Conference Abstracts
Food Preference in Zebrafish (Danio rerio): comparison of three food itemsAmira Abozaid1, Melissa Scaramuzzo2, Hemali Patel2, Robert Gerlai1,2
1University of Toronto, Department of Cell and Systems Biology, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2University of Toronto, Mississauga (UTM), Psychology department, Mississauaga, ON, Canada
Food is often employed as the unconditioned stimulus (US) in appetitive learning studies. However, different food types may have distinct rewarding values. Thus, investigating what food types are preferred by the studied species is important. No systematic food preference studies have been conducted on zebrafish (Danio rerio). The objective of this study is to study which of three commonly employed food types (pellets, flakes, or artemia) zebrafish prefer. We presented zebrafish with a binary food choice task using the three food options in all possible combinations, and measured distance to feeding zone (cm), cumulative duration in feeding zone (sec), and frequency of entry into feeding zone. We found zebrafish to show significant preference for artemia to pellets or flakes, while these latter two options were not differentiated. We conclude that artemia may be the best US for food reinforced appetitive learning tasks with zebrafish.
Session: Poster Session 1
Associative Structures Underlying Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer in Operant Biconditional DiscriminationJennifer L. Abrams1, Norman Tu1, Andrew R. Delamater2
1CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA, 2CUNY Brooklyn College, New York, NY, USA
Rats were trained on an incongruent operant biconditional discrimination task. Choice of R1 was reinforced on trials that began with a noncontingent O1, but R2 was reinforced on trials beginning with O2. The reinforcers on each trial were opposite to those that began the trial to form O1-R1-O2, and O2-R2-O1 relations. Separately trained Pavlovian cues with these Os selectively transferred, in Pavlovian-instrumental transfer tests, to the instrumental responses based on shared R-O, not O-R, relations. Following these PIT tests, the rats were retrained on the operant and Pavlovian tasks, and then given "CS substitution" probe tests in which brief presentation of the Pavlovian cues were inserted into the beginning of the biconditional discrimination trial to determine if they might substitute for the noncontingent outcomes, themselves, in directing choice according to the acquired discriminative O-R relations. These results are pending, but an answer to the question has important implications for how reinforcing outcomes are encoded during both Pavlovian and instrumental learning.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Dr. Charles H. Turner: A study in inspirationCharles Abramson
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
One of the greatest names in the history of behavioral research is Dr. Charles Henry Turner (1867-1923). This talk celebrates his life and contributions on the 101st anniversary of his death in 1923. Rather than provide an overview of his many research contributions, I will discuss what Dr. Turner was like as an individual and the many challenges he overcame using quotes from his contemporaries and family photographs. I will also comment on why I believe this African-American scientist is not more widely known.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
Investigating Hypotheses for Filial Cannibalism in Two Populations of Three-Spined Stickleback FishVictoria I. Abuwa1, Alison M. Bell1, Tina A. Barbasch1, Eric D. Arredondo2, Chad Brock3
1University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA, 2University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA, 3Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas, USA
Parental care is a crucial component of reproductive success in many organisms, yet filial cannibalism, where parents consume offspring, is common across taxa. This raises a crucial question: Why would an individual invest energy into producing offspring and then consume them? I tested two hypotheses to explain filial cannibalism using two natural populations of sticklebacks, where males are the sole caregivers. I tested whether cannibalism provides energetic benefits. In both populations, cannibalism rates were >60%, suggesting that cannibalism is common in sticklebacks. The number of offspring consumed positively correlated with male standard length, supporting the energetic benefits of cannibalism. Short-term measures of condition did not predict cannibalism, suggesting that males may be responding to longer-term measures of energetic need. I also tested whether males selectively cannibalize embryos of lower reproductive value. Males with large clutches consumed significantly more offspring regardless of embryo developmental stage, providing mixed support for this hypothesis. Results from this study provide insight into how and why parents provide costly parental care.
Session: Poster Session 1
Hiding in the face of danger: shelter availability and risk level influence crayfish explorationGabrielle H. Achtymichuk, Ashmita Baruah, Maud C.O. Ferrari
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
To optimize fitness, animals use risk assessment to determine the most appropriate behavioural response in a given situation. This is especially important when making life-or-death decisions such as balancing time spent foraging or avoiding predators. Consequently, animals constantly gather information about their environment which influences their behavioural decisions. To determine the role of two environmental factors on crayfish behaviour, individuals were raised in an environment with or without shelters and exposed to chemical cues that were either neutral (water), positive (food odour), or negative (predation risk cues). They were then evaluated for exploration behaviour within a maze to reach a food reward. It was predicted that shelter absence and risk cues would have additive effects; instead shelter absence was a highly influential factor, triggering a strong aversion to exploration in crayfish regardless of chemical cue type, while only predation cues decreased exploration in those from sheltered environments. Since animals rely on environmental cues, anthropogenic changes that alter habitats faster than animals can adapt could lead to inaccurate behavioural decisions.
Session: Predation & foraging
Responses of Puerto Rican hummingbirds to urban heat. Valentina J Alaasam1, Saimara Alejandro2, Kristin Winchell1
1New York University, New York , NY, USA, 2University at Buffalo - SUNY, Buffalo, NY, USA
Climate change represents a substantial challenge for organisms. Species have evolved to operate most efficiently within a specific range of temperatures, outside of which requires energy to behaviorally and physiologically thermoregulate. Costs of thermoregulation will increase as temperatures deviate from those to which populations are adapted. Behavioral changes that enable organisms to continue tracking their preferred microclimate may allow populations to persist long enough to adapt to warmer landscapes. However, behavior can also buffer selection, making populations more vulnerable if/when behavioral compensation is no longer sufficient. Understanding how behavior facilitates or constrains responses to rapid environmental change is critical for predicting whether populations will persist or go extinct. Cities offer a unique setting to study this in real time; replacement of vegetation with paved surfaces creates an Urban Heat Island effect where temperatures are higher than natural surroundings. We are investigating the behavioral and physiological mechanisms by which hummingbirds are adapting to urban heat in Puerto Rico, to predict how species will adapt to future climate.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (1)
Is your dog happy?Natalia Albuquerque, Tayná Petriglia, Eliane Santos, Ricardo Prist, Emma Otta
University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
The aim of this study was to investigate how dog guardians attribute the emotion happiness to their dogs. We analyzed the responses of 231 Brazilians, who answered an online questionnaire regarding dog emotional expression. All respondents stated that their dog express happiness. We found that 52.6% of dog guardians believe their dog feels happiness when being petted and 78.2% believe their dog feels this emotion during play, with a significant difference. We also analyzed the effect of intrinsic variables on the attribution of happiness. For petting, more people attributed the emotion to dogs that had been neutered between six months and one year. For play, more people attributed the positive emotion to medium-sized dogs. Age, sex, breed, neutering status, origin, time living together, time of arrival, and temperament had no significant effect. When asked about what their dog express when feeling happiness, the most frequent behaviors were tail wagging, running, jumping, and playing. Happiness may be perceived as a proxy of movement and agitation by humans. This can help better understand people's beliefs about their dogs and might have practical implications to animal welfare.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Bubble-net feeding in Antarctic humpback whales: patterns in the use of a novel foraging innovationJennifer Allen1,2, Ross Nichols1, Logan Pallin1, David Cade1,3, Ari Friedlaender1
1University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, 2Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 3Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
Foraging innovations often allow species to respond to changing conditions. Humpback whales provide a good study species for this, as they utilize multiple novel foraging tactics across population with diverse conditions. Bubble-net feeding (BNF) has recently emerged as a foraging innovation within the Western Antarctic Peninsula population. Using sightings data from 2015-2023, we found BNF present in every study year, with an annual average of 30% of foraging sightings. BNF was significantly more common early in the feeding season before declining in latter months. This suggests that its use may be tied to specific environmental conditions such as prey density or light availability. Group sizes (mean = 3.41) were significantly larger for BNF sightings compared to other surface feeding tactics (mean = 2.26). Groups of three or more made up 56.6% of BNF sightings, while only 6% were single individuals. This is consistent with Northern Hemisphere populations, where BNF is also a group tactic. Social transmission of such foraging tactics across these other populations further suggests that BNF is also likely to be socially spread through the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Vocal Development in the Great Green MacawAlexander G. Allison, Timothy F. Wright
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
The ontogeny of vocalizations varies across birds, with some species learning their repertoire, some developing it innately, and some using both modes of development. Describing these patterns is a valuable first step to understanding how and why ontogeny varies. Parrots are particularly fascinating, as they are lifelong vocal learners and possess complex vocal repertoires. Previous studies of parrot vocal development show a trend of increasing complexity, from begging calls to social contact calls. Here, we describe vocal development in the great green macaw (Ara ambiguus) by recording vocalizations of chicks from 10 wild nests in Costa Rica. We hypothesized that i) begging calls predominate early in development, with a shift to adult-like calls occurring just prior to fledging and ii) chicks babble to rehearse vocalizations, as displayed in other parrot species. We found an increase in acoustic complexity over time, with chick calls transitioning from stereotyped begging to shorter and more harmonically complex adult-like calls, but babbling was not seen. This work can be used to help understand developmental variation in macaw vocalizations across wild and captive populations.
Session: Communication 1
Social Predictors of Cortisol in Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus apella)Aiko Amano1, Z M. Benowitz-Fredericks1,2, Andrew N. DeSana1,4, Reggie P. Gazes1,3
1Bucknell University Animal Behavior Program, Lewisburg, PA, USA, 2Bucknell University Department of Biology, Lewisburg, PA, USA, 3Bucknell University Department of Psychology, Lewisburg, PA, 4University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Glucocorticoids (GCs) play a vital role in navigating physiological and psychological challenges in vertebrates. Generally, social stressors such as received aggression elicit GC release, while social buffers such as social support reduce GC release. In a previous study we explored how hair cortisol (a measure of GC exposure over the period of hair growth) related to animals' experienced social stressors (dominance rank, rank uncertainty, aggression received) and social buffers (social network centrality, grooming rate) in our captive socially housed brown capuchin monkey group. Hair cortisol was predicted by aggression received (+) and social support (-). In the present study, we measured cortisol in saliva samples collected over consecutive weeks in the same capuchin group. Over two separate years, we examined how median and variability in salivary cortisol related to their experienced social stressors and buffers. Variability in cortisol levels was predicted by the same variables as hair cortisol in one of the two years. Despite some consistency in the relationship between cortisol and social factors, relationships between social experience and GCs are dynamic.
Session: Poster Session 2
Social Predictors of Salivary Cortisol in Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus apella)Aiko Amano1, Z M. Benowitz-Fredericks1,2, Andrew N. DeSana1,3, Reggie P. Gazes1,4
1Bucknell University Animal Behavior Program, Lewisburg, PA, USA, 2Bucknell University Department of Biology, Lewisburg, PA, USA, 3University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 4Bucknell University Department of Psychology, Lewisburg, PA, USA
Glucocorticoids (GCs) play a vital role in navigating physiological and psychological challenges in vertebrates. Generally, social stressors such as received aggression elicit GC release, while social buffers such as social support reduce GC release. In a previous study we explored how hair cortisol (a measure of GC exposure over the period of hair growth) related to animals' experienced social stressors (dominance rank, rank uncertainty, aggression received) and social buffers (social network centrality, grooming rate) in our captive socially housed tufted capuchin monkey group. Hair cortisol was predicted by aggression received (+) and social support (-). In the present study, we measured cortisol in saliva samples collected over five consecutive weeks in the same capuchin group. Over two separate years, we examined how median and variability in salivary cortisol related to their experienced social stressors and buffers. Variability in cortisol levels was predicted by the same variables as hair cortisol in one of the two years. Despite some consistency in the relationship between cortisol and social factors, relationships between social experience and GCs are dynamic.
Session: Poster Session 1
Incorporating personality in the study of animal emotionsLucia Amendola
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Individual variation in studies assessing emotions in animals is often reported and treated as noise. Biologically relevant variation can be incorporated into analysis if personality is profiled priori. We evaluated anxiety responses in an elevated plus maze of rats varying in their strength of promotion and prevention focus. Variation in this personality trait may be elicited in the elevated plus maze because this test provides opportunities for gains, but also presents potential threats to safety. Based on parameters previously reported by our research lab, we simulated the strength of promotion and anxiety responses for from a multivariate normal distribution, and the effects of an anxiolytic. We compared analysis from linear models with and without the strength of promotion as a covariate and with or without median split for high and low promotion as factor. Treatment had a negligible effect when a personality component was not included, but anxiety increased with the strength of promotion focus and this change was steeper for treatment than control. This approach allowed us to refine our capacity to interpret responses and make stronger conclusions regarding animal emotions.
Session: Poster Session 2
Chimney swift population trends, chimney use, and weather impacts on phenology and roosting behaviourMackenzie D Amlin, Yolanda E. Morbey
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Chimney swifts are threatened migratory aerial insectivores. They uniquely engage in cooperative breeding and communal roosting in chimneys. Analyzing 20 years of citizen science data from Nature London, I investigated general population trends, chimney use in terms of nesting status, and the effects of weather on roosting dynamics and phenology. I hypothesized that swifts would migrate earlier during cool summers and that roost size would increase during periods of high precipitation and low temperature, as swifts aggregate to conserve energy lost through thermoregulation. I found no significant relationship between precipitation or temperature and roost size in either direction. Additionally, chimney swifts migrated later in cool weather, though this effect was small. Furthermore, an analysis of general population trends revealed a consistent decrease across the dataset, consistent with declining chimney swift numbers across North America. Notably, specific nesting chimneys were identified, indicating recurrent use of the same chimneys for nesting purposes from year to year. This research highlights the importance of conservation and prompts more research into puzzling findings.
Session: Poster Session 1
Female mice find males from well-resourced housing attractive: Implications for conservation captive breedingPrathipa Anandarajan1, Jiayi Cai2, Georgia Mason1
1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 2Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
In species where females show mate choice, stressed males are often sexually unattractive. Stress is common in sub-optimally housed animals. The unattractiveness of stressed males could therefore help explain the poor reproductive performance in captive breeding programmes. We tested the hypotheses that housing quality predicts male attractiveness, using mice as models. In a T-maze mate choice test, 12 oestrous virgin females were each presented with 2 differentially-raised brothers, one from a conventional barren cage and one from a well-resourced 'enriched' cage. Trials were run, and videos analysed, blind to male housing. Well-resourced males were more attractive (time spent in T-maze arm: F(1,20) = 12.653, p = 0.002; time spent sniffing/interacting: F(1,20) = 20.290, p = 0.002). Ultrasonic recording confirmed that female interest was sexual: all trials involved courtship singing. Ongoing research is now assessing pregnancy success in mated pairs and exploring which housing-sensitive traits predict male attractiveness. Understanding how housing impacts male attractiveness could thus help improve management and reproductive success in captive conservation breeding programmes.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Social and individual behavioral responses to impaired and changing visibility Hannah M Anderson, Emily Elsasser, Sigal Balshine
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Exposure studies are typically conducted under stable conditions. Unfortunately, natural environments experience frequent changes in environmental conditions, and we are only now beginning to understand how animals react to this variation. In aquatic habitats, visibility often shifts rapidly with daily changes such as daylight, periodic algal blooms and rain-agitated suspended sediments. We tested how visually challenging environments affected the social and individual behavior of zebrafish, Danio rerio, a shoaling, visually-oriented species. Specifically, we tested how social cohesion and space use of zebrafish shoals change under clear water, stable but visually impaired environments, and fluctuating visual conditions using both suspended sediment and low light as mediums. Preliminary results indicate consistently poor visibility decreases boldness and aggression compared to both clear and fluctuating conditions while increasing shoaling compared to clear water. Further, boldness was only affected by suspended sediment and shoaling only affected by low light. These results emphasize the importance of considering both the ecological context and the form of stimuli in research.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Male Bachman's sparrows with larger beaks persist in territorial defense during simulated intrusionsRindy C Anderson1, William Abbott2
1Florida Atlantic University, Davie, Florida, USA, 2The Nature Conservancy, Sacramento, California, USA
During elevated sublethal temperatures, animals are forced to make behavioral and physiological tradeoffs. Animals must direct resources to thermoregulation, which can result in strained time and energy budgets. Temperature increases can lead to decreased effectiveness of foraging and reproductive behaviors, which can have fitness costs. In hot and humid regions, evaporative cooling is inefficient, so birds must rely on other methods such as radiative cooling. In birds, radiative cooling occurs through thermal windows including the beak. Larger beaks are thought to be more effective thermal windows. We asked how beak size relates to territory defense behavior in a South Florida population of Bachman's sparrow. Using simulated territorial intrusions during peak heat and humidity, we asked if differences in beak size predicted differences in territorial defense. Birds with the largest beaks relative to their body size responded with more flights and songs and persisted in these behaviors longer than birds with smaller beaks. Understanding how organisms are affected by a hot and humid climate is paramount to understanding how they will respond to challenging climate patterns.
Session: Ecological effects
Marshalling the Data to Dismantle Denial: An LGBTQIA+ Advocacy ToolkitMaydianne C.B. Andrade1,2
1University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2The Toronto Initiative for Diversity & Excellence, Toronto, ON, Canada
Positive change for inclusion requires policies and practices that remove barriers and, at a minimum, incentivize alignment with laws on employment equity. However, policy in itself is not enough for improved outcomes in Animal Behaviour and related fields where implementation rests on the shoulders of individuals who 'were not trained for this' and may have perceptions that are at odds with reality. Here I discuss a data-informed, peer-to-peer approach to effecting change in situations when denial allows the continuation of inequitable practices and cultures, and explore ways this approach could be employed to change practices that exclude colleagues from LGBTQIA+ communities. Rather than a focus on 'changing hearts and minds', emphasizing good decision-making and professional behaviour while leaning heavily on data and pragmatic approaches could complement other approaches and accelerate change.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (3)
Deep dive into octopus sentienceMichaella Andrade1, Charles Morphy Dias dos Santos1, Tatiana S. Leite2
1Federal University of ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, 2Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Octopuses are recognized as sentient, but we know little about aspects of wild juvenile sentience. In this sense, the study of wildlife welfare is essential to promote the welfare of every animal, maintain healthy ecosystems, and foster harmonious relationships between humans and natural environments. These goals are especially important for juveniles of semelparous species, which generally have less balanced welfare and suffer from negative valence experiences. In this study, we carried out minimally invasive tests on juvenile wild Octopus insularis to better understand their behavioral repertoire, expression of emotional states, different personalities, and welfare. In this talk, we will present our first results about behavioral markers of negative welfare, the description of defense behaviors, interspecific interactions, and the preliminary results of our tests. Our results will help us understand the relationship between body patterns, behavior, personality, and emotional states. The present study could also be crucial for developing new management policies to avoid fishing animals at juvenile stage of life, which have not had the opportunity to reproduce.
Session: Symposium: Exploring intersections of behavior and welfare in free-ranging wild animals (1)
Decoding Feline Music: Behavioral Responses to Species-Relevant Sounds in Cat-Specific CompositionsRachel Anello, Qian Qian Mei, Julia McLagan, Reggie Paxton Gazes
Bucknell University, Lewisburg , Pennsylvania, USA
Compared to human music, tamarins and domestic cats show increased behavioral responses to music specifically composed for them. However it remains unclear whether this is a response to the composition as a whole, or is driven by interest in individual species-relevant sounds within the music. In this study, we presented domestic cats (Felis catus; n=32) housed in a communal cat cafe with the full track and the isolated component parts of a cat-specific composition. A speaker was placed in the center of the room, and a single track was played for 10 minutes. Tracks were either the full composition, isolated instrumentals, isolated synthesized "purr", isolated synthesized "suckling", or a white noise control. We recorded each cat's distance from the speaker at one minute intervals. Cats spent more time near the speaker during the synthesized purr track than the other tracks, suggesting that their interest in cat-specific music may be driven by interest in this specific species-relevant sound. A follow up study indicated that this interest was not an artifact of the synthesized nature of the sound, as cats did not differentiate between the synthesized purr and a real purr.
Session: Poster Session 1
Experimental evidence for compositional processing of visual stimuli in rhesus macaquesAngelle Antoun1,2, Rohini Murugan1,2, Kathleen J. Bostick2, Benjamin Wilson1,2
1Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, 2Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
Compositionality, the ability to combine meaningful words into single representations, is a critical feature of language. While there is evidence for call combinations in non-human primates, these combinations are minimal, with limited expressivity compared to language, suggesting that compositionality may be uniquely human. In language, negative clauses (e.g., 'not red') are necessarily compositional; the meaning of the phrase cannot be derived from either word alone. To assess compositionality in non-human primates, we developed a series of non-linguistic negation experiments. We presented six rhesus macaques with cue stimuli paired with either a 'positive' or 'negation' label, and two choice stimuli. On positive trials, monkeys selected the stimulus that matched the cue, and on negation trials selected the non-matching stimulus. Critically, the cue and choice stimuli changed each trial to avoid learning about individual stimuli. Macaques solved this task, combining the cue and label on a trial-by-trial basis to select the correct stimulus. Our results provide strong evidence for compositionality in non-human primates, suggesting the core of this ability may not be human unique.
Session: Allee Symposium (1)
Sociosexual Behavior in POMC-Deficient MiceKimberlyn Argyle, Zoe Thompson, Lauren Silvatti, Amber Hsieh
Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, USA
Proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) is a gene expressed primarily in the hypothalamus. A major product of this gene is alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, which is involved in sexual behavior and appetite regulation. Pomc gene mutations result in a significant deficiency of expression. In humans, this causes hyperphagia and early onset obesity. These effects are also apparent in a mouse model of POMC-deficiency (POMCD). We are using this model to study the cause of infertility seen in POMCD mice. We are recording the sexual behavior interactions between POMCD males (M) and POMCD females (F), POMCD M & wild-type (WT) F, and POMCD F & WTM. Recordings are scored by an observer blind to genotype for relevant behaviors, including anogenital sniffing, grasping, mounting attempts, intromission and ejaculation. Preliminary findings suggest significant differences in the frequency and duration of critical sociosexual behaviors. These results will help us understand whether POMCD mice exhibit normal sexual behavior and how that may affect their overall reproductive success. These findings may also provide context for the relationship between Pomc expression and reproductive function in humans.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Changes in Social Structure within Captive Mexican Wolf Families Over TimeMiguel A Armella1, M. Asunción Soto-Alvarez1, M Lourdes Yañez-López2, Nalleli E Lara-Díaz1, Fernando Toledo3, B Karina Lozano-Chavez3
1Dept. Biology Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Iztapalapa, Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico, 2Dpt. Biotechnology Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico, 3Museo del Desierto , Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
In the wild, wolves typically disperse at around two years old. However, for populations under human care, this is not possible. Mexican Grey Wolf's (Canis lupus baileyi) recovery plan has succeeded. However, this success brought overpopulated enclosures and facilities. Therefore, wolf families have to live together for well over two years. We observed two wolf families from 2017 until 2024 hosted by the "Desert Museum" in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, and other groups. Social structure changes: aggressive behavior started at 2.5 (+/- 0.3) years old. Among males, young wolves became aggressive against their father, while in female groups, aggression was directed at different year siblings. Aggressive behavior toward family members might have appeared at any time of the year. Still, our data suggest it was at the end of summer-early fall (September through November) as more common. In an attempt to reduce physical conflicts, using Deslorelin (a GnRH agonist) was not always successful. Effects on wolves' behavior due to being enclosed in the nighthouses could lead to undesirable actions such as pacing. It is crucial to understand social interactions to help animals and animal keepers.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Do anthropogenic materials in European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nests have adverse effects?Gabrielle C Armstrong, Colleen A Barber
Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Nests typically consist of natural and sometimes, anthropogenic materials. Although many studies document the presence of anthropogenic materials in nests of aquatic/marine avian species, little research exists focusing on passerines, despite the occurrence of anthropogenic materials being more prevalent in terrestrial environments. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an urban-thriving passerine who incorporates anthropogenic materials into their nests from the nearby landscape. Our first objective was to document the percentage of nests having anthropogenic materials inside them. Second, we examined whether the amount of anthropogenic materials present in a nest was related to parental age, and if they adversely affected nestling condition and survival. Finally, we examined whether the degree of urbanization at different field sites affected the abundance of anthropogenic materials found in nests. Preliminary results showed that 88% (99/113) of nests examined contained anthropogenic materials. These findings will provide insight into why certain passerine species incorporate anthropogenic materials into their nests.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Heat waves enhance learning in threespined sticklebackEric D. Arredondo, Anna Swierkosz, Laura R. Stein
University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
The ability to find food is crucial for fitness, with animals using associative learning to locate food. Understanding how environmental stressors affect cognitive abilities and foraging can reveal coping mechanisms in a changing world. Here, we examine how parental and personal heat stress affects offspring cognitive function in a learning assay. Stickleback offspring of heat-exposed or control fathers endured heat waves or normal temperatures for five days and were trained to find food in colored chambers. Offspring of heat-exposed fathers were slower to emerge regardless of personal experience. Offspring with personal heat exposure learned the food reward-color association, unlike unexposed offspring. These findings highlight environmental stressors' impact on risk-taking and learning, suggesting parental experience affects baseline risk-taking, while personal experience influences cognitive abilities.
Session: Cognition & learning 4
Hot & Bothered: Elevated Temperatures Impact Sperm Quality & Mating Behavior in a Live-bearing FishAndrea S Aspbury, Caitlin R Gabor, Emily A Powell, Mar Huertas Pau, Skyler Shibuya
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
Freshwater fish are highly vulnerable to temperature increases, influenced by factors like urban heat islands and climate change. We studied the impact of short-term elevated temperatures on reproductive traits and mating behaviors in male mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), a widespread and tolerant species. Male mosquitofish exposed to 5 days of warming water (27-35°C) in the lab exhibited reduced mating behavior and longer latency before attempting mating compared to those at a constant 27°C. Sperm count, motility, DNA fragmentation, and oxidative status showed no significant differences between elevated and lower temperature treatments. Yet, sperm velocity was lower in elevated temperature, correlating negatively with thrust latency. These findings indicate reproductive challenges near the upper thermal tolerance limits for male mosquitofish, highlighting the intricate relationship between sperm quality and mating behaviors under environmental stressors. Such impacts may extend to less tolerant fish species and other ectothermic animals as local and global temperatures rise.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Geographic variation in contact calls reveals social structure in St. Lawrence belugasJaclyn A. Aubin1, Marie-Ana Mikus2, Robert Michaud3, Valeria Vergara2, Daniel J. Mennill1
1University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada, 2Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 3Groupe de Recherche et d'Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins, Quebec, QC, Canada
For animals with individually distinctive vocalizations, acoustic monitoring can reveal much about space use and social structure. Beluga contact calls function as vocal signatures, making acoustic monitoring a promising tool for gaining deeper insights into beluga societies. We collected 7000 hours of acoustic recordings from three areas of the St. Lawrence and identified contact calls, which we classified into types based on spectrotemporal features. We then examined the spatial distribution of each call type. We hypothesized that St. Lawrence belugas belong to spatially-distinct social groups and predicted that contact call types would be concentrated within a single area. We identified 309 contact call types, 104 of which were recorded multiple times. Of these, 76% were resampled within the same area and 24% were resampled in different areas. We found strong evidence that the proportion of call types resampled within the same area is larger than expected, supporting the social community hypothesis. The presence of distinct communities within this endangered population suggests that spatially-explicit conservation measures should be adapted to the population's social structure.
Session: Communication 4
Mating Pool Return Rates and Direction of Mating Competition in a Role Reversed Dance FlyTolulope Babalola, Rosalind Murray
University of Toronto Mississauga , Mississauga, ON, Canada
Operational sex ratios (OSR) have often been used as a predictor of the direction of mating competition. In gonochoric species the amount of time males and females spend as active participants in the mating pool can be used as a proxy for competition for mates; that the sex that spends more time waiting to mate in the mating pool, should be the sex with higher competition for access to mates. Rhamphomyia longicauda is a dance fly that displays sexually selected female ornaments in a lek-like mating pool with a female-biased OSR. We performed a capture-mark- recapture experiment to measure how quickly males and females of R. longicauda return to the mating pool. We found that females spend ~38% less time away from the mating swarm, than males. While R. longicauda displays a sex role reversal, our results are consistent with mating pool theory; the sex under stronger selection to mate more often (females) return to the mating pool sooner and experience stronger competition. Our results reveal how theoretical predictions developed to describe conventional mating systems can hold for species with uncommon mating systems
Session: Poster Session 1
Did I hear voice-like sounds? Let's tune in! A comparative dog-human fMRI studyAnna Bálint1, Ádám Szabó4, Attila Andics2,4,5, Márta Gácsi1,2
1HUN-REN-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary, 2Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary, 3MTA-ELTE ‘Lendület’ Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary, 4Department of Neuroradiology at the Medical Imaging Centre of the Semmelweis University, H-1082 Budapest, Üllői út 78a, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary, 5ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary
Voice-sensitivity in mammals has been proposed to be determined primarily by tuning to conspecific auditory stimuli, but recent human findings indicate a role for a more general tuning to voicelikeness. Vocal emotional valence, a central characteristic of vocalisations, has been linked to the same basic acoustic parameters across species. To explore the role of voicelikeness in auditory emotional valence-sensitivity across species, we constructed artificial emotional sounds in two sound categories: voice-like vs. sine-wave sounds, parametrically modulating two main acoustic parameters, f0 and call length. We found cortical areas in both species that responded stronger to voice-like than to sine-wave stimuli, while there were no regions responding stronger to sine-wave sounds in either species. Additionally, we found that in bilateral primary and emotional valence-sensitive auditory regions of both species, the processing of voice-like and sine-wave sounds are modulated by f0 in opposite ways. These results reveal functional similarities between evolutionarily distant mammals for processing voicelikeness and its effect on processing basic acoustic cues of vocal emotions.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
How Bold are Wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape?Robbie Ball1, Sangpa Dittakul2, Sarah L. Jacobson1, Mananya Pla-ard2, Matthew S. Rudolph1, Supgang Sittichok2, Marnoch Yindee3, Joshua M. Plotnik1
1Hunter College and the Graduate Center, New York City, New York, USA, 2Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Thailand, 3Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Boldness is a personality trait that measures an animal's reaction to potential threats. When resources are limited, boldness toward predators may be beneficial. Wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are threatened by rapid anthropogenic developments where natural habitats are replaced by agriculture and urban construction. It is not clear if elephants in a human-dominated landscape perceive threats from humans comparably to natural predators. In a village bordering the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand, we set up automated playback systems to expose wild elephants to predator vocalizations, including big cats and humans. We hypothesized that individual elephants who were exposed to two types of predator playbacks would have consistent responses to these sounds, demonstrating boldness as a personality trait. Among bolder elephants, we hypothesized that human shouts would be most likely to elicit retreats from playbacks due to their association with negative experiences. By investigating how elephants respond to predator playbacks, we hope to use behavioral data to better inform human-elephant conflict mitigation strategies that account for elephant cognition and personality.
Session: Poster Session 1
Eyes from Sky: Using Video to Study the Effects of Early Life Stress on Adult Social Networks in BudgerigarsVictor Baquera1, Alex Hernandez2, Alondra Villalba1, Timothy Wright1
1Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA, 2Department of Software Engineering ICT, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
Stress is believed to have profound negative effects on health and well-being. We investigated how stress experienced during early life in budgerigars affects their social interactions as adults to determine whether such stress compounds or counteracts negative effects experienced later in life. We subjected groups of budgerigars to either high or baseline stress as juveniles and again as adults, allowing us to examine the interactions between early life and adult chronic stress and observe how stress levels impacted their strength of ties to other individuals. Using an automated tracking program developed for this project to track individuals wearing QR code backpacks to create proximity-based social networks allowed us to quantify the strength of ties to the other individuals. We found no clear difference between treatments in terms of tie density or strength. Tie strength showed some differences between treatments, but the direction of these differences was inconsistent across flocks. The absence of consistent differences in social network metrics suggests that our stress treatments did not significantly impact the social dynamics within the group.
Session: Poster Session 2
Reproductive strategies and genetic success in an urban-thriving passerine, the European starlingColleen Barber, Joel Slade, Megan M Wright, Catherine Reeve, Alexandra MC Ouedraogo, Mark AW Hornsby
Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Most passerine species have mixed reproductive strategies that include extra-pair paternity and on rare occasions, conspecific brood parasitism. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are a socially monogamous but facultatively polygynous urban-thriving and cavity-nesting passerine with biparental care. We established the frequency of reproductive strategies present in our European Starling population, and then examined whether ASY adults were in better body condition and had greater realized reproductive success than SY adults. We also explored whether positive assortative mating occurred based on age. We determined genetic parentage in 61 European Starling broods over four years and documented frequencies of within-pair paternity, extra-pair paternity, and intraspecific brood parasitism. We also discovered the presence of quasi-parasitism (extra-pair maternity) in our population, which has not been previously reported in this species. ASY and SY parents had a similar propensity to engage in each of the four mating strategies. Social and genetic assortative pairing existed between SY and ASY individuals. Other results will be discussed.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Rhythmic expression of clock genes in wild marine fish Margarida Barcelo-Serra, Joan Pons, Eneko Aspillaga, Martina Martorell-Barceló, Josep Alós
Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA), Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
In animals, activity and rest cycles are determined by various genes with rhythmic expression patterns driven by autoregulatory feedback loops. This rhythmicity is crucial for adapting to environmental conditions. Molecular mechanisms underlying these patterns are traditionally studied in laboratory conditions. However, wild animals face diverse environmental cues and selective pressures leading to specific adaptations. The underlying molecular mechanisms are influenced by these cues, resulting in interindividual variability in activity patterns or chronotypes. Our work focuses on the cyclic gene expression regulating circadian rhythms, potentially influencing marine fish chronotypes. Initially, we present evidence of chronotypes in wild fish and demonstrate that fishing may exert selection on chronotypes. Subsequently, we present genetic sequence variants and gene expression levels from individuals exhibiting different chronotypes and captured at different times. This multidisciplinary project offers an overview of the molecular basis of circadian characterization in wild marine species, with implications in behavioural biodiversity maintenance and species conservation.
Session: Behavior genetics/genomics
Does female control and male mating system predict courtship investment and mating outcomes in widow spiders? Luciana Baruffaldi, Maydianne CB Andrade
Department of Biological Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough , Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Male courtship investment may evolve in response to the male's expectation of future mating opportunities or the degree of female control during mating interactions. We used a comparative approach to test these hypotheses by assessing the frequency of copulations and timing of sexual cannibalism, and the degree of female-biased sexual size dimorphism (which is expected to be negatively correlated with the cost of rebuffing male mating attempts) in five widow spider species (genus Latrodectus) under same laboratory conditions. We found that copulation frequency was consistently lower in species with extreme female-skewed size dimorphism, and where sexual cannibalism was more prevalent, suggesting the importance of female control for mating outcomes. However, our data did not support our prediction about male mating system and investment. Here we show that the degree of sexual dimorphism is not only correlated with sexual cannibalism, but also with mating success, which, in Latrodectus, manifests as female restriction of male copulation frequency with effects on paternity.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Two Bugs / One Stone: Breaking Barriers to Biology Through Invertebrate Behaviour ExperiencesLuciana Baruffaldi
University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, ON, Canada
Although STEM education is an important part of school curricula, the quality of STEM programming is variable, and more than 50% of Canadian students drop science in senior high school. Through a partnership between Scientist-mentors (researchers/students from the Andrade lab at UTSC) and STEM teachers from West Hill Collegiate (WHC, low socio-economic status public high school in Scarborough) we co-developed an in-class science enrichment program that is integrated into and supports the current grade 9 curriculum of STEM classes. Scientist-mentors will facilitate discussions and activities focusing on 4 overarching themes: 1) the importance of diverse perspectives from different cultures and backgrounds in science, 2) the importance of studying animal behaviour, 3) the process of designing a novel experiment, collecting, and interpreting real data, and 4) the different careers paths in STEM. Students will present their research findings to their community at WHC's annual 'STEM Day'. By providing students from under-represented and under-served communities with an opportunity to participate in science, we hope to increase the enrollment and retention of marginalized youth in STEM
Session: Poster Session 1
Geographic variation of call recognition in a katydidOliver Beckers
Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA
Mating signals and preferences for these signals must match for communication to function. In ectothermic animals, signals and preferences change with environmental temperatures. The katydid Neoconocephalus triops is a tropical species that extended its range into temperate regions. It uses the pulse rate for song recognition and the pulse rate changes with ambient temperature. We predicted that female preferences change with ambient temperature preserving the match between signals and preferences. We tested female preferences in three populations of N. triops at two ambient temperatures (20 and 25ºC). Florida and Puerto Rico females had closed preference functions at 20 and 25ºC, i.e., they strongly preferred species-specific pulse rates and attraction dropped toward faster and slower rates. In contrast, females from Cost Rica had a closed preference function only at 20ºC while at 25ºC the function was open, i.e., females discriminated only against slower but not faster pulse rates. This difference suggests a switch from pulse rate to interval recognition. Thus, the call recognition mechanism differed among populations and between environmental temperatures in Costa Rica females.
Session: Communication 1
Cooperation Among Unequal PartnersPeter Bednekoff
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
Organisms often act together for mutual gain. I explore the situation when two partners differ in their ability to contribute to joint action, but payoffs are shared equally. An example could be parents that take turns bringing food to their young. The permanence of the pairing has a large effect on behavioral strategy. If permanently paired with a weaker partner, increasing contributions to compensate is the best available option. If an individual can expect many different partners within a lifetime, however, the highest payoff comes from lowering contributions when paired with a weaker partner and raising them when paired with a stronger one. Different assumptions about partner loss and replacement lead to different levels of cooperation with the current partner.
Session: Social behavior 5
Examining the molecular and genetic basis of behavioral divergence in three-spined sticklebackColby Behrens, Alison M. Bell
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
Understanding the proximate mechanisms underlying behavioral diversity within and among taxa is a central question in the study of animal behavior. Rapid divergence of behavior can drive reproductive isolation between populations, but the molecular and genetic basis of divergence is rarely understood. To address this, I examined neurogenomic and genetic mechanisms of reproductive behaviors in two populations of behaviorally-divergent three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) known as "whites" and "commons". After behavioral observations to quantify variation between the two ecotypes and their F1 hybrids, I measured gene expression of both populations and their F1 hybrids across the reproductive cycle and identified substantial transcriptomic divergence. To investigate the underlying genetic mechanisms, I performed QTL mapping and identified 10 genomic loci associated with behavioral traits. These loci were primarily non-overlapping, suggesting that distinct genetic mechanisms are responsible for the divergence of multiple reproductive behaviors. Together, these results address outstanding questions about the mechanisms promoting rapid divergence in reproductive strategies.
Session: Allee Symposium (1)
Testing for variation in "fight style" across male Betta splendens aggression displaysRaleigh S. Bellard1, Elizabeth A. Hobson2
1Rice University, Houston, TX, USA, 2University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Aggressive displays play a vital role in an individual's ability to communicate information about their fighting potential. Individuals must decide when and how they will use a suite of escalating aggressive behaviors to win a contest. Male bettas (Betta splendens) display a wide variety of well-described aggressive behaviors. We focused on detecting patterns of use and testing for differences in behavior between individuals. We visually stimulated each fish with their own reflection (34 fish, 136 trials total). Across all individuals, we found that flaring (133 times) was most-commonly used and displays most-often began with a flare (89% of trials), then transitioned to a turn and flare behavior (57.4%). However, some fish consistently transitioned between behaviors in different ways: 1.74% of fish began with an aggressive behavior other than a flare and proceeded to a non-flaring behavior. A better understanding of how individuals aggressively display is important in understanding and predicting contest outcomes. Future work will test whether fish with particular "fight styles" change their aggressive displays when faced with a challenger.
Session: Poster Session 2
Effect of Temperature on Juvenile Round Goby Feeding David Benbassat, Sina Zarini, Sigal Balshine
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Climate change and invasive species are two of the most influential threats facing aquatic ecosystems. Changes in water temperature can have massive impacts on fish behaviour, survival and recruitment. It is important to understand how these changes will affect the status of invasive species such as the round goby Neogobius melanostomus. Very little is known about their juvenile life stage compared to the adults. We investigated how juvenile round goby feeding rates and movement changes under different water temperature conditions. A sample of 72 fish were acclimated to either 15oC, 19oC, 23oC or 27oC for seven weeks, temperatures that correspond to breeding season and future projected water temperatures. We recorded fish behaviour before and after feeding. The fish from the highest temperature condition fed 11 times more than the lowest temperature condition and decreased their overall swimming rates. These findings suggest that as temperatures rise, round goby will compete more intensely for food with native species and may decrease the probability of predation. Our results may help anticipate climate change induced shifts in invasion and guide future conservation efforts.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Investigating reproductive control by dominant females in a joint-laying birdJustin S. Benjamin, James S. Quinn
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dominant group members typically have greater health and reproductive advantages than subordinates driving active research into the dynamics between these roles. Pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus melanotus) are cooperative breeding joint-laying birds that live in linear dominance hierarchy structured kin groups. We introduce a female removal experiment to study if dominant females control the reproduction of subordinate females within their group. We hypothesize that dominant females restrict the reproduction of other female group members to gain a fitness advantage. Dominants could control clutch size ensuring a higher proportion of the eggs are their own. Fieldwork slated for the 2024 breeding season at Tāwharanui Regional Park in New Zealand involves monitoring hatching and fledging rates, behavioural observations, and bird trapping. We will remove dominant females and subordinate females (as controls) from their groups and measure the effects on subsequent clutches. We predict that in groups with the dominant female removed, more females will lay eggs, joint clutches will be larger, and the hatching and fledging rates will be lower than groups with a subordinate female removed.
Session: Poster Session 2
Asocial Testing of Social Species: Stress-testing the Ecological Validity of Our Behavior AssaysScott A Benson
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
Presence of groupmates is the ecologically valid condition in virtually every behavioral context for many species. While teasing apart individual differences in noisy group contexts may be difficult - groupmates frequently and dynamically influence each others' behavior - some perhaps overlooked research suggests we may be limiting our understanding of natural individual differences for the sake of convenience. Isolation may even cause an additional and unique stressor in highly social species, placing a new interpretation on some old behavioral data. Presented here are repeated calls to consider the effects of isolated contexts from researchers spanning broad taxa, as well as new empirical data on the results of isolated vs social versions of a novel environment test for Tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) and Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis).
Session: Social behavior 3
Emergent properties of signal exploitation by eavesdropping enemiesXimena / E Bernal1,2, Rachel / A Page2
1Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Ancon, Panama
Communication is rarely private. As eavesdroppers attack signalers, they generate ripple effects that extend both within and beyond the communication network. We investigate phenomena elicited by eavesdroppers that result from interactions between target and non-target receivers, and from other species associated with them. We provide a synthesis of studies exploring these venues and outline a conceptual framework to deepen our understanding of the effects that eavesdroppers impose within and beyond effects on targeted signalers. This work provides an overview of unexpected outcomes often missed when individual components of communication networks are examined in isolation. For instance, eavesdroppers can elicit non-apparent shifts in the relative importance of sexual and natural selection and can bridge different communication networks. Despite the limited number of studies investigating the emergent properties of eavesdroppers on communication networks to date, their potential impact is evident and likely widespread. We provide a conceptual scaffolding to advance our understanding of the complex and interconnected nature of communication systems in nature.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (1)
The cost of social dominance using territory manipulations in males of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoniTyler W. Beyett1, Olivia D.K. Buzinski1, Peter D. Dijkstra1,2,3
1Biology Department, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA, 2Neuroscience Program, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA, 3Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
We investigated how altering territories can impact social dominance in males of the cichlid species Astatotilapia burtoni. We housed pairs of males that were separated with a transparent, perforated screen. In this setup, males defended their territory and upregulate the reproductive system as indicated by intense coloration and large gonads compared to nonterritorial males. In the first experiment, we placed the cave of each male close together, by the screen, or we placed each cave in the distant corner of each compartment, thereby creating variation in space between defendable structures. In the second experiment, we provided one male with an artificial cave while the other male was without. We destabilized a subset of these pairs by swapping the caves between males on a weekly basis. We will examine how this influences behavior and reproductive investment as indicators of social dominance. We will measure markers of oxidative stress to evaluate the physiological cost of social dominance. Our results will provide insight into the cost of social dominance, and establish a novel paradigm to alter its degree in a controlled setting.
Session: Poster Session 2
The colourful bills of Atlantic puffins are signals of quality and identityPierre-Paul Bitton1, Katja Kochvar1,3, Rebecca Foote1, Amy Wilson1, Samira Saki2, Oscar Meruvia-Pastor2, Lourdes Peña-Castillo2
1Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada, 2Department of Computer Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada, 3Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Seabird breeding colonies are perfect environments to study animal social interactions. Many species are long-lived and philopatric, presenting the opportunity for stable long-term relationships between neighbours. Social interactions are often mediated through vocalisations. In a classic model, king penguins, the harmonic calls permit individual recognition, and perfectly classify their sex and age. However, not all high-density colonial seabirds vocalize. For example, Atlantic puffins are relatively non-vocal. What then is used to mediate social interaction among neighbors and mated pairs? Using visual model corrected colour analyses, geometric morphometrics, and machine learning, we demonstrate that the colours of the Atlantic puffin bills are temporally variable while their shape are temporally fixed, allowing assessment of individual quality and identity. Siamese neural networks can accurately recognize ~90% of individuals with little training, and geometric morphologies confirm that the shape of the bills is temporally consistent. Furthermore, the colours of the bill change within the breeding season, and female colouration is correlated with chick growth.
Session: Communication 4
Dynamic Rank(s): linking longitudinal rank dynamics and multi-layer consensus ranking in macaquesRosemary Blersch1, 2, Brenda McCowan1,2, Jessica Vandeleest1,2, Márton Pósfai3, Niklas Braun4, Alexander Pritchard1,2, Brianne Beisner5
1Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA, 2Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA, 3Dept. of Network and Data Science, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary, 4Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA, 5Emory National Primate Research Center, Suwanee, GA, USA
Dominance hierarchies are a fundamentally dynamic component of many animal social groups, and crucial in fostering group stability. Until recently, dominance rank and social behaviors have often been considered separately however, dominance rank is not independent of other behavioral processes. We anticipate that the properties of both agonistic and affiliative networks are associated with active rank dynamics. We quantified longitudinal hierarchy dynamics and multiplex centrality over four years in a large outdoor-housed rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) group to assess whether rank dynamics are linked to uni/multiplex network centrality across four interaction layers (aggression, status signaling, grooming and huddling). Despite rhesus macaques being generally thought to have relatively stable hierarchies with clear matrilineal structure, we found significant rank reversals in males and females even under conditions expected to mitigate rank change. Additionally, we found temporal variation in uni/multiplex centrality potentially linked to both longitudinal hierarchy dynamics and dominance certainty. These results point to complex behavioral processes that underpin rank change.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (3)
Exploring the Factors Behind People's Preferences for Dog Head Shapes Through an Online SurveyZsofia Bognar1,2, Yuri Kawaguchi3, Koyo Nakamura4,5, Eniko Kubinyi1,2,6
1MTA-ELTE Lendulet "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, Hungary, 2Department of Ethology, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, 3School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom, 4Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Tokyo, Japan, 5Faculty of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, 6ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
Despite numerous health issues, brachycephalic dogs enjoy global popularity. To better understand the factors behind this welfare crisis, we conducted an online survey (N=773) to assess people's preferences for various head lengths using slightly modified photographs of 14 mesocephalic mongrels. Those favoring shorter head shapes were more likely to lack dog-related expertise and value dogs' affection. Positive attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs correlated with a preference for photos displaying shorter heads. Those with a negative attitude who associated more health problems with brachycephalism preferred longer heads. Interestingly, knowledge about health problems did not differ significantly between positive and negative attitudes, although positive attitudes correlated negatively with advanced health or natural science education. Additionally, positive attitudes were associated with assigning human-like roles to their ideal dog. Results showed that the key factor behind people's preferences may be their deeper understanding of brachycephalism-related health problems. Also, brachycephalic enthusiasts may be more likely to anthropomorphize dogs.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Multilayer networks for tracing how changes in the physical environment alter social dynamicsTyler R Bonnell1,2, Chloe Vilette2,3, S Peter Henzi2,3, Louise Barrett2,3
1Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research Unit, University of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, 3Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Multilayer layered networks offer the potential to gain a multifaceted description of a group's social structural dynamics. In this study, we take a dynamic multilayer network approach to quantify how the physical environment shapes social dynamics within groups. Leveraging a long-term dataset from vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), we construct three-layer networks incorporating grooming, aggression, and spatial proximity behaviors, while integrating physical environmental variables such as food availability and temperature. Crucially, by modeling patterns of change in our multilayer network we trace: 1) how changes in the physical environment influence individual social behaviours, 2) how individual social behaviour influences group social structure, and 3) how the social structure of the group influences individual social behaviour. Our modeling work is guided by a dynamic view of social structure which posits that individual behaviour both creates a social structure, and in turn, is influenced by the resulting social structure. Through this study, we aim to quantify this reciprocal effect while taking into account changes in the physical environment.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (2)
Sperm Prudence in the Leaf Footed Cactus BugJames C. Boothroyd, Christine W Miller
University Of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
When females mate multiply, males' ejaculates may have to compete for eggs, in which case males that produce more sperm are predicted to fertilize more eggs. Sperm production can be costly, and so can the search for mates in the first place. Thus, males are expected to be frugal about energy expenditure. Many studies have revealed that males increase their investment in testes when extra resources become available. Yet, very few studies have empirically tested whether males alter their ejaculate pattern with such an increase. Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae) provides a powerful tool to investigate this topic, we have developed means to stimulate increased sperm production. Females store sperm, which affords both an arena for sperm competition, and a mechanism to measure ejaculate size. Here, we compare the ejaculate size of males with increased sperm production, relative to how much sperm they retain. Larger females had more sperm from males overall, with a slight impact of the increased testes investment. Male ejaculate size may therefore be shaped more by their mate, than by their own pattern of investment.
Session: Poster Session 1
Effects of Parental Heat Exposure and Parental Care on the Development of Offspring in Gasterosteus aculeatusEmma R. Borgert1, Jennifer Hellmann2
1University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA, 2The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
An understanding of how organisms are going to cope with climate change is crucial. Transgenerational plasticity - when parental experiences alter offspring traits - can allow organisms to rapidly adapt to environmental change. Fathers can influence their offspring in multiple ways (ie. changes via both sperm and paternal care behaviors). Three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, are a small fish found in freshwater and marine ecosystems with paternal-only care that are facing serious threats due to climate change. To understand the role of paternal heat exposure in offspring development, I exposed parents to ~17°C or ~20°C water temperature then manipulated whether fathers provided paternal care or offspring were artificially aerated. Offspring of cold males were shorter than offspring of warm males, but only when males provided paternal care. Offspring survival was not affected by parental heat exposure but was lower when offspring themselves were exposed to warm temperatures. Overall, heat exposure alters both paternal and offspring traits, and that the effects are dependent on the mechanism of paternal effects.
Session: Poster Session 2
Effects of light and darkness on mass panic-like behavior in the zebrafish Danio rerioWilliam J Botta, Simon Garnier, Kristen Severi
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
Mass panic, the contagious spread of fear within a group, can lead to disastrous consequences such as stampedes in humans and death spirals in ants. Mass panic is influenced by various factors including environment and sensory processes; previous studies suggest that detecting conspecifics increases the likelihood of panic spreading. We tested this by looking at how the absence of light impacts spontaneous panic-like behavior that zebrafish larvae exhibit when densely packed. Larvae were filmed in circular arenas of various sizes exposed to constant light or darkness with differing numbers of larvae, keeping group density constant. Contrary to predictions, dark conditions were associated with more panic-like events, not less, hinting at more complexity between visual environment and the modulation of mass panic. Panic-like events also occurred periodically with rest intervals in between, suggesting mass panics can continuously self-propagate after a synchronized rest period. These results suggest vision is not the only component in mass panic. Disrupting the resting period and altering other senses in the light and dark could further explain how these factors impact mass panic.
Session: Social behavior 4
The effect of heterospecific song and anthropogenic sound on Gryllus pennsylvanicus life history Troy A. Bowers, Susan N. Gershman
The Ohio State University , Columbus, Ohio, USA
Juvenile crickets use sound cues from conspecifics to plastically develop adaptive adult traits. Human-induced rapid environmental change, including anthropogenic sound and introduced species, can cause a mismatch between juvenile and adult environments, resulting in maladaptive phenotypic plasticity. Gryllus pennsylvanicus field crickets experience both anthropogenic sound and the song of the recently introduced field cricket Velarifictorus micado. To determine the effects of anthropogenic and heterospecific sound, we raised G. pennsylvanicus crickets in silence, conspecific song, traffic noise, or heterospecific song and measured development time, body size, body mass, and lifespan. We predict that if juvenile crickets perceive V. micado song as conspecific song, they will develop similar traits in conspecific and heterospecific sound environments. If juvenile crickets perceive heterospecific song as a novel stressor, we predict they will respond similarly to heterospecific song and anthropogenic sound. Our results will reveal how crickets respond to changes in their acoustic environment, and how human-induced rapid acoustic environmental change impacts adaptive plasticity.
Session: Poster Session 2
Seeking smarts: Female chickadees choose extra-pair males with enhanced spatial cognitionCarrie L Branch1, Benjamin R Sonnenberg2, Joseph F Welklin2, Bronwyn G Butcher3, Virginia K Heinen2, Angela M Pitera2, Lauren M Benedict2, Eli S Bridge4, Irby J Lovette3, Mike S Webster3, Vladimir V Pravosudov2
1Western University, London, ON, Canada, 2University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA, 3Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 4University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
How and why animals exhibit mate choice has fascinated scientists for ages due to the direct fitness consequences. Research shows that females prefer to mate with high quality males reflected via secondary sexual traits; however, gaps remain linking primary traits and secondary sexual traits. We assessed mate choice for high quality males by measuring extra-pair paternity and spatial cognitive performance in wild mountain chickadees. Chickadees are nonmigratory, food-caching birds that rely on specialized spatial cognition to recover food stores and survive montane winters. Using our long-term field system, we have shown that birds with enhanced spatial cognition experience higher survival and that these spatial abilities have a genetic basis. In the current study, we show that extra-pair males outperform cuckolded social males on a spatial cognitive task and that males that perform better on the spatial cognitive task produce more extra-pair young overall. While the mechanism remains unknown, these results suggest that females assess and choose males with enhanced spatial-cognitive abilities as their extra-pair mates, likely gaining indirect benefits for their offspring.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 2
Deconstructing sociality - How to be connected to others and when that matters Lauren JN Brent
University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
Many animals use social interactions to cope with challenges in their environments and a growing number of studies show that well-connected individuals live longer and reproduce more than their socially isolated counterparts. Yet there are many ways to be 'well-connected'. By establishing which aspects of sociality drive fitness benefits researchers can begin to pinpoint the ultimate functions of social connections. Here I present a socio-ecological framework that predicts the types of connections individuals should form and test some of those predictions using long-term rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) data. Female macaques with strong connections to preferred partners, and with many weak connections had the lowest mortality hazards, in line with this species' expected high levels of intra-specific competition. However, when the thermoregulatory landscape was drastically altered by a hurricane, survival benefits shifted to those with the largest number of partners. Together, this work highlights that not all social connections can be considered equal and could have implications for the use of multilayer network analysis to address questions about the function of social connections.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (1)
Single species and multi-species playbacks elicit asymmetrical responses within mixed- species parid flocksHeather JB Brooks, Todd M Freeberg
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Birds in the family Paridae often drive mixed-species flocking in North America, and these species act as community informants. Although we know a great deal about this communication system, less is known about how the vocalizations of members of these flocks may affect the foraging behavior of potential flockmates. We presented mixed-species flocks with four playback conditions: chickadee-only calls, nuthatch-only calls, calls of both species, and a silent control. We hypothesized that flocks would be most responsive to playbacks that contained calls from multiple species. We tested an alternative hypothesis that predicted that birds would be most responsive to a nuclear species (chickadees). We found that birds were more likely to arrive, and arrived more quickly, for the playbacks with calls from both species. Playbacks of chickadee calls alone attracted an intermediate number of birds, which did not differ significantly from the mixed-species flock condition, or the nuthatch call alone condition. Our hypotheses were not supported due to lack of significance, however, our findings indicate that different species in these flocks can react differently to calls from flock members.
