scholarly journals Lifetime stability of social traits in bottlenose dolphins

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor Evans ◽  
Ewa Krzyszczyk ◽  
Céline Frère ◽  
Janet Mann
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Social Traits ◽  
Behavioral Stability ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Animal Personalities ◽  
Large Groups

AbstractBehavioral phenotypic traits or “animal personalities” drive critical evolutionary processes such as fitness, disease and information spread. Yet the stability of behavioral traits, essential by definition, has rarely been measured over developmentally significant periods of time, limiting our understanding of how behavioral stability interacts with ontogeny. Based on 32 years of social behavioral data for 179 wild bottlenose dolphins, we show that social traits (associate number, time alone and in large groups) are stable from infancy to late adulthood. Multivariate analysis revealed strong relationships between these stable metrics within individuals, suggesting a complex behavioral syndrome comparable to human extraversion. Maternal effects (particularly vertical social learning) and sex-specific reproductive strategies are likely proximate and ultimate drivers for these patterns. We provide rare empirical evidence to demonstrate the persistence of social behavioral traits over decades in a non-human animal.

scholarly journals Environmental temperature during early life affects the personality of mosquitofish in adulthood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haifeng Li ◽  
Xinyu ZHang ◽  
Yi Wu ◽  
Feng ZHang ◽  
CHunlin Li
Keyword(s):  
Body Length ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Environmental Temperature ◽  
Phenotypic Trait ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Female Fish ◽  
Behavioral Traits

Abstract Personality has been observed in a variety of animal taxa with important implications in ecology and evolution. Exploring the influence of environmental temperature during early life on personality could help to understand the ontogeny of this phenotypic trait in animals. In this study, we reared newborn mosquitofish Gambusia affinis at high (30°C) and low (25°C) water temperatures and measured their shyness and exploration upon sexual maturity. We tested the repeatability of each behavioral trait; the correlation between them; and the effects of rearing temperature, sex, and body length on the behaviors. When growing up at low temperatures, female fish exhibited repeatability in shyness and exploration, and males exhibited marginal repeatability in shyness. However, neither of the 2 behaviors were repeatable when the fish were reared at high temperatures. There was a negative correlation between shyness and exploration, indicating that the 2 behaviors comprise a behavioral syndrome in this species. Mosquitofish reared at high temperatures were more explorative than those reared at low temperatures, while there was no difference in shyness between the 2 treatments. Body length and sex had no significant effects on the average values of the 2 behaviors. The results indicate that environmental temperature during early life could shape the personality of mosquitofish and modify the average of the behavioral traits. These findings might provide insights to understand the ontogeny of animal personality and how changes in environmental temperature influence animal dispersal by shaping their personality.

scholarly journals Behavioral syndromes shape evolutionary trajectories via conserved genetic architecture

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Royauté ◽  
Ann Hedrick ◽  
Ned A. Dochtermann
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Architecture ◽  
Behavioral Syndromes ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Genetic Covariance ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Field Crickets ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
Gryllus Integer

AbstractBehaviors are often correlated within broader syndromes, creating the potential for evolution in one behavior to drive evolutionary changes in other behaviors. Despite demonstrations that behavioral syndromes are common across taxa, whether this potential for evolutionary effects is realized has not yet been demonstrated. Here we show that populations of field crickets (Gryllus integer) exhibit a genetically conserved behavioral syndrome structure despite differences in average behaviors. We found that the distribution of genetic variation and genetic covariance among behavioral traits was consistent with genes and cellular mechanisms underpinning behavioral syndromes rather than correlated selection. Moreover, divergence among populations’ average behaviors was constrained by the genetically conserved behavioral syndrome. Our results demonstrate that a conserved genetic architecture linking behaviors has shaped the evolutionary trajectories of populations in disparate environments—illustrating an important way by which behavioral syndromes result in shared evolutionary fates.

scholarly journals The Developmental Plasticity of Boldness and Aggressiveness in Juvenile and Adult Swimming Crab (Portunus trituberculatus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qihang Liang ◽  
Xianpeng Su ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Baishan Zhu ◽  
Mingdi He
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Plasticity ◽  
Portunus Trituberculatus ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Personality Classification ◽  
The Relationship

Boldness and aggressiveness are crucial behavioral traits in the field of animal personality, and both have important ecological and evolutionary significance. As swimming crabs (Portunus trituberculatus) are aggressive, their production is affected; thus, it is important to study their behavior. To assess the relationship between boldness and aggressiveness of male P. trituberculatus and the differences between their different life stages, we determined the individual differences in these two traits in juvenile and adult crabs under laboratory conditions. Based on the k-means cluster analysis, boldness of crabs is classified according to their rush to adventure, and aggressiveness of crabs is classified according to their aggressive behavior toward conspecifics. The results show that the personality classification of juvenile and adult crabs was consistent. Boldness was divided into three levels: bold, middle, and shy. Aggressiveness was divided into two levels: aggressiveness and non-aggressiveness. The personality of juveniles and adults P. trituberculatus males was significantly different; juveniles presented higher aggressiveness and lower boldness than adults. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between boldness and aggressiveness of adult crabs was verified (P = 0.001, ρ = 0.271). However, this correlation in juvenile crabs was not significant (P = 0.702, ρ = 0.042). These preliminary results indicate that the personality of P. trituberculatus males has developmental plasticity and adults have the boldness-aggressiveness behavioral syndrome.

Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1159-1171
Author(s):  
Allison A Galezo ◽  
Vivienne Foroughirad ◽  
Ewa Krzyszczyk ◽  
Céline H Frère ◽  
Janet Mann
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Affiliative Behavior ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Juvenile Period ◽  
Social Associations ◽  
Maternal Protection

Abstract The juvenile period is a challenging life-history stage, especially in species with a high degree of fission–fusion dynamics, such as bottlenose dolphins, where maternal protection is virtually absent. Here, we examined how juvenile male and female bottlenose dolphins navigate this vulnerable period. Specifically, we examined their grouping patterns, activity budget, network dynamics, and social associations in the absence of adults. We found that juveniles live in highly dynamic groups, with group composition changing every 10 min on average. Groups were generally segregated by sex, and segregation was driven by same-sex preference rather than opposite-sex avoidance. Juveniles formed strong associations with select individuals, especially kin and same-sex partners, and both sexes formed cliques with their preferred partners. Sex-specific strategies in the juvenile period reflected adult reproductive strategies, in which the exploration of potential social partners may be more important for males (which form long-term alliances in adulthood) than females (which preferentially associate with kin in adulthood). Females spent more time alone and were more focused on foraging than males, but still formed close same-sex associations, especially with kin. Males cast a wider social net than females, with strong same-sex associations and many male associates. Males engaged in more affiliative behavior than females. These results are consistent with the social bonds and skills hypothesis and suggest that delayed sexual maturity in species with relational social complexity may allow individuals to assess potential associates and explore a complex social landscape without the risks associated with sexual maturity (e.g., adult reproductive competition; inbreeding).

No evidence of selection by predators on tadpole boldness

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 151 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley E. Carlson ◽  
Tracy Langkilde
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Lithobates Sylvaticus ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Predator Identity ◽  
Risk Reducing

Animals typically exhibit adaptive behaviors that reduce their risk of predation. The term ‘boldness’ describes individual variation in the propensity to exhibit risk-reducing behavior and is the subject of much research attention. Predators should select against boldness, and this has been supported by empirical studies and behavioral ecology theory. We tested whether a standardized assay of three boldness-associated behaviors in wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles predicted survival when faced with a predator. Tadpole behavior was assayed in an open field and then tadpoles were placed, in pairs, in an enclosure with a predator (newt or larval dragonfly). Survival did not depend on differences in measured boldness, and this result held when we accounted for interactions between different boldness behaviors and between behavior and size or predator identity. The absence of selection by predators against bolder tadpoles is counterintuitive and inconsistent with our understanding of the behavioral ecology of these animals. Two possible explanations are offered for this result. First, selection against boldness may be minimized by other phenotypic traits, such as escape ability. Alternatively, the potential lack of consistency between standardized boldness assays and natural encounters with predators may limit our capacity to study the evolution of boldness, cautioning against this approach. These results highlight the complexities of the relationships between behavioral traits and fitness and the challenges associated with their study.

Patterns of association among female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in a population forming large groups

Behaviour ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1013-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Nishita ◽  
Miki Shirakihara ◽  
Masao Amano
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Association Measure ◽  
Remarkable Feature ◽  
Tursiops Aduncus ◽  
Large Group ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Large Groups

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) around Amakusa-Shimoshima, Japan form large groups of >100 individuals, a remarkable feature of this population, which is much larger than previously studied bottlenose dolphins. Using photo-identification data collected on 33 days in 2012, associations among 70 females were investigated using two scales of association measure (photograph- and group-based association) to know whether they associate based on their reproductive status, as is typically observed in other populations with smaller group size. Significant differences in associations between females of the same reproductive status category and those in different categories were detected, and a female that lost her calf within a year decreased associations with females with calves of the same age. These suggests that even in a population with large group size, the reproductive status of females is one of the factors influencing their associations.

scholarly journals Human–animal interactions and animal welfare in conventionally and pen-housed rats

2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Augustsson ◽  
L. Lindberg ◽  
A. U. Höglund ◽  
K. Dahlborn
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Total Cholesterol ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Human Hand ◽  
The Third ◽  
Y Maze ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Behavioural Tests ◽  
Large Groups

The main aim of the present study was to explore the significance of large group/greater pen housing (PH) versus standard Makrolon caging (ST) in three behaviour tests related to human-animal interactions in the adult male laboratory rat. The rats' perception of human interaction was tested in three behavioural tests, of which two reflected common practical procedures, capture and restraint, whereas the third was a human approach test in a Y-maze. The rats' anticipatory reactions to handling and the reactions to restraint did not differ between groups, but the ST rats approached a human hand more quickly than did the PH rats ( P < 0.01). Although food intake did not differ, ST rats gained more weight ( P < 0.01) and had higher total cholesterol values ( P < 0.01) than PH rats. In conclusion, this study shows that housing rats in large groups in an enriched environment did not influence their anticipatory reaction to handling in normal handling situations. However, as the PH rats tended to have a longer approach latency than ST rats in the Y-maze there might be underlying differences in appraisal that are not detected in practical situations. In addition, the PH rats weighed less and had lower total cholesterol values than ST rats and their urine corticosterone values were higher. These effects are suggested to be due to higher physical activity in the PH rats, and the implications of this on the animal as a model is discussed.

