduction to the wild in the critically endangered southern corroboree frog, Pseudophryne corroboree. We conducted a manipulative dietary experiment where captive bred P. corroboree were supplemented with different doses of β-carotene for 40 weeks prior to release. Frogs (n = 115) were reintroduced to the wild using a soft-release approach, where they were released into field enclosures specifically designed for this species. Upon reintroduction, the frogs’ initial exploration behavior was measured using a standardized behavioral assay. There was no effect of diet treatment on any measure of exploration behavior (mean latency to leave the initial refuge, time spent mobile within the release apparatus and latency to disperse into the field enclosure). However, there was a significant relationship between individual body size and latency to leave the refuge, whereby smaller individuals left the refuge more rapidly. While these findings provide no evidence that β-carotene at the dosages tested influences P. corroboree exploration behavior in a reintroduction context, the effect of body size draws attention to the potential for bodily state to influence exploration behavior. We discuss the need for ongoing research investigating the influence of captive diet on post release behavior, and highlight how knowledge concerning state-dependent behavior might help to inform and direct reintroduction programs.
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15
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Gulotta NA, Mathot KJ. Does fluctuating selection maintain variation in nest defense behavior in Arctic peregrine falcons ( Falco peregrinus tundrius)? Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9284. [PMID: 36177133 PMCID: PMC9471043 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral expression can vary both within- (i.e., plasticity) and among-individuals (i.e., animal personality), and understanding the causes and consequences of variation at each of these levels is a major area of investigation in contemporary behavioral ecology. Here, we studied sources of variation in both plasticity and personality in nest defense behavior in Arctic peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus tundrius) in two consecutive years. We found that peregrines adjusted their nest defense in response to nesting stage and year, revealing plastic, state-dependent, adjustment of nest defense. At the same time, nest defense behavior was repeatable in peregrine falcons both within and between years. We tested if fluctuating selection on behavioral types (i.e., individuals average phenotypic expression) and/or assortative mating acted to maintain long-term among-individual differences in nest defense behavior. We found that selection on female nest defense differed across years; being positive in 1 year and negative in the other. We also found support for assortative mating in the first year, but disassortative mating in the second. We propose two potential explanations for the observed year-specific patterns of nonrandom mating: (1) year-specific plastic adjustment of nest defense and/or (2) changes in the age-structure of the breeding population. These posthoc explanations are speculative, and require further study. Unfortunately, we could not evaluate this directly with the available data, and future studies are needed with more than 2 years of data on nest-defense and fitness outcomes, and with a larger number of marked individuals, to properly evaluate these potential explanations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick A. Gulotta
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Nunavut Wildlife Cooperative Research UnitUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Present address:
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | - Kimberley J. Mathot
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Nunavut Wildlife Cooperative Research UnitUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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16
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Velasco AC, Ferrer ES, Sanz JJ. Intersexual differences in the exploratory behaviour of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Breeding performance and survival are mechanisms through which animal personality affects fitness. Exploration behaviour (EB) is an easily obtainable personality trait that correlates to multiple life-history traits, thus it has been widely used in animal personality studies. Through in situ Novel Environment exploration tests, we assessed the exploration behaviour of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) during two breeding seasons. A principal component analysis revealed two behavioural axes regarding the exploration behaviour: slow-fast and timid-daring. We found that male blue tits are significantly slower explorers than female blue tits, suggesting that evolutionary processes act unequally across sexes in our study area. To investigate these processes, we assessed the relationship between exploration behaviour and two fitness aspects: reproduction and survival. Slower-exploring males bred in nests with significantly shorter incubation periods, and timid males had higher local return ratios. Interactions between male and female EB revealed that disassortative pairs were more successful breeders than assortative ones. Further research should explore potential evolutionary implications of intersexual EB differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adara C. Velasco
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC; Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva), Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esperanza S. Ferrer
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC; Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva), Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Sanz
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC; Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva), Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
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17
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Female Java sparrows prefer high exploratory males without assortative mating. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104671. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Class B, Dingemanse NJ. A variance partitioning perspective of assortative mating: Proximate mechanisms and evolutionary implications. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:483-490. [PMID: 35304800 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Assortative mating occurs when paired individuals of the same population are more similar than expected by chance. This form of non-random assortment has long been predicted to play a role in many evolutionary processes because assortatively mated individuals are assumed to be genetically similar. However, this assumption may always hold for labile traits, or traits that are measured with error. For such traits, there is a variety of proximate mechanisms that can drive phenotypic resemblance between mated partners that, notably, have very different evolutionary repercussions. Bettering our understanding of the role of assortative mating in evolution will thus require insight into its proximate causes. To date, empirical research remains sparse, especially when for labile traits. This special issue aims to stimulate such research while promoting the usage and development of statistical approaches allowing the quantification of the relative roles of alternative proximate mechanisms causing assortative mating. To this end, we first describe how the phenotypic covariance between mated partners can be usefully partitioned into components that capture one or several of five distinct mechanisms. We then demonstrate why the importance of mechanisms causing genetic covariance between the traits of partners may often be overestimated. Finally, we detail how the evolutionary causes and consequences of the diverse mechanisms may be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Sippy Downs, Germany