Session: Social behavior 1
Oxytocin modulates group organization in free-moving horsesJames Brooks1,2, Tamao Maeda2,3, Monamie Ringhofer4, Shinya Yamamoto1,2
1Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto, Japan, 2Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, 3Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University of Advanced Science (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan, 4Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
The oxytocinergic system has been suggested to make up an important part of the endocrine basis of group cohesion. However, controlled studies of animals in open-group settings have not been performed. We here investigated the impact of exogenous intranasal oxytocin, compared to saline placebo control, on the group-level social organization of horses. After treatment, we recorded positional data of all members of 5 groups of horses (N = 58) in open field settings and conducted social network analysis. We find oxytocin flattened social differentiation at the group, dyad, and individual level. Oxytocin did not simply reinforce existing bonds, but selectively shifted social preferences towards homogenization - individuals and pairs who otherwise rarely associated spent more time close together while individuals and pairs with the highest baseline association instead spent more time further apart. This resulted in a more evenly distributed structure and a lower clustering coefficient at the network level. These effects reinforce and extend oxytocin's role in collective behaviour, social structure, and the evolution of group-based sociality across taxa.
Session: Social behavior 4
Quantifying the impact of cone opponency on predictions of color discriminationLilianne N Brush, Carlay L Teed, Esteban Fernández-Juricic
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Color discrimination plays a crucial role in shaping many aspects of animal behavior. Photoreceptor properties in conjunction with neural circuits, known as opponent channels, influence sensory processing, and ultimately color perception. The receptor noise-limited (RNL) model is a prominent tool for estimating an organism's color discriminability based on visual physiology traits, assuming specific arrangements of photoreceptor signals across opponent channels. In this study, we introduce a modified RNL model that incorporates a species' unique opponent channels, exploring how these additions affect color discriminability. Our findings reveal that adding specific cone opponent mechanisms to the RNL model results in different predictions on discriminability compared to the model agnostic to the opponent channels. Additionally, the specific arrangement of opponent channels also results in a shift in the position of objects in color space. This novel model offers valuable insights into the evolution of color vision and the role of neural mechanisms in shaping color discrimination.
Session: Poster Session 1
Commonness and intensity of nocturnal singing by diurnal birds in temperate regionsKinga Buda, Jakub Buda, Michał Budka
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
The most intense vocal activity of birds occurs in the morning. However, few studies have shown that diurnal active birds also sing at night, but the mechanisms of this behavior are not well known. The important question is whether this phenomenon is adaptive for birds or is the effect of light. The main aim of our study was to determine the commonness and intensity of nocturnal singing of diurnal birds in temperate regions. Additionally, we determined the impact of natural light at the night and predator pressure on the nocturnal singing of diurnal birds. At each of the 76 recording points (central and eastern Poland), an automatic sound recorder recorded 24 hours every 7 days during spring. At each location, we monitored birds of prey and predatory mammals. All recorded songs were classified into species during manual scanning of the spectrograms. Our study shows that nocturnal singing by diurnal birds is quite common in temperate regions. It seems that birds sing more songs at night when the Moon is brighter and predator pressure impacts their singing intensity. These results suggest that natural light plays an important role in producing nocturnal songs by diurnal birds.
Session: Communication 3
Foiled by Fear? Exposure to Simulated Predation Influences Learning Outcomes in a Clonal FishSiobhan K. Calhoun, Kate L. Laskowski
University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Learning processes are essential to an individual's ability to survive and suitably respond to a variety of cues during their lifetime. Exposure to stressful stimuli (e.g., predation) can impact behaviors involved in learning and alter memory processes. Isolating ecological effects in most animal systems can be difficult, as genetic variation contributes to behavioral phenotype and may interact with experience in unexpected ways. Here, we take advantage of the all-female, clonal Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa) to isolate the effects of stress exposure on learning and memory while controlling for genetic variation. We assessed individual learning outcomes using a maze apparatus where fish were tasked with forming an association between a color cue and a reward. We then contrasted learning performance (speed and accuracy) between naïve fish and fish subject to simulated predation. The results of this study highlight the need for further research examining how potential long-term effects of stress shape patterns of behavior, learning, and memory.
Session: Poster Session 1
Naturalistic and automated monitoring reveal when and why California ground squirrels alarm callVictoria S Carlsten1, Grace L Wainwright1, Lucy Todd2, Ellie L Williamson1, Maddie M Mueller1, Adeline G Goeltl1, Caitlin R Patrick1, Chelsea A Ortiz-Jimenez2, Sonja Wild2, Jennifer E Smith1,2
1University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA, 2University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
Anti-predator signals are commonly produced by social animals to warn conspecifics of dangers. As a major prey species, the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) produces a suite of antipredator signals, including alarm calls. As part of our long-term study, we sought to determine the duration, ecological context, and timing of alarm calls produced by California ground squirrels. Because they are diurnal, we predicted the squirrels would produce more alarm calls during the day, particularly at times of day when they face threats from natural predators (e.g., coyotes) and dogs associated with humans. To monitor calls, we combined daytime (direct) observations and data from an automated passive monitoring system to record acoustic information over the 24-hour cycle. Recordings were analyzed using the software, RavenPro. Our findings confirmed that ground squirrels mainly call during daylight hours, following a schedule. These recordings and natural observations reveal when and why ground squirrels call. More broadly, they offer insights into the patterning of alarm calls, stimuli triggering alarm call production, and individual differences in calling propensity.
Session: Poster Session 1
Do Initial Interactions Predict Formation of Long-Term Cooperative Relationships in Vampire Bats?Gerald Carter1,2, Simon Ripperger1,2, David Girbino1,2, Imran Razik1,2, Rachel Page2
1The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama, Panama
Some animals form cooperative friendship-like social bonds. How well can we predict long-term social bonds from how two animals behave during their first encounter? Adult female vampire bats that meet as strangers can develop a long-term cooperative relationship involving clustering, co-hunting, social grooming, and regurgitated food sharing. Here, I describe two analyses estimating how well these 'social bonds' are predicted by initial interactions between bats. In study 1, we scored the first 6 hours of fighting, sniffing, and contact among unfamiliar bats introduced in small cages. In study 2, we used proximity tags to track all contacts for the first 6-24 hours among unfamiliar bats in a flight cage. We then used these initial interactions to predict subsequent allogrooming and food-sharing rates averaged over the next 4-10 months. We compared those effect sizes to those from controlled experiments on forced proximity. Initial interactions did not predict future cooperation in either study. This result corroborates past evidence that the formation of cooperative relationships depends more on outside options and social history rather than the phenotypes of both individuals.
Session: Social evolution
Androgens and Movement: Experimental Testosterone Effect on Fall Migration Behavior of Song SparrowsGarth W. Casbourn, Sara Lupi, Scott MacDougall-Shackleton
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Testosterone (T) levels are correlated with migration distance in song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). However, it is unclear whether T plays any direct causal role in shaping seasonal migration behaviour. We ran a combined captive and field study to test for direct effects of elevated testosterone on autumn migratory behaviour in adult male song sparrows. We housed captive sparrows under a light schedule that matched natural daylength. During the period of autumn migration, we used subcutaneous beeswax testosterone implants to raise circulating testosterone to spring breeding levels. Blank implants were used for controls. We monitored birds at night to verify all were in a migratory state. We then fitted them with radiotags and released and radio-tracked birds via the Motus network. Survival analysis shows that experimental birds delayed departure from the release site. T-treated birds were also more likely to deviate from expected migratory flightpaths; some of these birds temporarily returned to near their breeding territories. These effects provide evidence for an additional axis along which testosterone may play an important role in shaping migratory behaviour.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Multiple routes of horizontal pathogen transmission in a social spiderSteven T. Cassidy1, Abigale Pope1, Nolan Missigman1, Kara Taylor1, Martha Haufiku2, Tresia Kavili2, Seth J. Eiseb2, Carl N. Keiser1
1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA, 2University of Namibia, Windhoek, Khomas, Namibia
Social interactions are a driving force behind disease outbreaks in animal societies. As groups become more complex and build permanent nests, they run the risk of introducing more routes of potential pathogen exposure and transmission. Complex societies have social immune defenses against colony outbreaks, though few studies have compared multiple routes of exposure in non-eusocial systems. We exposed groups of social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola) to a pathogenic fungus (Metarhizium robertsii) using three modes of exposure: directly onto a spider (Spider), vectored by prey (Cricket), and nest exposure (Paper). We compared spider mortality in all three exposure treatments as well as pathogen-free groups (Control). We also measured time spent inside nest to test whether exposure route affected spiders' propensity to aggregate. We found that exposure treatment greatly affected spider mortality, with Spider treatment groups experiencing the most rapid mortality. Individuals from the Spider treatment spent less time in their nest. These data show that route of pathogen transmission affects not only the severity of disease outbreaks but can alter the behavior of nest-building groups.
Session: Social behavior 4
A new set of guidelines to reduce statistical errors in scientific publications.Leonardo B. Castilho
Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
Statistics has been an essential part of the majority of scientific studies for decades. However, statistics is a science on its own right and its use does not come without challenges. One of such challenges is the need to follow every assumption of any statistical test performed. Fail to do so can lead to untrustworthy results, which hinders the progress of science. Here, I re-analyzed data on 33 papers published in the field of animal behavior in the last decade, and searched for assumptions that were not followed by the original authors. I find that the majority (73%) of the papers published had at least one assumption not met, and almost half (42%), had at least one analysis yielding a conclusion qualitatively wrong, when compared to an analysis in which all assumptions were met. In this talk, I will give a new set of guidelines to correct such worrisome scenario, not only in animal behavior studies, but in every scientific field that relies heavily on statistics.
Session: Mathematical / simulation / modeling
Are you what you eat? Effect of diet quality and quantity on mating in male tropical house cricketsJason Cedillo, Abigail Cortez, Anna Cotter, Baily Lomahan, Jeremy Weitendorf, Zack Mottlow, Cleo Hawthorn, Chandreyee Mitra
Biology North Central College, Naperville, IL, USA
Male condition is known to affect secondary sexual characteristics in many taxa, which can affect female mate choice and thus male fitness. Male diet - both quantity of nutrients and proportions of macronutrients - affect male condition. We investigated how diet quantity and quality affect male Gryllodes sigillatus, a species where males attract females with song, females control mating, and males provide an endogenous nuptial gift. We varied both the amount of macronutrients (high vs. low) in the diets and the proportion of protein vs. carbohydrates (high protein, high carbohydrate, or balanced) and examined if male singing behavior, reproductive physiology, or mating was affected. Males were placed on one of six diets as soon as they were sexually mature and tested after ten days for amount of singing, song characteristics, and mass of reproductive organs (testes and accessory glands). Additionally, we report how male diet affects mating behavior of their mates. To our knowledge, this is the first examination of how diet quantity and quality affect male mate attraction signals, reproductive physiology, and mating behavior in nuptial gift giving insects.
Session: Poster Session 2
Anthropogenic food and social landscape drive intergroup competition in an urban-dwelling social mammalBidisha Chakraborty1,2, Alexander J Pritchard2, Stefano SK Kaburu3, Brenda McCowan2,4
1Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA, 2School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA, 3School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom, 4California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California, USA
Intergroup competition (IGC) over critical resources is a pervasive feature of animal socioecology. Anthropogenic areas, with heterogeneous resources, as well as heightened IGC, can exert unequal tradeoffs across varying sociodemographic classes. While the impact of ecological and social variables has been explored separately, we lack an understanding of investment in IGC as a complex culmination of sociodemographic attributes, food characteristics and social landscape, especially in urban areas. Addressing this gap, we examined 744 IGC events from an urban-dwelling rhesus macaque group (Macaca mulatta) in India to test how interactions between individual attributes and socioecological environment affect participation. Using hurdle GLMMs, we found that while both male and female participation was driven by anthropogenic food access, female participation was modulated by relative group size. Moreover, males exhibited contrasting patterns based on mating season and audience effect (presence of females and dominant individuals). Our findings have vital implications for understanding individual variation in adaptive responses to complex socioecological processes in anthropogenic areas.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Acoustic Power and Metabolic Cost of Sound Production in the Monster Haglid, Cyphoderris monstrosaTerrence Chang, Subaen Ravinthiran, Andrew Mason
University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Male C. monstrosa (Orthoptera: Prophalangopsidae) produce sustained advertisement calls also known to mediate aggressive interactions between males. Temporal pattern and quantity of sound output are highly variable between males and more continuous singers are contest winners. Output level also varies (some males are louder). We measured the acoustic power output of individual males, simultaneously with CO2 production to calculate the metabolic efficiency of sound production to address two hypotheses about the information content of signals.1) Males with greater energy reserves can sustain more continuous singing. Songs therefore signal male resources (foraging success). 2) Male songs are correlated with metabolic efficiency. Some males can generate acoustic energy at lower relative cost; songs carry information about physiological quality. Data indicate that individual males show considerable variation in output level and acoustic power. Output level appears to be repeatable within males; chirp duty cycle, rather than output level, accounts for most of the variation in the energetic cost of singing; some males may be more efficient sound producers.
Session: Communication 2
Fidgeting and Displacement Behavior - two sides of the same evolutionary coin?Sydney Chertoff1, Tyler Bonnell2, Mia Thiessen1, Halle Heth1, Jean-Baptiste Leca1
1Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, 2Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Observing a behavior differs from describing and understanding a behavior. Our comprehension of a behavior is derived from the description provided, morphing over time as information is compounded, sometimes creating barriers in our understanding. Fidgeting is a recognizable, yet elusive behavior to describe due to its various manifestations. It is used across disciplines and associated with multiple affective states, blurring our concept of the behavior. Adjacent to fidgeting is displacement behavior, performed by non-human animals in response to acute arousal. At the observable level, these two behaviors share a striking resemblance. However, they have scarcely been compared operationally and seldom functionally and theoretically. We conducted a systematic review in which we examined how authors addressed these behaviors in their work. Using a word-embedding technique, we developed a "map" of words relating to, and including, "fidgeting" and "displacement" to identify patterns in the usage of these words. From there, we can start to dissect why we differ in our communication about these two behavioral categories and how we move forward analyzing these behavioral categories.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
Integrating multiple methodologies to understand an ambiguous behavior - fidgetingSydney Chertoff
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Despite being universally expressed, the causes, structure, and consequences of fidgeting remain poorly understood. Fidgeting is often used as a behavioral proxy for states of nervousness, boredom, and mind-wandering; however, it is hardly investigated as a behavior within its own right. One of the main problems experienced when investigating fidgeting is identifying which movements constitute fidgeting. For example, jiggling keys in your hand and tapping your foot have both been classified as fidgeting. The diversity of the behavior calls for a multi-methodological approach to gain a deeper understanding of the proximate and ultimate underpinnings of fidgeting. Our research utilizes a cross-species comparative design incorporating the use of language analyses, thermal imaging, fine-grained movement analysis, and behavioral scoring to investigate synonymous behaviors (e.g., displacement behavior), physiological markers of arousal, patterns across movement sequences, and the environmental context in which fidgeting occurs. Data are collected on both humans and non-human primates allowing us to further our exploration of the evolutionary role of the everyday behavior - fidgeting.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
The effects of net handling stress on breeding outcomes in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)Kelly Cheung1, Alison Lai1, Kenneth Wong1, Benjamin Tsang1, Robert Gerlai1,2
1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, 2Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The zebrafish is extensively used as a model in numerous subfields of biology. Zebrafish are bred in laboratories and research facilities to supply researchers with experimental subjects and to propagate strains and populations of this fish. Traditional breeding methods often include netting the zebrafish from their home tank into breeding tanks, a procedure that we now know induces stress. Here, we investigated the effects of net handling stress on breeding outcomes. We set up breeding tanks with two breeding pairs per tank. In the stressed group, fish experienced a net moving in a figure-eight trajectory for 2 min in their breeding tank. In the control group, fish did not receive this stressor. We recorded the total number of eggs deposited and also the number of non-viable eggs counted the next day. We found net stress to apparently decrease the total number of eggs deposited and to significantly increase the number of non-viable eggs compared to the non-stress group. Our results suggest net handling stress negatively affects breeding outcome of zebrafish.
Session: Poster Session 1
Wildlife conservation through an animal behavior lensRachel Y. Chock
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, CA, USA
The role of animal behavior in conservation, and the conservation applications of behavioral research, are often overlooked but vitally important. Attending my first ABS meeting in 2007, thanks to the Charles H. Turner Award, helped set me on a career path focused on conservation behavior. I will discuss a variety of research projects linking conservation and animal behavior, including phenotypic plasticity in threespine stickleback, behavioral syndromes in degus, and habitat selection and population modeling for San Bernardino kangaroo rats. Animal behavior plays an important role in conservation translocations for endangered species like the Pacific pocket mouse, from understanding competition to the effects of anthropogenic noise at receiver sites. Through these examples I hope to highlight opportunities to apply behavioral research to wildlife conservation, and will also discuss some ongoing work of the ABS Conservation Committee.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
Personality, antipredator behaviour and social learning in hatchery-raised juvenile Atlantic salmonKathleen Church1, Lida Nguyen-Dang1, Ky Potter2, Steven Bergner2, Bryan Neff3, Christina Semeniuk1
1Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Windsor, ON, Canada, 2School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, 3Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Atlantic salmon have not yet become re-established in Lake Ontario despites decades of stocking. Hatchery-raised fish often have behavioural deficiencies that result in them being predated shortly after release. As shy fish are less likely to be predated, shyness can be induced in hatchery fish through exposure to alarm cue, which increases neophobic behaviour. Fish can also learn novel predator cues directly or through social learning, by pairing alarm cue with a predator scent. To assess if personality predicts anti-predator behaviour, juvenile hatchery-raised Atlantic salmon underwent repeated personality tests followed by a mesocosm habitat use experiment in the absence and presence of a trout predator. Fish were also exposed to three different predator cue treatments to evaluate social learning. Bold and active fish, and active fish that became inactive after exposure to a novel food were more neophobic in the presence of the predator when given predator cue. However, social learning was not supported. This study shows that personality assays can be used as screening tools for maximizing the survival of stocked fish.
Session: Applied animal behavior 3
Those Who Flock Together Fight Together: Social Influences on Cooperation in Juvenile Vervet MonkeysMadison Clarke1, Chloe Vilette1, Tyler Bonnell2, Louise Barrett1, S. Peter Henzi1
1University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, 2University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
We do not yet understand how juvenile non-human primates come to participate in intergroup conflict (IGC) given they should be risk-averse. To better understand how juveniles come to participate in IGC, we take advantage of a long-term database from a wild population of three habituated troops of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) which are known for their high rates of IGC. We constructed annual grooming, spatial association, and IGC ego networks for each juvenile. We then compared the networks by calculating cosine similarity which allowed us to capture the similarity between the types of networks. We then constructed a multilevel Bayesian model to determine how network similarities influence juveniles' likelihood to participate in IGCs. Early results show that the similarity between the spatial association and IGC networks has a positive effect on participation. In contrast, we found no effect on participation for cosine similarity between the grooming and IGC networks. We consider how social network structure promotes cooperation in the absence of linguistically acquired cultural norms.
Session: Social behavior 5
Interactive play leads to lasting reduction in cortisol and anxiety-driven behaviors in shelter dogsElizabeth Congdon1, Jessica Owens2
1Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL, USA, 2Unleashed Training, DeLand, FL, USA
One challenge of adopting dogs from shelters is the excitement they show when being visited that may not be representative of their personality. Based on principles of occupational therapy, a toy was designed for dogs that matches their high threshold for stimuli required to elicit a neuronal response. Shelter dogs are likely to be anxious or stressed due to their lack of interaction. However, if they receive sufficient neural stimuli through interaction with this toy they may develop a calmer, perhaps more approachable, demeanor and hopefully have a greater likelihood of being adopted. To test this, enrichment for dogs at two shelters in Florida was designed using therapeutic and interactive play with a trained behaviorist. Following several days of play, behaviors that typically indicate stress or anxiety showed a significant decrease (e.g., jumping on and nipping at the trainer.) In addition, salivary cortisol was significantly lower on the last day of play and remained lower for at least three days. These data suggest that enrichment involving therapeutic and interactive play can have a significant and lasting impact on the health and wellness of shelter dogs.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
Annual Survivorship Varies Between the Sexes, but Not With Overwinter Latitude, in Song Sparrows Ryan Conklin, Victoria Quance, Simon Bonner, Garth Casbourn, Elizabeth MacDougall-Shackleton
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Many animals show differential migration, e.g. members of a population breed at the same site but migrate to different overwinter sites. Despite interest in how individual variation in migration affects fitness, the relationship between overwinter latitude and survival has been difficult to study because only surviving individuals that return to the breeding site can be sampled to assess winter latitude. We used stable isotope analysis of winter-grown claw tissue (δ2Hc) as a proxy to examine the relationship between survival and latitude in differentially-migrating song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). We constructed encounter histories for 173 individuals from ten years of breeding-site capture records and fit a modified Cormack-Jolly-Seber model integrating a hierarchical model of δ2Hc. Analysis was conducted in the Bayesian framework via MCMC sampling, estimating distributions of absent δ2Hc from an individual's previous values, to assess how survival varies with δ2Hc. We found sex differences in survival and capture probability, but δ2Hc was not linked to survival. This finding may clarify how differential migration is maintained in this population.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Talking to the kids - parent-offspring communication in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloidesTaina Conrad1, Imane Akassou2, Liliane-Barbara Poloczek1, Steiger Sandra1
1University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany, 2CBC (Europe), Grassobbio, Italy
Acoustic signaling is crucial during behaviors such as mating, defense, and parental care - a prime example for cooperative behavior. A group with elaborate biparental care are burying beetles, making them model organisms in behavioral ecology. Although it has been known since Darwin that both parents stridulate, the actual function of these signals remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of stridulatory signals during brood care in N. vespilloides. We recorded biparental and uniparental parents over the entire brood care and observed their stridulation activity as well as various signal parameters. Stridulation activity significantly increased after larval hatching with no difference between uniparental and biparental couples - meaning that after hatching communication is directed toward the offspring. Additionally, signal parameters after hatching showed a much higher variance in peak frequency pointing towards different signals being used. This is evidence for complex parent-offspring communication, so far only known from vertebrates, which is essential for offspring survival and weight gain. This emphasizes the importance of communication during parental care.
Session: Communication 5
Consequences of exposure of low concentrations of Chlorpyrifos in the development of Dryophytes arenicolorViridiana Contreras Rodriguez1, Monserrat Suarez Rodriguez1, Morelia Camacho Cervantes2, Claudia Alejandra Ponce de Leon Hill2
1Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Estado de Mexico, Estado de Mexico, Mexico, 2Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
Chlorpyrifos is a common organophosphate insecticide widely used in México. It works as a neurotoxic agent, because it inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Little is known about the consequences of Chlorpyrifos in some amphibians. Dryophytes arenicolor is a frog specie that lives from the Utah, USA to south of México. This specie has an aquatic stadium (tadpole stage), like a lot of other amphibians. It is important because of some insecticides remain for some time in bodies of water as they are not soluble in water. In the present work we applied two non-lethal concentrations of clorpyrifos (1 µg/L and 0.1 µg/L), and two control treatments (water without insecticide) on Dryophytes arenicolor tadpoles, to study the effect in development and behaviour. We observed in all treatments activity, swimming and evaluation of development every week for two months, time equivalent to the metamorphosis of tadpoles. We found that tadpoles with insecticide water had lower swimming, activity and bigger size compared to tadpoles from control treatments. This study demonstrated the importance of chronic allow exposure of chemicals during development of amphibians.
Session: Poster Session 1
Early birds? No, Bats! The Curious Case of Dawn Swarming in Little Brown BatsMichela M.C. Contursi, Caleb C. Ryan, Sepidar Golestaneh, Hugh G. Broders
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) live in complex and highly social maternity groups where bats form long-term social bonds with each other. Bats use visual and behavioural cues to communicate and maintain cohesion of their maternity groups. Individuals gather around roost sites before dawn and conduct unique behavioural displays known as "dawn swarming", a phenomenon thought to be investigative in nature. Some of these behaviours include circling around a roost, and swooping up and down at the entrance, all before entering the roost itself. Using thermal video recordings and a network of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagged bats, we observed the dawn swarming behaviour of a M. lucifugus maternity group roosting in bat boxes in Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. In 2023, we found activity formed a clustered, wave-like pattern, where individuals interacted with roost sites at variable, but discrete, time intervals. With this study, we aim to quantitatively characterize the behaviours conducted during dawn swarming to better understand bat social dynamics, and ultimately, aspects of how social animals communicate.
Session: Applied animal behavior 3
Alternative reproductive strategies in male eastern carpenter beesLyllian A.-J. Corbin, Lyndon B. Duff, Miriam H. Richards
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Males of the eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica), arrive to their nesting site before females (protandry) and hold territories to compete for access to mates. The persistence of these strategies is explained by sexual selection theory; however, males use alternative tactics to avoid direct competition while limiting their access to mates, which is often associated with body size. Using 5 years of observations, we investigated patterns in the phenology and body size of X. virginica males to highlight selective pressures influencing their mating behaviour. Bees were individually measured and marked at several nest aggregations near Brock University, where we recorded daily flight activity. Most males were protandrous and remained at the same aggregation, while late-arriving males exhibited transient movement across aggregations. Though large males were more likely to hover, declines in body size over time suggested variable sexual selection for large males. Thus, males likely exhibit alternative reproductive strategies to maximise their reproductive success. We demonstrate the importance of multi-year studies to explain mechanisms underlying male reproductive strategies.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Treatment Analysis as an Alternative to a Functional Analysis for a Dog Jumping on VisitorsRan H. Courant-Morgan, Stephanie Keesey-Phelan
The Dog Behavior Institute, Wakefield, MA, USA
The current study involved a treatment analysis of escape and attention provided noncontingently to decrease jumping. Rose was an adolescent mixed breed dog whose family reported that she responded to visitors by repeatedly jumping on, pawing at, and licking them, as well as barking when leashed away from visitors. Video of Rose's responses to visitors was analyzed. Baseline data were used to design a treatment analysis. A treatment analysis using NCR was selected as the intervention after considering the risks and benefits of conducting a functional analysis. Providing reinforcement for these behaviors in their natural environment could result in increases in the potentially dangerous behavior, as visitors included both children and elderly family members. Noncontingent attention and escape were provided on a more dense schedule than the behavior occurred in baseline conditions. Providing non-contingent escape resulted in the lowest rates of jumping, suggesting that this behavior functioned to access escape. The results of this study suggest that a treatment analysis could be a desirable alternative to a functional analysis in an applied setting with dogs.
Session: Poster Session 2
Vibrational signalling in The Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)Zaheer K Coutinho, Andrew C Mason
University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON, Canada
The Noble False Widow's (Steatoda nobilis) primary means of communication is through web borne vibrational signals. S nobilis have a repertoire of at least three distinct vibrational courtship signals: web plucking; abdominal stridulation; and body tremulation. Males stridulated intermittently throughout courtship, but web plucking is the main signal component used just prior to copulation. S nobilis perform web plucking using their second pair of legs and there is variation in rate and synchrony (between legs) of plucks. We recorded web plucking in S nobilis mating trials with intact males and males with ablated tarsal claws on the second pair of legs. Mating trials were recorded using two laser doppler vibrometers (LDV) to measure the courtship vibrational signals produced by males. Results show a minor difference in mating success in the control treatments compared to the manipulated conditions. Results from the signal analysis will shed light on how frequency, rate and amplitude of plucking provide information to the female about male condition. We discuss variation among males in signal parameters and in the temporal organization of signal components.
Session: Communication 5
Catcalls:Exotic cats discriminate the voices of familiar caregiversTaylor A Crews1, Jennifer Vonk1, Molly McGuire2
1Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA, 2Zoo Miami, Miami, FL, USA
The ability to differentiate familiar from unfamiliar humans has been considered a product of domestication or early experience. Few studies have focused on voice recognition in Felidae, which presents the opportunity to compare domesticated species to their wild counterparts and to examine the role of human rearing. We tested whether 25 members of 10 non-domesticated Felidae species recognized familiar human voices using audio playbacks of familiar and unfamiliar humans. We presented 25 cats of 10 species with unfamiliar and then familiar voice playbacks using a habituation-dishabituation paradigm. We anticipated that human rearing and use of the cats' names would result in greater attention to the voices, as measured by the latency, intensity, and duration of responses. Cats responded more quickly and with greater intensity to the most familiar voice in both studies, and for longer durations to the familiar voice in the main study. Use of the cats' name and rearing history did not significantly impact responding. These findings suggest that close human contact rather than domestication is associated with the ability to discriminate between human voices.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
Behavior Patterns and Space Use of a Captive Breeding Pair of Pygmy Slow Loris (Xanthonycticebus) Matt Cunningham, Stephanie Poindexter
University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
Historically, slow lorises (Nycticebus and Xanthonycticebus) have been housed alone based on the misconception that they were solitary in the wild and rarely engaged in social behaviors. Following an expansion of field and captive studies we now know that slow lorises thrive when socially housed, but our understanding of the breadth of social and reproductive behaviors is still limited. In this study we sought to document the behavioral repertoire of a breeding pair of pygmy lorises at the Cleveland Metropark Zoo. We collected data on behavior, posture, and substrate use at 15-minute intervals using an instantaneous scan sampling method. The most observed social behavior was play (6% male and 18% female). The most frequent substrate type was branches and the most frequently used posture was sleeping ball. The results of our study offers a baseline for the types of social behaviors and space use a successful breeding pair may display. This work can also inform enclosure design and welfare standards.
Session: Poster Session 1
Interactive Human-Machine Collaboration to Characterize Vocal RepertoiresMaddie Cusimano1, Benjamin Hoffman1, Mark Johnson2, Víctor Moreno-González3, Eva Trapote3, Vittorio Baglione3, Daniela Canestrari3, Jen-Yu Liu1, Christian Rutz4
1Earth Species Project, Berkeley, CA, USA, 2Aarhus University, Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark, 3Universidad de León, León, León, Spain, 4University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
A key challenge in animal communication research is to characterize the vocal repertoires of groups and individuals. Manual analyses of vocalization datasets scale poorly to large corpora, can introduce confirmation bias, and are difficult to replicate. While unsupervised machine learning (ML) tools have been developed to address these shortcomings, they lack systematic procedures for model selection. This presents a challenge for validating and interpreting their results. We present a method for characterizing vocal repertoires via interactive human-ML collaboration. An unsupervised ML algorithm summarizes a corpus before presenting scorers with a sequence of binary perceptual choices. These choices encourage fine-grained judgments, limit confirmation bias, and leverage system-specific expertise. This workflow inherently incorporates validation, while preserving benefits of unsupervised approaches. We apply our method to the vocalizations of a population of cooperatively-breeding carrion crows in northern Spain. Additionally, we assess inter-rater reliability, reliability between expert and non-expert scorers, and sensitivity to ML hyperparameters.
Session: Communication 3
Open Field Behavior, Acoustic Startle Response, and Subjectively Assessed Fear in Domestic Dogs.Victoria A. Cussen, Pamela J. Reid
ASPCA, New York, NY, USA
Open field and acoustic startle tests are established paradigms; we used them to assay behavioral indicators of fear and their relationship to a subjective fear grade in dogs removed from a hoarding situation. Dogs (13 female, 10 male) received a behavior assessment on intake. Subjective fear grades were: 16% B (mild), 48% C (moderate), and 36% D (severe). The open field (OF) and acoustic startle (AS) tests were video recorded and coded by an observer blind to the dogs' grades. Preliminary results suggest the average latency to enter the OF arena was higher in dogs graded C and D (29 and 30 seconds, respectively) than B (12 seconds). All dogs startled and decreased activity in the AS test; activity suppression was most pronounced in B grade dogs. The nature of the inactivity was more consistent with fear in C and D grade dogs e.g. standing with tail tucked between legs, which was never observed in B grade dogs. Fast gait, lip licking, yawning, and shake-offs were only seen in C and D grade dogs. Unlike other model systems, dogs assessed as more fearful were more active in the OF test.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
The importance of studying social wasps to demystify their negative popular opinionRafael C da Silva
Neuroscience Paris-Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, CNRS, INSERM, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
Social wasps are unfairly classified by popular demand as evil insects, primarily associated with their stings. Nevertheless, social wasps are effective pest controllers, pollinators, and participate in a variety of ecological interactions. To address this misconception and highlight the benefits of social wasps, it is essential to study them more frequently and share our findings with the public. Most people are unaware that social wasps communicate through intricate chemical signals and exhibit remarkable cognitive abilities to manage their social interactions. Here, I will first explain how female social wasps use the chemical compounds covering their eggs to decide whether or not they should remain in their nests. Then, I will demonstrate the incredible cognitive abilities social wasps have and discuss how they can be useful in their daily lives. To conclude, I will illustrate one of my current strategies for sharing my findings with a non-academic audience, aiming to bring a new perspective on social wasps into people's lives. These fascinating insects deserve more appreciation and using a more accessible approach may help change people's opinions about them.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Genetics of natural variation in sociabilityDania Daanish, Ian Dworkin, Reuven Dukas
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Sociability, defined as individuals' tendencies to engage in friendly activities, such as feeding, traveling, and resting with conspecifics, is prevalent among animal species. Despite the clear importance of sociability for many animals including humans, we still have limited information of its natural genetic and neurobiological architecture. To address this knowledge gap, we artificially selected for sociability in fruit flies and generated low and high sociability lineages. Using a "multi-omics" approach, combining genome scans, genome-wide differential gene expression and differential transcript usage analyses, we have identified a number of relevant candidate sociability genes. So far, we have conducted verification tests on 17 of these sociability candidate genes using RNA interference. We will discuss the functions of the verified sociability genes and plans for further work elucidating the genetics of natural variation in sociability.
Session: Behavior genetics/genomics
Population decline contributes to cultural disruption in an Amazon parrotChristine R Dahlin1, Grace Smith-Vidaurre2,3,4,5, Molly K. Genes2, Timothy F Wright2
1Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, PA, USA, 2Department of Biology, Las Cruces, NM, USA, 3Rockefeller University Field Research Center, Millbrook, NY, USA, 4Department of Biological Sciences, NY, USA 4Department of Biological Sciences, University , Cincinnati, OH, USA, 55Departments of Integrative Biology and Computational Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
Species worldwide are experiencing anthropogenic environmental change, and long-term impacts on cultural traditions such as vocal dialects are often unknown. Our prior studies of the yellow-naped amazon, Amazona auropalliata, revealed stable vocal dialects over an 11-year period (1994-2005). Here we examined whether yellow-naped amazons maintained stable dialects over the subsequent 11-year time span from 2005 to 2016, culminating in 22 years of study. Over this same period, they suffered a dramatic decrease in population size that prompted two successive downgrades in IUCN status, from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. In this most recent 11-year time span, we found evidence of geographic shifts in call types, manifesting in more bilingual sites and introgression across the formerly distinct North-South acoustic boundary. We also found greater evidence of acoustic drift, in the form of new emerging call types and greater acoustic variation overall. These results suggest cultural traditions arising from social learning of vocalizations may be vulnerable to changing demographic and environmental conditions, with broad implications for threatened species.
Session: Communication 1
URBAN ADAPTATION of HANUMAN LANGURS RESIDING in HUMAN-MODIFIED ENVIRONMENTSDishari Dasgupta1, Arnab Banerjee2, Akash Dutta3, Manabi Paul3, Anindita Bhadra1
1Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, 2Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim, India, 3University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Our study focuses on examining urban adaptations of free-ranging Hanuman langurs (HL) living in an urban area of West Bengal, India. We followed a HL troop for 3 years and conducted field-based experiments. We recorded 1293 solicitations by HL wherein they ask for food from nearby humans using a variety of gestures. To assess the success of this solicitation gesture, we categorized it as successful if HL obtained the food and unsuccessful when they did not. Notably, we identified eight distinct gestures, with those involving embracing human legs and pulling their clothes having strong correlation with successful outcome. Upon observing this highly human provisioned troop, we were intrigued to explore their feeding repertoire. We did a feeding census which revealed their interest towards processed food items. We conducted a choice-based field experiment, offering them options between "processed" and "unprocessed" food items in 83 experimental trials, of which 74 were included in final analysis. Our results reveal that these HL not only learned to approach "processed" food items but also developed preferences for it, despite their folivorous nature.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Epigenetics and the role of fear in shaping animal welfareDave Daversa1,2, Dan Blumstein2, Matteo Pellegrini3, Bree Putman4, Brad Shaffer1,2
1La Kretz Center for Caliornia Conservation Science, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA, 3Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA, 4Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, USA
Fear-like behavioural and physiological responses to stressors are well-documented in many species of wild animals, suggesting that fear plays a major role in shaping the subjective experiences of wild animals that ultimately determine their welfare. Yet, empirical evidence for the welfare impacts of fear in wild animals remains sparse, in part because fear effects are likely chronic, manifesting cumulatively over the course of animal lives in ways that are hard to measure. This talk will highlight new research that is developing epigenetic measures of lifelong welfare to evaluate the chronic welfare impacts of fear. DNA methylation (DNAm) is a powerful epigenetic biomarker of aging that also estimates one's 'biological' age that incorporates stress history experienced throughout life. Methods for developing DNAm-based models of lifelong welfare will be discussed, and two current projects using DNAm to measure chronic effects of fear in amphibians and reptiles of Southern California will be outlined. The talk will show how recent advances in epigenetics can be leveraged to develop composite welfare assays that consider the chronic and cumulative effects of fear.
Session: Symposium: Exploring intersections of behavior and welfare in free-ranging wild animals (1)
Bowhead whales as exemplars for selection of cetacean song by floating oceanic iceSchruth David
UW, Seattle, WA, USA
Singing is rare in the animal kingdom outside the avian order of perching birds (Passeriformes). Within mammals, many primate taxa have musical calls, but only whales and humans produce longer complex songs. Cetacean musicality includes the calls of dolphins, belugas, and narwhals as well as the longer songs of the largest whales. As targeted landing (e.g. branches) may select for musicality in animals (e.g. primates, birds), I hypothesized that way-finding, for polynyas, under polar ice could have likewise driven the evolution of singing in [air-breathing] cetaceans. Using animal telemetry data from the Integrated Ocean Observing System [IOOS], I assessed if proximity to floating ice drives any such links with elaborate calls, especially in larger forms who have outgrown a need for eavesdropping avoidance. Results suggest that arctic dwelling Bowheads (Balaena mysticetus), who exhibit an astonishing number of distinctly long and complex songs, serve as a prime example in confirmation of this link. While vocal complexity of underwater mammals has been attributed to echolocation (e.g. prey detection, avoiding obstacles), such patterning may also signal surface targeting capacities.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Fetching behavior in cats (Felis catus) and dogs (Canis familiaris)Mikel Delgado1, Judith Stella1, Candace Croney1, James Serpell2
1Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, W. Lafayette, IN, USA, 2University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Both cats and dogs fetch, but the likely functions of this behavior for both species have not been compared. In this study, we assessed data from online surveys of behavior (C-BARQ, Hsu & Serpell, 2003; Fe-BARQ, Duffy et al., 2017) completed by cat (N = 8,224) and dog owners (N = 73,724). We assessed responses to the items "Plays 'fetch'; likes to retrieve thrown objects or toys" (Fe-BARQ) and "Will ʻfetchʼ or attempt to fetch sticks, balls, or objects" (C-BARQ). Cats and dogs described as "sometimes," "usually" or "always" fetching were categorized as fetchers. Regression models were used to examine which demographic factors best predicted fetching, and chi-square tests were used to explore the effect of breed. Fetching was reported in 40.9% of cats and 77.8% of dogs. In cats, fetching was highly correlated with play and activity. In dogs, fetching was correlated with overall trainability. In both cats and dogs, being female, aging, living with (other) dogs, and having health problems decreased the likelihood of fetching. Breed effects were observed in both species. We will discuss the results in the context of species history, domestication, and behavioral selection.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Early intersexual differences in the sexual behavior of wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus xanthosternos)Irene Delval1, 2, Nayara Teles1, Jaroslava V. Valentova1, Patrícia Izar1, Jean-Baptiste Leca2
1Institute of Psychology- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 2Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Capuchin monkeys are known for the richness and diversity of their sexual repertoire which includes courtship displays, manual, oral, and genital stimulations and mounting interactions between same-sex and different-sex partners. Yet, the developmental pathways of sexual behavior during ontogeny are understudied. Sexual behavior before sexual maturation is usually interpreted via the "need-of-practice" hypothesis. We investigated the development of sexual behavior in wild infant capuchin monkeys. Eight subjects were focal-followed and filmed weekly for the 12 months of life. Types and order of appearance of sexual behaviors were compared between males and females. Males performed sexual behaviors (e.g., immature mounting attempts) earlier than females. Most (socio)sexual interactions were performed by two males during social play. There were marked differences in the sexual repertoire of males and females. However, it is unclear why males would need to practice more than females, since in Sapajus, females lead courtship and reproduce earlier than males. Studying early stages of sexual behavior contributes to unraveling sexuality development, and its flexibility along the lifespan.
Session: Development
Behavioral responses of cleaner gobies to mirror reflection Alexis Demetropoulos, Mary Seymour, Kevin Wolfe, Ninel Leonardo, Lou Vesser, Lydia Wassink
University of South Florida, Sarasota, Florida, USA
Cleaner wrasses have been shown to pass the mirror test (Kohda et al. 2019), bringing up many questions related to the cognitive abilities of fishes. Neon gobies (Elacatinus oceanops) are also reef cleaners, and in this ecological role may have evolved cognitive abilities similar to those of cleaner wrasses. This study investigated behavioral responses of neon gobies to a self-reflection. Six gobies were observed for 10 minutes in 3 conditions: control, non-reflective surface present, and mirror present. An ethogram was used to collect data on frequency and duration of behaviors. AIC model selection on behavior frequencies indicated that the main effect of treatment was not significant (p = 0.1208), the main effect of goby ID was significant (p < 0.0001 ), and the interaction of goby ID and treatment was significant (p < 0.0001). Findings suggest that individual personality may determine reactions to novel stimuli for neon gobies. Further research is warranted to determine if goby reactions indicate self-recognition or reaction to a perceived conspecific. Cognitive abilities of cleaner gobies may have implications for their role as cleaners in important inter-species interactions.
Session: Poster Session 2
Enclosure style preferences are influenced by experience in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)Melanie Denomme, Glenn J. Tattersall
Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada
To evaluate if animals value the enrichments provided to them, one may assess their behaviour when they are able to either interact with or ignore those enrichments. However, preferences for enrichment can be influenced by an animal's previous experiences; for example, animals may ignore enrichments unless the enrichment is familiar. In snakes, enclosures which mimic the animal's natural habitat are often preferred. In turtles, such preferences are observed even when turtles had never experienced naturalistic environments before. We assessed the preferences of bearded dragon lizards (Pogona vitticeps) for either naturalistic (NT) or standard (SD) style enclosures by recording the amount of time spent in each style when both were freely available. To consider the effects of experience with enclosure styles, preferences were assessed twice, once after lizards had been housed in either style for 200 days. Surprisingly, we found that the initial enclosure style significantly influenced preferences; lizards initially housed in SD enclosures preferred the style which matched the style of their home cages, but this was not the case for lizards initially housed in NT enclosures.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Squirrels and the city: Behavioral variation as a mediator of performance in two urban squirrel speciesAmy-Charlotte Devitz
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Modern cities present a unique set of challenges to wildlife, but their heterogeneous nature creates spatial and temporal variation in selective pressures across the urbanization gradient. In such environments, variation in key traits can have significant implications for the persistence of urban wildlife. It is less clear, however, how the role of individual behavioral variation specifically shapes performance outcomes across these complex landscapes. Here, two common urban squirrel species- the Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)- are used as a comparative model for studying the interface of variation in urban environmental variables, life history traits, behavior, and performance outcomes across the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan area. The study explores key behavioral traits, including docility, sociability, boldness, activity, and risk-aversion alongside performance measures such as body condition and pollutant load. It is predicted that patterns of behavioral variation will be sorted across the urban gradient, and the resulting suites of behavioral traits will shape individual performance outcomes.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Bumblebees Show Flexibility and a Role for Experience in Their Building BehaviorJennie E. DeVore1, Leeah I. Richardson1, Felicity Muth1,2
1University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, 2University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
Across taxa, animals engage in construction behavior to protect offspring, store food, and create shelter. While some forms of construction are highly stereotyped, others are more flexible and may rely on learning, with construction changing as the animal gains experience. Bumblebees are a model for the study of cognition, yet we know little about their construction behavior, despite their colony's wax honeypots appearing highly variable. Using Bombus impatiens workers we first conducted an experiment where we demonstrated that bees are capable of using artificial honeypots and repairing three incomplete variations of honeypots. In a second experiment, we addressed the role of experience by asking whether access to a complete honeypot affected the likelihood of bees repairing incomplete ones. We found that bees given complete honeypots were more likely to repair and store sucrose in incomplete honeypots. Taken together, our results show that bumblebees show flexibility in their construction behavior, and that it is affected by experience.
Session: Poster Session 2
Investigating the Physiological and Behavioral Response to Frustration is Search and Rescue CaninesSally Dickinson, Erica Feuerbacher
Virginia Polytechnic, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Search and Rescue (SAR) canines remain the primary method of detecting missing persons regardless of the environment and conditions despite many advances in technology. Current research on SAR canines is primarily focused on olfaction, which although relevant, does not address the overall welfare of the working canine. Frustration, defined as a violation of expectations, is generally considered a negative emotional state, and other research in animal learning has shown there to be a degradation in learning and stimuli processing during periods of frustration. This work aims to define and quantify the physiological impact frustration conditions have on SAR dogs and elucidate the behavioral differences in physical stress (work), and the psychological stress of frustration. The later aim is significant to this population as many species-typical behavioral outputs are under tight stimulus control in detection canines. Handlers and trainers who can more effectively identify frustration in the working canines can adjust methodologies, optimize learning opportunities, and appropriately manage deployment scenarios to reduce the impact of frustration.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
Sexy singers or food bringers: an investigation of the parenting-mating trade-off hypothesisSarah L. Dobney, Daniel J. Mennill
University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
In socially monogamous sexually promiscuous species, females choose one male as a breeding partner (to help raise offspring), and they may also choose additional males as copulation partners (to sire offspring). According to the parenting-mating trade-off hypothesis, males differentially invest energy towards mating by seeking extrapair mates, or towards parenting by investing energy towards offspring survival. We used a population of Savannah Sparrows in eastern Canada to test if males differentially invest energy towards mating or parenting, and we ask whether song predicts male reproductive behaviour. Using video recordings, we determined nestling feeding rate as a measure of male parental effort. Using autonomous recordings, we determined male song rate as a measure of mating effort. Using focal recordings, we measured fine structure of male song. We compared song structure to parenting effort and mating effort for 27 males. We discuss typical breeding behaviour of Savannah Sparrows to expand our understanding of how song is used to signal parenting and mating effort and discuss how song features may influence female mate choice.
Session: Poster Session 1
Temperature Changes Induce Tipping Points in the Huddling and Behavioral Synchronization of Acorn Ant ColoniesGrant N Doering1,2, Timothy A Linksvayer1,2
1Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA, 2Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Many ecological systems undergo tipping points; small changes in an environmental variable can induce large changes in a system's state. Substantial effort has been spent on categorizing and predicting the occurrence of these tipping points, but our understanding of tipping points in animal societies remains limited. We investigated the phenomenon of social tipping points by exposing acorn ant colonies (Temnothorax curvispinosus) to gradually changing ambient temperatures. By applying multiple computer vision techniques, we found that temperature changes induced tipping points in two distinct categories of colony collective behavior: rhythm synchronization as well as huddling. Below 20C, rhythm synchrony among ants declined in response to falling temperatures. Colonies also exhibited a tipping point in huddling behavior, where they formed a tightly clustered state starting at 15C. Hysteresis was present in this huddling transition; colonies rapidly dissolved the huddle once they began warming past 4C. These results demonstrate that onset and loss of social synchronization as well as the emergence of ectothermic huddling may be more complex than previously appreciated.
Session: Social behavior 1
Cricket song temporal pattern recognition across populations of Ormia ochraceaJimena A. Dominguez1, David A. Gray2, Andrew C. Mason3, Norman Lee1
1St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, USA, 2California State University, Northridge, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 3University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Unintended receivers of communication signals rely on signal recognition to mediate adaptive behaviors. The acoustic parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea, evaluates the spectral and temporal features of calling songs to identify suitable hosts for the development of their larvae. Across the United States, O. ochracea are behaviorally specialized to prefer different cricket species whose songs mainly differ in the temporal patterning of sound pulses. Using a spherical treadmill system, we recorded walking phonotaxis of O. ochracea from FL, AZ, CA, and HI to song models that varied across a range of pulse duration and interpulse interval combinations to determine fine-scale temporal features evaluated for song recognition. We quantified temporal pattern selectivity using a phonotaxis performance index. Preliminary results suggest that flies from FL and CA prefer a similar range of pulse rates (40-80 pulses/sec). But FL flies are more selective and do not respond to some pulse durations and intervals that CA flies would respond to. These results support the idea that different fly populations differ in their temporal pattern selectivity.
Session: Communication 5
The Impact of a High-Grade Foam Saddle Pad on Pressure and Pain-Related Behavior in the Ridden HorseTammy M. Donaldson
Evolved Equine Consulting, Golden, Colorado, USA
A poorly fitted saddle compromises the health and welfare of horses. Studies show that horses ridden in poorly fitted saddles exhibit pain behaviors that previously went unnoticed. Factors contributing to poor fit include high-pressure points in saddles that are too wide, too narrow or slip from imbalance. Given the cost of saddles and how fit changes with weight and muscle gain or loss, an interim solution is needed. We tested a high-grade foam saddle pad, designed to reduce pressure; contoured for the scapula, withers and spine, made from 1.25 cm, medical-grade foam, against the pad with shims and a cotton pad, on ridden horses. We tested the pads with saddles fitting properly, too wide and too narrow. Pressure was measured by a commercially available pressure mat. Video observations were conducted with a validated ethogram to record pain behaviors. We found that the high-grade pad was significantly better at reducing peak pressure compared to a cotton pad in properly and poorly fitted saddles, (F1,2 = 7.302, p = 0.003). Additionally, we observed fewer pain behaviors in horses ridden with the high-grade saddle pad (p < .001) compared to a cotton pad or pad with shims (p = .007).
Session: Virtual Posters (asynchronous)
Influence of ambient temperature on song production and performance in zebra finchesEdnei B. dos Santos1, David M. Logue2, Yunbok Kim1, Juleyska Vazquez-Cardona2, Joowon Kim1, Satoshi Kojima1
1Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Daegu, South Korea, 2University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Elevated average temperatures and the increasing frequency of extreme temperature events due to climate change have deep impacts on animal populations. However, the potential influence of temperature on animal behavior remains understudied, particularly regarding vocal communication. To better understand the impacts of ambient temperature on birdsong, we designed a study using captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). First, we continuously monitored the birds' body temperatures and vocalizations. This allowed us to match each song with the temperature at which it was produced. Then, we captured full-day song recordings at four ambient temperatures (15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C). Our preliminary data show a positive correlation between song production rate and body temperature. We also found an effect of ambient temperatures on song motif duration, with motifs being shorter on warm days and longer on cooler days. The implications of our findings have the potential to extend beyond zebra finches, providing insights into the broader impact of ambient temperature on vocal communication in other species.
Session: Poster Session 2
Evolutionary biology of social expertiseReuven Dukas1, Nathan W. Bailey2, Janice L. Yan1
1McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, 2University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
There is increasing evidence that competent handling of social interactions among conspecifics has positive effects on individual fitness. We integrated knowledge across disciplines to assess social expertise, defined as the characteristics, skills and knowledge allowing individuals with extensive social experience to perform significantly better than novices on a given social task. Data about optimal adjustment of social behavior, refinement of communication and parental care indicate that individuals in many species keep improving their social skills with experience. There is also good, though limited, information indicating heritable variation in traits that contribute to the development of social expertise. In a large series of experiments, however, we found limited evidence that individual bed bugs increase social competence with experience. Social expertise is relevant for most animals. An inevitable question is thus whether we can rely on ecological and evolutionary rationale to predict which species would show social expertise and in which tasks.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
Inferred Attractiveness: proposing a new generalized mechanism for sexual selection Emily H. DuVal1, Courtney L. Fitzpatrick2, Elizabeth A. Hobson3, Maria R. Servedio4
1Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA, 2Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, 3University of Cincinnati, Cinncinati, OH, USA, 4University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Sexual selection by mate choice is a powerful evolutionary force, and models of why females choose particular mates are central to understanding its effects. Predominant mate choice theories assume preferences are genetically determined, an assumption still lacking widespread support. Moreover, preferences often vary among individuals or populations, fail to correspond with conspicuous traits, or change with context, patterns not predicted by dominant models. Here, we propose a new model that explains this mate choice complexity, "Inferred Attractiveness." In this model, females acquire mating preferences by observing others' choices and use context-dependent information to infer which traits are attractive. They learn to prefer features that most distinguish the chosen male from other available males. Over generations, this produces repeated population-level switches in preference and maintains male trait variation. When viability selection is strong, Inferred Attractiveness produces population-wide adaptive preferences superficially resembling "good genes." However, it results in widespread preference variation or nonadaptive preferences under other predictable circumstances.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Chitty Chitty Duck Duck - From behavioral dynamics to population dynamics and back in a precocial bird.John Eadie1, Bruce Lyon2, Eli Bridge3, Thomas Moore1, Elena Berg1, Nicole Odell4, Emilie Graves1, Cara Thow2, Tez Stair1, Mitch Hinton1, Melissa Jones1, Caitlin Wells5, Ami Olson1, Katharine Cook1, David Scheck1, Tenaya Russell1
1University of Califonrnia Davis, Davis, California, USA, 2University of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 3University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA, 4American University, Paris, Colorado, France, 5Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Despite decades of interest dating back to the Chitty hypothesis and earlier, there are surprisingly few studies that demonstrate direct links between behavioral dynamics and population dynamics, particularly when populations fluctuate or cycle. We studied population density, reproductive success, and frequency of reproductive tactics of a precocial bird, the Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), at 6 sites for 15-26 years near Davis CA. We monitored > 2500 nests, tracked reproductive success of 2100 females, recorded nest use and success at 197 nest sites with RFID readers, and genotyped >1000 females and >5000 ducklings using 19 microsatellites to assess the frequency of alternative reproductive tactics. We present evidence showing that social interactions among females - specifically conspecific brood parasitism - drive population variability, leading to unstable fluctuations or crashes. Simultaneously we show that variation in population density results in different payoffs for female reproductive tactics. Our results demonstrate that behavioral dynamics can drive populations dynamics, and reciprocally, fluctuating population dynamics can maintain divergent behavioral phenotypes.
Session: Social behavior 1
Behavioral treatment protocols and the impact of treatment delay on outcomes of fearful shelter dogs Bailey H Eagan, Kristen Collins, Katherine Miller, Lauren Zverina, Emily Patterson-Kane
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New York, New York, USA
Research is needed to identify lifesaving interventions for unadoptable, fearful shelter dogs. Study 1 examines the efficacy of a behavioral treatment program, while Study 2 assesses the impact of differential treatment delays on rehabilitation. Both were conducted on fearful ASPCA dogs from 2013-2023 (n=807). Study 2 included a subset (n=409) assigned to delay onset groups of 0, 2 or 4 weeks. Study 1 results show 85.9% graduated, and 99.5% were adopted. The median weeks in treatment was 12.2 (IQR 14.5-21.1), and length of stay was 152 days (IQR 102-217). Study 2 results of generalized linear mixed models show that a 4-week delay decreased weeks in treatment (β=-0.14, p=0.024) but increased length of stay (β=0.15, p=0.010). Results revealed positive effects of time (log odds=0.43, p< 0.001) and negative effects of 2-week (0.58, p=0.001) and 4-week (0.36, p< 0.001) delays on behavior evaluations compared to no delay, suggesting improvements were not due to time alone. Our research suggests the treatment of fearful dogs in shelters can prove highly effective. Delaying the start of treatment may reduce the amount of treatment time needed but does not reduce length of stay.
