1
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Nervo B, Laini A, Roggero A, Fabbriciani F, Palestrini C, Rolando A. Interactions Between Individuals and Sex Rather Than Morphological Traits Drive Intraspecific Dung Removal in Two Dung Beetle Species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.863669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetle functional ecology has traditionally focused on studying the relation between traits and ecosystem functions in multispecies assemblages, often ignoring the contribution of behavioral interactions and trait variability within species. Here we focus on the factors that affect dung removal at an intraspecific level in two horned dung beetle species with dimorphic males (Onthophagus taurus and Onthophagus verticicornis). By setting treatments for each species with single individuals (one female, F; one major male, M; one minor male, m) or with pairs of individuals (MF, mF, MM, mm, FF), we examined the effect on dung removal of morphological traits (head, pronotum, leg, horn), sex, and interactions between individuals. Our results showed that dung removal at an intraspecific level depended more on sex and behavioral interactions than on the underlying morphological traits, whose effects on dung removal were negligible. Single females generally removed more dung than single males, which suggests that females are more effective than males. In both species, pairs with at least one female (MF, mF, FF) showed high dung removal efficiency, but did not perform differently from the sum of single treatments (M + F, m + f, F + F). This suggests an additive effect: males and females (or two females) join their efforts when they are together. The pairs with only males (MM and mm) removed less dung than the sum of the single individuals (M + M and m + m), which indicates a mutual inhibition of males. In both species, male morphs performed similarly as they removed the same amount of dung. Despite our results are limited to two Onthophagus species, we suggest that the intraspecific functional ecology of dung beetles might be more influenced by behavioral interactions and sex rather than by morphological traits.
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2
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Schirmer A, Hoffmann J, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M. My niche: individual spatial niche specialization affects within- and between-species interactions. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192211. [PMID: 31937229 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific trait variation is an important determinant of fundamental ecological interactions. Many of these interactions are mediated by behaviour. Therefore, interindividual differences in behaviour should contribute to individual niche specialization. Comparable with variation in morphological traits, behavioural differentiation between individuals should limit similarity among competitors and thus act as a mechanism maintaining within-species variation in ecological niches and facilitating species coexistence. Here, we aimed to test whether interindividual differences in boldness covary with spatial interactions within and between two ecologically similar, co-occurring rodent species (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus agrarius). In five subpopulations in northeast Germany, we quantified individual differences in boldness via repeated standardized tests and spatial interaction patterns via capture-mark-recapture (n = 126) and automated VHF telemetry (n = 36). We found that boldness varied with space use in both species. Individuals of the same population occupied different spatial niches, which resulted in non-random patterns of within- and between-species spatial interactions. Behavioural types mainly differed in the relative importance of intra- versus interspecific competition. Within-species variation along this competition gradient could contribute to maintaining individual niche specialization. Moreover, behavioural differentiation between individuals limits similarity among competitors, which might facilitate the coexistence of functionally equivalent species and, thus, affect community dynamics and local biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Schirmer
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Julia Hoffmann
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jana A Eccard
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 34, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 34, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Hasanyan J, Zino L, Burbano Lombana DA, Rizzo A, Porfiri M. Leader-follower consensus on activity-driven networks. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2020; 476:20190485. [PMID: 32082055 DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2019.0485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social groups such as schools of fish or flocks of birds display collective dynamics that can be modulated by group leaders, which facilitate decision-making toward a consensus state beneficial to the entire group. For instance, leaders could alert the group about attacking predators or the presence of food sources. Motivated by biological insight on social groups, we examine a stochastic leader-follower consensus problem where information sharing among agents is affected by perceptual constraints and each individual has a different tendency to form social connections. Leveraging tools from stochastic stability and eigenvalue perturbation theories, we study the consensus protocol in a mean-square sense, offering necessary-and-sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability and closed-form estimates of the convergence rate. Surprisingly, the prediction of our minimalistic model share similarities with observed traits of animal and human groups. Our analysis anticipates the counterintuitive result that heterogeneity can be beneficial to group decision-making by improving the convergence rate of the consensus protocol. This observation finds support in theoretical and empirical studies on social insects such as spider or honeybee colonies, as well as human teams, where inter-individual variability enhances the group performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalil Hasanyan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Lorenzo Zino
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Rizzo
- Office of Innovation, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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4
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Davenport JM, King AB, Riley AW, Hampson ME, Constantinides P. The non‐consumptive effects of predators and personality on prey growth and mortality. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon M. Davenport
