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Vasilieva NA, Savinetskaya LE, Tchabovsky AV. Juvenile survival curves in a solitary ground squirrel with a prolonged hibernation: effects of individual characteristics, environment, and maternal investment. Curr Zool 2024; 70:13-23. [PMID: 38476132 PMCID: PMC10926259 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Juvenile survival is a key life-history influence on population dynamics and adaptive evolution. We analyzed the effects of individual characteristics, early environment, and maternal investment on juvenile survival in a large solitary hibernating rodent-yellow ground squirrel Spermophilus fulvus using Cox mixed-effects models. Only 48% of weaned pups survived to dispersal and 17% survived to hibernation. Early life expectancy was primarily determined by individual characteristics and, to a lesser extent, by the early environment. The strongest and positive predictor of juvenile survival was body mass which crucially affected mortality immediately after weaning. Males suffered higher mortality than females after the onset of dispersal; however, the overall difference between sexes was partly masked by high rates of mortality in the first days after emergence in both sexes. Later emerged juveniles had lower life expectancy than the earliest pups. The overall effect of local juvenile density was positive. Prolonged lactation did not enhance juvenile survival: Pups nursed longer survived shorter than the young nursed for a shorter period. Our findings support the hypothesis that females of S. fulvus cannot effectively regulate maternal expenditures to mitigate the effects of unfavorable conditions on their offspring. The strategy to deal with seasonal time constraints on life history in female S. fulvus suggests an early termination of maternal care at the cost of juvenile quality and survival. This female reproductive strategy corresponds to a "fast-solitary" life of folivorous desert-dwelling S. fulvus and other solitary ground squirrels with prolonged hibernation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina A Vasilieva
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Liudmila E Savinetskaya
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Andrey V Tchabovsky
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia
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2
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Thorley J, Bensch HM, Finn K, Clutton-Brock T, Zöttl M. Damaraland mole-rats do not rely on helpers for reproduction or survival. Evol Lett 2023; 7:203-215. [PMID: 37475748 PMCID: PMC10355180 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In eusocial invertebrates and obligate cooperative breeders, successful reproduction is dependent on assistance from non-breeding group members. Although naked (Heterocephalus glaber) and Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) are often described as eusocial and their groups are suggested to resemble those of eusocial insects more closely than groups of any other vertebrate, the extent to which breeding individuals benefit from the assistance of non-breeding group members is unclear. Here we show that, in wild Damaraland mole-rats, prospective female breeders usually disperse and settle alone in new burrow systems where they show high survival rates and remain in good body condition-often for several years-before being joined by males. In contrast to many obligate cooperative vertebrates, pairs reproduced successfully without non-breeding helpers, and the breeding success of experimentally formed pairs was similar to that of larger, established groups. Though larger breeding groups recruited slightly more pups than smaller groups, adult survival was independent of group size and group size had mixed effects on the growth of non-breeders. Our results suggest that Damaraland mole-rats do not need groups to survive and that cooperative breeding in the species is not obligate as pairs can-and frequently do-reproduce without the assistance of helpers. While re-emphasizing the importance of ecological constraints on dispersal in social mole-rats, the mixed effects of group size in our study suggest that indirect benefits accrued through cooperative behavior may have played a less prominent role in the evolution of mole-rat group-living than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Thorley
- Corresponding author: Department of Zoology, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Kyle Finn
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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3
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Gromov VS. Relationship between the Social Structure and Potential Reproductive Success in Muroid Rodents (Rodentia, Myomorpha). BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021100113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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5
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Reduced reproductive success in voles Microtus arvalis and Myodes glareolus: Male presence negatively affects offspring survival and their growth rates. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.20.1.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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6
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Long ES, Diefenbach DR, Lutz CL, Wallingford BD, Rosenberry CS. Risky movements? Natal dispersal does not decrease survival of a large herbivore. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2731-2740. [PMID: 33767832 PMCID: PMC7981212 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Natal dispersal is assumed to be a particularly risky movement behavior as individuals transfer, often long distances, from birth site to site of potential first reproduction. Though, because this behavior persists in populations, it is assumed that dispersal increases the fitness of individuals despite the potential for increased risk of mortality. The extent of dispersal risk, however, has rarely been tested, especially for large mammals. Therefore, we aimed to test the relationship between dispersal and survival for both males and females in a large herbivore. Using a radio-transmittered sample of 398 juvenile male and 276 juvenile female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), we compared survival rates of dispersers and nondispersers. We predicted that dispersing deer would experience greater overall mortality than philopatric deer due to direct transfer-related risks (e.g., vehicular collision), indirect immigration-related mortality attributable to colonization of unfamiliar habitat, and increased overwinter mortality associated with energetic costs of movement and unfamiliarity with recently colonized habitat. For both male and female yearlings, survival rates of dispersers (male = 49.9%, female = 64.0%) did not differ from nondispersers (male = 51.6%, female = 70.7%). Only two individuals (both female) were killed by vehicular collision during transfer, and overwinter survival patterns were similar between the two groups. Although dispersal movement likely incurs energetic costs on dispersers, these costs do not necessarily translate to decreased survival. In many species, including white-tailed deer, dispersal is likely condition-dependent, such that larger and healthier individuals are more likely to disperse; therefore, costs associated with dispersal are more likely to be borne successfully by those individuals that do disperse. Whether low-risk dispersal of large mammals is the rule or the exception will require additional research. Further, future research is needed to evaluate nonsurvival fitness-related costs and benefits of dispersal (e.g., increased reproductive opportunities for dispersers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. Long
- Department of BiologySeattle Pacific UniversitySeattleWAUSA
| | - Duane R. Diefenbach
