scholarly journals A field demonstration of the costs and benefits of group living to edible and defended prey

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 20150152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward A. M. Curley ◽  
Hannah E. Rowley ◽  
Michael P. Speed
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Predator Satiation ◽  
Chemical Defences ◽  
Behavioural Biology ◽  
Wild Predators ◽  
First Time

Both theoretical and laboratory research suggests that many prey animals should live in a solitary, dispersed distribution unless they lack repellent defences such as toxins, venoms and stings. Chemically defended prey may, by contrast, benefit substantially from aggregation because spatial localization may cause rapid predator satiation on prey toxins, protecting many individuals from attack. If repellent defences promote aggregation of prey, they also provide opportunities for new social interactions; hence the consequences of defence may be far reaching for the behavioural biology of the animal species. There is an absence of field data to support predictions about the relative costs and benefits of aggregation. We show here for the first time using wild predators that edible, undefended artificial prey do indeed suffer heightened death rates if they are aggregated; whereas chemically defended prey may benefit substantially by grouping. We argue that since many chemical defences are costly to prey, aggregation may be favoured because it makes expensive defences much more effective, and perhaps allows grouped individuals to invest less in chemical defences.

scholarly journals Social convergence of gut microbiomes in vampire bats

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Yarlagadda ◽  
Imran Razik ◽  
Ripan S. Malhi ◽  
Gerald G. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social History ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Social Species ◽  
The Social ◽  
Vampire Bats ◽  
The Usa

The ‘social microbiome’ can fundamentally shape the costs and benefits of group-living, but understanding social transmission of microbes in free-living animals is challenging due to confounding effects of kinship and shared environments (e.g. highly associated individuals often share the same spaces, food and water). Here, we report evidence for convergence towards a social microbiome among introduced common vampire bats, Desmodus rotundus , a highly social species in which adults feed only on blood, and engage in both mouth-to-body allogrooming and mouth-to-mouth regurgitated food sharing. Shotgun sequencing of samples from six zoos in the USA, 15 wild-caught bats from a colony in Belize and 31 bats from three colonies in Panama showed that faecal microbiomes were more similar within colonies than between colonies. To assess microbial transmission, we created an experimentally merged group of the Panama bats from the three distant sites by housing these bats together for four months. In this merged colony, we found evidence that dyadic gut microbiome similarity increased with both clustering and oral contact, leading to microbiome convergence among introduced bats. Our findings demonstrate that social interactions shape microbiome similarity even when controlling for past social history, kinship, environment and diet.

Social ethology of the wolverine

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Copeland ◽  
Arild Landa ◽  
Kimberly Heinemeyer ◽  
Keith B. Aubry ◽  
Jiska van Dijk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Organization ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Social System ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Ecological Framework ◽  
The Social ◽  
Living Species

Social behaviour in solitary carnivores has long been an active area of investigation but for many species remains largely founded in conjecture compared to our understanding of sociality in group-living species. The social organization of the wolverine has, until now, received little attention beyond its portrayal as a typical mustelid social system. In this chapter the authors compile observations of social interactions from multiple wolverine field studies, which are integrated into an ecological framework. An ethological model for the wolverine is proposed that reveals an intricate social organization, which is driven by variable resource availability within extremely large territories and supports social behaviour that underpins offspring development.

scholarly journals Characterization of Bordetella Bronchiseptica Isolated from Rabbits in Fujian, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinxiang Wang ◽  
Shikun Sun ◽  
Yanfeng Chen ◽  
Dongjin Chen ◽  
Lei Sang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Disease ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Bordetella Bronchiseptica ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Fujian Province ◽  
Pcr Screening ◽  
Resistance Rates ◽  
First Time ◽  
Sequence Types

