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Coppeto DJ, Martin JS, Ringen EJ, Palmieri V, Young LJ, Jaeggi AV. Peptides and primate personality: Central and peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin levels and social behavior in two baboon species (Papio hamadryas and Papio anubis). Peptides 2024; 179:171270. [PMID: 38969236 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The neurohormones oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are involved in social behaviors and psychiatric conditions. However, more research on nonhuman primates with complex social behaviors is needed. We studied two closely-related primate species with divergent social and mating systems; hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas, n=38 individuals) and anubis baboons (Papio anubis, n=46). We measured OT in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, n=75), plasma (n=81) and urine (n=77), and AVP in CSF (n=45), and we collected over 250 hours of focal behavioral observations. Using Bayesian multivariate models, we found no clear species difference in hormone levels; the strongest support was for hamadryas having higher CSF OT levels than anubis (posterior probability [PP] for females = 0.75, males = 0.84). Looking at nine specific behaviors, OT was associated with affiliative behaviors (approach, proximity, grooming, PP ∼ 0.85 - 1.00), albeit inconsistently across sources of measurement (CSF, plasma, and urine, which were uncorrelated with each other). Most behaviors had low repeatability (R ∼ 0 - 0.2), i.e. they did not exhibit stable between-individual differences (or "personality"), and different behaviors did not neatly coalesce into higher-order factors (or "behavioral syndromes"), which cautions against the use of aggregate behavioral measures and highlights the need to establish stable behavioral profiles when testing associations with baseline hormone levels. In sum, we found some associations between peptides and social behavior, but also many null results, OT levels from different sources were uncorrelated, and our behavioral measures did not indicate clear individual differences in sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Coppeto
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jordan S Martin
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Erik J Ringen
- Linguistic Research Infrastructure, University of Zurich, Zurich 8050, Switzerland
| | | | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.
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2
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Allan ATL, LaBarge LR, Bailey AL, Jones B, Mason Z, Pinfield T, Schröder F, Whitaker A, White AF, Wilkinson H, Hill RA. Behavioural compatibility, not fear, best predicts the looking patterns of chacma baboons. Commun Biol 2024; 7:980. [PMID: 39134612 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06657-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal vigilance is often investigated under a narrow set of scenarios, but this approach may overestimate its contribution to animal lives. A solution may be to sample all looking behaviours and investigate numerous competing hypotheses in a single analysis. In this study, using a wild group of habituated chacma baboons (Papio ursinus griseipes) as a model system, we implemented a framework for predicting the key drivers of looking by comparing the strength of a full array of biological hypotheses. This included methods for defining individual-specific social threat environments, quantifying individual tolerance to human observers, and incorporating predator resource selection functions. Although we found evidence supporting reactionary and within-group (social) vigilance hypotheses, risk factors did not predict looking with the greatest precision, suggesting vigilance was not a major component of the animals' behavioural patterns generally. Instead, whilst some behaviours constrain opportunities for looking, many shared compatibility with looking, alleviating the pressure to be pre-emptively vigilant for threats. Exploring looking patterns in a thorough multi-hypothesis framework should be feasible across a range of taxa, offering new insights into animal behaviour that could alter our concepts of fear ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T L Allan
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa.