Session: Poster Session 2
The evolutionary genetics of mouthbrooding in African cichlidsRhiannon V. Eastment, Bob B.M. Wong, Matthew D. McGee
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Parental care is widespread across the animal kingdom and often involves highly complex and sophisticated behavioural, morphological and physiological adaptations. One particularly complex form of parental investment is mouthbrooding, the process in which eggs and/or larvae are incubated in the parent's mouth. Mouthbrooding is a common form of parental care in fishes and is particularly prominent in African cichlids, a uniquely diverse and species-rich clade of ray-finned fishes. Despite the importance of mouthbrooding for offspring growth and survival, it is still unclear how it has evolved repeatedly across such a diversity of fishes. In this study, we used whole genome data to investigate the origins of mouthbrooding in African cichlids. We found signatures of molecular convergence in both protein-coding and noncoding regions of the genome, suggesting that convergent genomic changes may be associated with the evolution of complex forms of parental investment. Ultimately, our study provides novel insights into the origins of an extreme form of parental investment, and highlights the importance of comparative genomics in determining the drivers of diverse reproductive mechanisms.
Session: Genetics & evolution
Sources of variance in female mating rate in the Amboseli baboonsAusten Ehrie1, Susan Alberts2, Courtney Fitzpatrick1
1Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 2Department of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
In most species with internal fertilization, females copulate only when their eggs are ready for fertilization. This pattern makes sense in light of the costs associated with copulation (e.g. reduced foraging time, disease transfer, harassment, etc.). However, in some anthropoid primates, females cycle repeatedly and mate often before becoming pregnant. One possible explanation for non-conceptive cycling and mating is that, in systems where males are under strong selection to copulate frequently, the ejaculate supply is constrained. Consequently, females may end up being sperm-limited. Such a scenario would produce competition among females for copulations, producing a positive relationship between the frequency of copulations (i.e. "mating rate") and the probability of conception. Two critical first steps toward testing this hypothesis are to characterize the sources of variance in female mating rate and to determine whether mating rate predicts conception probability. Here we do the first of these; we leverage behavioral, demographic, and reproductive data from the Amboseli Baboon Research Project to determine the sources of variance in female mating rate.
Session: Poster Session 1
The increasing adoption potential of undersocialized cats: Blessing or curse?Jacklyn J Ellis, Kyrsten J Janke, Nicole Furgala
Toronto Humane Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
With cat intake numbers falling and adoption rates rising, shelters are increasingly likely to place cats with questionable socialization histories, and adopters are more willing to take in poorly socialized cats. However, there has been no investigation of the well-being of poorly socialized cats in their adoptive homes or the experience of these adopters. Accordingly, adopters of 57 adult cats identified as undersocialized and 155 control cats (not suspected of being undersocialized) were surveyed about their cat's behaviour and their own satisfaction. Control cats were rated as less fearful, more affectionate, more likely to engage when approached (by either a stranger or their adopter), and more likely to enjoy petting (by either a stranger or their adopter) than undesocialized cats. Owners of control cats also reported greater satisfaction and were more likely to state both that they love their cat and that their cat would be happier in a home environment than regularly fed outdoors. Results suggest that although it is becoming more possible to place undersocialized cats in homes, these environments may not be in the best interests of the cats' or adopters' quality-of-life.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Calls and social preferences in a socially monogamous songbird, it's about more than song. Mary R Elson1, Grace Smith-Vidaurre2, 3, 4, Rosie K Hsu1, Nora H Prior1
1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 2Dept of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA, 3Dept of IDept of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA, 4Dept of IntegrativEcology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
Zebra finches song occurs as part of a dynamic and complex social context embedded in a larger repertoire of calls and social behaviors. Here, we situate song function within this broader social context. We used a novel paradigm of song playback and social exposure to examine how female responses to passive song playback reflects their interactions with a live male. Females heard song from 3 males in series and then interacted with each male. We found that a female's 'preferred songs', or the song playback during which she called the most, was different than her 'preferred male', or the live male that she called to the most. Females also shifted their song preferences after live interactions. We then habituated each female to either her most or least preferred male's songs and repeated the playback and social exposure paradigm. Habituating females to their most, but not least, preferred male caused them to change their preference. Altogether our data show that females are not simply assessing a male's song as a static signal to generate social preferences and highlight the importance of considering dynamic vocal interactions in the broader context of this species' vocal repertoire.
Session: Communication 4
External temperature and body size, not load bearing, drive locomotion of tropical wolf spidersIgnacio Escalante1, Damián Villaseñor-Amador2, Leonardo Vilas-Bôas M.P. de Cerqueira3, Quimey Gómez4, Francisca Zamora Cornejo5, Julia Paulucci6
1University of Illinois - Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, CDMX, Mexico, 3Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, Manus, Manus, Brazil, 4Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Posadas, Misiones, Argentina, 5Universidad de Concepcion, Concepción, Concepción, Chile, 6Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina
Ectotherms depend on ambient temperature to regulate internal temperature. This affects many aspects of their behaviour, including locomotion. Additionally, ectotherms are more vulnerable in environments with extreme temperature fluctuations, and their activity matches those of favorable temperatures. Here, we studied wolf spiders in the highlands of Costa Rica. We explored which factors influence locomotor behaviour. First, we tested whether locomotion is driven by temperature variation. Female spiders experimentally exposed to higher temperatures (30 C) moved four times faster than those exposed to lower temperatures (7 C). Second, we tested whether the maternal care strategy of these spiders modulates locomotion. Females hold an eggsac in their spinnerets. The eggsac represents up to 36% of their body size. However, females moved at the same speed regardless of whether they carried an eggsac. This demonstrates that the maternal care strategy does not affect their locomotor performance. In contrast, temperature drives driving locomotion. This expands our understanding of how temperature fluctuations in extreme environments challenge ectotherms' ability to move and succeed.
Session: Ecological effects
Deer Xing: Adult Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Does Initiate Road Crossings in Anthropogenic HabitatMadison S. Evans, Andrew G. Fulmer, Vickilyn Tuni
Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO, USA
Foraging patches for mule deer Odocoileus hemionus in anthropogenic environments are often separated by roads. These trafficked areas pose potential threats to deer. We distinguish between two alternative hypotheses: one, that adult females (does) initiate road crossings; two, that fawns initiate. Data were collected at Fort Lewis College, (Durango, CO, USA) 6/23-12/23, including 24 crossings. Observers recorded location, group size, and age/sex composition. The first deer crossing paved section in the environment was considered the initiator. Initiator's social phenotype, cardinal direction of crossing, and social phenotype of each follower was recorded. A chi-square test revealed a statistically significant relationship between social phenotype and frequency as the initiator of a crossing, demonstrating that does were overwhelmingly observed to be the most frequent initiators of a crossing event. Another chi-square test of independence revealed no statistically significant relationship between social phenotype and the first follower, These results suggest that maternal foraging need, more than fawn defense, contributes to these risky group decisions.
Session: Poster Session 1
Tool use repertoire in four populations of robust capuchin monkeysTiago Falótico1,2
1Capuchin Culture Project, Neotropical Primates Research Group, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 2Technological Primates Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are one of the few primates that habitually use tools in the wild. However, tool use varies widely between populations. Here, I compare the tool-use repertoire of four populations of bearded capuchin monkeys (S. libidinosus) from Brazil - Serra da Capivara National Park, Ubajara National Park, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, and Fazenda Boa Vista. I used various data sources, from literature and indirect mapping of nut-cracking sites to direct observation of tool use during decades of fieldwork and the results of field experiments. The repertoire is diverse, including stone and stick tools used for numerous goals by the monkeys. I discuss if the differences across populations resulted uniquely from ecological differences or if socially biased learning and cultural processes may also contribute to the variation observed. Grants: São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) 2018/01292-9 and 2019/00716-2; National Geographic Society (NGS‐64133R‐19).
Session: Cognition & learning 1
A Successful Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) Program with Koi in a Zoological SettingMichelle R. Farmerie
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
The Human-Animal Interaction-Conservation, Education, Welfare, Health, Attachment, Learning, and Leadership Program and Research Project (HAI-CEWHALL PRP) utilizes the application of operant techniques and positive reinforcement with koi as a methodology to teach applied behavior to students, simultaneously engaging them in a deeper scientific understanding of fish species, behavior, and husbandry while also fostering humane education and a sensitivity to, and appreciation of, others. While zoos & aquariums have provided educational programs with animals for years, the concept of zoological programs as AAIs in any of its forms (animal-assisted activities, animal-assisted education, and animal-assisted therapy) is a new way of thinking about zoological programs. The HAI-CEWHALL PRP provides evidenced based research of its effectiveness and can serve as a model for how zoos and aquariums may begin to explore AAI programs and benefits. CEWHALL aims to continue to evaluate education and well-being outcomes for participants and well-being outcomes for animals. Results of previous years' programs, policies and procedures for human/animal safety, and future possibilities are discussed.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Honey bees engage in disease-resistant behavioral patterns unique to their developmental stageMary Catherine Farrell1, Branique Burrows2
1Agriculture Research and Development Program, Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, USA, 2College of Humanties, Arts, and Sciences, Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, USA
Honey bees are highly eusocial insects with complicated relationships between colony members. Individual bees undergo behavioral maturation, marked by extreme specialization in behavior, location, and activity levels, which optimize them for specific tasks. Nurse bees engage in brood care and groom other honey bees in the hive to remove pests such as Varroa destructor mites. Older honey bees guard the hive entrance which prevents the entrance of intruders. Although some studies have examined interpersonal behaviors in honey bees, knowledge of the behavioral repertoire across honey bee castes is lacking. In this study, we characterized interactions between newly emerged (young adult), nurse, and guard honey bees using an in-lab assay. We found that nurse bees engaged in self-grooming (autogrooming) more frequently than other groups, and more frequently engaged in a pattern of autogrooming after interacting with another bee. This unique pattern of behavior likely prevents further transmission of pests throughout the hive. These findings have strong implications for our understanding of disease resistant behavior in honey bees.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Social patterns underlying a group fission in olive baboons (Papio anubis)Jacob A Feder, Joan B Silk
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
Animal social groups occasionally undergo permanent fission, producing two or more smaller "daughter" groups and alleviating the costs of living in larger groups. Here, we describe a fission in a group of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Laikipia, Kenya. The fission began when a high-ranking male transferred from his natal group into a nearby study group, triggering the parallel dispersal of his closest female grooming partners, which themselves were tightly bonded as many belonged to a single matriline. After failing to integrate into their new group, the dispersing females and their preferred male eventually budded off and formed a new daughter group. Aggression rates rose prior to the fission and returned to baseline levels once the new group had formed. However, there was no indication that the dispersing females were "evicted" by their original groupmates. Indeed, grooming between the founder group and the daughter group persisted at low levels, suggesting that within- vs. between-group distinctions may have remained somewhat blurred. In sum, this fission appears to have been a product of mate choice, selective social decisions, and elevated female-female competition.
Session: Social behavior 2
Free descriptions from first impressions of voicesDavid R Feinberg, Jessica Ostrega
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
How do we perceive voices? Most research on voice perception focuses on rating voices for different attributes such as dominance, attractiveness, trust, etc. These attributes have evolutionary significance, but do we know that they are significant to listeners? To test this we asked hundreds of people to describe more than 1000 voices instead of rating them. We used both topic analysis, and hand coded the semantic fields of each descriptive word. Both methods yielded similar results. The top 10 topics people described voices as (in order) were: Age, Gender, Personality (e.g. HEXACO/Big 5), accent, intelligence, energy level, race, voice pitch, normality, and charisma. Next on the list were socioeconomic status, attractiveness, and dominance. This study supports the idea that conscious descriptions of voices map well onto the attributes that researchers have focused on. Perhaps, the order of importance is different, but there was nothing people described voices as that isn't in the realm of extant voice rating studies. Whether or not these ratings are based on kernel of truth is equivocal.
Session: Communication 3
Evaluating a Standardized Behavior Test in Predicting Program Success of Guide Dog PuppiesLynna C. Feng1, Jenna M. Bullis1, Sharon Kret1, Thomas R. Famula2, Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere1
1Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, CA, USA, 2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
The ability to accurately select and identify behaviorally suitable working dogs at an early age offers significant benefits to organizations dedicated to breeding, raising, and training assistance and service dogs. To date, mixed results have been found using behavioral tests to predict working dog success. Here, we utilize the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association UK (GDBA UK) Puppy Profiling Assessment to evaluate whether this test can predict success in another guide dog program at Guide Dogs for the Blind, California, USA. 301 guide dog puppies (7 weeks of age), 249 which met final inclusion criteria, were presented with eight subtests: follow, retrieve, restraint, noise, stroking, a moving "squirrel" toy, tunnel, and ramp. Responses were scored on a seven-point scale. While five subtests were associated with success in guide dog training at GDBA UK, no subtest assessed at Guide Dogs for the Blind provided predictive value for a dog's success. This lack of generalization across guide dog programs highlights the importance of continuing to assess the suitability, predictability, and reliability of standardized behavior testing across working dog programs.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
How to tell if an organism's prediction strategies are optimal given their limited cognitive resourcesVanessa Ferdinand1, Sarah Marzen2
1University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 2Pitzer, Scripps, and Claremont McKenna College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Organisms can solve complex tasks despite having limited cognitive resources if those resources are used optimally; a concept known as bounded-rationality or resource-rationality in the cognitive sciences [1]. In this talk, we present a new computational method for evaluating whether an organism's behavior during a prediction task is resource-rational. We demonstrate this method on the results of a sequence learning experiment with human learners and show that participants used a variety of resource-rational prediction strategies as they attempted (but failed) to perfectly predict difficult sequences. Although this experiment was conducted with human participants, we designed it using a clicker-training paradigm that could hopefully be extended to some non-human animals to understand the prevalence and forms of resource-rational prediction across diverse cognition. We're interested in receiving feedback on what problems in animal behavior could be advanced with new methods for quantifying the resource-rationality of prediction strategies and welcome collaborations. [1] F Lieder and TL Griffiths (2020). Resource-rational analysis. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol 43.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Puppies Show Distinct Circadian Activity Patterns Despite Different Rearing Styles Morgan Ferrans1, Brian Hare, PhD1, Margaret Gruen, DVM, PhD2
1Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, 2North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, USA
Dogs have evolved to communicate and cohabitate with humans, leading to a synchronization of dogs' activity patterns with owners' routines. Although circadian adult dog activity patterns have been characterized, little is known about how these patterns develop in puppyhood. Using actigraphy monitors, we collected the first longitudinal dataset of activity in puppies (n=66) from 8 to 20 weeks of age, and found distinct peaks of daytime activity that become more defined with age. Using functional linear modeling, we examined the effects of age, rearing style, sex, and weekday on activity. We show four windows in which activity is significantly predicted by age, regardless of rearing, suggesting that the observed patterns represent true activity fluctuations. We also show that, from 8 to 14 weeks, females show increased activity in the afternoon, but at 20 weeks males have higher morning peaks. Moreover, variations in activity between weekdays and weekends highlight puppies' adaptability to human schedules. Thus, we report both consistency and flexibility in puppy activity, supporting dogs as a model for human health and informing training and rearing strategies during development.
Session: Development
Flexible parental roles: Lesson from poison frogsEva K Fischer1,2, Sarah E Westrick1, Jen B Moss3
1University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, 2University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA, 3Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
The emergence of traits initially exhibited only in one sex in the opposite sex has been proposed as a major, though underappreciated, force in the evolution of behavior, including novelty in parental care, courtship communication, and alternative reproductive tactics. Yet, the mechanisms that facilitate this activation and the integration of new behavior into opposite sex physiological, neural, and molecular systems under natural conditions are largely unknown. We leverage diversity in parental care strategies in closely related Neotropical poison frog to probe mechanisms of naturally occurring variation in parental care across levels of organization - from behavior to physiology to neural mechanisms. We report consistent individual differences in care behavior, as well as flexibility in which parent provides care. We link differences at the behavioral level to hormone and brain gene expression patterns. Our findings suggest that sex roles are not fixed or even as biased as previously suggested, with important implications for our understanding of how sex-biased behavior is generated, maintained, and occasionally reversed at immediate and evolutionary timescales.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (4)
Examining dominance between two sympatric kangaroo rat speciesJanine N. Fischer1, Debra M. Shier1,2, Gregory F. Grether1
1University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido , CA,
Asymmetries in aggressive interference can result in spatial niche segregation when a behaviorally subordinate species is displaced by, or avoids, a dominant interference competitor. Because subordinate species can be prevented from utilizing preferred habitats, it may be important to consider interspecific interference when managing for at-risk species. The Stephens' kangaroo rat (SKR, Dipodomys stephensi) is a threatened species that engages in aggressive interference with the closely related Dulzura kangaroo rat (DKR, Dipodomys simulans), a vulnerable species in California. These sympatric species partially segregate into different microhabitat types, but it's unclear if this pattern is caused by interference between the two species and if one species is behaviorally dominant. We are examining dominance between these species by staging encounters between them in the field. We will evaluate factors that might predict dominance such as species' identity (SKR or DKR), sex, weight, or residency status. Our results will contribute to our understanding of how competition shapes space use in these at-risk congeners and inform conservation management efforts.
Session: Poster Session 1
Tadpoles show behavioral and physiological coping response to traffic noiseMegan M. Flanagan, Hannah J. Stottlemyre, Caitlin R. Gabor
Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
Our study investigated the impact of elevated traffic noise on growth, activity, and stress hormones in two species of tadpoles, Acris crepitans and Rana berlandieri. Tadpoles were exposed either early or later in development to traffic noise or a white noise control. Early exposure to traffic noise led to differences in mass, activity, and corticosterone release rates compared to later exposures. Tadpoles initially exposed to traffic noise experienced mass loss, with A. crepitans recovering mass but not R. berlandieri. R. berlandieri increased movement when transitioned to the white noise treatment after early exposure to traffic noise, while A. crepitans showed no significant change in activity. Additionally, A. crepitans displayed higher corticosterone release rates than R. berlandieri, and both species exhibited elevated corticosterone with earlier noise exposure. Given that R. berlandieri allocated more energy to activity, while A. crepitans prioritized growth these findings suggest that tadpoles employ different coping strategies in noise-polluted environments. We hypothesize that these alternative strategies are influenced by their differing life histories.
Session: Conservation
Behavioral ecology as a capstone course: Labs that prepare students for independent research Lynn Fletcher
Salem State University, Salem, MA, USA
The goal of an undergraduate capstone course varies according to the discipline; in biology we seek to provide students with an authentic research experience that puts the scientific method into action. Behavioral Ecology is ideal for creating a capstone course due to abundant opportunities for field work that are accessible, inexpensive, and do not require specialized technical skills (such as certain lab procedures). In my Behavioral Ecology course, I have structured the laboratory into two parts. The first half of the semester focuses on building skills required for research in behavior. These include observation, creating clear hypotheses and predictions, understanding sampling methods, designing an experiment, and analyzing the results. The second half of the semester focuses on the implementation of these skills where each student designs and conducts an independent field research project. My poster will focus on the activities of the first half of the semester where I provide examples of the assignments and state the objectives and skills that are built in each. I will also state how they support the ability of students to complete independent research.
Session: Virtual Posters (asynchronous)
Spatial Learning and Perception in the Harvester (Opilionid) Phalangium opilioPreston Foerder
University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Although there is a body of research on cognition in spiders, there has been little research in a similar arachnid species, the harvester (Opilionidae) a.k.a. daddy longlegs. Despite their similarity, harvesters, which comprise ~6500 species, are not spiders, but are more closely related to mites, ticks, and scorpions. Harvesters have two eyes and it is believed that they distinguish light from dark although the extent of their vision is unknown. Harvesters are autotomous, releasing their legs under pressure. After they lose a leg, they go through a short period of learning to walk on the remaining legs. They have also been shown capable of chemosensory associative learning. To expand on our knowledge of harvesters, we have started a project examining learning and perception in the opilionid species, Phalangium opilio. We are using a t-maze to investigate their capabilities for spatial learning. We are also investigating their perceptual abilities through examining their abilities to associate various visual and physical stimuli to find the preferred arm of the maze.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Navigating social waters: sex differences in zebrafish cortisol expression across social situationsGenevieve Fontana1, Amanio Deemer1, Ryan D. Wynne2, Jennifer L. Snekser1
1Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA, 2University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
Sex differences in behavior are often explained evolutionarily by differential reproductive investment: females invest more than males in reproductive outcomes. Yet, it could be predicted that some behaviors, like social preferences, should be similarly expressed by both sexes. Male and female zebrafish (Danio rerio) often make different choices in contrived forced-choice shoaling tests: females tend to be more discriminative than males regarding shoal size, shoalmate body color, and sex of shoalmates. We examined if stress and the associated excreted cortisol levels could be underlying proximate mechanisms contributing to different social choices. Individual zebrafish were presented with a shoal of four males, a shoal of four females, and left in isolation, and water was collected during each behavioral test to extract water-borne cortisol. This design allowed a single individual to be tested in multiple social scenarios while measuring endocrine response. Behavioral observations revealed a preference to be near a shoal, regardless of sex. Hormone analysis indicated a significant sex difference in cortisol expression and an effect of social setting.
Session: Poster Session 2
Male Ovenbirds Respond Less to Simulated Intrusions of the Same Song Type Sung by Their NeighborJenn R Foote
Algoma University, Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada
Territorial birds may share song types with others in their local population, though shared songs remain individually distinctive and individuals can discriminate between similar sounding songs. Many territorial songbirds show a 'dear enemy' effect, responding less strongly to playback of a neighbor's song compared to that of an unfamiliar stranger. I tested whether male Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) responded similarly to playback of stranger songs when they were similar or different from the neighbor's song. I performed short 3-min playbacks of songs of 1) the neighbor, 2) a song of the same song type as the neighbor, and 3) a song of a different song type from the neighbor (N=18 males). I used a principal components analysis to compare vocal and movement responses among playbacks. I found that Ovenbirds had significantly higher PC1 scores for different stranger songs than to either their neighbor or similar stranger songs, which did not differ from each other. My results suggest that over a short duration, males may not respond strongly to intruders when they sound like neighbors perhaps as a result of not attending closely to the song of a 'dear-enemy'.
Session: Communication 3
Like mother, like daughter? Investigating heritability of female aggression using longitudinal data.Josephina H Fornara, Emily J. Levy, Kimberly A. Rosvall
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Studies from across the animal kingdom have shown that there is a genetic basis to most behaviors. However, it remains unclear how intrinsic and extrinsic factors shape complex social behaviors like territorial aggression in the wild. Female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) vary substantially in their aggressiveness, even though competitive ability directly impacts fitness. Here, we leveraged a long-term behavioral dataset on wild swallows to test which heritable and environmental factors may explain how this behavioral variation is maintained even in the face of strong positive selection. In total, we identified 127 mother-daughter pairs for whom we quantified aggression scores in response to a standardized resident-intruder assay. We assessed behavioral correlations between mothers and daughters as a window into heritability. We also assessed how early-life factors (e.g., number of nest-mates), demographic factors (e.g., age), and ecological factors (e.g., current breeding site) correlate with female aggression. Our work promises to shed light on the proximate mechanisms shaping aggressive phenotypes and whether these phenotypes have transgenerational effects.
Session: Poster Session 2
Key contributions of LGBTQIA+ scientists to the field of animal behaviorKasey Fowler-Finn
Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA
New and diverse perspectives in the field of animal behavior enrich our understanding of how and why animals exhibit the startling diversity of behaviors we all celebrate. This talk will discuss the motivation behind the key goals of this symposium: increasing the visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community, showcasing the work of a diversity of queer scientists, and communicating challenges and effective allyship practices for LGBTQIA+ folx in animal behavior. The talk will highlight some of the numerous key contributions that queer animal behaviorists have made towards our understanding of the evolution of animal behavior. While we often strive for (and assume) objectivity in science, embracing the inherent subjectivity we each bring to our research can enrich our understanding of world around us.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (1)
Latitudes of care: Investigating sex-based differential investments in a socially monogamous birdAgnes F Francila, Vinita Gowda
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Biparental care (BPC) improves offspring survival in altricial species but decreases mating opportunities for males. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the mechanisms maintaining BPC remains limited, especially in the tropics. We aim to fill this gap by looking at the sex-based differences in care using Passer domesticus as a study system. Our study was conducted across two distinct geographic regions with varying seasonality. Lower seasonality in the tropics provides favourable year-round breeding conditions compared to subtropical regions where breeding is discrete. We quantified the male contribution relative to females towards nest construction, incubation, nest guarding and food provisioning via manual and camera observations. Our results show significant sex differences, with females contributing more to all activities except nest guarding. Females from the tropics showed higher food provisioning rates in response to reduced male investment compared to their subtropical counterparts. This study highlights the variability of parental care investments across geography and contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between behaviour and environment.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Social information structures real-time aggressive decision-making in Monk Parakeets Xavier Francis, Annemarie van der Marel, Elizabeth Hobson
The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Within social groups, individuals make time-sensitive decisions to navigate conflict: they decide who to fight, the level of aggression to use, and when to fight. Animals can use social information in this real time decision-making. To determine how social information is used to make fight-by-fight aggression decisions, we analyzed "time dependent rules" in captive Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) groups. Each rule required different social information, with birds using their own experiences, observation of group mates, and rank information. Using permutation tests, we determined which rules were followed and how quickly. We found that the birds used the observation-based rule "pile-on" (attack most-recent loser) significantly more than expected by chance, showing that they observe group mates to structure their own aggression. The birds used rank-based rules less than chance, and one of these rules, "pass-along" (attack lower-ranked opponent after own loss), was used slower than chance, which could indicate that its use was more cognitively demanding. Characterizing rule use can identify how animals use certain types of social information to make real time aggressive decisions.
Session: Social behavior 4
Cognition as a mechanism of niche differentiation between closely related lemur speciesTristan J Franzetti1,2, Erin Ehmke2, Steve Nowicki1
1Duke University Biology Department, Durham, NC, USA, 2Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, USA
In the face of climate change and habitat destruction, understanding the mechanisms by which species differentiate their niches has become increasingly important. The opportunistic intelligence hypothesis suggests that ecological specialization covaries with cognitive abilities—with generalist species presenting higher cognitive function—and could explain how species coexist. The cheirogaleid lemurs offer a unique system in which to study niche differentiation given that this group includes a large number of closely related species that often live in sympatry. I examined how cognitive abilities differ between two sympatric cheirogaleids that vary in their degrees of dietary specialization. I tested captive populations of mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs in two tasks that examine innovative propensity and persistence. Preliminary results suggest that the more generalist mouse lemurs exhibit more persistence, as predicted. Contrary to predictions, however, I found that dwarf lemurs exhibited higher levels of innovative propensity. These results indicate that differences in cognitive abilities may play a role in niche differentiation, but it is likely not the sole mechanism.
Session: Poster Session 1
A Comparison of the Call Systems of Juniper and Oak TitmiceEric K Frazier1, Todd M Freeberg PhD1
1University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA, 2University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
Juniper titmice (Baeolophus ridgwayi) and oak titmice (Baeolophus inornatus) were formerly lumped as the plain titmouse and were split into separate species nearly 30 years ago due to differences in genetics and song. Little is understood about the calling behavior of juniper and oak titmice, however. The focus of this study was to begin to describe variation in the chick-a-dee call system of these two species. Like other parid species (chickadees, titmice, and tits), juniper and oak titmice have calls composed of a small number of distinct note types that despite high variability in how they compose calls, follow basic rules of note ordering. We detected some differences in note composition of calls of the two species. Unlike most North American parids, juniper and oak titmice rarely form flocks beyond a female-male pair and so greater study on call variation in these species is warranted to understand the evolution of call complexity in parids.
Session: Poster Session 1
Chercher la Mom: Multimodal Attention Within Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Social GroupsAndrew G. Fulmer, Solei Johnston, Adrian Lazos, Gabriel Sadongei, Isabella Tasevoli
Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, USA
Mule deer Odocoileus hemionus use multiple sensory modalities to maintain fission/fusion groups which vary somewhat in membership across seasons, engaging in socially complex behaviors with relatively low aggression. Matrilineal, female-philopatric groups are joined by males after fawning season. Mate selection is accomplished by a tending-bond based form of polygyny. We monitored social spacing & attentional displays of a wild, human-presence-habituated mule deer herd occupying an alpine college campus year-round, using observation, camera traps, and transect-based sampling. From these data we assemble a picture of the social organization of the fission-fusion groups which constitute this herd across one calendar year. We find that of all social phenotypes observed, does receive the most attention across modalities. We find variation in the modalities employed towards the different observed social phenotypes, with does and juveniles receiving more physical contact and approaches than bucks. Bucks are most frequently initiators and recipients of visual displays. Group composition varied predictably across seasons, although bucks appear with female groups in all seasons.
Session: Social behavior 1
Social Ethology: A Four Question Approach to Identity DevelopmentAndrew G. Fulmer
Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO, USA
No two brains on this planet are identical. Genes, development, and experience make different social choices adaptive even within species. My lab studies this variation. Why does one sibling lead a life of exploration and another of caution? What behaviors benefit an individual of intermediate status that might not appear in fully dominant or subordinate individuals? Do intersecting elements of an individual's social identity affect the channels of information to which they attend? We address these questions from a comparative perspective in avian, mammalian, and teleost systems. In the field we have developed a 2+ year database on a habituated campus population of Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus, focusing on the interaction between social phenotype and the signaling modalities used by individuals. In the lab we examine the complex social interactions and ornamental choices made by a mouthbrooding cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni, where males organize and defend bowers, dramatically mediating their phenotypes. Our developing work on the Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides explores decision-making differences among families employing different levels of social and sexual monogamy.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (2)
All the things you might have missed: a queer scientist's perspective on behavior and physiologyCaitlin Gabor, Andrea Aspbury
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
Science is the sum of its parts. When the parts are limited in diversity the outcomes are too. Studies of sexual selection were the hot topics while I was a graduate student. The focus at the time was on female choice between males of different sizes. Some of my initial research questioned focused on if females exhibited diverse preferences when presented with males OR females of varying sizes. I then also considered the overlooked perspective of male choice. This inquiry led to significant outcomes: (1) encountering challenges in publishing the paper, (2) finding love and getting married, (3) gaining recognition as "Crappy Gabor". Subsequently, my research expanded to explore male mate choice by focusing on sperm production, an area that had been neglected. Additionally, my lab delved into the bidirectional role of hormones in mating interactions, moving beyond the traditional focus on male hormone changes during mating. These endeavors, alongside other less fishy stories will be explored to collectively illustrate how I made my space in the field as a queer scientist.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (4)
Anthropogenic Resource Use By Vervet Monkeys (C. pygerythrus) In A Wildlife Conservancy In Northern KenyaEzekiel F. Gading, Suzanne E. MacDonald
York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
What happens when people disappear? The purpose of this study was to understand the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the behavior of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), as well as other sympatric species. Using trail cameras, we observed the changes in visitation and use of a garbage dump site of free-ranging animals at a wildlife conservancy in northern Kenya in the months before and during the lockdown (February, March, and April 2020). We found that the vervet monkeys gradually decreased their frequency of visits during the lockdown when compared with the months before the lockdown. Across the weeks of the study, the frequency and timing of human visits correlated positively with vervet monkey visits to the dump site despite the reduction in the amount of food due to the lockdown. This was not true for the other species present at the site, which included baboons, hyaenas, hornbills, and guineafowl. This suggests that vervet monkeys' visitation behaviors were cued by human presence and not just the quantity of anthropogenic food. This has implications for the management of human-wildlife conflict, as well as vervet monkey cognition, that warrant further study.
Session: Poster Session 2
Temporal dynamics of a multilevel social network across scales and behavioral situations in an avian scavengerKaija Gahm1, Elvira D'Bastiani1, Marta Acácio2, Gideon Vaadia2, Orr Spiegel2, Noa Pinter-Wollman1
1University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Social behaviors, as well as the internal and extrenal factors that influence them, take place over various time scales. By analyzing social networks across temporal scales, we can assess the emergent properties of change and stasis in animal populations and gain an understanding of which factors are the most important drivers of animal social structures. Using data from a GPS-tracked population of griffon vultures in southern Israel, we explore the emergent structural properties of social networks across time and social situations. Using multilayer temporal network analysis, we seek to determine over what time scales social networks are stable or changing, and how these scales differ for different types of interactions. We ask whether individual social centrality is best predicted by phenotypic characteristics at these situation-specific time scales, and whether temporal analysis can improve our understanding of the relationships of individuals between social situations. This work has implications for our understanding of information flow in a social scavenger system, as well as cross-species comparisons of temporal change in animal social networks more broadly.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (2)
Discovery of metabolic biomarkers in anxious dogsClaudia Gaither1, Robert Popp2, Francis Beaudry1, Christoph Borchers3, Marion Desmarchelier1
1University of Montreal, St Hyacinthe, QC, Canada, 2MRM Proteomics Inc, Montreal, QC, Canada, 3Lady Davis Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
The most common reason for relinquishment and euthanasia of dogs is behavioral problems, most of which are caused by underlying anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety and its impact on animal health and welfare highlight the need to better understand the biological pathways involved, and for better diagnostics and treatment progress-monitoring. We recruited anxious and matched control/non-anxious dogs, then analyzed their plasma using mass spectrometry to investigate differences between the metabolite profiles of the two groups. Results showed that phenylalanine, creatine, and certain bile acids and fatty acids were higher in anxious dogs. In humans, an accumulation of phenylalanine, a precursor to catecholamine neurotransmitters, can be linked to anxiety. Bile acids can directly bind to brain receptors, and their signaling may induce or reduce anxiety. Long chain saturated fatty acids are linked to anxiety-like behaviour in mice and other fatty acids promote inflammation. Plasma profiling of anxious dogs will shed light on dysfunctions that may occur in these dogs, leading to putative metabolite biomarkers for anxiety and in the future more objective diagnoses and treatment monitoring
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
Crowd Level and Behavior of Sharks and Rays in a Touch Pool ExhibitJulia Galante1,2, Victoria Ehrig1, Amanda Ostroske1, Susan Margulis1
1Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA, 2University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
Touch tanks have become increasingly popular in zoo and aquarium settings. However, it is unclear whether or not touch tanks may have a negative impact on shark and ray wellbeing. The purpose of this project is to examine the behavior of animals based on crowd level in the Shark and Ray Bay touch pool exhibit at the Aquarium of Niagara. Since November 2022, we have used the exhibit's security camera to observe exhibit use by whitespotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum), Atlantic stingrays (Hypanus sabinus) and yellow stingrays (Urobatis jamaicensis). We collected data for 5 minutes per hour throughout the Aquarium's open hours multiple times per week. Last year, we presented preliminary results with a very small amount of data indicating that animals are less likely to be on the ledge, where visitors can touch them, when crowd levels are high. Here we confirm this finding with 15 months of data. The rays especially were significantly less likely to be on the ledge during high crowd levels. The sharks generally avoided the ledge. We intend to use water sampling techniques to measure the amount of cortisol on high crowd versus low crowd days to further clarify these patterns.
Session: Poster Session 1
The silent assumption of the masking hypothesis: avian auditory processing and anthropogenic noiseMegan D Gall1, Trina L Chou1,3, Kenneth S Henry2
1Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA, 2University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA, 3University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
Anthropogenic noise has been shown to alter the structure and timing of communication, putatively due to the masking effects of noise. Implicit in the masking hypothesis is the assumption that all species process sounds in noise similarly and will therefore be subject to similar masking effects. However, the emerging comparative literature suggests that there may be significant differences in how different species process sound. Here, we investigated the effect of noise on the auditory thresholds of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) and white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis). We found that nuthatches had the lowest thresholds in quiet, but the highest thresholds in noise and the highest critical ratios. Titmice and chickadees had similar thresholds in quiet, but titmice had lower thresholds in noise, resulting in the lowest critical ratios. These results suggest that species may differ in the effects of noise on auditory processing. We suggest that this may result in species-level differences in the effects of noise on communication and other acoustically-mediated behaviors, such as the detection of predators.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Individuality in a clonal fish persists despite strong predation threat in early lifeJames / H Gallagher, Ammon / D Perkes, Emma / S Chirila, Chia-Chen Chang, Karen Kacevas, Kate / L Laskowski
University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
Early life predator experience can have profound effects on behavior, including the development of individuality. However, its impact on individual behavioral variation and the timing of its emergence is largely unknown. Predator exposure may lead to the emergence and maintenance of individual variation, or instead collapse variation if there is an optimal response. We test these hypotheses using a naturally clonal fish, the Amazon molly, removing confounding genetic effects on behavioral variation. We reared individuals in standard environments that differed only in the presence or absence of predatory cues, and tracked their behavior, all day every day, for the first month of life. We found that predation does not collapse behavioral variation. Newborns responded to predators on day one and maintained responses throughout early life. When these same fish later interacted with a live predator, their developmental behavior predicted their response, suggesting likely adaptive value. This powerful model system allowed us to isolate the effects of predation on behavior and track responses in intimate details, giving us deep insight into the developmental trajectories of individuality.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Social organization and the physical environment shape the microbiome of harvester ant nests Alejandra Gamboa1, Peter Flynn2, Noa Pinter-Wollman1
1University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
All animals are associated with and colonized by communities of microorganisms known collectively as the microbiome. New evidence suggests that microbes have wide-ranging influences on animal behavior. Genomic sequencing and high-throughput RNA techniques show significant interactions of animals and plants with symbiotic microorganisms. Delineating the complex relationship between host-microbe interactions and behavior requires an expanded ecological perspective involving the host, the microbiome, and the environment. The role of the social, biotic, and abiotic environment on host-microbe interactions remains poorly understood. I will use harvester ant species as a study system to explore the interplay between host-microbiome composition and social interactions. Specifically, I will use a combination of observational, manipulative, and comparative experimental approaches to answer the question: What is the relationship between the microbiome, social interactions, and the external biotic and abiotic environments?
Session: Social behavior 4
La Vie en Noise: Bird biodiversity and vocal behaviour in the urban noise of ParisStephanie M Gamboa, Daniel J Mennill
University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Growing levels of anthropogenic sound impair animal acoustic communication, particularly in urban environments. Our understanding of animal ecology and conservation benefit from careful study of the influences of anthropogenic sound on animals in urban settings. The Global Urban Bird Survey is a new initiative that quantifies avian biodiversity in large cities, using a bioacoustic survey approach. We collected acoustic surveys of Paris, France as part of the Global Urban Bird Survey, and analyzed the effect of anthropogenic noise on bird diversity and bird vocal behaviour in one of Earth's most highly modified urban environments. We sampled 35 points spread across urban Paris, following a stratified, randomized sampling scheme. We found relationships between the intensity of anthropogenic noise and avian biodiversity: bird species richness was influenced by high noise levels. We also found relationships between the spectral properties of urban noise and the vocalizations produced by breeding birds. Our results help us to understand the influence of anthropogenic sounds in the urban environment on the ecology of birds, including both bird biodiversity and bird vocal behaviour.
Session: Poster Session 2
No room to vibe: Vibrational acoustic niches constrain insect diversityLeah Gath1, Em Miller1, Hebron Bekele1, Jake Woods4, Inaya Smith1, Jared Colbert2, Kim Medley3, Kasey Fowler-Finn1
1Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA, 2Harris-Stowe State University, Saint Louis, MO, USA, 3Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA, 4University of Southern Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Global declines in insect diversity call for a better understanding of the factors shaping insect communities. Here, we investigate the vibrational acoustic niche, a potentially important factor that could constrain local insect diversity. Over 93% of acoustic insects use substrate-borne vibrations to communicate through available plant stems and leaves. Thus, the transmission properties of plants could limit the available vibrational niche space by constraining which signals transmit well, and therefore which insect species can use them. To test whether vibrational signals differ across prairie plants of different structural types, we first developed equipment for high throughput recording of vibrational signals, then recorded hundreds of hours of vibrational signals from four plant types. We analyzed the resulting sound files to identify the number of unique signals on each plant and to categorize the signals into structural signal types. We tested whether signal diversity and signal type varied across the plant types. We discuss how our research will aid in understanding the potential impacts of a relatively unexplored niche concept on local assemblages of insect communities.
Session: Communication 5
Are popular monkeys smarter? The social and cognitive lives of primatesReggie Paxton Gazes
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA
Many social species live in groups structured in linear, transitive dominance hierarchies. Theory suggests that pressures exerted by the need to learn and maintain dominance relationships were major drivers of cognitive evolution, leading to the development or refinement of many of the cognitive abilities seen in socially complex species. For example, linear dominance hierarchies can be learned and represented through cognitive processes such as transitive inference (A>B, B>C, therefore A>C) and ordinal representation (A>B>C>D>E), both of which are commonly shown by social animals. However, while dominance relationships are important to the social lives of many species, they usually make up only a fraction of day-to-day social interactions. Instead, the majority of interactions are in support of non-transitive, non-linear positive affiliative relationships, such as grooming, playing, and being near other animals. In this talk I will present data related to how animals learn and represent linear transitive relationships, such as those seen in dominance hierarchies, as well as data on affiliative social interactions and their relation to performance on cognitive tasks.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (2)
How My Undergraduate Training Prepared Me To Study Female Social BehaviorElizabeth M George
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
My undergraduate training in animal behavior laid the foundation for my interests in female social behavior and reproduction. As a PhD student, I studied the proximate mechanisms and fitness correlates of aggression in competing female tree swallows. These behaviors led me to wonder why certain females are especially aggressive, and why this aggression varies over time. Next, I did a postdoc in collaboration with the Amboseli Baboon Research Project, studying individual variation in conception rates: why do some female primates take so long to get pregnant? Most recently, I am studying the complex social relationships of female common vampire bats, which are known for their cooperative food sharing. These studies span a range of taxa and a spectrum of sociality, yet they all stem from the research skills, foundational knowledge, and connections to the broader scientific community that I gained from my time in an animal behavior-specific undergraduate program. As I progress in my scientific career, I hope to continue to support new undergraduates who are also curious about why animals behave the way they do.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
Maternal exposure to predator cues increases offspring aggression in Schizocosa ocreata wolf spidersSusan N. Gershman1, Salvatore A. Sidoti2, Stuart A. Ludsin2, J. Andrew Roberts3
1The Ohio State University Marion, Marion, OH, USA, 2The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, 3The Ohio State University Newark, Newark, OH, USA
Maternal environment can provide cues that adaptively alter offspring phenotypes. While many studies have shown maternal effects on offspring morphology, fewer studies have focused on the effect of maternal environment on offspring behavior. We exposed gravid female Schizocosa ocreata wolf spiders to the presence or absence of predatory wolf spider cues and assayed aggressive behavior in parents and offspring. We found surprisingly high heritability of aggression scores, as well as repeatability of aggression scores within individuals. Further, offspring whose mothers were exposed to predator cues showed higher aggression scores than offspring whose mothers were exposed to control cues. Our results demonstrate that aggression has both a genetic basis as well as the potential for phenotypic plasticity in response to maternal experience. The adaptive value of transgenerational plasticity depends upon maternal environment predicting offspring environment; rapid environmental change has the potential to erode the benefits of transgenerational plasticity.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Do decapod crustaceans feel pain? How can we explore this question, and why does it matter? Jesi Gibbs, Melissa Hughes, Michael Ruscio, John Widholm
College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
Researchers have an ethical obligation to reduce unnecessary harm to animals that putatively experience pain, and in most places globally, welfare policy considers only vertebrate animals. A growing body of research suggests that some species of decapod crustaceans, a taxon commonly used in research applications, are capable of pain experience. However, there are large gaps in evidence across species, particularly in shrimp. This study explores this question in a snapping shrimp (Alpheus angulosus), using behavioral and neurobiological methods, comparing shrimp exposed to a noxious heat stimulus to uninjured shrimp. First, I will attempt to demonstrate conditioned place avoidance in heat-injured shrimp. Second, I will attempt to quantify nitric oxide - a molecule associated with pain processing - in snapping shrimp brains. This study will provide a novel characterization of a nitric oxide synthase in the snapping shrimp brain and has the potential to provide the first evidence for pain experience in a shrimp species. Results from this study have implications for animal welfare regulations in research and global commercial practice.
Session: Poster Session 1
Characterizing the Heritability of Cognitive & Behavioral Traits Across Development in Domestic DogsGitanjali E. Gnanadesikan1,2, Emily E. Bray1,3, Kerinne M. Levy3, Daniel J. Horschler1, Stephanie Hargrave1, Laura E.L.C. Douglas3, Brenda S. Kennedy3, Marina M. Watowich4,5, Noah Snyder-Mackler4, Evan L. MacLean1
1University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, 2Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 3Canine Companions, Santa Rosa, California, USA, 4Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, 5Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Many behavioral and cognitive traits are moderately-to-highly heritable in humans, with cognitive measures tending to increase in heritability over the lifespan and personality measures tending to decrease in heritability. However, few studies have explored the heritability of analogous traits in other animals or changes in heritability across development. We phenotyped 415 puppies and 520 adult dogs on the Dog Cognitive Development Battery. Scores across tasks were weakly intercorrelated, and we observed a wide range of estimated heritabilities. The most heritable traits in puppies involved looking to a human when spoken to ("human interest looking", h2 = 0.32) and reactions to a novel object (h2 = 0.56) and surprising events (h2 = 0.61). Most heritability estimates decreased slightly over development, although human interest looking time (h2 = 0.36) and novel object reactions (h2 = 0.31) remained moderately heritable in adults. Our results address the psychological structure of individual differences early in dog development, characterize the extent to which these traits are heritable and available to selection, and demonstrate changes in heritability across canine development.
Session: Allee Symposium (1)
Curiosity Caught the Bat: How do Bats Respond to Human and Trap Presence at Swarming Sites? Sepidar Golestaneh, Caleb C Ryan, Michela MC Contursi, Hugh G Broders
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Human presence can influence animal behaviour. While animals are usually deterred by human presence and alter their behaviour to reduce the chance of human encounters, others may be indifferent or even attracted to the presence of humans. Bats (Chiroptera) live relatively cryptic lives, largely owing to their nocturnality. Traditional bat research involves trapping and processing individuals. Previous research shows that captured bats may attract free-flying ones. We investigate the role that human presence and novel object (trap) presence play in the local distribution of free-flying bats. Specifically, we test the prediction that human and trap presence impact bat activity and behaviour during fall swarming. We focus on a widely distributed bat species, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), at a swarming site in Nova Scotia, Canada. The goal of our research is to determine if and how traditional research methods may impact the natural phenomena which we aim to describe.
Session: Applied animal behavior 3
Intersectionality in higher education requires change within ourselves and commitment with each otherDariana Gomez
Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
Higher education institutions often allow implicit norms and practices that foster a hostile and exclusionary environment for students, scholars, and faculty members alike. These unwritten/unspoken rules perpetuate disparities and misunderstandings among individuals, ultimately driving many away from academia. A long history of marginalization, dismissal and silencing of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals when challenging norms that have and continue to discourage and suppress exceptional intellects. This means that approaches to intersectional work require others to actively check and ensure that academic spaces are safe, instead of waiting for people to speak up. As we invite new minds in the field we need to be cognizant of the way we treat one another, and actively work include our ideas and contributions we bring to the scientific field. Putting our advocacy into practice will demand the inequities in higher education to be challenged and provide solidarity amongst each other.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (3)
The Effect of Temperature on Reproductive Success and Sperm TransferDariana Gomez1, Anthony Macchiano 1, Inaya Smith1,2, Kasey Fowler-Finn1
1Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, 2Harris-Stowe State University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
In this talk, I trace through my journey as a pre-medical student to an animal behavior scientist. I highlight the key experiences that influenced my decision to pursue a different career path. My undergraduate research experience was transformational and helped me become the scientist I am today. I address my current plans as a graduate student and the experiments I am working on.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
Complex song in a passerine: investigating relationships between vocal performance and male qualityHans R Gonzembach, Rindy C. Anderson
Florida Atlantic University, Davie, Fl, USA
Animals exhibit exaggerated phenotypes to signal individual qualities that predict fitness. Songbirds use phenotypes, such as broadcast song to signal their quality to receivers. In some species of songbirds, the signaling system is complex with multiple categories of song produced. In addition to broadcast song, Bachman's sparrows produce "complex song" during aggressive interactions with conspecifics. The acoustic structure and social function of complex has not been thoroughly investigated in any species. We hypothesized that males produce complex song to showcase their vocal prowess. We hypothesized that larger, stronger males produce complex songs that are more physically challenging to produce. Our results show a significant relationship between different acoustic features of complex songs and body condition. Individuals with larger pectoralis muscles produce longer elements (p = 0.035), providing partial support of our hypothesis. An initial method to measure vocal performance (vocal deviation) shows a significant correlation against our hypothesis (p = 0488). Analysis is underway to measure vocal performance of complex songs using a different method, frequency excursion
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Bite force variation in urban and non-urban Darwin's finchesKiyoko M. Gotanda1,2, Sarah A. Knutie2,3, Ashley Love3, Theresa McCaffrey4, Glenn Tattersall1, Jaime Chaves2,5, Anthony Herrell6
1Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, 2Universidad de San Francisco Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 3University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA, 4University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 5San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA, 6CNRS, Paris, France
The Galápagos Islands are renowned for their unique, endemic biodiversity which inspired Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution by natural selection. In particular, Darwin's finches are an iconic example of adaptive radiation due to natural selection, where ~18 species have evolved from a single, common ancestor. Each species of Darwin's finches is able to specialize on niche specific food items, and the size and shape of their beak reflects this. On the Galápagos Islands, humans have direct and indirect effects on the adaptation of Darwin's finches. For example, the presence of humans in urban areas means the presence of novel food items that finches can forage on. For finches, foraging on human foods is not affected by the size or shape of their beak. Here, we looked at how bite force, a function of the size and shape of the finch beak, might be changing in response to urbanization and human foods.
Session: Ecological effects
Why vampire bats share blood-meals with non-relatives: an agent-based modeling approachJordan M. Graves, J. P. Calcitrai, Jeffrey C. Schank
UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Blood-meal sharing in the common vampire bat is widely viewed as a paradigm of cooperation, often touted as an example of reciprocal altruism. Recent empirical studies suggest this behavior may stem from more selfish origins like bet-hedging. How then can this cooperation evolve and persist when cheating is possible? We developed an evolutionary agent-based model to simulate social groups where bats form social networks, forage, migrate between groups, share blood-meals, and reproduce. Five network models consisting of kin and non-kin were tested for cooperation under varying harsh conditions (reproductive cost, foraging success). Bats could share or not share within and outside of their network. In all models, in-network cooperation is necessary to survive. For kin plus non-kin networks, in-network only sharing evolved under harsh conditions. Thus kin-only networks effectively do not persist as bats must share meals with non-kin to survive. The best combination of maximizing individual selfishness while reaping group benefits appears when networks have the most non-kin. Individuals must bet-hedge against harsh conditions by using their network as a reservoir for blood-meals.
Session: Poster Session 2
Investigating suburban bobcat behavior with community college research studentsMeeghan Gray
Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, NV, USA
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are wide-ranging North American felids that have adapted to a variety of environments, including the suburban environment. Previous research shows that urbanization can pose problems to bobcat populations, however, our initial research has shown they can be quite successful in the suburban landscape. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate movement patterns and behavior of suburban bobcats in West Reno and 2) use this research as a conduit for engaging and training undergraduate community college students. We have been tracking bobcat presence and behavior through the use of camera traps for four years. For the past year, we have monitored movement of four GPS collared bobcats and have found trends in habitat use including overlap in their home ranges, high site fidelity to particular backyards, avoidance of canids, and patterns in kitten rearing den site usage. We have also discovered conflicts between bobcats and homeowners that raise chickens, which has led to relocation of two cats. We plan to continue this research to learn more about habitat use of suburban bobcats and provide opportunities for more students to engage in authentic research.
Session: Education
Changes in Cortisol Levels and Behavior in Polar Bears at the Buffalo ZooNicholas R Grebenok, Sarah Olejniczak, Susan W Margulis
Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA
Zoo-housed polar bears face many challenges such as climate mismatch and spotty breeding success. Certain behaviors such as pacing are seen widely among polar bears in zoos which can often be construed as stress-related. We examined behavior and stress hormones via non-invasive hormone analysis in an effort to identify the relationship between behavior and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGCM) levels. We collected data for two years on one female and one male polar bear and identified certain key events that we hypothesized could be stressors. These included specific events that interrupt their typical routine such as: Introducing bears seasonally, separating bears seasonally, mating, veterinary exams, and large crowds. As expected, FGCM peaks generally coincided with presumed stressful events. Physical exams, introduction, and separation of the bears led to short-term elevations in FGCMs that quickly returned to baseline levels. We did not detect crowd level causing an effect on behavior or FGCM levels. We note that some events that may lead to elevations in FGCM concentrations may in fact be positive (eg., mating) and zoos should be mindful of how they interpret such findings.
Session: Poster Session 1
Responding to a Cat-astrophe: Owner Attachment Predicts Grief Response in Domestic CatsBrittany D. B. Greene, Jennifer Vonk
Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA
Grief following the loss of a companion animal has been widely studied in humans, with less known regarding the response of surviving companion animals in the household, especially domestic cats. Behaviors resembling grief following the loss of a companion animal have been observed in domestic dogs and multiple wild species. At least one study also reported changes in affectionate and territorial behaviors as well as frequency and volume of vocalizations in domestic cats following the loss of a companion animal. A total of 424 cat owners were surveyed about their own relationship and their surviving cats' (N = 452) relationship with a deceased pet, as well as possible behavioral changes of the surviving cat following the loss of another companion animal in the household. Linear regression analyses yielded owner attachment as the primary predictor of observed behavioral changes in cats, indicating possible projection of owner grief onto surviving pets. Variables related to the relationship between companion animals, including length of time the animals lived together and time they spent interacting, also significantly predicted changes in behavior following the death.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Offspring provisioning dynamics in a communal breeding birdLeanne Grieves1,2, Ashley Grew2, Labiqah Iftikhar2, James Quinn2
1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 2McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Social animals often cooperate but contributions may not be equal, leading to individual and group level fitness consequences. In smooth-billed anis (Crotophaga ani) multiple unrelated co-breeders form a communal breeding group and females lay their eggs in a shared nest. Group sizes range from 2 to >20 individuals (mean = 6) and little is known about offspring provisioning. We tested whether anis use simple provisioning rules and preferentially feed their genetic offspring within joint broods. Smooth-billed anis were significantly more likely to feed chicks that begged earlier, begged harder and were smaller. Using 11 microsatellite markers, we found no evidence that anis selectively provision their own young. Instead, individuals with more offspring in the joint brood delivered more food and were thus more likely to feed their own young, suggesting that anis use a simple rule of increasing feeding effort when their genetic contribution to the nest is greater. Simple decision rules may preclude the evolution of offspring recognition in this species, but the mechanisms by which individuals track their contributions to joint clutches remain unknown.
Session: Parental care
Wonderful Warbles: Sex Specific Language Rules in Yellow-naped Amazon, Amazona auropalliata, Pair Duets Brianna E. Guenther, Bryce E. Killinger, Malanna M. Snipe, Christine R. Dahlin
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA
Yellow-naped amazons (Amazona auropalliata) are critically endangered parrots found in Central America that engage in call-response or 'duetting' behaviors during their mating season while protecting their territories. Standard duets are given under lower-aggression circumstances and consist of the same few repeated notes, while warble duets consist of more diverse notes and complex patterns. The duets were analyzed using spectrograms generated in Raven and then sorted into a lexicon based on similar sound and appearance. The notes were sexed and entered into Voyant to provide data analyses for significance. After comparing the unsexed data to the sexed data, only 7 of the collocates remained significant. The notes were then analyzed for majority rules by comparing the usage of notes by both males and females. A minimum value of majority was chosen to be 75%. Analysis showed that 4 female notes were 100% majority, 9 female notes were ≥75% majority, 6 male notes were 100% majority, and 12 male notes were ≥75% majority. These results suggest that males and females exhibit sex-specific notes and provide further insight into the structure and function of warble duets.
