1
|
Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Philson CS, Zhang X, Blumstein DT. Social control is associated with increased reproductive skew in a wild mammal. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240003. [PMID: 38835239 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In group-living species, reproductive variation among individuals of the same sex is widespread. By identifying the mechanisms underlying this reproductive skew, we gain fundamental insights into the evolution and maintenance of sociality. A common mechanism, social control, is typically studied by quantifying dominance, which is one of many attributes of sociality that describes how individuals exert influence on others and is an incomprehensive measure of social control as it accounts only for direct relationships. Here, we use the global reaching centrality (GRC), which quantifies the degree of hierarchy in a social network by accounting for both direct and indirect social relationships. Using a wild, free-living population of adult female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), we found a positive relationship between the reproductive skew index and GRC: more despotic social groups have higher reproductive skew. The GRC was stronger predictor for skew than traditional measures of social control (i.e. dominance). This allows deeper insights into the diverse ways individuals control other group members' reproduction, a core component in the evolution of sociality. Future studies of skew across taxa may profit by using more comprehensive, network-based measures of social control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana A Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Rosario , Bogota D.C. 111221, Colombia
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior , Radolfzell 78457, Germany
| | - Conner S Philson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory , Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter , Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Xinping Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California , Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory , Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chaudhary N, Page AE, Salali GD, Dyble M, Major-Smith D, Migliano AB, Vinicius L, Thompson J, Viguier S. Hunter-Gatherer children's close-proximity networks: Similarities and differences with cooperative and communal breeding systems. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2024; 6:e11. [PMID: 38516373 PMCID: PMC10955362 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.1] [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: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Among vertebrates, allomothering (non-maternal care) is classified as cooperative breeding (help from sexually mature non-breeders, usually close relatives) or communal breeding (shared care between multiple breeders who are not necessarily related). Humans have been described with both labels, most frequently as cooperative breeders. However, few studies have quantified the relative contributions of allomothers according to whether they are (a) sexually mature and reproductively active and (b) related or unrelated. We constructed close-proximity networks of Agta and BaYaka hunter-gatherers. We used portable remote-sensing devices to quantify the proportion of time children under the age of 4 spent in close proximity to different categories of potential allomother. Both related and unrelated, and reproductively active and inactive, campmates had substantial involvement in children's close-proximity networks. Unrelated campmates, siblings and subadults were the most involved in both populations, whereas the involvement of fathers and grandmothers was the most variable between the two populations. Finally, the involvement of sexually mature, reproductively inactive adults was low. Where possible, we compared our findings with studies of other hunter-gatherer societies, and observed numerous consistent trends. Based on our results we discuss why hunter-gatherer allomothering cannot be fully characterised as cooperative or communal breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil Chaudhary
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QH, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Abigail E. Page
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical and Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Gul Deniz Salali
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Mark Dyble
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QH, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Daniel Major-Smith
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 2BN, UK
| | - Andrea B. Migliano
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lucio Vinicius
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - James Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Sylvain Viguier
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Montana MM, Kasper CB, Pinheiro FL, Pereira LFS, Abidu-Figueiredo M, de Souza-Junior P. Brain volumetry from CT-scan endocasts of three neotropical carnivores. Anat Histol Embryol 2024; 53:e13000. [PMID: 37994610 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.13000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies on brain anatomy can clarify specific evolutionary and behavioural aspects of wild animals. The rich diversity in a broad range of habitats makes carnivorans especially eligible for studying the relations between the brain form and behaviour, cognitive, sensorial and motor traits. This study compared the brain's contour and total and segmented brain volumetry in three species of neotropical carnivorans. CT images of 17 skulls of three species were acquired: Conepatus chinga (n = 6), Galictis cuja (n = 6) and Lontra longicaudis (n = 5). Three-dimensional endocasts allowed for estimating the brain's total and segmented volumes (olfactory bulb, rostral cerebrum, caudal cerebrum and cerebellum/brain stem). The average volume percentage of the segments was compared interspecifically and intraspecifically between the sexes. The otter has a notably more complex gyrification, typical for semiaquatic carnivorans. Proportionally, the olfactory bulb was significantly larger in hog-nosed skunks, possibly due to a better sense of smell for capturing insects. The proportional volumes of the rostral cerebrum, caudal cerebrum and cerebellum/brain stem segments did not differ between these species. Social behaviour traits and tactile, motor and balance skills were probably not sufficiently distinct to reflect differences in the brain segments analysed in these three species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marelise Moral Montana
- Laboratory of Animal Anatomy, Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Benhur Kasper
- Laboratory of Biology of Mammals and Birds, Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Felipe Lima Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Paleobiology, Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Abidu-Figueiredo
- Department of Animal and Human Anatomy, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo de Souza-Junior
