Simple foraging rules in competitive environments can generate socially structured populations

Cantor, Maurício; Farine, Dan

doi:10.1002/ece3.4061

Cited by 36 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Many studies suggest that non-random structural features of social networks, such as multi-level or hierarchical structures or phenotypic assortativity, represent the outcome of complex behaviours. However, many passive processes or simple mechanisms can also impose non-random patterns in social structure (Cantor et al 2012;Mourier et al 2012;Firth et al 2017;Cantor and Farine 2018), which can strongly affect a range of population-level processes spanning both ecology and evolution. Environmental factors (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of habitat configuration in shaping social structure: a gap in studies of animal social complexity

Maldonado-Chaparro

Farine

2019

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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149

136

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Animal societies are shaped both by social processes and by the physical environment in which social interactions take place. While many studies take the observed patterns of inter-individual interactions as products and proxies of pure social processes, or as links between resource availability and social structure, the role of the physical configuration of habitat features in shaping the social system of group-living animals remains largely overlooked. We hypothesise that by shaping the decisions about when and where to move, physical features of the environment will impact which individuals more frequently encounter one another and in doing so the overall social structure and social organization of populations. We first discuss how the spatial arrangement of habitat components (i.e. habitat configuration) can shape animal movements using empirical cases in the literature. Then, we draw from the empirical literature to discuss how movement patterns of individuals mediate the patterns of social interactions and social organization and highlight the role of network-based approaches in identifying, evaluating and partitioning the effects of habitat configuration on animal social structure or organization. We illustrate the combination of these mechanisms using a simple simulation. Finally, we discuss the implications of habitat configuration in shaping the ecology and evolution of animal societies and offer a framework for future studies. We highlight future directions for studies in animal societies that are increasingly important in widely human-modified landscapes, in particular the implications of habitat-driven social structure in evolution. Significance statement There is now clear evidence that simple processes can generate apparent complex patterns of social structure. However, while studies such as those on collective behaviour and social networks have been focused on processes involving individual decisionmaking, broader patterns of social structure and social organization can also be shaped by factors that have more fundamental impacts on the movements of animals. One set of those factors is related to the amount and spatial arrangement of both biotic and abiotic components of the habitat in which animals live. Examples include the configuration formed by habitat patches connected through corridors, by the presence of hard boundaries between habitat types or by the uneven distribution of resources, mates and competitors across space. In this contribution, we highlight the potential effects of these, which are becoming increasingly important as studies start being able to track populations spanning larger landscapes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of habitat configuration in shaping social structure: a gap in studies of animal social complexity

Maldonado-Chaparro

Farine

2019

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

Self Cite

149

136

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“…More recently, Cantor and Farine 35 demonstrated, using agent-based models, that simple foraging interactions in competitive environments may give rise to the formation of stable social groups consisting of relatives. They showed that a process by which 'individuals keep foraging with the same individuals if they were successful together in the past' can lead to a stable social community structure and the emergence of kin-structure via fitness benefits or philopatry 35 . Their models, based on an energetic reward (food), provides an alternative evolutionary mechanism for the formation of stable, kin-based social groups similar to those observed in many vertebrates 35 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Kinship and reproductive condition correlate with affiliation patterns in female southern Australian bottlenose dolphins

Diaz‐Aguirre

Parra

Passadore

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Social relationships in female mammals are usually determined by an interplay among genetic, endogenous, social and ecological factors that ultimately affect their lifetime reproductive success. However, few studies have attempted to control for, and integrate these factors, hampering our understanding of drivers underlying female sociality. Here, we used generalized affiliation indices, combined with social networks, reproductive condition, and genetic data to investigate drivers of associations in female southern Australian bottlenose dolphins. Our analysis is based on photoidentification and genetic data collected through systematic boat surveys over a two-year study period. female dolphins formed preferred associations and social clusters which ranged from overlapping to discrete home ranges. Furthermore, matrilineal kinship and biparental relatedness, as well as reproductive condition, correlated with the strength of female affiliations. In addition, relatedness for both genetic markers was also higher within than between social clusters. The predictability of resources in their embayment environment, and the availability of same-sex relatives in the population, may have favoured the formation of social bonds between genetically related females and those in similar reproductive condition. This study highlights the importance of genetic, endogenous, social and ecological factors in determining female sociality in coastal dolphins. Female reproductive success in mammals is limited by the costs of lactation, gestation and caring for their young 1 , which in turn places constraints on their distribution and behaviour 2,3. Female social relationships and their spatial distribution are therefore largely determined by ecological factors affecting the quantity and quality of food they can obtain, which together with predation risk, influences the chances of offspring survival 4-6. In most mammals, females tend to remain in their natal areas and associate in groups, but in some species they are known to leave their natal ranges or social groups to avoid local competition for resources and mating opportunities 7,8. Females living in groups may benefit from reduced risk of predation, assistance in infant rearing, increased access to food resources, increased reproductive output, survival and psychological wellbeing, as well as protection from sexual coercion by males 4,8-13. For example, enhanced offspring survival has been demonstrated in female yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus) that show close social bonds 14,15. Similarly, social factors have been attributed to partially drive calving success in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops cf. aduncus 11), and assistance in protection from male coercion 13,16. If social relationships have a positive effect on fitness (e.g. 11,14,15), kin selection theory predicts that social bonds should preferentially form among relatives 17. In agreement to this, kinship has been demonstrated to be an important factor on the development and maintenance of social bonds in many female mammals (b...

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“…These studies have been mostly descriptive (with some prominent exceptions such as the model of Seyfarth 10 ), but a new generation of studies are trying to explain observed patterns using generative models 11,12,13,14 . In one of these studies, Ilany and Akçay recently proposed social inheritance, defined as a tendency of offspring social affiliations to resemble those of their parents, as a general process that can explain the structure of social networks of multiple species 12 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rank-dependent social inheritance determines social network structure in a wild mammal population

Ilany

Holekamp

Akçay

2020

Preprint

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The structure of animal social networks influences survival and reproductive success, as well as pathogen and information transmission. However, the general mechanisms determining social structure remain unclear. Using data on 73,767 social interactions among wild spotted hyenas over 27 years, we show that a process of social inheritance determines how offspring relationships are formed and maintained. The relationships of offspring with other hyenas are similar to those of their mothers over up to six years, and the degree of similarity increases with maternal social rank. The strength of mother-offspring relationship affects social inheritance and is positively correlated with offspring longevity. These results confirm the hypothesis that social inheritance of relationships can structure animal social networks and be subject to adaptive tradeoffs.

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Simple foraging rules in competitive environments can generate socially structured populations

Cited by 36 publications

References 75 publications

The role of habitat configuration in shaping social structure: a gap in studies of animal social complexity

The role of habitat configuration in shaping social structure: a gap in studies of animal social complexity

Kinship and reproductive condition correlate with affiliation patterns in female southern Australian bottlenose dolphins

Rank-dependent social inheritance determines social network structure in a wild mammal population

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