Session: Poster Session 2
Complexity of free-ranging spatial behaviour, cognition, and the hippocampus in ring-billed gullsMelanie F Guigueno1, Anna Lippold1, Marilou Lalumiere2, Jonathan Verreault2
1McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Spatial behaviour can vary considerably between individuals of the same species, yet few studies have examined the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying this variation in wild, free-ranging animals. Over five breeding seasons, we placed high-resolution GPS loggers on urbanized ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) nesting near Montréal, Canada, a colony where highly variable spatial foraging strategies were previously recorded. From these loggers, we extracted spatial complexity measures such as home range size and the number of foraging sites. Among the individuals with tracking data, we measured spatial cognition (navigation and spatial learning), personality (neophobia and aggression), and hippocampal neuron numbers (mature and immature) using unbiased stereology. Spatial foraging strategies were highly repeatable among individuals, but were not associated with personality or hippocampal neural numbers. We discuss our results in the context of both movement ecology and cognitive ecology, thus providing a comprehensive understanding of the connections between behaviour, cognition, and the brain.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Seasonal Crop Foraging Habits of Wild Asian Elephants and Farmer Reactions in Western ThailandScott J. Gulizio1, Sarah L. Jacobson1, Marnoch Yindee2, Joshua M. Plotnik1
1The Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA, 2Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Wild elephant foraging behavior in agricultural areas causes financial losses for farmers, leading to the implementation of several elephant deterrents to diminish crop-foraging. We studied wild elephant crop-foraging and farmer responses in agricultural areas bordering Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand by recording videos of elephants from watchtowers in crop fields. We analyzed the seasonality of crop foraging, how long elephants would remain in crops, and how farmer presence affected behavior. Additionally, we recorded deterrent use by farmers. Farmer presence shortened the time spent foraging, however foraging time was longer when crops were fully grown despite farmer presence. Elephants foraged in larger groups during the cool season compared to the rainy season, and when the crops were at the lowest cultivation stage. Moreover, farmers used more types of deterrents and used them more frequently the longer elephants were in the fields. These results and a better understanding of these interactions may lead to the development of more effective management solutions to support human-elephant coexistence in this landscape.
Session: Poster Session 1
A whole-brain map of pair bond expression in a monogamous rodentMorgan L Gustison1,2, Rodrigo Muñoz-Castañeda3,4, Pavel Osten3, Steven M Phelps2
1Western University, London, ON, Canada, 2University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, 3Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA, 4Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
Prairie voles (M. ochrogaster) are one of the few mammals to form stable attachments, or pair bonds, between mates. Much is known about neurobehavioral mechanisms supporting bond formation, but it is unclear what mechanisms drive bond expression. Here, we investigate the behaviors and neural circuits active during bond expression. We test the hypothesis that an overlapping, but distinct, set of regions are active during bond expression and formation. After forming a pair bond, subjects were placed in a three-chamber choice arena in one of four contexts. Subjects were alone or exposed a partner, a stranger, or both a partner and a stranger. We used a whole-brain imaging pipeline to quantify the immediate early gene c-Fos. We found sex differences in behavioral responses, with males spending more time with strangers. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalus emerged as a central node in the bond expression network, along with variation in c-Fos induction in memory circuits across contexts. In contrast to our hypothesis, the bond expression network emerged as a subset within the bond formation network. Our results suggest that similar pathways support both bond formation and expression.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Nasty Neighbors in the Neotropics: Territorial Aggression Varies Seasonally in an Andean SongbirdDaniel A. Gutiérrez-Carrillo1,2, Carlos D. Cadena1, Juliana Rodríguez-Fuentes3, Jorge E. Avendaño4
1Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia, 2Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA, 3University of Groningen, Groningen , Groningen, Netherlands, 4Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Bogotá, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Territorial animals exhibit differential responses to intruders based on the level of threat they pose. Using playback experiments, we found that males of a Neotropical songbird responded more aggressively towards neighbors than towards strangers, a pattern known as the nasty neighbor effect. However, territorial aggression varied seasonally: (1) prior to breeding, playback location did not influence the intensity of focal male responses to neighbors, but (2) after breeding concluded, males were more aggressive to neighbors only when perceived from unexpected locations. In contrast, males did not respond strongly towards strangers suggesting that these individuals presented a lower threat than neighbors. Territorial aggression against neighbors appears to be a mate-guarding mechanism in this species. Our results differ from those found in temperate zones, where strangers often elicit stronger responses. Additional studies on the behavioral ecology of tropical birds are required to understand the generality of nasty neighbor effects and the drivers of territorial behaviors, which may differ from those influencing shorter-lived and more commonly migratory temperate species.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
A Survey Of ABS Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists: Who Are We And What Do We Do?James C Ha1, Victoria Cussen2
1University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, 2ASPCA, New York, NY, USA
The Animal Behavior Society has, since 1990, maintained a professional certification program for individuals working in the field of Applied Animal Behavior. This is defined broadly as anyone who uses the principles of modern animal behavior science in resolving issues with animals impacted by human activities. Most commonly, this work involves behavior issues in companion animals, but also includes any captive animals (research, conservation/zoos, livestock). Here we present the results of a survey of the 68 current active Full and Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists, updating a survey presented in 2012. We summarize information about terminal degrees, current employment, and professional activities.
Session: Poster Session 1
Does exploration in a foraging context predict life history strategy in eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus)?Elène Haave Audet1, François Briau2,3, Dany Garant2, Patrick Bergeron3, Denis Réale1
1Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, 3Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Resource acquisition is predicted to affect energy allocation, and individual variation in resource acquistion is expected to predict life history variation in animal populations. Eastern chipmunks display individual variation in life history depending on year of birth. Individuals born in years of high resource abundance and low population density have a fast life history while those born when resources are low and population density is high have a slow life history. While birth cohort predicts exploration behaviour in a novel environment, the relationship between foraging behaviour, exploration in a novel environment, and life history is unknown. In this study, we investigated among-individual differences in the trade-off between searching for resources and exploiting resources in 64 marked chipmunks using artificial feeders in the field. We investigated whether an individual's trade-off profile was affected by its birth cohort and whether it could be predicted by exploration in a novel environment. We hope to elucidate the role of individual differences in resource acquistion on life history differences in a wild population.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Variation in Widespread Northern Cardinal Songs Recorded Along Orthogonal 100-mile TransectsSylvia L. Halkin
Central Connecticut State University Biology Dept., New Britain, CT, USA
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) song repertoires include both geographically widespread and local songs. Widespread songs may facilitate song-matching communication by dispersing individuals; song matching allows birds with song repertoires to direct their songs to conspecifics singing a shared song type. This system will be more stable if widespread songs persist over time. I compared song repertoires I recorded from 1981-1986 and 2021-2023 at the same Madison, Wisconsin study site. Ten song elements were shared between the two time periods. In 2021 I also recorded Northern Cardinal song along orthogonal 100-mile transects centered on the long-term Madison study site. Six of the ten song elements that appeared to persist over 40 years at the central site were also recorded at locations up to 50 miles away in 2021. Renditions of the same song element showed some variation over time and between locations, including shifts in frequency ranges and repetition rates. Patterns of variation in widespread song elements may provide insight into their sources of stability and change.
Session: Communication 1
Conflict is Contagious in a Group-Living FishIan M. Hamilton
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Neighbors are critical parts of many group-living animals' environments. The costs and benefits of neighbors may depend on neighbors' within-group interactions. For example, within-group interactions could influence opportunities for between-group movement, influencing joiner pressure and outside options for neighbors, or could provide information about groups' shared environment. Additionally, misdirected signals or interactions could spread beyond the group. Thus, there is potential for social contagion in which within-group dynamics spread to a group's neighbors. We tested whether within-group conflict in the cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher was contagious by temporarily removing and returning dominant females from focal groups to increase within-group aggression. Unmanipulated neighbors of removal groups also increased within-group aggression compared with neighbors of control groups. Aggression between removal groups and neighbors did not increase, suggesting spillover via direct interactions is unlikely. Our results indicate that within-group aggression can depend on distant events and suggest the possibility of 'waves' of conflict that could reshape entire neighborhoods.
Session: Social behavior 2
The impact of blue light on Drosophila melanogaster reproduction and physiologyLaura Hampel, Tristan A.F Long
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Artificial blue light is ubiquitous thanks to its widespread use in light emitting diode (LED) devices. Prolonged blue light exposure has been linked to disrupted circadian rhythms and damage to human's eye retinal cells, and it is suspected to also have other long-term effects on health. To experimentally explore the consequences of blue light exposure many studies have used fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster as a model. To date such studies have reported increased mortality, faster aging, and neurodegeneration in blue light exposed flies, and have speculated this damage is due to excess mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). In my study I exposed flies to blue light or white light for extended periods of time and placed them into reproductive assays where I could monitor their behaviour, reproductive success, and offspring production. I found that blue light flies and white light flies behaved differently from each other in these choice assays and these effects were different between the sexes. I discuss these results in the context of what they reveal about blue light, and concerns about its long-term effects on the behaviour and fitness of living organisms.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Dietary l-carnitine as a potential mediator of stress response in juvenile convict cichlidsEmma Handelsman, Natalie A. van Breukelen
Goucher College - Biology, Baltimore, MD, USA
Laboratory animals may be exposed to stressors, either through housing conditions or testing. For both the integrity of the studies (as HPA activation can result in abnormal physiological response), and for animal welfare, there is an interest in mediating these stressful conditions. Since socialization, housing space, and other stress-reducing environmental features may not be viable for some lab conditions, our study investigated the use of a non-pharmaceutical dietary additive as a stress-mediating factor. We supplemented the diet of juvenile convict cichlids for 60 days with the non-essential amino acid, l-carnitine, which has been shown to mediate stress. We exposed the fish to a stressor (live predator) and compared their stress responses to fish fed a lab-typical diet. We measured circulating cortisol before and after the stress exposure using water-borne extraction and ELISA. We compared behavioral stress response after exposure using a modified open field test. We predicted that if l-carnitine is an effective mediator of stress response the experiment group will have lower overall cortisol responsiveness and will display less exploratory behavior in the open field test.
Session: Poster Session 1
The influence of plastic pollution on fish behavior in a freshwater boreal lakeJacob Haney1, Paul Blanchfield2, Chelsea Rochman1
1University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada , Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Plastic (> 5mm) is a global pollutant found in lakes, rivers, and oceans, directly affecting biota through ingestion and entanglement, potentially leading to mortality. However, its indirect impacts remain largely unknown. Plastic debris in marine ecosystems attracts fish, creating new habitats, but interactions are unexplored in freshwater. To address this gap, we conduct an in-lake manipulation experiment at the International Institute of Sustainable Development's Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) near Kenora, ON, Canada. Plastic debris is introduced into surface water and benthic plots within near-shore habitats of a boreal lake. We aim to determine if this habitat modification affects behavior, such as spawning, feeding, and shoaling in minnow species. Our objectives are: 1) assess differences in fish diversity, abundance, and size distributions, 2) evaluate fish behavior around plastic versus natural materials, and 3) investigate if plastic items serve as suitable spawning habitats for fathead minnows and whether they affect egg quality. This research aims to quantify the effects of plastic debris on fish habitat, offering insights into the ecological impacts of plastic pollution.
Session: Poster Session 1
Sneaker male nest preferences: Do females know best?Ainsley Harrison-Weiss1, Anna Grace Burgess1, Madeleine Thomson2, Francis Juanes2, Sigal Balshine1
1McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
In the world of male alternative reproductive tactics, a major hurdle to a sneaker male's reproductive success is finding females. While guarders generally have the luxury of attracting females, sneaker males often must seek them out. One potential tactic to increase the likelihood of encountering females is to affiliate with female-preferred guarder males and nests. We investigated whether sneaker males share female preferences for particular male and nest characteristics in the plainfin midshipman (Poricthys notatus), a species of toadfish with two distinct male morphs—guarders and sneakers. We know female plainfin midshipman are attracted to guarder male humming and prefer larger males, and generally, female fish often prefer spawning alongside other females' eggs. In this study, we tested whether sneaker males share these female preferences and prefer to visit nests containing 1) guarder males, 2) large versus small guarder males, and 3) eggs. Preliminary results indicate that sneakers did not prefer to spend more time near these three types of nests; however, further analysis is necessary to disentangle sneaker preferences to better understand their decision-making.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Quantifying social transmission through honeybee communication networksMatthew Hasenjager1,2,3,4, William Hoppitt4, Iona Cunningham-Eurich4,5,6, Victoria Franks4,7, Ellouise Leadbeater4
1Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program, Knoxville, TN, USA, 2University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA, 3National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Knoxville, TN, USA, 4Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, England, United Kingdom, 5Natural History Museum, London, England, United Kingdom, 6University College London, London, England, United Kingdom, 7University of Chester, Chester, England, United Kingdom
Honeybee colonies are microcosms of information-sharing in which information spreads via multiple forms of interaction. During foraging, honeybees share navigational information via waggle dances and acquire food-related olfactory information through nectar-sharing and antennation. However, disentangling the contributions of these transmission pathways is challenging, as bees are often exposed to them simultaneously in the hive. We combined social network analyses with experimental manipulations to evaluate how these communication systems combine to guide bees to food across different foraging contexts. We found that patterns of dance-following accounted for nearly all instances of recruitment to novel foraging locations, but that decisions to return to familiar sites were best explained by a combination of network types. Bees were especially likely to return to familiar sites after following dances advertising that site, suggesting that the dance's spatial information remained important in this context. By elucidating the role of these transmission pathways in guiding foraging decisions, we show how they confer important robustness and flexibility to honeybee collective foraging.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (2)
Singing through time and space: spatial patterns of advertisement relative to neighborhood fertilityCarly E. Hawkins1, Autumn R. Iverson1, Jessica L. Malisch2, Thomas P. Hahn1, Gail L. Patricelli1
1UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA, 2UC Merced, Merced, CA, USA
Despite low reproductive variance in socially monogamous species, the categorization of "monogamy" conceals enormous variation in how individuals achieve overall reproductive success. 97% of "monogamous" birds engage in tactics that can lead to extra-pair paternity and/or loss of within-pair paternity. Investment in within-pair reproduction (e.g. parental care) comes at the expense of investment in extra-pair reproduction (e.g. courtship) and vice versa. How males balance extra-pair vs within-pair choices leads to differences in reproductive composition (proportion of extra-pair to within-pair offspring). We investigate behavioral differences among male white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) that might favor or result from alternative mating tactics. Specifically, we examine how male singing locations change in response to neighborhood fertility by comparing song locations over time to their overall home range. Understanding how variation in reproductive composition impacts overall reproductive success offers insights into overlooked subtleties of avian biology pertaining to the evolution and biological implications of social monogamy.
Session: Poster Session 2
Does a Full Belly Make You Sexy? Nutrition Affects Singing in the Male Tropical House CricketCleo Hawthorne, Nathaniel Fukutake, Chandreyee Mitra
Department of Biology, North Central College, Naperville, IL, USA
Male condition is known to affect secondary sexual characteristics and consequently fitness in many species. We examined such effects in the nuptial gift-giving tropical house cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus, where males produce long-range calling songs to attract females—a behavior that incurs costs but is critical to reproductive success. Males with restricted access to nutrients are expected to allocate less energy towards calling, lowering their fitness. Newly matured male crickets were placed on either a high or a low-quantity diet. After 7-16 days, males were recorded individually for song characteristics and in groups for calling amount. We found that males on a high diet were more likely to call, and their calls had shorter chirp durations and fewer pulses per chirp. Additionally, family of origin (i.e., genetic background) affected chirp rate and dominant frequency. These results suggest that nutrition affects both calling activity and some call characteristics, with effects on female choice.
Session: Poster Session 2
An Ecological Basis for Navigational StrategiesJordan Heeney, David White
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Studies of spatial memory in animals have extensively examined task specific performance, yet, the underlying cognitive mechanisms which may mediate that performance largely remain neglected. This study used Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater)—a species with sexually dimorphic ecological spatial demands—to assess whether the sexes would use different navigational strategies to solve a spatial task. Subjects (n=31) were trained to find meal worms in sand-filled bowls; locating worms could be achieved by tracking environmental cues or by simply following a beacon. During testing, the beacon was displaced and subjects were timed at each available search location to respectively determine task performance and beacon dependence. Results revealed that the females' strategy primarily utilized alternative spatial cues, rather than beacons. The males' strategy, by contrast, had a greater reliance on beacons to locate food than the females' did. The difference in search location despite no difference in ability seemingly reflects different navigational strategies between the two sexes.
Session: Poster Session 1
Sensory drive in the era of artificial intelligence: new tools for new experimentsYseult Hejja-Brichard1,2, Kara Million1,3, Iain Moodie2,4, Julien P Renoult2, Tamra C Mendelson1
1University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA, 2Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France, 3University of North Alabama, Florence, AL, USA, 4Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Sensory drive describes how animal communication signals and preferences evolve as adaptations to local environments. Classical approaches to testing this hypothesis focus on preference for one component or feature of a signal, such as color. We use artificial intelligence (AI) to overcome the limits of a one-trait paradigm. With three unique studies conducted in Etheostoma, a diverse genus of freshwater fish, we demonstrate (1) how AI can generate new holistic phenotypes without focusing on a single feature, (2) how AI algorithms can be used to determine how similar two stimuli appear to the eye of Etheostoma, and (3) how artificial neural networks can represent the brain as an agent of selection. These studies represent three different applications of AI that test predictions of sensory drive and "processing bias," asking whether sexual signals in Etheosoma mimic the underlying patterns of their habitat and whether the fish prefer these patterns. We illustrate how AI can be leveraged to test predictions of sensory drive further while overcoming some of its limitations, here the one-trait approach, thereby demonstrating its generalisability.
Session: Poster Session 1
The interplay between paternal care and male-male cooperation in the ocellated wrasse Jennifer Hellmann1, Kelly Stiver2, Susan Marsh-Rollo3, Suzanne Alonzo4
1The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, 2Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 3McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 4University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Male-male competition drives the evolution of reproductive traits, and theory generally predicts that males should reduce their paternal care when perceived extra-pair paternity is high. In systems where two males cooperate to defend territories against other male competitors, cooperation of a secondary, satellite male may increase actual or perceived paternity of the dominant, nesting male and thus, the quality of his paternal care. To test this, we measured reproductive dynamics and cooperative behavior during the spawning phase to correlate it to the quality of the nesting male's paternal care in the ocellated wrasse (Symphodus ocellatus). Although the quality of care (fanning rates) for each male was repeatable across days within a nesting cycle, it was not repeatable across different nesting cycles. Instead, males altered their care based on social dynamics at the nest. Nesting males provided care for fewer days when there was more conflict between the nesting male and satellite male and when there was satellite turnover at the nest. These results suggest that male-male cooperation may drive the evolution of paternal care in ways that are not yet appreciated.
Session: Parental care
Can Ewe Weather the Storm, Baby? The Impact of Environmental Conditions on Juvenile Bighorn Sheep Condition Tanisha C. Henry, Cameron McArthur, Peter Neuhaus, Margaret M. Hughes, Nigel Caulkett, Luke Bistritz, Kathreen E. Ruckstuhl
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Environmental conditions can impact the well-being and survival of offspring. Previous studies on Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) have shown that aspects of weather and climate impact the survival of lambs to yearling age. Specifically, the quality and quantity of spring forage as well as spring temperatures impact lamb survival. Furthermore, snow cover decreases daily forage intake as individuals must often wade and paw through snow to access forage. Despite previous work, there is a paucity of research on how these factors might affect body condition and survival of lambs in concert. We investigated the extent to which birthdate, weather and climate impact early lamb survival and body condition in Sheep River Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. Using a piece-wise structural equation model we assessed the effects of maternal age, birthdate, spring precipitation, snow melt, temperature and NDVI as well as winter snow cover, and snow depth on the body condition and survival of bighorn lambs over 20 years.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Gossip, Government, and Good Neighbors: Linking narrative to animal movement behavior across shared landscapesKatherine V. Hernandez, Daniel Blumstein
University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sustaining human-wildlife coexistence is critical to species conservation, especially as space becomes increasingly limited for animal and human-life alike. Humanity has always been deeply connected to the ecological world, so when human-wildlife conflict occurs it is important we approach the issue as part of a complex web of connections that exist, harmoniously and not so, in their specific place and time. The field of social-ecological systems (SES) seeks to understand these connections between human-specific systems (i.e. cultural, political, economic) and related ecological systems. Many studies can be found on political- and economic-ecological couplings, but there is more to learn about how cultural systems—from identity to art and all other ways of being—are linked to the natural world so as to affect, and are affected by conservation issues. We seek to contribute to this growing literature with a coupled narrative-behavior SES framework, through which we present human environmental narratives as agents and consequence of changing animal behaviors in shared landscapes.
Session: Conservation
Partial results on the validation process of a dog-owner attachment questionnaire to Brazilian cultureMariana Hess1, Carine Savalli2
1University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 2Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Attachment is an emotional bond characterized by seeking security and comfort in a relation with another individual, the attachment figure.The Dog Attachment Insecurity Screening Inventory (D-AISI) is a self-report questionnaire aimed to identify a dog's attachment style to its owner. Our aim is to validate and adapt D-AISI questionnaire for Portuguese language and Brazilian culture, examining its correlation with owner, dog and their relationship data. By now, we have translated,back-translated, and culturally adjusted the questionnaire via a pilot sample. Following adjustments,a final version was released for data collection. Our prelim sample was of 315 participants, mostly female (87.6%) with postgrad degree (45.9%) and an average age of 36.75 years (SD=11.68). Among dogs,52.4% are female,36.5% mixed breed, averaging 4.87 years (SD=2.94). We aim for 600 responses for total validation, with exploratory and confirmatory analyses,Cronbach's Alpha calculation and regression modeling to explore demographic factors associated with D-AISI scores.Our goal is to obtain an instrument with good psychometric properties for a better understanding of attachment relations across these species
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
Sociality in climate change: bonds in plains zebra harems buffer those with the greatest need during a droughtSeverine B. Hex1, Erin S. Isbilen2, Dan I. Rubenstein1
1Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, 2Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut , USA
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.
Session: Allee Symposium (2)
The Role of Testosterone in Song Learning for a Species with a Two-Song RepertoireRebecca A Hill, Bernard Lohr
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Song is a learned behavior in oscine passerines, and song development must be accomplished correctly for a bird to reproduce successfully. Songs are memorized during an early sensory phase, then produced and modified throughout a sensorimotor phase during a bird's first breeding year. In most species this learning period ends with crystallization, when the song becomes stereotyped. Crystallization is typically preceded by a rise in circulating testosterone. The role of testosterone in song learning for species with multiple song types is still unclear. We studied song learning in grasshopper sparrows, which have two distinct song types. We implanted a subset of birds with testosterone early during the sensorimotor phase and analyzed their recorded vocalizations during this period to determine each individual's crystallization date. Our results revealed that early testosterone seems to accelerate learning; birds with implants completed the crystallization process, and did so 8-10 weeks earlier than control birds. This outcome contrasts with previous evidence suggesting that testosterone may function to arrest learning, potentially resulting in an abnormal crystallized song.
Session: Communication 1
Spider color variation in forest and urban habitats of the mountain region of EcuadorMartin Hinojosa1, Jennifer Guevara2
1University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena, Napo, Ecuador
Phenotypic plasticity is widespread in arthropods, and it is known that many species can change their coloration in response to environmental change. Animal coloration has multiple functions including photoprotection and thermoregulation. This becomes relevant when adapting to novel environments like urban habitats associated with canopy cover loss and increased light intensity. Here, we aim to understand the color variation of spiders (genus Anelosimus) in forested and urban environments. We expected lighter spiders in urban sites due to increased temperatures and radiation (heat island effect). We sampled spiders in urban and forested habitats in the mountain region of Ecuador and took pictures of female spiders to obtain luminance values of their abdomen. Consistent with our predictions, spiders were significantly darker in the forested habitats than in urban sites, suggesting a plastic response of this trait to environmental cues. These findings increase the knowledge about plasticity in arthropods and their response to rapidly changing environmental conditions. Future efforts will focus on identifying the factors driving the color variability in these habitats.
Session: Poster Session 2
Social support and rank dynamics in parakeet groupsElizabeth A. Hobson
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Three social processes shaping animal social dynamics in group-living species are power, support, and information. Power comes from rank and dominance, support comes mainly from affiliative partnerships, and information comes from recognition and memory of individuals and past interactions. In socially and cognitively complex species, all three factors can work together to shape social dynamics, yet we do not know how they combine or interact. My team manipulated power and support in groups of captive monk parakeets to test how rank dynamics were affected in two treatments: (1) "break support" where a single high-ranking bird was removed from the group and (2) "maintain support" where a high-ranking bird and its closest associate were removed. Birds were reintroduced following a 6-8 day absence. Breaking support resulted in high-ranking birds suffering large rank losses on their reintroductions to groups, being bullied by group members on their return, and longer time to regain rank. In contrast, birds where social support was maintained reestablished their ranks faster. These results show preliminary support that social support may be an important factor in parakeet rank dynamics.
Session: Social behavior 2
Characterizing (un)natural vocal interactions between female zebra finchesBenjamin Hoffman1, Logan James2, Jen-Yu Liu1, Marius Miron1, Sarah Woolley2
1Earth Species Project, Berkeley, CA, USA, 2McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
Interactive vocal communication is important for a range of social interactions. At a basic level, interactions require one individual to respond when another vocalizes. However, in some species (e.g. humans) there are real-time adjustments to the acoustic properties of vocal signals that are shaped by the interaction. These processes remain poorly understood in the vocal interactions of animals, particularly for vocalizations produced outside the most commonly studied contexts. Here, we characterize interactive, dyadic communication between pairs of female zebra finches, a colonial species that produces numerous contingent vocalizations. We parameterize these interactions (n>1e6 calls), and find acoustic features of a bird's call that could predict aspects of her partner's response. We test the degree to which these changes are dependent on live social interactions through comparison with the vocal behavior of birds in four playback regimes. Together, these data lend insight into the plasticity of vocal signals and importance of social feedback during vocal interactions and may provide the foundation for using machine learning (ML) systems that emulate interactions between birds.
Session: Communication 2
How do insects choose host plants? Social groups, plant neighbors, and the chemistry of tropical treesKatherine D. Holmes
Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
Insects use plants for purposes as diverse as food, housing, mating, and rearing offspring. Host plant selection is thus critically important, and how insects respond to variation in plant traits can have cascading effects on communities and ecosystems. In the past several years, I have explored plant insect-interactions using markedly different conceptual frameworks. From a social information perspective, as an undergraduate I studied the demographic structure of insect groups across habitats; as a graduate student, I used plant "neighborhoods" to understand insect herbivore impacts in wetlands; and as a current postdoc, I explore the evolution of chemical complexity in plants to understand patterns of rarity and abundance in the tropics. Each of these approaches can enrich our understanding of how insects navigate complex environments and impact plant communities.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
Can Asian Elephants Prepare for Mutually-Exclusive Outcomes, and Does Social Context Play a Role?Sydney F. Hope1, Sangpa Dittakul2, Taweepoke Angkawanish3, Joshua M. Plotnik1,4
1Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA, 2Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Thailand, 3National Elephant Institute, Forest Industry Organization, Hang Chat, Lampang, Thailand, 4Psychology Ph.D. Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
The ability to prepare for mutually-exclusive outcomes is critical for future planning. Although once thought to be unique to humans, there is evidence that great apes also exhibit this ability. We investigated this in another large-brained mammal, the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). We used an 'inverted Y-tube' - in a task adapted from one used with nonhuman apes and children - where individuals must catch a food reward that drops down a tube and exits from one of two bottom openings. Simultaneously covering both openings provides evidence that the individual can prepare for mutually-exclusive outcomes. At the National Elephant Institute in Thailand, we tested 12 elephants both individually and in pairs to determine if social context could influence future planning. We found that one elephant learned to cup her trunk to cover both ends, suggesting an ability to prepare for two outcomes. However, when tested with a partner, she performed this behavior less frequently. We will discuss this individual's behavior, and behavioral data from those who did not learn to cover both ends, in the context of future planning, social influences on decision-making, and collective intelligence.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
Selective partner preference in monogamous and non-monogamous species of PeromyscusDaisy M. Horr, Eileen A. Lacey
University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
Mating systems are an integral part of a species' biology. In socially monogamous species, a strong pair bond is critical to reproductive success. To establish these pair-bonds, individuals must not only be able to recognize their mate but also have a selective preference for their mate over a stranger. Along the coast of central California, the socially monogamous Peromyscus californicus co-occurs with the polygynandrous P. boylli, providing an ideal opportunity to assess differences in the nature and strength of social relationships between reproductive partners in sympatric members of the genus with differing mating systems. A subset of these animals was subjected to Partner Preference Tests (PPTs), in which individuals were given the choice of interacting with a familiar reproductive partner or an unfamiliar, opposite-sex conspecific. Here, we use time in proximity to each test animal to assess relative preference for reproductive partners in each species. In addition to generating new insights into the nature of male-female pair bonds in free-living P. californicus, these analyses add to our growing understanding of the evolution of social monogamy in the genus Peromyscus.
Session: Poster Session 1
Song stereotypy and live interaction during courtship in zebra finches.Rosie K. Hsu, Mary R. Elson, Nora H. Prior
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Zebra finches have complex social lives and vocal interactions. The current understanding of zebra finch courtship is that males sing an individualized song to attract a mate, and females prefer males with a high quality song - typically defined as highly stereotyped, complex, and with high frequency elements. However, courtship song co-occurs within rich social interaction including calling exchanges. Here we asked 1) how a male's song stereotypy influences female responsivity in a passive playback experiment?, 2) how a male's song stereotypy relates to their overall calling behavior during courtship?, and 3) how calling exchanges during courtship interactions subsequently influence female responsivity for a male's song? In this study we used 24 females and 6 males. We quantified female calling to 3 of the male's passive song playback and compared their responses to song and calling exchanges during live males. Song stereotypy was assessed using Sound Analysis Pro. Our preliminary results suggest that female calling is not linked to simple measures of stereotypy, and raises the question that other features of interactive vocal exchanges are also important during courting.
Session: Poster Session 1
Network dynamics of an African colobus disclose a potential evolutionary pathway of multilevel societiesPengzhen Huang1, Lu Wang2, Samantha M. Stead1, Edward Mujjuzi3, Julie A. Teichroeb1
1University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2Leshan Normal University, Leshan, Sichuan, China, 3Rwenzori Colobus Project, Nabugabo, Uganda
In primates, multilevel societies (MLSs) have been well studied in Asian colobines and African papionins. Yet, we still lack clear understanding of the MLS of Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii). This subspecies lives in a distinct MLS with a mixture of one-male-multifemale core units (OMUs) and multimale-multifemale core units (MMUs). Here, we present the framework of the C. a. ruwenzorii MLS by examining the social network dynamics and its linkage with demographics in a wild population residing near Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. In this MLS, OMUs are shadowed and associated by a few MMUs, resulting in the formation of a higher grouping level, the clan. Core units within clans show a short-term high fission-fusion pattern, but associate non-randomly and clan compositions are quite stable over the long-term. This MLS evolved from the aggregation of the inclusive OMUs and MMUs that characterize African colobines. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that this aggregation may result from the low agonistic ability of OMUs against MMUs. Our results highlight the importance of social factors (i.e., inter-group pacification) in the evolution of primate MLSs.
Session: Social behavior 5
Backyard Boldness: Investigating How Urban Landscape Heterogeneity Affects Mesopredator Risk-Taking BehaviorGretel Huber, Lauren Stanton, Cesar Estien, Christopher Schell
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
Urbanization poses new challenges for wildlife. Consequently, urban individuals have been observed exhibiting bolder behavior towards novel situations than rural counterparts. Social inequities put further pressure on an animal's risk perception due to differing quality of habitat patches. For generalists who capitalize on anthropogenic resources and are managed as pests, these effects may be exacerbated. In this study, we surveyed the risk-taking behavior of raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and opossums (Didelphis virginians) towards a novel foraging task ("puzzle"). In partnership with urban residents and organizations, we deployed >100 puzzles in yards and public green spaces across California's East Bay to evaluate how species boldness and agonism variation relates to (1) habitat quality and (2) human presence. Our results suggest landscape heterogeneity has some impact on risk-taking and with continued data collection, more conclusive trends will emerge. Our results build a better grasp of how societal inequities spill over to shape urban wildlife ecology, with applications for improving human-wildlife coexistence and conservation in cities.
Session: Poster Session 1
Responses to ultraviolet light in several species of branchiopod crustaceansPaige O. Huffman, Nicolas Lessios
Assumption University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Branchiopod crustaceans are passive dispersers that often inhabit temporary pools of water and lay eggs which can withstand dry periods. Research so far has indicated these habitats tend to attenuate light rapidly with depth and that ultraviolet wavelengths are attenuated more quickly with depth than longer wavelengths. Despite ultraviolet light being attenuated rapidly in their environments, results so far indicate that branchiopods might have specific responses to ultraviolet wavelengths that differ from visible wavelengths. It remains to be seen if these responses are to avoid damage from harmful radiation, as in at least two species, branchiopods move towards light in the range of 365-394nm. In this study, we aim to describe the photobehavior of several species of branchiopod crustaceans in response to ultraviolet light. We used a 300 Watt Xenon arc lamp, neutral density and interference filters to control light stimuli intensity and wavelength. Crustaceans were tested in a uv-transmissive plastic chamber made from PetG. These findings suggest that these species could be using ultraviolet sensitive photoreceptors in their compound eyes for these behaviors.
Session: Virtual Posters (asynchronous)
Evaluating movement and caching behaviours in food-storing corvids Bryan Hughes1, Kyle Elliott1, Debbie Kelly2, Melanie Guigueno1
1McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Some species mitigate the impact of food scarcity and benefit from ephemeral food stores by caching, a behaviour by which an individual stores food for later retrieval. However, it is unclear how behaviours differ across species that rely less frequently on caching for survival. Indeed, interspecific differences exist in caching intensity (number of caches created and distance between caches) and retrieval (success rate and use of cognitive, visual, or olfactory cues). One species, the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga Columbiana), caches tens of thousands of seeds within 3000-5000 cache sites per spring. Meanwhile, the Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) and black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia) cache less frequently. We will use novel, remote GPS tracking to evaluate fine-scale movement (≈5 m accuracy) and behaviour relating to cache number, distance between caches and retrieval rate among different food-storing corvids. As such, this integrative project combining movement, behavioural and cognitive ecology will take a holistic approach to evaluate a continuum of caching behaviour, from magpies (low) to jays (intermediate) to nutcrackers (high).
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Attentional character displacement: how search images limit competitionKeren Ighalo, Noam Miller
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Numerous studies have examined visual search and how foraging animals form search images, almost all focused on individuals. Here, we present an agent-based model simulating collective foraging on cryptic prey in agents that either do or do not form search images. Agents focused on one prey type reduce its local density, biasing other agents to form search images for other prey types, which may reduce competition. We report agents' success rates and attention-space dynamics. We also varied the proportion of a population that could modulate their attention and prey crypticity. We find that the ability to modulate attention increases distance in attention-space and reduces competition, improving success rates. Agents that cannot modulate their attention also benefit from foraging with those that can. These effects are sensitive to prey crypticity. By incorporating the cognition of visual search into a model of collective foraging, our data suggest one driver of the evolution of search images.
Session: Poster Session 2
You Can Lead a (Captive-Reared) Crane to Water but You Can't Make it RoostWilliam R. Inghram1, Marianne M. Wellington2, Anne E. Lacy2, M. Elsbeth McPhee1
1University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA, 2International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI, USA
A source of mortality in the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) of whooping cranes is predation, which inhibits the establishment of a self-sustaining population as required for down listing. Previously, captive reared birds released have shown variation in roost habitat choice, with some birds' choices putting them at an increased risk of predation and human-wildlife conflict. This study aims to answer if whooping crane chicks reared in captivity preferentially use water over dry areas during roosting periods, and to understand if water use in captivity correlates to roost habitat choice after release into the Eastern Migratory Population. We will examine how often the chicks reared at the International Crane Foundation utilize water for roosting at night using trail cameras to collect imagery. We will then monitor where the birds choose to roost at dawn and dusk after release. These roosting locations will be assessed for water coverage and vegetation density to evaluate roost habitat quality. We hypothesize that roost preferences developed in captivity will shape choices in the wild. In this poster, we present the results of the first season of captive data collection.
Session: Poster Session 2
Using ICP-MS to Quantify Metal Concentrations in Northern Cottonmouth Blood Before and After BrumationAleida G. Iriarte1, Adrian Macedo1, Mary Kinsel1,2, Jason L. Brown1, Robin Warne1
1Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA, 2Mass Spectrometry Facility, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
Over two years, Adrian Macedo, a graduate student, collected blood samples from Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) captured within Southern Illinois both before and after their brumation periods. These samples were analyzed using immune system assays and tested for snake fungal disease (SFD) to investigate how brumation affects snakes' immune systems. Building upon this project, I analyzed the remaining blood samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). More specifically, I quantified iron, magnesium, and zinc concentrations in plasma and erythrocyte samples due to their important roles in immune systems and previous literature suggesting seasonal variation in their concentrations. Now, I will utilize statistical analyses to determine if there is a change in the average of these metal concentrations before and after brumation. Additionally, I will run analyses to see if there is any correlation with the immune assay results from Adrian's project. This project deepens scientific understanding of how immune systems change to withstand brumation, a vulnerable time during which immune system responses are depressed and SFD can threaten populations.
Session: Poster Session 2
Reproductive allotment affects cognition in the live-bearing Western MosquitofishKyndal B Irwin, Emily M Edgar, Caitlin R Gabor
Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas , USA
In an increasing urbanized world, animals are faced with unprecedent change to freshwater ecosystems. Trade-offs between reproduction and survival is foundational to life history theory, however, a comprehensive understanding of the associations bridging reproduction and cognitive function in fish species remains incomplete. We investigated how reproductive allotment affected cognitive performance and behavior in a live-bearing fish, Gambusia affinis. We tested inhibitory control and risk-taking in a detour test across six populations of a Gambusia affinis from varying degrees of urbanization and habitat complexity. Previously we found that populations of Gambusia affinis from low levels of habitat structural complexity showed greater inhibitory control and greater risk-taking. Our current study presents evidence that motivation, a cognitive trait, is affected by the interaction of habitat structural complexity and reproductive allotment in Gambusia affinis. These results suggest it is important to measure multiple traits in the context of specific habitat characteristics to understand forces affecting cognition and behavior in response to the environmental change.
Session: Ecological effects
Effects of Noise on Learning Performance and Reproductive Success in Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) Sara B Isgate, Anne M Puchalsky, Alina J Iwanowicz, Caitlin A Honus, Gabriel T Casanova, Bailey W Betcher, Julian D Avery, Jason C Keagy
The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
Cognition may be a possible mediator of avian breeding success. Previous research has examined how anthropogenic noise affects cognition, but it is unknown how the interplay between anthropogenic noise and cognition impact parental care. This study used an operant conditioning task in Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) to examine potential effects of acute noise on cognitive performance and brood success. Fifty-four nest boxes were checked daily for eggs and nestlings. After nestling hatching, mated pairs were presented with a trap door device with two levers. Birds perched on the correct lever in the presence or absence of gas compressor noise to access nestlings. Nestling number and size were also recorded. An ethogram and BORIS software were used to measure persistence, effort, and learning performance from video recordings. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine links between cognitive performance and brood quantity and quality. Pilot data have generated problem-solving scores and learning curves, with a significant decrease in solving time with repeated attempts. By identifying threats to reproductive success, we aim to positively impact conservation strategies.
Session: Cognition & learning 4
Attraction to Novelty in Wild Asian Elephants Between Human-Dominated and Natural LandscapesSarah L Jacobson1, Sangpa Dittakul2, Mananya Pla-ard2, Supang Sittichok2, Marnoch Yindee3, Joshua M Plotnik1
1The Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York, New York City, New York, USA, 2Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Thailand, 3Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Animal responses to novelty are relevant for species in human-dominated landscapes (HDL) in which novel exploration can aid or inhibit survival. Wild Asian elephants are spending more time in HDL as development increases. Greater neophilia (attraction to novelty) may allow elephants to access agricultural resources, which may improve their fitness but can also result in negative interactions with people. We assessed wild elephant reactions to novel objects to test our hypothesis that elephants near HDL were more neophilic than those inside a protected area (PA). We also compared neophilia measures for individuals exposed to two objects to determine whether neophilia could be considered a personality trait. Elephants tested near HDL approached and touched novel objects more quickly than those inside the PA. However, reactions were inconsistent for elephants exposed to both objects, so neophilia was not supported as a personality trait. Even if elephants were not consistently neophilic, those who spend time near agriculture can benefit from their interest in novelty. Knowledge about this attraction could inform strategies for deterring elephants from HDL and promote coexistence.
Session: Allee Symposium (1)
Personality in the Chalk-browed Mockingbird: The Role of Risk Aversion in the Face of PredationMARIA DEL ROSARIO JACOBY, JUAN CARLOS REBOREDA, VANINA DAFNE FIORINI
Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, IEGEBA - CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The costs produced by predators on the reproductive success of birds can be reduced through different behaviors. We studied the influence of personality on the reproductive success of Chalk-browed Mockingbirds (Mimus saturninus). We conducted tests of neophobia and risk aversion in pairs of breeding mockingbirds and analyzed the association between these traits and nest depredation during the fledgling stage. The study was conducted during the breeding seasons of 2021 and 2022 in open woodlands of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Successful pairs showed lower risk aversion than pairs from nests that were depredated (P=0.04, n=18 pairs), but there were no differences in neophobia between pairs of successful and depredated nests (P=0.39, n=14 pairs). Our results highlight the importance of some personality traits like risk aversion on the reproductive success of mockingbirds. Future studies may help to understand how differences in risk aversion behavior translate into lower nest depredation.
Session: Predation & foraging
Humans and animals share acoustic preferencesLogan S James1,2,3,4, Sarah C Woolley1, Jon T Sakata1, Courtney B Hilton4,5, Samuel A Mehr4,5, Michael J Ryan2,3
1McGill University, Department of Biology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2University of Texas at Austin, Department of Integrative Biology, Austin, Texas, USA, 3Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama, Panama, 4Yale University, Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 5University of Auckland, School of Psychology, Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Many animals use acoustic signals to attract others. Biases in signal perception, processing, and preferences impact responses of receivers, and these biases need not have coevolved with the signals themselves. Indeed, Darwin noted that some animals "have nearly the same taste for the beautiful as we have," suggesting that fundamental perceptual biases may produce common aesthetic judgements across species. However, few studies have directly asked whether animals share acoustic preferences. Here, we collected preference data from one animal (humans; n > 4,000) for vocal signals with known conspecific preferences (n = 20, covering frogs, mammals, birds, and insects). We find that, broadly, humans agree with the acoustic preferences of other species. We also find intriguing variation; e.g., human preferences are not concordant with animals when the stimuli differ in developmental experiences, but humans do agree with animals when the stimuli differ in measures of complexity or social context. Overall, these results are consistent with the theory that preferences for signals can evolve separately from the signals themselves, and confirm a century-old hunch about beauty in nature.
Session: Communication 3
Understanding the Individualized Impacts of Death on Gorilla Group DynamicsValerie James-Aldridge1, Claudia Martinez2, Patricia Scanlan1, Jamie Langbein1,2
1Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX, USA, 2University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA
We examined effects of the death of an adult female gorilla (G. g. gorilla) named Martha on other group members: Martha's infant, Kruger; silverback, Mbundi; and two other adult females related to Martha, each with an infant of her own, Penney with infant Sally, Margaret with infant Burchfield, at Gladys Porter Zoo. Despite limited pre-death data due to covid-related issues, descriptive statistics revealed changes in affiliative, anxious, agonistic, and undesirable behaviors. Kruger increased affiliative contacts with Mbundi (Pre M=0.46 min per 5-min focal test; Post M=2.16 min) who readily accepted his offspring's presence. Neither Penney nor Margaret increased affiliative contacts with Kruger post-death. Shifts in anxious and agonistic behaviors emerged. Margaret exhibited reduced anxious behaviors (Pre M=0.84 min; Post M=0.05 min); Burchfield displayed increased agonistic behaviors (Pre M=0.01 min; Post M=0.91 min). Penney, Martha's full sister, showed an increase in undesirable behaviors (Pre M=0.09 min; Post M=0.24 min), possibly as a result of loss of social support. These findings help us understand death's impacts on gorilla group dynamics.
Session: Poster Session 2
How to study the interactions between humans and deaf dogs? A new approach on the use of sensory modalitiesCarolina Jardim, Natalia Albuquerque
University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Deaf dogs are commonly euthanized and that is justified by the idea that these animals will develop behavioral problems. However, little is known about the impacts of sensory deficits on the interaction between dogs and humans. The aim of this work is to propose a new approach on the topic, grounded on Ethology. We suggest strategies to fill a gap in the literature and ensure a better understanding of the use of sensory modalities by humans and dogs, using deaf dogs as a model. Firstly, it becomes necessary to make direct observations using structured ethograms for the assessment of behavioral patterns. Secondly, experimental designs may be crucial to understand the implications of canine deafness (e.g. is the use of sensory channels flexible?). Thirdly, studies that make use of naturalistic observations should be prioritized, ensuring that the expression of behaviors should be as spontaneous as possible. Finally, it is important to access both humans and dogs in the investigations. A greater understanding of these issues can provide the tools for developing appropriate ways of managing deaf dogs and facilitating more positive relationships between humans and companion animals.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
The effects of urbanization on Rhamphomyia longicauda nuptial gifts and operational sex ratio Dominik Jaworski, Gurmukh Gidda, Rosalind Murray
University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauag, Ontario, Canada
Rapid city expansion can change biodiversity. The sex role reversed dance fly species Rhamphomyia longicauda is distributed across an urban gradient. R. longicauda females are ornamented and swarm at dusk and dawn, where males present prey (nuptial gifts) to females at the time of copulation. Mating in this species is strictly seen within the context of mating swarms, allowing for easy measurement of the operational sex ratio (OSR; the proportion of males and females available to mate at a given time). Females compete for access to these nutritious nuptial gifts, whereas males are the choosy sex. We aimed to measure the OSR of swarms and biodiversity of nuptial gifts across three sites of varying urbanization. We observed female biased OSRs, greater diversity, and lower mass of prey in rural and semi-urban sites. Whereas in the urban site, the OSR was male biased, had less prey diversity, and high mass prey.
Session: Poster Session 2
Bat Predation on Sleeping Birds: A Novel Foraging Strategy for an Eavesdropping Specialist?Mary Heather B. Jingco1, Lauren Norwood1, Luisa F. Gómez-Feuillet1, M. May Dixon1,2, Jay J. Falk1,3, Logan S. James1,3, Rachel A. Page1
1Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Colón, Panama, 2Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 3Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA, 4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas,
Neotropical leaf-nosed bats from the family Phyllostomidae display a spectacularly broad diversity of diets. Among animal-eating phyllostomids, the fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) is a passive gleaner that relies primarily on prey-emitted sounds to locate prey. It hunts frogs by eavesdropping on mating calls, but also feeds on arthropods, reptiles, and other bat species. Observations of culled remains below roosts and fecal metabarcoding analyses revealed that these bats also consume diurnally active prey, including manakins and hummingbirds. We investigated the ability of T. cirrhosus to localize silent, motionless prey - sleeping birds - and assessed its efficacy as a bird and nest predator in artificial and natural settings. We investigated these questions in captive experiments by quantifying the behavioral responses of T. cirrhosus to mounts of bird species of varying size and to nests with eggs, and by installing trail cameras in known foraging areas provisioned with these same items in the wild. Our results not only provide context regarding bat foraging abilities, but also shed light on a relatively unexplored source of predation of small Neotropical birds.
Session: Predation & foraging
Finding evidence of social interaction within an egg clutch using network-based diffusion models. Jewel Johnson1, Matthew J. Hasenjager2, Jessica Ward1
1Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA, 2University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Social interactions are crucial among group-living animals, playing diverse roles in communication. While conspecific social interactions are extensively studied in juvenile and adult phases, emerging evidence indicates communication during the embryo or egg stage. Studies across organisms reveal embryos interacting for functions such as synchronized hatching, hatching assistance, and anti-predator strategies. Despite common observations of embryonic communication, the sensory mechanisms facilitating information transfer and how it traverses a clutch remain unknown. This study employs simulated predator attacks on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos, coupled with network-based diffusion modeling. Our pilot data suggest that localized disturbances, such as a predatory attack on one egg, may influence behavior in at least three adjacent eggs in physical contact with the focal embryo. This implies a role for mechanosensory mechanisms in information transfer. The study highlights adaptive mechanisms embryos employ, emphasizing their vulnerability during this crucial stage of life.
Session: Poster Session 1
Snake Speed Dating: Using Personality and Dyadic Interactions To Predict Social NetworksMaggie-Rose A. Johnston, Noam Miller, Morgan Skinner
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Social networks in snakes are known to be mediated by personality, context and the conspecifics involved. In a large aggregation no interaction is independent; spending time with one individual entails an opportunity cost of not socializing with another. With so many variables at play, identifying the key characteristics of social networks can be difficult. To break them down into their component relationships and discover how they are constructed, groups of six juvenile corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) underwent dyadic 'speed dates' with each other, followed by six days of aggregation and preceded by individual personality assays (two each for boldness and sociability). We found a strong correlation between the difference in boldness between snakes, but not sociability, and the time they spent interacting. Despite low consistency across our repeated personality assays, a Random Forest classifier could reliably predict the identity of snakes based on their behaviors in dyads, suggesting that the social behavior of individuals is consistent over many trials. Networks derived from these dyadic interactions can be used to identify relationships conserved in larger aggregations.
Session: Poster Session 2
How do chickadees communicate about the presence and absence of food?Claire M. Jones, Brittany A. Coppinger, Robert L. Curry
Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
Many social animals vocalize at food sources to recruit groupmates and maintain group cohesion, thereby gaining the benefits of group protection, but little research addresses how animals communicate about variability in food availability. Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) form winter foraging flocks and make complex, compositional recruitment calls at food sources. In a field experiment, we used motorized feeders, programmed to open and close at set times, to simulate temporally variable food sources. We recorded Carolina Chickadee vocalizations at these feeders and analyzed differences in note composition (of A, B, C, D, and E notes), pitch, and duration between calls made in open and closed feeder conditions. Chickadees used B, C, and E notes more frequently and A notes less frequently at open feeders where they could actively forage. Call rate and number of D notes per call did not differ, but D notes made at open feeders were lower in pitch and longer in duration than at closed feeders. This research lends insight into how chickadees communicate at food sources and maintain group cohesion while foraging, which could aid their winter survival.
Session: Communication 4
Landscape of giants: Elephant-induced habitat alterations and behavioral cues shape ungulate behaviorMaggie M. Jones1, Robert A. McCleery1, Robert J. Fletcher, Jr.1, Laurence Kruger2, Ara Monadjem3, Samantha Wisely1, Chevonne Reynolds4, Kelsey Glennon4, Kim Roques5, Phumlile Simelane5, Janessa Keller1, Sanele Nhlabatsi5
1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA, 2Organization for Tropical Studies, Skukuza, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 3University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini, 4University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, 5All Out Africa, Lobamba, Eswatini
The loss of megaherbivores (mass over 1,000 kg) threatens the structure and function of ecosystems globally. While megaherbivore effects on vegetation are well-studied, they may also influence other taxa, including smaller herbivores. In African savannas, megaherbivores, particularly African elephants (Loxodonta africana), may shape the behavior of ungulate herbivores in two ways: 1) indirectly by altering vegetation structure and thus forage availability and predation risk, and 2) directly by eliciting fear responses due to a risk of antagonistic interactions. To test the relative effects of these mechanisms, we used a field experiment emulating elephant-induced habitat alterations and behavioral cues (vocalizations) in a savanna without elephants in Mlawula Nature Reserve, Eswatini. Overall, ungulates limited their activity in areas with either type of elephant effect. However, there was significant variation in individual species' responses. Larger species were attracted to areas with elephant effects, while smaller species generally avoided them. Our results emphasize that fear responses to behavioral cues can be as strong as those from elephant-induced changes in vegetation.
Session: Ecological effects
Owner-Driven Functional Behavior Assessment for DogsSusan D. Kapla
Canine Consultants, LLC, Skandia, MI, USA
Functional behavior assessments utilizing indirect assessment procedures (like owner interviews) are often conducted to identify the variables that precede and follow problem behavior in dogs. From these interviews, direct observation and manipulation of environmental variables can be conducted or, often, interventions are developed and implemented in-situ while monitoring efficacy. Direct involvement of owners in this process while supporting owners to adhere to suggested behavior change strategies, especially when that is challenging, is critical. To this end, an extension of a process called The ACT Matrix will be described. The ACT Matrix was originally developed to help people engage in valued behavior, even when it is challenging. This presentation will extend that function to 1) demonstrate how behavioral professionals can use this process to involve owners directly in identifying behavioral function, 2) teach owners the concept of behavioral function, and how to use the process outside of the formal consultation setting, and 3) help increase psychological flexibility in both the behavioral professional and owner.
Session: Poster Session 1
Differences among methodologies used to assess personality structure in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)Kosho Katayama, Kazunori Yamada, Masayuki Nakamichi
Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Zookeepers and researchers evaluate animal personalities using a variety of methods. However, there is no consensus on whether the same personality traits can be measured across methodologies, or how consistent a personality is across situations. We investigated this issue using personality ratings and behavioral observations. Twenty-seven females and five males from a provisioned group of Japanese macaques in Arashiyama, Kyoto City, Japan were administered a questionnaire comprised of 55 items. Behavioral observations were conducted for 233 h on 58 behavioral measures. Principal component analysis for 31 reliable items revealed four traits from the ratings and four traits from 15 temporally stable behavioral measures. However, the correlations of the component scores between the traits from the ratings and the behavioral measures were low. We conclude that personality ratings and behavioral observations may capture different aspects of animal personality, with no strong cross-situational consistency in personality. We suggest that in questionnaires, it is essential to consider specific "situations" to predict behavior accurately, making them applicable to animal management.
Session: Social behavior 4
Reproductive steroids as mediators of parental-reproductive tradeoffs in brood parasitic birdsIshveer Kaur, Thuzar Aye, Kathleen S Lynch
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
Parental and reproductive behaviors represent a tradeoff for songbirds that raise altricial young. Most songbirds build nests, incubate eggs, and provision nestlings, which limits their reproduction efforts. Alternatively, if parents shirk offspring care, they are free to continue reproducing. This is the strategy employed by avian brood parasites that rely on a host species to raise their young, which allows parasitic birds to lay 10-fold more eggs than other songbird species. Here, we aim to understand whether steroid hormones mediate this tradeoff in the parasitic brown-headed cowbird. We compare seasonal reproductive hormone patterns and follicular development in cowbirds and red-winged blackbirds as well as responsivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Results reveal cowbirds have shifted the timeframe in HPG activity such that nearly fully developed eggs occur when host nests are newly constructed. We are currently examining species differences in nestling steroid production to understand whether these differences appear early during development. Our current results indicate cowbirds exhibit shifts in the timing, magnitude, and sensitivity of HPG activity.