- Department of Biology Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau MO USA
| | - Alexis B. King
- Department of Biology Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau MO USA
| | - Alex W. Riley
- Department of Biology Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau MO USA
| | - Maria E. Hampson
- Department of Biology Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau MO USA
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5
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Roth AM, Firth JA, Patrick SC, Cole EF, Sheldon BC. Partner’s age, not social environment, predicts extrapair paternity in wild great tits (Parus major). Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
An individual’s fitness is not only influenced by its own phenotype, but by the phenotypes of interacting conspecifics. This is likely to be particularly true when considering fitness gains and losses caused by extrapair matings, as they depend directly on the social environment. While previous work has explored effects of dyadic interactions, limited understanding exists regarding how group-level characteristics of the social environment affect extrapair paternity (EPP) and cuckoldry. We use a wild population of great tits (Parus major) to examine how, in addition to the phenotypes of focal parents, two neighborhood-level traits—age and personality composition—predict EPP and cuckoldry. We used the well-studied trait “exploration behavior” as a measure of the reactive-proactive personality axis. Because breeding pairs inhabit a continuous “social landscape,” we first established an ecologically relevant definition of a breeding “neighborhood” through genotyping parents and nestlings in a 51-ha patch of woodland and assessing the spatial predictors of EPP events. Using the observed decline in likelihood of EPP with increasing spatial separation between nests, we determined the relevant neighborhood boundaries, and thus the group phenotypic composition of an individual’s neighborhood, by calculating the point at which the likelihood of EPP became negligible. We found no evidence that “social environment” effects (i.e., neighborhood age or personality composition) influenced EPP or cuckoldry. We did, however, find that a female’s own age influenced the EPP of her social mate, with males paired to older females gaining more EPP, even when controlling for the social environment. These findings suggest that partner characteristics, rather than group phenotypic composition, influence mating activity patterns at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Roth
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
- St. Catherine’s College, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Josh A Firth
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
- Merton College, Oxford, UK
| | - Samantha C Patrick
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ella F Cole
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Ben C Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
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6
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Wong MKL, Guénard B, Lewis OT. Trait-based ecology of terrestrial arthropods. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:999-1022. [PMID: 30548743 PMCID: PMC6849530 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In focusing on how organisms' generalizable functional properties (traits) interact mechanistically with environments across spatial scales and levels of biological organization, trait-based approaches provide a powerful framework for attaining synthesis, generality and prediction. Trait-based research has considerably improved understanding of the assembly, structure and functioning of plant communities. Further advances in ecology may be achieved by exploring the trait-environment relationships of non-sessile, heterotrophic organisms such as terrestrial arthropods, which are geographically ubiquitous, ecologically diverse, and often important functional components of ecosystems. Trait-based studies and trait databases have recently been compiled for groups such as ants, bees, beetles, butterflies, spiders and many others; however, the explicit justification, conceptual framework, and primary-evidence base for the burgeoning field of 'terrestrial arthropod trait-based ecology' have not been well established. Consequently, there is some confusion over the scope and relevance of this field, as well as a tendency for studies to overlook important assumptions of the trait-based approach. Here we aim to provide a broad and accessible overview of the trait-based ecology of terrestrial arthropods. We first define and illustrate foundational concepts in trait-based ecology with respect to terrestrial arthropods, and justify the application of trait-based approaches to the study of their ecology. Next, we review studies in community ecology where trait-based approaches have been used to elucidate how assembly processes for terrestrial arthropod communities are influenced by niche filtering along environmental gradients (e.g. climatic, structural, and land-use gradients) and by abiotic and biotic disturbances (e.g. fire, floods, and biological invasions). We also review studies in ecosystem ecology where trait-based approaches have been used to investigate biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships: how the functional diversity of arthropod communities relates to a host of ecosystem functions and services that they mediate, such as decomposition, pollination and predation. We then suggest how future work can address fundamental assumptions and limitations by investigating trait functionality and the effects of intraspecific variation, assessing the potential for sampling methods to bias the traits and trait values observed, and enhancing the quality and consolidation of trait information in databases. A roadmap to guide observational trait-based studies is also presented. Lastly, we highlight new areas where trait-based studies on terrestrial arthropods are well positioned to advance ecological understanding and application. These include examining the roles of competitive, non-competitive and (multi-)trophic interactions in shaping coexistence, and macro-scaling trait-environment relationships to explain and predict patterns in biodiversity and ecosystem functions across space and time. We hope this review will spur and guide future applications of the trait-based framework to advance ecological insights from the most diverse eukaryotic organisms on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark K. L. Wong
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxford, OX1 3PSU.K.
| | - Benoit Guénard
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences BuildingHong KongSARChina
| | - Owen T. Lewis
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxford, OX1 3PSU.K.