| | - Laura R LaBarge
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Annie L Bailey
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Benjamin Jones
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Zachary Mason
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Thomas Pinfield
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Felix Schröder
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Alex Whitaker
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Amy F White
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Henry Wilkinson
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
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3
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LaBarge LR, Krofel M, Allen ML, Hill RA, Welch AJ, Allan ATL. Keystone individuals - linking predator traits to community ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00166-6. [PMID: 39068138 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.07.001] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Individual behavioral plasticity enables animals to adjust to different scenarios. Yet, personality traits limit this flexibility, leading to consistent interindividual differences in behavior. These individual behavioral traits have the potential to govern community interactions, although testing this is difficult in complex natural systems. For large predators who often exert strong effects on ecosystem functioning, this behavioral diversity may be especially important and lead to individualized ecosystem roles. We present a framework for quantifying individual behavioral plasticity and personality traits of large wild predators, revealing the extent to which certain natural behaviors are governed by these latent traits. The outcomes will reveal how the innate characteristics of wildlife can scale up to affect community interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R LaBarge
- Comparative Socioecology Group, Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maximilian L Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
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4
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Zhu B, Qu J, Cui J. Plateau pikas near roads are bold and silent when facing a potential predator. Curr Zool 2023; 69:552-558. [PMID: 37637317 PMCID: PMC10449412 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human disturbance, particularly road traffic, is one of the greatest threats to wildlife. Considering the association between alerting behavior and the survival of animals, it is important to study the effects of road traffic on alerting behavior of wildlife. Previous studies assessing the short-term impact of road traffic on alerting behavior of wildlife have focused on vigilance distances. However, studies on the use of alarm calls are scarce, and it is unclear whether such behavioral responses change after repeated exposure to road traffic. We assessed the alerting behavior of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) who were near or far from roads when facing a potential predator. We found that pikas near roads exhibited shorter vigilance and tolerance distances, and produced fewer alarm calls than those relatively far away from roads. Furthermore, both vigilance and tolerance distances of plateau pikas were significantly positively correlated with the distance from the burrow to the road. Road traffic reduced antipredator responses and shaped alerting behavior; that is, pikas near roads were bolder and more silent compared to those far away from roads. Our findings suggest that increasing urbanization will have corresponding effects on animal behavior, which may have significant fitness effects in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bicheng Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiapeng Qu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai 810008, China
- Qinghai Haibei National Field Research Station of Alpine Grassland Ecosystem, Qinghai 810008, China
| | - Jianguo Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
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5
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Hammond P, Lewis‐Bevan L, Biro D, Carvalho S. Risk perception and terrestriality in primates: A quasi‐experiment through habituation of chacma baboons (
Papio ursinus
) in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9540627 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Habituation is a common pre‐requisite for studying noncaptive primates. Details and quantitative reporting on this process are often overlooked but are useful for measuring human impact on animal behavior, especially when comparing studies across time or sites. During habituation, perceived risk of a stimulus—human observers—is assumed to decline with repeated exposure to that stimulus. We use habituation as a quasi‐experiment to study the landscape of fear, exploring relationships between actual risk, perceived risk, mediating environmental variables, and behavioral correlates. Materials and Methods We recorded vocalizations and observer‐directed vigilance as indicators of perceived risk during habituation of two troops of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Here, we model changes in these variables as a function of habituation time, troop, time of day, and habitat features. We also model the relationship between each of the anti‐predator behaviors and ground‐use, exploring whether they predict greater terrestriality in the baboons. Results In both troops, vocalization rates and observer‐directed vigilance declined with cumulative exposure to observers, but were heightened later in the day and in denser habitat types. We found that terrestrial activity was negatively related to levels of both vocalizations and observer‐directed vigilance. Discussion This study provides a quantitative assessment of the impact of human observation on primate behavior and highlights environmental variables that influence anti‐predator behaviors, perhaps indicating heightened perception of risk. The relationship between perceived risk and terrestriality is significant for understanding the evolution of this rare trait in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Hammond
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Dora Biro
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences University of Rochester Rochester New York USA
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Paleo‐Primate Project Gorongosa National Park Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB) Universidade do Algarve Faro Portugal
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6
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LaBarge LR, Allan ATL, Berman CM, Hill RA, Margulis SW. Cortisol metabolites vary with environmental conditions, predation risk, and human shields in a wild primate, Cercopithecus albogularis. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105237. [PMID: 35908334 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Environmental challenges are often associated with physiological changes in wildlife that allow animals to maintain homeostasis. Among these, scarcity in resources, and risks from predators, competitors, and humans can all result in psychological and physiological stress. Yet, for habituated species, it is not clear whether this relationship with humans still holds to a lesser degree or is outweighed by the benefits of human presence - such as serving as a buffer from competitors or predators. We investigated how human presence and environmental challenges such as resource availability, weather, predation, and competition may be associated with variation in fecal cortisol metabolite levels (FCMs) in a group of samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa. FCMs can often broadly track environmental challenges and perturbations. Initially, we employed an exploratory analysis comparing candidate models representing biological hypotheses and found that those incorporating information on human presence had less weight than models for food availability, thermoregulation, and water scarcity. When we examined a subset of the data that included information on intergroup competition and predator alarm calls, we found that FCMs were higher on the day following potential predator encounters but not competitive interactions. As observer numbers increased, responses to predators flattened, indicating that the presence of several humans might deter predators and/or affect samangos' perception of danger - yet we could not distinguish between these possibilities. Together, these results suggest that ecological perturbations track with FCMs in this study population and challenge long-held assumptions that human presence has negligible effects on habituated study animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R LaBarge
- Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, Department of Environment and Sustainability, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, NY, USA; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa.