scholarly journals Tool use and social homophily among male bottlenose dolphins

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1904) ◽  
pp. 20190898 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Bizzozzero ◽  
S. J. Allen ◽  
L. Gerber ◽  
S. Wild ◽  
S. L. King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tool Use ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Shark Bay ◽  
Female Bias ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Male Specific ◽  
The Relationship

Homophilous behaviour plays a central role in the formation of human friendships. Individuals form social ties with others that show similar phenotypic traits, independently of relatedness. Evidence of such homophily can be found in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops aduncus ) in Shark Bay, Western Australia, where females that use marine sponges as foraging tools often associate with other females that use sponges. ‘Sponging’ is a socially learned, time-consuming behaviour, transmitted from mother to calf. Previous research illustrated a strong female bias in adopting this technique. The lower propensity for males to engage in sponging may be due to its incompatibility with adult male-specific behaviours, particularly the formation of multi-level alliances. However, the link between sponging and male behaviour has never been formally tested. Here, we show that male spongers associated significantly more often with other male spongers irrespective of their level of relatedness. Male spongers spent significantly more time foraging, and less time resting and travelling, than did male non-spongers. Interestingly, we found no difference in time spent socializing. Our study provides novel insights into the relationship between tool use and activity budgets of male dolphins, and indicates social homophily in the second-order alliance composition of tool-using bottlenose dolphins.

scholarly journals Using a robotic fish to investigate individual differences in social responsiveness in the guppy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bierbach ◽  
Tim Landgraf ◽  
Pawel Romanczuk ◽  
Juliane Lukas ◽  
Hai Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Poecilia Reticulata ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Behavioral Syndrome ◽  
Fish Robot ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Biomimetic Robots ◽  
The Social

AbstractResponding towards the actions of others is one of the most important behavioral traits whenever animals of the same species interact. Mutual influences among interacting individuals may modulate the social responsiveness seen and thus makes it often difficult to study the level and variation of individuality in responsiveness. Here, biomimetic robots (BRs) that are accepted as conspecifics but controlled by the experimenter can be a useful tool. Studying the interactions of live animals with BRs allows pinpointing the live animal’s level of responsiveness by removing confounding mutuality. In this paper, we show that live guppies (Poecilia reticulata) exhibit consistent differences among each other in their responsiveness when interacting with a biomimetic fish robot - ‘Robofish’ - and a live companion. It has been repeatedly suggested that social responsiveness correlates with other individual behavioral traits like risk-taking behavior (‘boldness’) or activity level. We tested this assumption in a second experiment. Interestingly, our detailed analysis of individual differences in social responsiveness using the Robofish, suggests that responsiveness is an independent trait, not part of a larger behavioral syndrome formed by boldness and activity.

scholarly journals Uncovering the ideal plant ideotype for maximising seed yield in Brassica napus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Siles ◽  
Kirsty L. Hassall ◽  
Cristina Sanchis-Gritsch ◽  
Peter J. Eastmond ◽  
Smita Kurup
Keyword(s):  
Brassica Napus ◽  
Oilseed Rape ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Oilseed Crop ◽  
Winter Oilseed Rape ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Principal Source ◽  
Plant Level

AbstractSeed yield is a complex trait for many crop species including oilseed rape (Brassica napus), the second most important oilseed crop worldwide. Studies have focused on the contribution of distinct factors in seed yield such as environmental cues, agronomical practices, growth conditions or specific phenotypic traits at the whole plant level, such as number of pods in a plant. However, in spite of the immense economic importance of oilseeds, none of these studies have comprehensively analysed individual traits and their combined contribution to seed yield. Here, we describe the analysis and contribution of 33 phenotypic traits within a B. napus diversity set population and their trade-offs on seed yield not only at the whole plant level but also the less studied female reproductive traits. Our results revealed that both winter and spring oilseed rape; the two more economically important oilseed rape groups in terms of oil production; were found to share a common dominant reproductive strategy for seed yield. In this strategy the main inflorescence is the principal source of seed yield, producing a good number of ovules, a large number of long pods with a concomitantly high number of seeds per pod. We observed that winter oilseed rape opted for more reproductive strategies than spring oilseed rape, presenting more environmental flexibility to maximise seed yield. Overall, we conclude that, oilseed rape adopts a similar strategy that is key for maximal seed yield and propose an ideal ideotype highlighting crucial phenotypic traits that could be potential targets for breeding.One sentence summaryThe main florescence is the principal source of seed yield in winter and spring oilseed rape, with winter oilseed rape following several reproductive strategies to maximise seed yield.

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