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7
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Petelle MB, Martin JG, Blumstein DT. Mixed support for state maintaining risky personality traits in yellow-bellied marmots. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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8
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Schirmer A, Herde A, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M. Individuals in space: personality-dependent space use, movement and microhabitat use facilitate individual spatial niche specialization. Oecologia 2019; 189:647-660. [PMID: 30826867 PMCID: PMC6418052 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04365-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Personality-dependent space use and movement might be crucially influencing ecological interactions, giving way to individual niche specialization. This new approach challenges classical niche theory with potentially great ecological consequences, but so far has only scarce empirical support. Here, we investigated if and how consistent inter-individual differences in behavior predict space use and movement patterns in free-ranging bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and thereby contribute to individual niche specialization. Individuals were captured and marked from three different subpopulations in North-East Germany. Inter-individual differences in boldness and exploration were quantified via repeated standardized tests directly in the field after capture. Subsequently, space use and movement patterns of a representative sample of the behavioral variation (n = 21 individuals) were monitored via automated VHF telemetry for a period of four days, yielding on average 384 locations per individual. Bolder individuals occupied larger home ranges and core areas (estimated via kernel density analyses), moved longer distances, spatially overlapped with fewer conspecifics and preferred different microhabitats based on vegetation cover compared to shyer individuals. We found evidence for personality-dependent space use, movement, and occupation of individual spatial niches in bank voles. Thus, besides dietary niche specialization also spatial dimensions of ecological niches vary among individuals within populations, which may have important consequences for ecological interactions within- and between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Schirmer
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Antje Herde
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jana A Eccard
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
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9
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Wright CM, Lichtenstein JLL, Doering GN, Pretorius J, Meunier J, Pruitt JN. Collective personalities: present knowledge and new frontiers. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2639-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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10
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Lichtenstein JLL, Daniel KA, Wong JB, Wright CM, Doering GN, Costa-Pereira R, Pruitt JN. Habitat structure changes the relationships between predator behavior, prey behavior, and prey survival rates. Oecologia 2019; 190:297-308. [PMID: 30707296 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04344-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The individual behavioral traits of predators and prey sometimes determine the outcome of their interactions. Here, we examine whether changes to habitat complexity alter the effects of predator and prey behavior on their survival rates. Specifically, we test whether behavioral traits (activity level, boldness, and perch height) measured in predators and prey or multivariate behavioral volumes best predict the survival rates of both trophic levels in staged mesocosms with contrasting structural complexity. Behavioral volumes and hypervolumes are a composite group-level behavioral diversity metric built from the individual-level behavioral traits we measured in predators and prey. We stocked mesocosms with a host plant and groups of cannibalistic predators (n = 5 mantises/mesocosm) and their prey (n = 15 katydids/mesocosm), and mesocosms varied in the presence/absence of additional non-living climbing structures. We found that mantis survival rates were unrelated to any behavioral metric considered here, but were higher in structurally complex mesocosms. Unexpectedly, katydids were more likely to survive when mantis groups occupied larger behavioral volumes, indicating that more behaviorally diverse predator groups are less lethal. Katydid mortality was also increased when both predators and prey exhibited higher average perch heights, but this effect was increased by the addition of supplemental structure. This is consistent with the expectation that structural complexity increases the effect of intraspecific behavioral variation on prey survival rates. Collectively, these results convey that the effects of predator and prey behavior on prey survival could depend highly on the environment in which they are evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L L Lichtenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Karis A Daniel
- Department of Biology, Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA, 17201, USA
| | - Joanna B Wong
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Colin M Wright
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Grant Navid Doering
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Raul Costa-Pereira
- Department of Ecology, São Paolo State University, São Paolo, 01049-010, Brazil
| | - Jonathan N Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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11
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Dumont F, Aubry O, Lucas E. From Evolutionary Aspects of Zoophytophagy to Biological Control. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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12
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Montiglio PO, Dammhahn M, Dubuc Messier G, Réale D. The pace-of-life syndrome revisited: the role of ecological conditions and natural history on the slow-fast continuum. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2526-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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13
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Lichtenstein JLL, Rice HK, Pruitt JN. Personality variation in two predator species does not impact prey species survival or plant damage in staged mesocosms. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2487-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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14
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Found R. Interactions between cleaner-birds and ungulates are personality dependent. Biol Lett 2018; 13:rsbl.2017.0536. [PMID: 29187607 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While a growing body of literature explores the ecological implications of consistent individual variation in the behaviour of wildlife, few studies have looked at the reciprocal influences of personality within interspecific interactions, despite the potentially significant impacts on biodiversity. Here I used two species involved in cleaner-bird behaviour-black-billed magpies (Pica pica) and Rocky mountain elk (Cervus canadensis)-to show that the exhibition of mutualistic behaviour can depend on the personality of the individual involved. I recorded suites of correlated behaviours in both elk and magpies to derive personality gradients from 'shy' to 'bold', which I compared with observations of interspecific interactions. I measured each half of this mutualistic relationship separately. I found that bold elk were more likely to aggressively reject magpie landings, while shy elk allowed magpies to land and groom them. Contrastingly, I found it was bold magpies that were willing to risk landings, while shy magpies rarely attempted landings. These results show that the exhibition of interspecific behaviour is predicated on the personality of the individuals, and thus likely contributes to the selection and maintenance of personality variation within populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Found