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitPennsylvania State UniversityU.S. Geological SurveyUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - Clayton L. Lutz
- Southcentral RegionPennsylvania Game CommissionHuntingdonPAUSA
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7
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Toor I, Edwards PD, Kaka N, Whitney R, Ziolkowski J, Monks DA, Holmes MM. Aggression and motivation to disperse in eusocial naked mole-rats, Heterocephalus glaber. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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8
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Munteanu C, Kamp J, Nita MD, Klein N, Kraemer BM, Müller D, Koshkina A, Prishchepov AV, Kuemmerle T. Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192897. [PMID: 32429811 PMCID: PMC7287353 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural expansion drives biodiversity loss globally, but impact assessments are biased towards recent time periods. This can lead to a gross underestimation of species declines in response to habitat loss, especially when species declines are gradual and occur over long time periods. Using Cold War spy satellite images (Corona), we show that a grassland keystone species, the bobak marmot (Marmota bobak), continues to respond to agricultural expansion that happened more than 50 years ago. Although burrow densities of the bobak marmot today are highest in croplands, densities declined most strongly in areas that were persistently used as croplands since the 1960s. This response to historical agricultural conversion spans roughly eight marmot generations and suggests the longest recorded response of a mammal species to agricultural expansion. We also found evidence for remarkable philopatry: nearly half of all burrows retained their exact location since the 1960s, and this was most pronounced in grasslands. Our results stress the need for farsighted decisions, because contemporary land management will affect biodiversity decades into the future. Finally, our work pioneers the use of Corona historical Cold War spy satellite imagery for ecology. This vastly underused global remote sensing resource provides a unique opportunity to expand the time horizon of broad-scale ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Munteanu
- Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Theodor Lieser Straße 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.,Department of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transylvania University of Brasov, 1 Sirul Beethoven, Brasov, Romania
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstrasse 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mihai Daniel Nita
- Department of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transylvania University of Brasov, 1 Sirul Beethoven, Brasov, Romania
| | - Nadja Klein
- Department of Statistics, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Kraemer
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Müller
- Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.,Integrative Research Institute for Transformations in Human-Environment Systems, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Theodor Lieser Straße 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Alyona Koshkina
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstrasse 2, 48149 Münster, Germany.,Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), 18 Beibitshilik Street, Office 406, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Alexander V Prishchepov
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 København K, Denmark.,Institute of Steppe of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pionerskaya Street 11, Orenburg 460000, Russia
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.,Integrative Research Institute for Transformations in Human-Environment Systems, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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9
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van der Marel A, Waterman JM, López-Darias M. Social organization in a North African ground squirrel. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Research on sociality in temperate ground-dwelling squirrels has focused on female philopatry and other life history trade-offs, which are influenced by constraints in the duration of the active growing season. Temperate ground-dwelling squirrels that experience high predation pressure, are large in body size, and have a short active season, show a more complex social organization. In contrast, African ground squirrels are active year-round, suggesting that instead of a short active season, distinct selective pressures influence their social organization. We examined the social organization of Barbary ground squirrels, Atlantoxerus getulus, and compared the social organization of temperate and African ground-dwelling sciurids. Anecdotal accounts on Barbary ground squirrels’ social organization suggested that they were either solitary or gregarious, or live in small family groups. We recorded the group size, composition, cohesion, and genetic relatedness, of the population on the arid island of Fuerteventura, Spain. Our data indicate that females live in small (1–8) all-female kin groups separate from adult males, and that unrelated adult males share sleeping burrows with immature individuals of either sex. We observed sex-biased dispersal with males primarily the dispersing sex and females primarily philopatric. Females sleep solitarily during gestation and lactation and nest either communally or singly after juvenile emergence. During the day, males and females can be active in the same area. Barbary ground squirrels are social because the squirrels share sleeping burrows and show spatiotemporal overlap. Barbary ground squirrels’ social organization resembles that of the closely related Cape ground squirrel rather than that of the temperate ground-dwelling sciurids, although the former are more temperate, seasonal breeders. In addition to describing the social organization of a previously unstudied species, this paper sheds light on the ecological drivers of sociality, and the evolution of distinct social organizations in ground-dwelling sciurids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jane M Waterman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Marta López-Darias
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Av. Astrofisico Francisco Sánchez, 3, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
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10
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Ahmadpour M, Moradi HV, Rezaei HR, Oshaghi MA, Hapeman P, Hosseinzadeh Colagar A. Genetic diversity and structure of the Great Gerbil,Rhombomys opimus, in Iran (Mammalia: Rodentia). ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2020.1711625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Ahmadpour
- Research Center for the Caspian Region, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environment, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Hossein Varasteh Moradi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environment, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Rezaei
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Environment, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paul Hapeman
- Department of Biology, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, USA
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11