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Kaplan G. Casting the Net Widely for Change in Animal Welfare: The Plight of Birds in Zoos, Ex Situ Conservation, and Conservation Fieldwork. Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010031. [PMID: 35011137 PMCID: PMC8749551 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animal welfare measures have been designed to improve the health and environmental conditions of animals living under human control, for whatever reason. Welfare regulations have evolved also in line with new research insights into the cognitive, affective, and physiological domain of birds, as this paper discusses. This paper casts a critical eye on areas that Animal Welfare regulations have not reached at all, have not gone far enough, or are not regulated or supervised. It identifies the plight of birds living in captivity or being studied in the field, which either by neglect, ignorance, or design are subject to practices and procedures that may not meet basic welfare standards. The paper discusses some profound contradictions in the way we think about birds and their plight in today’s world: marked for extinction on one hand and highly admired as pets on the other; damaging fieldwork on one hand and the aims of conservation on the other. It highlights some common and distressing examples of poor welfare in birds. It also offers some solutions involving simple legislative changes and ways to eliminate some unacceptably low ethical standards in the handling and management of birds. Abstract This paper discusses paradoxes in our relationship to and treatment of birds in captive and conservation contexts. The paper identifies modern and new challenges that arise from declining bird numbers worldwide. Such challenges have partly changed zoos into providers of insurance populations specifically for species at risk of extinction. They have also accelerated fieldwork projects, but by using advanced technological tools and in increasing numbers, contradictorily, they may cause serious harm to the very birds studied for conservation purposes. In practice, very few avian species have any notable protection or guarantee of good treatment. The paper first deals with shortcomings of identifying problematic avian behavior in captive birds. It then brings together specific cases of field studies and captive breeding for conservation in which major welfare deficits are identified. Indeed, the paper argues that avian welfare is now an urgent task. This is not just because of declining bird numbers but because of investment in new technologies in field studies that may have introduced additional stressors and put at risk bird survival. While the paper documents a substantial number of peer-reviewed papers criticizing practices counter to modern welfare standards, they have by and large not led to changes in some practices. Some solutions are suggested that could be readily implemented and, to my knowledge, have never been considered under a welfare model before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Kaplan
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
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Haave-Audet E, Besson AA, Nakagawa S, Mathot KJ. Differences in resource acquisition, not allocation, mediate the relationship between behaviour and fitness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:708-731. [PMID: 34859575 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Within populations, individuals often show repeatable variation in behaviour, called 'animal personality'. In the last few decades, numerous empirical studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms maintaining this variation, such as life-history trade-offs. Theory predicts that among-individual variation in behavioural traits could be maintained if traits that are positively associated with reproduction are simultaneously associated with decreased survival, such that different levels of behavioural expression lead to the same net fitness outcome. However, variation in resource acquisition may also be important in mediating the relationship between individual behaviour and fitness components (survival and reproduction). For example, if certain phenotypes (e.g. dominance or aggressiveness) are associated with higher resource acquisition, those individuals may have both higher reproduction and higher survival, relative to others in the population. When individuals differ in their ability to acquire resources, trade-offs are only expected to be observed at the within-individual level (i.e. for a given amount of resource, if an individual increases its allocation to reproduction, it comes at the cost of allocation to survival, and vice versa), while among individuals traits that are associated with increased survival may also be associated with increased reproduction. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, asking: (i) do among-individual differences in behaviour reflect among-individual differences in resource acquisition and/or allocation, and (ii) is the relationship between behaviour and fitness affected by the type of behaviour and the testing environment? Our meta-analysis consisted of 759 estimates from 193 studies. Our meta-analysis revealed a positive correlation between pairs of estimates using both survival and reproduction as fitness proxies. That is, for a given study, behaviours that were associated with increased reproduction were also associated with increased survival, suggesting that variation in behaviour at the among-individual level largely reflects differences among individuals in resource acquisition. Furthermore, we found the same positive correlation between pairs of estimates using both survival and reproduction as fitness proxies at the phenotypic level. This is significant because we also demonstrated that these phenotypic correlations primarily reflect within-individual correlations. Thus, even when accounting for among-individual differences in resource acquisition, we did not find evidence of trade-offs at the within-individual level. Overall, the relationship between behaviour and fitness proxies was not statistically different from zero at the among-individual, phenotypic, and within-individual levels; this relationship was not affected by behavioural category nor by the testing condition. Our meta-analysis highlights that variation in resource acquisition may be more important in driving the relationship between behaviour and fitness than previously thought, including at the within-individual level. We suggest that this may come about via heterogeneity in resource availability or age-related effects, with higher resource availability and/or age leading to state-dependent shifts in behaviour that simultaneously increase both survival and reproduction. We emphasize that future studies examining the mechanisms maintaining behavioural variation in populations should test the link between behavioural expression and resource acquisition - both within and among individuals. Such work will allow the field of animal personality to develop specific predictions regarding the mediating effect of resource acquisition on the fitness consequences of individual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elène Haave-Audet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Anne A Besson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.,Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Kimberley J Mathot