Session: Poster Session 1
Canine Functional Analysis of Dog-Directed ReactivityStephanie Keesey-Phelan, Ran Courant-Morgan
The Dog Behavior Institute, Lancaster, MA, USA
This study involved the application of functional analysis (FA) methodology to dog-directed reactivity in a home-based setting. Reactivity involved whining, growling, or barking in the presence of another dog while oriented toward that dog. The experimenter used behavior skills training (BST) to teach caregivers to implement two single-function functional analyses. All training and coaching of the FA conditions were completed remotely via Zoom. The first FA tested for an escape function and involved an escape test and matched control. The second FA tested for an access/tangible condition and involved an access test and matched control. The caregivers implemented the FAs on two separate days while the experimenter coached them live via Zoom. The results of the FAs indicated that dog-directed reactivity was maintained by escape. These results suggest that behavior analytic FA methodology can be applied to the behavior of domestic dogs and extends the literature on conducting FAs remotely.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
Transient and persistent effects of mating on individual multimodal signaling behavior in a tropical katydidCiara Kernan1, Laurel Symes2, Hannah ter Hofstede3
1University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA, 2Cornell Lab of Ornitholology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 3University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
Among individuals, relationships between the use of functionally overlapping signals can reveal behavioral syndromes or developmental trade-offs. Alternatively, no relationship between the use of such signals might be the result of selection pressures acting independently on each signal. Distinguishing between these possibilities aids in understanding the evolutionary forces that shape signal repertoires. But assessing relationships between signals is complex: in addition to persistent differences between individuals, signalers can flexibly alter their effort as motivation, condition, and environmental cues shift. To quantify potential among- and within-individual variation in male Docidocercus gigliotosi katydids, we recorded diel patterns of multimodal signaling for up to 6 weeks. We examined how identity and mating history influenced both sound and vibration advertisement signaling. Individuals showed repeatability within each modality, but we found no evidence for among-individual correlations between signal types. Outside of a transient refractory period, unmated males increased signaling effort to a greater degree than those that had mated at the start of the experiment.
Session: Communication 2
Social Buffering and City-Living: Affiliative Interactions as an Adaptation to UrbanizationR. Julia Kilgour1, Barbara Class2
1University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 2LMU, Munich, Germany
Social buffering describes benefits experienced though increased social bonds as a means of coping with stress, with foundations in psychology and physiology. From an ecological perspective, social buffering may improve fitness in species experiencing acute or chronic environmental stressors, as is shown for cooperative breeders in areas of high environmental uncertainty. It is therefore possible that social buffering plays a role in wildlife adaptation to anthropogenic changes such as urbanization. City-life imposes many challenges to animals, such as changes in resource quality and abundance, pollution, habitat fragmentation, or novel predators. Although changes in social behaviours have been well documented in urban animals, focus is typically on agonistic behaviour or communication, ignoring prosocial or affiliative behaviours, and with few studies examining fitness consequences. In this poster, we explore how and when affiliative behaviour can improve fitness in urban species and assess current evidence suggesting that social buffering may occur in cities. We also identify knowledge gaps and propose a roadmap for future research on this potentially widespread adaptation.
Session: Poster Session 1
The Potential To Manipulate The Brain-Gut Axis Of Western Honey Bees To Promote Hygienic BehaviourSophie M Killam1, Brendan A Daisley 1,2, Graham J Thompson1
1Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, 2University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Honey bees, Apis mellifera, live in densely populated colonies and are therefore highly susceptible to disease. To mitigate the spread of infection, colonies can detect and remove diseased brood from their hive, but maintaining this trait within apiaries is challenging for beekeepers. One solution may be stimulating the hygienic response by heightening bee sensitivity to disease cues through manipulation of the brain-gut axis. Here, we fed bees specific bacterial species that may have neurostimulatory effects and tested if they performed better in a freeze-kill brood assay designed to measure the hygienic response. We found that, despite a high level of baseline variability in the bees' innate hygienic response, colonies that consumed 1x109 CFU/g of Bifidobacterium asteroides and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum became acutely more hygienic. However, this effect was not sustained after one week despite subsequent treatments. Our initial results suggest a link between the bee gut microbiome and the colony-wide response to disease that is highly relevant to beekeeping but we are not yet able to recommend a particular treatment.
Session: Social behavior 4
Relationship between personality and breeding behaviour in an urban bird, the Oriental Magpie (Pica serica)Hyo-hyun Kim1, Seong-guk Park1, Eunmin Shin1, Haeun Cho3, Sunghyun Lee2, Piotr G. Jablonski2, 4, Sang-im Lee1, 5
1Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Korea, 2Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 3Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea, 4Museum and Institute of Zoology, PAS, Warsaw, Poland, 5New Biology Research Center, Daegu, Korea
Personality of animals shapes behaviour plasticity which mediates the utilization of novel resources and the ability to cope with disturbance, and thus influences the reproductive success in the wildlife adapting to the urban environment. In this study, we examined the relationship between personality traits, the composition of urban infrastructure in the territories and the breeding behaviour of 42 pairs of the Oriental Magpie (Pica serica). Specifically, we measured the degree of neophobia, the intensity of nest-defence behaviour and the frequency of nestling provisioning visits. We found that shy magpies occupied the territories containing fewer urban components. They showed less intense defence responses but more frequent nest visits indicating a trade-off between defence and nestling provisioning. As the result, shy individuals achieved healthier but fewer fledglings. Our results suggest that the impact of urbanisation on the breeding of wildlife can be mediated by the personality of individuals.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Does Separation Make the Heart Grow Fonder? The Reinforcing Properties of Social Mates in Zebra FinchesMartin R Kim, Nora Prior
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
Zebra Finches are characterized as monogamous. However, these pair bonds can be dynamic and zebra finches also maintain multiple social relationships. Because of this, further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of how social relationships change over time. The goal of our study was to investigate the relative strength of zebra finch bonds during courtship and pair bonding across social contexts. We used Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) tests. First, we found that the reinforcing properties of a courting bird was stronger for female subjects, while pair bonding was not reinforcing for either sex. Importantly, courting dyads displayed more copulations and male song, while pair bonds displayed more clumping. Now, we are combining a separation-reunion test with CPP to further investigate how the strength of social bonds in zebra finches change over time. Zebra Finches will undergo either complete isolation from their partner or visual isolation. We predict that the separation period will be a stressor, making the reintroduction of their partner a reinforcing property. Altogether this work will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of pair bond maintenance.
Session: Poster Session 1
Extended nighttime leads to dawn chorus-like intense singing in adult zebra finches.Satoshi Kojima1, Chihiro Mori2, Joowon Kim1, Ednei B. dos Santos1
1Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea, 2Teikyo University, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Birds have served as important models for understanding how animals adjust their behavioral rhythms to variations in day/night length. Using captive zebra finches, we tested if nighttime length affects singing behavior in the subsequent morning. We conducted an experiment manipulating nighttime length in sound-proof boxes by shifting light-on time in the morning to observe the potential impact of 'short' vs. 'long nights' on singing motivation. Then, we manipulated nighttime length again allowing a gradual transition from dim light to full brightness. Also, we explored the role of melatonin in singing motivation, conducting a systemic injection experiment using Luzindole, a selective antagonist of melatonin MT1/MT2 receptors. Our results show that: longer nights lead to increased singing rates and shorter latencies to start singing; birds initiate singing under dimmer light conditions following longer nights compared to shorter nights; and birds start singing earlier when they receive Luzindole injections. These results suggest that extended night periods suppress singing and boost singing motivation, leading to intense singing early in the morning, reminiscent of a dawn chorus.
Session: Poster Session 1
American Woodcock Courtship Performances as Conservation Management IndicatorsChristina L Kolbmann, Jeff F Kelly
University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) is a shorebird turned gamebird that has experienced a steady population decline since the 1960's. Even though behavioral studies on game species are often conducted through the lens of improving the human hunting experience or increasing fecundity, little is known about this species' mate choice except that females assess males during courtship performances. A critical first component of establishing population rebound efforts is to understand what factors influence reproductive events. For woodcock, courtship performances involve aerial displays and two types of auditory signaling. My research investigates how the soundscape of breeding grounds influences courtship vigor by quantifying performance variation, audience effects, and anthropogenic disturbances. I use BirdNET and acoustic indices to describe courtship ground soundscapes, identify target species, and determine anthropogenic disturbance thresholds. In this symposium, I will talk about how my academic journey pushed me toward finding my passion for translating research on animal behavior into practical conservation management initiatives.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
Lost in Defenseless "Territories": Reforming Avian Spatial EcologyAr Kornreich, Tom J. Daniels, J. Alan Clark
Fordham University, Bronx, New York, USA
Understanding the way members of a species organize themselves and use space is critical to understanding their behavior and implementing conservation efforts. However, nuanced information is lost when language describing spatial ecology becomes imprecise. Although nearly all historical definitions of territory in ornithology include defense behaviors, when 113 accounts of migratory passerine species of the Northeastern USA were surveyed in Birds of the World, 25% of cited studies measured areas indistinguishable from home range, without regard for defense behaviors, and 40% offered unclear methods. Additionally, for more than 80% of species accounts, home range data were missing entirely. To better understand the significance of territory and home range differences, 11 breeding male Gray Catbirds were fitted with GPS loggers to measure their home ranges and tracked on foot to map their territories as defended by song posts. Defended territories comprised only 4-7% of calculated home range area, which did not exclude neighboring territories. These findings highlight the importance of considering behavioral differences over space in understanding social behavior and ecology.
Session: Conservation
Aggressive Behaviors in Gorillas before and after Relocation of an IndividualPeyton I Koukides, Abigail R Gurgol, Susan W Margulis
Canisius University, Buffalo , NY, USA
In May of 2023, a juvenile male western lowland gorilla housed at the Buffalo Zoo, was relocated to a bachelor group. Dominance relationships among females are often related to the presence of offspring in the group. We expected to see increased levels of agonism among the 3 remaining females (one mother-daughter pair and the mother of the young male). Here, we examine the frequency of agonistic behaviors among the remaining gorillas before and after the young male was moved. We used a long term dataset that has been collected by our research team for 15 years. We compared frequency of agonistic behaviors (including bite, chase, displacement, display, hit, and pull) for 7 months prior to the departure of the young male (Oct 2022-mid May 2023) to behaviors during the 7 months since his departure (Mid-May 2023 - Dec 2023). We found that there was a significant increase in agonism after his departure (Chi-square =15.07, P< 0.001), driven largely by two of the females. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis and show that there were significant differences in agonism overall between the remaining gorillas after the juvenile male was moved.
Session: Poster Session 2
Effects of Between-Group Conflict on Within-Group Social Behavior in Wild White Faced Capuchin MonkeysSarah A. Kovalaskas1,2, Vasco A. Martins2, Chloë India Wright2,3, Marcela E. Benítez1,2
1Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, 2Capuchins at Taboga Research Project, Taboga Forest Reserve, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 3University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Between-group competition may play a crucial role in shaping within-group social dynamics by enhancing cooperation within groups. However, investigations into the immediate behavioral consequences of between-group interactions in the wild are rare. In this study, we investigated the behavior of 41 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) at the Reserva Forestal Taboga in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. To examine if between-group conflict influenced social behavior with groupmates, we compared post-conflict focal follows (n=115) recorded in the hour following an interaction with another group, to control focals (n=115) taken on the same individual +- 7 days. Contrary to our predictions, after conflicts, we found more instances of in-group aggression and no difference in the number of initiations or duration of affiliative behaviors, like grooming, though more post-conflict focals were characterized by grooming (27% vs. 19%). We also observed more vigilance behaviors in post-conflict scenarios, like increased infant holding and less group play. These results support the idea that between-group conflict induces stress that can reduce positive social interactions among groupmates.
Session: Social behavior 2
A spatial approach to duet function in the Adelaide's Warbler (Setophaga adelaidae)Samantha W. Krause1, Tyler R. Bonnell2, Marcos J. Dostie1, Samantha I. Booth1, Peter C. Mower1, David M. Logue1
1University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, 2University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In many species of birds, mated individuals sing duets. In some duetting species, only females answer their mates' songs to form duets. Functional studies of these "female-controlled duets" offer a unique opportunity to focus on the female's decision to form a duet. In this observational study, we tested predictions of two functional hypotheses, joint resource defence and mate localization, to better understand the evolutionary pressures that act on species with female-controlled duets. Adelaide's warblers (Setophaga adelaidae) are tropical and non-migratory. We used radio-telemetry to simultaneously record focal pairs. We found that females answered more when they were near territory boundaries or their mate, and around the time of aggressive encounters. Females tended to move towards the mate after he sang, but we did not find evidence that birds of either sex use duets per se to find the mate. Our results suggest female answering functions to defend shared resources including the partnership, but not to localize the mate. This is the first study of duet function in a warbler, and one of only a few observational studies based on simultaneous tracking of both pair members.
Session: Communication 2
The effect of mercury exposure on torpor, fuel stores and migration in silver-haired batsMelina Kuerschner, Christopher Guglielmo
University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Bats frequently use torpor, which is defined as a profound reduction of metabolic rate and therefore, body temperature, to conserve energy. Torpor is especially important for migratory species during stopovers, as migration is very energy costly. Methylmercury (MeHg) is a heavy metal that elicits many neuro-toxicological effects on organisms that ingest it, such as restlessness, hyperactivity, spatial cognition and behavioral deficits including feeding, motor coordination and balance. Bats may be exposed to high levels of MeHg as it readily bioaccumulates in their prey. I hypothesize that higher levels of fur MeHg will be negatively related to fuel stores, torpor use, and migration performance. I will quantify these potential effects, by using previously collected bat fur samples from silver-haired bats, in conjunction with respirometry, body composition, and radiotelemetry data from those studies. The samples and data were collected by Kristen Jonasson and Dylan Baloun. Jonasson's fur samples ranged from 1.49-16.57 mg/kg of THg, with a mean of 4.92mg/kg of THg. There was no significant difference between THg loads between the sexes. Baloun's samples have not been analyzed yet.
Session: Ecological effects
Faster explorers are more flexible avoidance learners without trade-off with learning speedChi-Yun Kuo1, You-Si Chen1, Ai-Ching Meng1, Yu-Zhe Wu1, Shan-Yu Yang2, Ching-Ning Yeh2
1Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, NA, Taiwan, 2Bachelor Program in Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung Ciry, NA, Taiwan
The fast-slow behavioral syndrome predicts that fast explorers should be faster but inflexible learners. Empirical evidence for this personality-cognition coupling remains inconclusive and heavily biased towards birds. Moreover, most studies did not examine when individuals have to discern food quality, a scenario directly related to energy acquisition that underpins the evolution of fast-slow syndrome. We examined the exploration-cognition correlation during avoidance learning in the common sun skink. We quantified exploration with novel environment tests and compared foraging behaviors when lizards first leaned to associate prey color and quality during the initial trials and in subsequent reverse trials, where the prey color-quality combinations were switched. We found that fast and slow explorers performed similarly during learning trials, but faster explorers were better reverse learners. Our data did not support a learning speed-flexibility trade-off, as well as a personality-cognition correlation predicted by fast-slow syndromes. Our results highlight the importance of considering the ecological context when predicting the form of personality-cognition couplings.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Evolution of Increased Variability in Turning Bias and Correlated Changes in Drosophila melanogasterShraddha Lall, Noah Rodman, Benjamin de Bivort
Harvard Univeristy, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Drosophila melanogaster individuals exhibit variability in several behaviors, including in the decision to turn left or right in a two-choice assay. While being a left-vs-right biased individual is not heritable, the variability in this turning bias is, and can be a target of artificial selection in the lab. Over 21 generations of selection with a synthetic outbred population, we found that behavioral variability increases in response to selection pressure, and remains high after 3 generations of relaxation of selection. We also examined the genetic architecture of evolved variability via diallel crosses, and quantified changes in other behaviors such as activity and courtship. This experiment provides empirical proof that selection can act on the variance of behaviors in a population, without affecting the mean trait, and highlights the importance of individual behavioral variability and its genetic control.
Session: Genetics & evolution
Intertroop kidnapping of an infant in wild olive baboons (P. anubis): What can rare events tell us?Florence Landry1, Corinna A. Most2,3, Iulia Bădescu1, Monica L. Wakefield3,4
1University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada, 2Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA, 3Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project, Ilpoleil , Laikipia, Kenya, 4Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, USA
The kidnapping of infants between conspecific groups has been described in birds and mammals and can be rare to relatively common depending on the species. In June 2023, we observed an inter-troop kidnapping of a young male infant (~3 weeks old) in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis) at the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project, Kenya - a rare event for this species. The infant was kidnapped from a neighbouring troop by a juvenile female and was quickly adopted by one of the highest-ranking adult females of our study troop, who was already pregnant. The infant made nipple contacts and survived for a month, which strongly suggests the adult female produced some milk, at least initially. We will present a detailed description of the behaviors of all individuals involved in the event, as well as potential proximate and ultimate explanations for them. Rare events provide the opportunity to explore the extent of a species' behavioral flexibility, and this one helped shed light on several aspects of baboon physiology and social behavior, such as the potential for infant stacking and the use of infants as a commodity within the social market of the troop.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Effects of bisphenol exposure on the growth, development, behavior, and reproduction on the nematodeGary M Lange, Sara Long, Nathaniel James
Saginaw Valley State University, University Center, Michigan, USA
Bisphenols are a class of chemical found in many plastics used in everyday life. Bisphenols can and do leech from plastics and are inadvertently ingested by organisms. Consumer awareness of endocrine disrupting effects of the most well-known bisphenol, bisphenol-A has lead the plastics industry to replace bisphenol-A with other forms of bisphenols. Much less is currently known about the potential effects of these alternative bisphenols in their impact on growth, development, behavior, and reproduction in organisms. In this research, we examine how environmentally relevant exposures and to alternative bisphenols impact growth, development, behavior, and reproduction of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. This nematode is a model organism in the study of development due to its translucent body morphology and well-established cell lineage during development. It is also becoming more prominent in behavioral studies as well. In this work we also examine new techniques to examine the behavior and physiology of Caenorhabditis elegans.
Session: Poster Session 1
Referential signaling in a communally breeding birdJoshua LaPergola, Amanda Savagian, Maria Smith, Breanna Bennett, Meghan Strong, Christina Riehl
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
Referential signaling, a complex form of communication in which specific signals are associated with external referents, was once thought to be limited to primates. Recent research has documented referential signaling in several other cooperative taxa, predominantly in kin-based societies. Here, we show that greater anis (Crotophaga major), communally nesting birds that breed in nonkin groups, give one type of alarm call in response to aerial threats (flying raptors) and another to more general threats (nonaerial predators). Observational data show that anis give these calls in response to different classes of threats, and playback experiments in the field confirmed that the alarm calls alone are sufficient to elicit appropriate behavioral responses even in the absence of an actual threat. Genetic data on a subset of groups confirmed that breeding groups are composed of nonkin, suggesting that referential alarm calls are often given in situations when no genetic relatives are present. These results suggest that complex referential communication can occur in social groups composed of nonrelatives, despite the absence of kin-selected fitness benefits.
Session: Communication 4
When to Learn From Others and When to Trust YourselfElias Latchem1, Culum Brown2, Sigal Balshine1
1McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Animals learn through their own experiences (asocial learning) or through observing others (social learning). Asocial learning is costly but reliable, while social learning is less costly but unreliable. Social learning may seem like the obvious choice; however, the associated unreliability prevents animals from using it exclusively. Switching between asocial and social learning is expected as an animal will use whichever learning is most beneficial. Theory predicts that dominants should prefer to learn socially while subordinates should prefer to use asocial learning, but these predictions are rarely tested. We used a foraging assay to test how social rank influences asocial and social learning in the group living cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher. We found that subordinate fish were faster in an asocial learning task but there was no difference between the social ranks when it came to learning from others. It also appears that subordinates are more likely to ignore social information when it contradicts with their individually learned information. Understanding how social ranks influence learning can help us better understand how social groups function.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
Multi-layer interactions in Paper wasps are linked with nest success and social intelligenceEmily C. Laub1, Elizabeth Tibbetts2, Noa Pinter-Wollman1
1University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Animals live in a dynamic social environment, and the value of social interactions may change across time and social context. However, when animals adjust social connections, what attributes might influence connectedness, and if differences in social position across contexts have consequences for success is less understood. We examine how the social position of wasps in two different social contexts and an integrated social position that links both contexts using a multilayer social network changes over time, is impacted by a measure of social intelligence and affects reproductive success. We compare interactions across three phases of social group formation. As the season progressed, wasps pruned their social networks, decreasing interactions as social groups formed. Wasps that interacted more when sampling partners wer more likely to form nests, which would result in higher reproductive output. Wasps that are more socially intelligent interacted more when cooperation with nest-mates is most important. These results demonstrate that wasps adjust social contacts to match context and individuals who adjust contacts appropriately across contexts receive a fitness benefit.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (1)
Intraspecific Variation in Face Learning Impacts Cooperation and Fitness in Paper WaspsEmily C. Laub1, Elizabeth A. Tibbettts2
1University California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
The social intelligence hypothesis posits that the cognitive demands of maintaining complex social relationships have selected for advanced cognitive abilities. However, little empirical evidence shows that intra-specific variation in social intelligence provides a fitness benefit and what behavioral mechanisms may link social intelligence to fitness outcomes remain undefined. Here, we evaluated the impact of individual face learning, a social cognitive ability, on social group formation, behavior within social groups, and reproductive success in two years of studying paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) in a naturalistic field enclosure. Wasps more adept at individual face learning built larger nests, an estimate of reproductive success. Wasps better at learning faces engaged in more prosocial behaviors that may contribute to group reproductive output. Overall, we demonstrate that intraspecific variation in individual recognition is linked with both reproductive success and cooperation.
Session: Allee Symposium (3)
Causation and confounders and colliders, AI! A yellow brick road through a forest of observational data.Zachary Laubach
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
A common goal of behavioral ecologists is to test causal hypotheses about proximate and ultimate explanations for observed behaviors. While randomized controlled experiments are the gold standard for exchangeability between treatment groups, they are not always feasible or ethical, leaving us to observational data sets for which exchangeability is achieved via statistical approaches. Testing causal hypotheses using observational data requires careful consideration of threats to internal and external validity. Using multiple variable regression, I will discuss examples of how under- and overadjustment can introduce bias that threatens validity. These examples highlight the importance of expert domain knowledge and caution against reliance on automated procedures for variable selection when causal inference is the goal. Finally, I will summarize insights from experts in artificial intelligence (AI) and causal inference methods to open a discussion about how these tools and analytical frameworks might streamline and improve research testing causal hypotheses in the field of behavioral ecology.
Session: Mathematical / simulation / modeling
Effects of predation on behavioral correlations in Gryllodus sigillatusHieu Le1, Ned Dochtermann1
1North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA, 2North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
Evolutionary ecologists are increasingly interested in the importance of behavioral correlations in shaping evolutionary outcomes. However, the effects of predation on behavioral correlations that incorporate within-individual plasticity are well less understood. We repeatedly measured exploratory behavior and latency to emerge from shelter in banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus, N ≈ 104) both before and after exposure to African fat-tailed gecko (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus). This allowed us to estimate among-individual correlations (i.e. behavioral syndromes) and within-individual correlations (i.e. correlated plasticity) before and after selection. We found limited support for changes in among- and within-individual correlations as well as for correlational selection. Our results highlight the importance of considering the response of both among- and within-individual correlations and of properly estimating selection when considering the current utility of behavioral correlations.
Session: Poster Session 1
Cultured long-tailed macaques in Bali: Implications for animal conservationJean-Baptiste Leca1, Noëlle Gunst1, Fany Brotcorne2, Caleb Bunselmeyer1, Camilla Cenni3, Sydney Chertoff1, Amanda Pelletier1, Lilah Sciaky4, Brooke Third1, Nengah I. Wandia5
1University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, 2University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, 3University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany, 4Columbia University, New York, NY, USA, 5Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
Across various animal taxa, a behavior is deemed cultural if it is: (1) geographically variable, (2) prevalent, (3) persistent over time, and (4) dependent on social means for its diffusion, expression, maintenance, and possible transformation. Using these four criteria and our behavioral data from five free-ranging populations of Balinese long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis fascicularis), we first document the diversity in the cultural repertoire of this primate species, focusing on material culture (i.e., various forms of object play and tool use). Our second goal is to highlight the implications of research on nonhuman cultures for the welfare and conservation of animal populations. Previous research showed that animal culture can be an index of behavioral, socio-demographic, and genetic diversity, flexibility, and adaptability; it is also a metric of population welfare and environmental viability. We argue that this is particularly true for questionably adaptive cultural behaviors, such as object play and comfort-related tool use that may contribute to assessing individual health, populational evolvability, and species-level conservation status.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Using the Five Domains Model in the Assessment of Negative Affects in Horses Transported by Air for SlaughterRebecca Ledger
Animal Behaviour & Welfare Consulting, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Five Domains Model allows for the assessment of positive and negative affective states, according to nutritional, health, environmental and behavioural factors. The Model is applied here to horses transported by air, for slaughter, using data from peer-reviewed studies. This analysis reveals 12 key stressors: premature separation of mares from foals; discontinuation of pain relief & anti-inflammatory medications; loud, sudden & unfamiliar noise at the airport; loading onto aircraft; negative handling techniques; mixing with unfamiliar, aggressive, fearful horses in close proximity; confinement in crates for prolonged periods; lack of food & water; ascent, decent & inertia forces on the plane; sudden, loud and unfamiliar noise on the aircraft; pressure, humidity and temperature changes during transit; unloading from aircraft. The following negative affects arise during air transport: Thirst, Hunger, Pain, Physical discomfort, Anxiety, Fear, Panic, Exhaustion, Auditory discomfort, Motion-related disorientation, Nausea, Chilling, Over-heating, Sickness malaise, & Weakness. In conclusion, horses are subjected to many stressors and various negative affects while transported by air.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Green Sea Turtles Feeding Aggregations in Oman: Feeding Behavior and Assessing Potential Human ImpactsAntoine OHC Leduc1, Hamed Ali Rashid AL Mamari1, Nicole Pampanin2
1Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khoud, Muscat, Oman, 2Daymaniyat Islands Sea Tours, Al Mouj, Muscat, Oman
Feeding aggregations of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Daymaniat Islands, a protected marine area in Oman, exhibit a puzzling pattern. For several years, aggregations of up to 55 individuals have been consistently observed in shallow waters where feeding occurs in a constrained area, sometimes reaching less than 30 m², without significant substrate differences with the surroundings. Here, we quantified turtles' feeding rates, yielding an average of 23 bites min-1. We also tracked group sizes for multiple 1-hour bouts, noting minimal fluctuations. Notably, feeding intensity could reach >1000 bites m-2 h-1, suggesting a substantial impact on the benthic environment. Given their predictability, aggregations have fostered an intense tourism sector. For 9 months we monitored aggregations weekly, finding no significant changes in group size, with a mean of 22 turtles, and no detectable impacts from tourism activities. These findings highlight turtles' consistent feeding patterns and suggest that while tourism has not yet affected these aggregations, ongoing monitoring and cautious management actions are essential to minimize disturbances and promote turtles' continued welfare.
Session: Conservation
CH Turner Legacy: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholar Activism of in the Animal Behavior Society Danielle Lee
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA
Despite the backdrop of segregation and limited opportunity, Dr. Charles H Turner made amazing discoveries in behavioral biology. His research made him trail blazer in several fields including disciplines that did not officially yet: animal behavior, neuroscience, entomology, comparative psychology, urban ecology, and scholar activism. In Dr. Turner's time (late 1800s-1920s) and today (early 21st century), scientists and behavioral biologists from under-represented minority (URM) groups have navigated science careers and advocated for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion simultaneously. This presentation will summarize the ecologies and evolution of the scholar activism of URM scientists and key allies in animal behavior and related disciplines.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (2)
Visual System Development in Larval CarpMatthew K LeFauve1,2, Cayla L Carlson2, Benjamin H Stahlschmidt2, Aicha Khalaf3, Christopher D Kassotis3, Amy E George2
1US Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, IL, USA, 2US Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA, 3Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and Silver Carp (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) are large-bodied riverine fishes that were introduced in freshwater systems across the United States. Their introduction has had consequences to native fish habitats, such as degrading the spawning grounds and increasing the risk of widespread eutrophication. An improved understanding of anatomy and physiology during early life stages is vital for the development of control methods. Here, we focus on development of the visual system through visuomotor behavior, retinal development, and midbrain development in larval grass and silver carps. As evidenced by the optomotor response behavioral assay, visuomotor reflex was weakly present by 3 days post hatch (DPH) in Grass Carp and 4 DPH in Silver Carp. This corresponds to the development of retinal ganglion cells and retinorecipient regions in the midbrain at similar age ranges. This assessment of visual system development provides key information to help understand larval carp invasion biology. The views expressed in this abstract are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the US EPA.
Session: Poster Session 2
Behavior as a Path to Success in the Civil ServiceMatthew K LeFauve1,2
1US Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, IL, USA, 2US Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
Animal behavior as a field generally rewards interdisciplinary thinking and as such, it provides a solid basis for a career in a wide range of fields. Beginning a career with this breadth of thinking in my undergraduate education helped me develop a research program at the interface of ecology, toxicology, and behavioral neuroscience. The core knowledge in behavioral ecology I gained in my undergraduate studies propelled me into research linking structure and function in the fish brain and in work assessing the effects of toxicant exposure on developing zebrafish. An interdisciplinary understanding gained through behavioral biology is also an incredible benefit for careers in civil service. Public service-oriented careers often require a broad subset of knowledge as agency priorities shift and develop under a multitude of pressures. My undergraduate education in animal behavior prepared me to contribute to the greater scientific community and equipped me to both contribute to the team and work independently in a civil service career. The views expressed in this abstract are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the US EPA.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (2)
Unfamiliarity drives costly aggression in interspecific avian dominance hierarchiesGavin M Leighton1, Jonathan P Drury2, Eliot T Miller3
1SUNY Buffalo State University, Buffalo, NY, USA, 2Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom, 3Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Although dominance hierarchies often form between species, large-scale analyses of interspecific dominance hierarchies have been rare compared to research on intraspecific dominance hierarchies. To test alternative hypotheses about the formation, maintenance, and consequences of interspecific dominance hierarchies, we employ an especially large, community-scientist generated dataset of displacements observed at feeders in North America. Overall, we find support for the hypothesis that familiaritypredicts adherence to the structure of the dominance hierarchy. Specifically, we find that species with similar foraging ecologies and more fine-scale habitat overlap are more likely to engage in costly aggression over resources. However, among interacting species, familiarity leads to less aggressive encounters than expected and higher directionality of encounters. These results suggest that the previously documented agonistic hierarchy in North American birds is perhaps adaptive, with familiar species typically abiding by their place in the interspecific dominance hierarchy so as to avoid costly aggression.
Session: Social behavior 2
Temperature mediates interactions between female mate choice and male-male competitionNoah T. Leith1, Yennhi N. Phan1, Jake P. Woods1,2, Kasey D. Fowler-Finn1
1Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, 2University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
Temperature universally shapes how animals attract mates and intimidate rivals. However, research often overlooks interactive effects of temperature among sources of sexual selection. We disentangle how temperature affects mate choice, male-male competition, and their interaction during wolf spider mating behavior. Male Schizocosa ocreata use visual, vibratory, and ornamental traits to attract females and drive away rivals. We manipulated temperature to reflect field conditions (20 or 30ºC) and evaluated the outcomes of two-choice female preference trials, contests between two rival males, and triadic interactions between one female and two males. Females were more receptive overall when at least one male had large ornaments, but only at 30ºC. However, though females discriminated between male courtship rates, temperature did not affect mate discrimination. Courtship and ornament assessment strategies during male-male contests were also more effective at 30ºC, leading both traits to predict mating success at hot temperatures. Overall, considering interactions among competitive contexts provides a more complete picture of how environmental change alters sexual selection.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
Plasticity in signal production directs the evolution of multi-component mating displaysNoah/T Leith1, Jake/P Woods1,2, Kasey/D Fowler-Finn1
1Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, 2University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
Biologists have long recognized that the environment shapes the evolution of complex animal communication by governing signal transmission, signal detection, and the evolution of receiver sensory systems. However, research to date overlooks how the environment alters another key process shaping signal evolution—signal production. Using a combination of experiments and comparative analyses, we show that the evolution of complex courtship and exaggerated sexual ornaments in wolf spiders is shaped by how climate affects covariation between courtship behaviors and sexual ornaments during signal production. Our experiment with Schizocosa ocreata shows that covariation between behavioral and morphological sexual traits is stronger and that male displays have a stronger effect on mating success in hot and wet conditions. In parallel, comparative analyses reveal that Schizocosa species in hot and wet climates are more likely to evolve multi-component displays with additional behaviors and exaggerated ornaments. Environmental effects on signal production may therefore be just as important for signal diversification as effects on signal transmission, detection, or perception.
Session: Allee Symposium (2)
Multiple mechanisms contributed to a rapid increase in coyote attacks in an urban parkNathan C. Lewis1, Colleen C. St. Clair2, Sarah Benson-Amram1
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Human-carnivore conflicts are increasing rapidly with urbanization. Coyotes are successful urban exploiters that are involved in more attacks on humans than any other mammalian carnivore species in North America. In 2021, Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada saw an unprecedented rate of attacks, with at least 45 in 9 months: more than had occurred since the 1980s when coyotes were first documented in Vancouver. Four potential hypotheses to explain why attacks escalated in 2021 include food conditioning, predatory behaviour towards children and pets, and rapid habituation to people, all of which may have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with defensive reactions to humans and dogs near coyote den sites. We are testing these hypotheses by comparing the spatial and temporal records of human-coyote encounters in the park to human activity and resource availability. Preliminary results support all four hypotheses, which demonstrates the complexity of human-carnivore conflicts. Our results offer tangible information to support public education and policy concerning wildlife management in dense urban parks throughout North America.
Session: Poster Session 2
Social Experience Alters Learning Abilities and Brain Protein Expressions in Mangrove Rivulus FishCheng-Yu Li1,2, Dietmar Kültz3, Audrey Ward2,4, Eric Haag1, Ryan Earley2
1Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA, 2Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, 3Department of Animal Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, USA, 4Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
Fighting experience elicits physiological responses and alters aggressive behavior (winner-loser effects). While these effects are conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Most studies have focused on how these experiences influence aggression, but evidence shows they also affect learning behavior. In mangrove rivulus fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus), single winning and losing experiences significantly improved spatial and risk-avoidance learning performance, respectively. Thus, fighting experiences might modulate diverse behaviors, including learning ability, through key brain regions such as dorsolateral pallium (Dl, putative hippocampus) and dorsomedial pallium (Dm, putative basolateral amygdala). We therefore quantified proteome expression in the forebrain (where Dm and Dl are located) of adults with divergent social experiences, finding winners and losers exhibit distinct proteome expressions. These results imply functional differences in winner and loser brains with implications for aggression and learning. Further genetic manipulation will establish causality between protein expressions and experience-induced behavioral changes.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
The effects of handling stress on an associative learning task using adult zebrafishSteven Li1, Ben Tsang2, Robert Gerlai1,2
1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The zebrafish is becoming increasingly popular for the analysis of learning and memory. Learning tasks often require handling the fish, netting them and transferring them from the home to the test tank. Here, we explore the impacts of human handling in an associative learning task. We employ two handling methods during training, a between-subject design: (1) net chasing with air suspension and (2) gentle cupping and pouring with a container (no netting, chasing or air-suspension). During training, the fish had to associate a group of live zebrafish (US) with a colour cue (CS). We found net chasing to increase duration of immobility, absolute turn angle, and its variance during training, but that these anxiety-like responses were absent during probe trial. Surprisingly, fish that experienced the net stressor during training were found to exhibit better memory performance (increased time near the CS) during the probe trial compared to the poured group. We hypothesize this was because higher stress increased the rewarding value of the US (the sight of conspecifics) during training.
Session: Poster Session 1
Overwintering and Nesting Behaviour of Bumble Bees Unveiled Using Radio TelemetryAmanda R. Liczner1, Elizabeth L. Franklin2, Nigel E. Raine1
1University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 2Cornwall College, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) face severe threats from habitat loss, pathogen spillover, climate change, and pesticides, making their conservation a priority. However, current understanding about what represents high-quality bumble bee habitat remains limited, especially concerning their overwintering and nesting requirements. Given the challenges of observing bumble bees, particularly underground overwintering queens, our research aimed to identify these crucial habitat needs. Employing a 43-tower autonomous radio-tracking array, we monitored the movement behaviour of radio-tagged bumble bee queens to determine overwintering and nesting habitats. Prior to overwintering, queens exhibited reduced activity in late summer/ early fall, concentrating in areas of abundant floral resources, and overwintering sites included locations adjacent to nesting sites, gardens, and grassy hillsides. In contrast, spring queens displayed heightened activity during nest searches, exploring diverse habitats over large areas. Our findings contribute vital insights into bumble bee habitat requirements, enhancing conservation and recovery initiatives for these crucial insect pollinators.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Neurogenomic mechanisms of female competition in a socially polyandrous shorebirdSara Lipshutz1,2,3, Tessa Patton2, Kimberly Rosvall3
1Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA, 2Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 3Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Socially polyandrous mating systems, in which females compete for multiple mates, have been valuable for testing whether predictions derived from males are upheld in females. We explored the molecular mechanisms of social polyandry in northern jacanas (Jacana spinosa). We hypothesized that differences in competition and parental care are reflected in the neurogenomic profiles of females, courting males, and parenting males. We conducted RNA-Seq on two brain regions associated with the regulation of social behavior. We identified multiple gene networks associated with competitive traits, including aggression, weaponry, and gonad size. These networks were enriched for biological processes including myelination, morphogenesis, and spermatogenesis. Several hundred genes were differentially expressed genes between sexes, including androgen receptor (AR), which had higher expression in females, and prolactin receptor (PRLR), which had higher expression in parenting males. In other species, these genes have been associated with male competition and female parental care, suggesting that the mechanisms associated with these behaviors may be universal, regardless of which sex performs them.
Session: Symposium: Female ornamentation and reproductive competition: a compendium of possible mechanisms (1)
Predictors of song type matching in a communication networkDavid Logue1,2, Juleyska Vazquez-Cardona1, Heath Petkau1, Samantha Huang1, Pablo Sosa-Negrón2, Karla Vilches Castaño2, Kenneth Rodriguez-Rivera2, Tyler Bonnell3
1University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, 2University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR, Puerto Rico, 3University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Songbirds often "match" the song type that their neighbour last sang. Song type matching has stimulated a great deal of research, but its function remains unclear, in part because we lack robust descriptive studies of song type matching in natural communication networks. We recorded male Adelaide's warblers' (Setophaga adelaidae) communication networks to describe matching in nature and test hypothesized functions of song type matching. Six recordists used hand-held microphones to simultaneously record songs and locations from neighbouring, color-banded, males during their dawn chorus. Males frequently matched their neighbours' song types, generating waves of song type matches that ramified through the network. Males were more likely to match songs sung by nearby neighbours, and song types that they themselves had recently sung. We also examined the influence of acoustic structure, including vocal performance, on song type matching. This study shows that observation of natural animal communication networks can both reveal network-level patterns of behavior and provide data to test functional hypotheses of signaling behaviors in an ecologically relevant context.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (3)
Categorization of syllable element types in the grasshopper sparrow warble songBernard Lohr, Rebecca Hill
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Understanding how song structure in birds varies geographically can give us insights into the mechanisms of cultural transmission in behavioral traits. The grasshopper sparrow warble song contains many syllable types, some of which may be shared between individuals within and across different populations. We created a library of syllable categories for the warble song using recordings collected across six populations, representing three subspecies within North America. We made initial assignments to category type based on duration, bandwidth, and acoustic structure. We then subjected syllables in each preliminary category to a cross-correlation analysis. Threshold values for category membership were identified by discontinuities in histograms of cross-correlation similarity scores. We retained syllables in distinct category types based on similarity scores that exceeded these thresholds. This sorting procedure classified ~75% of all syllables. We found that while there were some common syllable types, the proportions of many syllable categories differed across populations. Future work will explore whether syllable order may differ between populations and subspecies.
Session: Poster Session 2
Sleep synchronization in familiar and unfamiliar degu dyadsMckenna Lowrie1, Alexandre Lebel1, Amber Thatcher2,3, Nathan Insel1,2
1Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada, 2University of Montana, Missula, MT, USA, 3San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, CA, USA
All animals sleep, and the relevance of sleep for health is well established. In spite of its importance, many species are known to compromise sleep to maintain social contact. To better understand the impact of social context, we examined sleep patterns in degus cohoused for 48 hours with either a stranger or cagemate. Degus (Octodon degus) are a highly-social, diurnal rodent that have received attention in studies of circadian rhythms as well as social motivation. We found overall high synchronization of sleep within the dyads, with unexpectedly more variance in number and duration of sleep bouts among cagemates. We also observed evidence of "sleep leaders"--individuals that more often fell asleep and woke before their partner-particularly in first-day strangers. We repeated the studies in rats, different from degus both for their nocturnal circadian cycles and social patterns. Preliminary results suggest high similarity with degus, with potentially more pervasive sleep-leader patterns across familiarity conditions. These results offer a starting point for understanding the relationships between circadian cycles, social context, and health.
Session: Poster Session 2
Auditory processing vs. mate choice via coercion and resistance, persuasion and skepticismJeffrey R Lucas
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
The "old" narrative about the process of sexual selection is that courters generate signals that provide information about the courter's value as a mate. How could signals provide accurate information? Zahavi's handicap principle and unfalsifiable index signals provided the answer. A new narrative suggests that mate choice instead often results from systems where "…mate-choice mechanisms and courter traits are locked in an arms race of coercion and resistance, persuasion and skepticism" (Rosenthal & Ryan 2022), where chooser sensory properties are adaptations for factors that are unrelated to mating. I suggest that temporal plasticity of the auditory system provides a counter example to the coercion narrative. More importantly, this plasticity clearly upregulates components of the auditory system that enhance the chooser's decoding of mating signals during the breeding season - properties that are in turn downregulated when breeding behavior ceases. In effect, the auditory system is coming to the signal, not running from it. This raises an interesting question: is the auditory system special relative to sexual selection?
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 2
Fitness effects of alternative resource allocation strategies in female bean beetlesKatina N. Lucas, Lia Romanotto, Flavia Barbosa
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, USA
Trade-offs are a central concept to life-history theory, arising due to differential trait investment within an organism. In the bean beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, larval density induces differential resource allocation into wings and gonads, and females reared under high densities also invest more in early-life egg production. Here we tested the hypothesis that early life oviposition is an adaptive life history strategy that emerges in response to density levels. We employed density manipulations in the egg and larval stages to generate individuals with different allocation strategies. We then measured the effects of density in different female reproductive traits: lifespan, lifetime fitness and reproductive investment at different time points of the adult stage. Contrary to our hypothesis, females from both low and high densities had the same average lifespan and lifetime fitness, with females reared under both densities laying more eggs earlier in life and tapering off near the end. For future experiments, high density female oviposition will be tested with limited and unlimited oviposition substrate to compare fitness under different environments.
Session: Poster Session 1
A Siren call: Integrating individual wild animal welfare across time and ecological contexts.Thomas Luhring1, Meg Flanagan2, Sydney Falcon1, Jacob Kearns1, Caitlin Gabor2, Christopher Schalk3, Carmen Montana4
1Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA, 2Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA, 3US Forest Service Southern Research Station, Nacogdoches, TX, USA, 4Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX, USA
A key impediment to assessing or implementing interventions in wild animal welfare is the lack of species-specific and individual-level data across time. In an ongoing study, we track water-borne stress hormones (corticosterone for assessing coping capacity), body condition, and other welfare-related measures across time for individual free-ranging lesser sirens (Siren intermedia) across four populations in Eastern Texas. These age/stage-structured data will allow us to create time-integrating measures of individual welfare that incorporate changing ecological contexts across ontogeny. Concurrent with our need to identify individuals, we also assess the relative utility and stress impacts (immediate and accumulated) of an established marking technique (implanted microchips) and a potentially useful non-invasive approach (image pattern recognition).
Session: Symposium: Exploring intersections of behavior and welfare in free-ranging wild animals (1)
The Magnitude of Observer Error in Animal Behavior ResearchSekhar M A, Ned A Dochtermann
North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Observer error is commonly acknowledged in animal behavior studies but there has been limited quantitative analysis. Quantification of animal behavior can be influenced by various sources of error, including sampling or confirmation biases, intra and inter-observer variability, environmental influences, and elements of study designs. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the magnitude of observer error in animal behavior research and its potential impact on study validity and reliability. We will include articles from the five top behavioral journals: Animal Behaviour, Behavioral Ecology, and Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Behavior and Ethology published between January 2001 and December 2023. Our analysis of articles from Animal Behaviour revealed substantial observational error. Technological advancements, such as automated tracking and coding have the potential to reduce measurement error. Understanding changing trends in observer error will also be crucial for informing research methodologies. Implementing robust methodologies and establishing standardized rules for quantifying behavioral studies will enhance the credibility of research findings.
Session: Poster Session 1
Migration distance covaries with exploratory behavior and capture date in song sparrowsElizabeth A MacDougall-Shackleton, Christopher D Posliff, Garth W Casbourn, Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Movement is a hallmark of animal life: individuals move to feed, to explore, and to avoid adverse conditions. If factors influencing small-scale movements such as exploration also influence large-scale movements such as migration, these "different" behaviours may not evolve independently. We tested the relationship between exploration (novel room test) and seasonal migration distance (inferred from stable isotope analysis of winter-grown tissue), in 78 song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) all breeding at the same site but returning from different wintering grounds. Longer-distance migrants were more exploratory and were captured earlier in the season. Next we investigated genetic variants at the dopamine receptor DRD4 that if linked to both exploration and migration, could explain the correlation between these behaviors. We found one SNP associated with exploration and another (implicated in exploration in other birds) associated with migration distance, but no SNPs associated with both behaviors. The relationship between small- and large-scale movement supports the existence of a movement syndrome and provides insight into the evolution of movement over multiple geographic scales.
Session: Genetics & evolution
Using resting patterns to examine interactions between African painted dog familiesCaitlin M Mack, Richard J. Snider
Michigan State University Department of Integrative Biology, East Lansing, MI, USA
When social species of animals are kept in captivity, it can be difficult to replicate their natural social dynamics. This is true of the African painted dog (Lycaon pictus), an obligate cooperative breeder. Captive dogs, in general, are very sensitive to pack additions. Birth of young, whether a first litter or back-to-back year litters, can potentially affect pack social dynamics. The research discussed here is part of a larger research project focused on the behavior of painted dog packs at four different AZA-accredited zoos. Observations were made three times over one year, including different stages of young development. The specific topic discussed here discusses the resting pattern of the painted dog parents and their offspring, and the implications of those resting patterns. McCreery (2000) demonstrated that the strength of dogs' social bonds is shown through behavioral resting and approaching patterns, so this research draws on this and applies it to these four captive painted dog packs. The conclusions from this study could provide insight into how to improve pack interdependence and help increase reproductive success in captivity.
Session: Poster Session 2
Does nectar show a chemical pollination syndrome?Fiona MacNeill, Brian Sedio, Felicity Muth
University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
Pollinators' sensory biases have led to the evolution of "pollination syndromes" (PS): suites of floral traits attractive to specific pollinators. While morphological traits associated with PS are well-described, it is unclear if the secondary chemistry of floral rewards (i.e. nectar) similarly reflects selection from pollinators. Additionally, the chemical complexity of nectar may be a by-product of "passive leaking" from chemically-defended tissues such as leaves. Here we tested these non-exclusive hypotheses. To do this, we examined the broad chemical profiles for 28 species of bee- or bird-syndrome plants, with a focus on Salvia, using tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Initial results suggest chemical differences in both the nectar and foliar tissues associated with PS, with independently-derived bird-pollinated plants showing a reduction in complexity and shift away from certain chemical classes. This result shows suggestive evidence for an adaptive chemical pollination syndrome hypothesis.
Session: Genetics & evolution
Effect of mate value and previous mating history on male intra-specific interactions.Susheen Mahmood1, Lenka Sentenská1,2,3, Maydianne CB Andrade1, Luciana Baruffaldi1
1University of Toronto Scarborugh, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany, 3Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Theory suggests that an individual's reproductive fitness may increase with the number of successful matings and number/quality of their offspring. In polygynandrous mating systems. mating decisions can be influenced by past mating history and future mating potential, as well as the perceived value and risk of a current mating opportunity. Here, using the false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis, we conducted laboratory mating trials in which females and males with different mating histories were exposed to intraspecific competition. Two adult males matched in age and weight were placed simultaneously on a female's web and intra-specific interactions were recorded. We designed 3 experimental groups: (1) an unmated female with 2 unmated males (U-UU), (2) an unmated female with 1 mated and 1 unmated male (U-MU), and (3) a mated female with 2 unmated males (M-UU) to test if interspecific competition and mating history affected male motivation to fight to secure a mating opportunity and mating outcomes. We found that male motivation to fight was a strong predictor of mating success and that this motivation was influenced by male and female past mating history.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
The formation and maintenance of social relationshipsAdriana Maldonado-Chaparro1, 2
1Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Bogota, Colombia, 2Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstaz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Social relationships play a fundamental role in the organization of animal societies, including humans and non-human mammals. Individuals can form well-differentiated social relationships, or bonds, that vary in their quantity and quality over an individual's lifespan and across contexts extending beyond reproduction. Despite emerging from interactions among individuals within a group, the mechanisms that allow individuals to establish and maintain these relationships across diverse social contexts remain incomplete. Several factors, including spatial proximity, resource sharing, attachment, and reciprocity, have been proposed as potential drivers of social relationship formation, however, the overarching principles are yet to be explored. Our research focuses on identifying these factors in shaping social bonds using behavioral experiments conducted with guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Our approach intends to uncover the fundamental principles underlying social bond formation and maintenance across species. By elucidating these factors, we can gain deeper insights into the evolution and maintenance of social structures in both human and non-human animal societies.
Session: Poster Session 1
Sex Differences in Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Gargle CallsArianna Mancini, Laura Robayo Noguera, Carrie Branch, Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Songbirds often exhibit sex differences in singing behaviour, due in part to sex differences and seasonal changes in gonadal hormones. There is less known about potential sex differences in other vocalization types, such as aggressive calls. Male black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) sing the breeding "fee-bee" song much more than females, but this species also produces a distinctive "gargle" call in aggressive contexts. Previous field studies reported that males emit gargle calls more often than females, but this has not been assessed in controlled conditions with birds of known sex. We genetically sexed chickadees then recorded each bird twice in front of a mirror for 20 minutes, following estradiol and control treatments in random order. Acoustic analyses revealed sex-based differences in the frequency of gargle calls, with only a few females emitting gargles. This finding suggests a potential role of gargle calls in social interactions within the species. Future research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these sex-specific differences and their implications for the social ecology of this species.
Session: Communication 4
Inbreeding in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird: the PūkekoQuinlan M Mann, James S Quinn
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus) are joint-laying birds from New Zealand. In the North Island, territories are held year-round, and local dispersal typically doesn't occur. Young remain with their natal groups and may breed with close kin. In the South Island territories are not held year-round, and groups break up and reform. We examined DNA samples from multiple groups in the North Island and South Island and collected data on their nesting behaviour. We hypothesized that heterozygosity would be low in the North compared to the South, and that groups would be made up of kin in the North, while in the South they would not, based on field observations. We assessed genetic diversity at 18 microsatellite markers and calculate relatedness coefficients. We also assessed the proportion of hatched eggs per group in the North and South. We found that adults within groups were more closely related in the North Island compared to the South. We found that hatching failure was higher in the North compared to the South. Our work with this species that is not listed will shed light on the impacts of inbreeding and may, through future study, help to inform conservation decisions for other species.
Session: Behavior genetics/genomics
Hot Shit: Hormones and Behavior in the Zoo EnvironmentSue W. Margulis
Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA
Animal behavior has a long history of interdisciplinarity. Yet the days of pure natural history research may be behind us. This is both a blessing and a curse. Advances in methodology have opened up new avenues of research and opportunities to link observed behavior to physiological processes. The ability to non-invasively measure hormones has shaped the direction of behavioral research in the field, the lab, and the zoo. In the zoo world, greater emphasis on welfare and the needs of both individuals and populations, has led to an increased focus on conservation, education, and research as foundational pillars of captive management. The addition of non-invasive hormone analysis, particularly in conjunction with behavioral research, provides great insights into behavior, welfare, and reproduction in managed populations. My research has focused on the impacts of the zoo environment on behavior, and the addition of hormonal analyses has shaped my work for nearly 25 years. Here, I will summarize some of my research, and offer a cautionary tale with respect to interpreting such data. Finally, I will link my current work to my early experience as an undergraduate animal behavior major.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
Host Plants as Predator Learning Signals for Defended vs. Undefended PreyNich Martin
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Aposematism is a phenomenon thought to facilitate predator learning and avoidance of defended prey. Theory predicts transitional forms existing between aposematic and cryptic phenotypes in which prey are defended but lack warning signals. But how do predators learn to avoid defended prey when they appear identical to cryptic, undefended prey? We propose that environmental stimuli closely associated with defended prey may serve as warning signals during this transitional phase. We asked to what degree do prey host plants faciliate predator learning and prey survival? We tested this by assigning chemically defended and undefended butterfly larvae to different host plant species. Larvae were made to look identical to each other and were exposed to wild-caught, captive Carolina Wrens. For each Wren we observed the number of returns to plant species hosting defended vs. undefended larvae and recorded the proportion of each prey type consumed. We then removed plants, comparing effects when plant signals were no longer present. Our results showed biologically significant effects for which prey type were consumed when plants were present vs when absent.
Session: Predation & foraging
Correlates of survival in a hibernating mammalJill Mateo, Katie Brooks, Andy Dosmann
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Long-term data on free-living species provide an excellent opportunity to analyze the factors that promote or hinder survival. They allow a focus on species-relevant traits in natural settings, and are critical for identifying potential threats to populations and for informing conservation strategies. Here we present an analysis of twenty years of demographic data on Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi), informed by an understanding of their natural history and social system. They live in high alpine meadows and hibernate most of the year, and female philopatry promotes nepotistic behaviors. We examine several intrinsic and extrinsic variables that might be associated with survival from one year to the next, including snowpack, age, bodyweight, physiology and kin networks. We discuss the results in terms of sociality, climate change and population dynamics.
Session: Social evolution
Utilizing a newly designed enclosure to study the behaviour and welfare of juvenile red foxesCale S Matesic
University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Creating enclosures in wildlife rehabilitation centres contributes to a large fraction of the success of a wildlife rehabilitator. In 2017, a 4.57m x 3.05m x 2.44m enclosure was designed and built to exceed the 2012 NWRA standards for housing of juvenile red foxes. Between 2017 and 2018, behaviour and welfare were tested through observational ethograms and compared amongst 2 separate groups of foxes. Frequency of behaviours were compared between both years and overall behavioural development differed. Feeding time brought about a social hierarchy and competition, encouraging faster natural development. Enclosure design minimized stereotypical behaviours (pacing, panting) and encouraged natural development of behaviours overall prior to release. The analysis suggests that further extensive research should be conducted in relation to enclosure design and post-release tracking studies need to be performed to view the successfulness of these animals once released back into the wild.
