Group Navigation and the “Many-Wrongs Principle” in Models of Animal Movement

Abstract

Abstract. Traditional studies of animal navigation over both long and short distances have usually considered the orientation ability of the individual only, without reference to the implications of group membership. However, recent work has suggested that being in a group can significantly improve the ability of an individual to align toward and reach a target direction or point, even when all group members have limited navigational ability and there are no leaders. This effect is known as the ''many-wrongs principle'' since the large number of individual navigational errors across the group are suppressed by interactions and group cohesion. In this paper, we simulate the many-wrongs principle using a simple individualbased model of movement based on a biased random walk that includes group interactions. We study the ability of the group as a whole to reach a target given different levels of individual navigation error, group size, interaction radius, and environmental turbulence. In scenarios with low levels of environmental turbulence, simulation results demonstrate a navigational benefit from group membership, particularly for small group sizes. In contrast, when movement takes place in a highly turbulent environment, simulation results suggest that the best strategy is to navigate as individuals rather than as a group.

Flock flying improves pigeons' homing: GPS track analysis of individual flyers versus small groups

“…Thus, flying in flocks appears, somehow, to increase homing motivation. On the other hand, the improvement in directionality observed in flock flying pigeons, and the lower variability of all measured variables, is in agreement with superior flock navigation predicted by group navigation models (Bergman & Donner 1964;Simons 2004;Codling et al 2007). However, in such models directional errors are assumed to be random.…”

“…A detailed analysis of GPS tracks revealed that the flock, while following approximately the beeline, performed a series of loops and turns over the first 3 km from the release site, as it is was often observed in singly released pigeons. (Bergman & Donner 1964;Simons 2004;Codling et al 2007). …”

“…Aggregation is commonly recognised to provide benefits for group members, for instance through predation avoidance or improved foraging efficiency (Krause & Ruxton 2002). Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the potential navigational advantages for animals moving in groups (Simons 2004;Conradt & Roper 2005;Couzin et al 2005;Hancock et al 2006, Codling et al 2007). …”

Distinguishing Social from Nonsocial Navigation in Moving Animal Groups

“…Fur- thermore, socially navigating groups that actively maintain cohesion are likely to be more resilient to perturbations, such as predatory attacks, and therefore derive more benefits of group membership . The individual navigation abilities of animals have been subject to intensive research (e.g., Alerstam et al 2001;Gould 2004;Simons 2004 and references therein), and influential theoretical studies have suggested mechanisms for the navigation of socially interacting groups (Couzin et al 2005;Codling et al 2007;Torney et al 2010). However, we are not yet able to establish how individuals interact in navigating aggregations.…”

“…For example, it has been suggested that social navigation could facilitate finding and/or learning of the most beneficial or least dangerous migratory route in juvenile birds (Mellone et al 2011). Theoretical research has shown that in some circumstances asocial groups, in which individuals interact only to avoid collisions, achieve less efficient navigation than social groups, in which individuals actively maintain group cohesion and alignment (Codling et al 2007). Fur- thermore, socially navigating groups that actively maintain cohesion are likely to be more resilient to perturbations, such as predatory attacks, and therefore derive more benefits of group membership .…”