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.,Canada Research Chair, Integrative Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
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Versluys TMM, Flintham EO, Mas-Sandoval A, Savolainen V. Why do we pick similar mates, or do we? Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210463. [PMID: 34813721 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans often mate with those resembling themselves, a phenomenon described as positive assortative mating (PAM). The causes of this attract broad interest, but there is little agreement on the topic. This may be because empirical studies and reviews sometimes focus on just a few explanations, often based on disciplinary conventions. This review presents an interdisciplinary conceptual framework on the causes of PAM in humans, drawing on human and non-human biology, the social sciences, and the humanities. Viewing causality holistically, we first discuss the proximate causes (i.e. the 'how') of PAM, considering three mechanisms: stratification, convergence and mate choice. We also outline methods to control for confounders when studying mate choice. We then discuss ultimate explanations (i.e. 'the why') for PAM, including adaptive and non-adaptive processes. We conclude by suggesting a focus on interdisciplinarity in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M M Versluys
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | - Ewan O Flintham
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Mas-Sandoval
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent Savolainen
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
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22
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Fuss T. Mate Choice, Sex Roles and Sexual Cognition in Vertebrates: Mate Choice Turns Cognition or Cognition Turns Mate Choice? Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.749495] [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
The idea of “smart is sexy,” meaning superior cognition provides competitive benefits in mate choice and, therefore, evolutionary advantages in terms of reproductive fitness, is both exciting and captivating. Cognitively flexible individuals perceive and adapt more dynamically to (unpredictable) environmental changes. The sex roles that females and males adopt within their populations can vary greatly in response to the prevalent mating system. Based on how cognition determines these grossly divergent sex roles, different selection pressures could possibly shape the (progressive) evolution of cognitive abilities, suggesting the potential to induce sexual dimorphisms in superior cognitive abilities. Associations between an individual’s mating success, sexual traits and its cognitive abilities have been found consistently across vertebrate species and taxa, providing evidence that sexual selection may well shape the supporting cognitive prerequisites. Yet, while superior cognitive abilities provide benefits such as higher feeding success, improved antipredator behavior, or more favorable mate choice, they also claim costs such as higher energy levels and metabolic rates, which in turn may reduce fecundity, growth, or immune response. There is compelling evidence in a variety of vertebrate taxa that females appear to prefer skilled problem-solver males, i.e., they prefer those that appear to have better cognitive abilities. Consequently, cognition is also likely to have substantial effects on sexual selection processes. How the choosing sex assesses the cognitive abilities of potential mates has not been explored conclusively yet. Do cognitive skills guide an individual’s mate choice and does learning change an individual’s mate choice decisions? How and to which extent do individuals use their own cognitive skills to assess those of their conspecifics when choosing a mate? How does an individual’s role within a mating system influence the choice of the choosing sex in this context? Drawing on several examples from the vertebrate world, this review aims to elucidate various aspects associated with cognitive sex differences, the different roles of males and females in social and sexual interactions, and the potential influence of cognition on mate choice decisions. Finally, future perspectives aim to identify ways to answer the central question of how the triad of sex, cognition, and mate choice interacts.
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Consistency and plasticity of risk-taking behaviour towards humans at the nest in urban and forest great tits, Parus major. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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24
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Linking personality and health to use of space in the gray partridge: perspectives for management. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01526-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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25
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Holtmann B, Dingemanse NJ. Strong phenotypic trait correlations between mating partners do not result from assortative mating in wild great tits (Parus major). J Evol Biol 2021; 35:552-560. [PMID: 34327779 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable debate about the occurrence of assortative mating between phenotypic traits measured within natural populations. Meta-analyses have implied that assortative mating occurs generally in natural populations, but recent work indicates these conclusions largely result from biased data. Specifically, estimates of phenotypic correlations between mating partners do not solely result from nonrandom associations between individual-level traits of partners but also from other biological processes (joint phenotypic plasticity, indirect genetic effects), methodological practices (observer bias) and other unexplained residual correlations (e.g. correlated measurement error). This paper puts this critique to test. First, we estimated the overall phenotypic correlation between phenotypic traits of mating partners for a wild population of great tits. Second, we estimated various key variance components to reveal the extent to which phenotypic correlations between partners resulted from assortative mating, reversible plasticity, social partner effects and methodological practices. We performed our analyses for a range of phenotypic traits (body mass, breathing rate, exploration behaviour, wing and tarsus length) to derive general conclusions not hinging on the specifics of the traits involved. Our analyses support the conclusion that patterns of assortative mating exist at first glance but occur because of the biasing effects of correlated residuals likely caused by a combination of phenotypic responses to unknown environmental factors or measurement error-not because of intrinsic patterns of assortative mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Holtmann
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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26
