| |
Records |
Links |
|
Author |
Reader, S.M.; Laland, K.N. |
|
| |
Title |
Diffusion of foraging innovations in the guppy |
Type |
Journal Article |
| |
Year |
2000 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
|
| |
Volume |
60 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
175-180 |
|
| |
Keywords |
|
|
| |
Abstract |
The way in which novel learned behaviour patterns spread through animal populations remains poorly understood, despite extensive field research and the recognition that such processes play an important role in the behavioural development, social interactions and evolution of many animal species. We conducted a series of controlled diffusions of foraging information in replicate experimental populations of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. We presented novel foraging tasks over 15 trials to mixed-sex groups, made up of food-deprived and nonfood-deprived adults (experiment 1) or small, young fish and old, large adults (experiment 2). In these diffusions, knowledge of a route to a feeder could spread through the group by subjects learning from others, discovering the route for themselves, or, most likely, by some combination of these social and asocial learning processes. We found a striking sex difference, with novel foraging information spreading at a significantly faster rate through subgroups of females than of males. Females both discovered the goal and learned the route more quickly than males. Food-deprived individuals were faster at completing the tasks over the 15 trials than nonfood-deprived guppies, and there was a significant interaction between sex and size, with a sex difference in adults but not young individuals. There was also an interaction between sex and hunger level, with food deprivation having a stronger effect on male than female performance. We suggest that information may diffuse in a similar nonrandom or 'directed' manner through many natural populations of animals. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. |
|
| |
Address  |
Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge |
|
| |
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
|
| |
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
|
| |
Language |
English |
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
|
| |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
|
| |
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
|
| |
ISSN |
0003-3472 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
|
| |
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
|
| |
Notes |
PMID:10973718 |
Approved |
no |
|
| |
Call Number |
|
Serial |
2150 |
|
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
|
Author |
Laland, K.N.; Reader, S.M. |
|
| |
Title |
Foraging innovation in the guppy |
Type |
Journal Article |
| |
Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
|
| |
Volume |
57 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
331-340 |
|
| |
Keywords |
|
|
| |
Abstract |
When novel behaviour patterns spread through animal populations, typically one animal will initiate the diffusion. It is not known whether such 'innovators' are particularly creative individuals, individuals exposed to the appropriate environmental contingencies, or individuals in a particular motivational state. We describe three experiments that investigated the factors influencing foraging innovation in the guppy Poecilia reticulata. We exposed small laboratory populations of fish to novel foraging tasks, which involved exploration and problem solving to locate a novel food source. Experiments 1 and 2 found that (1) females were more likely to innovate than males, (2) food-deprived fish were more likely to innovate than nonfood-deprived subjects, and (3) smaller fish were more likely to innovate than larger fish. We suggest that the sex difference may reflect parental investment asymmetries in males and females. Experiment 3 found that past innovators were more likely to innovate than past noninnovators. Collectively, the results suggest that differences in foraging innovation in guppies are best accounted for by differences in motivational state, but, in addition, guppies may vary in their predisposition to innovate. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. |
|
| |
Address |
Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge |
|
| |
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
|
| |
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
|
| |
Language |
English |
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
|
| |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
|
| |
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
|
| |
ISSN |
0003-3472 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
|
| |
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
|
| |
Notes |
PMID:10049472 |
Approved |
no |
|
| |
Call Number |
|
Serial |
2151 |
|
| Permanent link to this record |
