scholarly journals Physiological implications of pair-bond status in greylag geese

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia A. F. Wascher ◽  
Brigitte M. Weiß ◽  
Walter Arnold ◽  
Kurt Kotrschal

In group-living vertebrates, reliable social allies play a decisive role in dealing with stressors. For example, support by social allies is known to dampen glucocorticoid responses. It remains unknown, however, how social embedding affects the sympatho-adrenergic axis as indicated by heart rate (HR) in non-human animals. We studied the relationships between HR, pair-bond status and distance from the pair-partner in twenty-five free-ranging greylag geese ( Anser anser ) in a natural social environment. In three individuals, we investigated HR responses following partner loss. Overall, we found a context- and sex-dependent difference in HR between paired and unpaired individuals, paired males having a lower HR during agonistic encounters, and unpaired females having a lower HR during resting. Also, in paired females HR increased with increasing distance from the partner. Our data suggest that HR is modulated by pair-bond status in greylag geese in a context- and sex-dependent manner, which may be representative for social vertebrates in general. Despite the low sample size, the present study indicates that proper social embedding may optimize an individual's physiological investment in the social domain. This reduces individual energy expenditure and may benefit health and reproductive success.

2010 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 394-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Kralj-Fišer ◽  
Isabella B.R. Scheiber ◽  
Kurt Kotrschal ◽  
Brigitte M. Weiß ◽  
Claudia A.F. Wascher

2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 955-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia A.F. Wascher ◽  
Isabella B.R. Scheiber ◽  
Brigitte M. Weiß ◽  
Kurt Kotrschal

2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia A. F. Wascher ◽  
Walter Arnold ◽  
Kurt Kotrschal

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (10) ◽  
pp. 1854-1861
Author(s):  
Aurélien Vivancos ◽  
Gerry Closs

Key aspects of the social behaviour of groups of drift-feeding fish can be inferred by the way space is shared between group members, because they inhabit a very dynamic and complex environment where spatial positions have a direct impact on fitness-related traits. Therefore, the spatial analysis of such a system can reveal important insights into behavioural ecology of fish, but so far, technical constraints limited this approach to only large salmonids. We used a digital imaging technique to monitor movements and behaviour of free-ranging groups of juvenile galaxiids (Galaxias anomalus) facing two contrasting physical and social contexts. We described the spatial structure of these groups and studied individual space use in relation to their social behaviour. We found that prevalence of territorial behaviour differs greatly between sites, which suggests that groups were displaying different social organisation. This study showed that detailed spatial analysis of space use and behaviour of drift-feeding fish could provide new insights into the social organisation of group-living animals.


2011 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia A. F. Wascher ◽  
Isabella B. R. Scheiber ◽  
Anna Braun ◽  
Kurt Kotrschal
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Copeland ◽  
Arild Landa ◽  
Kimberly Heinemeyer ◽  
Keith B. Aubry ◽  
Jiska van Dijk ◽  
...  

Social behaviour in solitary carnivores has long been an active area of investigation but for many species remains largely founded in conjecture compared to our understanding of sociality in group-living species. The social organization of the wolverine has, until now, received little attention beyond its portrayal as a typical mustelid social system. In this chapter the authors compile observations of social interactions from multiple wolverine field studies, which are integrated into an ecological framework. An ethological model for the wolverine is proposed that reveals an intricate social organization, which is driven by variable resource availability within extremely large territories and supports social behaviour that underpins offspring development.


Author(s):  
Simone Anzá ◽  
Bonaventura Majolo ◽  
Federica Amici

AbstractGenerally, nonreproductive sex is thought to act as “social grease,” facilitating peaceful coexistence between subjects that lack close genetic ties. However, specifc nonreproductive sexual behaviors may fulfill different functions. With this study, we aimed to test whether nonreproductive mounts in Barbary macaques are used to 1) assert dominance, 2) reinforce social relationships, and/or 3) solve conflicts. We analyzed nonreproductive mounts (N = 236) and postmount behavior in both aggressive and nonaggressive contexts, in 118 individuals belonging to two semi-free-ranging groups at La Montagne des Singes (France). As predicted by the dominance assertion hypothesis, the probability to be the mounter increased with rank difference, especially in aggressive contexts (increasing from 0.066 to 0.797 in nonaggressive contexts, and from 0.011 to 0.969 in aggressive contexts, when the rank difference was minimal vs. maximal). The strength of the social bond did not significantly predict the proportion of mounts across dyads in nonaggressive contexts, providing no support for the relationship reinforcement hypothesis. Finally, in support of the conflict resolution hypothesis, when individuals engaged in postconflict mounts, 1) the probability of being involved in further aggression decreased from 0.825 to 0.517, while 2) the probability of being involved in grooming interactions with each other increased from 0.119 to 0.606. The strength of the social bond between former opponents had no significant effect on grooming occurrence and agonistic behavior after postconflict mounts. Overall, our findings suggest that nonreproductive mounts in Barbary macaques have different functions that are not affected by the strength of the social bond.


1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 679-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Holter ◽  
W. E. Urban Jr. ◽  
H. H. Hayes ◽  
H. Silver ◽  
H. R. Skutt

Six adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus borealis) were exposed to 165 periods of 12 consecutive hours of controlled constant ambient temperature in an indirect respiration calorimeter. Temperatures among periods varied from 38 to 0 (summer) or to −20C (fall, winter, spring). Traits measured were energy expenditure (metabolic rate), proportion of time spent standing, heart rate, and body temperature, the latter two using telemetry. The deer used body posture extensively as a means of maintaining body energy equilibrium. Energy expenditure was increased at low ambient temperature to combat cold and to maintain relatively constant body temperature. Changes in heart rate paralleled changes in energy expenditure. In a limited number of comparisons, slight wind chill was combatted through behavioral means with no effect on energy expenditure. The reaction of deer to varying ambient temperatures was not the same in all seasons of the year.


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