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Mouchet A, Dingemanse NJ. A quantitative genetics approach to validate lab- versus field-based behavior in novel environments. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Conclusions about the adaptive nature of repeatable variation in behavior (i.e., “personality”) are often derived from laboratory-based assays. However, the expression of genetic variation differs between laboratory and field. Laboratory-based behavior might not predict field-based behavior thus, cross-context validation is required. We estimated the cross-context correlation between behavior expressed by wild great tits (Parus major) in established laboratory versus field novel environment assays. Both assays have been used as proxies for “exploration tendency.” Behavior in both contexts had similar repeatability (R = 0.35 vs. 0.37) but differed in heritability (h2 = 0.06 vs. 0.23), implying differences in selection pressures. Unexpectedly, there was no cross-context correlation. Laboratory- and field-based behavior thus reflected expressions of two distinct underlying characters. Post hoc simulations revealed that sampling bias did not explain the lack of correlation. Laboratory-based behavior may reflect fear and exploration, but field-based behavior may reflect escape behavior instead, though other functional interpretations cannot be excluded. Thus, in great tits, activity expressed in laboratory versus field novel environment assays is modulated by multiple quasi-independent characters. The lack of cross-context correlation shown here may also apply to other setups, other repeatable behaviors, and other taxa. Our study thus implies care should be taken in labeling behaviors prior to firm validation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Mouchet
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Großhaderner Straße, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Großhaderner Straße, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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de Azevedo CS, Young RJ. Animal Personality and Conservation: Basics for Inspiring New Research. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11041019. [PMID: 33916547 PMCID: PMC8065675 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The study of animal personality is important to conserve animals because it can help in selecting the most appropriate individuals to be released into the wild. Individuals not so bold or aggressive, less stressed, who explore their new environment with greater caution are often more likely to survive after release into the wild. In contrast, bolder and more aggressive animals reproduce more successfully and, therefore, can be released with the aim of rapid repopulation of an area. These and other aspects of how animal personality can help in conservation programs, as well as how to collect personality data are covered in this paper. Abstract The number of animal species threatened with extinction are increasing every year, and biologists are conducting animal translocations, as one strategy, to try to mitigate this situation. Furthermore, researchers are evaluating methods to increase translocation success, and one area that shows promise is the study of animal personality. Animal personality can be defined as behavioral and physiological differences between individuals of the same species, which are stable in time and across different contexts. In the present paper, we discuss how animal personality can increase the success of translocation, as well as in the management of animals intended for translocation by evaluating personality characteristics of the individuals. Studies of the influence of birthplace, parental behavior, stress resilience, and risk assessment can be important to select the most appropriate individuals to be released. Finally, we explain the two methods used to gather personality data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, s/n Bauxita, Ouro Preto, MG 35.400-000, Brazil
- Correspondence:
| | - Robert John Young
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford Manchester, Peel Building—Room G51, Salford M5 4WT, UK;
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28
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Faust KM, Goldstein MH. The role of personality traits in pair bond formation: pairing is influenced by the trait of exploration. BEHAVIOUR 2021; 158:447-478. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In species with long-term pair bonds, such as zebra finches, evaluating the quality of potential mates is critically important. Courtship is an opportunity to evaluate information from dynamic behavioural cues. Personality traits, as stable individual differences in behaviour, could predict the quality of a potential mate. How might personality traits influence mate choice? We examined the influence of several personality traits, including exploration, aggression, and social preference, on pair formation in zebra finches. We provided birds with a variety of potential mates and allowed them to select a pair partner. Our semi-naturalistic mate choice paradigm allowed birds to observe social information over an extended period, simulating the challenges of social evaluation that birds encounter in the wild. We found that pairing is influenced by personality, with birds selecting mates similar to them in exploration. The partner’s exploration score relative to their own was more important than the absolute exploration score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina M. Faust
- Department of Psychology, 211 Uris Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-7601, USA
| | - Michael H. Goldstein
- Department of Psychology, 211 Uris Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-7601, USA
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29
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Roth AM, Dingemanse NJ, Nakagawa S, McDonald GC, Løvlie H, Robledo-Ruiz DA, Pizzari T. Sexual selection and personality: Individual and group-level effects on mating behaviour in red junglefowl. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1288-1306. [PMID: 33630314 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13454] [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: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite increasing evidence of the importance of repeatable among-individual differences in behaviour (animal personality) in ecology and evolution, little remains known about the role of animal personalities in sexual selection. Here, we present an investigation of the hypothesis that the personalities of individuals and their sexual partners play a role in different episodes of sexual selection, and the extent to which these effects are modulated by the social environment. We first examined how two repeatable behaviours-exploration and boldness-are associated with pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection in male red junglefowl Gallus gallus, using replicate groups across three experimental sex ratio treatments. We further explored how the social environment modulates relationships between male personality and mating performance, and whether mating is assortative or disassortative with respect to exploration or boldness. Finally, we examined behavioural mechanisms linking personality with mating performance. Across all sex ratios, the fastest and slowest exploring males courted females proportionally less, and faster exploring males associated with females more and received more sexual solicitations. In female-biased groups, the fastest and slowest exploring males experienced the highest mating success and lowest sperm competition intensity. Faster exploring males also obtained more mates in female-biased groups when their competitors were, on average, slower exploring, and the proportion of matings obtained by fast-exploring males decreased with the proportion of fast-exploring males in a group, consistent with negative frequency-dependent sexual selection. While boldness did not predict mating performance, there was a tendency for individuals to mate disassortatively with respect to boldness. Collectively, our results suggest that male exploration can play a role in sexual selection, and that sexual selection on personality is complex and contingent on the social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Roth