| | - Andrew T L Allan
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa; Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Carol M Berman
- Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, Department of Environment and Sustainability, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, NY, USA; Department of Anthropology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, NY, USA
| | - Russell A Hill
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, South Africa; Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
| | - Susan W Margulis
- Department of Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Biology, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY, USA
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7
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Kluen E, Rönkä K, Thorogood R. Prior experience of captivity affects behavioural responses to 'novel' environments. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13905. [PMID: 36061744 PMCID: PMC9438767 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Information ecology theory predicts that prior experience influences current behaviour, even if the information is acquired under a different context. However, when individuals are tested to quantify personality, cognition, or stress, we usually assume that the novelty of the test is consistent among individuals. Surprisingly, this 'gambit of prior experience' has rarely been explored. Therefore, here we make use of a wild population of great tits (Parus major) to test if prior experience of handling and captivity influences common measures of exploration (open field tests in two novel contexts: room and cage arenas), social response (simulated using a mirror), and behavioural stress (breathing rate). We found that birds with prior experience of captivity (caught previously for unrelated learning and foraging experiments) were more exploratory, but this depended on age: exploration and captivity experience (in terms of both absolute binary experience and the length of time spent in captivity) were associated more strongly in young (first-winter) birds than in adults. However, there was no association of prior experience of captivity with social response and breathing rate, and nor did the measures of exploration correlate. Together our results suggest that re-testing of individuals requires careful consideration, particularly for younger birds, and previous experiences can carry over and affect behaviours differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Kluen
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katja Rönkä
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rose Thorogood
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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8
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Theódórsson BK, Ólafsdóttir GÁ. Laboratory measures of boldness correlate with ecological niche in threespine stickleback. Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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9
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Dissegna A, Grassi M, Chiandetti C. Individual differences in habituation: Innate covariation between habituation, exploration, and body size in naïve chicks (Gallus gallus). Behav Processes 2022; 200:104705. [PMID: 35843444 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104705] [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: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Habituation to novel stimuli has been associated with behavioural differences among individuals in numerous animal species. Because the habituation mechanisms depend on previous experiences with a stimulus, one would expect individuals to develop their habituation capacity based on the life experiences that also shape their behavioural traits. And indeed, in adult lizards, exploratory behaviour and body size correlates with habituation. However, here we show that the same factors correlate with habituation of domestic chicks reared under controlled laboratory conditions and tested in the first 3 days after hatching. This result indicates that the covariation between habituation, exploration, and body size does not necessarily depend on experience. Rather, it represents an innate association between exploratory behaviour and risk assessment, which may provide an immediate survival advantage to new-borns of this precocial avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Dissegna
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Michele Grassi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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10
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Allan ATL, White AF, Hill RA. Intolerant baboons avoid observer proximity, creating biased inter-individual association patterns. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8077. [PMID: 35577907 PMCID: PMC9110335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12312-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Social network analysis is an increasingly popular tool for behavioural ecologists exploring the social organisation of animal populations. Such analyses require data on inter-individual association patterns, which in wild populations are often collected using direct observations of habituated animals. This assumes observers have no influence on animal behaviour; however, our previous work showed that individuals in a habituated group of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus griseipes) displayed consistent and individually distinct responses to observer approaches. We explored the implications of our previous findings by measuring the inter-individual association patterns of the same group of chacma baboons at different observer distances. We found a strong positive association between individual tolerance levels (towards observers) and how often an animal appeared as a neighbour to focal animals when observers were nearer, and a neutral relationship between the same variables when the observer was further away. Additionally, association matrices constructed from different observation distances were not comparable within any proximity buffer, and neither were the individual network metrics generated from these matrices. This appears to be the first empirical evidence that observer presence and behaviour can influence the association patterns of habituated animals and thus have potentially significant impacts on measured social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T L Allan
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. .,Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa.