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Maag N, Cozzi G, Bateman A, Heistermann M, Ganswindt A, Manser M, Clutton-Brock T, Ozgul A. Cost of dispersal in a social mammal: body mass loss and increased stress. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190033. [PMID: 30963932 PMCID: PMC6408599 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is a key process influencing the dynamics of socially and spatially structured populations. Dispersal success is determined by the state of individuals at emigration and the costs incurred after emigration. However, quantification of such costs is often difficult, due to logistical constraints of following wide-ranging individuals. We investigated the effects of dispersal on individual body mass and stress hormone levels in a cooperative breeder, the meerkat ( Suricata suricatta). We measured body mass and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations from 95 dispersing females in 65 coalitions through the entire dispersal process. Females that successfully settled lost body mass, while females that did not settle but returned to their natal group after a short period of time did not. Furthermore, dispersing females had higher fGCM levels than resident females, and this was especially pronounced during the later stages of dispersal. By adding information on the transient stage of dispersal and by comparing dispersers that successfully settled to dispersers that returned to their natal group, we expand on previous studies focusing on the earlier stages of dispersal. We propose that body mass and stress hormone levels are good indicators to investigate dispersal costs, as these traits often play an important role in mediating the effects of the environment on other life-history events and individual fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nino Maag
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, CanadaV8P 5C2
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Marta Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
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12
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Ondrasek NR, Freeman SM, Bales KL, Calisi RM. Nonapeptide Receptor Distributions in Promising Avian Models for the Neuroecology of Flocking. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:713. [PMID: 30386202 PMCID: PMC6198083 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective behaviors, including flocking and group vocalizing, are readily observable across a diversity of free-living avian populations, yet we know little about how neural and ecological factors interactively regulate these behaviors. Because of their involvement in mediating a variety of social behaviors, including avian flocking, nonapeptides are likely mediators of collective behaviors. To advance the neuroecological study of collective behaviors in birds, we sought to map the neuroanatomical distributions of nonapeptide receptors in three promising avian models that are found across a diversity of environments and widely ranging ecological conditions: European starlings, house sparrows, and rock doves. We performed receptor autoradiography using the commercially available nonapeptide receptor radioligands, 125I-ornithine vasotocin analog and 125I-linear vasopressin antagonist, on brain tissue sections from wild-caught individuals from each species. Because there is known pharmacological cross-reactivity between nonapeptide receptor subtypes, we also performed a novel, competitive-binding experiment to examine the composition of receptor populations. We detected binding in numerous regions throughout the brains of each species, with several similarities and differences worth noting. Specifically, we report that all three species exhibit binding in the lateral septum, a key brain area known to regulate avian flocking. In addition, sparrows and starlings show dense binding in the dorsal arcopallium, an area that has received scant attention in the study of social grouping. Furthermore, our competitive binding results suggest that receptor populations in sparrows and starlings differ in the lateral septum versus the dorsal arcopallium. By providing the first comprehensive maps of nonapeptide receptors in European starlings, house sparrows, and rock doves, our work supports the future use of these species as avian models for neuroecological studies of collective behaviors in wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R Ondrasek
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Sara M Freeman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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13
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Al-Naimi OAS, Delvalle JR, Carryl SS, Rodriguez NA, Aliou F, Cambi M, Bamshad M. Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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14
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Aguilera-Miller EF, Lim BK, Murphy RW, Alvarez-Castañeda ST. Dominance by extremely high aggressive behaviors in relation to genetic microstructure in matrilines. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Hing ML, Klanten OS, Dowton M, Wong MYL. The Right Tools for the Job: Cooperative Breeding Theory and an Evaluation of the Methodological Approaches to Understanding the Evolution and Maintenance of Sociality. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Cornils JS, Hoelzl F, Rotter B, Bieber C, Ruf T. Edible dormice ( Glis glis) avoid areas with a high density of their preferred food plant - the European beech. Front Zool 2017; 14:23. [PMID: 28428805 PMCID: PMC5397747 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0206-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous species, especially among rodents, are strongly affected by the availability of pulsed resources. The intermittent production of large seed crops in northern hemisphere tree species (e.g., beech Fagus spec.,oak Quercus spec., pine trees Pinus spec.) are prime examples of these resource pulses. Adult edible dormice are highly dependent on high energy seeds to maximize their reproductive output. For juvenile dormice the energy rich food is important to grow and fatten in a very short time period prior to hibernation. While these erratic, often large-scale synchronized mast events provide overabundant seed availability, a total lack of seed production can be observed in so-called mast failure years. We hypothesized that dormice either switch territories between mast and non-mast years, to maximize energy availability or select habitats in which alternative food sources are also available (e.g., fleshy fruits, cones). To analyze the habitat preferences of edible dormice we performed environmental niche factor analyses (ENFA) for 9 years of capture-recapture data. Results As expected, the animals mainly used areas with high canopy closure and vertical stratification, probably to avoid predation. Surprisingly, we found that dormice avoided areas with high beech tree density, but in contrast preferred areas with a relatively high proportion of coniferous trees. Conifer cones and leaves can be an alternative food source for edible dormice and are less variable in availability. Conclusion Therefore, we conclude that edible dormice try to avoid areas with large fluctuations in food availability to be able to survive years without mast in their territory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Cornils
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz Hoelzl
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Rotter
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Bieber
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Ruf
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
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17
