Ecological and evolutionary consequences of selective interspecific information use

Abstract

Recent work has shown that animals frequently use social information from individuals of their own species as well as from other species; however, the ecological and evolutionary consequences of this social information use remain poorly understood. Additionally, information users may be selective in their social information use, deciding from whom and how to use information, but this has been overlooked in an interspecific context. In particular, the intentional decision to reject a behaviour observed via social information has received less attention, although recent work has indicated its presence in various taxa. Based on existing literature, we explore in which circumstances selective interspecific information use may lead to different ecological and coevolutionary outcomes between two species, such as explaining observed co-occurrences of putative competitors. The initial ecological differences and the balance between the costs of competition and the benefits of social information use potentially determine whether selection may lead to trait divergence, convergence or coevolutionary arms race between two species. We propose that selective social information use, including adoption and rejection of behaviours, may have far-reaching fitness consequences, potentially leading to community-level eco-evolutionary outcomes. We argue that these consequences of selective interspecific information use may be much more widespread than has thus far been considered.

Recognizing interspecific dominance signals? Blue tits adjust nest defence based on great tit's black bib size

“…Alternatively to this scenario, these traits could be simply used as information, i.e. cues (Caro & Allen, 2017; Stegmann, 2013), as several cases have shown that animals use other species' traits to assess habitat quality and/or predation risk (Hämäläinen et al., 2023; Searcy & Nowicki, 2005). However, the use birds make of other species agonistic signals is still understudied (Caro & Allen, 2017).…”

“…Cross‐species information may be particularly important when individuals of a given species need to assess the loss of fitness (i.e. risk of harm or predation) that could potentially be inflicted by another species acting as a predator, parasite or competitor (Goodale et al., 2010; Hämäläinen et al., 2023; Pasch et al., 2013; Stoddard & Hauber, 2017). Nevertheless, even though interspecific agonistic interaction is very widespread when competing for a resource, the question of whether or not agonistic traits targeting conspecifics are used across species to assess RHP has to date been largely unexplored (Caro & Allen, 2017; Kenyon & Martin, 2022).…”

“…Nevertheless, even though interspecific agonistic interaction is very widespread when competing for a resource, the question of whether or not agonistic traits targeting conspecifics are used across species to assess RHP has to date been largely unexplored (Caro & Allen, 2017; Kenyon & Martin, 2022). This is important because cross‐species social information may have adaptive consequences (Gil et al., 2019; Hämäläinen et al., 2023; Loukola et al., 2013). The recognition of intraspecific status signals could potentially reduce the costs associated with unnecessary aggression or competition between species.…”

Connecting and integrating cooperation within and between species

“…[40,41]). For example, it is known that not all individuals are equally useful as informers, and there is likely to be selectivity based on traits such as age, experience and familiarity [42]. Our point here is that when such information is employed to locate mutualistic commodities, its use has consequences for both partner species as well as for the cooperative interaction between them.…”

Species diversity and interspecific information flow

“…Indeed, animals can gain information from heterospecific alarm calls about both the type of predator and magnitude of danger (Zuberbühler, 2000; Templeton & Greene, 2007). Another type of ‘selective’ interspecific information transfer can occur when animals copy the behaviour of a successful heterospecific, while ignoring or actively avoiding the behaviour of an unsuccessful heterospecific (reviewed by Hämäläinen et al ., 2023). Learning, including social learning, can allow animals to associate other species' signals with particular contexts or another species' success (Griffin, 2004; Avargues‐Weber, Dawson & Chittka, 2013).…”