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Whishaw, I. Q., Sacrey, L. - A. R., & Gorny, B. (2009). Hind limb stepping over obstacles in the horse guided by place-object memory. Behav. Brain. Res., 198(2), 372–379.
Abstract: An animal that has stepped over an obstacle with its forelimbs uses a memory of the obstacle to guide the hind limbs so that they also clear the obstacle, even in situations in which long pauses are introduced between forelimb and hind limb stepping. To further clarify the features of hind limb obstacle clearance memory, the present study examined hind limb obstacle clearance in the horse. A rider guided horses over obstacles and paused the horse over obstacles in tests that examined the relationship between forelimb and hind limb stepping, with the following results. First, the horses displayed memory for an obstacle as measured by hind limb lifting over the obstacle for durations lasting as long as 15Â min. The response was not dependent upon ongoing visualization of the obstacle, as limb lifting was unaffected by visual occlusion with blinders, a blindfold, or by removing the obstacle during the pause. Second, previous experience of stepping over an obstacle led to pause-related hind limb lifting at the object's previous location even on trials for which there was no obstacle and so no preceding forelimb lifting. Third, whereas a horse would lift its hind limbs to clear two successively presented obstacles, replacing an obstacle before the horse after the forelimbs had cleared the obstacle prevented subsequent hind limb lifting at the obstacle's previous location. Taken together the results show that hind limb obstacle clearance is guided by a place-object memory. The results are discussed in relation to the differential sensory and memonic control of forelimb and hind limb stepping with the suggestion that place-object memory can guide hind stepping as well as overshadow working memory from front leg stepping.
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VanDierendonck, M. C., de Vries, H., Schilder, M. B. H., Colenbrander, B., & Þorhallsdóttir, A. G. and S., H. (2009). Interventions in social behaviour in a herd of mares and geldings. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 116(1), 67–73.
Abstract: Social dynamics and maintenance of social cohesion were studied by analysing social interventions in two groups of horses consisting of adult mares, their offspring, adult geldings and sub-adults. The animals were observed for a total of 1316 h. All relevant dyadic and triadic social interactions, including initial behaviour, possible intervention and outcome, were recorded. The main question was: do horses use interventions in affiliative interactions to safeguard their social network? Horses were significantly more likely to intervene in allogrooming or play interactions that involved a preferred partner. The stronger the preferred association in allogrooming, the higher the likelihood the intervener took over allogrooming with an initial dyad member. Interveners originating from two newly introduced groups (n = 3 and 5), intervened significantly more often when a member of their own group allogroomed with an unfamiliar horse. In play, no correlation with unfamiliarity was found. Overall, the intervening horses stopped more than half of the initial allogrooming interactions, and a third of all interactions. Therefore, social facilitation cannot sufficiently explain interference behaviour. This study shows that maintaining relationships with preferred partners is important to horses and has implications for equine husbandry and management.
Keywords: Horses; Social relationships; Interventions; Mares; Geldings; Play; Allogrooming; Social network
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Sueur, C., & Petit, O. (2008). Organization of Group Members at Departure Is Driven by Social Structure in Macaca. Int. J. Primatol., 29(4), 1085–1098.
Abstract: Abstract Researchers have often explained order of progression of group members during joint movement in terms of the influence of ecological pressures but rarely that of social constraints. We studied the order of joining by group members to a movement in semifree-ranging macaques with contrasting social systems: 1 group of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and 1 group of rhesus macaques (M. mulatta). We used network metrics to understand roles and associations among individuals. The way the macaques joined a movement reflected the social differences between the species in terms of dominance and kinship. Old and dominant male rhesus macaques were more often at the front of the movement, contrary to the Tonkean macaques, which exhibited no specific order. Moreover, rhesus macaques preferred to join high-ranking or related individuals, whereas Tonkean macaques based associations during joining mostly on sexual relationships with a subgroup of peripheral males.
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Krause, J., Croft, D., & James, R. (2007). Social network theory in the behavioural sciences: potential applications. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 62(1), 15–27.
Abstract: Abstract Social network theory has made major contributions to our understanding of human social organisation but has found relatively little application in the field of animal behaviour. In this review, we identify several broad research areas where the networks approach could greatly enhance our understanding of social patterns and processes in animals. The network theory provides a quantitative framework that can be used to characterise social structure both at the level of the individual and the population. These novel quantitative variables may provide a new tool in addressing key questions in behavioural ecology particularly in relation to the evolution of social organisation and the impact of social structure on evolutionary processes. For example, network measures could be used to compare social networks of different species or populations making full use of the comparative approach. However, the networks approach can in principle go beyond identifying structural patterns and also can help with the understanding of processes within animal populations such as disease transmission and information transfer. Finally, understanding the pattern of interactions in the network (i.e. who is connected to whom) can also shed some light on the evolution of behavioural strategies.
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Lusseau, D., Whitehead, H., & Gero, S. (2008). Incorporating uncertainty into the study of animal social networks. Anim. Behav., 75(5), 1809–1815.
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Newman, M. E. J. (2003). The Structure and Function of Complex Networks. SIAM Rev., 45(2), 167–256.