| | - Amy F White
- Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.,Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa.,Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
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11
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Walton BJ, Findlay LJ, Hill RA. Camera traps and guard observations as an alternative to researcher observation for studying anthropogenic foraging. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8808. [PMID: 35432939 PMCID: PMC9006232 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging by wildlife on anthropogenic foods can have negative impacts on both humans and wildlife. Addressing this issue requires reliable data on the patterns of anthropogenic foraging by wild animals, but while direct observation by researchers can be highly accurate, this method is also costly and labor‐intensive, making it impractical in the long‐term or over large spatial areas. Camera traps and observations by guards employed to deter animals from fields could be efficient alternative methods of data collection for understanding patterns of foraging by wildlife in crop fields. Here, we investigated how data on crop‐foraging by chacma baboons and vervet monkeys collected by camera traps and crop guards predicted data collected by researchers, on a commercial farm in South Africa. We found that data from camera traps and field guard observations predicted crop loss and the frequency of crop‐foraging events from researcher observations for crop‐foraging by baboons and to a lesser extent for vervets. The effectiveness of cameras at capturing crop‐foraging events was dependent on their position on the field edge. We believe that these alternatives to direct observation by researchers represent an efficient and low‐cost method for long‐term and large‐scale monitoring of foraging by wildlife on crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Walton
- Department of Anthropology University of Durham Durham UK
| | | | - Russell A. Hill
- Department of Anthropology University of Durham Durham UK
- Primate & Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Louis Trichardt South Africa
- Department of Zoology University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
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12
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The Habituation Process in Two Groups of Wild Moor Macaques ( Macaca maura). INT J PRIMATOL 2022; 43:291-316. [PMID: 35043025 PMCID: PMC8758468 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-021-00275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
When studying animal behavior in the wild, some behaviors may require observation from a relatively short distance. In these cases, habituation is commonly used to ensure that animals do not perceive researchers as a direct threat and do not alter their behavior in their presence. However, habituation can have significant effects on the welfare and conservation of the animals. Studying how nonhuman primates react to the process of habituation can help to identify the factors that affect habituation and implement habituation protocols that allow other researchers to speed up the process while maintaining high standards of health and safety for both animals and researchers. In this study, we systematically described the habituation of two groups of wild moor macaques (Macaca maura), an Endangered endemic species of Sulawesi Island (Indonesia), to assess the factors that facilitate habituation and reduce impact on animal behavior during this process. During 7 months, we conducted behavioral observations for more than 7,872 encounters and an average of 120 days to monitor how macaque behavior toward researchers changed through time in the two groups under different conditions. We found that both study groups (N = 56, N = 41) became more tolerant to the presence of researchers during the course of the habituation, with occurrence of neutral group responses increasing, and minimum distance to researchers and occurrence of fearful group responses decreasing through time. These changes in behavior were predominant when macaques were in trees, with better visibility conditions, when researchers maintained a longer minimum distance to macaques and, unexpectedly, by the presence of more than one researcher. By identifying these factors, we contribute to designing habituation protocols that decrease the likelihood of fearful responses and might reduce the stress experienced during this process.