- Laboratory of Animal Anatomy, Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Goll Y, Bordes C, Weissman YA, Shnitzer I, Beukeboom R, Ilany A, Koren L, Geffen E. The interaction between cortisol and testosterone predicts leadership within rock hyrax social groups. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14857. [PMID: 37684271 PMCID: PMC10491601 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41958-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Group movement leadership is associated with higher risks for those in the front. Leaders are the first to explore new areas and may be exposed to predation. Individual differences in risk-taking behavior may be related to hormonal differences. In challenging circumstances, such as risk-taking leadership that may pose a cost to the leader, cortisol is secreted both to increase the likelihood of survival by restoring homeostasis, and to mediate cooperative behavior. Testosterone too has a well-established role in risk-taking behavior, and the dual-hormone hypothesis posits that the interaction of testosterone and cortisol can predict social behavior. Based on the dual-hormone hypothesis, we investigated here whether the interaction between testosterone and cortisol can predict risk-taking leadership behavior in wild rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis). We used proximity loggers, observations, and playback trials to characterize hyrax leaders in three different leadership contexts that varied in their risk levels. In support of the dual-hormone hypothesis, we found that cortisol and testosterone interactions predict leadership that involves risk. Across different circumstances that involved low or high levels of risk, testosterone was positively related to leadership, but only in individuals (both males and females) with low levels of cortisol. We also found an interaction between these hormone levels and age at the low-risk scenarios. We suggest that the close social interactions and affiliative behavior among hyrax females within small egalitarian groups may make female leadership less risky, and therefore less stressful, and allow female leaders to influence group activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yael Goll
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Camille Bordes
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yishai A Weissman
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Inbar Shnitzer
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Rosanne Beukeboom
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Amiyaal Ilany
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Lee Koren
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Eli Geffen
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dettmer AM, Chusyd DE. Early life adversities and lifelong health outcomes: A review of the literature on large, social, long-lived nonhuman mammals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105297. [PMID: 37391110 PMCID: PMC10529948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Social nonhuman animals are powerful models for studying underlying factors related to lifelong health outcomes following early life adversities (ELAs). ELAs can be linked to lifelong health outcomes depending on the species, system, sensitive developmental periods, and biological pathways. This review focuses on the literature surrounding ELAs and lifelong health outcomes in large, social, relatively long-lived nonhuman mammals including nonhuman primates, canids, hyenas, elephants, ungulates, and cetaceans. These mammals, like humans but unlike the most-studied rodent models, have longer life histories, complex social structures, larger brains, and comparable stress and reproductive physiology. Collectively, these features make them compelling models for comparative aging research. We review studies of caregiver, social, and ecological ELAs, often in tandem, in these mammals. We consider experimental and observational studies and what each has contributed to our knowledge of health across the lifespan. We demonstrate the continued and expanded need for comparative research to inform about the social determinants of health and aging in both humans and nonhuman animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Dettmer
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 S. Frontage Rd., New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Daniella E Chusyd
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Health and Wellness Design, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Smith JE, Jaeggi AV, Holmes RK, Silk JB. Sex differences in cooperative coalitions: a mammalian perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210426. [PMID: 36440559 PMCID: PMC9703251 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In group-living species, cooperative tactics can offset asymmetries in resource-holding potential between individuals and alter the outcome of intragroup conflicts. Differences in the kinds of competitive pressures that males and females face might influence the benefits they gain from forming intragroup coalitions. We predicted that there would be a female bias in intragroup coalitions because females (1) are more like to live with kin than males are, and (2) compete over resources that are more readily shared than resources males compete over. We tested this main prediction using information about coalition formation across mammalian species and phylogenetic comparative analyses. We found that for nearly all species in which intragroup coalitions occur, members of both sexes participate, making this the typical mammalian pattern. The presence and frequency of female or male coalitions were not strongly associated with key socio-ecological factors like resource defensibility, sexual dimorphism or philopatry. This suggests that once the ability to form intragroup coalitions emerges in one sex, it is likely to emerge in the other sex as well and that there is no strong phylogenetic legacy of sex differences in this form of cooperation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cooperation among women: evolutionary and cross-cultural perspectives'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E. Smith
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, 105 Garfield Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54702, USA
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94631, USA
| | - Adrian V. Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Rose K. Holmes
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, 105 Garfield Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54702, USA
| | - Joan B. Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hansen MJ, Krause S, Dhellemmes F, Pacher K, Kurvers RHJM, Domenici P, Krause J. Mechanisms of prey division in striped marlin, a marine group hunting predator. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1161. [PMID: 36316537 PMCID: PMC9622829 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03951-3] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many terrestrial group-hunters cooperate to kill prey but then compete for their share with dominance being a strong predictor of prey division. In contrast, little is known about prey division in group-hunting marine predators that predominately attack small, evasive prey (e.g. fish schools). We identified individual striped marlin (Kajikia audax) hunting in groups. Groups surrounded prey but individuals took turns attacking. We found that competition for prey access led to an unequal division of prey among the predators, with 50% of the most frequently attacking marlin capturing 70–80% of the fish. Neither aggression, body size nor variation in hunting efficiency explained this skewed prey division. We did find that newly arrived groups of marlin gained on average more access to the prey. This raises the possibility that newly arrived marlin were hungrier and more motivated to feed. However, this result does not necessarily explain the unequal prey division among the predators because the skew in prey captures was found at the level of these groups. Dynamic prey division is probably widespread but under-reported in marine group-hunters and the inability of individuals to monopolize prey until satiation likely reduces the importance of social hierarchies for prey division. Striped marlin use a dynamic prey division method when hunting as a group, taking turns to feed but without doing so equally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Hansen
- grid.419247.d0000 0001 2108 8097Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - S. Krause
- grid.4562.50000 0001 0057 2672Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - F. Dhellemmes
- grid.419247.d0000 0001 2108 8097Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - K. Pacher
- grid.7468.d0000 0001 2248 7639Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - R. H. J. M. Kurvers