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Richter SH, Kästner N, Loddenkemper DH, Kaiser S, Sachser N. A Time to Wean? Impact of Weaning Age on Anxiety-Like Behaviour and Stability of Behavioural Traits in Full Adulthood. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167652. [PMID: 27930688 PMCID: PMC5145172 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, weaning constitutes an important phase in the progression to adulthood. It comprises the termination of suckling and is characterized by several changes in the behaviour of both mother and offspring. Furthermore, numerous studies in rodents have shown that the time point of weaning shapes the behavioural profile of the young. Most of these studies, however, have focused on ‘early weaning’, while relatively little work has been done to study ‘late weaning’ effects. The aim of the present study was therefore to explore behavioural effects of ‘late weaning’, and furthermore to gain insights into modulating effects of weaning age on the consistency of behavioural expressions over time. In total, 25 male and 20 female C57BL/6J mice, weaned after three (W3) or four (W4) weeks of age, were subjected to a series of behavioural paradigms widely used to assess anxiety-like behaviour, exploratory locomotion, and nest building performance. Behavioural testing took place with the mice reaching an age of 20 weeks and was repeated eight weeks later to investigate the stability of behavioural expressions over time. At the group level, W4 mice behaved less anxious and more explorative than W3 animals in the Open Field and Novel Cage, while anxiety-like behaviour on the Elevated Plus Maze was modulated by a weaning-age-by-sex interaction. Furthermore, weaning age shaped the degree of behavioural stability over time in a sex-specific way. While W3 females and W4 males displayed a remarkable degree of behavioural stability over time, no such patterns were observed in W3 males and W4 females. Adding to the existing literature, we could thus confirm that effects of weaning age do indeed exist when prolonging this phase, and were furthermore able to provide first evidence for the impact of weaning age and sex on the consistency of behavioural expressions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Niklas Kästner
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Galiano D, Kubiak BB, Menezes LS, Overbeck GE, de Freitas TRO. Wet soils affect habitat selection of a solitary subterranean rodent (Ctenomys minutus) in a Neotropical region. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Subterranean rodents are characterized by limited individual mobility and patchy distribution of local populations. Habitat patches where the species is absent may either be unoccupied, but suitable patches, or in fact unsuitable as habitat due to specific habitat features. In the coastal plain of southern Brazil, Ctenomys minutus (Ctenomyidae) inhabits sandy grasslands and dunes. The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between the distribution of this subterranean rodent and its environment. We considered vegetation and soil features. Our results showed that habitat occupancy patterns of C. minutus are determined by soil moisture and vegetation (food supply), but there might be other habitat features that regulate the habitat choice of this mammal. Habitat discontinuities in the coastal plain of southern Brazil, with numerous barriers to dispersal, are responsible for restricting individuals to their natal areas. This might result in increased intraspecific competition within each population and, consequently, in inbreeding.
Os roedores subterrâneos são caracterizados pela baixa mobilidade dos indivíduos e por apresentarem populações distribuídas em manchas de habitat. As manchas em que os indivíduos estão ausentes podem ser locais desocupados, porém que apresentam condições adequadas para a ocupação, ou de fato serem locais inadequados devido a algumas características ambientais específicas. Na planície costeira do sul do Brasil, a espécie Ctenomys minutus (Ctenomyidae) habita regiões de campos arenosos e dunas costeiras. O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a relação entre a distribuição deste roedor subterrâneo e o ambiente em que ele habita. Para tal, consideramos características da vegetação e do solo. Nossos resultados demonstraram que o padrão de ocupação de C. minutus é determinado pela umidade do solo e vegetação (recurso alimentar), mas podem existir outras características que regulam a escolha do habitat deste mamífero. As descontinuidades de habitat na planície costeira do sul do Brasil, com inúmeras barreiras para a dispersão da espécie, são responsáveis por restringir os indivíduos as suas áreas natais. Isso pode resultar no aumento da competição intra-específica dentro das populações e, consequentemente, na endogamia.
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Flanders J, Inoue-Murayama M, Rossiter SJ, Hill DA. Female philopatry and limited male-biased dispersal in the Ussuri tube-nosed bat, Murina ussuriensis. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMale-biased dispersal and female philopatry are common traits among social mammals, often leading to elevated relatedness within social groups. However, exceptions do occur, with documented cases of female-biased dispersal, dispersal by both sexes, and philopatry of both sexes. In this study, we examined levels of dispersal and relatedness based on analyses of the mitochondrial D-loop and 12 nuclear microsatellite markers in the woodland specialist Ussuri tube-nosed bat ( Murina ussuriensis ), a relatively widespread, yet locally rare species that is thought to be threatened by loss of its forest habitats across its range. A total of 85 individuals were captured in lowland temperate forest on the island of Yakushima and 28 individuals in montane forest in Hokkaido, Japan. In the former, haplotypes showed extreme spatial clustering among females consistent with strong philopatry, but spatial mixing among males suggesting dispersal over short distances. These findings were broadly supported by microsatellite analyses, which indicated considerable genealogical structure within sampling locations but a lack of spatial structure, again indicating that some gene flow does occur in one or both sexes. The Hokkaido data, although limited, did not show these patterns and instead suggest that differences in environmental and behavioral variables may influence movement ecology of individuals at these 2 sites and consequently fine-scale genetic structure within this species.
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García-Navas V, Bonnet T, Waldvogel D, Camenisch G, Postma E. Consequences of natal philopatry for reproductive success and mate choice in an Alpine rodent. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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21
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Davis GT, Vásquez RA, Poulin E, Oda E, Bazán-León EA, Ebensperger LA, Hayes LD. Octodon degus
kin and social structure. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A growing body of evidence showing that individuals of some social species live in non-kin groups suggests kin selection is not required in all species for sociality to evolve. Here, we investigate 2 populations of Octodon degus , a widespread South American rodent that has been shown to form kin and non-kin groups. We quantified genetic relatedness among individuals in 23 social groups across 2 populations as well as social network parameters (association, strength, and clustering coefficient) in order to determine if these aspects of sociality were driven by kinship. Additionally, we analyzed social network parameters relative to ecological conditions at burrow systems used by groups, to determine if ecological characteristics within each population could explain variation in sociality. We found that genetic relatedness among individuals within social groups was not significantly higher than genetic relatedness among randomly selected individuals in both populations, suggesting that non-kin structure of groups is common in degus. In both populations, we found significant relationships between the habitat characteristics of burrow systems and the social network characteristics of individuals inhabiting those burrow systems. Our results suggest that degu sociality is non-kin based and that degu social networks are influenced by local conditions.