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Grant C McDonald
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Hanne Løvlie
- Department of Physics Chemistry and Biology, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Tommaso Pizzari
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Rabdeau J, Badenhausser I, Gaffard A, Mangelinck C, Moreau J, Bretagnolle V, Monceau K. Assortative pairing for boldness and consequences for reproductive success in Montagu’s harrier. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Behavioural combination within pairs depending on personality and plasticity might influence reproductive success. However, studies testing this hypothesis are rare, especially in the case of monogamous species with bi-parental care in which the sexes exhibit different behavioural roles. In this study, we investigated the pairing patterns for both boldness and boldness plasticity in Montagu’s harriers (Circus pygargus), a species with sex-specific care, and the consequences for their reproductive success. We measured individual boldness and plasticity for both sexes, and we assessed the pairing pattern in the Montagu’s harrier population for these two traits. We calculated four indices to characterize the behavioural association within pairs: pair boldness, boldness similarity within pairs, pair plasticity and plasticity similarity within pairs. The relationship between the behaviour of the parents and the reproductive success was then tested through these four indices. We found a pattern of assortative pairing based on both boldness and plasticity in the Montagu’s harrier population. Within-pair similarity of plasticity had a significant effect on the reproductive success, which was higher for less similar pairs than for more similar pairs. Our results question the origin of this pairing pattern and suggest that ecological constraint and not sexual selection could be the major driver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Rabdeau
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Isabelle Badenhausser
- INRAE, Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Prairies Plantes Fourragères, Lusignan, France
| | - Agathe Gaffard
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Camille Mangelinck
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Jérôme Moreau
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
- UMR CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences, Équipe Écologie Évolutive, Université de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER ‘Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre’, CNRS, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Karine Monceau
- UMR 7372, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, Villiers en Bois, France
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31
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Long-term effects of prenatal sound experience on songbird behavior and their relation to song learning. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02939-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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32
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Jokela M, Hintsa T, Hintsanen M, Keltikangas‐Järvinen L. Adult temperament and childbearing over the life course. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/per.749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that temperament may predict childbearing. We examined the association between four temperament traits (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence of the Temperament and Character Inventory) and childbearing over the life course in the population‐based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study (n = 1535; 985 women, 550 men). Temperament was assessed when the participants were aged 20–35 and fertility history from adolescence to adulthood was reported by the participants at age 30–45. Discrete‐time survival analysis modelling indicated that high childbearing probability was predicted by low novelty seeking (standardized OR = 0.92; 95% confidence interval 0.88–0.97), low harm avoidance (OR = 0.90; 0.85–0.95), high reward dependence (OR = 1.09; 1.03–1.15) and low persistence (OR = 0.91; 0.87–0.96) with no sex differences or quadratic effects. These associations grew stronger with increase in numbers of children. The findings were substantially the same in a completely prospective analysis. Adjusting for education did not influence the associations. Despite its negative association with overall childbearing, high novelty seeking increased the probability of having children in participants who were not living with a partner (OR = 1.29; 1.12–1.49). These data provide novel evidence for the role of temperament in influencing childbearing, and suggest possible weak natural selection of temperament traits in contemporary humans. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Jokela
- Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Väestöliitto, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Taina Hintsa
- Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Dingemanse NJ, Class B, Holtmann B. Nonrandom Mating for Behavior in the Wild? Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 36:177-179. [PMID: 33279252 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Barbara Class
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Benedikt Holtmann
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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34
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Thys B, Eens M, Pinxten R, Iserbyt A. Pathways linking female personality with reproductive success are trait- and year-specific. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Personality (i.e., among-individual variation in average behavior) often covaries with fitness, but how such personality–fitness relationships come about is poorly understood. Here, we explore potential mechanisms by which two female personality traits (female–female aggression and female nest defense as manifested by hissing behavior) were linked with annual reproductive success in a population of great tits (Parus major), a socially monogamous species with biparental care. We hypothesized that personality-related differences in reproductive success result from variation in reproductive decision (lay date, brood size) and/or parental provisioning rates. Relative support for these mechanisms was evaluated using path analysis on data collected in two successive years. We reveal that larger broods were provisioned at a higher rate by both parents and that female, but not male, provisioning rate was involved in the trade-off between offspring number (brood size) and fledgling mass. Among-individual variation in female aggression, via its association with female provisioning rate, was negatively linked to fledgling mass (i.e., indirect effect), yet only in one of the study years. Male provisioning rate did not influence these relationships. In contrast, among-individual variation in hissing behavior was directly and negatively linked with fledgling mass in both years, via an underlying mechanism that remains to be identified (i.e., direct effect). Together, our findings emphasize that personality–fitness relationships may come about via different mechanisms across personality traits and/or years, thereby illustrating additional complexity in how selection might act on and maintain among-individual variation in behavioral phenotypes in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert Thys