- grid.419247.d0000 0001 2108 8097Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany ,grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - P. Domenici
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177IBF-CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Area di Ricerca San Cataldo, Via G. Moruzzi N°1, 56124 Pisa, Italy ,IAS-CNR, Località Sa Mardini, 09170 Torregrande, Oristano Italy
| | - J. Krause
- grid.419247.d0000 0001 2108 8097Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany ,grid.6734.60000 0001 2292 8254Cluster of Excellence “Science of Intelligence,” Technical University of Berlin, Marchstr. 23, 10587 Berlin, Germany ,grid.7468.d0000 0001 2248 7639Present Address: Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Smith NMA, von Hippel W. Sex-Based Division of Labor Is a Form of Cooperation that Constrains both Males and Females. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:3293-3297. [PMID: 34799831 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02227-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M A Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - William von Hippel
- Centre for Psychology and Evolution, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Home Range and Movement Patterns of Reintroduced White Lions (Panthera leo melanochaita) in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12152003. [PMID: 35953993 PMCID: PMC9367277 DOI: 10.3390/ani12152003] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary White lions are a natural colour variant of the African lion found within certain lion prides in the Greater Kruger Park Region of South Africa. Human factors led to their absence until white lions were reintroduced in 2006. This study provides the first assessment of home range and movement behaviour of white lions as an index of reintroduction success. Home range is the area where an animal spends its time and encompasses all the resources the animal requires to survive and reproduce. The home range size and average distance walked in a day were compared seasonally (wet compared to dry season) and between sexes (male compared to female) for a pride of white lions and a pride consisting of white and tawny (nonwhite) lions. Both prides had similar sized home ranges, walked a comparable average distance, and preferred similar types of vegetation among which to spend their time (dense woodland compared to open grassland). The white lions from both prides showed natural behaviour, similar to wild lions in terms of how they established and made use of their home ranges, suggesting that white lions can be successfully reintroduced into the wild. Abstract White lions are a colour variant of the African lion Panthera leo melanochaita and disappeared from the wild due to anthropogenic factors until their reintroduction to the Greater Kruger Park Region of South Africa in 2006. Natural home range behaviour is an index of reintroduction success. Therefore, the home range and movement of a pride of reintroduced white lions and a constructed pride consisting of reintroduced white lions and translocated wild tawny lionesses in small, fenced reserves was assessed. GPS data from collared adults were collected for the white lion pride between 2010–2011 and 2018–2020 for the constructed pride. Home ranges were estimated using kernel density estimation and minimum convex polygon, with minimum daily distance tested for differences between sex, season, and pride. Home ranges were small and average daily movements restricted for both prides (white lion pride: 5.41 km2 and 10.44 ± 4.82 km; constructed pride: 5.50 km2, 11.37 ± 4.72 km) due to the small reserve size of 7 km2. There was no difference between prides for annual and seasonal home range size, male and female home ranges, minimum daily distance travelled, or habitat selection. White lions from both prides established territories and displayed natural home ranging behaviour, suggesting that their reintroduction was successful, in the absence of anthropogenic threats.
Collapse
|
10
|
Assessing the Social Cohesion of a Translocated Pride of White Lions Integrated with Wild Tawny Lions in South Africa, Using Social Network Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12151985. [PMID: 35953975 PMCID: PMC9367506 DOI: 10.3390/ani12151985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In South Africa, lions are protected in national parks and smaller fenced reserves. Translocating lions between fenced reserves, whilst necessary to maintain genetic diversity, is disruptive and can impact survivorship and pride cohesion. Critical to translocation success is pride cohesion. White lions are a natural colour variant occurring in the Greater Kruger Park Region, where anthropogenic threats eliminated this population until reintroduction in 2006. Through social network analysis (SNA), the sociality of a released pride of captive-origin white and wild tawny lions was compared to two captive-origin and wild prides of tawny lions. Social interactions and pride dynamics were recorded for each pride. For all prides, cubs and subadults were central to the play network, while adults received the most social interactions. White and wild tawny adult males initiated more social interactions than captive-origin tawny males, whilst a keystone adult female was identified in each pride. For the constructed pride, social interactions were more evenly distributed, suggesting a high level of connectedness and cohesion. This is the first study to demonstrate that captive-origin white and wild tawny lions can form a socially functional pride, suggesting that white lions would survive in the wild in the absence of anthropogenic threats.
Collapse
|
11
|
Vaz J, Bartley A, Hunt J. Personality matters: exploring the relationship between personality and stress physiology in captive African lions. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:30. [PMID: 37170353 PMCID: PMC10127340 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00126-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Considering animals as individuals and not as species is becoming increasingly essential to animal welfare management in captive settings. Recent studies on big cat personalities and coping strategies suggest personality can help big cats cope in their surroundings. Yet a large portion of the published literature focuses on understanding either the personality or stress physiology of big cats. Our research shows how integrating an improved understanding of the personality of big cats with stress physiology may enhance welfare, especially for endangered species like African lions. By using a wild cat personality checklist, this study compared the key personality dimensions of 22 African lions with its faecal glucocorticoids and assessed factors influencing their personality and stress physiology.
Results
We found two reliable personality dimensions for African lions (dominance and agreeableness) and identified key factors (sex, age and location) that may influence their personality. Further, on testing if these factors influenced the stress physiology through variations in glucocorticoid levels, there was no significant difference. However, there was a strong negative association between agreeableness and glucocorticoid levels. These results suggest that the behavioural traits loading positively and higher for agreeableness are associated with lower glucocorticoid stress levels, which may assist a lion to cope with stressors in its surroundings.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight this integrated approach of linking personality and stress physiology of big cats can be beneficial for caretakers. For example, during stressful veterinary procedures or in reintroduction programs, recognizing the personality of lions can help in designing or providing them with resources that will alleviate stress. Thus, there is a need for more interdisciplinary approaches that will contribute towards enhancing the individual and overall welfare of big cats.
