Stemming the Flow: Information, Infection, and Social Evolution

Abstract

Social information and socially transmitted pathogens are governed by social structure, and also shape social interactions. However, information and infection are rarely investigated as interactive factors driving social evolution. We propose exactly such an integrative framework, drawing attention to mechanisms of social phenotypic plasticity for information spread and pathogen control.

Bidirectional interactions between host social behaviour and parasites arise through ecological and evolutionary processes

“…Further, opposing selection pressures from predation and the many other benefits of group living [e.g. access to mates (Adamo et al, 2015), foraging efficiency (Krause and Ruxton, 2002), transfer of protective microbes (Ezenwa et al, 2016b), opportunities for social learning and information transfer (McCabe et al, 2015;Romano et al, 2020) and social support (Snyder-Mackler et al, 2020)] likely limit the ability of many hosts to evolve lower levels of gregariousness in response to parasite pressure (Townsend et al, 2020).…”

Living with relatives offsets the harm caused by pathogens in natural populations

“…Why have mechanisms not evolved to reduce the susceptibility of groups of relatives to pathogens? The benefits to living with kin should generate selection for increased resistance or tolerance to disease spread among relatives (Loehle, 1995;Romano et al, 2020). However, even in species where individuals obligately live with kin there was little evidence that they were able to reduce the harm caused by pathogens.…”

“…Additionally, variation across species may exist because different mechanisms have evolved to control disease spread among individuals (Loehle, 1995;Romano et al, 2020). In species where relatives interact frequently, selection is predicted to favour the evolution of strategies that mitigate the impacts of pathogens (Loehle, 1995;Romano et al, 2020).…”

“…Additionally, variation across species may exist because different mechanisms have evolved to control disease spread among individuals (Loehle, 1995;Romano et al, 2020). In species where relatives interact frequently, selection is predicted to favour the evolution of strategies that mitigate the impacts of pathogens (Loehle, 1995;Romano et al, 2020). Task partitioning, social organisations that limits interactions, and other mechanisms of so called 'social immunity' can all prevent disease spread in groups of relatives (Camargo et al, 2007;Liu et al, 2019;Waddington and Hughes, 2010).…”

Animal social networks: Towards an integrative framework embedding social interactions, space and time

“…This allows them to cope with ecological constraints specific to their living environment. There is growing evidence for a dynamic eco‐evolutionary feedback between the (social) environment and social structure (Cantor et al, 2020; Romano, Macintosh, & Sueur, 2020; Smolla & Akçay, 2019; Sueur, Romano, Sosa, & Puga‐Gonzalez, 2019; Udiani & Fefferman, 2020) as individuals that better adjust their behaviour in response to the challenges, both external to and inherent in social relationships, within the context of their own dynamic social networks, might increase their own fitness (Romano et al., 2020).…”