Session: Applied animal behavior 3
Can we use standards from vertebrate evaluation to decide if cephalopods have a Theory of MindJennifer A. Mather
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
With their excellent skin pattern production based on chromatophores as well as skin texture and flexible posture, cephalopods have an outstanding ability to make visual-based deception. But is it enough to declare they have a Theory of Mind? This presentation will use the skeptical evaluation of vertebrate possibilities to look at the alternatives of automatic routines, situation-specific learning and receiver cues. It will examine anti-predator display sequences and deceptive appearances during reproduction to see what controlled tests might reveal whether cephalopods have at least 1st order beliefs about the receivers of their displays.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
Assessing how the social environment interacts with pollutant exposure to shape reproductive successErin S. McCallum1, Paul Nührenberg2, Tomas Brodin1, Alex Jordan2, Kristina Sefc3, Aneesh Bose1
1Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden, 2Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany, 3University of Graz, Austria, Austria
Pharmaceuticals in the environment are concerning because they can modulate wildlife behaviour and physiology in a way that may be detrimental for fitness. Few studies to date have assessed the effects of these compounds while also considering natural social environments, which might ultimately interact with exposure to affect opportunities for reproduction. We tested how exposure to an anxiolytic pharmaceutical, oxazepam, affected reproductive success using the social, shell-dwelling cichlid fish, Neolamprologus multifaciatus. We exposed mini "populations" of 15 fish to either a control, low, or high dose for a 5-week breeding cycle. Using genetic parentage analysis, we found that the more males per population sired offspring in the high exposure group. Moreover, smaller males in these high dose tanks were more reproductively successful when compared to the control and low dose groups. We will present additional data on how the treatments affected resource use and activity and aggressive behaviours tracked with AI-assisted neural networks. This work advances our understanding of how complex social environments can interact with chemical exposures to affect animal fitness.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Costs and Consequences of Weapon DamageErin McCullough1, Sarah Lane2
1 Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, 2University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
Sexually selected weapons are tools that are used in physical fights over mating opportunities. Individuals can face dire fitness consequences if they break their weapon and can no longer fight effectively, but the costs and consequences of weapon damage have largely been ignored. We review the literature on the prevalence and patterns of weapon damage and demonstrate that weapon damage is common across the animal kingdom. We explore the factors that affect both the likelihood and costs of weapon damage and argue that the fitness consequences of damage depend on if, when, and to what degree a species can regenerate its weapon. We discuss how the risk of weapon damage is an important but underappreciated cost that should affect strategic fighting decisions, providing new insight on the role of weapon damage on the evolution of weapon morphology and contest behavior within and among species.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Individual Variation in Behavioral Flexibility, Habitat Use and Foraging Behavior in the Florida Scrub-JayKelsey B. McCune
Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
Human-modified environments are increasing, causing rapid changes that other species must adjust to. As environmental changes occur too quickly for genetic adaptation, individual behavioral response is key to survival. Behavioral flexibility, a cognitive trait that relates to the ability to quickly change behavior through learning when circumstances change, has been linked to variation in interspecific ability to persist in human-modified environments. However, the impact of intraspecific variation in flexibility on persistence under environmental change has not been well studied. The federally threatened Florida scrub-jay primarily resides in fire-maintained scrub oak habitat, but some individuals are able to persist in suburban areas. I present my research comparing habitat use, foraging behavior and behavioral flexibility between scrub-jays in pristine scrub habitat and those in suburban environments. Results from this work will inform the characteristics of individuals adapted to human-modified environments and could inform future land acquisitions in more developed areas to better connect the highly fragmented and increasingly inbred scrub-jay populations across the state.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Evaluating Behaviour and Coloration Across Ontogeny in a Batesian MimicBrendan McEwen1, Ana Veneat1, Justin Yeager2, James Barnett3
1McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2Universidad de las Americas, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador, 3Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Leinster, Ireland
Many studies of Batesian Mimicry treat the mimic's approximated signal as a fixed trait and evaluate how closely adult mimics resemble adult models. However, there is evidence of aposematic species transitioning from cryptic to aposematic colouration across their development through ontogenetic color change (OCC). We propose that a mimic may also develop its copied phenotype across development, producing maladaptive periods where mimetic fidelity and predator protection are poor. These maladaptive periods may exert more intense predation pressure on the mimic, favoring different behavioural phenotypes across development. We test this hypothesis using two frog species from the Ecuadorian Amazon: the toxic model Ameerega bilinguis, and its non-toxic mimic Allobates zaparo. The mimic metamorphoses into cryptic colouration and develops its feigned red and yellow aposematic signal from youth to adulthood. Using field-captured mimic frogs, computer-simulated predator vision, and an arena-based field assay, we assess whether mimic frogs exhibit differential boldness and exploration phenotypes associated with body size or mimetic color fidelity.
Session: Development
Genetic and Social Effects on Aggressive and Submissive Behaviors in Wild BaboonsEmily McLean1,2, Beniamino Tuliozi2, Susan Alberts2
1Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, GA, USA, 2Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
Agonistic behaviors are prominent features of many animal societies, but the genetic and environmental predictors that shape these behaviors remain largely unknown, especially in wild populations. We investigated environmental and genetic sources of variance in the frequency with which female baboons perform aggressive and submissve behaviors, using data from the well-studied population of wild baboons in the Amboseli basin in southern Kenya. We fitted a multi-matrix, mixed effects linear model on a decades-spanning dataset of social behaviors performed by more than 300 individual female baboons. We found that the tendencies to perform both aggressive and submissive behaviors are heritable, and that both direct and indirect genetic effects contributed to variance in these phenotypes. We also investigated how social position affects aggressive interactions by using an innovative "social matrix" approach and found that social influences on these traits extend beyond the effect of dominance rank. We found additional effects of group composition and dyad-specific traits on the frequency of both behaviors, as well as evidence of genetic and social covariances between these phenotypes.
Session: Behavior genetics/genomics
Unleashing Applied Animal Behavior Analysis in Undergraduate Teaching and ScholarshipLindsay Mehrkam, Ashley Farrell, Abigail Eck, Samantha McElhinney, McKenna Douglass, Adrian Cieniewicz
Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, USA
The Human-Animal Wellness Collaboratory at Monmouth University is a research, teaching, and outreach lab dedicated to teaching undergraduate students the science of human-animal interactions how to apply behavior analytic technology to improve the lives of both humans and animals in society. Undergraduate students work with both humans and non-human animals in a wide range of real-word settings, such as animal shelters and sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, with pet owners and dog parks in the community, and even goldifsh in a basic learning lab. We will highlight successful examples of single-subject designs for evaluating enrichment practices in zoo animals, evaluating preferences and reinforcer efficacy for food, toys, and social stimuli for a wide range of species, and the creation and evaluation of shaping plans and behavior contracts for cooperative care programs to help prepare for veterinary exams through our university-based animal behavior research clinic for community dogs and cats. Finally, we will discuss ways in students are taught ethical considerations to be aware of when delivering science-based animal behavior services to promote positive human-animal interactions.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
Vocal learning in communication networks: insights from a decade of field experiments with wild songbirdsDan Mennill
University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
Vocal learning occurs within a communication network. Tutors interact with tutees, and tutors interact with other tutors, to shape the vocal learning process. I summarize a decade of field-based experiments of vocal learning with wild Savannah Sparrows in eastern Canada, including a novel experimental paradigm using simulated vocal tutors to introduce novel songs into a free-living population. I show that the communication network of a young songbird includes their social father and the territorial neighbours on their natal territory, but that the territorial neighbours on their first breeding territory play an especially important role in shaping vocal learning. I demonstrate that vocal learning includes a phase of overproduction followed by selective attrition, which are network-based behaviours. I reveal that vocal learning gives rise to microdialects at a population scale, and that birds react differently to songs that are locally-common or locally-rare within this network.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (2)
Cold-Blooded Roommates: Social and Physical Environments Affect the Expression of Personality in Snakes.Noam Miller, Gokulan Nagabaskaran, Morgan Skinner
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Animal personalities are biases in behavior that are consistent across time and contexts, and may flatten reaction norms. However, the expression of personality traits in behavior additionally depends on past experience and current environmental conditions, both of which may increase or decrease the likelihood of certain behaviors. We explored how past social environments and current internal condition (temperature) affect the expression of personality in Plains hognose snakes (Heterodon nasicus). Snakes were housed either alone or in pairs for eight months. They were then 'charged' to a specific temperature immediately before being assayed individually for boldness and sociability. Pair-housed snakes were bolder than solitary snakes, and there was a trend for warmer snakes to be bolder. Neither manipulation affected sociability, and both traits were repeatable across assays. Pair-housed snakes' sociability was more stable than that of solitary snakes. These results suggest that some personality traits may be more plastic than others in response to environmental or developmental changes.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
What is a society, and how does it maintain its membership? Looking for examples across the vertebrate taxa.Mark W Moffett
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
I put forward the following concept of societies, as "groups beyond a simple, immediate family that have the potential to endure for generations, whose constituent individuals recognize one another as members, and that maintain control over access to a physical space." I propose that this perspective (which puts the focus on identification with groups rather than social networks or cooperation, which can occur variously within and between groups) will be fruitful for cross-disciplinary research since it applies to the groups formed by a variety of species for which comparisons can be instructive, Homo sapiens included. A few underappreciated examples of vertebrates that live in such groups are presented, among them fish, lizards, and birds. I emphasize the difference between species for which group boundaries depend on member recognition of every other member as an individual ("individual recognition societies") and "anonymous societies," for which membership is established by shared signal(s) of group identity (as in humans, sperm whales, social insects, and a few others). I encourage ABS members look for other examples of taxa that form clearly membered, enduring groups.
Session: Social behavior 1
"Whoo Said That?": Do captive owls (Strigiformes) recognize the voice of familiar caregivers?Gina M. Montalto1, Jennifer Vonk1, Victoria O'Connor1,2, Cameron Ferguson1, Lauren Velazquez3
1Oakland University, Rochester Hills, MI, USA, 2Bergen County Zoo, Paramus, NJ, USA, 3Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, USA
Domesticated and social species appear to recognize the voices of familiar caregivers, but it is unknown whether less social and non-domesticated species that interact closely with humans also show this ability. Here, we investigated for the first time whether 21 captive owls of seven species responded differentially to voices of familiar versus unfamiliar humans. Familiar caregivers varied in their experience with the owls (i.e., husbandry, training, length and quality of relationship). It was predicted that subjects would exhibit a greater behavioral response (i.e., head turns, locomotion, vocalizations) to familiar compared to unfamiliar voices. Owls were more likely to respond to unfamiliar than familiar voices, suggesting that owls may habituate to familiar voices. Furthermore, subjects were more likely to respond to familiar caregivers who were involved with training them and had worked with them for longer. These data suggest that more extensive experience with caregivers leads owls to respond more strongly to their voices, suggesting that owls can recognize the voices of familiar humans. This is the first demonstration of this ability in raptors.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
Semi-automated analysis of a large bioacoustics dataset in RRylie Mooney, David Logue, Em McDonald
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge , Alberta, Canada
Thanks to advances in recording technology, bioacousticians are gathering increasingly large datasets. As the size of datasets increases, it becomes impractical to manually score acoustic data. We used the R packages RavenR, warbleR, and seewave to analyze a dataset comprising 11,960 male Adelaide's warblers' (Setophaga adelaidae) songs. We scored the data manually in Raven and then imported output into R and created an extended selection table, which includes sound file. We then filtered out low-quality recordings, prepared the sound files, measured their spectral and temporal features, and compared a subset of these measurements to those that were measured manually. Our results indicate that R is an alternative to manual analysis. Bioacoustic analysis in R can save significant time, and improve the repeatability of results.
Session: Poster Session 2
Wing-tail flicking variation in genus Corvus--a signal of phylogeny, ecology or sociality?Sheila R. Moore, Sara Agtsteribbe, Aubrey Alamshah, Alyssa Meyer, Anne B. Clark
Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
Wing and tail flicking is observed in many bird species but not reported in others, including within a single genus. In American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), wing-tail flicking (WTF) has historically been associated with wariness, aggression, or even signalling. It has been twice proposed for discriminating species within Corvus. We extend this idea to compare form, frequency and contexts of WTF between species across this widely distributed genus, using videos of Corvus spp from the Macaulay Library, our own field sites or colleagues'. We have developed quantitative and qualitative measures including degree of tail and wing movements, number of repeats, as well as social and environmental contexts and evaluated when WTF was not observed. We will present comparisons in form and context of WTF across species, relating them to each species' unique ecology, social behavior, and phylogenetic relationships.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Honey Bee Colony Pollen Foraging Preferences and Food Plant Availability in Northern New JerseyCole F Moran-Bariso, David C Gilley
William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey, USA
Phenological mismatch between flowering plants and insect pollinators driven by climate change is leading to pollinator decline. Honeybees are an important model system due to the economic value of honeybee pollination and the role they play in ecosystems worldwide. This project investigates honeybee colony pollen foraging preferences and how they change over time in an urbanized environment. To determine pollen foraging preferences throughout the active season, 24-hour pollen samples from two roof-top apiary colonies were collected weekly. These pollen samples were used to identify and quantify abundances of source plants via hemocytometry over an entire season. To determine the food source plants from which the bees were choosing at each pollen sample, regional bloom dates were determined via weekly field assays within foraging range. Resulting patterns include the frequency of a colony's collection from long and short-term blooming species, distinctions in preferences between invasive and native species, along with the extent of similarities and differences in foraging patterns between two colonies, providing a detailed benchmark of colony behaviors driven by climate change.
Session: Social behavior 1
Atlantic puffins interact with close neighbours but maintain strong bonds with distant individuals.Antoine Morel, Pierre-Paul Bitton
Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Research on insects, mammals and birds has argued that social information could optimize foraging behaviour, reduce predation, and improve offspring survival, particularly when resources are unusually scarce. Many seabirds live in high-density colonies where social information is likely to play ecological roles. However, no studies have yet investigated how spatial distribution affects network structures. In this study, we looked at how the social network of Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) is affected by distance between nests. We conducted 200 hours of behavioural observations on 124 colour-banded adults captured in a 15x15-meter area on Great Island, Newfoundland. Associations between individuals were evaluated through social network analysis and complemented with high-resolution GPS coordinates of the individuals' burrow location. Our results demonstrate that most relationships are formed by relatively closely nesting individuals. However, some strong dyads exist between distantly nesting individuals reflecting that association is not only related to geographical position.
Session: Poster Session 2
Effects of anthropogenic activity on stress physiology and its consequences for habitat selectionMaddie M. Mueller1, Ellie L. Williamson1, Caitlin R. Patrick1, Chelsea A. Ortiz-Jimenez2, Sonja Wild2, Jennifer E. Smith1,3
1University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA, 2University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA, 3Mills College, Oakland, CA, USA
Given the rapid expansion of human presence across the globe, coping with humans is an important aspect of life in the modern world for most animals. The California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) is a facultatively social rodent that has a long evolutionary history of residing near humans. While it is well understood that humans disrupt their foraging and social behavior, the role of humans and dogs on the stress physiology of these animals is unclear. As part of a long-term study, we live-trapped and released California ground squirrels and measured "stress" levels from fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) using a fully validated enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Drawing from 11 years of data, we show that FGM levels vary across years, but are elevated in areas with high exposure to humans and dogs. These patterns tracked variation in human activity across a gradient from high to low disturbance across our study site (from the south to the north). FGMs were repeatable for individual squirrels within and between years. Our findings offer insights into the relationships between anthropogenic disturbance and stress physiology over small temporal and spatial scales.
Session: Poster Session 1
Investigating Compounding of Winner/Loser Effects in Kryptolebias marmoratus, the Mangrove RivulusTruth Muller, Jennifer K Hellmann
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Triumph and failure in competitive social interactions have significant effects on the combatants, altering aggression, sexual performance, and outcomes of future contests. When an individual is exposed to repeated competitive interactions, these "winner/loser" effects can be cumulative. Consequences of winning or losing repeatedly can potentially convey a fitness advantage by altering individual behavior, altering access to resources and frequency of reproduction. The goal of this study is to expand on what we know about the persistence and compounding of "winner/loser" effects across subsequent encounters. Using mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus, I exposed adults to three rounds of size mismatched dyadic contests. Before and after the contests I put the competitors and two control groups (socialized and isolated) through aggression and neophobia assays to examine changes in individual behavior stemming from cumulative wins/losses. Preliminary results were mixed, with three consecutive wins or losses proving to be less common than anticipated. Attempts to rig contests via size mismatching proved ineffective; smaller fish were just as likely to win as larger fish.
Session: Poster Session 1
Cooperation and resilience in army ant bivouacsIsabella Muratore1,2, Mario Salah2, Vaishnavi Dornadula3, Megan Black3, Petras Swissler4,3, Michael Rubenstein3, Simon Garnier2
1Chemistry Department, USA Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA, 3Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA, 4Engineering Department, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
Army ants are remarkable for their ability to assemble and disassemble large nests ("bivouacs") composed of the living bodies of workers, in association with their nomadic life history. These temporary homes support the weight of thousands to millions of ants, highlighting both the strength of individual workers and the collective intelligence involved in efficiently organizing such structures. How ants share this responsibility may change over the course of bivouac growth or may differ based on membership. We assessed the average weight carried by ants located in different regions of bivouacs, over time and in bivouacs differing in size. We used modeling to compare trends in weight distribution among treatments. Interestingly, despite their greater total weight, larger bivouacs showed lower average burdens supported by each ant. Further, to study the resilience of bivouacs to external forces, we observed networks formed between individual ants and compared their composition before and after bouts of compression and expansion. Principles of cooperation and resilience identified in bivouacs serve as inspiration for the behavior of artificial groups such as robot swarms.
Session: Social behavior 5
Bumblebee color preferences when pollen-foragingAlissa P Murphy, Eswar C Gopalakrishnan, Jennie E DeVore, Smruti Pimplikar, Felicity Muth
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
Animal-pollinated plants have evolved diverse floral features to attract pollinators and encourage fidelity. As such, floral colors often reflect pollinators' preferences. Bumblebees are key pollinators that may drive floral evolution. Bumblebee color preferences are well-established in a nectar-foraging context, but have rarely been experimentally addressed when pollen-foraging, despite this being a critical behavior. Many species' anthers and central floral colors are yellow, which may reflect a sensory predisposition for bees to prefer yellow while pollen-foraging. In addition, some flowers have anthers that are high-contrast with their corolla (petals). To determine bumblebees' color preferences while pollen-foraging, we tested Bombus impatiens on their anther and corolla preferences. In four treatments, we presented free-flying bees with artificial flowers that varied in either anther or corolla color, while the other was held constant (yellow or blue). We found that, in line with previous work, bees preferred yellow anthers, but this preference depended on the corolla color. These results highlight the importance of color contrast for pollen-foraging bees.
Session: Poster Session 2
Female Maximum Olfactory Sensitivity Is Asynchronous With Male Courtship in the Butterfly Bicyclus anynanaMatthew J Murphy, Erica L Westerman
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
Signal efficacy is crucial to communicative behaviors. To be effective, a signal once broadcast must be capable of being received and interpreted by a receiver or receivers. In addition to maximizing the amount that a signal stimulates receptive organs, optimally the timing of when a signal is broadcast would synchronize with a receiver's peak receptivity. We investigated whether peak timing of male courtship behaviors are synchronized with female pheromone sensitivity in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. To do this, we performed behavioral and electrophysiological assays at dawn, noon, and dusk. We found that although males court most often near dusk, females are generally more sensitive to odors, including pheromones, in the morning than at other times of the day. Previous literature indicates females form both positive and negative associations with male pheromones in the morning, regardless of whether males actually court females. Thus, increased female sensitivity to odors in the morning may enable a female B. anynana to learn mate preferences before they are courted by conspecific (or potentially heterospecific) males.
Session: Communication 4
Female testosterone and aggression and status signaling - in a competitive songbird Troy/G Murphy1, Keith/A Tarvin2, Scott/A MacDougall-Shackleton3, Danielle Freund 1
1Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, USA, 2Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, USA, 3Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Hormonal mechanisms regulating female aggression and status signal expression remain unclear. In some avian species female aggression is linked to testosterone, but many species lack this pattern. We test the influence of exogenous testosterone on aggression and carotenoid-based status signaling in the female American goldfinch (Spinus tristis). American goldfinches have dynamic bill coloration that signals fighting ability or motivation to same-sex competitors. Previous work suggests a link between female bill color and circulating testosterone. Over one week, we repeatedly treated females with exogenous testosterone (T) or saline (C). T and C females were then pitted against each other and we observed aggressive interactions over limited food. We objectively quantified female bill color before and after hormonal treatment. Testosterone treatment significantly predicted winning, and there was a non-significant trend for testosterone to increase carotenoid hue. These findings suggest that testosterone may enhance female status signals, as well as increase female competitive success - possibly due to increased aggression itself, or because of an enhanced status signal.
Session: Poster Session 2
Coevolution between female-specific ornaments and male traitsRosalind L Murray
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Sexual ornaments are highly variable and the factors that drive variation in ornament expression are not always clear. Rare instances of female-specific ornament evolution (such as in some dance fly species) are particularly puzzling. While some evidence suggests that female ornaments represent straightforward reversals of sexual selection intensity, the nature of trade-offs between ornaments and offspring pose special constraints in females. To examine how the evolution of female ornaments affects males in these taxa, we performed comparative analyses in the dance flies (Diptera: Empididae) to measure the degree of female ornament expression related to male traits associated with pre- and post-mating competition. We show that in species with greater female ornamentation, males have evolved dimorphic eye facets (presumably to improve pre-mating assessments of ornamented female quality) and show increased male relative testis investment (indicative of increased post-mating sperm competition). Our results suggest that increased female ornamentation across taxa has resulted in coevolution of male traits important in both pre-mating and post-mating sexual selection.
Session: Symposium: Female ornamentation and reproductive competition: a compendium of possible mechanisms (1)
Metacognitive awareness of algebraic rules in rhesus macaques: Monkeys learn abstract rules, and they know it.Rohini Murugan1,2, Angelle Antoun1,2, Kathleen J Bostick2, Benjamin Wilson1,2
1Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 2Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Metacognition is the ability to monitor and control perceptual and cognitive states. Rhesus macaques show evidence of metacognitive behaviour while foraging for food, both in the wild (Rosati and Santos, 2016) and in the lab (Hampton et al., 2004), as well as in perceptual and working memory tasks. Here, we developed a laboratory-based experiment to ask whether rhesus macaques are metacognitive when making decisions based on abstract rules. We used touchscreen testing systems to train monkeys on a three-alternative forced-choice task where they learned to correctly choose sequences of visual stimuli conforming to one of three rules ('ABA', 'BAA' or 'AAB'). They were then trained on a waiting time paradigm, in which they had to maintain a response (a touch on the screen) for a variable waiting time to receive a reward. We combined these two tasks to test the hypothesis that if monkeys were metacognitive about rule learning, they should wait longer on trials when they make a correct decision, and pre-emptively abort trials when they were incorrect. Our data suggest that at least some monkeys follow this pattern, demonstrating metacognition of their decisions based on abstract rules.
Session: Poster Session 2
Social Influences and Synchronous Behaviors in Shelter CatsFadumo Muse, Malini Suchak
Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA
There is a large gap in research pertaining to social behaviors in domestic cats due to their evolutionary history as solitary animals. Synchrony is an interesting social behavior because it implies that there is social influence between individuals. We investigated synchrony in the behaviors of cats housed in group settings in a shelter. We monitored video footage from a large animal shelter in the Northeast United States. Using an ethogram to record behaviors and search for instances of overlap in cats of the same group, we found instances of synchrony in behaviors such as grooming, locomotion, and ingestion. Synchronous behaviors provide insight as to how cats navigate the social contexts of groups living in shelters.
Session: Poster Session 1
Science outreach through storytelling: writing a book about diversity to raise public awareness of beesFelicity Muth
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
As animal behavior scientists, we are most aware of public misconceptions around our own topic areas. For those of us working with bees, one of the most common misconceptions we face is that honeybees are the only bee out there. In 2022 I published a children's book to try to set this misconception straight. This book is about the diversity of bees, and embracing diversity in general. In this talk I will discuss the process of writing a book for the public that aimed to be both informative and compelling, and reaching the balance between scientific accuracy and storytelling. I will also discuss how we as scientists can best engage with the public more generally and how to maximize our outreach efforts.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
The potential role of the auditory system maintaining local dialects in Carolina chickadeesRomina. A Najarro Flores, Jeffrey. R Lucas
Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Birds can change elements of their songs across populations and form dialects, which are cultural communication conventions. Song dialects have primarily been studied from the perspective of the sender; geographical variation of the auditory system that may facilitate dialect formation and persistence has been largely overlooked. We tested whether the geographical distribution of song properties correlate with song-related auditory processing. We predicted that auditory processing of each population would match their corresponding population song properties. Our study system is a series of populations of Carolina chickadees (CACH) that are distributed across fragmented forests in central Indiana and have quite variable song dialects. The dialects differ from each other and from the common "fee-bee fee-bay" song. More importantly, they differ in the presence and properties of complex shifts in frequency and amplitude modulation. We will present Auditory Evoked Potential data generated using a variety of stimuli, including their dialectic song elements.
Session: Communication 1
Ways to Y-maze: Insights into an automated spontaneous choice behavioral assay Kendrick Nakamura, Chris Jernigan, Michael Sheehan
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
Animal species and individuals vary tremendously in how they respond to stimuli they experience. Conditioning assays are powerful tools for behaviorally assessing how animals process the world around them. In particular, operant conditioning has been used to understand that animals perceive and discriminate colors, smells, temperatures, textures, and even magnetic fields. These assays can even be used to assess higher-level cognitive abilities such as generalization, non-elemental learning, and even object or individual recognition. The downside of these powerful assays is that they are often time-consuming and relatively few animals can be trained at one time, limiting the number of questions that can be asked. Automated conditioning assays hold the power to solve both of these issues but present challenges of their own. This poster reviews our experiences testing Polistes wasps in an automated Y-maze. We will discuss methods and considerations for construction and preliminary results of Polistes wasp color biases, color discrimination performance, and factors that we have found to impact learning performance in this assay.
Session: Poster Session 1
Barking up the wrong tree? Male responses to conspecific and heterospecific calls in a hybrid zoneRenato C. Nali, Vinicius P. Delpenho, Davi L. Bang
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Hybridization can change the evolutionary history of lineages, but few studies have explored how animals respond to conspecifics vs. heterospecifics in a hybrid zone, particularly during mating. Using acoustic playback experiments, we analyzed how male treefrogs responded to their own calls compared to those of the sister species in a known hybrid zone in Brazil. We compared the emission of long notes (related to female attraction) and short notes (related to male competition) before and during the stimulus and recorded any movement towards the speaker. In response to a conspecific call, males did not change the emission of long notes, but increased that of short notes. In response to a heterospecific call, males emitted fewer long notes and increased short note emission. Males also moved more towards the speaker upon hearing a heterospecific compared to a conspecific call. Acoustic communication is the primary form of reproductive isolation between frog species, yet we found increased aggressive response towards heterospecifics vs. conspecifics. Our study underscores how the context of hybridization is able to shape sexual selection dynamics, extending beyond species boundaries.
Session: Communication 5
Preference between Food and Petting in Free-ranging Dogs for Positive Social Association with HumansSrijaya Nandi1, Aesha Lahiri1, Tuhin Subhra Pal1, Anamitra Roy1, Rittika Bairagya2, Anindita Bhadra1
1Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India, 2Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Haringhata, West Bengal, India
Free-ranging dogs (FRDs) are freely-breeding, not under direct human supervision and constitute about 80% of the world's dog population. Since they live in proximity to humans, they encounter them on a daily basis. They receive food and petting as positive rewards from humans. We investigated their preference between food and petting for developing positive social association with an unfamiliar human. We tested 61 FRDs in West Bengal, India. They were provided with food and petting by two unfamiliar persons (familiarization phase: FP), following which they were tested for their preferred person (test phase: TP). The reward provided by the two unfamiliar humans was randomized across the dogs tested. A concurrent choice test (TP) was conducted following the FP on first 5 days while only TP was conducted on subsequent 5 days. The person providing food was preferred on the first day while the choice was based on chance on the subsequent days. This highlights that though food serves as a better motivator in the short-term, both rewards serve well in the long-run. This study provides insights into the process underlying the development of positive dog-human relationships on the streets.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Seasonal Changes in the Activity and Breeding Behavior of captive ShoebillsIzumi Narasaki1, Toshihiro Nagashima2, Tetsuya Sato2, Noriko Katsu1, Kazunori Yamada1
1Graduate School of Human Sciences Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan, 2Kobe Animal Kingdom, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Shoebills, Balaeniceps rex, are listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Japanese zoos are working to breed shoebills, but there is little information on breeding, with only two cases of successful breeding in zoos worldwide. This study aimed to collect basic behavioral data on shoebills and estimate the optimal time for breeding in captivity. We conducted an 18-month behavioral observation on two shoebills (male and female) maintained in the Kobe Animal Kingdom, Japan, to determine whether there were seasonal changes in activities and breeding behavior. Both the male and female significantly increased their active behaviors, such as walking and flying, in summer, and male breeding behavior occurred frequently in summer. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the frequency of male-to-female proximity and the frequency of breeding behavior. However, little female reproductive behavior was observed. Our study, consistent with findings in the wild, revealed seasonal behaviors, such as those related to breeding in the male, whereas our female subject did not exhibit such behavior.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
What Can Human Asexuality Teach Us about Animal Behavior?Matthew E. Nielsen1,2
1University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany, 2University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Heterosexuality is often portrayed as a "biological" imperative for humans and a fundamental part of our nature. These assumptions are often justified through analogies to animal behavior. Careful behavioral reasoning, however, reveals that instead the opposite is happening: a limited view of human sexuality is being applied as a restrictive metaphor to animal behavior. If we don't even fully understand human sexuality and its diversity, how can it possibly be an appropriate model for animals. Considering human asexuality—a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction to others—can help us move beyond these assumptions. Critically, asexuality (like other sexual orientations) cannot be determined by observation of a person's behavior because there are many other reasons that people engage or don't engage in sexual activity. Likewise, just because we observe animals engaging in sex and associated behaviors, it does not mean they follow a heterosexual model of attraction. Avoiding anthropomorphic assumptions of sexuality can allow us to develop new models of animal behavior with less "human" bias while also combating restrictive assumptions on humans.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
That's what friends are for? Grooming and proximity nets may underestimate social learning opportunitiesChristina M Nord
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
The original formulation of network-based diffusion analysis (NBDA) assumes that animals who frequently interact in affiliative contexts learn from one another, but does not quantify how behavior spreads. Innovations in NBDA include direct observation networks, assuming if a behavior is socially transmitted, those who observe the behavior at high rates should learn faster. Here, I compare the success of dynamic observation networks to traditional affiliation networks to answer two main questions—are observational pathways more predictive of social information flow, and if so, are they related to affiliation networks? In three troops of wild vervet monkeys, I found that a dynamic observation network did predict social transmission, but that stable grooming and spatial proximity networks did not. Instead, social learning was best described as opportunistic: information was not transmitted via specific interaction modalities but instead required close proximity to the demonstrator, as well as to the task. Animals had to be highly tolerated by others in order to both gain relevant social information and use it, and such tolerance was not predicted by general social affiliation.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (2)
The Impacts of Light on Frugivorous Bat Foraging BehaviorLauren A. Norwood1, Mary Heather B. Jingco1, Luisa F. Gómez-Feuillet1, M. May Dixon1,2, Jay J. Falk1,3, Logan S. James1,4, Rachel A. Page1
1Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Colón, Panama, 2Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, 3Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA, 4Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
Light patterns have shaped the evolution of animal behavior for billions of years, but these patterns are becoming increasingly disrupted by anthropogenic light, which is rapidly spreading into more remote spaces. Researchers have begun investigating the influence a brighter world may have on wildlife populations, especially for nocturnal species. For example, the behavior of many bat species has been shown to be strongly influenced by light levels, both natural (e.g., moon cycles) and anthropogenic. In this experiment, we sought to understand whether Neotropical frugivorous bats display behavioral plasticity for foraging in brighter environments based on their previous experience with natural and anthropogenic light. We captured individuals from bat populations whose roosts differed in brightness, and presented them with a food retrieval task in an artificially lit space and in an unlit space. Using a comparative approach, we discuss our results in the context of species' roosting behavior and emergence time, both of which may impact conservation in these and other nocturnal species.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Are song type sequencing rules learned by song sparrows?Steve Nowicki1, Susan Peters1, Jill Soha1, William A. Searcy2
1Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, 2University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
The learning of song structure is well studied in songbirds, but little attention has been paid to the learning of syntax at the level of song sequences. We investigated song syntax learning in two groups of lab-reared song sparrows: an isolate group having no exposure to external models and a group trained with song sequences exhibiting syntactic rules that differed from those normally observed in the field. Regardless of early experience, males in both groups followed four syntactic rules previously described for wild song sparrows: 1) they sang their repertoires with eventual variety; 2) they cycled through their repertoires in close to the minimum number of bouts; 3) they consistently sang certain song types more than others, and 4) they did not prefer certain song type transitions. One aspect of syntax that was affected by experience in both groups was the rule that long bouts of a song type are followed by long intervals before that type is repeated. Isolate males showed no bout length/recurrence interval correlations while trained males showed reduced correlations relative to wild males. It remains unclear why most syntactical rules are not learned while others may be.
Session: Communication 1
Out of the stable: the behavioral costs of social instability in feral horses (Equus caballus)Cassandra M.V. Nunez
The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
It is unclear how habitat features alter the costs of social instability and how these integrate across multiple organismal systems (including behavior, physiology, and internal symbiont communities). Only by uncovering such interactions can we fully understand the evolutionary drivers and fitness consequences of sociality across species. My work addresses this knowledge gap using an integrative approach that capitalizes on a management-induced manipulation of social stability in an island population of free-ranging feral horses (Equus caballus), living across three distinct habitat types. Specifically, I will show how the surrounding habitat shapes the associations between female group changing behavior and 1) the aggression females receive from their counterparts and 2) their ability to form strong social bonds with their groupmates. This work addresses fundamental biological questions regarding the costs of social instability in group living animals. Moreover, it provides a more complete understanding of our management strategies' unintended effects, providing guidance for more effective and ethical wildlife management.
Session: Social behavior 1
Advancing toward evidence-based care for zoo-housed semi-aquatic turtlesDr. Shannon O'Brien, Alex Thomson, Spencer Koenig, Dr. Katherine Cronin
Animal Welfare Science Program, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
Providing evidence-based care to animals is a common goal in zoos and aquariums. However, some taxa such as reptiles have been historically understudied in animal behavior and animal welfare science. This paucity of information may lead to suboptimal welfare for these animals. Using preference tests to ask animals what they want can be an effective means to enhance their care, and subsequently, their welfare. We conducted a series of studies to test the preferences of the semi-aquatic turtles at Lincoln Park Zoo. In one study, we used 24-hour remote monitoring to assess individual preferences for substrates, habitat features, and lighting. Additionally, we compared the turtles' preferences in winter and summer to assess whether their preferences changed seasonally. Finally, we conducted a study to assess how the turtles are impacted by zoo visitors. We found that the turtles had individualized preferences, their preferences did not change seasonally, and their space use was impacted by zoo visitors. Collectively, the results of these studies are being used to inform the care provided to these turtles and may help inspire similar studies at other zoological institutions.
Session: Poster Session 2
Familiarity with social partners influences affiliative interactions but not spatial associationsClaire L. O'Connell1, Annemarie van der Marel1,2, Elizabeth A. Hobson1
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati,, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 2Departamento de Ecología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
To navigate complex social environments, animals must keep track of familiar group members and strangers. To test whether familiarity affected several spatial and affiliative associations, we created a captive group of 22 feral-caught monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) from geographically distinct capture sites. Using social network analysis, we identified patterns of assortativity, and we compared the presence, strength, and timing of associations among birds from the same site (familiar) and across sites (strangers). We found that proximity associations unaffected by capture site, and that affiliative interactions occurred significantly more often among familiar birds. All affiliative interaction networks, but not spatial networks were more densely connected, and most relationships were stronger among familiar birds compared to strangers. Most affiliative interactions, but not spatial associations, among strangers occurred significantly later in the experiment compared to familiar birds. Our results provide evidence that monk parakeets discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar birds and suggest that birds use their previous experiences to make affiliative social decisions.
Session: Social behavior 3
The role of conservation status and brain size in predicting carnivore behavioral flexibility on a MABVictoria L. O'Connor1,2, Lisa P. Barrett3, Rebecca Snyder4, Natalia Borrego5, Patrick Thomas6, Jennifer Vonk1
1Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA, 2Bergen County Zoo, Paramus, NJ, USA, 3Indiana University, Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA, 4Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma City, OK, USA, 5Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Konstanz, Germany, 6Wildlife Conservation Society, New York City, NY, USA
In the largest multi-species experiment involving MABs in carnivores, we assessed whether individuals could innovate and produce new solutions to a task after old ones become obsolete, and what measures and behaviors were associated with success. Expanding upon a previously published data set, we tested 65 individuals of 17 species from four families at five locations. We used species differences in IUCN status, sociality, brain volume, body mass, and encephalization quotient to predict behavioral differences in persistence, contact latency, latency to success, and exploration diversity. Species significantly differed in the number of MAB solutions solved and ratio of successful solutions to unsuccessful solutions. IUCN status and brain volume were not significant predictors; contact latency and exploration diversity had no significant predictors. Body mass was a significant predictor of latency to success indicating that smaller individuals were faster to access the reward. Sociality, body mass, and encephalization quotient were significant predictors of persistence; species that were social, had lower body mass and had a higher encephalization quotient were more persistent.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
Transcriptomics reveal neurogenomic associations with female and male song in a temperate songbirdKaran J. Odom1,2, Timothy A. Liddle3, Nora H. Prior4, Anna K. Magnaterra2, Chelsea Haakenson2, Cara A. Krieg5, Tyler J. Stevenson3, Gregory F. Ball2
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton,, CA, USA, 2Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 3School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 4Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 5Biology Department, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA
Extensive research has addressed the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating male birdsong in temperate songbirds. Research shows that transitions in singing behavior from the nonbreeding to breeding season and regrowth of song control regions in males is mediated by testosterone. We know very little about these mechanisms in female songbirds that sing. In addition, there is still a lot that we do not know about the genetic underpinnings of this phenomenon in males. We investigated the neurogenomic associations in HVC and POM in male and female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) between early and late breeding season when males and females naturally sing more or less. We found increased expression in males compared to females for genes involved in cell signaling, transport, development and growth. Genes with similar functions were also upregulated in females that sang more compared to females that sang less. In addition, we found sex differences in expression of genes that appear to be involved in both neural circuit development and androgen receptor expression. This could be a link between the neuroendocrine and neurogenomic mechanisms that regulate seasonal or sex differences in song.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Song Type Popularity in Adelaide's Warblers (Setophaga adelaidae)Oluwatosin A. Ogundimu, David M Logue
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Abstract Songbirds with song type repertoires typically sing some song types more than others. This study aims to understand within-individual song type popularity in Adelaide's warblers (Setophaga adelaidae). We recorded 4-10 dawn choruses from each of 14 males. Individuals showed strong song type preferences, which were consistent across days. We tested three hypotheses about song type popularity: (1) popular songs are widely shared, (2) popular songs have a large active space, and (3) popular songs showcase high vocal performance. Song type popularity is an under-studied topic, that can contribute to our understanding of the function of song type repertoires.
Session: Poster Session 1
Energetics of Dolphin Bow Riding BehaviorDara N. Orbach1, Cindy Vaquero1, Lorenzo Fiori1, Randall W. Davis2, Bernd Würsig2
1Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, 2Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
Dolphins are frequently observed riding on the bows of boats. One function of bow riding behavior may be conserving energy. We use dolphin respiration rates to estimate the energetic costs of bow riding behavior. Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) off Kaikoura, New Zealand were video-recorded by an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) while: 1) bow riding on the wake of a 6 m rigid inflatable boat, and 2) free-swimming. Video segments were analyzed in both contexts when dolphins swam in a linear direction at constant speed and were continuously visible. The relationship between respiration rate (# blowhole openings per minute) and swimming speed (distance traveled per minute) was calculated from the videos and metadata. Respiration rate increased exponentially with speed in free-swimming dolphins, indicating that dolphins incur high energetic costs of free-swimming at rapid speeds. We advance understandings of the function of dolphin bow riding behavior while demonstrating a novel and non-invasive approach to calculate free-swimming and bow riding energetic costs to small cetaceans.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Fighting for the motherland? Self-interest, not nepotism, motivates nest defense in a eusocial bee.Margarita Orlova, Darnell Weaver, Jackson Liu, Daniil Grytsiuk
State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Utica, New York, USA
Kin selection is currently seen as the most important evolutionary underpinning of eusociality. The kin selection theory of eusociality predicts that interactions between individuals in eusocial species will depend on genetic relatedness and that individuals will show nepotistic behaviors including policing and aggression against unrelated intruders. However, existing evidence for or against nepotism in eusocial species is scarce, and little is known of the mechanisms responsible for kin recognition in eusocial insects. We tested nepotistic behaviors in a primitively eusocial monandrous bee B. impatiens, focusing on behavior of workers in different contexts towards intruders of different genetic background. Our results indicate that behavior towards intruders is highly context-dependent and that genetic relatedness in itself has little impact on aggressive interactions between individuals, while other factors, such as intruder size and fertility, have a larger role. Moreover, behavior of queenless workers towards intruders is apparently guided by the potential impacts of intrusion on their direct fitness rather than by inclusive fitness considerations.
Session: Social evolution
Cumulative Adversity Index: A Framework to Study the Effect of Multiple Stressors in Natural PopulationsXochitl Ortiz-Ross, Daniel T. Blumstein
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Early life experiences greatly influence fitness, but most research has focused on single stressors, often in a lab. Since natural populations must contend with many co-occurring stressors, understanding the impact of multiple early-life stressors on the health and ecology of natural systems is vital for their conservation. However, the complexity of such research has limited its advancement. To address this challenge, human studies adopted cumulative risk models that predict adult health risk based on early adversity exposure. We propose a novel framework that adapts such models to study natural populations and describes various types of cumulative early adversity (CEA) indices. Using wild yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) as a case study, we demonstrate that such indices predict pup survival and adult longevity. Our results highlight how CEA indices yield unique insights and improved model fit. With this framework we hope to spur further investigations on the impact of cumulative adversity in natural systems, which are crucial for effective conservation and management in the Anthropocene.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Facing Adversity: From Then to NowXochitl Ortiz-Ross
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Resilience in the face of adversity is often seen as the benchmark for success in both humans and other animals. Conditions experienced early in life are of particular importance in shaping the adult phenotype. In this talk, I will describe how my personal experiences and academic interests led me to research the fitness impact of early life stressors. After touching on some of my past research, I will highlight my current research on the cumulative impacts of early adversity on longevity, adult stress, and life history of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), and my plans to investigate how such cumulative adversity could be inherited by future generations. I will also speak to how my research has influenced my commitment to inclusive teaching and mentoring and some of my endeavors in these areas.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (1)
Fish on the Pill: Impact of a Pharmaceutical Pollutant on the Behaviour of an Australian FishShiho Ozeki1, Rhiannon V. Eastment1, Jack L. Manera1, Raiko Rafeeq1, Anne Peters1, Jake M. Martin1,2, Bob B.M. Wong1
1Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia, 2Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, Umeå, Sweden
For many animals, behavioural changes are often the first response to environmental disruption. Pharmaceutical pollution, in particular, can have a profound impact on the behaviour of exposed wildlife. Due to the global increase in medication use, the number of pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment has risen sharply. One wide-spread pharmaceutical of particular concern is 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), the main estrogen in the contraceptive pill. Accordingly, this study examined the impact of a 14-day exposure to EE2 (0, 33, 70 ng/L) on the behaviour of the Australian crested weedfish (Cristiceps australis). After exposure, fish were subject to a refuge-use assay to investigate the impact of EE2 on boldness and anxiety. In addition, morphological characteristics were examined. Our study found no effect of EE2 on weedfish behaviour. However, fish from the high EE2 treatment had a significantly greater scaled mass compared to the low treatment, indicating a dose-specific effect on morphology. Our findings will have repercussions for understanding consequences for species persistence in a polluted world.
Session: Allee Symposium (1)
Impact of sub-lethal level of insecticides on species isolation barriers in field cricketsSwastik Pritam Padhy, Mingzi Xu
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Reproductive barriers are central to maintaining isolation between species. Sexual communication, involving male sexual signals and female preferences, is a key component of this barrier. However, both signals and preferences are highly labile. Hence, phenotypic changes due to environmental perturbations may disrupt sexual communication, breaching the species boundaries. Human activities are altering the ecosystems rapidly. For example, xenochemicals have been detected even in what have been thought to be pristine habitats. In particular, insecticides are widely found in unintended areas due to movement through water cycle and food chains. Such low-level insecticides can have adverse sub-lethal effects on non-targeted organisms. In particular, many insecticides are neurotoxins, adversely affecting behaviors. Surprisingly, how these neurotoxicants affect sexual communication and the subsequent consequences on reproductive isolation have been rarely examined. Using crickets as study system, we look into (1) how non-lethal levels of insecticides may affect the expression of male signals and female preferences and (2) what consequences these changes may have on reproductive barriers.
Session: Poster Session 2
The lascivious love life of a leaf-eating beetle: Is it toxic?Rabi Sankar Pal, Anirban Bhowmick, Kunmun Naik, Bodhisatta Nandy
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur, Berhampur, Odisha, India
Insects show enormous variability in copula duration. Although short copulation typically serves the purpose of reproduction, the prevalence of long mating in insects remains an intriguing puzzle. We studied the remarkably long copulation in the Parthenium beetle Zygogramma bicolorata. We discovered this long copulation to represent the mounting duration, which entails repeated copulations, each preceded and succeeded by a leg-rubbing behaviour. Investigating the adaptive significance of such behaviour, we demonstrate the cost of long mounting. Beyond a few initial copulations, we found no evidence for long mounting to enhance sperm transfer or ensure fertility. Nevertheless, long mounting appears to influence female remating behaviour, potentially serving as copulatory mate-guarding in this species. We also found leg-rubbing to reduce female resistance, revealing its potential role as a copulatory courtship behaviour. Furthermore, our data present subtle evidence of sexual conflict over the duration and number of mountings. This study offers important insights into the sexual selection mechanisms and warrants further research to understand the unusual mating behaviours.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
EXPRESSION OF DOPAMINE-RELATED GENES IN BIPARENTAL BURYING BEETLES, NICROPHORUS ORBICOLLIS Stefania C. Panaitof
Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH,
Burying beetles, Nicrophorus orbicollis, have extended biparental care of young. To breed, a male-female pair of beetles bury and prepare a small vertebrate carcass as food for their young. Upon hatching, larvae depend on parental regurgitations of food to survive. The neurophysiology of this remarkable caregiving behavior is however poorly understood. In previous work we found that brain levels of dopamine rise significantly after 24 hours of care when parental rates peak, consistent with a role in the transition from nonparental to parental state. To test the effects of dopamine signaling, we quantified transcript levels of several dopamine-related genes (tyrosine hydroxylase (NoTh) and dopamine receptors (Nodr)) after one day of care. While relative expression levels of NoTh showed little change, gene expression levels of Nodr1 and Nodr2 were slightly elevated in parental females, and Nodr1 and Nodr2 transcript levels were positively correlated in parental but not control females. Ongoing analyses are poised to include additional timepoints during breeding to help clarify how dopamine might be linked to reproductive behavior and physiology in burying beetles.
Session: Virtual Posters (asynchronous)
Does exposure to a widely used herbicide affect maternal care in an insect with family life?Laura Pasquier, Julie Groutsch, Maïlys Verger, Violette Wallart, Charlotte Lécureuil, Joël Meunier
Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, Tours, France
The use of herbicides on crops often affects non-target organisms, such as insects, in which they can alter major physiological and behavioural traits. Some of these behaviours, such as maternal care, are essential to these species. However, the impact of herbicides on the expression of maternal care and on reproductive outcome is unclear in insects. Here, we tested the effect of sublethal exposure to formulated glyphosate on maternal care and offspring quality in the European earwig. We exposed 239 females to a dose of glyphosate that was either recommended for crops, 10 times lower, 10 times higher, or to a control solution. We then measured the resulting effects on the expression of 6 forms of maternal care, female activity, egg development time, offspring quality and development. Somewhat surprisingly, we found no effect of glyphosate exposure on any of the traits measured. These results suggest that formulated glyphosate have only limited effects on European earwig populations and highlight the importance of studying the effects of herbicides on insects to better evaluate their risks in integrated pest management programmes.
Session: Parental care
Vocal communication during pair bond expression in prairie volesYashvi Patel1, Steven M Phelps2, Morgan Gustison1,2
1Western University, London, ON, Canada, 2University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
Several species have evolved the capacity to form long-term social bonds. It is thought that communication behaviors, like vocalizations, are critical for maintaining these bonds. Here, we investigate vocal behavior during pair bond expression in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a socially monogamous rodent. We test the hypothesis that bonded voles use vocal communication during partner preference contexts. After forming a pair bond, subjects were placed in a three-chamber choice arena in one of four contexts. Subjects were alone or exposed to a partner, a stranger, or both. We used a deep learning-based platform, DeepSqueak, to detect and classify ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) recorded during these contexts. Supporting our hypothesis, we found that voles produced more USVs in social contexts than when they were alone. We also found evidence for sex differences, with more USVs produced during contexts with male focal subjects as compared to female subjects. These results suggest that vocalization is an important part of the behavioral repertoire to maintain bonds. These findings also provide a foundation for understanding the evolution of prosocial communication.
Session: Poster Session 2
Competition with vertebrate scavengers' delays return to parental care in a burying beetleCasey Patmore, Georgia Lambert, Charlotte Noonan, Per T Smiseth
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Competition over rare and limited resources is an important evolutionary driver of behaviour. One such resource found in nature are carrion carcasses, which the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides depends on to breed. However, these carcasses are highly valuable and often bring these beetles into conflict with other species, including opportunistic vertebrate scavengers. Little is know about how such interactions inform decision-making in N. vespilloides. Here, we test whether this includes facultative adjustments to parental care. We found that parents were slower to provide care when given cues that indicated vertebrate scavengers were present. Despite this, we found there was no difference in the amount of care parents provided, or in resulting larval fitness. Our results are consistent with previous work that shows while vertebrate competition does trigger a strong immediate response, any long-term adjustments in parental behaviour are limited. This suggests that the selective pressure for long-term adjustments are weak, and we find evidence that they may instead rely on non-facultative behaviours such as concealing carrion to deal with asymmetric competition.
Session: Parental care
A meta-analysis on alternative mating tactics: when the main and the alternative yield similar successPaulo Peixoto1, Amanda Silva2, João Almeida1, Stefânia Ventura3, Reisla Oliveira4
1Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2Federal University of ABC, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 3University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 4No Affiliation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
In species adopting alternative mating tactics (AMTs), there is a general assumption that the main tactic yields higher mating success than the secondary tactic. This is assumed for species in which different tactics are restricted by morphology (fixed AMTs) as well as for species in which individuals can alternate between tactics (flexible AMTs). However, because different mating tactics are associated to different morphologies in species with fixed AMTs, it may be that there is a greater specialization of individuals to each mating tactic when compared to species with flexible AMTs. Therefore, we hypothesized that the difference in reproductive success between tactics will be smaller in species expressing fixed than flexible AMTs. To investigate this hypothesis, we developed a meta-analysis and found that in species with flexible AMTs, the main tactic yielded a higher mating success than the secondary tactic, while in species with fixed AMTs, distinct tactics had similar reproductive success. Thus, the widespread assumption that males adopting the main tactic have higher reproductive success than males adopting the secondary tactic may be restricted to species with fixed AMTs.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
Singing in a world of noise: my interdisciplinary journey to the acoustic communication of whalesChristina E Perazio
Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
Animal behaviorist. Ethologist. Behavioral ecologist. Educator. Mentor. These are just a few of the hats I wear today, each of which can be traced back to the middle of my freshman year in college when I changed my major to Animal Behavior. My educational and research experiences, in addition to the mentorship that I received, as an undergraduate Animal Behavior student have molded both my life and my career. In this talk, I will trace my education and research path from fish behavior as a college senior to dolphin and whale communication as a graduate student to humpback whale song as a professor of undergraduate Animal Behavior students. This path is international and multi-lingual and will one day, hopefully, become comparative in nature. I will share the results of a variety of projects aimed at understanding how whales communicate, highlighting work by several of my own undergraduate Animal Behavior research assistants. As a prior Charles H. Turner Awardee and subsequent invited graduate student mentor for Turner Awardees, I am honored to be able to share my journey with colleagues and students alike who share a passion for the wide world of animal behavior.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
Clonal Fish Show Individual and Group-level Differences in Collective Behavior Ammon Perkes1, Jolle Jolles2, David Bierbach3, Carolina Doran4, Max Wolf5, Kate Laskowski1
1UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA, 2Center for Advnaced Studies Blanes, Blanes, Girona, Spain, 3Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 4European Citizen Science Association, Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 5Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Collective behavior is a universal feature of group-living animals. While the mechanisms behind group behaviors are often known, how and why collective behaviors vary across groups is poorly understood. Limited studies have demonstrated group-level differences, but the extent and origin of this variation remains largely untested. Group-level phenotypes could be measurable from birth and remain stable throughout, or they could vary over time—diverging or converging as the result of individual differences and group interactions. Here we measure group-level variation in the naturally clonal Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa). As clones, Amazon mollies allow us to limit the influence of both genetic and environmental variation while characterizing the development of individual- and group-level phenotype. We quantified the behavior of groups of Amazon molly siblings for ten weeks starting from birth. Using this high-coverage dataset, we characterize the extent to which groups vary in motion and space use, as well as how these differences emerge over development. By quantifying the extent of group-level variation, we can identify the origin and impacts of group-level differences.
Session: Social behavior 3
Does Space Use Predict Sociality? Determinants of Social Network Structure in a Free-Living MammalErin S. Person1, Eileen A. Lacey1, Jennifer E. Smith2
1Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA, 2Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA
Space use is widely assumed to be an important predictor of social behavior given that animals are most likely to interact with nearby conspecifics. In the age of remote-sensing technology, spatial proximity is often used as a proxy for social interaction, although this simplifying assumption has rarely been tested under field conditions. Using five years of spatial and social data from direct observations of 188 free-living California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi), we evaluated the role of spatial relationships in generating individual differences in sociality. Range size was positively associated with each of the four social network metrics examined and the proportion of range overlap between individuals was positively correlated with the strength of their social associations, with the strongest associations occurring within age and sex classes and with juveniles generally being more social than adults. We also examined the effects of spatial relationships on affiliative interactions, agonistic interactions, and all interactions combined. We found that spatial relationships better predicted affiliative compared to agonistic encounters.
Session: Social behavior 1
Behavior's role in the evolution of species rangesKarin Pfennig, Bryson Loflin
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Explaining the evolution of species ranges is fundamental to understanding the distribution and maintenance of biodiversity. Yet, we still do not fully know how species ranges expand evolutionarily or the role of behavior in this process. Generally, species range expansion is limited by failure to disperse or adapt to novel habitats. Behavior might enable a species to overcome these constraints and consequently facilitate range expansion if behaviors that contribute to dispersal are linked to behaviors that promote success in novel habitats. We used spadefoot toads to evaluate the role of behavior in the expansion of a grassland-adapted species into an entirely different biome, the desert southwestern USA. We examined if potential dispersal-promoting behaviors vary across the species range as expected if they fueled range expansion. We also examined if such behaviors were associated with a mating behavior--adaptive hybridization with the desert-adapted resident species--that enhances success in the desert environment. Our results provide needed insights into behavior's role in the distribution of species.
Session: Ecological effects
Experimental Investigation of Terrestrial Odor Perception in Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta)Katrina S. Pfennig1, Lillian G. Prince1, Jadyn M. Sethna1, Dana S. Lim1, Kayla M. Goforth2, Catherine M. F. Lohmann1, Kenneth J. Lohmann1
1Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 2Department of Biology, Texas A & M, College Station, Texas, USA
Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) perform extraordinary long-distance migrations, with remarkable site fidelity to nesting and foraging grounds. Growing evidence suggests that turtles navigate using multiple sensory cues, with magnetic cues guiding turtles over long distances and olfactory cues helping turtles to pinpoint specific target areas. In principle, turtles might determine when they are close to land by detecting wind-borne odorants associated with coastal areas. In this study we investigated whether turtles detect and respond to alpha-pinene, a volatile organic compound (VOC) that exists in coastal plants. We tested 16 juvenile loggerhead sea turtles in an olfactory arena and recorded the time spent with nares out of the water (presumably sampling the air) in response to odorants from food, seawater, and alpha-pinene. Relative to control trials with sea water, turtles spent more time with their nares out of water in the presence of food and alpha-pinene. The findings provide the first evidence that turtles detect odorants associated with terrestrial plants and suggest the possibility that turtles use such odorants to determine that land is nearby.