Collapse
|
12
|
Oxytocin promotes social proximity and decreases vigilance in groups of African lions. iScience 2022; 25:104049. [PMID: 35496998 PMCID: PMC9042884 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104049] [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: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin modulates mammalian social behavior; however, behavioral responses to intranasal oxytocin can vary across species and contexts. The complexity of social interactions increases with group dynamics, and the impacts of oxytocin on both within- and between-group contexts are unknown. We tested the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin on social and non-social behaviors within in-group and out-group contexts in African lions. We hypothesized that, post intranasal oxytocin administration, lions would be in closer proximity with fellow group members, whereas out-group stimuli could either produce a heightened vigilance response or an attenuated one. Compared to control trials, post oxytocin administration, lions increased their time spent in close proximity (reducing their distance to the nearest neighbor) and decreased vigilance toward out-group intruders (reducing their vocalizations following a roar-playback). These results not only have important implications for understanding the evolution of social circuitry but may also have practical applications for conservation efforts. We administered oxytocin to groups of African lions Relative to control conditions, oxytocin administration enhanced social proximity Oxytocin administration decreased vigilance (roars following roar playback)
Collapse
|
13
|
Priority of access to food and its influence on social dynamics of an endangered carnivore. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03115-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
14
|
Genetic diversity, viability and conservation value of the global captive population of the Moroccan Royal lions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258714. [PMID: 34962925 PMCID: PMC8714086 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258714] [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: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluates the diversity of the so-called ‘Moroccan Royal lions’ using genealogical information. Lions are no longer extant in North Africa, but the previous wild population was an important element of the now-recognised northern subspecies (Panthera leo leo) that ranged across West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East into India. The remaining captive population of ‘Moroccan Royal lions’ seems to be significantly endangered by the loss of diversity due to the effective population size decrease. The pedigree file of this captive lion population consisted of 454 individuals, while the reference population included 98 animals (47 males and 51 females). The completeness of the pedigree data significantly decreased with an increasing number of generations. The highest percentage of pedigree completeness (over 70%) was achieved in the first generation of the reference population. Pedigree-based parameters derived from the common ancestor and gene origin were used to estimate the state of diversity. In the reference population, the average inbreeding coefficient was 2.14%, while the individual increase in inbreeding over generations was 2.31%. Overall, the reference population showed lower average inbreeding and average relatedness compared with the pedigree file. The number of founders (47), the effective number of founders (24) and the effective number of ancestors (22) were estimated in the reference population. The effective population size of 14.02 individuals confirms the critically endangered status of the population and rapid loss of diversity in the future. Thus, continuous monitoring of the genetic diversity of the ‘Moroccan Royal lion’ group is required, especially for long-term conservation management purposes, as it would be an important captive group should further DNA studies establish an affinity to P. leo leo.
Collapse
|
15
|
Hex SBSW, Tombak K, Rubenstein DI. A new classification of mammalian uni-male multi-female groups based on the fundamental principles governing inter- and intrasexual relationships. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03046-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
16
|
Correa LA, León C, Ramírez-Estrada J, Ly-Prieto Á, Abades S, Hayes LD, Soto-Gamboa M, Ebensperger LA. One for all and all for one: phenotype assortment and reproductive success in masculinized females. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Homophily by morphological and behavioral traits has been described in several species of vertebrates, but its functional consequences remain poorly studied. Homophily by plurally breeding females may improve direct fitness by enhancing reproductive success. Female mammals may exhibit phenotypical masculinization due to exposure to androgens during early development, a condition that is associated with maternal performance during subsequent breeding. Our goal was to assess whether female composition (in terms of masculinization) of plurally breeding groups influences female fitness in a natural population of degus (Octodon degus). We assessed if plurally breeding female degus assort themselves by anogenital distance (AGD), an accurate measure of masculinization level. We also quantified if homophily by AGD phenotype affects female reproductive success and the reproductive output of the group. Plurally breeding groups typically included similarly masculinized (i.e., long AGD) females or similarly feminized (short AGD) females, indicating a strong degree of homophily. Females weaned more offspring in plurally breeding groups with more masculinized females. Additionally, standardized variance in the number of offspring weaned decreased in plurally breeding groups with mostly masculinized females, indicating greater reproductive equality in these groups. We conclude that female degus organize into homophilic social groups of similar AGD, and that social groups of masculinized females exhibit a higher reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Loreto A Correa
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Pirámide, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cecilia León
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Ramírez-Estrada
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Álvaro Ly-Prieto
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Abades
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loren D Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, USA
| | - Mauricio Soto-Gamboa
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla, Isla Teja s/n, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis A Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla, Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Cooperative den maintenance between male Japanese badgers that are delayed dispersers and their mothers. J ETHOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-021-00718-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
18
|
Smith JE, von Rueden CR, van Vugt M, Fichtel C, Kappeler PM. An Evolutionary Explanation for the Female Leadership Paradox. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.676805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social influence is distributed unequally between males and females in many mammalian societies. In human societies, gender inequality is particularly evident in access to leadership positions. Understanding why women historically and cross-culturally have tended to be under-represented as leaders within human groups and organizations represents a paradox because we lack evidence that women leaders consistently perform worse than men. We also know that women exercise overt influence in collective group-decisions within small-scale human societies, and that female leadership is pervasive in particular contexts across non-human mammalian societies. Here, we offer a transdisciplinary perspective on this female leadership paradox. Synthesis of social science and biological literatures suggests that females and males, on average, differ in why and how they compete for access to political leadership in mixed-gender groups. These differences are influenced by sexual selection and are moderated by socioecological variation across development and, particularly in human societies, by culturally transmitted norms and institutions. The interplay of these forces contributes to the emergence of female leaders within and across species. Furthermore, females may regularly exercise influence on group decisions in less conspicuous ways and different domains than males, and these underappreciated forms of leadership require more study. We offer a comprehensive framework for studying inequality between females and males in access to leadership positions, and we discuss the implications of this approach for understanding the female leadership paradox and for redressing gender inequality in leadership in humans.