- Parks Canada, Elk Island National Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada T8L 0V3
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15
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Lichtenstein JLL, Chism GT, Kamath A, Pruitt JN. Intraindividual Behavioral Variability Predicts Foraging Outcome in a Beach-dwelling Jumping Spider. Sci Rep 2017; 7:18063. [PMID: 29273746 PMCID: PMC5741732 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18359-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal personality, defined as consistent differences between individuals in behavior, has been the subject of hundreds if not thousands of papers. However, little work explores the fitness consequences of variation in behavior within individuals, or intraindividual variability (IIV). We probe the effects of behavioral IIV on predator-prey interaction outcomes in beach-dwelling jumping spiders (Terralonus californicus). Prior studies have found that spiders with higher body condition (body mass relative to size) behave more variably. Thus, we hypothesized that jumping spider activity level IIV would relate positively to foraging performance. To address this, we tested for associations between activity IIV, average activity level, and two measures of foraging success in laboratory mesocosms: change in spider mass and the number of prey killed. Activity IIV positively correlated with the mass that spiders gained from prey, but not with the number of prey killed. This suggests that spiders with high IIV consumed a greater proportion of their prey or used less energy. Interestingly, average activity level (personality) predicted neither metric of foraging success, indicating that behavioral IIV can predict metrics of success that personality does not. Therefore, our findings suggest that IIV should be considered alongside personality in studies of predator-prey interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L L Lichtenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Gregory T Chism
- Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology and Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Ambika Kamath
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Jonathan N Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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16
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Gleason LU, Miller LP, Winnikoff JR, Somero GN, Yancey PH, Bratz D, Dowd WW. Thermal history and gape of individual Mytilus californianus correlate with oxidative damage and thermoprotective osmolytes. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:4292-4304. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.168450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The ability of animals to cope with environmental stress depends – in part – on past experience, yet knowledge of the factors influencing an individual's physiology in nature remains underdeveloped. We used an individual monitoring system to record body temperature and valve gaping behavior of rocky intertidal zone mussels (Mytilus californianus). Thirty individuals were selected from two mussel beds (wave-exposed and wave-protected) that differ in thermal regime. Instrumented mussels were deployed at two intertidal heights (near the lower and upper edges of the mussel zone) and in a continuously submerged tidepool. Following a 23-day monitoring period, measures of oxidative damage to DNA and lipids, antioxidant capacities (catalase activity and peroxyl radical scavenging) and tissue contents of organic osmolytes were obtained from gill tissue of each individual. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that inter-individual variation in cumulative thermal stress is a predominant driver of physiological variation. Thermal history over the outplant period was positively correlated with oxidative DNA damage. Thermal history was also positively correlated with tissue contents of taurine, a thermoprotectant osmolyte, and with activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase. Origin site differences, possibly indicative of developmental plasticity, were only significant for catalase activity. Gaping behavior was positively correlated with tissue contents of two osmolytes. Overall, these results are some of the first to clearly demonstrate relationships between inter-individual variation in recent experience in the field and inter-individual physiological variation, in this case within mussel beds. Such micro-scale, environmentally mediated physiological differences should be considered in attempts to forecast biological responses to a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lani U. Gleason
- Loyola Marymount University, Department of Biology, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
| | - Luke P. Miller
- San Jose State University, Department of Biological Sciences, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192, USA
| | - Jacob R. Winnikoff
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - George N. Somero
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Paul H. Yancey
- Whitman College, Biology Department, 345 Boyer Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA
| | - Dylan Bratz
- Whitman College, Biology Department, 345 Boyer Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA
| | - W. Wesley Dowd
- Loyola Marymount University, Department of Biology, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
- Washington State University, School of Biological Sciences, PO Box 644236, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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17
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Keiser CN, Ingley SJ, Toscano BJ, Scharf I, Pruitt JN. Habitat complexity dampens selection on prey activity level. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Spencer J. Ingley
- Department of Biology University of North Carolina Chapel Hill NC USA
| | | | - Inon Scharf
- Department of Zoology Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
| | - Jonathan N. Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology University of California Santa Barbara CA USA
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18
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Lichtenstein JLL, Wright CM, McEwen B, Pinter-Wollman N, Pruitt JN. The multidimensional behavioural hypervolumes of two interacting species predict their space use and survival. Anim Behav 2017; 132:129-136. [PMID: 29681647 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Individual animals differ consistently in their behaviour, thus impacting a wide variety of ecological outcomes. Recent advances in animal personality research have established the ecological importance of the multidimensional behavioural volume occupied by individuals and by multispecies communities. Here, we examine the degree to which the multidimensional behavioural volume of a group predicts the outcome of both intra- and interspecific interactions. In particular, we test the hypothesis that a population of conspecifics will experience low intraspecific competition when the population occupies a large volume in behavioural space. We further hypothesize that populations of interacting species will exhibit greater interspecific competition when one or both species occupy large volumes in behavioural space. We evaluate these hypotheses by studying groups of katydids (Scudderia nymphs) and froghoppers (Philaenus spumarius), which compete for food and space on their shared host plant, Solidago canadensis. We found that individuals in single-species groups of katydids positioned themselves closer to one another, suggesting reduced competition, when groups occupied a large behavioural volume. When both species were placed together, we found that the survival of froghoppers was greatest when both froghoppers and katydids occupied a small volume in behavioural space, particularly at high froghopper densities. These results suggest that groups that occupy large behavioural volumes can have low intraspecific competition but high interspecific competition. Thus, behavioural hypervolumes appear to have ecological consequences at both the level of the population and the community and may help to predict the intensity of competition both within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L L Lichtenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A