Session: Poster Session 1
How does temperature affect the resource-dependent development of sexual traits in wolf spiders? Yennhi Phan, Noah Leith, Kasey Fowler-Finn
Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA
Food availability is an important factor that shapes the expression and evolution of reproductive traits across all animal species. Individuals that attain more resources can typically produce more colorful ornaments and display more attractive courtship behaviors. However, temperature also can shape traits related to mating and reproduction and could interact with food availability to shape mating outcomes. Here we test how variation in temperature influences the relationship between nutrition, sexual trait expression, and reproductive fitness in wolf spiders. We manipulated food availability and the temperature experienced during development. After spiders reached maturity, we quantified variation in male morphological and behavioral sexual traits and determined how those traits predicted mating success. The results of this experiment will reveal how arthropod populations may respond to multiple simultaneous anthropogenic stressors, including climate change and food scarcity. Given the importance of arthropods for our ecosystem, understanding responses to anthropogenic stressors is critical for predicting how animal communities will respond to our rapidly changing world.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 2
Beginning Birders: A Program Providing Confidence and CommunityLauren D. Pharr
Field Inclusive, Inc., Raleigh, NC, USA
There is a lack of awareness that marginalized and historically excluded individuals and groups face additional barriers when either professionally working or recreating in the outdoors. More specifically, "at-risk" individuals which include those minority identities of the following: race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity and/or religion are more likely to experience prejudice which may manifest against them. Partnering alongside Wake Audubon Society, Field Inclusive, Inc., a non-profit organization striving to provide tangible and actionable improvements in the natural resources by addressing issues related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, shares a vision for a world in which the outdoors feels safe and welcoming for everyone, regardless of personal identity. Both organizations saw the need for more inclusive spaces for marginalized groups to gather and feel safe while enjoying a common nature activity - this sparked the creation of the Beginning Birders Program.
Session: Poster Session 2
Multilevel selection on individual and group social phenotypesConner S. Philson1,2,3, Julien G.A. Martin4, Daniel T. Blumstein1,2
1UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO, USA, 3University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom, 4University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
How the evolution of sociality was shaped by multilevel selection - the theoretical framework proposing natural selection occurs at levels of biological organization other than only the gene - is a classic debate. It is unknown if multilevel selection acts on social phenotypes in the wild. Given sociality is inherently nested, with individuals comprising groups, multiple levels of social organization should be explored simultaneously. I studied the relative strength of multilevel selection on individual and group social phenotypes, quantified with social networks in wild yellow-bellied marmots. A contextual analysis (partitioning selection among phenotypic levels) revealed multilevel selection in specific fitness and life history contexts, with stronger selection for the group. I also found antagonistic multilevel selection within and between social phenotypes, potentially explaining why increased sociality is not as beneficial in this system comparatively to other social taxa. This work provides empirical evidence for multilevel selection shaping social relationships and structures in the wild, and provides direct evidence for a classic, unanswered question in animal behavior.
Session: Allee Symposium (2)
Resilience and Redundancy in Spider Monkeys' Social Structure Edoardo Pietrangeli1, Sandra E. Smith Aguilar2, Denis Boyer3, Gabriel Ramos-Fernandez2, Filippo Aureli1,4
1Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico, 2Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico, 3Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico, 4Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Understanding resilience in animal societies is increasingly important amidst environmental change and human activities. We studied how group-member loss affects spatial cohesion and social structure in wild spider monkeys using 17 years of data. We simulated node removal to assess resilience using networks of associations to model spatial cohesion and multiplex networks of social interactions to model social structure. Spatial cohesion and social structure were resilient to perturbations such as the random removal of group members. Resilience can be promoted by redundant paths within the social structure as removals showed limited effects on redundant layers. However, targeted removals of key group members triggered rapid fragmentation of social structure, but not of spatial cohesion. Our results elucidate the role of redundancy in social structure resilience and highlight the role of key group members in ensuring its connectedness over time. They emphasize the importance of social structure in resilience assessments, as its disregard may result in overestimations of resilience following group-member loss due to anthropogenic disturbances.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (3)
A comparison of reversal learning in wild-caught queen and worker bumblebees.Smruti Pimplikar1, Jessica Buelow2, N. Pinar Barkan3, James P. Strange3, Felicity Muth1,4
1University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, 2University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA, 3Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 4University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
While the ability to learn is often advantageous, learning performance can trade-off with other traits, including cognitive traits such as flexibility. Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are useful models to study trade-offs in cognition since closely related individuals have distinct behavioral phenotypes with associated cognitive abilities. Foraging queens are better at learning than foraging workers, yet it is unclear if this comes at the cost of flexibility. To test this, we compared wild-caught queens and workers of two bumblebee species, B. flavifrons and B. vancouverensis on a learning and reversal task. Unexpectedly, B. vancouverensis queens did not perform better than foragers. However, queens were better at reversal learning. Analyses for B. flavifrons are in progress and will show whether this result holds across species. So far, results indicate that there is not a trade-off in learning and reversing in bumblebees, and instead that queens outperform foragers across both domains. We discuss these findings in the context of trade-offs in cognition more broadly.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
Social insect communication utilizes multiple types of interactionsNoa Pinter-Wollman
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, CA, USA
To acquire social information, animals interact with one another. However, the type of an interaction and the characteristics of the individuals interacting may impact both the information that is transmitted and how it is received. I will provide an overview of studies on interactions of social insects (primarily ants and wasps) in which information about foraging opportunities, social status, and nesting partnership depends on more than one type of interaction. Furthermore, the response to these interactions differs based on the state of both the sender and the receiver. These studies emphasize the importance of distinguishing the impact of different types of interactions when examining communication in social systems.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (2)
Are human non-lingustic vocalizations acquired through vocal learning?Kasia Pisanski1, David Reby2, Anna Oleszkiewicz3
1CNRS French National Centre for Scientific Research, DDL Dynamics of Language Lab, University of Lyon 2, 69007, Lyon, France, 2ENES Bioacoustics Research Laboratory, CRNL Center for Research in Neuroscience in Lyon, University of Saint Étienne, 42023, St-Étienne, France, 3Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-527, Wroclaw, Poland
Human nonverbal vocalizations such as screams and cries often reflect their evolved functions. Although the universality of these putatively primordial acoustic forms and their phylogenetic roots in animal calls suggest they may have a strong reflexive foundation, many of the emotive vocalizations we humans produce are under our voluntary control, suggesting that, like speech, they may require auditory input to develop typically. Indeed, we show that profoundly deaf adults produced atypical and acoustically homogenous volitional vocalizations that were unusually high-pitched, unarticulated, and tonal, containing extremely few harsh-sounding nonlinear phenomena compared to typically-hearing controls. In perception experiments on over 400 adults, listeners struggled to gauge the intended emotions of deaf vocalizers, perceived their vocalizations as relatively inauthentic and reliably detected deafness. The effects of auditory deprivation were additive, increasing as auditory experience of vocalizers decreased. Vocal learning may thus be required not only for speech acquisition in humans, but also for the acquisition of some volitional non-linguistic vocalizations.
Session: Communication 1
An elephant model for integrating cognition into conservationJoshua M. Plotnik1,2, Robbie Ball1,2, Sarah L. Jacobson1,2, Matthew S. Rudolph1,2, Marnoch Yindee3
1Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA, 2The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA, 3Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Comparative cognition has made significant contributions to our understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying complex and flexible behavior. Remarkably, however, its application to conservation, where it has potential to make a significant impact, has largely been overlooked. Here, we will discuss how our long-term research program studying cognition in captive elephants can inform human-elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation. HEC, the biggest threat to elephant survival in Asia, is addressed using methods to prevent negative interactions between humans and elephants competing for access to food. These methods, however, do not take into account our growing knowledge about individual variation in animal behavior. We are developing behavioral profiles of wild elephants living in a HEC hotspot in Thailand, and will discuss how data are being used in the implementation of novel mitigation that incorporates the profiles of particular 'problem' elephants into the use of selected visual, acoustic and olfactory deterrents. This project aims to demonstrate the importance of acknowledging individual differences when facilitating human-wildlife coexistence.
Session: Conservation
Testing for a trade-off between song amplitude and tempo in one of the world's loudest songbirdsJeff Podos1, João Menezes1, Mario Cohn-Haft2, Pedro P. Rizzato3, Flavio Castro4
1University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA, 2Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, AM, Brazil, 3Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 4Prefeitura Municipal, Teresópolis, RJ, Brazil
Elaborate sexual displays are sometimes shaped structurally by limits on animals' performance capacities. Such limits are sometimes revealed in tradeoffs among display features. One predicted tradeoff for sound production via phonation, virtually untested, is between amplitude and timing: animals should be able to produce sounds that are either loud or quickly repeated, but not both simultaneously. We here test for this predicted tradeoff in one of the world's loudest songbirds, the Bare-throated Bellbird (Procnias nudicollis) of South America's Atlantic rainforest. We obtained amplitude-calibrated recordings of singing males at sites in Southeastern Brazil. These birds produced bouts with marked song-to-song variation in both timing and amplitude, including some songs that were exceptionally loud (~120 dB(A) Leq). We are currently characterizing amplitude and timing measures and the relationship between them, and testing for the expected trade-off. Results will be compared to those from a congener, the White Bellbird (P. albus), in order to explore varying scales of potential amplitude x timing trade-offs.
Session: Communication 2
Provisioning in a Cooperative Bird with Multiple Breeding Females per GroupColleen L Poje1,2, Derrick J Thrasher1,2, William E Feeney3,4, Michael S Webster1,2
1Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA, 2Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA, 3Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Andalusia, Spain, 4Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
When reproduction is costly, maternal investment strategies are central to life-history decisions. Cooperative breeding can lead to a diversification of maternal investment strategies. This diversification hinges on the amount of help provided by the additional group members. Most studies of maternal investment in cooperative breeders have utilized kin-based systems where one breeding female dominates reproduction. Few studies have looked maternal investment in more genetically complex cooperative groups and how it is influenced by the addition of independently nesting co-breeding females. By studying variegated fairywrens, Malurus lamberti, we explore the impact of additional breeding females on maternal investment in a genetically complex system. We compared patterns of nestling provisioning by breeding females at their own nests in groups that were singular non-cooperative, singular cooperative (one breeding pair) or plural cooperative (multiple breeding pairs). Our findings suggest that the addition of breeding females to a social group may result in the loss of investment benefits seen when only one breeding female is present in a cooperative group.
Session: Parental care
Can prior experience alter responses to heavy metal contaminants in freshwater snails?Lea Pollack
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
In human-dominated environments, it is almost impossible for animals to avoid contaminants of concern completely. However, adaptive behavioral strategies should include mitigating costs by avoiding exposure to toxicants as much as possible. Here, we test the competing hypotheses that prior experience with a sublethal toxicant will either lead animals to avoid repeat exposure or attract them toward a familiar option. I will present preliminary data from a controlled experiment examining how freshwater snails (Physella acuta) collected from ponds with varying levels of heavy metal pollution respond to diet with increasing levels of lead. This work highlights how recent evolutionary experience could either help or hinder animals as they navigate the novel challenges of the anthropocene.
Session: Poster Session 1
Challenging stereotypes in the sexual selection fieldPietro Pollo
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Evolutionary biology literature often suggests that the sexes express reproductive behaviors completely differently from one another, with stereotypical representations such as choosy females and competitive males. I explore this concept at multiple levels, from examining whether this is the actual perception of the research community to investigating commonly overlooked behaviors like male mate choice. First, by conducting a survey, I found that people agree with the stereotypical roles proposed in the literature but they understand variation exists around these stereotypes. More importantly, I found that personal and research experiences of participants were associated with their perceptions about sex differences, revealing potential sources of biases about this topic. Second, using empirical and meta-analytical approaches, I found evidence that male mate choice is common and widespread across taxa, and that it varies among individuals. This work confirms that sexual stereotypes in nature show multiple inconsistencies and can be harmful to the advance of science. I also show that we have a long way to go to change this reality, as certain topics continue to be overlooked.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Heads up! Social vigilance behaviour in American crowsAlex Popescu, Kiyoko M. Gotanda
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Urbanized species such as the American crow can adapt to exploit anthropogenic resources and maximize their benefits and fitness in urban areas, leading to an increase in abundance in cities. While individual-level behavioural adaptations are an active area of research, adaptations of social behaviours and their contribution to the success of urbanised species are underexplored. Last summer, we performed observational trials in green and commercial areas selected from a Brock community science initiative (https://crowkemon.weebly.com/) and found that American crows have adapted social vigilance behaviour in urban settings. We found that the presence of a sentinel had little impact on the behaviour of foragers, but that the type of environment in which they forage had a significant effect on the duration of behaviours performed by foragers. The proportion of time allocated to each behaviour or the pecking rate of foragers were not significantly affected by either the environment or the presence of a sentinel. Our results suggest that their reliance on the sentinel differs, and reflects the individual's perception of the environment in which it forages.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
The Coevolution of Female Ornamentation and Male Genitalia in the Dance Fly, Rhamphomyia longicaudaPriscilla Prakash
University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
In animals, females are typically drawn to traits which are sexually selected for in males. However, some mating systems display sex role reversal during courtship, such as that of the dance fly, Rhamphomyia longicauda. Females of this species have two major types of ornamentation (inflatable abdominal sacks and pennate scales on their legs) and fly in a lek-like mating swarm to attract male mates. Male dance flies are choosy and select females based on displays of their exaggerated sexual ornaments. Literature shows that there is evidence for strong sexual selection on female ornaments. As females are investing in costly ornaments, males are investing into their genital morphology in size and complexity due to sperm competition. Previous work shows a relationship between genital morphology in males and their mating success with females. In this study, using specimens collected in June 2023 in southern Ontario, I look at the coevolutionary effect of female ornamentation on male genital morphology in R. longicauda. Here, I compare the measurements of morphological structures in both unmated and mated flies in a cross-sectional selection analysis.
Session: Poster Session 2
Effects of foraging success on social network centrality in bobwhite quailSanjay Prasher, Elizabeth A. Hobson
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
An animal's social network centrality has been linked to its access to information or resources from others. Yet, the inverse effect of providing benefits to others on one's centrality is understudied. We studied effects of foraging success, and the ensuant food access provided to others, on a bird's strength in a foraging network in three captive groups of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). Using an automated feeder, we selectively fed birds in a three-phase experiment: 1. the feeder was programmed to release food for any bird, 2. feeder released food only for the focal bird (a low-centrality bird from phase one), and 3. feeder released food for any bird. Individual RFID detection data from the feeder were used to build 'following-to-feeder' networks. Temporal permutations of follows showed the focal bird's strength was significantly lower than expected by chance in phase one. Strength was significantly higher than chance in phase two for two of the three tested groups. Our results show the possibility of quail adjusting their following behavior based on the foraging success of group members; future analyses will examine if birds altered other interactions with the focal quail.
Session: Social behavior 5
Effects of Callinectes sapidus predator on the activity, foraging, and social behavior of Alpheus angulosusRachel A. Prostko1, Melissa Hughes2
1None, Mount Prospect, IL, USA, 2College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
Prey species face a variable risk across habitats based on predator presence, which can in turn alter their behavior. Snapping shrimp (Alpheus angulosus) are serially monogamous and cooperatively defend their burrows, which are their primary defense against predation. Both foraging and seeking new mates requires leaving the safety of their burrow. Shrimp were placed individually or in pairs with either a blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) or a plastic model crab on two different nights (treatment order randomized across subjects) and observed for one hour. Food pieces were added halfway through the observation. Both paired and solitary shrimp decreased foraging and burrow switching with the blue crab. Paired shrimp also decreased their activity and time outside of the burrow with the blue crab compared to the model. Having a mate appeared to decrease the frequency of several behaviors with the blue crab. Solitary shrimp may be more motivated to forage or mate search than paired shrimp, who bring food back to their shared burrow, resulting in a more muted predator effect. This experiment demonstrates the complex, interacting effects of a predator on prey in different social contexts.
Session: Predation & foraging
The brain atlas of a subsocial bee reflects that of eusocial HymenopteraBenjamin Pyenson, Jesse Huisken, Nandini Gupta, Sandra Rehan
York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Eusociality is associated with increased communication as well as task-specialization. Compared to solitary insects, the brains of eusocial Hymenoptera present additional astrocyte and Kenyon cell types. The gene expression of brain cells in eusocial Hymenoptera also differ across reproductive and foraging specializations. Because subsociality is an evolutionary precursor to social living, the brain of a subsocial bee may conserve the neuroarchitecture of social Hymenoptera. By analyzing the brain of the subsocial small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata, with single-cell transcriptomics, we find high conservation of Kenyon cell types and astrocytes of eusocial Hymenoptera. Compared to when C. calcarata was in diapause, the enrichment of neurons reflects foraging and glia cells associate with reproduction when C. calcarata was fecund and behaviorally active in the Summer. Therefore, circuits for foraging and reproduction may be segregated to different parts of a subsocial bee's brain, as is the case in eusocial Hymenoptera. Cellular study of the brains of other solitary and subsocial insects can reveal the extent of neurobiological conservation across levels of social complexity.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Camouflage and seasonal color variation in a polymorphic praying mantisDrielly Queiroga1,2, Kleber Del-Claro2, Nathan Morehouse1
1University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 2Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia, MG, Brazil
Praying mantises are renowned for their camouflage. However, this reputation is largely based on human perception, rather than evidence from ecologically relevant observers. Here we show how Metaphotina bimaculata, a polymorphic praying mantis of the Brazilian savanna, employs camouflage, and how its color variation aids in navigating a dynamic seasonal environment. We tracked a population for one year and took spectral reflectance measurements from the three major color morphs. We assessed their preferred background with choice experiments using natural substrates. Using color vision models, we estimated how natural enemies and prey perceive the mantis' body color against the background, employing chromatic contrast to assess crypsis. Color morphs were distributed unequally during the year, with green morphs most abundant in the wet season and brown ones in the dry season. In choice experiments, brown and green morphs preferred matching substrates, indicating an adaptive strategy for enhanced camouflage, a result further supported by our color vision modeling. Our study demonstrates how seasonal color polymorphism enhances camouflage in a dynamic environmental context.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 1
Life-long experience shapes the neurogenmoics of social learning in a swordtail fish Philip Queller, Rebecca Young, Molly Cummings
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
The genomic mechanisms of social learning are not well understood. We analyzed whole-brain gene expression changes after a test of social-learning in a mating context. We used female Xiphophorus nigrensis that we raised in environments that varied by the type of male alternative reproductive tactic present (courting-only, coercive-only, or a mix of courting and coercive). We asked whether individual variation in learning varies with gene expression, as well as whether this relationship varies by social experience. We also asked whether networks of co-expressed genes vary with learning and whether this relationship varies by social experience. We found 640 differentially expressed genes between learners and non-learners. We also found 416 genes showed a discordant relationship with learning score across rearing environment complexity (1 vs. 2 mating tactics). None of the modules of co-expression correlated with learning or rearing environment complexity. These results highlight the need for a context-dependent approach to future studies on neural gene expression and social cognition and demonstrate the power of genomic approaches to identify novel molecular pathways of behavior.
Session: Behavior genetics/genomics
Interdisciplinary Conservation through Public Video Footage: The Case of Brown Bears in TrentinoSarah Quintas1,2, Danielle Celermajer1,3, Melanie Challenger1,4, Becca Franks1,2
1Animals in the Room, New York, New York, USA, 2New York University, New York, New York, USA, 3University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 4RSPCA, Horsham, West Sussex, United Kingdom
The Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) was once common in the Alps, but by the end of the 20th century, the population had become functionally extinct in northern Italy. Between 1999-2002, the Life URSUS Project introduced ten bears from Slovenia to Trentino. As the population grew (current estimate around 100), coexistence became fraught. Bears live with restrictions on their movement and face death from cars, failed anesthetizing attempts, and poachers. Humans suffer property damage, a generalized sense of threat, and even a recent death, all contributing to politicized intolerance for the bears' presence. Within a larger project to include animal voices in decisions that affect them, we gathered over 200 video clips of Trentino's bears from Youtube, analyzing their behaviors, individual tendencies, environment, and social context. Previous work has suggested that personalizing and educating local populations about the specific bears in their area can improve relations, a hypothesis that will be tested in later stages of this project. More broadly, this work explores a new role conservation behavior can play in navigating multispecies living in the Anthropocene.
Session: Poster Session 1
Influences of early experiences on the development of competitive behaviour in puppiesQuinn Rausch1, Jacquelyn Jacobs2, Jason Coe3, Tina Widowski4, Lee Niel3
1Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 2Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan , USA, 3Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 4Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Resource guarding is common in companion dogs and undesirable for caretakers, yet no research has investigated the development of competitive behaviour in puppies. Developing effective strategies for resource competition begins early during littermate interaction. Success likely depends on human, puppy, dam and litter characteristics. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to examine factors that influence the development of competitive behaviour in litters of puppies (N= 26 litters, 177 puppies) from birth to 8 weeks. Information on breeder management and puppy behaviour during nursing, feeding and play was gathered through video recordings and breeder surveys. Results showed large within litter variation indicating that puppies develop independent strategies. Various individual (success, latency to nurse and play), dam (age, behaviour history) and human management (intervention, toy management) factors were associated with increased odds of competitive behaviour. Little consistency across context was observed indicating learning might be situation specific. These results suggest that dog breeders play a key role in the development of puppy competitive strategies.
Session: Development
Testing Dogs' Preference to Attend to Attention-Related Behaviors in OthersDana Ravid-Schurr1, 2, Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere1, 3, Bertram O. Ploog1, 2
1CUNY Graduate Center, New York, New York, USA, 2College of Staten Island, CUNY, Staten Island, New York, USA, 3Hunter College, CUNY, New York, New York, USA
Several studies showed that dogs behave in accordance with others' attention (Horowitz, 2009; Udell et al., 2011). However, it is not clear whether dogs attribute attention to others (private behavior) or rely on observable (public) behaviors to predict certain outcomes. This study tests whether dogs rely on others' attention-correlated behaviors or on other observable behaviors, when both may function as discriminative stimuli. Dogs are trained to approach a Baiter when an Agent retrieves a treat from under a mat, after having watched the baiting; and to approach the mat when the Agent fails to get the treat, after having their back turned to the baiting. In the test, the Agent's behavior is modified, so that in some trials the Agent's attention-correlated behavior (looking/not looking) is incongruent with the condition, and in other trials other components of the Agent's behavior are incongruent with the condition. The impact of each incongruent component of the Agent's behavior on the dogs' choices will help determine which stimulus controls the dogs' behavior - the attention related component or other components. Data collection will be completed by June 2024.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
The Impact of Musth on Bull Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Activity BudgetsTaylor S. Readyhough1,2,3, Samantha K. Ortega2, Maura Davis4, Sharon Joseph1,5, Anneke Moresco1,6, Amy L. Schreier1,2
1Denver Zoo Department of Animal Wellness and Research, Denver, CO, USA, 2Regis University Biology Department, Denver, CO, USA, 3University of New Hampshire Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, NH, USA, 4Denver Zoo Animal Care Department, Denver, CO, USA, 5Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham, AL, USA, 6Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, CO, USA
Bull elephants in zoos are often housed alone during musth, a reproductive period characterized by physiological and behavioral changes. Understanding how musth alters bull elephants' activity budget can improve bull elephant management and allow managers to better assess and meet bulls' welfare needs. We assessed activity of bull Asian elephants at Denver Zoo during musth and non-musth to understand how musth influences their behavior. We predicted that bulls locomote and engage in stereotypy more, and rest and feed less, during musth compared to non-musth periods. We conducted instantaneous scan sampling of elephants during and outside of musth, recording their activity every 1-min across 30-min samples, and compared bulls' activity budgets using generalized linear models. As predicted, musth bulls spent greater percentages of scans locomoting and fewer scans resting and feeding compared to non-musth periods. Bulls also spent a higher percentage of scans engaging in stereotypy during musth. Our study highlights the importance of systematically comparing bull elephant behavior in musth to periods not in musth to inform zoo elephant management and better accommodate musth bulls.
Session: Applied animal behavior 3
Individual-group feedbacks and the role of perception in a simulated communication networkMichael Reichert1, Barney Luttbeg1, Elizabeth Hobson2
1Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA, 2University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Communication takes place in networks of many signalers and receivers. However, social network analysis has rarely been applied to communication because it is difficult to monitor communication networks in the field. We generated a simulated communication network to study how variation in individual communication behaviors generates social structure, and how social structure feeds back onto individual communication interactions. We simulated competitive acoustic signaling interactions among chorusing individuals and varied the chorus density and individual communication traits to examine effects on calling output and network connections. We found that perception and cognition shaped the structure of communication networks. When hearing was more sensitive, communication networks were more saturated. Individuals' signal traits also affected their position within the network, but the strength of these effects depended on chorus size. Proximity to competitors played an important role, but a distinctive network structure emerged when signal active space was limited. Our model generated many novel predictions about communication networks that can be tested experimentally.
Session: Communication 4
Development of A Novel Tool to Assess and Visualize the Holistic Quality of Life of Shelter Housed AnimalsPamela Reid, Crista Coppola, Desirae Cambrelen
ASPCA, New York City, NY, USA
Assessing Quality of Life (QoL) in shelter-housed animals is important, especially over long stays (Cussen et al., 2022). Due to intake exceeding placement, animals are staying longer in shelters (Shelter Animals Count, 2023) stretching capacity for care and increasing the urgency of timely decision-making. Here, we present a holistic Quality of Life (hQoL) survey that gives equal importance to psychological and medical components of animal welfare. Written in plain language, it allows staff of various backgrounds to record their first-hand observations in a standardized way, allowing structured discussions of emotionally charged decisions. The hQoL employs data visualization platforms that allow managers at-a-glance snapshots of the population as a whole, while drill-paths provide easy access to individual ratings and changes over time. This monitoring system enables early detection of & intervention for welfare concerns. It is an important step forward to providing integrated, holistic care of animals in the shelter. Descriptive statistics of hQoL surveys (n=284) for at-risk populations from ASPCA national cruelty cases will be presented.
Session: Poster Session 2
How sampling effort affects finding relationships between male song diversity and breeding success.Drew Rendall1,2, Ednei Dos Santos2, Paulo Llambias3
1University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada, 2University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, 3CONICET, Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
Song complexity is hypothesized to predict male quality and breeding success but supporting evidence is mixed. Mixed outcomes may sometimes reflect variable sampling effort. To examine this possibility, we first collated field studies published between 1974 and 2023 to summarize findings as a function of sample sizes reported for both number of males studied and number of songs recorded. We then made a case study of our own data from a population of southern House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon chilensis) totaling 14,000 songs from 20 males. We used bootstrap linear regressions to test for effects of song complexity (song repertoire size and syllable variability) on breeding success (laying date and number of eggs) using four different song samples for each male (100, 300, 500 and 700 songs) and variable numbers of male subjects (9 to 20). We found significant relationships only when bootstrap models included at least 14-15 males and 300-500 songs per male. We discuss how past and future studies might therefore be influenced by sampling effort, which may pose a special challenge for studies of species with large repertoires.
Session: Poster Session 1
Bumblebees exposed to a novel insecticide have reduced reproductive output due to impaired brood careLeeah I Richardson1, Jennie DeVore1, Harry Siviter1,2, Shalene Jha1,3, Felicity Muth1,4
1University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA, 2University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom, 3Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas, USA, 4University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
In group-living animals, offspring care can be a major factor that determines survival to adulthood. In these cases, juvenile survival is not only impacted by factors that directly affect mortality but is also indirectly by the quality of care they receive. Bees present a useful system to study the interaction between anthropogenic stressors, such as pesticide exposure, and adult care. Here we tested two hypotheses to determine how the novel pesticide flupyradifurone affects bumblebee larvae: 1) The pesticide directly causes reductions to growth and survival; 2) The pesticide impairs offspring care, causing indirect impairments to growth and survival. We tested hypothesis 1 by hand-feeding larvae a range of the pesticide concentrations and measuring mortality and growth. We then assessed the second hypotheses in a cross-fostering experiment with pesticide-treated and untreated adults, so both larval treatment groups experienced both adult treatment groups. We found that only the exposure status of the adults affected larval outcomes. This suggests that the indirect effects of exposed adults drives overall negative effects on larval development.
Session: Applied animal behavior 1
Corydoras catfish as a model system to study how social selection drives the evolution of social speciesRiva J Riley
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (MD), USA
Social behavior conveys many advantages to social animals, including improved foraging and protection, but it also presents the challenge of social coordination. To coordinate with others, social animals must navigate their social environments, which are determined by the behavior and characteristics of their groupmates. In social species, the social environment poses additional evolutionary pressures, constituting a suite of selection pressures termed social selection. Social selection can impose intense selection pressures on social animals and has not received sufficient consideration within evolutionary theory. Social selection can even trigger a runaway process that drives the evolution of elaborate social behaviors in a way analogous to how sexual selection drives elaborate courtship behaviors. I present a novel model system, Corydoras catfish, that exhibit a discrete, inter-individual social interaction behavior I termed nudging, and hold great potential for studying social selection. I will present the results from a suite of Corydoras experiments my team has performed that shed light on the impact of social selection on behavioral evolution.
Session: Social behavior 5
Experience matters: social modulation of aggression and healthClare C Rittschof
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Social species have evolved behavioral responses to infection, resulting in improved individual and group survival. For example, allogrooming is a "social immunity phenotype" that decreases stress and improves survivorship during infection. Conversely, pathogen infection leads to social withdrawal and increased aggression, "sickness behaviors" that improve individual recovery, and/or limit disease transmission to the group. I will review work on social modulation of defensive aggression in the honey bee, including how aggressive behavior is linked to health outcomes through immune system and metabolic dynamics in the brain and peripheral tissues. I will draw connections to the relationship between human social experiences and mental and physical health.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
Behavior as the Building Block: Using Research and Ethology to Inform Zoo Design and Animal WellbeingCharles P. Ritzler
Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
The Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation undergraduate program at Canisius University in Buffalo, NY is a wholly unique program whose instruction has been integral to my development as a zoo professional. Given the opportunity to observe western lowland gorillas during only my second semester, animal behavior would quickly became the foundation of my career as an applied animal welfare scientist in zoos. At Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, I was able to apply the skills that I learned as an undergraduate to complete a dissertation focused on using behavior as a welfare indicator for animals adapting to innovative habitat spaces. These studies, on species ranging from red pandas to black rhinoceroses, succussfully promoted data-based, continuous improvement of habitats to optimize animal wellbeing. At San Antonio Zoo, I was able to use my background in behavior to build an animal wellbeing program from scratch, designing wellbeing assessments using behavior as a primary indicator. Finally, I have been able to continue to use my undergraduate experience in the design process for great ape habitats at multiple zoological institutions.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (1)
What is the function of female calls during courtship? Graciella L. Rivera, Mary Elson, N. Prior
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Male zebra finch song has been extensively studied, especially in the context of song learning and mate choice. Female zebra finches call in response to song but the function of this is not well understood. Our study asks two questions about the role of female calls within male song: 1) Does previous song exposure affect female calling to song, and 2) Does the presence of another female's calls shape female calling responses to song? We used song-naive and song-exposed females in a passive playback experiment and quantified female calling to male song (MS) and male song with female calls (MS+FC). Our preliminary results show that song-exposed females called more to MS+FC and that song-exposed females modulated their calling dependent on the presence of other females. Our findings support the notion that female calling responses are socially modulated and shaped by early life experience. Next, we will assess female calling to male song in contexts with a potential mate (courtship) and with an established mate (pair bonded).
Session: Communication 4
Do secondary sexual traits reflect cognitive ability in wild food-caching birds?Laura Robayo Noguera, Tianconghui Wang, Matteo K. Pasquale, Carrie L. Branch
Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
In seasonally variable environments, enhanced cognitive abilities may allow animals to adjust to changing conditions. Nonmigratory scatter-caching birds, like chickadees, rely on specialized spatial cognition for successful cache retrieval, a strategy used in times of low resource availability. Previous studies link spatial cognitive performance in chickadees to enhanced fitness, including survival and reproductive success, however it remains unknown whether females assess male cognitive ability via direct observation or secondary sexual traits. We investigated whether ariation in two secondary sexual traits of songbirds, song and plumage, serve as indicators of cognitive ability in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). We brought 15 males into captivity to test their performance on three cognitive tasks, measured plumage reflectance for six body regions, and recorded their songs. Here I present findings on the association between cognitive performance, plumage reflectance, and song consistency, providing insights into the relationship between female mate choice, secondary sexual traits, and spatial cognition, a trait with known fitness consequences.
Session: Cognition & learning 2
DIPLOMAT: compatible, multi-animal tracking with intuitive error correctionIsaac Robinson1, Daphne Demekas1, Nathan Insel2, Travis J Wheeler1
1R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA, 2Dept. Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Recent advances in machine vision have enabled the development of automated animal behavior observation tools. Several software packages currently exist for tracking body parts of multiple animals; however, multi-animal tracking still faces challenges, and can demand extensive human oversight and editing. Here we report on DIPLOMAT, a Deep learning-based, Identity-Preserving, Labeled-Object Multi-Animal Tracker, which incorporates automated algorithms and a human interface to help eliminate identity assignment errors. To accurately identify body parts and preserve animal identity thoughout a video, DIPLOMAT first computes per-frame softmax of body part positional probabilities (using either of two state-of-the-art tools, DeepLabCut or SLEAP), then computes maximum confidence independent traces across frames. Automated tracking predictions can be modified with an intuitive and efficient user interface for error resolution.
Session: Poster Session 2
Cognitive Complexity and Sexual Dimorphism in Brown-headed CowbirdsNicole E. Robinson, David J. White, Hayden B. Davies
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Female brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus Ater) challenge traditional notions of male spatial cognition superiority due to the unique reproductive pressures they face as brood parasites. This study integrates behavioural ecology and neuroanatomy within David Sherry's neuroecology framework to explore adaptive variation and sexual dimorphism in spatial cognition. Specifically, this study uses an ecologically relevant foraging task involving social cues alongside song data and egg collection to assess differences in spatial cognition between male and female cowbirds and their relation to reproductive success. The results reveal a significant superiority of females over males in performance. Furthermore, female performance on this task is consistently tied to their reproductive success, whereas male performance shows no such correlation. Thus, findings suggest an adaptive specialization in female spatial cognition that is in response to nest selection pressures. This research underscores the importance of ecological contexts in understanding cognitive processes and sheds light on evolutionary dynamics shaping sexual dimorphism in cognitive complexity.
Session: Cognition & learning 1
The Impact of Predator Exposure on Courtship Behavior and Mate Choice Decisions in SticklebackMichaela M. Rogers1,2, Jennifer K. Hellmann1,2
1University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA, 2The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Both maternal and paternal experiences can independently alter offspring traits through transgenerational plasticity (TGP). TGP primes offspring for changing environments when parents can predict future environments, but the effect of combined parental experiences is less known. If offspring receive conflicting cues (e.g. one parent predator-exposed, one predator-naïve) it can be difficult for offspring to know which environment they will encounter. This may select for parents to preferentially choose mates with matching experiences to their own. I asked how the interaction between male and female experience with predation risk changes individual mate choice. I exposed adult threespined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to predator cues and allowed females (exposed or unexposed) to choose between 2 male siblings (one exposed, one unexposed). I predicted that males and females will perform more courtship behaviors and mate faster if they have matching experiences (control females prefer control males, predator-exposed females prefer predator-exposed males). I then measured offspring traits from the clutches of these parents to look at the effect of different parent combinations.
Session: Behavioral plasticity 2
Large geographic distances and topographic barriers relate to geographic variation in a glass frog?Maribel Rojas Montoya, Yelenny López Aguirre, Cristian C Gonzaléz Acosta, Fernando Vargas Salinas
University of Quindio, Armenia, Quindio, Colombia
Recording the behavior of individuals and natural history traits in multiple populations of a species is crucial for unraveling former steps of evolutionary divergence. In this study, we describe acoustic communication signals, breeding behavior, parental care and natural history traits such as body size of males and females, clutch size, and calling site of the glass frog Hyalinobatrachium tatayoi in a population located at the Central Andes of Colombia. Moreover, we compare our results with those obtained in a previous similar study in a population located in Panama. Contrary to the tendency found in many anurans, we did not detect interpopulation differences in acoustic signals, breeding behavior, and parental care. We neither found differences in body size of individuals, clutch size or male calling site. Overall, chorus tenure was positively related to mating success of males; courtship was elaborated, lasted > 30 minutes, and included acoustic, visual and tactile signaling. Further research is needed to determine why there is no intraspecific geographic variation despite large distances (> 600 km) and topographic barriers (mountain ranges) between compared populations.
Session: Parental care
A Case Study Approach to Characterizing Maternal Behaviors in Commercial Breeding and Working Dog PopulationsAynsley C. Romaniuk1, Lucia Lazarowski 2, Shanis Barnard1, Lane Montgomery2, Candace Croney1
1Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, 2Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
Maternal care is essential for offspring survival and welfare in domestic dogs. The characterization of maternal care and factors that affect its expression differ between populations. Thus, to further understand these topics, it is essential to explore maternal care in different populations using standardized methodology. The current study investigated maternal behaviors in a working dog population (n=8 dams) and a US commercial breeding kennel (CBK) (n=12 dams). Dams' maternal behaviors were continuously recorded at three time points on days three, seven, ten, fourteen, seventeen, and twenty-one post whelping. Data were analyzed separately for each population using descriptive statistics and generalized linear models. Results showed that patterns of maternal care were consistent with other populations and factors such as day, time, parity, litter size, and whelping type affected its expression. Implications for this work include a basis for caretakers in different populations to monitor dams' maternal behaviors and intervene when warranted. This may aid in supporting dams' welfare when providing maternal care and their puppies' welfare while with dams and throughout adulthood.
Session: Applied animal behavior 2
The effects of male antennation behavior on female mating preference in bean beetlesLia B Romanotto, Sylvie Paddon-Jones, Flavia Barbosa
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL, USA
Antennation is an observable courtship behavior in bean beetles during in which the male rapidly taps the female's abdomen with his antennae prior to copulation. Previous research shows that changes in the frequency of antennation may influence female bean beetle's willingness to copulate. In this experiment, we evaluate female mating preferences for the intensity of the antennation behavior of a courting male by testing the hypothesis that female bean beetles have a preference for antennation behavior. We manipulated antennation by ablating the left antenna of males, and allow females to mate twice, with a manipulated and an intact male. We then measured female preference through latency to copulate and latency to kick. We predicted that females will be less responsive to mating attempts from male beetles with manipulated antennae. This experiment aims to provide an understanding of the importance of antennation rate in female mate choice, in a species where courtship has not been considered an important factor in sexual selection.
Session: Poster Session 1
Assessment of social same-sex and opposite-sex partner preferences in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) Ana María Romero-Chacón1,2, Manuela Cardona-Restrepo1,2, Gabriela Peña-Bello1,2, Adriana A Maldonado-Chaparro1,2,3
1Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia, 2Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia, 3Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany
Selective social relationships occur in group-living species due to the benefits they offer. Partner preference, which supports relationships with familiar individuals, has been observed in various species. This study evaluated partner preference in same-sex and opposite-sex contexts in female guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), which live in polygynous, territorial groups of 2-3 females and one male. We used a partner preference test with a three-chamber apparatus, allowing the focal guinea pig to interact with and choose between familiar, novel, and neutral chambers. Our findings showed that female guinea pigs displayed high sociability and preferred a familiar male in opposite-sex contexts but showed no preference in same-sex relationships. This is the first evidence of opposite-sex partner preference in Ctenohystrica rodents. The preference for familiar opposite-sex individuals seems common in rodents with stable groups, despite their distant relation to guinea pigs. Interestingly, closely related degus do not show this pattern, suggesting that partner preference is more influenced by social conditions than by evolutionary factors.
Session: Social behavior 1
Nascent Urbanization Effects on Physiology and Behaviors in Darwin's Finches Michelle Ross, Kiyoko Gotanda
Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
Globally, urbanization is rapidly encroaching on native habitats and presents a formidable threat to the continued survival of native fauna as species are forced to adapt to urban environments or go extinct. Although we know urban and non-urban populations differ in their adaptive traits, the underlying mechanisms and processes of urban adapters are not well understood. Using the Galápagos Islands, which only recently began urban development, we can better understand how animals adapt to nascent urbanization and apply this knowledge to the future conservation of animals as urbanization increases worldwide. My research assessed the differences between urban and non-urban Darwin's finch physiology and behaviors. We investigated corticosterone (CORT) concentrations for the physiological trait and neophobia and territoriality for the behavioral traits. For our data collection, we plucked tail feather samples to measure CORT levels, performed a behavioral assay for neophobia using an arena setup, and finally measured aggression by conducting a staged territorial intrusion. I will be presenting our initial findings from our first field season.
Session: Poster Session 2
How Machine Learning is Changing the Way Behavior Can be StudiedDaniel Rubenstein
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Many studies in animal behavior begin with behaviorists estimating how individuals spend their time. Once patterns emerge, behaviorists often then want to know why particular patterns occur. Gathering the initial data requires developing an ethogram and then computing how much time is devoted to each activity. Focusing on all activities that an individual does (focal animal sampling) or recording snap shots of what many individuals are doing at a particular moment in time when environmental conditions are the same for all (scan sampling) have strengths and weaknesses. By collecting videos of behavior from drones and using Machine Learning (ML), behaviorists can marry the two approaches and thus can change the scale and scope of behavioral analyses. In this talk I will show in a stepwise fashion that videos from drones often gather more inclusive data than can be gathered from the ground; that Machine Learning algorithms can generate time budgets that are similar to those computed from the same videos by observers with much less effort; and finally what traits the algorithms use to estimate poses or behavioral states. People and ML together can advance behavioral studies.
Session: Mathematical / simulation / modeling
'Targeted personality device': Leveraging responses to multi-modal stimuli to support conservationMatthew S. Rudolph1,2, Robbie Ball1,2, Sarah L. Jacobson1,2, Francesca Mahoney3, Martyn Griffiths3, Joshua M. Plotnik1,2
1Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA, 2Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA, 3Wild Survivors, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Elephants use sensory signals in multiple modalities when foraging and making social decisions. However, in anthropogenic environments, these behaviors may bring them closer to humans, resulting in human-elephant conflict (HEC). To better consider specific 'problem' elephants when mitigating HEC, we have designed a 'targeted personality device (TPD)' that can produce a suite of programmable, sensory stimuli. We will demonstrate the prototype that has a remote sensing camera, strobe light, odor sprayer, and speaker. First, in a wild population of elephants in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, we aim to assess individual variation in responses to odors deployed using the TPD to determine if they can be used as olfactory deterrents to discourage elephants from entering human-dominated landscapes. Second, we will use data we have collected on elephant responses to other sensory stimuli to program the TPD to emit different sensory stimuli based on an elephant's behavioral profile. By tailoring the types and schedules of stimuli to specific personality traits of the local elephants, we can potentially produce new approaches to HEC mitigation that account for individual elephant variation.
Session: Poster Session 1
Risky Appetite: How Capuchin Monkeys Handle Toxic GrasshoppersHenrique P. Rufo1,2, Luiza G. Ferreira3, Eduardo B. Ottoni1, Tiago Falótico2,3,4
1Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 2Capuchin Culture Project, Neotropical Primates Research Group, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 3School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 4Technological Primates Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Numerous arthropod species create chemical defences to deter predators, rendering them toxic or unappealing. Orthopteran species are targeted by various platyrrhine primates and can exhibit toxicity as a defence mechanism. Stick grasshoppers, part of the Proscopiidae family, are prevalent in the capuchin monkeys' habitat within the caatinga biome in northeastern Brazil. Capuchin monkeys, being omnivores, encounter a wide range of foods, some of which may be toxic. Understanding how to handle distasteful or potentially harmful foods is crucial for them. Observing wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) in Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil, we detail their consumption of toxic stick grasshoppers (Stiphra sp.) and analyze how different age groups process this potentially harmful food source. Our findings indicate that the monkeys usually avoid the toxic intestines while consuming stick grasshoppers, with younger individuals taking longer to process these insects compared to adults. This disparity suggests that capuchin monkeys require time to learn how to handle and avoid toxic components in their diet, possibly through social learning.
Session: Development
The efficacy of fear-based management for ungulates on crop fields Kate L. Rutherford1, Darcy R. Visscher2, Graeme Fowler3, Colleen Cassady St. Clair1
1University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2King's University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 3BC Ministry of Agriculture Contractor, Comox, British Columbia, Canada
A growing body of literature has investigated the efficacy of broadcasting acoustic predator cues to induce fear and thereby alter the behaviour and distribution of conflict-prone species. The efficacy of these deterrents may be increased with evolutionarily relevant stimuli that engage multiple senses to lessen habituation and reduce human-wildlife conflict. In this study, we investigated the anti-predator reactions of Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer to acoustic and visual stimuli on crop fields in the Cowichan Valley, British Columbia. We contrasted behavioural responses to acoustic recordings of (i) human voices, (ii) natural predator vocalizations (wolf and cougar), (iii) dog barks, and (iv) local bird vocalizations (control) by presenting each with and without flashing LED lights and using a before-after-control-impact design. Both species ran most to humans and were more likely to run when the lights were activated. Elk were faster to habituate than deer but tended to habituate more slowly when lights were activated. Our results suggest that predator playback deterrents integrating multimodal stimuli might more effectively alter the behaviour of conflict-prone species.
Session: Predation & foraging
Social Cohesion of Bat Groups Post-White-Nose Syndrome is Highly Vulnerable to Further LossesCaleb C. Ryan1, Julia Sunga1, Jessica Humber2, Alistair MacKenzie3, Hugh G. Broders1
1Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, 2Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Corner Brook, NL, Canada, 3Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario Parks, Grand Bend, ON, Canada
Hibernating bat populations in North America have experienced large scale population decline as a result of white-nose syndrome (WNS). While a small number of individuals persist following WNS infection the effect of this extreme population loss on bats' social function remains unclear. We modeled the social organization of little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) maternity groups pre-WNS and post-WNS induced population collapse, to investigate social roles among Myotis lucifugus maternity groups and how the loss of individuals impacts group social function. We identified a subset of bats in both populations with broker roles that connect between roost groups, facilitating social connectivity between bats across the landscape. Simulated removal of brokers from both populations decreased social cohesion, however the pre-WNS population is more resilient to removals than the post-WNS population, where the removal of < 5% of individuals results in the complete separation of roost area groups. Our results highlight the vulnerability of bats post-WNS and the importance of conservation efforts protecting surviving bats as the loss of a few individuals could have a population level impact.
Session: Allee Symposium (2)
Singing in the Face of Danger: A Predator Simulation Experiment with Tropical WrensNatalie V. Sánchez, Daniel J. Mennill
University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Animals routinely face predation risk, and the behaviour of animals in the face of danger has life and death fitness consequences. We used a predator model presentation experiment to study the responses to predators by Rufous-and-White Wrens (Thryophilus rufalbus). We hypothesized that birds' responses would vary with perceived predation risk. We predicted that closer distances between the predator and active nests would elicit stronger responses. We used playback and a 3D-printed model to simulate a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) as well as a non-predatory bird as a control. We presented the treatments at two distances — 5 and 10 m from the nest — simulating a high and low predation risk respectively. We found that males performed more songs than females in both treatments. Females decreased song rate in the high risk treatment. Pairs showed stronger calling responses in the high risk treatment. Responses revealed high levels of individual variation in response to predators, and this plasticity may be important in unpredictable conditions, particularly in the biodiverse and predator-rich Tropics.
Session: Communication 2
Bower Trait Preference in a Cichlid (Burton's Mouthbrooder Astatotilapia burtoni)Gabriel Sadongei, Lucas Arnold, Andrew G Fulmer
Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO, USA
Our study investigates how defense of courtship territory influences bower trait preference in Burton's Mouthbrooders (Astatotilapia burtoni). Territories (organized around defensible ornamented bowers, cracked terracotta pots in the lab) attract females and/or competitors. Entry size may influence ease of territory maintenance, stability of which has strong fitness consequences in this lekking species. Dominant male fish are presented with artificial bowers setup featuring choices between small, medium, or large entrance relative to focal fish body size in a paired choice experimental. Preference is determined by territorial defense activities occurring in the immediate vicinity of the bower. We hypothesize that focal males prefer smaller entrances relative to their body size, as these bowers may be easier to defend against rivals. Our alternate hypothesis is that focal male prefers equal entrance size relative to their body size, as bowers are often occupied by both male and female fish during courtship and accessibility may be a factor in preference.
Session: Poster Session 2
Illuminating Avian Sleep: Understanding the Impact of Artificial Light at Night on Memory Consolidation Aastha Saini, Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Life has adapted to light's daily and seasonal phases to synchronize physiology and behaviour with external environmental conditions. Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts seasonal changes and sleep patterns in a variety of species. As well, sleep disruption can lead to impaired cognition and memory consolidation. Here, we tested if ALAN may disrupt spatial memory in a food-storing songbird species, black-capped chickadees. Chickadees can accurately remember the location of food caches, using their hippocampus. Our study tested whether ALAN disturbed chickadee sleeping patterns, hippocampus-dependent memory for spatial location, and/or hippocampus-independent memory for colour cues. Birds were held in short-day conditions (10L:14D) or ALAN conditions (10L:14dim light). We recorded sleep behaviour using infrared cameras, and tested each bird's memory for spatial locations and colour cues in a free-flight arena. We predicted that ALAN would disrupt the performance of birds, especially in the spatial memory task, compared to the color-cue task. Studying the effects of ALAN on sleep and memory can provide insights into how ALAN affects the memory in diurnal animals.
Session: Poster Session 2
Social context modulates boldness during parasite and predator driven interactions in Littoraria irrorataChristina M. Salerno, Stephanie J. Kamel
University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
Here I summarize three published dissertation chapters investigating personality in a key salt marsh grazer, Littoraria irrorata, and its interaction with parasites and predators. When snail densities are not controlled by predation, they can decimate large areas of the foundational marsh grass. This relationship is important for mediating the productivity of salt marshes. My work has provided a novel lens through which this well-studied ecosystem can be investigated. I found that snails differ consistently in their height climbed, a key antipredator response reflective of boldness. Interestingly, parasite infection did not alter an individual's boldness and boldness did not affect survival. However, in both instances social context emerged as a critical influencing factor. Uninfected individuals grouped with an infected snail displayed avoidance behaviours. Similarly, when snails were placed in differing personality groups, snails with bold individuals had higher survival than those in with none. Taken together, these results indicate that social context plays a critical role in mediating predator-parasite-prey interactions and highlights its importance in shaping communities.
Session: Allee Symposium (3)
Evolutionary feedbacks for Drosophila aggression revealed through artificial evolutionJulia Saltz, Anna Girardeau
Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
Evolutionary feedbacks occur when behavioral evolution in one generation changes selection pressures in subsequent generations. These changes mean that behavioral evolution over more than one generation is difficult to predict. Despite decades of theory predicting that evolutionary feedbacks should be near-ubiquitous for social behaviors, empirical demonstrations of such feedbacks are scarce. Here, we use an artificial evolution approach to directly observe evolutionary feedbacks for aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. By manipulating the social environment in which selection for increased aggression occurred, over 25 generations in 12 replicate populations, we found support for theoretical predictions that positive feedbacks increase, and negative feedbacks decrease, the rate of evolution. However, the effect of evolutionary feedbacks on the rates of evolution unexpectedly varied across components of aggressive behavior. Further, changes in mean levels of aggression across treatments were accompanied by complex changes to social plasticity. Artificial evolution represents a powerful approach to understanding how behavior evolves.
Session: Social evolution
Investigating the effects of juvenile hormone on behavior and morphology in adult bean beetles Raneem Samman, Isabella Wojewski, Flavia Barbosa
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, USA
Juvenile hormone (JH), an insect hormone produced and released during the juvenile and adult stages, is a critical regulator of both development and physiology. JH has previously been linked to resource allocation trade-offs between wings and gonads during immature stages in multiple species, including bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus). However, the effects of JH on behavior are not fully understood. This study hypothesizes that the effects of JH will depend on timing. Specifically, we predict that JH manipulation during adulthood will modulate behavioral traits, while exerting limited effects on morphological traits such as wing and gonad size. Upon emergence from pupae, we administered either a JH analog or an inhibitor to both male and females, allowed them to mate and measured a suite of mating behaviors. Concurrently, we measured gonad and wing sizes. The results support the hypothesis, where JH manipulation during early adulthood led to behavioral changes but not morphological changes. Particularly, males treated with the JH analog had shorter latency to mate and longer courtship bouts, while females showed lower latency to kick males at the end of matings.
Session: Poster Session 1
Window glazing type influences risk of bird-window collisionsBrendon Samuels1, Scott MacDougall-Shackleton2
1Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, 2Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
Preventing bird-window collisions is an emerging priority for bird conservation research, regulations, and urban design. Many municipalities and institutions have begun to retrofit existing hazardous windows to bring them into compliance with a bird safe design standard. Public education is also increasing the number of homeowners and businesses adopting collision prevention methods. Despite this progress, questions remain as to the factors influencing bird-window collisions and how to best deter birds from colliding with glass. In this presentation, I will discuss research carried out through monitoring buildings on Western University's campus to study the effects of various environmental and structural factors on collision risk. Results suggest that in addition to the season, the proximity of the façade to vegetation and the proportion of the façade covered in glass, other qualities of window glazing predict risk for birds. I will propose future research directions aimed at quantifying and testing qualities of interest for preventing bird collisions.
Session: Conservation
Valproic Acid Alters Social and Sexual Signaling in Male Naked Mole-Rats.Joaquin A. San Agustin, Mariela Faykoo-Martinez, Melissa M. Holmes
University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Adult neuroplasticity is an adaptive process by which animals can alter behavior in response to shifting environmental stimuli. Naked mole-rats are eusocial animals that reside in colonies where reproduction is restricted to a single breeding female and her male consort(s); all other animals are pre-pubertal and socially subordinate. Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor drug that enhances social defeat in hamsters and alters social castes in ants. To test the hypothesis that acetylation is involved in social behaviour in naked mole-rats, we administered VPA to subordinates for seven days and scored behaviour during opposite-sex pairing. VPA-treated males received increased interest from their untreated female partner. Protein quantification of histone 3 acetylation marks revealed increased H3K18 acetylation, a mark for cell proliferation, in the livers of VPA-treated animals, indicating increased expression of urinary proteins. Collectively, these data demonstrate altered sociosexual signaling in male, but not female, naked mole-rats treated with VPA, suggesting a sex-specific role for acetylation in chemosignaling via altered liver production of urinary proteins.
Session: Poster Session 1
Effects of light pollution on the behavior of tadpoles of Dryophytes arenicolor.Jesus E. Sanchez, Monserrat Suarez, Hibraim A. Perez
Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Mexico, Mexico
Anthropogenic pollution is a great problem, not only for humans but for all organisms on earth. The main sources of pollution are urban settlements. One type of pollution is light pollution, due to artificial light at night, or turbidity caused by pollutants, like gasses and particles on air or different particles on water. Many researchers have tried to assess the impact of this type of pollution on the behavior, development and interspecific interactions of different animals, such as insects, fish, birds and mammals, but there is little research regarding reptiles and amphibians. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is an effect of this type of pollution on the behavior of tadpoles of Dryophytes arenicolor, a widespread frog species that is found from the south of Mexico to Utah, USA. We exposed tadpoles of D. arenicolor with three different treatments. We recorded them. We used BORIS software to register their activity time and we analyzed the data employing generalized linear mixed models. We found that artificial light at night increases their activity time while water turbidity reduces it.
Session: Poster Session 2
American Robin song structure and reproductive success in a rapidly urbanizing countyKarina A Sanchez1,2, Lauryn Benedict2
1University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA, 2University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA
Birdsong is an important behavior for individual fitness contributing to mate acquisition and resource defense. Recent studies have demonstrated that birds in urban areas alter their singing behaviors. Though much of this research has been done on noise pollution, habitat structure of a city may also affect song characteristics, and light pollution can alter the time and length of singing in the day. Still, few studies consider these urban characteristics in combination with one another. These alterations in singing behaviors have the potential to impact several aspects of individual fitness but little work has investigated the consequences of altered behaviors in urban ecosystems. In this study, we examined the effects of anthropogenic noise, light, and developed land on reproductive output measures of a common open-cup nesting bird, the American Robin (Turdus migratorius). We further examined whether altered behaviors associated with urbanization impact reproductive success. Preliminary results suggest none of these urban characteristics had an effect on reproductive output even though individuals altered minimum song frequency in areas of increased developed land.
Session: Communication 5
Comparing Sensors to Videography for Behavioral Assessment in Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna)Sam M Sandoval, Chelsea B Johnson, Derrick J.E. Groom
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
Bird ethologists often conduct research by scoring ethograms of direct observations or videos of animals either in the field or captivity. However, video scoring can be time consuming, making long-term behavioral assessment difficult. This project aims to develop a method of recording behaviors of Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) using affordable small sensors. A cage was constructed consisting of two perches, each attached to a single-point load cell that recorded presence and absence on the perch. As hummingbirds typically do not perch on the floor, the amount of time in flight was determined by the time spent off the perch. Four feeders were equipped with infrared beam sensors to record the time and duration of feeding events. Sensor data was compared with traditional behavioral scoring. Initial results demonstrate a high level of fidelity between sensors and scored video recordings. Certain behaviors could also be associated with specific "signatures" in the scale data, such as preening, suggesting that the perch sensors may be sensitive for measuring activities while perched. This method could reduce the need for human scoring and be applied to many other model species.