Abstract: Inspired by empirical studies of networked systems such as the Internet, social networks, and biological networks, researchers have in recent years developed a variety of techniques and models to help us understand or predict the behavior of these systems. Here we review developments in this field, including such concepts as the small-world effect, degree distributions, clustering, network correlations, random graph models, models of network growth and preferential attachment, and dynamical processes taking place on networks.
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Bode, N. W. F., Wood, A. J., & Franks, D. W. (2011). The impact of social networks on animal collective motion. Anim. Behav., 82(1), 29–38.
Abstract: Many group-living animals show social preferences for relatives, familiar conspecifics or individuals of similar attributes such as size, personality or sex. How such preferences could affect the collective motion of animal groups has been rather unexplored. We present a general model of collective animal motion that includes social connections as preferential reactions between individuals. Our conceptual examples illustrate the possible impact of underlying social networks on the collective motion of animals. Our approach shows that the structure of these networks could influence: (1) the cohesion of groups; (2) the spatial position of individuals within groups; and (3) the hierarchical dynamics within such groups. We argue that the position of individuals within a social network and the social network structure of populations could have important fitness implications for individual animals. Counterintuitive results from our conceptual examples show that social structures can result in unexpected group dynamics. This sharpens our understanding of the way in which collective movement can be interpreted as a result of social interactions.
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Schneider, G., & Krueger, K. (2012). Third-party interventions keep social partners from exchanging affiliative interactions with others. Anim. Behav., 83(2), 377–387.
Abstract: Third-party interventions are defined as the interruption of dyadic interactions by third animals through direct physical contact, interposing or threats. Previous studies focused on the analysis of interventions against agonistic encounters. However, there have been no evaluations of interventions against affiliative behaviours, particularly in relation to the intervening animal�s social relationships and its social and spatial position. Horses, Equus caballus, are an interesting model species, as interventions against affiliative interactions occur more frequently than against agonistic interactions. In this study, 64 feral horses displayed 67 interventions in affiliative interactions and eight interventions in agonistic interactions within the observation period. We analysed the interventions in affiliative encounters, and found that it was mainly higher-ranking females that intervened in the affiliative interactions of group mates in the stable horse harems. The intervening animals took an active part in affiliative and agonistic encounters within the group, but did not occupy particular social roles or spatial positions. They intervened in affiliative interactions in which group mates with which they had social bonds interacted with other members of the group. They targeted the nonbonded animal and approached the one with which they were socially bonded. We suggest some species use third-party interventions in affiliative interactions to prevent competition for preferred social interaction partners from escalating into more costly agonistic encounters.
Keywords: Equus caballus; horse; rank; social bond; social network; third-party intervention
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Benz, B., Köhnke, J., & Kappelmann, K. (2014). Bewertung einer Faltschieberanlage in einem Reitstall mit Paddockboxen[Assessment of a v-form scraper in a horse barn with paddock boxes]. Landtechnik, Agricultural Engineering,, 68(4), 242–247.
Abstract: In der vorliegenden Untersuchung werden in einem Praxisbetrieb die Verfahrenskosten eines
Faltschiebers erhoben. Aufgrund des reduzierten Arbeitszeitaufwandes ergibt sich durch den Einsatz des Faltschiebers eine jährliche Kostenersparnis in Höhe von 78 € je Pferd. Durch die Mechanisierung der Entmistung kann fast 30 % der Arbeitszeit in der Pensionspferdehaltung eingespart werden. Beim Einsatz einer Entmistungstechnik spielt jedoch nicht nur die Ökonomie, sondern darüber hinaus auch das Pferdeverhalten eine Rolle. Im selben Praxisbetrieb wird nach Installation der Faltschieberanlage das Pferdeverhalten beim Erstkontakt mit dem Schieber beobachtet. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Pferde den direkten Kontakt mit der Entmistungstechnik und somit kritische Situationen vermeiden. [In the survey at hand, the procedural costs for a v-form scraper are gathered. In the process, it is found that due to the reduced working time requirement the use of a v-form scraper saves € 78/horse/year. The mechanization of manure removal can reduce working time in horse keeping by almost 30 percent. However, using manure removal systems, the profitability is not the only crucial criteria. The behaviour of the horses plays an essential role, too. Moreover the horses’ behaviour when first encountering the manure scraper is observed. The study reveals that the horses avoid contact with the scraper and thereby also shirk critical situations.] |
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Hasenjager, M. J., & Dugatkin, L. A. Social Network Analysis in Behavioral Ecology. Advances in the Study of Behavior. Academic Press.
Abstract: Abstract In recent years, behavioral ecologists have embraced social network analysis (SNA) in order to explore the structure of animal societies and the functional consequences of that structure. We provide a conceptual introduction to the field that focuses on historical developments, as well as on novel insights generated by recent work. First, we discuss major advances in the analysis of nonhuman societies, culminating in the use of SNA by behavioral ecologists. Next, we discuss how network-based approaches have enhanced our understanding of social structure and behavior over the past decade, focusing on: (1) information transmission, (2) collective behaviors, (3) animal personality, and (4) cooperation. These behaviors and phenomena possess several features—e.g., indirect effects, emergent properties—that network analysis is well equipped to handle. Finally, we highlight recent developments in SNA that are allowing behavioral ecologists to address increasingly sophisticated questions regarding the structure and function of animal sociality.
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