Collapse
|
19
|
Hooper PL, Kaplan HS, Jaeggi AV. Gains to cooperation drive the evolution of egalitarianism. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:847-856. [PMID: 33649461 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01059-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
What conditions favour egalitarianism, that is, muted hierarchies with relatively equal distributions of resources? Here, we combine the hawk-dove and prisoner's dilemma games to model the effects of economic defensibility, costs of competition and gains from cooperation on egalitarianism, operationalized as the absence of hawks. We show that a 'leveller' strategy, which punishes hawkishness in the hawk-dove game with defection in the prisoner's dilemma, can be evolutionarily stable provided that the gains from cooperation are high relative to the benefits of hawkishness. Under these conditions, rare mutant levellers select for hawks that acquiesce to punishment by playing dove. If these 'acquiescent hawks' become common, levellers outperform hawks and establish a new egalitarian equilibrium. An analysis of human foraging groups corroborates these results, as groups with a greater reliance on cooperation are more egalitarian. Cooperation fosters greater equality when individuals can withhold its benefits from would-be dominant individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul L Hooper
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA. .,Economic Science Institute, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA.
| | | | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Vinks MA, Creel S, Schuette P, Becker MS, Rosenblatt E, Sanguinetti C, Banda K, Goodheart B, Young-Overton K, Stevens X, Chifunte C, Midlane N, Simukonda C. Response of lion demography and dynamics to the loss of preferred larger prey. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02298. [PMID: 33434324 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Large carnivores are experiencing range contraction and population declines globally. Prey depletion due to illegal offtake is considered a major contributor, but the effects of prey depletion on large carnivore demography are rarely tested. We measured African lion density and tested the factors that affect survival using mark-recapture models fit to six years of data from known individuals in Kafue National Park (KNP), Zambia. KNP is affected by prey depletion, particularly for large herbivores that were preferred prey for KNP lions a half-century ago. This provides a unique opportunity to test whether variables that explain local prey density also affect lion survival. Average lion density within our study area was 3.43 individuals/100 km2 (95% CI, 2.79-4.23), which was much lower than lion density reported for another miombo ecosystem with similar vegetation structure and rainfall that was less affected by prey depletion. Despite this, comparison to other lion populations showed that age- and sex-specific survival rates for KNP lions were generally good, and factors known to correlate with local prey density had small effects on lion survival. In contrast, recruitment of cubs was poor and average pride size was small. In particular, the proportion of the population comprised of second-year cubs was low, indicating that few cubs are recruited into the subadult age class. Our findings suggest that low recruitment might be a better signal of low prey density than survival. Thus, describing a lion population's age structure in addition to average pride size may be a simple and effective method of initially evaluating whether a lion population is affected by prey depletion. These dynamics should be evaluated for other lion populations and other large carnivore species. Increased resource protection and reducing the underlying drivers of prey depletion are urgent conservation needs for lions and other large carnivores as their conservation is increasingly threatened by range contraction and population declines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milan A Vinks
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, 59717, USA
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | - Scott Creel
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, 59717, USA
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
- Institut för Vilt, Fisk Och Miljö, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Paul Schuette
- Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, USA
| | - Matthew S Becker
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, 59717, USA
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | - Elias Rosenblatt
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Aiken Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
| | | | | | - Ben Goodheart
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, 59717, USA
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | - Kim Young-Overton
- Panthera, 8 West 40 Street, Floor 18, New York, New York, 10018, USA
| | - Xia Stevens
- Panthera, 8 West 40 Street, Floor 18, New York, New York, 10018, USA
| | - Clive Chifunte
- Institut för Vilt, Fisk Och Miljö, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, Umeå, Sweden
- Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Chilanga, Zambia
| | - Neil Midlane
- Wilderness Safaris, Block H, The Terraces, Steenberg Office Park, 1 Silverwood Close, Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Chuma Simukonda
- Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Chilanga, Zambia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Variation of social strategies within and between individual black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) during the reproductive season. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02950-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
23
|
Mbizah MM, Farine DR, Valeix M, Hunt JE, Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ. Effect of ecological factors on fine-scale patterns of social structure in African lions. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2665-2676. [PMID: 32895921 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Environmental variations can influence the extent to which individuals interact with other individuals by changing the value of grouping. It is well known that many species can form and disband groups, often in response to the distribution and abundance of resources. While previous studies showed that resources influence the broad-scale structure of animal groups, knowledge gaps remain on whether they affect fine-scale patterns of association among individuals within groups. We quantify association patterns in African lions while simultaneously monitoring the abundance and distribution of prey. We test how social and ecological factors, including individual trait (age, sex, reproductive state) similarity and prey availability (prey abundance, dispersion, herd size and body size) affect within-pride social structure in African lions. We found that individual decisions about associates depended on resource availability with individuals associating equally across all members of the pride when prey herds were scarce, aggregated or large bodied, and associating more exclusively (in subgroups of preferred associates) when prey herds were abundant, dispersed or small bodied. Individuals within lion prides seemed to be buffering against changes in prey availability by modulating their strength and density of connections with conspecifics when prides split into subgroups. The strength and density of connections among individuals within subgroups was greater when prey herds were large and lower when prey herds were dispersed or are large bodied. Our findings suggest that individual lions are making social decisions at both the subgroup level and the pride level, with decisions representing putatively fitness-enhancing strategies. Individuals were typically shifting between having few strong connections and having many weaker connections depending on prevailing ecological conditions, with prey abundance, dispersion and body size having the greatest impact on decisions about splitting into subgroups. The maintenance of connections within prides and subgroups in the face of ecological change suggests that the fission-fusion nature of lion prides might be essential for the long-term maintenance of social connections even when short-term conditions do not allow them. More broadly, our study reveals how fission-fusion dynamics and ecological factors can simultaneously have an effect on animals across multiple levels of sociality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moreangels M Mbizah
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marion Valeix