Abstract Background Bordetella bronchiseptica can infect many animal species, and is a potential zoonotic pathogen that can also infect humans. In rabbits, infection of B. bronchiseptica is associated with respiratory disease, which causes economic losses to the rabbit farming. Fujian Province is a traditional importance rabbit farming area in China. However, no literature about the epidemiology and characteristics of B. bronchiseptica in rabbits in Fujian Province has been reported.Results A total of 219 B. bronchiseptica isolates were recovered from the 833 lung samples of dead rabbits with respiratory disease. The 219 isolates were typed into 11 sequence types (STs) including 5 known STs (ST6, ST10, ST12, ST14 and ST33) and 6 new STs (ST88, ST89, ST90, ST91, ST92 and ST93) by using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Surprisingly, all the 219 isolates carried the 5 virulence genes of fhaB, prn, cyaA, dnt and bteA in the PCR screening. Moreover, the isolates resistance to cefixime, ceftizoxime, cefatriaxone and ampicillin were detected, and the resistance rates to the 4 kinds of drug were 33.33, 31.05, 11.87 and 3.20%, respectively.Conclusions In the present study, we showed for the first time that B. bronchiseptica is widespread in rabbits in Fujian Province, and that B. bronchiseptica is an important pathogen associating with respiratory disease in rabbits in Fujian Province. Moreover, it should be alert to the potential occurrence of transmission events between rabbits and humans because the B. bronchiseptica strain of ST12 that can infect humans were also isolated from rabbits in Fujian Province.

Goal Relevance and Desirability of Virtuous Behavior in Satisfying Affiliative and Pathogen Avoidance Needs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitch Brown
Keyword(s):  
Group Living ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Fundamental Nature ◽  
Virtuous Behavior ◽  
Goal Relevance ◽  
Effective Group ◽  
Pathogen Avoidance

Recent findings suggest that behavioral repertoires frequently conceptualized as virtuous possess a fundamental nature that implicates virtues as highly desirable in facilitating group living through factors of caring, self-control, and inquisitiveness. Although much of this desirability has previously demonstrated in mating domains, it could be possible their benefits extend to affiliative and pathogen-avoidant domains. Two studies (N=285) sought to determine the potential costs and benefits of associating with virtuous individuals (Study 1) and how these affordances could shape subsequent interpersonal preferences (Study 2). In Study 1, participants inferred a caring behavioral repertoire as particularly effective at facilitating both affiliative and pathogen-avoidant goals, whereas inquisitiveness was perceived as threatening to pathogen-avoidant goals. Study 2 provides evidence dispositionally heightened affiliative interests heightened preferences for caring, but pathogen-avoidant motives did not influence preferences. I frame results from an evolutionary perspective and synthesize it with recent findings demonstrating how virtue shapes effective group living.

scholarly journals Proximity-based vocal networks reveal social relationships in the Southern white rhinoceros

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Jenikejew ◽  
Brenda Chaignon ◽  
Sabrina Linn ◽  
Marina Scheumann
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Communication Networks ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Group Living ◽  
White Rhinoceros ◽  
Southern White Rhinoceros ◽  
Social Associations ◽  
High Level

Abstract Vocal communication networks can be linked to social behaviour, allowing a deeper understanding of social relationships among individuals. For this purpose, the description of vocal dyads is fundamental. In group-living species, this identification is based on behavioural indicators which require a high level of reactivity during social interactions. In the present study, we alternatively established a proximity-based approach to investigate whether sex-specific differences in vocal communication reflect social behaviour in a species with rather loose social associations and low levels of reactivity: the Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum). We performed audio- and video recordings of 30 captive animals from seven groups. Vocal networks for the four most common call types were constructed by considering conspecifics at close distance (≤ 1 body length) to the sender as potential receivers. The analysis of the resulting unidirectional structures showed that not only the sex of the sender but also the sex of the potential receiver, the quality of social interactions (affiliative or agonistic) as well as association strength predict the intensity of vocal interactions between group members. Thus, a proximity-based approach can be used to construct vocal networks providing information about the social relationships of conspecifics—even in species with loose social associations where behavioural indicators are limited.