Es creciente la evidencia que apoya la ocurrencia de especies sociales donde los individuos no están emparentados genéticamente, lo que sugiere que la selección de parentesco no es indispensable para la evolución de la sociabilidad. En este estudio se examinaron dos poblaciones de Octodon degus , un roedor sudamericano donde los grupos sociales pueden o no incluir individuos cercanamente emparentados. Se cuantificó el parentesco genético entre individuos en 23 grupos sociales y en redes sociales de dos poblaciones para determinar si estos aspectos de la sociabilidad dependen del grado de parentesco. Además, se examinaron asociaciones entre los parámetros cuantificados de las redes sociales (asociación, fuerza, coeficiente de anidamiento) y las condiciones ecológicas a nivel de los sistemas de madriguera usados por cada grupo. El grado de parentesco genético dentro de los grupos no fue distinto del grado de parentesco entre individuos de la población tomados al azar, lo que apoya que una estructura de grupos no emparentada es la regla en Octodon degus . En ambas poblaciones se registró una asociación entre características ecológicas de los sistemas de madriguera y atributos de las redes sociales de los individuos que usan estas estructuras. Nuestros resultados indican que la sociabilidad en Octodon degus no está basada en relaciones de parentesco y que las redes sociales de estos animales dependen de las condiciones ecológicas.
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Mackay M, Rymer TL, Pillay N. Separation at weaning from the family is stressful for naturally group-living, but not solitary-living, male African striped mice Rhabdomys. Stress 2014; 17:266-74. [PMID: 24689755 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2014.910762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Early separation from a family is stressful for young mammals, but might be more stressful for group-living than solitary species. Using juvenile males of three African striped mice Rhabdomys taxa that are either group (R. pumilio) or solitary (R. dilectus dilectus and R. d. chakae) living, we predicted greater separation anxiety in R. pumilio than R. dilectus because group-living could reduce anxiety in R. pumilio. Three brothers from each of 10 litters per taxon were randomly assigned soon after natural weaning (25 days) to one of three treatments for 10 days: (1) remained with the family (philopatric); (2) separated from the family by a wire mesh barrier (separated); and (3) isolated from the family (isolated). Males were individually tested in a four-arm maze to assess their anxiety responses and sampled for corticosterone concentrations 20 mins and 10 days later. Compared to R. dilectus males, R. pumilio males showed a greater treatment response to separation: philopatric males used the light arms of the maze less and had higher corticosterone concentrations compared to isolated males, which spent the most time in the light arms and had the lowest corticosterone concentrations overall; separated males showed an intermediate behavioural response, but had similar corticosterone concentrations to philopatric males. Thus, separation from a family group is more stressful in group-living Rhabdomys and this stress response dissipates with time. Philopatry and group-living may be more important for young R. pumilio, whereas dispersal at weaning is an important life history event for solitary R. dilectus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Mackay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg , Wits , South Africa and
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23
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Edelman AJ. Multiple socioecological factors influence timing of natal dispersal in kangaroo rats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1723-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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24
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Raynaud J, Schradin C. Experimental increase of testosterone increases boldness and decreases anxiety in male African striped mouse helpers. Physiol Behav 2014; 129:57-63. [PMID: 24534177 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Males of many species can adjust their behaviors to environmental conditions by changing reproductive tactics. Testosterone surges in adult breeding males typically inhibit the expression of paternal care while facilitating the expression of aggression during environmental changes. Similarly, in non-breeding philopatric males of cooperatively breeding species, up-regulation of testosterone may inhibit alloparental care while facilitating dispersal, i.e. males might become bolder and more explorative. We tested this hypothesis in philopatric male African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio. Striped mouse males can either remain in their natal groups providing alloparental care or they can disperse seeking mating opportunities. Compared to philopatric males, dispersed males typically show higher testosterone levels and lower corticosterone levels, and more aggression toward pups and same sex conspecifics. We experimentally increased the testosterone levels of the philopatric males kept in their family groups when pups were present. Testosterone-treated males did not differ significantly from control males in alloparental care and in aggression toward same-sex conspecifics. Compared to the control males, testosterone treated males were bolder, more active, and less anxious; they also showed lower corticosterone levels. The philopatric males were sensitive to our testosterone treatment for dispersal- and anxiety-like behavior but insensitive for social behaviors. Our results suggest a role of testosterone in dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Raynaud
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Carsten Schradin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Université de Strasbourg, IPHC-DEPE, France; CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa
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25
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Ergon T, Gardner B. Separating mortality and emigration: modelling space use, dispersal and survival with robust-design spatial capture-recapture data. Methods Ecol Evol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Torbjørn Ergon
- Department of Biosciences; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis; University of Oslo; P.O. Box 1066 Blindern N-0316 Oslo Norway
| | - Beth Gardner
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources; North Carolina State University; Campus Box 7646 Raleigh NC 27695-7646 USA
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26
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Mora MS, Cutrera AP, Lessa EP, Vassallo AI, D'Anatro A, Mapelli FJ. Phylogeography and population genetic structure of the Talas tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum): integrating demographic and habitat histories. J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/11-mamm-a-242.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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27
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McGuire B, Getz LL, Bemis WE, Oli MK. Social dynamics and dispersal in free-living prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/11-mamm-a-387.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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28
