Synergy between behavioural research on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) conducted in zoological and wild settings

Behavioural observations of captive beluga whales have complemented and extended much of what has been learnt about this species in the wild. Aquarium-based research has provided finer-scale specificity for many topics, including the seasonal breeding pattern that is characteristic of this species, as well as socio-sexual behaviour that appears to be an important part of the behavioural repertoire of this species. One example is a strong propensity for male–male social interactions that begin to develop at an early age. In addition, detailed behavioural milestones in calves have been documented in ways that extend that which have been collected from wild populations. These include swim positions with mother, separations/reunions with mother, and other social interactions, and play. Characteristics of beluga maternal care have also been studied more often in captive settings than in the wild, particularly with respect to details pertaining to nursing behaviour, individual differences in maternal style and allomaternal care. Other topics that have received scientific scrutiny in zoological settings include individual differences and behavioural laterality. Thus, a greater understanding of beluga behavioural biology has the potential to emerge as a consequence of synergy between research conducted in the two settings.

Evidence for Maternal Style Among Adult Female Dolphins When Sharing Pectoral Fin Contacts with Their Calves

Adult bottlenose dolphins share pectoral fin contacts (PFC) to manage their social relationships but less is known about how mothers share PFC with their calves. Using a dataset collected over 16 years, we analyzed how 10 matrilines, including three second generation female dolphins in a maternal role, used PFC with their pre-weaned calves. Mothers had different rates of initiation with their calves forming a continuum from those initiating few contacts (15%) to those initiating more (44%). For mothers with all-aged calves, the lateral side was contacted the most to start interactions with mothers contacting body parts at a similar rate. All mothers assumed the same posture regardless of their role as initiator or receiver, with horizontal the most prevalent posture. Two maternal styles were found for PFC: high and low use of PFC. Within the high PFC group, there was individual variation that was related to calf sex. Even though evidence of maternal style was confirmed in PFC exchanges between adult female dolphins and their calves, the number of PFC shared between these kin was only ~9% of all documented PFC contacts (N = 4,345) over 16 years, suggesting that other forms of tactile contact may be more important within the confines of the mother-offspring relationship in delphinids.

Maternal protectiveness is negatively associated with infant handling in wild Japanese macaques

Infant handling by a non-mother is common in many primate species. Despite the requirement of a triadic relationship among handler, mother, and infant, previous studies of infant handling have focused on characteristics of handler or interactions between mother and handler. In this study, we examined the influence of the mother–infant relationship (i.e., maternal style) on the frequency with which wild Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) infants were handled. We analysed behavioural data collected during 3 consecutive years and found that maternal style was characterised by three principal components: infant activity, rejection, and non-protectiveness. Infants who were less active and whose mothers were less protective received more frequent handling. These effects were particularly evident when handlers were thought to have less access to the infant. These complex interactions within the triadic relationship suggest that maternal style constrains the occurrence of infant handling in group-living primates.