| | - Colin M Wright
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A
| | - Brendan McEwen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A
| | - Jonathan N Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A
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Barkae ED, Scharf I, Ovadia O. Differential effects of variance in prey arrival on foraging success and growth rate of two pit‐building antlion species. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. D. Barkae
- Department of Life Sciences Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Beer‐Sheva Israel
| | - I. Scharf
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Life Sciences Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
| | - O. Ovadia
- Department of Life Sciences Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Beer‐Sheva Israel
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20
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Montiglio PO, Wey TW, Sih A. Effects of the group’s mix of sizes and personalities on the emergence of alternative mating systems in water striders. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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21
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Start D, Gilbert B. Predator personality structures prey communities and trophic cascades. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:366-374. [PMID: 28120366 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intraspecific variation is central to our understanding of evolution and population ecology, yet its consequences for community ecology are poorly understood. Animal personality - consistent individual differences in suites of behaviours - may be particularly important for trophic dynamics, where predator personality can determine activity rates and patterns of attack. We used mesocosms with aquatic food webs in which the top predator (dragonfly nymphs) varied in activity and subsequent attack rates on zooplankton, and tested the effects of predator personality. We found support for four hypotheses: (1) active predators disproportionately reduce the abundance of prey, (2) active predators select for predator-resistant prey species, (3) active predators strengthen trophic cascades (increase phytoplankton abundance) and (4) active predators are more likely to cannibalise one another, weakening all other trends when at high densities. These results suggest that intraspecific variation in predator personality is an important determinant of prey abundance, community composition and trophic cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denon Start
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B3
| | - Benjamin Gilbert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B3
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22
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Roeder KA, Kaspari M. From cryptic herbivore to predator: stable isotopes reveal consistent variability in trophic levels in an ant population. Ecology 2017; 98:297-303. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karl A. Roeder
- Department of Biology; Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Oklahoma; 730 Van Vleet Oval, Room 314 Norman Oklahoma 73019 USA
| | - Michael Kaspari
- Department of Biology; Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Oklahoma; 730 Van Vleet Oval, Room 314 Norman Oklahoma 73019 USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Balboa Panama
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23
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Pruitt JN. Behavioural hypervolumes of spider communities predict community performance and disbandment. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161409. [PMID: 27974515 PMCID: PMC5204141 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trait-based ecology argues that an understanding of the traits of interactors can enhance the predictability of ecological outcomes. We examine here whether the multidimensional behavioural-trait diversity of communities influences community performance and stability in situ We created experimental communities of web-building spiders, each with an identical species composition. Communities contained one individual of each of five different species. Prior to establishing these communities in the field, we examined three behavioural traits for each individual spider. These behavioural measures allowed us to estimate community-wide behavioural diversity, as inferred by the multidimensional behavioural volume occupied by the entire community. Communities that occupied a larger region of behavioural-trait space (i.e. where spiders differed more from each other behaviourally) gained more mass and were less likely to disband. Thus, there is a community-wide benefit to multidimensional behavioural diversity in this system that might translate to other multispecies assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan N Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9610, USA
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24
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Browne L, Karubian J. Frequency‐dependent selection for rare genotypes promotes genetic diversity of a tropical palm. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:1439-1447. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Browne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana
- Foundation for the Conservation of the Tropical Andes Quito Ecuador
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana
- Foundation for the Conservation of the Tropical Andes Quito Ecuador
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25
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Quijano AJ, Joyner ML, Ross C, Watts JC, Seier E, Jones TC. Spatio-temporal analysis of foraging behaviors of Anelosimus studiosus utilizing mathematical modeling of multiple spider interaction on a cooperative web. J Theor Biol 2016; 408:243-259. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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26
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Brooker RM, Feeney WE, White JR, Manassa RP, Johansen JL, Dixson DL. Using insights from animal behaviour and behavioural ecology to inform marine conservation initiatives. Anim Behav 2016; 120:211-221. [PMID: 29104297 PMCID: PMC5665575 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The impacts of human activities on the natural world are becoming increasingly apparent, with rapid development and exploitation occurring at the expense of habitat quality and biodiversity. Declines are especially concerning in the oceans, which hold intrinsic value due to their biological uniqueness as well as their substantial sociological and economic importance. Here, we review the literature and investigate whether incorporation of knowledge from the fields of animal behaviour and behavioural ecology may improve the effectiveness of conservation initiatives in marine systems. In particular, we consider (1) how knowledge of larval behaviour and ecology may be used to inform the design of marine protected areas, (2) how protecting species that hold specific ecological niches may be of particular importance for maximizing the preservation of biodiversity, (3) how current harvesting techniques may be inadvertently skewing the behavioural phenotypes of stock populations and whether changes to current practices may lessen this skew and reinforce population persistence, and (4) how understanding the behavioural and physiological responses of species to a changing environment may provide essential insights into areas of particular vulnerability for prioritized conservation attention. The complex nature of conservation programmes inherently results in interdisciplinary responses, and the incorporation of knowledge from the fields of animal behaviour and behavioural ecology may increase our ability to stem the loss of biodiversity in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan M. Brooker
