The role of habitat configuration in shaping social structure: a gap in studies of animal social complexity

AbstractBy shaping where individuals move, habitat configuration can fundamentally structure animal populations. Yet, we currently lack a framework for generating quantitative predictions about the role of habitat configuration in modulating population outcomes. For example, it is well known that the social structure of animal populations can shape spreading dynamics, but it remains underexplored to what extent such dynamics are determined by the underlying habitat configuration. To address this gap, we propose a framework and model inspired by studies using networks to characterize habitat connectivity. We first define animal habitat networks, explain how they can integrate information about the different configurational features of animals’ habitats, and highlight the need for a bottom-up generative model that can depict realistic variations in habitat structural connectivity. Second, we describe a model for simulating animal habitat networks (available in the R package AnimalHabitatNetwork), and demonstrate its ability to generate alternative habitat configurations based on empirical data, which forms the basis for exploring the consequences of alternative habitat structures. Finally, we use our framework to demonstrate how transmission properties, such as the spread of a pathogen, can be impacted by both local connectivity and landscape-level characteristics of the habitat. Our study highlights the importance of considering the underlying habitat configuration in studies linking social structure with population-level outcomes.

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Globalization, Citizenship, and Subjectivity in Self Construction

Molung Educational Frontier ◽

10.3126/mef.v10i0.34080 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 135-146

Author(s):

Namita Poudel

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Social Field ◽

Self Identity ◽

The Social ◽

Social Fields ◽

Research Questions

One of the profound questions that troubled many philosophers is– “Who am I?” where do I come from? ‘Why am I, where I am? Or “How I see myself?” and maybe more technically -What is my subjectivity? How my subjectivity is formed and transformed? My attempt, in this paper, is to look at “I”, and see how it got shaped. To understand self, this paper tries to show, how subjectivity got transformed or persisted over five generations with changing social structure and institutions. In other words, I am trying to explore self-identity. I have analyzed changing subjectivity patterns of family, and its connection with globalization. Moreover, the research tries to show the role of the Meta field in search of subjectivity based on the following research questions; how my ancestor’s subjectivity changed with social fields? Which power forced them to change their citizenship? And how my identity is shaped within the metafield? The methodology of my study is qualitative. Faced to face interview is taken with the oldest member of family and relatives. The finding of my research is the subjectivity of Namita Poudel (Me) is shaped by the meta field, my position, and practices in the social field.

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Governance in Online Stolen Data Markets

10.1093/oso/9780198794974.003.0005 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Meltem Odaba¸ ◽

Thomas J. Holt ◽

Ronald L. Breiger

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Communication Networks ◽

State Intervention ◽

Governance Structure ◽

Economic Organization ◽

User Groups ◽

Underground Economies ◽

Two Sided Markets

We analyze the governance structure of online stolen data markets. As cybercriminal underground economies, stolen data markets are beyond the reach of state intervention, and yet they need form and regulation in order to function. While the illicit nature of the business brings risks to its participants, the online characteristics of these markets enable the participants to communicate easily, which is a crucial means of generating trust. We first identify stolen data markets in terms of their economic organization as two-sided markets, economic platforms with two distinct user groups that provide each other with network synergies. This characterization enables us to understand the role of the forum administrator as that of an intermediary, market creator, and market regulator. Then we clarify the role of communication networks and social structure in creating trust among buyers and sellers.

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The role of habitat configuration in shaping animal population processes: a framework to generate quantitative predictions

Oecologia ◽

10.1007/s00442-021-04967-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peng He ◽

Pierre-Olivier Montiglio ◽

Marius Somveille ◽

Mauricio Cantor ◽

Damien R. Farine

Keyword(s):