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR 5558, CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,LTSER France, Zone Atelier "Hwange", CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) Program, Dete, Zimbabwe
| | - Jane E Hunt
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew J Loveridge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bachorec E, Horáček I, Hulva P, Konečný A, Lučan RK, Jedlička P, Shohdi WM, Řeřucha Š, Abi‐Said M, Bartonička T. Egyptian fruit bats do not preferentially roost with their relatives. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Bachorec
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - I. Horáček
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - P. Hulva
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - A. Konečný
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - R. K. Lučan
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - P. Jedlička
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI) Brno Czech Republic
| | | | - Š. Řeřucha
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI) Brno Czech Republic
| | - M. Abi‐Said
- Department of Earth and Life Sciences Faculty of Sciences II Lebanese University JdeidehFanar Lebanon
| | - T. Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Moscovice LR, Sueur C, Aureli F. How socio-ecological factors influence the differentiation of social relationships: an integrated conceptual framework. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200384. [PMID: 32933407 PMCID: PMC7532722 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent of differentiation of social relationships within groups is a means to assess social complexity, with greater differentiation indicating greater social complexity. Socio-ecological factors are likely to influence social complexity, but no attempt has been made to explain the differentiation of social relationships using multiple socio-ecological factors. Here, we propose a conceptual framework based on four components underlying multiple socio-ecological factors that influence the differentiation of social relationships: the extent of within-group contest competition to access resources, the extent to which individuals differ in their ability to provide a variety of services, the need for group-level cooperation and the constraints on social interactions. We use the framework to make predictions about the degree of relationship differentiation that can be expected within a group according to the cumulative contribution of multiple socio-ecological factors to each of the four components. The framework has broad applicability, since the four components are likely to be relevant to a wide range of animal taxa and to additional socio-ecological factors not explicitly dealt with here. Hence, the framework can be used as the basis for the development of novel and testable hypotheses about intra- and interspecific differences in relationship differentiation and social complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liza R Moscovice
- Institute of behavioural physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.,Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Kotze R, Marshal JP, Winterbach CW, Winterbach HE, Keith M. Demographic consequences of habitat loss and crowding in large carnivores: A natural experiment. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robynne Kotze
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Jason P. Marshal
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Christiaan W. Winterbach
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Tau Consultants (Pty) Ltd Maun Botswana
| | - Hanlie E.K. Winterbach
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Tau Consultants (Pty) Ltd Maun Botswana
| | - Mark Keith
- Eugène Marais Research Chair for Wildlife Management Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Maruping‐Mzileni NT, Ferreira S, Young K, Funston PJ. Ecological drivers of female lion ( Panthera leo) reproduction in the Kruger National Park. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7995-8006. [PMID: 32788956 PMCID: PMC7417254 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5935] [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: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of social cues in the reproduction of social mammals, particularly carnivores, has been thoroughly studied and documented in literature. However, environmental cues such as resources of water, food, and shelter have been identified to a lesser extent. Pregnant lions (Panthera leo) are notoriously secretive during the final stages of pregnancy and postpartum. Behavioral indicators depicted by movement patterns obtained by remote detection of collared female lions in the Kruger National Park were necessary for the monitoring of birth timing. Over the study period, eight plus a potential three parturition incidences of collared females were recorded. Of the variables measured (step length, range size, duration, prey biomass, and rainfall), range size during the month of parturition was the most indicative movement pattern of a successful birth. By backdating the potential birth month of the litters, date of conception was calculated and our results revealed a correlation between the birthing peaks of preferred prey during the month of conception. Birth timing in conjunction with remote sensing and ecological factors were thus identified behaviors associated with denning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sam Ferreira
- Scientific ServicesSouth African National ParksSkukuzaSouth Africa
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
|
29
|
Smith JE, Ortiz CA, Buhbe MT, van Vugt M. Obstacles and opportunities for female leadership in mammalian societies: A comparative perspective. LEADERSHIP QUARTERLY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
30
|
Ferreira SM, Beukes BO, Haas TC, Radloff FGT. Lion (
Panthera leo
) demographics in the south‐western Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - B. Otto Beukes
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town South Africa
| | - Tim C. Haas
- Lubar School of Business University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Frans G. T. Radloff
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Socially tolerant lions (Panthera leo) solve a novel cooperative problem. Anim Cogn 2019; 23:327-336. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01336-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
32
|
Van Vugt M, Smith JE. A Dual Model of Leadership and Hierarchy: Evolutionary Synthesis. Trends Cogn Sci 2019; 23:952-967. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
33
|
Tombak KJ, Wikberg EC, Rubenstein DI, Chapman CA. Reciprocity and rotating social advantage among females in egalitarian primate societies. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
34
|
Grinsted L, Deutsch EK, Jimenez-Tenorio M, Lubin Y. Evolutionary drivers of group foraging: A new framework for investigating variance in food intake and reproduction. Evolution 2019; 73:2106-2121. [PMID: 31420977 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A proposed fundamental driver of group living is more reliable, predictable foraging and reproduction, i.e., reduced variance in food intake and reproductive output. However, existing theories on variance reduction in group foraging are simplistic, refer to variance at the level of individuals and groups without linking the two, and do not spell out crucial underlying assumptions. We provide a new, widely applicable framework for identifying when variance reduction conveys fitness benefits of group foraging in a wide range of organisms. We discuss critical limitations of established theories, the Central Limit Theorem and Risk-Sensitive Foraging Theory applied to group foraging, and incorporate them into our framework while addressing the confusion over the levels of variance and identifying previously unaddressed assumptions. Through a field study on colonial spiders, Cyrtophora citricola, we demonstrate the importance of evaluating the level of food sharing as a critical first step, previously overlooked in the literature. We conclude that variance reduction provides selective advantages only under narrow conditions and does not provide a universal benefit to group foraging as previously proposed. Our framework provides an important tool for identifying evolutionary drivers of group foraging and understanding the role of fitness variance in the evolution of group living.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Grinsted
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom
| | - Ella K Deutsch
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Jimenez-Tenorio