Session: Poster Session 2
The research of mental rotation in a killer whale (Orcinus orca)Ayumu Santa1, Koji Kanda2, Ikuma Adachi1
1Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan, 2Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Cetaceans (e.g., dolphins and whales) have been highly adapted to the underwater environment, and are frequently observed that they swim with their bodies tilted or sometimes completely upside down. Then, how do they recognize the rotated visual information? It is known that we humans have the ability, called 'mental rotation,' to rotate the image mentally. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mental rotation occurred in a killer whale. Identity matching-to-sample task was performed in a captive killer whale (Orcinus orca) by using a method in which visual stimuli were displayed on a monitor through an underwater window. The error rate and reaction time at the rotational angles of 0-90 degrees were examined in the discrimination of four geometric figures and their mirror images. The reaction time increased linearly along with the rotation angle, this result suggested the possibility of mental rotation in killer whales. On the other hand, the increasing error rate also suggested that the spontaneous rotation of mental images was difficult to occur in this killer whale. This difficulty may be related to the greater freedom of postures and movements in underwater.
Session: Cognition & learning 3
DEFENSIVE RESPONSES AGAINST BROOD PARASITES AND PREDATORS IN THE OVEN-NESTER RUFOUS HORNERO (Furnarius rufus)Paola Resende dos Santos
University of Brasília, Institute of Biological Sciences, Graduate Program in Ecology,, Brasília, Distrito federal, Brazil
Brood parasitism and nest predation are two selective forces shaping bird parents' behavior. In this study, we analyze nest defense in the adobe oven-nester, Rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus) against a brood parasite, the Shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), a nest predator, the Aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis), and a non-threatening species, the Scaled dove (Columbina squammata). The main detected response to taxidermized models was alarm calls with individuals reacting in 38% of trials (n = 46 nests). Parents scaled in reactivity from exposure to the brood parasite to the nest predator with the control group being intermediate. Post-hoc analyses revealed that differences in alarm calls were between nest predator and brood parasite, but not between these two models and control. No significant differences were found in the distance to the models between the three groups. However, it should be noted that a slight bias was found for less than one meter between the predator and the control treatments. These results may suggest that Rufous horneros recognize at the same level the arrival of any intruder in their territory regardless of their potential predatory or parasite role.
Session: Poster Session 2
The Influence of Contraception and Weaning on Reproductive Activity in a Female GorillaJoseph J. Scinta, Susan W. Margulis
Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA
The use of chemical contraception to suppress pregnancy in zoo-housed primates is ubiquitous, however the effects of these contraceptives on behaviors associated with reproduction are less well studied. While the effects of combination contraceptives on reproductive behavior in non-human animals is unclear, several studies have found very low levels of sexual behavior in contracepted gorillas. It is possible that contraception may alter the frequency and timing of sexual behavior. We examined the frequency of reproductive behaviors exhibited by a female gorilla at the Buffalo Zoo in relation to her contraceptive schedule, pregnancies, and subsequent lactational amenorrhea and weaning period. High levels of reproductive behavior were evident during periods of contraception (with births in 2010 and 2016), with an absence of such behavior in intervening years. Approximately a year after the weaning of her most recent offspring and despite being contracepted throughout, we detected cyclical occurrences of reproductive behavior. This may suggest that the cessation of nursing provides more significant hormonal cues that affect reproductive behavior than contraceptives or ovulation.
Session: Poster Session 2
Can't or Won't? Investigating the Behavioral Mechanisms of Schooling in Blind CavefishBritney Sekulovski, Noam Miller
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Schooling can be advantageous for many reasons, such as predator avoidance and collective foraging, although it is not observed in all fish species. Cave-dwelling populations of the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) have lost the behavior, along with their eyes, while enhancing their lateral line system and undergoing other physiological changes. However, schooling persists in the sighted surface-dwelling population of the same species. We compared schooling characteristics of blind and sighted A. mexicanus, zebrafish (Danio rerio), and null models that assume random movement in our featureless tank. We find that blind cavefish not only fail to school but actively avoid each other, while surface fish and zebrafish form tight schools. Additionally, the administration of isotocin, vasotocin, or antagonists of both hormones affected schooling in all three fish and partially reversed the avoidance seen in the blind fish. Avoidance of conspecifics might be advantageous in the cavefish environment, which has extremely scarce food and no predators. Our data suggest that blind cavefish may not have lost the ability to school but the motivation.
Session: Poster Session 2
Vocal Complexity in Chick-A-Dee Calls of Mountain ChickadeesZaharia A. Selman, Todd M. Freeberg
Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
Although no non-human animal vocal system rivals that of human language, some animal species have quite complicated vocalizations. Many species in the Paridae, for example, have been found to use a chick-a-dee call system that functions broadly in social cohesion and is open ended. In this study, we investigated the call complexity of mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) in two western populations, spanning 26 wild flocks across California and Colorado. The structure of the chick-a-dee call, i.e. the specific note types used and their ordering within a call, was associated with many variables, such as geographic location, group size, and the flight behavior of the signaler. California mountain chickadees used more complex calls than birds from Colorado, and the former were also found to occur in larger flocks. One key aspect of call complexity in mountain chickadees that warrants further study is their frequent reversals of note-type order rules, rarely seen in other Paridae species.
Session: Poster Session 1
Behavioral isolation and species boundaries in Laupala cricketsRaunak Sen, Kerry L. Shaw
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
The evolution of reproductive isolating barriers between populations are important for speciation. Behavioral isolation is an important barrier, where divergence in mating behavior prevent interspecies matings. How does behavioral isolation evolve and maintain species boundaries are important questions in evolutionary biology. We used a system of Hawaiian crickets of the genus Laupala to understand whether closely related species are behaviorally isolated. Species in this genus have different male songs and corresponding female preferences. We did no-choice mating trials between two allopatric sister species and found that they are completely reproductively isolated. Additionally, we observed that males tended to court heterospecific females, but females did not cooperate with them in the mating ritual, making female courtship behavior the gatekeeper of species boundaries. We also studied temporal calling activity in a different pair of closely related sympatric species and found that they diverge in calling times. Thus, we conclude that female mating behavior and male calling times are important in maintaining species boundaries in Laupala crickets.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (3)
Canaries for the modern age: Dogs as sentinels of human health and wellbeingCourtney L. Sexton, Audrey Ruple
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Through the ongoing process of domestication, dogs have acquired behavioral adaptations that enable them to successfully participate in various human social niches. Because of this, companion dogs offer an under-realized opportunity to learn how our two species' shared social and ecological environments contribute to aging, health, and wellbeing, for both people and dogs. Here we present justification for broad acceptance of dogs as appropriate, unique and valuable sentinels in terms of public health, individual disease and aging, and social welfare across diverse populations. Dogs' behaviors and modes of navigating their habitats (e.g. frequent and close physical contact with surfaces; ingesting and inhaling objects and particles) make them especially susceptible to many external risk factors. In our review of the recent literature, we find substantial evidence from across a spectrum of subfields that dogs can indeed offer insight into certain shared risk factors in our exposomes - including vector-borne pathogens; VOCs, EDCs, and heavy metals; reproductive health; and social adversity - which ultimately influence and even determine behavior on both micro and macro levels.
Session: Social behavior 4
Differential predation across urban and rural sites in the white-lined sphinx moth, Hyles lineata.Brett Seymoure, L. Miles Horne, Kajaya Pollard, Braulio Sanchez, Elizabeth Field, Oceane Da Cunha
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
In the Anthropocene, organisms contend with numerous anthropic disturbances. Anthropic disturbances concomitantly alter environments, animal behavior, and predator-prey interactions. We aimed to quantify differences in predator-prey dynamics between urban and natural areas across the light cycle in the Chihuahuan Desert. We predicted predation rates of sphinx moths (Hyles lineata) are higher at night in urban sites but higher during daytime in rural sites. Four-hundred artificial paper-winged and clay-bodied models of H. lineata were deployed in El Paso, TX and remote West Texas. Models were checked during twilight for 72 hours to determine survival. We found that predation rates did not differ between sites or time, however, we found that the predator communities differed between sites. We conclude that insect survival does not change between urban and rural sites, but the selective pressures on insects are likely different between urban and rural areas. Ultimately, predator-prey dynamics of important ecosystem service providers (i.e. Lepidoptera pollinators) are altered in urban settings, which is alarming as the urban footprint is predicted to grow between 78% and 176% by 2050.
Session: Predation & foraging
Signal-preference coevolution in the rapidly speciating Hawaiian cricket LaupalaKerry L. Shaw1, Mingzi Xu2
1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 2University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Theory of mate recognition evolution and sexual isolation between species often predicts a genetic correlation between the contributing male and female communication traits. We are testing the nature of genetic correlations in acoustic communication behaviors in the Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala. Two closely related species, L. paranigra (slow pulse rate) and L. kohalensis (fast pulse rate) can be hybridized in the lab despite large acoustic behavioral differences. Now, for the third time, we have co-localized a song and preference QTL to a distinct linkage group (LG4) (combining with two previously published pairs of song and a preference QTL, one pair each on LG1 and LG5). Peak locations of pulse rate and preference QTL were less than 2 cM apart with overlapping confidence intervals, showed phenotypic effects in the same direction and effect sizes were comparably small and primarily additive. Phenotypes at the peak markers were also similar. Findings are similar to the two previously discovered pairs of song/preference QTL. Our work calls for renewed consideration of pleiotropy and tight linkage in models of speciation by sexual selection.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 2
Hot or not? The effects of temperature on amphibian glucocorticoid regulationEleanor R. Shell, Cris Ledon-Rettig
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Climate change is emerging as the biggest peril to biodiversity loss, with amphibians as the most threatened vertebrate class. Therefore, a critical question is: how do amphibians respond to changing temperatures? Specifically, because many frogs choose mates in the same ponds where their offspring will develop, it is imperative to examine how adults respond to warming water. We hypothesized that adult frogs may respond to a rapidly changing environment, through an elevated glucocorticoid response. To evaluate the impact of warming water on frogs, we used a non-invasive assay that measures stress-induced corticosterone (CORT). Using spadefoot toads (genus Spea), we evaluated whether warmer water temperatures modify levels of stress-induced CORT. Our results indicate that CORT levels are higher in adults that experience relatively warm water. Because elevated CORT is associated with changes in behavior, our study suggests that warmer water might modify adult frog behavior, especially in the context of reproductive habitats. These results inspire future projects examining how differences in adult reproductive behaviors influence offspring quality in a changing climate.
Session: Poster Session 2
Key Individuals and Experiences Shape Group Responses and Undergraduate SuccessDelia S Shelton1, Piyumika S Suriyampola2, Emília P Martins2
1University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA, 2Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ,
Some experiences have a profound effect on group responses. In this two-part talk, I discuss how certain experiences have an inordinately large effect on group responses and success of undergrad animal behavior majors at undergrad institutions. Contextualizing the effects of these experiences on behavior will enable us to identify their impact. First, we examine how vulnerability to contaminants, such as cadmium (Cd), a hazardous trace metal affects groups. Here, we demonstrate how a pair of Cd-treated fish affect the behavior of a group of unexposed fish. We observed that groups with a pair of Cd-exposed fish remained closer to novel stimuli and plants than did groups with pairs of fish treated with untreated fish. The presence of plants reduced cadmium-induced differences in group cohesion and increased the latency to feed in male-dominant shoals. Second, I discuss key experiences that enhance undergraduate success such as multi-week and academic-year-long research opportunities, mentored conference experiences, conference presentations, and publishing. Together, these examples show how a few key experiences can critically impact group responses and student success.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (2)
Whispers of the Road: Unraveling the Impact of Road Noise on Free-Living White-Footed Mice Michael Sheriff, Alyssa Giordano, Haleigh Nogueira
UMass Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA
Over the past few decades, it has become evident that human activity has a profound influence on wildlife. Roads produce a major, yet relatively unexplored, anthropogenic noise source that may directly impact wildlife and alter critical species interactions. In this talk, I will explore evidence on how road noise may alter prey's ability to recognize and appropriately respond to predation risk cues. Using a combination of experimental manipulation and natural observation (through a gradient of road proximity) we investigated how white-footed mice are impacted by road noise and how this alters their behavioural and physiological responses to predation risk. Our results support the hypothesis that road noise masks the ability of prey to detect predator cues, reducing their risk responses, and creating a type II detection errors pertaining to the level of risk within their environment.
Session: Symposium: Exploring intersections of behavior and welfare in free-ranging wild animals (2)
Lost in space: The cross-species effect of personality composition on maze explorationTanya T. Shoot, Noam Miller
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Researchers often use mazes to drive animals to make sequences of decisions, which could lead to reward or punishment. Much of the work on animals navigating mazes has focused on solitary animals. Yet most species in the wild explore in groups. We addressed how to characterize a group of animals exploring a maze by creating metrics to describe their collective decisions. We measured the personalities (boldness, sociability, and aggression) of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Groups of known personality compositions were then placed in a novel maze with while their movement was tracked. The proportion of the maze explored correlated with variability in cohesion for both species. In guppies, as the proportion explored increased, the variability in cohesion decreased, whereas for zebrafish this trend was reversed. The proportion explored was positively correlated with variability in shyness of zebrafish. These results show that personality composition matters for exploration, and that these effects depend on species ecology. Our study highlights the importance of creating standardized and detailed metrics of group behaviour in mazes.
Session: Social behavior 3
Developmental social experience changes behavior in a threatening environment Munir A Siddiqui1, Austin Chiang1, Ethan Lac1, Jesse Kern1, Gerald Wilkinson1, Arne Jungwirth2, James Allen3, Riva Riley1
1University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 2Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Wein, Austria, 3University of Glasgow, Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
This study examines the effect of developmental social experience on individual antipredator behavior and group cohesion in a highly gregarious catfish, Corydoras aeneus. We reared fish either in a mixed-age group of age-matched peers and adult C. aeneus (mixed-age condition, or MAC), or with age-matched peers only (same-age condition, or SAC). A startle test was conducted with small groups of subadults from either social rearing condition. Prior to any startle events, SAC subadults had increased tactile communication compared to MAC subadults, but SAC individuals were overall less active. MAC fish tended to respond to startle events by maintaining or decreasing their cohesion, whereas SAC fish tended to maintain or increase their cohesion. These behavioral differences are attributed to MAC fish developing with protection from adults, resulting in reduced antipredator responses when reared with adults. This study underscores how social context during development can be critical in shaping how individuals perceive and respond to potential threats in their environment.
Session: Social behavior 4
Using higher-order networks to study animal communicatioMatthew Silk1, Jennifer Foote2, Nina Fefferman3, Elizabeth Derryberry3, Iacopo Iacopini4
1University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Lothian, United Kingdom, 2Algoma Uniersity, Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada, 3University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, 4Northeastern University London, London, London, United Kingdom
Animal communication is frequently studied with conventional network representations that link pairs of individuals who interact, e.g. through vocalisation. However, acoustic signals often have multiple simultaneous receivers, or receivers integrate information from multiple signallers, meaning these interactions are not dyadic. Additionally, non-dyadic social structures can shape how individuals respond to vocal communication. We identify key challenges in applying higher-order network approaches in animal communication and outline important research questions these techniques could help answer. We then demonstrate how these approaches can provide new insights into vocal communication using three case studies that illustrate how higher-order network models can: a) alter predictions made about the outcome of vocally-coordinated group departures; b) generate different patterns of song synchronisation than models that only include dyadic interactions; and c) inform models of cultural evolution of vocal communication. Together, our examples highlight the power of higher-order networks to study animal communication.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (2)
Multilayer contagions and group dynamicsMatthew Silk
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Social networks shape how information, behaviours and pathogens spread through animal populations. How individuals structure their networks can influence how they trade-off the benefits (e.g. access to social information) and costs (e.g. infection risk) of social interactions. Within animal groups individuals can interact in different ways (e.g. direct contact vs. proximity), which can vary in their importance to different social contagions. Further, the different types of social relationships individuals share may influence how they respond to behavioural contagions in particular. Multilayer networks can be used to study how the multi-dimensionality of the social environment can influence these ecological processes. I will use example models of: 1) pathogen and behaviour spread across network layers representing close contact and long-distance communication; and 2) vocal communication to coordinate collective departures across networks of sub-group and family membership to demonstrate the value of applying multilayer networks in these contexts. I will highlight how we can extend modeling studies like these to provide insights into social ecology and evolution more broadly.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (1)
Seeking Singing Supper: Host Seeking Behavior in Frog-Biting Mosquitoes, Uranotaenia lowiiRicha Singh1, Ximena/ E Bernal1,2
1Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, 24Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Panama, Panama
Hearing plays an important role in the courtship behavior of various medically important anthropophilic male mosquitoes. In other species, however, female mosquitoes use hearing for host detection. We examined the acoustic host-seeking behavior in Uranotaenia lowii, a frog-biting mosquito species. We hypothesized that the acoustic preferences of these mosquitoes are shaped by selection to maximize offspring production. We first assess the vibrational response of flagellar ears to different frequencies using Laser Doppler Vibrometry. We then acoustically characterized the calls of six frog species that vary in their evolutionary history with these mosquitoes, and investigated their relative attractiveness by performing phonotaxis experiments. We then examined clutch size and larvae development when feeding from such frogs. By evaluating the acoustic preferences and offspring production when attacking native sympatric and allopatric frogs, as well as their invasive counterparts, we examine the prediction that more attractive calls result in increased fitness. This study contributes valuable insights to deepen our understanding of sensory strategies used to attack ectothermic hosts.
Session: Communication 3
I Came For Science: A Podcast About the Science of Sex and Reproduction and Inclusion in STEMLaura Sirot1, Natalia Riusech2, Samuel Carmel1, Isabel Espinosa1
1The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, USA, 2Science Communicator, Houston, Texas, USA
The science of sex and reproduction is often mis-represented in the media and by politicians. Further, as a society, the United States is somewhat phobic of talking about sex and educating our children about it. As a scientist who has studied animal sex for over 30 years, Laura Sirot is interested in sharing her and her colleague's findings about sex and reproduction in an informative and engaging format. Further, she wants to highlight the professional journeys of the scientists who study sex including how their lived experiences have influenced their persistence in their career and the questions they research. She is collaborating with previous and current students from The College of Wooster to create a podcast entitled "I Came For Science" to normalize talking about sex and what we know about it, as well as the scientists studying it. In this poster, we present our process for creating the podcast and feature clips and information from some of the episodes. Moving forward, we will be expanding "I Came For Science" to include open educational resources. We invite you to share your own stories and ideas for topics. We can even interview you on site to be featured on the podcast!
Session: Poster Session 1
Using Optimal Foraging Theory to Gauge Predation Pressure in a Declining Tribal Fishery Abigail Skena1, Maria E. Abate1,2, Andrew Jacobs2, Marcella Andrews2, Bret Stearns2
1Boston University, Boston, MA, USA, 2Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), Aquinnah, MA, USA
As the annual inshore spawning migration of river herring (Alosa pseudoharengus and A. aestivalis) continues to plummet all along the northeastern US due to anthropogenic stressors, the detrimental effect of predation pressure from local striped bass (Morone saxatalis) on the viability of the herring breeding population may intensify. To better understand the bass's potential impact on a Tribal managed herring fishery in Herring Creek within Aquinnah, MA, we investigate whether striped bass movements correlate with river herring abundance, guided by optimal foraging theory. Optimal foraging theory states that an animal can maximize nutritional benefits while minimizing overall energetic costs by leaving a diminished foraging patch in search of a richer energy source. Therefore, optimal foraging theory predicts that when herring presence declines, bass movements up and down the Creek should become closer to 1:1. Results from the analysis of bass passbys obtained from HerringCam video will be presented to test this hypothesis. Our study illustrates the potential of integrating classical foraging theory and non-invasive Tribal resource monitoring to inform on managing fisheries.
Session: Virtual Posters (asynchronous)
Ornamentation and body condition but not glucocorticoids, predict wild songbird microbiome characteristicsMorgan C. Slevin1, Jennifer L. Houtz2,3, Maren N. Vitousek2, Daniel T. Baldassarre4, Rindy C. Anderson1
1Florida Atlantic University, Davie, Florida, USA, 2Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA, 3Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, USA, 4State University of New York - Oswego, Oswego, New York, USA
Animal populations can exhibit dramatic variation in individual fitness, and microbiota are emerging as a potentially understudied factor. Bacterial diversity and community structure of microbiomes associate with many aspects of fitness in animals, but we know relatively little about the generality of these relationships in wild populations and non-mammalian taxa. We sampled the cloacal, oral, and fecal microbiomes of wild Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) to test for relationships between the microbiota and host demographics and several traits that often correlate with host fitness. Alpha and beta bacterial diversity were predicted by variation in body condition and several sexual ornaments, but not glucocorticoid concentrations. Diversity and community structure varied between microbiome regions and by sex, season, and age. Documenting these baseline relationships in a free-living songbird population supports a growing body of science linking avian host fitness to internal bacterial community characteristics, setting the stage for developing manipulative experiments to determine the impact of how challenges to fitness may upset these relationships.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
The Thing That Stuck: Morphometric Variation in Raccoons Across Urbanization GradientsChristina M. Sluka1, Sarah Benson-Amram2, Merav Ben-David1
1University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA, 2University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As a legacy of an Animal Behavior (ABEH) undergraduate program, it is clear to me how an ABEH degree can shape one's interests and career. Like how one tiny anecdote by one invited class speaker in one undergrad course can stick and spark an interest in wildlife cognition. Here I explore the thing that stuck: why are raccoons such prolific urbanites? With nearly all urban growth in the United States occurring only in the last 200 years, we are witness to an entirely novel and highly dynamic habitat type. The speed of this growth juxtaposed against vast rural areas across the nation makes urbanization in the U.S. an opportunity to investigate adaptive change in wildlife across multiple diverse ecoregions. By studying raccoons in an urban context, we can understand not only raccoon evolution, ecology, and cognition, but also the dynamics of cities as habitats and hotbeds for human mediated speciation. We redefine the urban habitat from the perspective of raccoon behavioral ecology through the assessment of movement behaviors and apply these metrics to the variation in raccoon cranial and mandibular morphology.
Session: Symposium: The legacy of undergraduate programs in animal behavior (2)
Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Sociality Across Feeding ContextsChristina M. Sluka1, Ema Lujan1, Sarah Benson-Amram2, Merav Ben-David1
1University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA, 2University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
In a variable habitat, spatial and episodic memory may be especially important for remembering resource patches, conspecific ranges, or dangerous locations. As the fastest growing landcover type in the United States, urbanization significantly alters ecosystem structure and is known to influence animal behavior. One known change is the increase of urban population densities. While high quality resources and predator release are often considered the drivers of these densities, it is not clear how asocial species like mesocarnivores can tolerate such conditions but still thrive in urban habitats. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), for example, tend to persist in high densities in urban areas but maintain their reputation as an asocial species. While raccoons may be more social than previously thought, it is not known if their social behaviors are modulated by habitat or ecological context. This study investigates social tolerance and aggression in raccoons across an urbanization gradient and in two feeding contexts. If raccoon social behavior varies across contexts, this may be a key component of urban raccoon success and can shed light on the selective processes at work in urbanized areas.
Session: Poster Session 2
Evidence for morph-specific androgen signaling in Poecilia parae, a species with five male morphsSasha Smalls1, Matthew D Taves1, Phillip L Zhuang1, Eric Li1, Nora H Prior2, Ben A Sandkam1
1Neurobiology & Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 2Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY,
Understanding the mechanisms behind intrasexual diversity is key to discerning the generation and maintenance of polymorphisms. Poecilia parae is an excellent model to uncover the mechanisms driving intrasexual diversity in reproductive behavior, as five genetically determined male morphs use alternative reproductive behaviors. Androgens play a key role in mediating male phenotypes, yet we found steroid levels in most tissues are similar between morphs. To formally test the role of androgens in regulating diverse phenotypes, we pharmacologically manipulated androgen signaling using flutamide (antagonist) and bicalutamide (peripheral antagonist). Blocking androgen signaling revealed morph-specific effects on reproductive behaviors. Appetitive behaviors (motivational behaviors, like pursuing a mate) precede consummatory behaviors (copulatory behaviors, like gonopodial swings). We found no change in appetitive behaviors with manipulations, but both androgen blockers affected consummatory behaviors in morph-specific manners. Our work reveals varied regulatory mechanisms driving intrasexual diversity.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Reproductive inequality in humans and other mammalsJennifer E Smith1, Cody T Ross2, Paul L Hooper3, Adrian V. Jaeggi4, Eric A. Smith5, Sergey Gavrilets6, Kim Hill7, Monique Borgerhoff Mulder8
1Biology Department, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA, 2Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, Germany, 3Anthropology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, 4Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, Switzerland, 5Anthropology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA, 6Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, 7Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, 8University of California, Davis, California, USA
To address claims of human exceptionalism, we quantified reproductive skew—a measure of inequality in reproductive success within each sex—to characterize reproductive inequality for 90 human societies and 49 mammalian species. The multinomial index allowed comparison across populations that varied in group size, life history, sampling method, and mean reproductive success. Our cross-cultural and comparative approach revealed three major findings. First, humans exhibit lower average sex differences in skew than most other mammals, while nevertheless falling within the mammalian range. Second, sex differences in skew are significantly smaller in humans than in most non-human mammals. Finally, whereas skew is comparable for female humans and other mammals, male reproductive skew is significantly lower for humans than other mammals. Small sex differences in human skew may be linked to institutions supporting monogamy and the heavy dependence of children on care from both parents. These mammal-wide comparisons reveal the extent to which human-typical patterns of mating and reproduction are similar to (and different from) other mammalian societies.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Cultural evolution of mountain white-crowned sparrow song: Drift or cross-dialect contamination?Katie L. Smith, Thomas P. Hahn, Carly E. Hawkins
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Regional song dialects in songbirds are an example of culturally-evolving behavior. Prior work on the temporal stability of song dialects in Mountain White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) indicated that in small, isolated groups of males, temporal changes in dialects were consistent with abrupt additions and losses of song components. In contrast, in larger groups, drift in the details of existing notes and phrases was the norm. Here, we revisit the structure of songs in the Tioga Pass (high Sierra Nevada, CA) dialect area of Mountain White-crowned Sparrows 25 years after the previous analysis. In this area of numerous breeding birds, some males still sing song versions indistinguishable from those in the 1990s. However, many males now sing a "new" version of the Tioga Pass dialect that differs from the "old" version only in minor details in one of the five song phrases. This finding supports the earlier interpretation that song changes in large groups proceed more by gradual accumulation of small modifications than by major, rapid changes. We discuss implications of song learning patterns to the observed patterns of song dialect evolution.
Session: Poster Session 2
Fungus garden nutritional needs drive foraging decisions of the desert leafcutter ant Acromyrmex versicolorNathan Smith1, Jennifer Fewell2
1Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA, 2Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
The nutritional needs of animals vary across time and context, which causes variation in their foraging decisions. In social groups that forage collectively, these needs expand to include variation in nutritional requirements of distinct individuals. Leafcutter ant colonies add another dimension to this dynamic, as they farm a fungal symbiont. To assess how foraging decisions are organized in this symbiotic mutualism, we measured the impact of changes in fungal volume and brood number on relative and absolute collection of protein and carbohydrates by colonies of the desert leafcutter ant Acromyrmex versicolor. Total and relative nutrient intake remained constant following an increase or decrease in the proportion of brood to adults, in contrast to the central role brood play in shaping nutrient collection of non-agricultural ants. Decreasing the proportion of fungus to ants, however, increased absolute nutrient collection with no change in relative nutrient collection. This demonstrates that the fungus garden plays a distinct role in driving nutrient collection by leafcutter ants, and that its nutritional needs shape the colony's social organization in the context of foraging.
Session: Social evolution
Winner and loser effects: a meta-analysisNoah M.T. Smith1, Janice L. Yan1, David C.S. Filice2, Dukas Reuven1
1McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada
We conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis on winner and loser effects, which are the tendencies of contest winners to win subsequent contests and the likelihood of contest losers to lose future contests. When pooling data across taxa, we detected significant winner and loser effects. Within taxonomic groups, we found significant winner and loser effects in all groups with sufficient sample sizes including fish, insects, reptiles, and crustaceans. Despite previous suggestions that the magnitudes of loser effects are stronger than those of winner effects, we detected no such difference in magnitude. About half of the experiments in the past 40 years have tested winner and loser effects with self-selected winners and losers, confounding how winning and losing experience affects subsequent fight outcome. We saw, however, no significant difference in the strength of winner and loser effects between studies that have used self-selected vs. randomly assigned winners and losers. Nevertheless, future studies should avoid self-selection protocols.
Session: Social behavior 2
Using multilayer networks to learn about animal social structure.Sandra E Smith Aguilar1, Cristina Jasso del Toro1, José R Nicolás-Carlock2, Denis Boyer2, Filippo Aureli3, Colleen Schaffner4, Gabriel Ramos-Fernández1
1Departamento de Modelación Matemática de Sistemas Sociales, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico, 2 Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico, 3Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, 4Adams State University, Alamosa, Colorado, USA
Developments in multiplex networks during the past decade allow researchers to study animal social structures by representing different types of interactions as multiple interconnected layers, which altogether can reveal group characteristics that emerge from the patterns of connections between group members. Layers can also represent time windows for one or multiple interaction types, serving to explore temporal social dynamics. The first half of this talk introduces the symposium, going over applications of multilayer networks to study animal sociality, insights gained and methodological challenges. Then, we focus on how we have used multiplex networks to investigate spider monkey social structure with data collected over 24 years in Punta Laguna, Mexico. By using temporal multiplexes, we have explored the dynamics of associations and the relationship between social position and reproductive success. We also present advances on how structural properties of these networks relate to interlayer link formation processes, such as focal and triadic closure, in agent-based models of networks with homophilic weighted interactions.
Session: Symposium: Understanding the emergent properties of animal groups using multilayer networks (1)
Territoriality of the Endangered Leon Springs Pupfish: Reproduction, Egg Predation, and ProtectionJennifer L. Snekser
Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA
Only one wild population of the critically endangered Leon Springs Pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus) exists, found in a spring in the west Texas desert. For the last two decades, we have sought to understand their behavioral ecology to contribute to their conservation. In a series of field experiments, we have been exploring the relationship between the benefits and costs of territoriality. We quantified the number of eggs deposited on an artificial substratum placed within a defender's territory and recorded behaviors associated with territorial defense. Diurnal patrolling behavior correlates with egg abundance, though chasing behavior appears ineffective. The number of eggs at the beginning of the day significantly correlates with the number not preyed upon and present after 24 hours. Analysis revealed that predation of eggs occurs both diurnally and nocturnally, and the pattern of predation suggests multiple species of predators. Further study is needed to understand territoriality behavior throughout the day and night and the impact that egg predation has on the reproductive success of this endangered fish.
Session: Conservation
Functions of Scent-Marking and Novel Insights Into Social Behavior of Striped HyenasOlivia S.B. Spagnuolo1,2, Bobbi S. Low2, Katy J. Califf1, Aaron P. Wagner1, Kay E. Holekamp1
1Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, 2University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Comparative studies of extant Hyaenids have helped illuminate how ecological forces have shaped mammalian social evolution, but the social behavior of one of these species remains poorly understood. Striped hyenas were long thought to be strictly solitary, but recent work has revealed their behavior to be highly plastic and, in some populations, similar to that of brown hyenas, in which small groups share a den and female kin cooperatively care for cubs. Here, we present the first empirical study of olfactory communication in wild striped hyenas, in which we test the effects of social and environmental factors on the rate of scent-marking. Our findings suggest that scent marking functions to advertise individuals' presence to conspecifics. We also describe the first cases of den-sharing and allonursing ever reported in this species. To better understand the functions of scent-marking in striped hyenas, future studies should be conducted under disparate ecological conditions and assess how striped hyenas react to conspecifics' scent marks and how these reactions vary by sexes of and genetic relatedness between the sender and receiver.
Session: Allee Symposium (3)
Multi-trait Modification and Predation in an Aquatic Isopod: Effects of Body Color and BehaviorTim Sparkes1, Tara Cronin2, Jordan Johnson1
1DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA, 2Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
Parasite-related host modification has been identified in numerous systems and often involves changes in multiple traits. For trophically transmitted parasites, this type of multidimensional modification is expected to favor transmission by increasing predation but the evidence supporting this hypothesis is often lacking. We examined the relationship between multidimensional modification and predation in the aquatic isopod Caecidotea intermedius infected by the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus dirus. In these organisms, infection is associated with changes in body color, refuge use and motility in ways that are expected to increase conspicuousness to visually-hunting predators. We used a combination of preference trials, in which sunfish predators were exposed to light-colored (infected) and dark-colored (uninfected) isopods, and predation trials, in which groups contained both uninfected and infected isopods in complex habitats intended to mimic conditions in nature. We found that sunfish exhibited a preference for infected over uninfected isopods and that infection-related changes in refuge use and motility, rather than body color, appeared to explain this difference.
Session: Poster Session 1
Can corticosterone predict double brooding in Savannah sparrows (Passerculus Sandwichensis)?Hayley A. Spina1, D. Ryan Norris1, Linda Nong1, Sarah L. Dobney2, Sarah D. Mueller2, Stéphanie M. Doucet2, Daniel J. Mennill2, Amy E.M. Newman1
1University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 2University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Given that double-brooding can increase annual fecundity, it is unclear why some birds in multi-brooded populations rear only one brood per season. The Quality Hypothesis proposes that double-brooded females are high quality and, therefore, have sufficient energetic resources available to rear two broods. Using 12 years of data on Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) from Kent Island, NB, we explored whether baseline corticosterone concentrations (CORT) in females could reflect a measure of quality (i.e., capacity to mobilize energetic resources) and the probability they would double brood. Recognizing that capacity to mobilize energy can change across breeding stages, we sampled females during either the incubation or nestling stage of the first brood and included the interaction between CORT and breeding stage in the double-brooding model. CORT was negatively correlated with body condition and fat score. Double-brooding was significantly negatively related to CORT during the nestling phase, but not during the incubation phase. These findings support the Quality Hypothesis and demonstrate the importance of considering breeding stage when assessing CORT in songbirds.
Session: Mating/breeding systems
Are female songs structurally different from males songs in the White-bellied Sholakili Sholicola albiventris?Rohith Srinivasan1,2, Chiti Arvind1, Robin Vijayan1
1Indian Institute of Sciences, Education and Research, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, 2Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad , Gujarat, India
Birdsongs are an indicator of individual fitness. Songs are important in mate attraction, territorial defence and social selection. Female birdsongs in the tropics are common but there are fewer studies from this region. The White-bellied Sholakili Sholicola albiventris is a monomorphic species of bird endemic to the shola sky islands of the Western Ghats, India. Focal colour-ringed individuals of both males and females across three populations were recorded. We investigated song complexity and spectral variation between female and male songs and analysed the data (n=165 female songs & n=219 male songs) using Raven Pro 1.6.v sound analysis program. Our results show females sing significantly less often than males and were statistically significant for three of the six spectral variables investigated, indicating that the two sex sing distinct songs. As these birds hold year-long territories, we highlight the potential role of female songs in an endemic species of bird. This study contributes to the emerging body of female song research in the tropics and the evolution of sex-specific bird songs in a monomorphic species.
Session: Poster Session 2
Friends and Food: Investigating Neural Mechanisms of Behavior Across Contexts in PupfishMichelle E. St. John, Laura R. Stein
University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
Behavioral decisions, such as those made while obtaining food or navigating social interactions, are ubiquitous across an animal's life and often tied to fitness outcomes. However, much of our understanding about the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying these processes is based on adult, model organisms. Identifying connections from molecules to brain to behavior across multiple contexts, life stages, and species is crucial for an improved understanding of behavioral evolution. Here, we investigate neural mechanisms associated with feeding and social interactions in juvenile pupfish (Cyprinodon variegatus) and present the first brain atlas for the system. We exposed fish to an isolated control environment, an isolated feeding environment, and a social environment and quantified behavioral variation between treatments. We subsequently characterized variation in neural activation across brain regions using immunohistochemistry for the pS6 marker. Connecting behavioral and neural variation across contexts can provide putative mechanisms, laying a foundation for investigating selection and constraints on decision-making processes.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Brains vs Brawn: Sexual dimorphism in brain size and sexual weapon size in ruminant mammalsTheodore Stankowich1, Nicole Lopez1,2, Jonathon Moore Tupas1
1California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, California, USA, 2University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
We investigated the relationship between relative brain size and sexual weapons in ruminants. In most cases, sexual weaponry is heavily male-biased, and costs resulting from growing, maintaining, or wielding weapons will be suffered primarily by males. We used phylogenetic comparative analyses to test whether increased investment in sexual weapon size (tusks, antlers, and horns) across four families (Tragulidae, Moschidae, Cervidae, and Bovidae) was associated with decrease in relative brain size, and whether the difference in weapon investment relative to conspecific females led to sexual differences in relative brain size. We found no relationship between relative brain size and relative weapon size within males or females, but when we compared males directly to conspecific females, we found that as males invested more in larger weaponry relative to females, they had smaller brain sizes relative to females, regardless of weapon type. Our findings suggest greater male investment in some types of elaborate weapons could be related to increased investment in female brain size for life in more socially complex groups or enhanced assessment of males' larger weapons.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Surviving the Concrete Jungle: How Does Urban Living Affect the Welfare of Wild Mesocarnivores?Lauren Stanton, Chris Schell
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
Understanding why some species persist in urban environments has become a major research interest. However, few studies have considered whether urban adapters are truly thriving. Urban animals experience many threats to their welfare, including nutrition, pollution, disease, and management. Moreover, the distribution of such threats is unequal across cityscapes owing to historic and contemporary discriminatory policies. Neighborhoods of lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately burdened by environmental contaminants, garbage, a lack of green space, and heat. It is therefore likely that urban animals living in these neighborhoods may be suffering from low welfare relative to conspecifics in high-income neighborhoods. Here we discuss how we might be able to quantify and predict animal welfare across a cityscape based on environmental conditions and observations of animal behavior and cognition. We use examples from our study system of mesocarnivores in the San Francisco Bay Area to explore these ideas. Such knowledge of urban animal welfare has the potential to advocate for equitable policies that improve living conditions for people and animals sharing space in cities.
Session: Symposium: Exploring intersections of behavior and welfare in free-ranging wild animals (2)
Impact of Conspecific Alarm Cue Exposure on Pimephales promelas Embryonic Behavior and Development Karly A. Steinberg, Jessica L. Ward
Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA
Chemical alarm cues secreted by aquatic organisms alert conspecifics to nearby predatory attacks. Most research has focused on responses to olfactory stimuli at adult and larval stages, but limited research suggests embryos can also perceive these cues. Furthermore, embryos may be able to distinguish between cues that signal an attack on eggs vs adult conspecifics. We exposed fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos on days 3, 4, and 5 post-fertilization to alarm cues from either adult or embryonic conspecifics, and observed embryonic activity inside the egg. Our goals were to determine (i) whether embryos differentiate between an adult vs an embryonic alarm cue; and (ii) the stage of development at which embryos first respond to the cues. Preliminary data suggest embryonic activity levels generally decrease over development, and that embryos perceive and respond differently to alarm cues from conspecifics as early as 3 days post-fertilization. Embryos also appear to be able to distinguish between adult and embryonic olfactory cues. The ability to differentiate and respond to chemical cues would suggest that embryos are more cognitively sophisticated than previously thought.
Session: Poster Session 2
Branchiopod crustacean behavioral responses to visible and UV light: are there neural implications?Brian Stevens, Paige Huffman, Maria Gaughan, Nicolas Lessios
Assumption University, Worcester, MA, USA
Branchiopods are a class of crustaceans that are often found in temporary pond habitats. They are thought to predominantly use light cues for orientation and positioning themselves in the water column. Here, we present findings from two species of branchiopods, Triops longicaudatus and Streptocephalus mackini, which come from two distantly related orders of branchiopods: tadpole shrimp (Notostraca), and fairy shrimp (Anostraca). We carried out behavioral tests which examined the responses to wavelength and intensity from crustaceans reared in a greenhouse with natural sunlight including ultraviolet light. We tested crustaceans in testing chambers made of UV-transmissive plastic (PetG). Light stimuli came from a 300 Watt Xenon arc lamp, interference, and neutral density filters. From our results, we suggest they are using multiple spectral photoreceptor classes for phototactic behavior, and indicate they could be using dedicated neural circuits for wavelength specific behavior to UV light. Our results suggest they are using luminance vision rather than color vision for these behaviors, and that there are separate neural circuits for UV responses to those of visible wavelengths.
Session: Neuro/endocrine and physiological mechanisms
Case Study: Urination Outside the Litter Box and Inter-Cat Aggression Between Two Spayed FemalesOri O. Stollar
Queens Veterinary Behavior Service, Jamaica, NY, USA
Two spayed female cats, aged 4 and 3, from a household with multiple cats and a dog, were brought in due to urination outside the litter box in various spots around the house and aggressive behavior toward each other. The aggression was confined to this particular pair and not directed towards other pets or people. Buspirone prescribed by the primary veterinarian did not yield any observable results. A thorough medical and behavioral evaluation, which included laboratory tests, on-site observation of the cats, review of video recordings of the altercations, and comprehensive data collection through questionnaires and interviews, determined that both cats were engaging in urine marking due to anxiety and territorial behavior. The older cat's aggressive behavior was diagnosed as territorial and fear-based, while the younger cat's aggression was deemed fear-based. Fluoxetine was prescribed as a replacement for buspirone for both cats, along with a systematic approach to environmental management and behavior modification.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Don't ewe leave me: Factors affecting the stability of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) dyadic associationsMagdalena Storkova1, Sebastian Sosa2, Peter Neuhaus1, Kathreen / E Ruckstuhl1
1University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2 Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Many species live in groups, increasing individuals' communication, protection from predators, and access to food, mates, and habitat. Within these groups, individuals associate with others preferentially, forming complex social networks. The fitness benefits and persistence of associations have been investigated only in few species, and more commonly in stable membership groups, unlike those of Ovis canadensis. This species provides an excellent opportunity to study social networks since individuals remain in smaller, sexually segregated groups, with members moving freely between them, but studies examining social networks of bighorn ewes are rare. Thus, we examined how long dyadic associations of female bighorn sheep persist, factors that affect their stability, and ultimately their fitness benefits, using a long-term dataset. We investigated the formation of shorter, seasonal associations between lactating ewes, as foraging needs align and grouping decreases predation risk on offspring. Meanwhile, familiarity and relatedness were found to favour stronger, multi-year associations, as they provided increasing direct and indirect fitness benefits.
Session: Virtual Talks (asynchronous)
Neurotranscriptomic differences between bold and shy zebrafish across three brain regionsLevi Storks1,2, Matthew R. Baker2,3, Ryan Y. Wong2
1University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, USA, 2University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA, 3Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
Consistent individual differences in behavior vary continuously from bold to shy. Bold individuals generally respond less to stressful stimuli, are more active and exploratory, and less flexible in their behavioral responses than shy individuals. Although this behavioral variation is readily observed, the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying this variation are not well understood. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) artificially selected for bold and shy personality types, we examine baseline region-specific differences between lines in gene expression of three brain regions: teleost homologs of the hippocampus, basolateral amygdala, and habenula. We found that within each brain region, 4-8% of genes were differentially expressed between bold and shy line zebrafish, with 358 genes differentially expressed across all three regions. We also found differences in correlated gene expression across regions between bold and shy fish. Variation in gene expression was functionally associated with known behavioral differences between bold and shy individuals. Overall, our results suggest several novel targets in the brain potentially underlying consistent individual differences in behavior.
Session: Poster Session 1
Field agrochemical exposure impacts locomotor activity in wild bumblebeesCaroline G. Strang1, Sabrina Rondeau2, Nicolas Baert3, Scott McArt3, Nigel E. Raine2, Felicity Muth1
1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA, 2School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 3Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
Agricultural intensification is a cause of global insect biodiversity losses, due in part to widespread use of agrochemicals. Lab-based studies consistently show negative sublethal impacts of agrochemicals on commercial bee behaviour. Typically, these studies assess only 1 chemical, neglecting the complexity of real-world exposure. We collected wild-foraging common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) workers from 5 squash (Cucurbita) farms. For each bee we measured sucrose responsiveness and locomotor activity and used LC-MS/MS chemical analysis to quantify 92 agrochemicals. Two fungicides (azoxystrobin & difenoconazole) were detected at all sites and the pesticide synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was present in all 123 bees. Workers containing higher PBO levels were less active, and this effect was stronger for larger bees. PBO is not considered harmful to bees, but could indicate exposure to pyrethroids that we could not quantify, but are frequently tank-mixed with PBO. We found no relationship between agrochemical exposure and sucrose responsiveness. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a sublethal behavioural impact of agrochemical exposure on wild-foraging bees.
Session: Conservation
Anthropocentrism may explain research disparities between animal tool use and nest-building Sally E. Street1, Inga Hamilton2, Susan D. Healy3
1Durham University, Durham, England, United Kingdom, 2University of Sunderland, Sunderland, England, United Kingdom, 3University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
Studying the behaviour of non-human species objectively is inherently challenging. Perhaps no behaviour illustrates this issue better than animal tool-use, a 'charismatic' behaviour that attracts large amounts of research attention and public interest compared to apparently similar behaviours, such as nest building. We use bibliometric and text-mining methods to reveal striking disparities in the treatment of tool use and nest building in the zoological literature. We find that tool use papers have much higher citation rates and make more frequent use of terminology suggestive of 'intelligent', human-like cognition such as 'innovation', 'creativity' and 'technology'. Furthermore, citation rate increases with the frequency of 'intelligent' terminology in article abstracts, especially in tool use papers. Our findings are not confounded by taxonomic biases: we find the same disparities even when comparing tool use and nest building papers within great ape and Corvus species. Given a lack of strong evidence that tool use requires more complex cognition than nest building, we suggest that these disparities may be driven by unconscious anthropocentrism among animal behaviour researchers.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (2)
Tadpole Fight Club: The Ontogeny of Aggression in Poison Frog TadpolesLisa L. Surber-Cunningham1, Eva K. Fischer1,2
1University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, 2University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Juvenile aggression is an ecologically and evolutionarily important phenomenon that spans taxa and ranges from social play to lethal combat. As organisms develop and grow, the trade-offs of fighting may change. Thus, I hypothesize that juvenile aggression changes across development. I studied tadpoles of the Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), as they are aggressive and change morphologically across ontogeny. I first categorized tadpoles into three developmental categories: early stage (no external limb development), middle stage (subtle external leg development), and late stage (prominent external leg development). I conducted aggression trials between pairs of tadpoles and recorded avoidance and aggressive behaviors. I found that while avoidance behavior does not significantly differ across development, aggressive behavior does. Late-stage tadpoles bit significantly less than early or middle stage tadpoles. This may be due to the physiological demand of metamorphosis or to legs hindering their physical fighting capability. The results of this project inform about developmental stage vulnerabilities, behavioral plasticity, and ecological and social dynamics.
Session: Development
Behavioral solutions to problems encountered during conservation translocations Ronald R Swaisgood
Recovery Ecology, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, CA, USA
Conservation translocation-the human-mediated movement of animals on the landscape-is an intervention of increasing importance, but with mixed outcomes. Few other conservation measures have benefited more from the application of behavioral theory. I will briefly review some of the most promising applications of behavior to translocations and summarize work that I have conducted with collaborators across a broad array of taxonomic groups. Examples of behavioral interventions that can influence translocation outcomes include: (1) personality assessment in source animals to predict post-release behavior; (2) assessing and training animals raised in human care for specific survival skills, with an emphasis on antipredator training; (3) managing the (micro)habitat and resource availability at the release; and (4) developing tools to anchor animals at the release site, mitigating hyperdispersal. To illustrate these applications, I will pull examples from frogs, tortoises, Hawaiian birds, and giant pandas, among others. The result of work in this field is the development of a toolbox with several options for addressing problems to make conservation translocations more effective.
Session: Conservation
Using mouse models to connect behavior and disease: A mentorship storyDelawrence Sykes
Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia, USA
The economic impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) increased from 2 billion to 6 billion between 1992 and 2008. IBD is an umbrella term that encompasses two subtypes: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Animal models can accurately recapitulate many aspects of IBD, including relapse and remission cycles thought to be modulated in part by stress. We placed mice into three housing conditions: isolation housing, social housing, and overcrowded housing contexts for one month before colitis induction. Oral administration of Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (DSS) is a colonic irritant and chemical used to induce colitis in our model. Mice in the overcrowded treatment lost the largest percentage of their initial weight while on DSS and had longer recovery times relative to other treatment groups. An analysis of psychosocial behavior shows that overcrowded mice exhibit higher anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the open field assay with longer latencies to reach the center and fewer center entries. Ultimately, our record is a first attempt at understanding the mechanism by which overcrowding stress mediates changes in colitis severity between the induction and recovery stages.
Session: Symposium: The Charles H. Turner Symposium (2)
This forest is bugged: Heterospecific signaling interactions in soundscape recordings of rainforest katydidsLaurel Symes1, 2, Shyam Madhusudhana3, Sharon Martinson4,2, Inga Geipel5,2, Hannah ter Hofstede6,2
1K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama City, Panama, 3Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia, 4Department of Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Biology. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA, 5Active Perception Lab, Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium, 6Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
Animal communication generally occurs in complex environments that include conspecifics, heterospecifics, predators, and various sources of signal interference. Playback experiments with Neotropical forest katydids have shown that signaling rates change in response to conspecific playbacks. Interestingly, playback of heterospecific katydid species also leads to increases and decreases in calling activity, depending on the identify of the focal and playback species. We use soundscape recording to test the hypothesis that there are heterospecific communication networks in the rainforest canopy. This hypothesis predicts that the activity of one species alters the probability that heterospecifics are detected in the milliseconds following a call, perhaps in response to shared risk due to eavesdropping predators. We find that both the directionality and strength of response vary depending on the species involved in ways that can give rise to complex multi-species dynamics.
Session: Symposium: The golden age of animal communication networks (1)
Genetic integration of morphology and behavior in Gryllus integerKaty E. Takumi, Ned A. Dochtermann
Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
Morphology and behavior are known to be intertwined, as morphology can limit the behavioral patterns an individual is capable of, or influence which behavioral choice is optimal for an individual. These connections can also be genetic: just as genetic correlations can link behaviors in a behavioral syndrome, genetic correlations can also link behaviors to morphological traits. Here, we measured morphological features and behavioral responses of western trilling crickets (Gryllus integer) collected from four different populations and across several generations. Measurements of various body components were recorded from individuals used in a previous study that investigated behaviors relating to risk taking, open field exploration, and antipredator response. We found correlations that connected morphology and behavior, as well as connections between behaviors and between morphological traits. Correlations varied by population and by generation but shared a similar pattern. Our results expand the understanding of how behavioral syndromes are maintained across populations that differ in their environmental conditions: a shared relationship among genetics, morphology, and behavior.
Session: Poster Session 1
Exploring the Effects of Spatial Environmental Complexity on Mating Patterns and Female Fecundity.Sanduni Talagala1, Emily Rakosy1,2, Tristan Long1
1Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
The features of the physical environment define the space in which individuals interact, potentially influencing sexual selection. Several experimental studies have explored this idea using fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster and found that changing environmental spatial complexity influences the expression of male behaviour and is associated with changes in mating rates and female fecundity. However, these studies did not measure mating patterns, which can alter the genetic composition of the next generation, and furthermore only tested differences between a single simple and complex environment, thereby limiting our understanding of this phenomenon is. In our study we compared patterns of mating and offspring production between groups of large- and small-bodied males and females housed in a variety of different spatial environments. We found dramatically different mating patterns both between simple and complex environment, as well as between different complex environments, and that females in complex environments produced more offspring. We discuss these results in the context of sexual selection and sexual conflict, and the consequences for evolution in subsequent generations.
Session: Sexual selection & sexual conflict 1
Academics As Activists: Using Our Biological Knowledge to Advocate for LGBTQI Positive LegislationZuleyma Tang-Martinez
university of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
I argue that, as academics, we all have a responsibility to use our knowledge of biology to positively influence public policy that promotes social justice, including legislation that is relevant to the LGBTQI community: Such activism can involve both educational efforts to reach out and recruit allies to support (or oppose) relevant legislation, and working directly with legislators by lobbying for (or against) particular bills. I discuss two case studies based on my own personal experience in Missouri: 1. An educational and lobbying campaign, in the late 1980s, that resulted in passage of an HIV/AIDS law that was lauded nationally as model legislation. 2. The use of biological information on intersexuality to emphasize that "sex" is socially constructed (from a historical perspective), as well as to highlight the diversity and complexity of human sexual development (from an endocrinological perspective). In the latter case, I also will discuss in greater detail the biological underpinnings of several intersexual conditions to demonstrate how this knowledge can be used for public education and in combating trans-phobic legislation.
Session: Symposium: Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ scientists and building a queer-friendly community in the Animal Behavior Society (4)
More complex choice environments level the playing field for inconsistent or unattractive treefrog malesJessie C. Tanner1, Mark A. Bee2, Kim L. Hoke3
1University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA, 2University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA, 3Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Receivers in many taxa attend to the repetition rate of signals, an emergent property requiring receivers to sample over a period of time. However, signalers show remarkable within-individual variation or "inconsistency". This inconsistency makes decisions uncertain, and is also a trait to which receivers attend. In nature, receivers must discriminate among many signalers based on multiple signal components. We measured sexual selection on two traits, call rate and inconsistency in call rate, in the diploid gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis. For each of 125 receivers, we generated 8 unique hypothetical male phenotypes (1,000 total). These hypothetical males were represented by sequences of calls whose mean call rate (calls per min) and within-individual variation in call rate (coefficient of variation) were chosen randomly and independently from the range of natural variation. We assayed signal discrimination in 2-, 4-, and 8-choice phonotaxis tests (1,500 tests). Receivers overwhelmingly chose faster, more consistent call rates in 2-choice tests, but markedly less often in 4 and 8 choices. Results suggest inconsistent signals and noisy surroundings may shelter males from selection.
Session: Communication 5
Exploring extreme variation in a female-specific avian call and the underlying evolutionary mechanisms.Christopher A Tarango, John W Fitzpatrick
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
The "rattle" is a female-sex-specific display given by some members of the avian Family Corvidae. Predominantly directed toward conspecifics during active or potential territorial disputes, the rattle is typically a rapid series of stocatto clicks often accompanied by flairing tail feathers and a bobbing motion of the head and/or body. The rattle display's multi-modal nature provides powerful support for homology in phylogentic comparison when compared to other vocalization studies. Though the display remains relatively stable across genera, the rattle call of the genus Aphelocoma shows incredible patterns of stability and extreme variation, both across and within species. Here I provide evidence of these patterns and propose several mechanisms for how novelty is generated and maintained.
Session: Communication 4
The Relationship Between Planned Participation and Benefits from a Modern Ecstatic RitualIsabella Tasevoli, Andrew Fulmer
Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, USA
Humans Homo sapiens participate in contemporary electronic dance music culture (EDMC) globally. EDMC incorporates many aspects of human ritual behavior that have been shown to evoke joy, such as synchronized dance, upbeat music, social bonding, and visual art. Prior literature has suggested that engaging in activities that contribute to positive affect enhances physical and psychological well-being. First, we observe the relationship between internally motivated/regular participation versus externally motivated/irregular participation in EDMC events and increased happiness/positive self-image (particularly as relates to health). We also discuss hypotheses informing future research on the motivations to engage in ritualistic behavior. EDMC participants recruited from social media respond to a novel questionnaire. We define participants as intentional: regular, self-motivated, organized, and positively anticipated attendance or as passive: irregular, externally motivated (e.g., influenced by social factors), unplanned, and low affective association to attendance.