Population Level ◽

R Package ◽

Habitat Configuration ◽

Modelling Framework ◽

Alternative Habitat ◽

Animal Populations ◽

Research Questions ◽

Habitat Networks ◽

Animal Habitat

AbstractBy shaping where individuals move, habitat configuration can fundamentally structure animal populations. Yet, we currently lack a framework for generating quantitative predictions about the role of habitat configuration in modulating population outcomes. To address this gap, we propose a modelling framework inspired by studies using networks to characterize habitat connectivity. We first define animal habitat networks, explain how they can integrate information about the different configurational features of animal habitats, and highlight the need for a bottom–up generative model that can depict realistic variations in habitat potential connectivity. Second, we describe a model for simulating animal habitat networks (available in the R package AnimalHabitatNetwork), and demonstrate its ability to generate alternative habitat configurations based on empirical data, which forms the basis for exploring the consequences of alternative habitat structures. Finally, we lay out three key research questions and demonstrate how our framework can address them. By simulating the spread of a pathogen within a population, we show how transmission properties can be impacted by both local potential connectivity and landscape-level characteristics of habitats. Our study highlights the importance of considering the underlying habitat configuration in studies linking social structure with population-level outcomes.

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Seeing Children in Prehistory: A View from Bronze Age Ireland

Cambridge Archaeological Journal ◽

10.1017/s0959774321000032 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Mark Haughton

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Bronze Age ◽

The Past ◽

Written Sources

Despite growing strength in recent decades, an archaeology of childhood has often been overlooked by those studying prehistory. This is concerning because communities are enlivened by their children, and conversations with and about children often provide a critical arena for the discussion of aspects of societies which prehistorians are comfortable addressing, such as social structure, identity and personhood. Through an exploration of childhood as expressed in the Earlier Bronze Age burials from Ireland, this article demonstrates that neither written sources, artistic depictions nor toys are necessary to speak of children in the past. Indeed, an approach which tacks between scales reveals subtle trends in the treatment of children which speak to wider shared concerns and allows a reflection on the role of children in prehistory.

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The Eighteenth-Century Social Order in Surat: A Reply and an Excursus on the Riots of 1788 and 1795

Modern Asian Studies ◽

10.1017/s0026749x00010702 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 321-365 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lakshmi Subramanian

Keyword(s):

Eighteenth Century ◽

Social Structure ◽

Social Order ◽

Culture and attitudes towards contraception of women in subsistence markets: the role of values and social axioms

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing ◽

10.1108/ijphm-11-2020-0100 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Divaries Cosmas Jaravaza ◽

Fanny Saruchera

Keyword(s):

Rural Women ◽

Social Complexity ◽

Developing Economy ◽

Content Type ◽

Social Axioms ◽

Fate Control ◽

Contraception Use ◽

Social Cynicism ◽

Subsistence Markets

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of culture on attitudes to contraception by rural-based women in a developing economy. Design/methodology/approach Based on data collected from 395 rural women in Eastern Zimbabwe, this study examines the hypothesized relationships between values (resultant conservation, resultant self-enhancement), social axioms (reward for application, social cynicism, religiosity, social complexity, fate control and Ubuntu) and contraceptive attitudes, considering the moderating effects of age and education. Findings Using covariance-based Structural Equation Modelling and Multi-Group Analysis, this study found that resultant self-enhancement, fate control, the reward for application and religiosity significantly relate to attitudes to contraception whilst resultant conservation, social complexity, Ubuntu and social cynicism, did not produce significant correlations. Age and education moderate the significant relationships. Research limitations/implications The study's findings suggest that contraception social marketers, non-governmental organizations and health practitioners should develop marketing strategies to neutralize the negative impact of these beliefs held by rural contraceptive consumers to increase contraceptive awareness and uptake in such subsistence markets. In addition, this study provides empirical evidence on the role of Ubuntu as a new culture construct in African markets. Originality/value Despite being limited to a single developing economy, this paper extends prior research on consumer culture and attitudes on contraception use by exploring the role of values and social axioms, an imperative issue for rural women health and general subsistence market well-being.