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, U.S.A
| | - William E. Feeney
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, U.S.A
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | - James R. White
- College of Tropical and Marine Science, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Rachel P. Manassa
- Water Studies Centre, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jacob L. Johansen
- Marine Science Institute, University of Texas, Port Aransas, TX, U.S.A
| | - Danielle L. Dixson
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, U.S.A
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27
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RETRACTED ARTICLE: Prolonged food restriction decreases body condition and reduces repeatability in personality traits in web-building spiders. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2184-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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28
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Nannini MA, Wahl DH. Does prey community composition affect the way different behavioral types interact with their environment? Oecologia 2016; 182:453-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3681-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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29
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Goulet CT, Ingley SJ, Scharf I, Pruitt JN. Thermal effects on survival and reproductive performance vary according to personality type. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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30
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Lichtenstein JL, Pruitt JN, Modlmeier AP. Intraspecific variation in collective behaviors drives interspecific contests in acorn ants. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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31
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Quinn JL. Animal personality meets community ecology: founder species aggression and the dynamics of spider communities. J Anim Ecol 2015; 84:1457-60. [PMID: 26449191 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Silken web-reef created by the spider Anelosimus studiosus (main picture) and close-up (insert picture) of multi-female, adult colony of the same species. (photographs: T. Jones, J. Pruitt and A. Wild) In Focus: Pruitt, J.N. & Modlmeier, A.P. (2015) Animal personality in a foundation species drives community divergence and collapse in the wild. Journal of Animal Ecology, 84 Interspecific interactions form the cornerstone of niche theory in community ecology. The 7-year study In Focus here supports the view that variation within species could also be crucially important. Spider communities created experimentally in the wild, with either aggressive or docile individuals of the same founder species, were highly divergent in patterns of community succession for several years. Eventually, they converged on the same community composition only to collapse entirely shortly after, apparently because of the specific mix of aggression phenotypes within and between species just before collapse. These results suggest numerous avenues of research for behavioural ecology and evolutionary community ecology in metapopulations, and could help to resolve differences between competing theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Quinn
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
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32
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Farine DR, Montiglio PO, Spiegel O. From Individuals to Groups and Back: The Evolutionary Implications of Group Phenotypic Composition. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:609-621. [PMID: 26411618 PMCID: PMC4594155 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing interest in understanding the processes that maintain phenotypic variation in groups, populations, or communities. Recent studies have investigated how the phenotypic composition of groups or aggregations (e.g., its average phenotype or phenotypic variance) affects ecological and social processes, and how multi-level selection can drive phenotypic covariance among interacting individuals. However, we argue that these questions are rarely studied together. We present a unified framework to address this gap, and discuss how group phenotypic composition (GPC) can impact on processes ranging from individual fitness to population demography. By emphasising the breadth of topics affected, we hope to motivate more integrated empirical studies of the ecological and evolutionary implications of GPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien R Farine
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, República de Panamá; Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Orr Spiegel
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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33
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Abstract
Although natural populations consist of individuals with different traits, and the degree of phenotypic variation varies among populations, the impact of phenotypic variation on ecological interactions has received little attention, because traditional approaches to community ecology assume homogeneity of individuals within a population. Stage structure, which is a common way of generating size and developmental variation within predator populations, can drive cannibalistic interactions, which can affect the strength of predatory effects on the predator's heterospecific prey. Studies have shown that predator cannibalism weakens predatory effects on heterospecific prey by reducing the size of the predator population and by inducing less feeding activity of noncannibal predators. We predict, however, that predator cannibalism, by promoting rapid growth of the cannibals, can also intensify predation pressure on heterospecific prey, because large predators have large resource requirements and may utilize a wider variety of prey species. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment in which we created carnivorous salamander (Hynobius retardatus) populations with different stage structures by manipulating the salamander's hatch timing (i.e., populations with large or small variation in the timing of hatching), and explored the resultant impacts on the abundance, behavior, morphology, and life history of the salamander's large heterospecific prey, Rana pirica frog tadpoles. Cannibalism was rare in salamander populations having small hatch-timing variation, but was frequent in those having large hatch-timing variation. Thus, giant salamander cannibals occurred only in the latter. We clearly showed that salamander giants exerted strong predation pressure on frog tadpoles, which induced large behavioral and morphological defenses in the tadpoles and caused them to metamorphose late at large size. Hence, predator cannibalism arising from large variation in the timing of hatching can strengthen predatory effects on heterospecific prey and can have impacts on various, traits of both predator and prey. Because animals commonly broaden their diet as they grow, such negative impacts of predator cannibalism on the heterospecific prey may be common in interactions between predators and prey species of similar size.