- Department CMIM y Química Inorgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cádiz, 11510, Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Yael Lubin
- Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet, Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
|
36
|
Fronhofer EA, Liebig J, Mitesser O, Poethke HJ. Eusociality outcompetes egalitarian and solitary strategies when resources are limited and reproduction is costly. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12953-12964. [PMID: 30619596 PMCID: PMC6309011 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Explaining the evolution and maintenance of animal groups remains a challenge. Surprisingly, fundamental ecological factors, such as resource variance and competition for limited resources, tend to be ignored in models of cooperation. We use a mathematical model previously developed to quantify the influence of different group sizes on resource use efficiency in egalitarian groups and extend its scope to groups with severe reproductive skew (eusocial groups). Accounting for resource limitation, the model allows calculation of optimal group sizes (highest resource use efficiency) and equilibrium population sizes in egalitarian as well as eusocial groups for a broad spectrum of environmental conditions (variance of resource supply). We show that, in contrast to egalitarian groups, eusocial groups may not only reduce variance in resource supply for survival, thus reducing the risk of starvation, they may also increase variance in resource supply for reproduction. The latter effect allows reproduction even in situations when resources are scarce. These two facets of eusocial groups, resource sharing for survival and resource pooling for reproduction, constitute two beneficial mechanisms of group formation. In a majority of environmental situations, these two benefits of eusociality increase resource use efficiency and lead to supersaturation-a strong increase in carrying capacity. The increase in resource use efficiency provides indirect benefits to group members even for low intra-group relatedness and may represent one potential explanation for the evolution and especially the maintenance of eusociality and cooperative breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel A. Fronhofer
- Department of Aquatic EcologyEawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and TechnologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- ISEMUniversité de MontpellierCNRS, IRD, EPHEMontpellierFrance
- Field Station FabrikschleichachUniversity of WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences and Center for Social Dynamics and ComplexityArizona State UniversityTempeArizona
| | - Oliver Mitesser
- Field Station FabrikschleichachUniversity of WürzburgRauhenebrachGermany
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Rodrigues AMM. Resource availability and adjustment of social behaviour influence patterns of inequality and productivity across societies. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5488. [PMID: 30310732 PMCID: PMC6173167 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal societies vary widely in the diversity of social behaviour and the distribution of reproductive shares among their group members. It has been shown that individual condition can lead to divergent social roles and that social specialisation can cause an exacerbation or a mitigation of the inequality among group members within a society. This work, however, has not investigated cases in which resource availability varies between different societies, a factor that is thought to explain variation in the level of cooperation and the disparities in reproductive shares within each social group. In this study, I focus on how resource availability mediates the expression of social behaviour and how this, in turn, mediates inequality both within and between groups. I find that when differences in resource availability between societies persist over time, resource-rich societies become more egalitarian. Because lower inequality improves the productivity of a society, the inequality between resource-rich and resource-poor societies rises. When resource availability fluctuates over time, resource-rich societies tend to become more unequal. Because inequality hinders the productivity of a society, the inequality between resource-rich and resource-poor societies falls. From the evolutionary standpoint, my results show that spatial and temporal variation in resource availability may exert a strong influence on the level of inequality both within and between societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- António M M Rodrigues
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Wolfson College, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Seasonal variation in female Asian elephant social structure in Nagarahole-Bandipur, southern India. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
39
|
Dunston EJ, Abell J, Doyle RE, Kirk J, Hilley VB, Forsyth A, Jenkins E, Freire R. An assessment of African lion Panthera leo sociality via social network analysis: prerelease monitoring for an ex situ reintroduction program. Curr Zool 2017; 63:301-311. [PMID: 29491989 PMCID: PMC5804168 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The wild population of the African lion Panthera leo continues to decline, requiring alternate conservation programs to be considered. One such program is ex situ reintroduction. Prior to release, long-term monitoring and assessment of behavior is required to determine whether prides and coalitions behave naturally and are sufficiently adapted to a wild environment. Social network analysis (SNA) can be used to provide insight into how the pride as a whole and individuals within it, function. Our study was conducted upon 2 captive-origin prides who are part of an ex situ reintroduction program, and 1 wild pride of African lion. Social interactions were collected at all occurrence for each pride and categorized into greet, social grooming, play, and aggression. Betweenness centrality showed that offspring in each pride were central to the play network, whereas degree indicated that adults received (indegree) the greatest number of overall social interactions, and the adult males of each pride were least likely to initiate (outdegree) any interactions. Through the assessment of individual centrality and degree values, a social keystone adult female was identified for each pride. Social network results indicated that the 2 captive-origin prides had formed cohesive social units and possessed relationships and behaviors comparable with the wild pride for the studied behaviors. This study provided the first SNA comparison between captive-bred origin and a wild pride of lions, providing valuable information on individual and pride sociality, critical for determining the success of prides within an ex situ reintroduction program.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Dunston
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
| | - Jackie Abell
- Social and Conservation Psycology, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
- African Lion & Environmental Research Trust, Melrose Farm, Livingstone 23345, Zambia
| | - Rebecca E Doyle
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Jacqui Kirk
- African Lion & Environmental Research Trust, Melrose Farm, Livingstone 23345, Zambia
| | - Victoria B Hilley
- African Lion & Environmental Research Trust, Antelope Park, Gweru, Midlands, Zimbabwe, and
| | - Andrew Forsyth
- Siyafunda, The Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve, Harmony 27, Hoedspruit 0895, South Africa
| | - Emma Jenkins
- Siyafunda, The Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve, Harmony 27, Hoedspruit 0895, South Africa
| | - Rafael Freire
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Smith JE, Lehmann KDS, Montgomery TM, Strauss ED, Holekamp KE. Insights from long‐term field studies of mammalian carnivores. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
|
41
|
Koykka C, Wild G. Concessions, lifetime fitness consequences, and the evolution of coalitionary behavior. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
42
|