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Rakotoarisoa JE, Raheriarisena M, Goodman SM. A phylogeographic study of the endemic rodent Eliurus carletoni (Rodentia: Nesomyinae) in an ecological transition zone of Northern Madagascar. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 104:23-35. [PMID: 23132906 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/ess083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a mitochondrial phylogeographic study of the endemic dry forest rodent Eliurus carletoni (Rodentia: Nesomyinae) in an ecological transition zone of northern Madagascar (Loky-Manambato) and 2 surrounding regions (Ankarana and Analamerana). The main goal was to assess the evolutionary consequences on this taxon of the complex landscape features and Quaternary ecological vicissitudes. Three haplogroups were identified from the 215 specimens obtained from 15 populations. High levels of genetic diversity and significant genetic differentiation among populations were observed. The different geographical subdivisions of the study area by regions, by river catchment zones, and the physical distance between populations are not correlated with genetic patterns. In contrast, population structure is mostly explained by the geographic distribution of the samples among existing forest blocks. E. carletoni experienced a genetic bottleneck between 18 750 and 7500 years BP, which correlates with periods when moister climates existed on the island. Overall, our data suggest that the complex genetic patterns of E. carletoni can be explained by Quaternary climatic vicissitudes that resulted in habitat fluctuations between dry and humid forests, as well as subsequent human-induced fragmentation of forest habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Eric Rakotoarisoa
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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29
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Differences in social behaviour between group-living and solitary African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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30
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Lötter TK, Pillay N. Post-Weaning Social behaviour within Mother—Offspring Groups of the Bushveld Gerbil,Gerbilliscus leucogaster: Implications for Dispersal. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.3377/004.047.0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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31
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Marino J, Sillero-Zubiri C, Johnson PJ, Macdonald DW. Ecological bases of philopatry and cooperation in Ethiopian wolves. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1348-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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32
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Innes RJ, McEachern MB, Van Vuren DH, Eadie JM, Kelt DA, Johnson ML. Genetic relatedness and spatial associations of dusky-footed woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes). J Mammal 2012. [DOI: 10.1644/11-mamm-a-171.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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33
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NIELSEN JOHANNAF, ENGLISH SINEAD, GOODALL-COPESTAKE WILLP, WANG JINLIANG, WALLING CRAIGA, BATEMAN ANDREWW, FLOWER TOMP, SUTCLIFFE ROBERTL, SAMSON JAMIE, THAVARAJAH NATHANK, KRUUK LOESKEEB, CLUTTON-BROCK TIMH, PEMBERTON JOSEPHINEM. Inbreeding and inbreeding depression of early life traits in a cooperative mammal. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:2788-804. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05565.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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34
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Le Galliard JF, Rémy A, Ims RA, Lambin X. Patterns and processes of dispersal behaviour in arvicoline rodents. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:505-23. [PMID: 22211403 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05410.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A good understanding of mammalian societies requires measuring patterns and comprehending processes of dispersal in each sex. We investigated dispersal behaviour in arvicoline rodents, a subfamily of mammals widespread in northern temperate environments and characterized by a multivoltine life cycle. In arvicoline rodents, variation in life history strategies occurs along a continuum from precocial to delayed maturation that reflects seasonal and ecological fluctuations. We compared dispersal across and within species focusing on the effects of external (condition-dependent) and internal (phenotype-dependent) factors. Our data revealed substantial, unexplained variation between species for dispersal distances and a strong variation within species for both dispersal distance and fraction. Some methodological aspects explained variation across studies, which cautions against comparisons that do not control for them. Overall, the species under consideration display frequent short-distance dispersal events and extremely flexible dispersal strategies, but they also have hitherto unexpected capacity to disperse long distances. Female arvicolines are predominantly philopatric relative to males, but we found no clear association between the mating system and the degree of sex bias in dispersal across species. Dispersal is a response to both various proximate and ultimate factors, including competition, inbreeding avoidance, mate searching and habitat quality. In particular, our review suggests that costs and benefits experienced during transience and settlement are prime determinants of condition dependence. Patterns of phenotype-dependent dispersal are idiosyncratic, except for a widespread association between an exploration/activity syndrome and natal dispersal. Consequences for population dynamics and genetic structures are discussed.
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35
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Smorkatcheva AV, Orlova DV. Effect of polygyny on female reproductive success in the mandarin vole, Microtus mandarinus (Rodentia, Arvicolinae). BIOL BULL+ 2011. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359011070089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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36
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Oxytocin, vasopressin and estrogen receptor gene expression in relation to social recognition in female mice. Physiol Behav 2011; 105:915-24. [PMID: 22079582 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2011] [Revised: 10/19/2011] [Accepted: 10/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Inter- and intra-species differences in social behavior and recognition-related hormones and receptors suggest that different distribution and/or expression patterns may relate to social recognition. We used qRT-PCR to investigate naturally occurring differences in expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), ER-beta (ERβ), progesterone receptor (PR), oxytocin (OT) and receptor, and vasopressin (AVP) and receptors in proestrous female mice. Following four 5 min exposures to the same two conspecifics, one was replaced with a novel mouse in the final trial (T5). Gene expression was examined in mice showing high (85-100%) and low (40-60%) social recognition scores (i.e., preferential novel mouse investigation in T5) in eight socially-relevant brain regions. Results supported OT and AVP involvement in social recognition, and suggest that in the medial preoptic area, increased OT and AVP mRNA, together with ERα and ERβ gene activation, relate to improved social recognition. Initial social investigation correlated with ERs, PR and OTR in the dorsolateral septum, suggesting that these receptors may modulate social interest without affecting social recognition. Finally, increased lateral amygdala gene activation in the LR mice may be associated with general learning impairments, while decreased lateral amygdala activity may indicate more efficient cognitive mechanisms in the HR mice.