LA “TRAMA INTERNA” DE EVANGELII GAUDIUM ENSAYO SOBRE LA FUERZA DE LA ESPIRITUALIDADE EVANGELIZADORA

RESUMEN: Este artículo intenta auscultar el entramado de una espiritualidade evangelizadora en el texto de Evangelii gaudium. La reflexión se estructura siguiendo la lectura de algunos ejes principales de los capítulos I, III y V de la exhortación apostólica, dedicados a “la transformación misionera de la Iglesia”, “el anuncio del Evangelio” y los “evangelizadores con espíritu”, respectivamente. Las influencias de Evangelii nuntiandi y la V Conferencia de Aparecida en la exhortación son notables, aunque no menos importante resulta el peculiar carisma espiritual del papa Francisco; en este horizonte, se sitúa el programa de reforma que él nos presenta en el primer capítulo y en el conjunto del texto. Los capítulos III y V, en sus temas principales, ofrecen el marco para pensar la evangelización y la espiritualidad em relación; otros dos temas parecen prioritarios para completar una aproximación fundamental al documento: la “mundanidad espiritual”, como una de las mayores tentaciones mencionadas en el capítulo II y “el lugar privilegiado de los pobres en el Pueblo de Dios”, considerado en el capítulo IV. Así, la “trama interna” de la exhortación, que puede resumirse en la alegría de evangelizar, se va desplegando em las claves de la transformación misionera, la comunidad evangelizadora, el cultivo de la contemplación y el estilo materno-mariano de la acción eclesial.ABSTRACT: This article seeks to perceive the framework of an evangelizing spirituality in the text of Evangelii Gaudium. This reflection is structured according to an interpretation of the principal points of chapters I, III and V of the apostolic exhortation, chapters respectively titled “The Church´s Missionary Transformation,” “The Proclamation of the Gospel” and “Spirit-Filled Evangelizers.” The influences of Evangelii nuntiandi and the V Conference of Aparecida in the exhortation are notable, although no less notable is the particular charisma of Pope Francis; it is in this horizon that the program for reform is located which the Pope presents in the first chapter and in the rest of the text. Chapters III and V, in their principal themes, offer a frame for thinking of the relationship between evangelization and spirituality; two more significant topics that are important to complete a study of the document are the “spiritual worldliness” that is presented as one of the great temptations mentioned in Chapter II and “the special place of the poor in God´s people” treated in Chapter IV. Thus, the “internal plot” of the exhortation, which can be summarized in the phrase “the joy of evangelizing”, is revealed in the keys of missionary transformation, the evangelizing community, the cultivation of contemplation, and a Marian-maternal style of ecclesial action.

Maternal Style Selectively Shapes Amygdalar Development and Social Behavior in Rats Genetically Prone to High Anxiety

The early-life environment critically influences neurodevelopment and later psychological health. To elucidate neural and environmental elements that shape emotional behavior, we developed a rat model of individual differences in temperament and environmental reactivity. We selectively bred rats for high versus low behavioral response to novelty and found that high-reactive (bred high-responder, bHR) rats displayed greater risk-taking, impulsivity and aggression relative to low-reactive (bred low-responder, bLR) rats, which showed high levels of anxiety/depression-like behavior and certain stress vulnerability. The bHR/bLR traits are heritable, but prior work revealed bHR/bLR maternal style differences, with bLR dams showing more maternal attention than bHRs. The present study implemented a cross-fostering paradigm to examine the contribution of maternal behavior to the brain development and emotional behavior of bLR offspring. bLR offspring were reared by biological bLR mothers or fostered to a bLR or bHR mother and then evaluated to determine the effects on the following: (1) developmental gene expression in the hippocampus and amygdala and (2) adult anxiety/depression-like behavior. Genome-wide expression profiling showed that cross-fostering bLR rats to bHR mothers shifted developmental gene expression in the amygdala (but not hippocampus), reduced adult anxiety and enhanced social interaction. Our findings illustrate how an early-life manipulation such as cross-fostering changes the brain's developmental trajectory and ultimately impacts adult behavior. Moreover, while earlier studies highlighted hippocampal differences contributing to the bHR/bLR phenotypes, our results point to a role of the amygdala as well. Future work will pursue genetic and cellular mechanisms within the amygdala that contribute to bHR/bLR behavior either at baseline or following environmental manipulations.

Reminiscing in the early years: Patterns of maternal elaborativeness and children's remembering

This study focused on individual differences in maternal style and children's developing recall abilities in early memory conversations. Within a longitudinal design, a sample of 56 mother—child dyads was observed while reminiscing, and the children's language skills were assessed when they were 18, 24, and 30 months old. In contrast to mothers classified as “low-eliciting,” mothers in a “high-eliciting” group offered more open-ended elaborative questions, fewer elaborative statements, and more confirmations to their 18-month-olds. Although all mothers increased in their elaborative questioning over time, the stylistic groups that were identified remained distinct. Moreover, children of high-eliciting mothers were providing more memory information, even at the first time point, than were children of low-eliciting mothers, but these differences were magnified at 24 and 30 months. Results of correlational and regression analysis further suggest that children's concurrent language skills, their 24-month recall abilities, and their mothers' reminiscing style when they were 18-months of age each contribute uniquely to the prediction of children's provision of memory elaborations in conversations about the past at 30 months of age.