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Rianne Pinxten
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Antwerp School of Education, University of Antwerp, Venusstraat 35, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Arne Iserbyt
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium
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Westneat DF. Developmental sequences, social feedbacks, and tasks: a comment on Loftus et al. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David F Westneat
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Dammhahn M, Mazza V, Schirmer A, Göttsche C, Eccard JA. Of city and village mice: behavioural adjustments of striped field mice to urban environments. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13056. [PMID: 32747632 PMCID: PMC7400609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69998-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental question of current ecological research concerns the drives and limits of species responses to human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC). Behavioural responses to HIREC are a key component because behaviour links individual responses to population and community changes. Ongoing fast urbanization provides an ideal setting to test the functional role of behaviour for responses to HIREC. Consistent behavioural differences between conspecifics (animal personality) may be important determinants or constraints of animals' adaptation to urban habitats. We tested whether urban and rural populations of small mammals differ in mean trait expression, flexibility and repeatability of behaviours associated to risk-taking and exploratory tendencies. Using a standardized behavioural test in the field, we quantified spatial exploration and boldness of striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius, n = 96) from nine sub-populations, presenting different levels of urbanisation and anthropogenic disturbance. The level of urbanisation positively correlated with boldness, spatial exploration and behavioural flexibility, with urban dwellers being bolder, more explorative and more flexible in some traits than rural conspecifics. Thus, individuals seem to distribute in a non-random way in response to human disturbance based on their behavioural characteristics. Animal personality might therefore play a key role in successful coping with the challenges of HIREC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Dammhahn
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Valeria Mazza
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Annika Schirmer
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Claudia Göttsche
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jana A Eccard
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Vanden Broecke B, Bongers A, Mnyone L, Matthysen E, Leirs H. Nonlinear maternal effects on personality in a rodent species with fluctuating densities. Curr Zool 2020; 67:1-9. [PMID: 33654484 PMCID: PMC7901759 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Consistent among-individual variation in behavior, or animal personality, is present in a wide variety of species. This behavioral variation is maintained by both genetic and environmental factors. Parental effects are a special case of environmental variation and are expected to evolve in populations experiencing large fluctuations in their environment. They represent a non-genetic pathway by which parents can transmit information to their offspring, by modulating their personality. While it is expected that parental effects contribute to the observed personality variation, this has rarely been studied in wild populations. We used the multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensis as a model system to investigate the potential effects of maternal personality on offspring behavior. We did this by repeatedly recording the behavior of individually housed juveniles which were born and raised in the lab from wild caught females. A linear correlation, between mother and offspring in behavior, would be expected when the personality is only affected by additive genetic variation, while a more complex relationship would suggests the presence of maternal effects. We found that the personality of the mother predicted the behavior of their offspring in a non-linear pattern. Exploration behavior of mother and offspring was positively correlated, but only for slow and average exploring mothers, while this correlation became negative for fast exploring mothers. This may suggests that early maternal effects could affect personality in juvenile M. natalensis, potentially due to density-dependent and negative frequency-dependent mechanisms, and therefore contribute to the maintenance of personality variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Vanden Broecke
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Aurelia Bongers
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ladslaus Mnyone
- Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O.Box 3110 Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Reactive stress-coping styles show more variable reproductive expenditure and fitness outcomes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9550. [PMID: 32533041 PMCID: PMC7293313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66597-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress-coping styles dictate how individuals react to stimuli and can be measured by the integrative physiological parameter of resting heart-rate variability (HRV); low resting HRV indicating proactive coping styles, while high resting HRV typifies reactive individuals. Over 5 successive breeding seasons we measured resting HRV of 57 lactating grey seals. Mothers showed consistent individual differences in resting HRV across years. We asked whether proactive and reactive mothers differed in their patterns of maternal expenditure and short-term fitness outcomes within seasons, using maternal daily mass loss rate to indicate expenditure, and pup daily mass gain to indicate within season fitness outcomes. We found no difference in average rates of maternal daily mass loss or pup daily mass gain between proactive and reactive mothers. However, reactive mothers deviated more from the sample mean for maternal daily mass and pup daily mass gain than proactive mothers. Thus, while proactive mothers exhibit average expenditure strategies with average outcomes, expenditure varies much more among reactive mothers with more variable outcomes. Overall, however, mean fitness was equal across coping styles, providing a mechanism for maintaining coping style diversity within populations. Variability in reactive mothers’ expenditures and success is likely a product of their attempts to match phenotype to prevailing environmental conditions, achieved with varying degrees of success.