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34
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Kernaléguen L, Dorville N, Ierodiaconou D, Hoskins AJ, Baylis AMM, Hindell MA, Semmens J, Abernathy K, Marshall GJ, Cherel Y, Arnould JPY. From video recordings to whisker stable isotopes: a critical evaluation of timescale in assessing individual foraging specialisation in Australian fur seals. Oecologia 2015; 180:657-70. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3407-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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35
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Pruitt JN, Modlmeier AP. Animal personality in a foundation species drives community divergence and collapse in the wild. J Anim Ecol 2015; 84:1461-8. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan N. Pruitt
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Andreas P. Modlmeier
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
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36
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Bockoven AA, Wilder SM, Eubanks MD. Intraspecific Variation among Social Insect Colonies: Persistent Regional and Colony-Level Differences in Fire Ant Foraging Behavior. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133868. [PMID: 26197456 PMCID: PMC4510567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals vary within a species in many ecologically important ways, but the causes and consequences of such variation are often poorly understood. Foraging behavior is among the most profitable and risky activities in which organisms engage and is expected to be under strong selection. Among social insects there is evidence that within-colony variation in traits such as foraging behavior can increase colony fitness, but variation between colonies and the potential consequences of such variation are poorly documented. In this study, we tested natural populations of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, for the existence of colony and regional variation in foraging behavior and tested the persistence of this variation over time and across foraging habitats. We also reared single-lineage colonies in standardized environments to explore the contribution of colony lineage. Fire ants from natural populations exhibited significant and persistent colony and regional-level variation in foraging behaviors such as extra-nest activity, exploration, and discovery of and recruitment to resources. Moreover, colony-level variation in extra-nest activity was significantly correlated with colony growth, suggesting that this variation has fitness consequences. Lineage of the colony had a significant effect on extra-nest activity and exploratory activity and explained approximately half of the variation observed in foraging behaviors, suggesting a heritable component to colony-level variation in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison A. Bockoven
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shawn M. Wilder
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Micky D. Eubanks
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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37
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Inferring biotic interactions from proxies. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:347-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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38
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Modlmeier AP, Keiser CN, Wright CM, Lichtenstein JL, Pruitt JN. Integrating animal personality into insect population and community ecology. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 9:77-85. [PMID: 32846713 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent surge of interest in the concept of animal personalities, that is, temporally consistent individual differences in behavior, few studies have integrated intraspecific behavioral variation in population or community ecology. Insects and other arthropods provide ideal model systems to study how intraspecific behavioral variation affects phenomena in ecology. This is due to the fact that arthropods not only are highly amenable to experimental manipulation, but they also allow us to answer general ecological questions on multiple scales of biological organization. Herein, we review recent developments and views on how the framework of animal personality could provide a deeper understanding of classic issues in (1) population ecology (e.g., local adaptation, dispersal, and invasion), (2) community ecology (e.g., food webs and ecosystem engineering), and (3) more insect-focused topics such as metamorphosis and pollination biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas P Modlmeier
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - Carl N Keiser
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - Colin M Wright
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - James Ll Lichtenstein
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - Jonathan N Pruitt
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States.
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39
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White JR, Meekan MG, McCormick MI. Individual consistency in the behaviors of newly-settled reef fish. PeerJ 2015; 3:e961. [PMID: 26020013 PMCID: PMC4435502 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexibility in behavior is advantageous for organisms that transition between stages of a complex life history. However, various constraints can set limits on plasticity, giving rise to the existence of personalities that have associated costs and benefits. Here, we document a field and laboratory experiment that examines the consistency of measures of boldness, activity, and aggressive behavior in the young of a tropical reef fish, Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae) immediately following their transition between pelagic larval and benthic juvenile habitats. Newly-settled fish were observed in aquaria and in the field on replicated patches of natural habitat cleared of resident fishes. Seven behavioral traits representing aspects of boldness, activity and aggression were monitored directly and via video camera over short (minutes), medium (hours), and long (3 days) time scales. With the exception of aggression, these behaviors were found to be moderately or highly consistent over all time scales in both laboratory and field settings, implying that these fish show stable personalities within various settings. Our study is the first to examine the temporal constancy of behaviors in both field and laboratory settings in over various time scales at a critically important phase during the life cycle of a reef fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R White
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville, Queensland , Australia ; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University , Townsville, Queensland , Australia
| | - Mark G Meekan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, University of Western Australia , Crawley, Western Australia , Australia
| | - Mark I McCormick
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville, Queensland , Australia ; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University , Townsville, Queensland , Australia
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40
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Campobello D, Hare JF, Sarà M. Social phenotype extended to communities: Expanded multilevel social selection analysis reveals fitness consequences of interspecific interactions. Evolution 2015; 69:916-25. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Campobello
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF); University of Palermo; Via Archirafi 18 90123 Palermo Italy
| | - James F. Hare
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB Canada
| | - Maurizio Sarà
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF); University of Palermo; Via Archirafi 18 90123 Palermo Italy
