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| Sociality in climate change: bonds in plains zebra harems buffer those with the greatest need during a drought |
| Severine B. Hex1, Erin S. Isbilen2, Dan I. Rubenstein1. 1Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States; 2Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut , United States |
Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather events. As human activities amplify these stresses, animals may be forced to prioritize survival over less crucial behaviors, such as socializing.�Yet sociality may buffer individuals from the deleterious effects of environmental stressors. We examined how plains zebras modify their activity budgets, social networks, and multimodal communication to navigate this tradeoff. Foraging increased, yet social bonds remaining robust. Stallions devoted more time to greeting behaviors, buffering females from harassment by bachelors that could divert critical time from grazing. Juveniles also spent more time socializing, despite mothers showing the greatest reduction in social behavior.� Instead, unrelated females served as social partners, accommodating both juveniles’ social needs and mothers’ nutritive requirements. Signaling repertoires reduced in size and combinatorial flexibility, especially in the costly context of aggression, facilitating clear communication. These findings illustrate how sociality can buffer individuals from environmental stressors and how communication adapts to facilitate survival under harsh conditions. |