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Barcelo-Serra M, Gordo O, Gonser RA, Tuttle EM. Behavioural polymorphism in wintering white-throated sparrows, Zonotrichia albicollis. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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You're Just My Type: Mate Choice and Behavioral Types. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:823-833. [PMID: 32451175 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Consistent individual differences in behavior [i.e., behavioral types (BTs)], are common across the animal kingdom. Consistency can make behavior an adaptive trait for mate choice decisions. Here, we present a conceptual framework to explain how and why females might evaluate a male's BT before mating. Because BTs are consistent across time or context, a male's BT can be a reliable indicator of his potential to provide direct benefits. Heritable BTs can enable informed mate choice via indirect benefits. Many key issues regarding patterns of mate choice, including sensory biases, context dependence, and assortative mating apply to BT-dependent mate choice. Understanding the relationship between BTs and mate choice may offer insights into patterns of variation and consistency common in behavioral traits.
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Jablonszky M, Krenhardt K, Markó G, Szász E, Hegyi G, Herényi M, Kötél D, Laczi M, Nagy G, Rosivall B, Török J, Garamszegi LZ. A behavioural trait displayed in an artificial novel environment correlates with dispersal in a wild bird. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mónika Jablonszky
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Katalin Krenhardt
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gábor Markó
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Plant Pathology Szent István University Budapest Hungary
| | - Eszter Szász
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gergely Hegyi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Márton Herényi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology Szent István University Gödöllő Hungary
| | - Dóra Kötél
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Miklós Laczi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Balázs Rosivall
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- MTA‐ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Institute of Physics Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSIC Seville Spain
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Hungarian Academy of Sciences Vácrátót Hungary
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Delclos PJ, Forero SA, Rosenthal GG. Divergent neurogenomic responses shape social learning of both personality and mate preference. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb220707. [PMID: 32054683 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.220707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Behavior plays a fundamental role in shaping the origin and fate of species. Mating decisions can act to promote or restrict gene flow, as can personality traits that influence dispersal and niche use. Mate choice and personality are often both learned and therefore influenced by an individual's social environment throughout development. Likewise, the molecular pathways that shape these behaviors may also be co-expressed. In this study on swordtail fish (Xiphophorus birchmanni), we show that female mating preferences for species-typical pheromone cues are entirely dependent on social experience with adult males. Experience with adults also shapes development along the shy-bold personality axis, with shy behaviors arising from exposure to risk-averse heterospecifics as a potential stress-coping strategy. In maturing females, conspecific exposure results in a strong upregulation of olfaction and vision genes compared with heterospecific exposure, as well as immune response genes previously linked to anxiety, learning and memory. Conversely, heterospecific exposure involves an increased expression of genes important for neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and social decision-making. We identify subsets of genes within the social decision-making network and with known stress-coping roles that may be directly coupled to the olfactory processes females rely on for social communication. Based on these results, we conclude that the social environment affects the neurogenomic trajectory through which socially sensitive behaviors are learned, resulting in adult phenotypes adapted for specific social groupings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo J Delclos
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de las Huastecas 'Aguazarca', A. C., Calnali, Hidalgo 43233, Mexico
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Santiago A Forero
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Gil G Rosenthal
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de las Huastecas 'Aguazarca', A. C., Calnali, Hidalgo 43233, Mexico
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González-Medina E, Castillo-Guerrero JA, Masero JA, Fernández G. Mate selection based on labile traits affects short-term fitness in a long-lived seabird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192578. [PMID: 32126956 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In long-lived monogamous social species, partner compatibility can play a crucial role in reproductive success. We evaluated assortative mating based on body condition (plasma triglyceride concentration), diet (δ15N), and foraging habitat (δ13C) in the blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii, a long-lived monogamous seabird. We investigated the effects of assortative mating (sum of triglycerides in a pair) and asymmetry within pairs (residuals from regression of female-male triglycerides) on reproductive performance and offspring growth (alkaline phosphatase, ALP). We found that strong assortative mating determined by body condition and diet seemed to be related to a signalling mechanism (nutritional state). This mating pattern had a substantial effect on the breeding parameters and influenced offspring ALP. Within-pair asymmetry did not influence any reproductive parameters, but the ALP of offspring was related to the within-pair relative female condition. Overall, our results indicate that individuals seek the best possible match to maximize their breeding investment and/or individuals are limited in their mate options by their current body condition, which has consequences for offspring fitness in the short term. Our findings show that assortative mating based on body condition produces notable variation in the joint condition of the pair, which determines their breeding success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick González-Medina
- Posgrado de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Conservation Biology Research Group, Área de Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06006, Spain
| | - José Alfredo Castillo-Guerrero
- Departamento de Estudios para el Desarrollo Sustentable de la Zona Costera, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, San Patricio-Melaque, Municipio de Cihuatlán, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - José A Masero
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Área de Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06006, Spain
| | - Guillermo Fernández
- Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán, Mexico
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Sommer-Trembo C, Schreier M, Plath M. Different preference functions act in unison: mate choice and risk-taking behaviour in the Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana). J ETHOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-020-00643-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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45