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37
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Meshriy MG, Randall JA, Parra L. Kinship associations of a solitary rodent, Dipodomys ingens, at fluctuating population densities. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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38
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Bonte D, Van Dyck H, Bullock JM, Coulon A, Delgado M, Gibbs M, Lehouck V, Matthysen E, Mustin K, Saastamoinen M, Schtickzelle N, Stevens VM, Vandewoestijne S, Baguette M, Barton K, Benton TG, Chaput-Bardy A, Clobert J, Dytham C, Hovestadt T, Meier CM, Palmer SCF, Turlure C, Travis JMJ. Costs of dispersal. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2011; 87:290-312. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2011.00201.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 840] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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39
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ARNAUD COLINEM, DOBSON FSTEPHEN, MURIE JANO. Philopatry and within-colony movements in Columbian ground squirrels. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:493-504. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Cooper N, Purvis A. What factors shape rates of phenotypic evolution? A comparative study of cranial morphology of four mammalian clades. J Evol Biol 2011; 22:1024-35. [PMID: 21462402 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01714.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding why rates of morphological evolution vary is a major goal in evolutionary biology. Classical work suggests that body size, interspecific competition, geographic range size and specialization may all be important, and each may increase or decrease rates of evolution. Here, we investigate correlates of proportional evolutionary rates in phalangeriform possums, phyllostomid bats, platyrrhine monkeys and marmotine squirrels, using phylogenetic comparative methods. We find that the most important correlate is body size. Large species evolve the fastest in all four clades, and there is a nonlinear relationship in platyrrhines and phalangeriformes, with the slowest evolution in species of intermediate size. We also find significant increases in rate with high environmental temperature in phyllostomids, and low mass-specific metabolic rate in marmotine squirrels. The mechanisms underlying these correlations are uncertain and appear to be size specific. We conclude that there is significant variation in rates of evolution, but that its meaning is not yet clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Cooper
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, UK.
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41
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Tassino B, Estevan I, Garbero RP, Altesor P, Lacey EA. Space use by Río Negro tuco-tucos (Ctenomys rionegrensis): Excursions and spatial overlap. Mamm Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2010.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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42
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Maher CR, Burger JR. Intraspecific variation in space use, group size, and mating systems of caviomorph rodents. J Mammal 2011; 92:54-64. [PMID: 22328790 DOI: 10.1644/09-mamm-s-317.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific variation in social systems is widely recognized across many taxa, and specific models, including polygamy potential, resource defense, and resource dispersion, have been developed to explain the relationship between ecological variation and social organization. Although mammals from temperate North America and Eurasia have provided many insights into this relationship, rodents from the Neotropics and temperate South America have largely been ignored. In this review we focus on reports documenting intraspecific variation in spacing systems, group size, and mating systems of caviomorphs. This large group of New World hystricognath rodents occupies a diverse array of habitats; thus, members of the same species potentially exhibit different social systems in response to different ecological conditions. Spatial patterns vary in response to a diverse array of factors, including predation, food availability, population density, and soil characteristics. Changes in group size typically correlate with changes in resource availability, particularly food. Mating systems generally reflect the ability of males to control access to females, which may depend on population density or food distribution. In general, social organization in caviomorphs fits predictions of resource-based models; however, most studies have been purely observational, involving small numbers of animals over short time periods and reporting qualitative rather than quantitative levels of ecological correlates. In future studies the use of molecular techniques and controlled, experimental manipulations can increase our understanding of intraspecific variation in caviomorph social systems. This understudied group of rodents offers excellent opportunities to provide insights into the influence of ecological conditions on behavior such as social systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R Maher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04103, USA
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43
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Schad J, Dechmann DKN, Voigt CC, Sommer S. MHC class II DRB diversity, selection pattern and population structure in a neotropical bat species, Noctilio albiventris. Heredity (Edinb) 2011; 107:115-26. [PMID: 21245894 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2010.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have a crucial role in the immune response of vertebrates, alter the individual odour and are involved in shaping mating preferences. Pathogen-mediated selection, sexual selection and maternal-fetal interactions have been proposed as the main drivers of frequently observed high levels of polymorphism in functionally important parts of the MHC. Bats constitute the second largest mammalian order and have recently emerged as important vectors of infectious diseases. In addition, Chiroptera are interesting study subjects in evolutionary ecology in the context of olfactory communication, mate choice and associated fitness benefits. Thus, it is surprising that they belong to the least studied mammalian taxa in terms of their MHC diversity. In this study, we investigated the variability in the functionally important MHC class II gene DRB, evidence for selection and population structure in the group-living lesser bulldog bat, Noctilio albiventris, in Panama. We found a single expressed, polymorphic Noal-DRB gene. The substitution pattern of the nucleotide sequences of the 18 detected alleles provided evidence for positive selection acting above the evolutionary history of the species in shaping MHC diversity. Roosting colonies were not genetically differentiated but females showed lower levels of heterozygosity than males, which might be a sign that the sexes differ in the selection pressures acting on the MHC. This study provides the prerequisites for further investigations of the role of the individual MHC constitution in parasite resistance, olfactory communication and mate choice in N. albiventris and other bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Schad
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