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13
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Guo C, Zhou S, Krzton A, Xiang Z. Variation in escape response of Himalayan marmots (
Marmota himalayana
) under different human disturbances. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology Central South University of Forestry and Technology Changsha China
| | - Shuailing Zhou
- College of Life Science and Technology Central South University of Forestry and Technology Changsha China
| | - Ali Krzton
- Department of Research and Instruction RBD Library Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
| | - Zuofu Xiang
- College of Life Science and Technology Central South University of Forestry and Technology Changsha China
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14
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Allan ATL, Bailey AL, Hill RA. Consistency in the flight and visual orientation distances of habituated chacma baboons after an observed leopard predation. Do flight initiation distance methods always measure perceived predation risk? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15404-15416. [PMID: 34765186 PMCID: PMC8571578 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Flight initiation distance (FID) procedures are used to assess the risk perception animals have for threats (e.g., natural predators, hunters), but it is unclear whether these assessments remain meaningful if animals have habituated to certain human stimuli (e.g., researchers, tourists). Our previous work showed that habituated baboons displayed individually distinct and consistent responses to human approaches, a tolerance trait, but it is unknown if the trait is resilient to life-threatening scenarios. If it were consistent, it would imply FIDs might measure specific human threat perception only and not generalize to other threats such as predators when animals have experienced habituation processes. We used FID procedures to compare baseline responses to the visual orientation distance, FID, and individual tolerance estimates assessed after a leopard predation on an adult male baboon (group member). All variables were consistent despite the predation event, suggesting tolerance to observers was largely unaffected by the predation and FID procedures are unlikely to be generalizable to other threats when habituation has occurred. FID approaches could be an important tool for assessing how humans influence animal behavior across a range of contexts, but careful planning is required to understand the type of stimuli presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T. L. Allan
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
- Primate and Predator ProjectLajuma Research CentreLouis TrichardtSouth Africa
| | - Annie L. Bailey
- Primate and Predator ProjectLajuma Research CentreLouis TrichardtSouth Africa
| | - Russell A. Hill
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
- Primate and Predator ProjectLajuma Research CentreLouis TrichardtSouth Africa
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of VendaThohoyandouSouth Africa
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15
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Abstract
AbstractObserving and quantifying primate behavior in the wild is challenging. Human presence affects primate behavior and habituation of new, especially terrestrial, individuals is a time-intensive process that carries with it ethical and health concerns, especially during the recent pandemic when primates are at even greater risk than usual. As a result, wildlife researchers, including primatologists, have increasingly turned to new technologies to answer questions and provide important data related to primate conservation. Tools and methods should be chosen carefully to maximize and improve the data that will be used to answer the research questions. We review here the role of four indirect methods—camera traps, acoustic monitoring, drones, and portable field labs—and improvements in machine learning that offer rapid, reliable means of combing through large datasets that these methods generate. We describe key applications and limitations of each tool in primate conservation, and where we anticipate primate conservation technology moving forward in the coming years.
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Definition and interpretation effects: how different vigilance definitions can produce varied results. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Azaki BDA, Cresswell W. Level of local human disturbance and feeding state determines escape behaviour in Eurasian Oystercatchers. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bukola DA Azaki
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Will Cresswell
- Centre for Biological Diversity University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
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Mitchell DJ, Beckmann C, Biro PA. Understanding the unexplained: The magnitude and correlates of individual differences in residual variance. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7201-7210. [PMID: 34188806 PMCID: PMC8216950 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral and physiological ecologists have long been interested in explaining the causes and consequences of trait variation, with a focus on individual differences in mean values. However, the majority of phenotypic variation typically occurs within individuals, rather than among individuals (as indicated by average repeatability being less than 0.5). Recent studies have further shown that individuals can also differ in the magnitude of variation that is unexplained by individual variation or environmental factors (i.e., residual variation). The significance of residual variation, or why individuals differ, is largely unexplained, but is important from evolutionary, methodological, and statistical perspectives. Here, we broadly reviewed literature on individual variation in behavior and physiology, and located 39 datasets with sufficient repeated measures to evaluate individual differences in residual variance. We then analyzed these datasets using methods that permit direct comparisons of parameters across studies. This revealed substantial and widespread individual differences in residual variance. The magnitude of individual variation appeared larger in behavioral traits than in physiological traits, and heterogeneity was greater in more controlled situations. We discuss potential ecological and evolutionary implications of individual differences in residual variance and suggest productive future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Mitchell
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life & Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVICAustralia
- Department of Zoology/EthologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Christa Beckmann
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life & Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVICAustralia
- School of Science and HealthWestern Sydney UniversityParramattaNSWAustralia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNSWAustralia
| | - Peter A. Biro
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life & Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVICAustralia
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