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Fanjul MS, Zenuto RR. Personality underground: evidence of behavioral types in the solitary subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8490. [PMID: 32110481 PMCID: PMC7034374 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal personalities have been studied in a wide variety of taxa, but among rodents, available studies are relatively scarce and have focused mainly on social species. In this study, we evaluated the existence of personality in the solitary subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. Specifically, we aimed to test individual differences in behavior that are stable over time and context in males of C. talarum captured in the wild. METHODS Our experimental design included two series of three behavioral tests each, carried out with a 35 day time interval. Each series included an Open Field test, a Social Encounter test, and an Open Field test with a predator stimulus. RESULTS Of the total recorded behaviors, 55.55% showed temporal consistency. Principal component analysis of consistent behaviors grouped them into four dimensions that explain inter individual behavioral variability, in order of importance: activity, socioaversion, boldness and exploration. Therefore, our results suggest that the concept of animal personality is applicable to C. talarum and the dimensions found are in accordance with the ecological and behavioral characteristics of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Sol Fanjul
- Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roxana R. Zenuto
- Grupo ‘Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento’, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Choi S, Grocutt E, Erlandsson R, Angerbjörn A. Parent personality is linked to juvenile mortality and stress behavior in the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2772-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Life history theory predicts that individuals will differ in their risk-taking behavior according to their expected future fitness. Understanding consequences of such individual variation within a behavioral trait is crucial in explaining potential trade-offs between different traits and in predicting future dynamics in changing environments. Here, we studied individuals in a wild arctic fox population to explore if (1) individual variation in risk-taking behaviors of adult arctic foxes and in stress-dealing behaviors of their juveniles exist and are consistent over time to verify the existence of personality traits; (2) those behavioral traits in adults and juveniles are correlated; (3) they can explain fitness-related components (i.e., juvenile physical condition, mortality rate). We presented simple field experiments assessing behavioral traits by observing adult reactions toward approaching observers, and juvenile behaviors while trapping. Through the experiments, we found highly consistent individual variation of adults in vigilance and boldness levels, and more flexible juvenile behavioral traits categorized as investigating, passive, and escaping. The offspring of bolder adults exhibited more investigating behaviors and were less passive than the offspring of shy adults. Juvenile physical condition was not related to their mortality nor any behavioral traits of either parents or themselves. Lastly, highly investigating and active juveniles with bold parents had significantly lower mortality rates. This shows that interactions between parent personality and juvenile behavioral traits affect a fitness-related component in the life history of individuals.
Significance statement
The recent surge of interest in consistent individual difference in behavior, also called as animal personality, has already focused on its fitness consequences, but few studies have investigated the interactions between parent and offspring personality, and their ecological consequences. Moreover, this has rarely been studied in wild canids. The arctic fox is a charismatic species showing wide individual variation in behaviors. They live in highly fluctuating tundra ecosystems providing different selection regimes, making it even more eco-evolutionarily intriguing. Yet, few studies looked into behavioral traits and their importance in this system. While introducing simple methods to improve personality research in the wild, we provide a unique example of how variation in both parents and their juveniles collectively works for group dynamics in a cyclic population. This provides a firm basic for understanding behavior-mediated dynamics and opens up broader questions on how fluctuating environments exert varying pressures on individual differences.
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Wat KKY, Herath APHM, Rus AI, Banks PB, Mcarthur C. Space use by animals on the urban fringe: interactive effects of sex and personality. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Personality traits shape individual perceptions of risks and rewards, and so, should affect how animals value and use their environment. Evidence is emerging that personality affects foraging, space use, and exploitation of novel environments such as urban habitat. But the influence of personality is also hypothesized to be sex-dependent when primary motivation for space use differs between sexes, as often occurs in polygynous species. We tested the influence of personality traits, interacting with sex, on space use by the polygynous common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula, in an urban-woodland boundary in Sydney, Australia. We quantified personality traits, including exploration, using behavioral assays in an artificial arena. We also GPS-tracked free-ranging individuals, and measured range size, core area: home range, and proportional urban range. We found that personality traits affected space use either as a main effect or, as predicted, an interaction with sex. More exploratory animals, regardless of sex, had higher core area: home range ratios and proportionally larger ranges within urban habitat. However, less exploratory females yet more exploratory males had larger ranges. Our findings provide new insight into movement ecology by demonstrating, for the first time, the sex-dependent influence of personality. The demonstrated influence of personality on urban use by possums also suggests a personality filter for wildlife, as populations transition into urban areas. Finally, as individuals at the interface between urban and natural habitat are also a conduit between the two, a corollary of our findings is that there may be personality-mediated spread of disease across this boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie K Y Wat
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Anushika P H M Herath
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Adrian I Rus
- 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
| | - Clare Mcarthur
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Griffith SC. Cooperation and Coordination in Socially Monogamous Birds: Moving Away From a Focus on Sexual Conflict. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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50
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Ihle M, Pick JL, Winney IS, Nakagawa S, Schroeder J, Burke T. Rearing Success Does Not Improve With Apparent Pair Coordination in Offspring Provisioning. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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