Sakai ST, Arsznov BM, Hristova AE, Yoon EJ, Lundrigan BL. Big Cat Coalitions: A Comparative Analysis of Regional Brain Volumes in Felidae. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:99. [PMID: 27812324 PMCID: PMC5071314 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Broad-based species comparisons across mammalian orders suggest a number of factors that might influence the evolution of large brains. However, the relationship between these factors and total and regional brain size remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between relative brain size and regional brain volumes and sociality in 13 felid species in hopes of revealing relationships that are not detected in more inclusive comparative studies. In addition, a more detailed analysis was conducted of four focal species: lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), cougars (Puma concolor), and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). These species differ markedly in sociality and behavioral flexibility, factors hypothesized to contribute to increased relative brain size and/or frontal cortex size. Lions are the only truly social species, living in prides. Although cheetahs are largely solitary, males often form small groups. Both leopards and cougars are solitary. Of the four species, leopards exhibit the most behavioral flexibility, readily adapting to changing circumstances. Regional brain volumes were analyzed using computed tomography. Skulls (n = 75) were scanned to create three-dimensional virtual endocasts, and regional brain volumes were measured using either sulcal or bony landmarks obtained from the endocasts or skulls. Phylogenetic least squares regression analyses found that sociality does not correspond with larger relative brain size in these species. However, the sociality/solitary variable significantly predicted anterior cerebrum (AC) volume, a region that includes frontal cortex. This latter finding is despite the fact that the two social species in our sample, lions and cheetahs, possess the largest and smallest relative AC volumes, respectively. Additionally, an ANOVA comparing regional brain volumes in four focal species revealed that lions and leopards, while not significantly different from one another, have relatively larger AC volumes than are found in cheetahs or cougars. Further, female lions possess a significantly larger AC volume than conspecific males; female lion values were also larger than those of the other three species (regardless of sex). These results may reflect greater complexity in a female lion’s social world, but additional studies are necessary. These data suggest that within family comparisons may reveal variations not easily detected by broad comparative analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharleen T Sakai
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East LansingMI, USA; Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East LansingMI, USA
| | - Bradley M Arsznov
- Department of Psychology, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato MN, USA
| | - Ani E Hristova
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI, USA
| | - Elise J Yoon
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI, USA
| | - Barbara L Lundrigan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Michigan State University Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Borrego N, Dowling B. Lions (Panthera leo) solve, learn, and remember a novel resource acquisition problem. Anim Cogn 2016; 19:1019-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-016-1009-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Revised: 05/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
44
|
Schneider TC, Kappeler PM, Pozzi L. Genetic population structure and relatedness in the narrow-striped mongoose ( Mungotictis decemlineata), a social Malagasy carnivore with sexual segregation. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3734-3749. [PMID: 27231532 PMCID: PMC4864277 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on the genetic structure of animal populations can allow inferences about mechanisms shaping their social organization, dispersal, and mating system. The mongooses (Herpestidae) include some of the best-studied mammalian systems in this respect, but much less is known about their closest relatives, the Malagasy carnivores (Eupleridae), even though some of them exhibit unusual association patterns. We investigated the genetic structure of the Malagasy narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata), a small forest-dwelling gregarious carnivore exhibiting sexual segregation. Based on mtDNA and microsatellite analyses, we determined population-wide haplotype structure and sex-specific and within-group relatedness. Furthermore, we analyzed parentage and sibship relationships and the level of reproductive skew. We found a matrilinear population structure, with several neighboring female units sharing identical haplotypes. Within-group female relatedness was significantly higher than expected by chance in the majority of units. Haplotype diversity of males was significantly higher than in females, indicating male-biased dispersal. Relatedness within the majority of male associations did not differ from random, not proving any kin-directed benefits of male sociality in this case. We found indications for a mildly promiscuous mating system without monopolization of females by males, and low levels of reproductive skew in both sexes based on parentages of emergent young. Low relatedness within breeding pairs confirmed immigration by males and suggested similarities with patterns in social mongooses, providing a starting point for further investigations of mate choice and female control of reproduction and the connected behavioral mechanisms. Our study contributes to the understanding of the determinants of male sociality in carnivores as well as the mechanisms of female competition in species with small social units.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tilman C. Schneider
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Luca Pozzi
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Dunston EJ, Abell J, Doyle RE, Evershed M, Freire R. Exploring African lion (Panthera leo) behavioural phenotypes: individual differences and correlations between sociality, boldness and behaviour. J ETHOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-016-0473-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
46
|
|
47
|
Barthold JA, Loveridge AJ, Macdonald DW, Packer C, Colchero F. Bayesian estimates of male and female African lion mortality for future use in population management. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia A. Barthold
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Max-Planck Odense Center on the Biodemography of Aging and Department of Biology; Uiversity of Southern Denmark; Campusvej 55 5230 Odense M Denmark
| | - Andrew J. Loveridge
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior; University of Minnesota; 1987 Upper Buford Circle Saint Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Fernando Colchero
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Max-Planck Odense Center on the Biodemography of Aging; University of Southern Denmark; Campusvej 55 5230 Odense M Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Fitness and hormonal correlates of social and ecological stressors of female yellow-bellied marmots. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
49
|
|
50
|
Naďo L, Kaňuch P. Swarming behaviour associated with group cohesion in tree-dwelling bats. Behav Processes 2015; 120:80-6. [PMID: 26367198 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Group living of social species increases the individual survival rate and enhances optimal exploitation of resources within their environment. Groups of cryptic tree-dwelling bats perform frequent roost switching on relatively long distances, whereas groups are temporarily disintegrated during foraging that precedes moving into new roost. In this study, we attempted to elucidate a mechanism in which group members can select new roost from a large set of potential roosting sites without disintegration of the whole group. Exploring the activity at the front of the tree hollows, recorded by automatic infrared monitors, we found that the swarming activity of Leisler's bats was performed during the whole night and was concentrated before the civil twilight at occupied roosts. A generalized linear model revealed significant positive association between the group size and swarming activity while season had negative but smaller effect. As bats swarmed the whole night also at sites that were less occupied or even unoccupied, we suggest that members of a bat colony selected new roost from a potentially larger set of available roosting sites. Thus, we propose a possible signalling role of swarming as a threshold behaviour that ensures group cohesion during roost switching.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Naďo
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Ľ. Štúra 2, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia.
| | - Peter Kaňuch
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Ľ. Štúra 2, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia.
| |
Collapse
|