Heart rate responses to agonistic encounters in greylag geese, Anser anser

Wascher, Claudia A. F.; Scheiber, Isabella B. R.; Weiß, B.; Kotrschal, Kurt

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.01.013

Cited by 35 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…We found a correlation between HR changes during or after a conflict and the occurrence of ‘stress-related behaviors’, such as body shaking, vigilance and autopreening. HR and the characteristics of an event such as conflict intensity and conflict duration reflect its relevance for the individual [1]. As such, our results support previous assumptions that SDBs are linked to autonomic arousal [4].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Heart Rate during Conflicts Predicts Post-Conflict Stress-Related Behavior in Greylag Geese

2010

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BackgroundSocial stressors are known to be among the most potent stressors in group-living animals. This is not only manifested in individual physiology (heart rate, glucocorticoids), but also in how individuals behave directly after a conflict. Certain ‘stress-related behaviors’ such as autopreening, body shaking, scratching and vigilance have been suggested to indicate an individual's emotional state. Such behaviors may also alleviate stress, but the behavioral context and physiological basis of those behaviors is still poorly understood.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe recorded beat-to-beat heart rates (HR) of 22 greylag geese in response to agonistic encounters using fully implanted sensor-transmitter packages. Additionally, for 143 major events we analyzed the behavior shown by our focal animals in the first two minutes after an interaction. Our results show that the HR during encounters and characteristics of the interaction predicted the frequency and duration of behaviors shown after a conflict.Conclusions/SignificanceTo our knowledge this is the first study to quantify the physiological and behavioral responses to single agonistic encounters and to link this to post conflict behavior. Our results demonstrate that ‘stress-related behaviors’ are flexibly modulated by the characteristics of the preceding aggressive interaction and reflect the individual's emotional strain, which is linked to autonomic arousal. We found no support for the stress-alleviating hypothesis, but we propose that stress-related behaviors may play a role in communication with other group members, particularly with pair-partners.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Heart Rate during Conflicts Predicts Post-Conflict Stress-Related Behavior in Greylag Geese

2010

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“…(Pinyon jay ( Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus ), Clark’s nutcracker ( Nucifraga columbiana ), Azure-winged magpie ( Cyanopica cyanus ), Western scrub jay ( Aphelocoma californica )); Pigeon[193, 307–309]BPChicken, Greylag goose[310–312]3 rd party recognitionMAPrimates – Review; Chimpanzee; Spotted hyena; Meerkat: domestic Dog ( Canis lupus familiaris )[140, 258, 259, 273, 313–315]MPFallow deer; Przewalski horse ( Equus ferus przewalskii )[316, 317]BAvarious Corvid specs. (raven, rook)[112, 278]BPGreylag goose[261, 318]Social learningMAMeerkat[59, 202, 319]MPAfrican elephant; Thornicoft’s giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti ); various Cetaceans – Review; Domestic pig[196–198, 320, 321]BAvarious species – Review; Pigeon; King penguin ( Aptenodytes patagonicus )[199–201]BPGreylag goose[203]For a definition of characteristics of social complexity, see Table 2 in the main text. Some features are further classified in significant subcategories…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of the altricial – precocial spectrum for social complexity in mammals and birds – a review