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Quirici V, Faugeron S, Hayes LD, Ebensperger LA. Absence of kin structure in a population of the group-living rodent Octodon degus. Behav Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Borkowska A. Seasonal variation of reproductive success under female philopatry and male-biased dispersal in a common vole population. Behav Processes 2010; 86:39-45. [PMID: 20850510 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2010.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2010] [Revised: 06/13/2010] [Accepted: 08/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Variation of reproductive success, an important determinant of the opportunity for sexual selection, is an outcome of competition within one sex for mating with members of the other sex. In promiscuous species, males typically compete for access to females, and their reproductive strategies are strongly related to the spatial distribution of females. I used 10 microsatellite loci and the mtDNA control region to determine seasonal differences in the reproductive success of males and females of the common vole (Microtus arvalis), one of the most numerous mammals in Europe. The sex-related spatial structure and bias in dispersal between genders were also assessed. Standardized variance of the reproductive success of females did not vary seasonally due to the continuity of female philopatry throughout the breeding season and to the constancy of the number of females reproducing successfully in each season. The males are the dispersing sex, undergoing both natal and breeding dispersal. Their standardized variance of reproductive success was significantly higher than that for females in July, when only two males monopolized 80% of the females in the population and when variance of male reproductive success was highest (I(m)=7.70). The seasonally varying and high standardized variance of male reproductive success may be explained by male-male competition for matings, coupled with seasonal changes in the age structure of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anetta Borkowska
- Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Świerkowa 20B, 15-950 Białystok, Poland.
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Multiple paternities increase genetic diversity of offspring in Brandt's voles. Behav Processes 2010; 84:745-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2010.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2009] [Revised: 04/10/2010] [Accepted: 05/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Selonen V, Hanski IK. Condition-dependent, phenotype-dependent and genetic-dependent factors in the natal dispersal of a solitary rodent. J Anim Ecol 2010; 79:1093-100. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01714.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Mora MS, Mapelli FJ, Gaggiotti OE, Kittlein MJ, Lessa EP. Dispersal and population structure at different spatial scales in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys australis. BMC Genet 2010; 11:9. [PMID: 20109219 PMCID: PMC2828403 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2156-11-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2009] [Accepted: 01/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The population genetic structure of subterranean rodent species is strongly affected by demographic (e.g. rates of dispersal and social structure) and stochastic factors (e.g. random genetic drift among subpopulations and habitat fragmentation). In particular, gene flow estimates at different spatial scales are essential to understand genetic differentiation among populations of a species living in a highly fragmented landscape. Ctenomys australis (the sand dune tuco-tuco) is a territorial subterranean rodent that inhabits a relatively secure, permanently sealed burrow system, occurring in sand dune habitats on the coastal landscape in the south-east of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Currently, this habitat is threatened by urban development and forestry and, therefore, the survival of this endemic species is at risk. Here, we assess population genetic structure and patterns of dispersal among individuals of this species at different spatial scales using 8 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Furthermore, we evaluate the relative importance of sex and habitat configuration in modulating the dispersal patterns at these geographical scales. Results Our results show that dispersal in C. australis is not restricted at regional spatial scales (~ 4 km). Assignment tests revealed significant population substructure within the study area, providing support for the presence of two subpopulations from three original sampling sites. Finally, male-biased dispersal was found in the Western side of our study area, but in the Eastern side no apparent philopatric pattern was found, suggesting that in a more continuous habitat males might move longer distances than females. Conclusions Overall, the assignment-based approaches were able to detect population substructure at fine geographical scales. Additionally, the maintenance of a significant genetic structure at regional (~ 4 km) and small (less than 1 km) spatial scales despite apparently moderate to high levels of gene flow between local sampling sites could not be explained simply by the linear distance among them. On the whole, our results support the hypothesis that males disperse more frequently than females; however they do not provide support for strict philopatry within females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías S Mora
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Casilla de Correo 1245, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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Viblanc VA, Arnaud CM, Dobson FS, Murie JO. Kin selection in Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus): littermate kin provide individual fitness benefits. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 277:989-94. [PMID: 19939839 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since W. D. Hamilton's seminal work on the evolution of sociality, a large body of research has accumulated on how kin selection might explain the evolution of cooperation in many group-living species. Our study examined the evolutionary basis of philopatry and cooperation; specifically, whether individuals benefit from the presence of close kin. We applied an individual fitness approach to a 16-year study of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) to investigate potential causal paths by which the presence of kin might act on individual fitness. Our results indicate that individual fitness benefits resulted from associations of philopatric female kin, and support the hypothesis that increased tolerance of proximity of kin is a proximate mechanism for these benefits. The major life-history influence of kin on individual fitness was through improved reproductive success, and this benefit may have been owing to philopatric settlement of kin that were recognized through familiarization in the natal burrow. Thus, we demonstrated an evolutionary basis necessary for ongoing kin-selected cooperation in Columbian ground squirrels, though the mechanism of familiarity may determine which kin individuals benefit from cooperative behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Viblanc
- Département d'Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, IPHC, UMR 7178 CNRS, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg Cedex 02, France.
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Meyer J, Kohnen A, Durka W, Wöstemeyer J, Blaum N, Rossmanith E, Brandl R. Genetic structure and dispersal in a small South African rodent. Is dispersal female-biased? Mamm Biol 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2008.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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