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41
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Holbrook CT, Wright CM, Pruitt JN. RETRACTED: Individual differences in personality and behavioural plasticity facilitate division of labour in social spider colonies. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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42
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Ebrahimi M, Bull CM. Lycosid Spiders are Friends and Enemies of the Endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard (Tiliqua Adelaidensis). T ROY SOC SOUTH AUST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/03721426.2012.10887161] [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]
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43
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Effects of behavioural type, social skill and the social environment on male mating success in water striders. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Wright CM, Holbrook CT, Pruitt JN. Animal personality aligns task specialization and task proficiency in a spider society. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:9533-7. [PMID: 24979771 PMCID: PMC4084461 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1400850111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Classic theory on division of labor implicitly assumes that task specialists are more proficient at their jobs than generalists and specialists in other tasks; however, recent data suggest that this might not hold for societies that lack discrete worker polymorphisms, which constitute the vast majority of animal societies. The facultatively social spider Anelosimus studiosus lacks castes, but females exhibit either a "docile" or "aggressive" phenotype. Here we observed the propensity of individual females of either phenotype to perform various tasks (i.e., prey capture, web building, parental care, and colony defense) in mixed-phenotype colonies. We then measured the performance outcomes of singleton individuals of either phenotype at each task to determine their proficiencies. Aggressive females participated more in prey capture, web building, and colony defense, whereas docile females engaged more in parental care. In staged trials, aggressive individuals were more effective at capturing prey, constructing webs, and defending the colony, whereas docile females were more effective at rearing large quantities of brood. Thus, individuals' propensity to perform tasks and their task proficiencies appear to be adaptively aligned in this system. Moreover, because the docile/aggressive phenotypes are heritable, these data suggest that within-colony variation is maintained because of advantages gleaned by division of labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260; and
| | - C Tate Holbrook
- Department of Natural Sciences, College of Coastal Georgia, Brunswick, GA 31520
| | - Jonathan N Pruitt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260; and
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Grinsted L, Breuker CJ, Bilde T. Cooperative breeding favors maternal investment in size over number of eggs in spiders. Evolution 2014; 68:1961-73. [PMID: 24654980 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The transition to cooperative breeding may alter maternal investment strategies depending on density of breeders, extent of reproductive skew, and allo-maternal care. Change in optimal investment from solitary to cooperative breeding can be investigated by comparing social species with nonsocial congeners. We tested two hypotheses in a mainly semelparous system: that social, cooperative breeders, compared to subsocial, solitarily breeding congeners, (1) lay fewer and larger eggs because larger offspring compete better for limited resources and become reproducers; (2) induce egg size variation within clutches as a bet-hedging strategy to ensure that some offspring become reproducers. Within two spider genera, Anelosimus and Stegodyphus, we compared species from similar habitats and augmented the results with a mini-meta-analysis of egg numbers depicted in phylogenies. We found that social species indeed laid fewer, larger eggs than subsocials, while egg size variation was low overall, giving no support for bet-hedging. We propose that the transition to cooperative breeding selects for producing few, large offspring because reproductive skew and high density of breeders and young create competition for resources and reproduction. Convergent evolution has shaped maternal strategies similarly in phylogenetically distant species and directed cooperatively breeding spiders to invest in quality rather than quantity of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Grinsted
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Effect of predation threat on repeatability of individual crab behavior revealed by mark-recapture. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1666-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2022]
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McDermott DR, Chips MJ, McGuirk M, Armagost F, DiRienzo N, Pruitt JN. Boldness is influenced by sublethal interactions with predators and is associated with successful harem infiltration in Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1657-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Grinsted L, Pruitt JN, Settepani V, Bilde T. Individual personalities shape task differentiation in a social spider. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131407. [PMID: 23902907 PMCID: PMC3735259 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Deciphering the mechanisms involved in shaping social structure is key to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary processes leading to sociality. Individual specialization within groups can increase colony efficiency and consequently productivity. Here, we test the hypothesis that within-group variation in individual personalities (i.e. boldness and aggression) can shape task differentiation. The social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum (Eresidae) showed task differentiation (significant unequal participation) in simulated prey capture events across 10-day behavioural assays in the field, independent of developmental stage (level of maturation), eliminating age polyethism. Participation in prey capture was positively associated with level of boldness but not with aggression. Body size positively correlated with being the first spider to emerge from the colony as a response to prey capture but not with being the first to attack, and dispersal distance from experimental colonies correlated with attacking but not with emerging. This suggests that different behavioural responses to prey capture result from a complex set of individual characteristics. Boldness and aggression correlated positively, but neither was associated with body size, developmental stage or dispersal distance. Hence, we show that personalities shape task differentiation in a social spider independent of age and maturation. Our results suggest that personality measures obtained in solitary, standardized laboratory settings can be reliable predictors of behaviour in a social context in the field. Given the wealth of organisms that show consistent individual behavioural differences, animal personality could play a role in social organization in a diversity of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Grinsted
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Mitchell RM, Bakker JD. Quantifying and comparing intraspecific functional trait variability: a case study withHypochaeris radicata. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M. Mitchell
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences; University of Washington; Box 354115 Seattle Washington 98195-4115 USA
| | - Jonathan D. Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences; University of Washington; Box 354115 Seattle Washington 98195-4115 USA
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