et al. 2017

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Various types of long-term stable relationships that individuals uphold, including cooperation and competition between group members, define social complexity in vertebrates. Numerous life history, physiological and cognitive traits have been shown to affect, or to be affected by, such social relationships. As such, differences in developmental modes, i.e. the ‘altricial-precocial’ spectrum, may play an important role in understanding the interspecific variation in occurrence of social interactions, but to what extent this is the case is unclear because the role of the developmental mode has not been studied directly in across-species studies of sociality. In other words, although there are studies on the effects of developmental mode on brain size, on the effects of brain size on cognition, and on the effects of cognition on social complexity, there are no studies directly investigating the link between developmental mode and social complexity. This is surprising because developmental differences play a significant role in the evolution of, for example, brain size, which is in turn considered an essential building block with respect to social complexity. Here, we compiled an overview of studies on various aspects of the complexity of social systems in altricial and precocial mammals and birds. Although systematic studies are scarce and do not allow for a quantitative comparison, we show that several forms of social relationships and cognitive abilities occur in species along the entire developmental spectrum. Based on the existing evidence it seems that differences in developmental modes play a minor role in whether or not individuals or species are able to meet the cognitive capabilities and requirements for maintaining complex social relationships. Given the scarcity of comparative studies and potential subtle differences, however, we suggest that future studies should consider developmental differences to determine whether our finding is general or whether some of the vast variation in social complexity across species can be explained by developmental mode. This would allow a more detailed assessment of the relative importance of developmental mode in the evolution of vertebrate social systems.

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“…Social context is known to be among the strongest modulators of the physiological stress responses in greylag geese (e.g., Wascher, Scheiber & Kotrschal, 2008; Wascher, Arnold & Kotrschal, 2008; Wascher et al , 2009; Kralj-Fiser et al, 2010), which in turn are alleviated via emotional social support by partners (Frigerio, et al , 2003; Scheiber et al , 2005; Scheiber, Kotrschal & Weiß, 2009; Wascher et al, 2012). Across seasons, males and females are faced with different demands (Kotrschal, Scheiber & Hirschenhauser, 2010); consequently, physiological changes, such as levels of corticosterone, co-vary with seasonal variation in behaviour (Hirschenhauser, Moestl & Kotrschal, 1999a; Hirschenhauser, Moestl & Kotrschal, 1999b; Frigerio et al, 2004a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social and environmental factors modulate leucocyte profiles in free-living Greylag geese (Anser anser)

Frigerio

Ludwig

Hemetsberger

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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BackgroundBlood parameters such as haematocrit or leucocyte counts are indicators of immune status and health, which can be affected, in a complex way, by exogenous as well as endogenous factors. Additionally, social context is known to be among the most potent stressors in group living individuals, therefore potentially influencing haematological parameters. However, with few exceptions, this potential causal relationship received only moderate scientific attention.MethodsIn a free-living and individually marked population of the highly social and long-lived Greylag goose, Anser anser, we relate variation in haematocrit (HCT), heterophils to lymphocytes ratio (H/L) and blood leucocyte counts to the following factors: intrinsic (sex, age, raising condition, i.e. goose- or hand-raised), social (pair-bond status, pair-bond duration and parental experience) and environmental (biologically relevant periods, ambient temperature) factors. Blood samples were collected repeatedly from a total of 105 focal birds during three biologically relevant seasons (winter flock, mating season, summer).ResultsWe found significant relationships between haematological parameters and social as well as environmental factors. During the mating season, unpaired individuals had higher HCT compared to paired and family individuals and this pattern reversed in fall. Similarly, H/L ratio was positively related to pair-bond status in a seasonally dependent way, with highest values during mating and successful pairs had higher H/L ratio than unsuccessful ones. Also, absolute number of leucocytes tended to vary depending on raising condition in a seasonally dependent way.DiscussionHaematology bears a great potential in ecological and behavioural studies on wild vertebrates. In sum, we found that HTC, H/L ratio and absolute number of leucocytes are modulated by social factors and conclude that they may be considered valid indicators of individual stress load.

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Heart rate responses to agonistic encounters in greylag geese, Anser anser

Cited by 35 publications

References 59 publications

Heart Rate during Conflicts Predicts Post-Conflict Stress-Related Behavior in Greylag Geese

Heart Rate during Conflicts Predicts Post-Conflict Stress-Related Behavior in Greylag Geese

The importance of the altricial – precocial spectrum for social complexity in mammals and birds – a review

Social and environmental factors modulate leucocyte profiles in free-living Greylag geese (Anser anser)

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