Behavioral processes and costs of co-existence in female spotted hyenas: a life history perspective

Hofer, Heribert; East, Marion L.

doi:10.1023/a:1027352517231

Cited by 111 publications

(137 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Each clan is structured by a strict linear dominance hierarchy [26][27][28], and an individual's position in this hierarchy has profound effects on both survival and reproduction by mediating differential access to food at kills [14,16,24]. Female spotted hyenas are physiologically competent to breed after 24 months of age, but first parturition usually occurs in the third or fourth year of life; the timing of first parturition varies greatly with rank [16,23]. Female hyenas are philopatric, whereas nearly all males emigrate and join neighbouring clans after puberty [29,30].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the case of spotted hyenas, there is no reason to suspect a direct genetic correlation between maternal size and offspring survival. In fact, offspring survival to weaning is dominated by the mother's ability to provide milk and protect her cubs [16,33], and is strongly influenced by maternal social rank [24], which is learned and is not under genetic control [34,35].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The three composite size measures were included in a multiple regression along with the standardized social rank of each animal. Social rank was included to remove any correlated effects of rank, as rank affects most aspects of life history, behaviour and ecology in the spotted hyena [16,23,24,26,28,42]. However, social rank among adult female spotted hyenas is not correlated with mass or other univariate measures [23].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[15]). The metabolic costs of lactation are extremely high among spotted hyenas [16], and this 'inexpensive lactation' hypothesis provides an explanation for why female size might be under positive selection. The third hypothesis we test is the 'hunting success' hypothesis, suggesting that hunting success increases with size.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lifetime selection on a hypoallometric size trait in the spotted hyena

2011

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Size-related traits are common targets of natural selection, yet there is a relative paucity of data on selection among mammals, particularly from studies measuring lifetime reproductive success (LRS). We present the first phenotypic selection analysis using LRS on size-related traits in a large terrestrial carnivore, the spotted hyena, which displays a rare pattern of female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Using path analysis, we investigate the operation of selection to address hypotheses proposed to explain SSD in spotted hyenas. Ideal size measures are elusive, and allometric variation often obfuscates interpretation of size proxies. We adopt a novel approach integrating two common methods of assessing size, and demonstrate lifetime selection on sizerelated traits that scale hypoallometrically with overall body size. Our data support selection on hypoallometric traits in hyenas, but not on traits exhibiting isometric or hyperallometric scaling relationships, or on commonly used measures of overall body size. Our results represent the first estimate of lifetime selection on a large carnivore, and suggest a possible route for maintenance of female-biased SSD in spotted hyenas. Finally, our results highlight the importance of choosing appropriate measures when estimating animal body size, and suggest caution in interpreting selection on size-related traits as selection on size itself.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lifetime selection on a hypoallometric size trait in the spotted hyena

2011

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“…In Hanuman langurs, for example, immature females sometimes form revolutionary coalitions with each other to raise to the top positions in the hierarchy (Borries et al, 1991). In three different populations of spotted hyenas, infrequent revolutionary coalitions from low-ranking matrilines resulting in the overthrow of higher-ranking matrilines had profound fitness consequences for the females involved (Mills, 1990;Holekamp et al, 1993;Hofer & East, 2003).…”

Section: Improving Dominance Rankmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coalitions in theory and reality: a review of pertinent variables and processes

Bissonnette

Perry

Barrett

et al. 2015

Behav

102

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Coalitions and alliances are ubiquitous in humans and many other mammals, being part of the fabric of complex social systems. Field biologists and ethologists have accumulated a vast amount of data on coalition and alliance formation, while theoretical biologists have developed modelling approaches. With the accumulation of empirical data and sophisticated theory, we are now potentially able to answer a host of questions about how coalitions emerge and are maintained in a population over time, and how the psychology of this type of cooperation evolved. Progress can only be achieved, however, by effectively bridging the communication gap that currently exists between Coalitions in theory and reality empiricists and theoreticians. In this paper, we aim to do so by asking three questions: (1) What are the primary questions addressed by theoreticians interested in coalition formation, and what are the main building blocks of their models? (2) Do empirical observations support the assumptions of current models, and if not, how can we improve this situation? (3) Has theoretical work led to a better understanding of coalition formation, and what are the most profitable lines of inquiry for the future? Our overarching goal is to promote the integration of theoretical and field biology by motivating empirical scientists to collect data on aspects of coalition formation that are currently poorly quantified and to encourage theoreticians to develop a comprehensive theory of coalition formation that is testable under real-world conditions.

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What are the benefits of parental care? The importance of parental effects on developmental rate

Klug

Bonsall

2014

Ecology and Evolution

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The evolution of parental care is beneficial if it facilitates offspring performance traits that are ultimately tied to offspring fitness. While this may seem self-evident, the benefits of parental care have received relatively little theoretical exploration. Here, we develop a theoretical model that elucidates how parental care can affect offspring performance and which aspects of offspring performance (e.g., survival, development) are likely to be influenced by care. We begin by summarizing four general types of parental care benefits. Care can be beneficial if parents (1) increase offspring survival during the stage in which parents and offspring are associated, (2) improve offspring quality in a way that leads to increased offspring survival and/or reproduction in the future when parents are no longer associated with offspring, and/or (3) directly increase offspring reproductive success when parents and offspring remain associated into adulthood. We additionally suggest that parental control over offspring developmental rate might represent a substantial, yet underappreciated, benefit of care. We hypothesize that parents adjust the amount of time offspring spend in life-history stages in response to expected offspring mortality, which in turn might increase overall offspring survival, and ultimately, fitness of parents and offspring. Using a theoretical evolutionary framework, we show that parental control over offspring developmental rate can represent a significant, or even the sole, benefit of care. Considering this benefit influences our general understanding of the evolution of care, as parental control over offspring developmental rate can increase the range of life-history conditions (e.g., egg and juvenile mortalities) under which care can evolve.

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Behavioral processes and costs of co-existence in female spotted hyenas: a life history perspective

Cited by 111 publications

References 28 publications

Lifetime selection on a hypoallometric size trait in the spotted hyena

Lifetime selection on a hypoallometric size trait in the spotted hyena

Coalitions in theory and reality: a review of pertinent variables and processes

What are the benefits of parental care? The importance of parental effects on developmental rate

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