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A long post-reproductive lifespan is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations

10.22541/au.161460887.74001987/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mia Nielsen ◽

Samuel Ellis ◽

Jared Towers ◽

Thomas Doniol-Valcroze ◽

Daniel Franks ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Killer Whale ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Reproductive Period ◽

Substantial Variation ◽

Killer Whales ◽

Reproductive Conflict ◽

Demographic Patterns ◽

General Prediction

The extended female post-reproductive lifespan found in humans and some toothed whales remains an evolutionary puzzle. Theory predicts demographic patterns resulting in increased female relatedness with age (kinship dynamics) can select for a prolonged post-reproductive lifespan due to the combined costs of inter-generational reproductive conflict and benefits of late-life helping. Here we test this prediction using >40 years of longitudinal demographic data from the sympatric yet genetically distinct killer whale ecotypes: resident and Bigg’s killer whales. The female relatedness with age is predicted to increase in both ecotypes, but with a less steep increase in Bigg’s due to their different social structure. Here, we show that there is a significant post-reproductive lifespan in both ecotypes with >30% of adult female years being lived as post-reproductive, supporting the general prediction that an increase in local relatedness with age predisposes the evolution of a post-reproductive lifespan. Differences in the magnitude of kinship dynamics however, did not influence the timing or duration of the post-reproductive lifespan with females in both ecotypes terminating reproduction before their mid-40s followed by an expected post-reproductive period of ~20 years. Our results highlight the important role of kinship dynamics in the evolution of a long post-reproductive lifespan in long-lived mammals, while further implying that the timing of menopause may be a robust trait that is persistent despite substantial variation in demographic patterns among population.

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Geographical and social isolation drive the evolution of Austronesian languages

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0243171 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0243171

Author(s):

Cecilia Padilla-Iglesias ◽

Erik Gjesfjeld ◽

Lucio Vinicius

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Population Size ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Cultural Group ◽

Geographical Isolation ◽

Austronesian Languages ◽

New Words ◽

Gain Loss

The origins of linguistic diversity remain controversial. Studies disagree on whether group features such as population size or social structure accelerate or decelerate linguistic differentiation. While some analyses of between-group factors highlight the role of geographical isolation and reduced linguistic exchange in differentiation, others suggest that linguistic divergence is driven primarily by warfare among neighbouring groups and the use of language as marker of group identity. Here we provide the first integrated test of the effects of five historical sociodemographic and geographic variables on three measures of linguistic diversification among 50 Austronesian languages: rates of word gain, loss and overall lexical turnover. We control for their shared evolutionary histories through a time-calibrated phylogenetic sister-pairs approach. Results show that languages spoken in larger communities create new words at a faster pace. Within-group conflict promotes linguistic differentiation by increasing word loss, while warfare hinders linguistic differentiation by decreasing both rates of word gain and loss. Finally, we show that geographical isolation is a strong driver of lexical evolution mainly due to a considerable drift-driven acceleration in rates of word loss. We conclude that the motor of extreme linguistic diversity in Austronesia may have been the dispersal of populations across relatively isolated islands, favouring strong cultural ties amongst societies instead of warfare and cultural group marking.

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An Evaluation of Relationship between Risk, Return and Social Structure and their Impact on Individual Investor’s Behaviour at Pakistan Stock Exchange

IBT Journal of Business Studies ◽

10.46745/ilma.jbs.2019.15.01.15 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 184-192

Author(s):

Sumair Farooq ◽

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Stock Exchange ◽

Research Paper ◽

Individual Investors ◽

Probability Method ◽

Risk And Return ◽

Secondary Sources ◽

Risk Return ◽

Investor Behaviour

This research paper focusing on twofold purposes: where the first part focuses on providing positive evidence on the nature of relationship between risk and return. Moreover, the second part of the paper deals with analyzing the role of risk and return and social structures on the investor’s behaviour in specific consideration with Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) (formerly Karachi Stock Exchange; KSE). This research paper has employed a quantitative approach for the purpose of collection of data and analysis of the results in order to fulfil the aim and objectives of the study. The data for risk and return has been collected from secondary sources. The risk and return for 50 companies that are listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange and at least once paid dividend have been calculated for 11 years which is from 2007 to 2017. Moreover, in order to collect the data for social structure and investor behaviour the researcher has used survey questionnaire as the research instrument. The questionnaire was filled by 558 individual investors who have invested their capital in the stock of companies listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange. The sampling method that was used for the purpose of selecting respondents for getting the questionnaires filled was non-probability method. For all the independent variables the null hypotheses are rejected thus showing significance of relationship. The results from the regression analysis has shown that among all the predicting variables social structure explains the lowest amount of variation in investor’s behaviour. Thus, overall it can be said that the results of this study are in alignment with the previous researches.

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