scholarly journals Causes of stress and conflict in the veterinary professional workplace – a perspective from Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Wojtacka ◽  
Wojciech Grudzień ◽  
Beata Wysok ◽  
Józef Szarek
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
Professional Preparation ◽  
Professional Group ◽  
Animal Breeding ◽  
Veterinary Practice ◽  
Human Interactions ◽  
Veterinary Profession ◽  
Veterinary Surgeons ◽  
Professional Workplace ◽  
First Time

Abstract Background The problems of burnout and the moral and ethical distress resulting from various kinds of conflict have been raised in the veterinary profession. However, their sources and inter-relationships have not been thoroughly recognized mainly due to the multidimensional nature of human interactions related to animal breeding, farming, welfare, prophylaxis and therapy. For the first time in Poland, an analysis of conflict and conflict-causing factors in veterinary practice has been conducted with the participation of veterinarians of various specialties and the owners of different animal species. Results Conflict in the course of work is most often experienced by young veterinarians. The problems associated with communication between veterinarians and animal owners and unforeseen random situations are the general causes of conflict. Approved Veterinarians were identified by animal owners as the most common professional group associated with the conflict experienced . Conclusions There is a lack of professional preparation by veterinary surgeons to cope with unpredicted stressful situations at work, resulting from an absence of appropriate educational input in this area. The animal owners do not understand the role and duties of Approved Veterinarians.

Salmonella Genomic Island 1 (SGI1) and genetic characteristics of animal and food isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in Hungary

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Péter Fekete ◽  
Béla Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Typhimurium ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Genomic Island ◽  
Phage Type ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Genetic Characteristics ◽  
First Time

To study the genetic characteristics of DT104 strains of Salmonella Typhimurium and the prevalence of Salmonella Genomic Island (SGI1) in Hungary, 140 recent Salmonella strains of food and animal origin were examined. For the first time in Hungary, the SGI1 was found in 17 out of 59 S . Typhimurium isolates (all proven to be DT104 phage type). These 17 strains were then subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) into 6 pulsotypes which were less correlated with the geographic origin than with the animal species of origin.

Evolution of behavioral resistance in host-pathogen systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline R. Amoroso ◽  
Janis Antonovics
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Mixed Strategies ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Parasite Resistance ◽  
Costs Of Disease ◽  
Physiological Resistance ◽  
Behavioral Resistance

AbstractBehavioral resistance to parasites is widespread in animals, yet little is known about the evolutionary dynamics that have shaped these strategies. We show that theory developed for the evolution of physiological parasite resistance can only be applied to behavioral resistance under limited circumstances. We find that accounting explicitly for the behavioral processes, including the detectability of infected individuals, leads to novel dynamics that are strongly dependent on the nature of the costs and benefits of social interactions. As with physiological resistance, the evolutionary dynamics can also lead to mixed strategies that balance the costs of disease risk and the benefits of social interaction, with implications for understanding avoidance strategies in human disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals Vigilance behavior of pyrenean chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica: Effect of sex and position in the herd

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoni Dalmau ◽  
Alfred Ferret ◽  
Xavier Manteca
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Rupicapra Pyrenaica ◽  
Vigilance Behavior ◽  
Focal Animal ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Pyrenean Chamois ◽  
Optimal Group Size

Abstract The Pyrenean chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica is a mountain-dwelling ungulate with an extensive presence in open areas. Optimal group size results from the trade off between advantages (a reduction in the risk of predation) and disadvantages (competition between members of the herd) of group living. In addition, advantages and disadvantages of group living may vary depending on the position of each individual within the herd. Our objective was to study the effect of central vs. peripheral position in the herd on feeding and vigilance behavior in male and female Pyrenean chamois and to ascertain if a group size effect existed. We used focal animal sampling and recorded social interactions when a focal animal was involved. With males, vigilance rate was higher in the central part of the group than at the periphery, probably due to a higher density of animals in the central part of the herd and a higher probability of being disturbed by conspecifics. With females, vigilance rate did not differ according to position in the herd. Females spent more time feeding than males, and males showed a higher frequency of the vigilance behavior than females. We did not observe a clear relationship between group size and vigilance behavior. The differences in vigilance behavior might be due to social interactions.

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