Records |
Author |
Flack, J.C.; Girvan, M.; de Waal, F.B.M.; Krakauer, D.C. |
Title |
Policing stabilizes construction of social niches in primates |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
Volume |
439 |
Issue |
7075 |
Pages |
426-429 |
Keywords |
Animals; Conflict (Psychology); Female; Macaca nemestrina/*physiology/*psychology; Male; Models, Biological; *Social Behavior |
Abstract |
All organisms interact with their environment, and in doing so shape it, modifying resource availability. Termed niche construction, this process has been studied primarily at the ecological level with an emphasis on the consequences of construction across generations. We focus on the behavioural process of construction within a single generation, identifying the role a robustness mechanism--conflict management--has in promoting interactions that build social resource networks or social niches. Using 'knockout' experiments on a large, captive group of pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina), we show that a policing function, performed infrequently by a small subset of individuals, significantly contributes to maintaining stable resource networks in the face of chronic perturbations that arise through conflict. When policing is absent, social niches destabilize, with group members building smaller, less diverse, and less integrated grooming, play, proximity and contact-sitting networks. Instability is quantified in terms of reduced mean degree, increased clustering, reduced reach, and increased assortativity. Policing not only controls conflict, we find it significantly influences the structure of networks that constitute essential social resources in gregarious primate societies. The structure of such networks plays a critical role in infant survivorship, emergence and spread of cooperative behaviour, social learning and cultural traditions. |
Address |
Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA. jflack@santafe.edu |
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English |
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1476-4687 |
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PMID:16437106 |
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no |
Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
298 |
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Author |
Scheffer, M.; van Nes, E.H. |
Title |
Self-organized similarity, the evolutionary emergence of groups of similar species |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. |
Volume |
103 |
Issue |
16 |
Pages |
6230-6235 |
Keywords |
Animals; *Competitive Behavior; *Ecosystem; *Evolution; *Models, Biological |
Abstract |
Ecologists have long been puzzled by the fact that there are so many similar species in nature. Here we show that self-organized clusters of look-a-likes may emerge spontaneously from coevolution of competitors. The explanation is that there are two alternative ways to survive together: being sufficiently different or being sufficiently similar. Using a model based on classical competition theory, we demonstrate a tendency for evolutionary emergence of regularly spaced lumps of similar species along a niche axis. Indeed, such lumpy patterns are commonly observed in size distributions of organisms ranging from algae, zooplankton, and beetles to birds and mammals, and could not be well explained by earlier theory. Our results suggest that these patterns may represent self-constructed niches emerging from competitive interactions. A corollary of our findings is that, whereas in species-poor communities sympatric speciation and invasion of open niches is possible, species-saturated communities may be characterized by convergent evolution and invasion by look-a-likes. |
Address |
Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8080, 6700 DD, Wageningen, The Netherlands. marten.scheffer@wur.nl |
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English |
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ISSN |
0027-8424 |
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Notes |
PMID:16585519 |
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no |
Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
510 |
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Author |
Munoz-Sanz, A. |
Title |
[Christopher Columbus flu. A hypothesis for an ecological catastrophe] |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica |
Abbreviated Journal |
Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin |
Volume |
24 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
326-334 |
Keywords |
Animals; Atlantic Islands; Birds; Chickens; Disease Outbreaks/*history; Disease Reservoirs; Disease Susceptibility; Ecology; Europe/ethnology; History, 15th Century; Horses; Humans; Indians, South American; Influenza A virus/classification/genetics/pathogenicity; Influenza in Birds/epidemiology/history/transmission/virology; Influenza, Human/epidemiology/*history/mortality/transmission; Models, Biological; Orthomyxoviridae Infections/epidemiology/history/veterinary/virology; Poultry Diseases/epidemiology/history/transmission/virology; Reassortant Viruses/genetics/pathogenicity; Species Specificity; Sus scrofa; Swine Diseases/history/transmission/virology; Terminology; West Indies/epidemiology |
Abstract |
When Christopher Columbus and his men embarked on the second Colombian expedition to the New World (1493), the crew suffered from fever, respiratory symptoms and malaise. It is generally accepted that the disease was influenza. Pigs, horses and hens acquired in Gomera (Canary Islands) traveled in the same ship. The pigs may well have been the origin of the flu and the intermediary hosts for genetic recombination of other viral subtypes. The Caribbean archipelago had a large population of birds, the natural reservoir of the avian influenza virus. In this ecological scenario there was a concurrence of several biological elements that had never before coexisted in the New World: pigs, horses, the influenza virus and humans. We propose that birds are likely to have played an important role in the epidemiology of the flu occurring on the second Colombian trip, which caused a fatal demographic catastrophe, with an estimated mortality of 90% among the natives. |
Address |
Unidad de Patologia Infecciosa, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Servicio Extremeno de Salud, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Espana. infectio@unex.es |
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Language |
Spanish |
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Original Title |
La gripe de Cristobal Colon. Hipotesis sobre una catastrofe ecologica |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0213-005X |
ISBN |
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Notes |
PMID:16762260 |
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2624 |
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Author |
Biro, D.; Sumpter, D.J.T.; Meade, J.; Guilford, T. |
Title |
From Compromise to Leadership in Pigeon Homing |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Current Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Curr Biol |
Volume |
16 |
Issue |
21 |
Pages |
2123-2128 |
Keywords |
Animal Migration; Animals; Columbidae/*physiology; Decision Making; *Flight, Animal; *Homing Behavior; Models, Biological; Orientation; *Social Behavior; *Social Dominance |
Abstract |
Summary A central problem faced by animals traveling in groups is how navigational decisions by group members are integrated, especially when members cannot assess which individuals are best informed or have conflicting information or interests , , , and . Pigeons are now known to recapitulate faithfully their individually distinct habitual routes home , and , and this provides a novel paradigm for investigating collective decisions during flight under varying levels of interindividual conflict. Using high-precision GPS tracking of pairs of pigeons, we found that if conflict between two birds' directional preferences was small, individuals averaged their routes, whereas if conflict rose over a critical threshold, either the pair split or one of the birds became the leader. Modeling such paired decision-making showed that both outcomes--compromise and leadership--could emerge from the same set of simple behavioral rules. Pairs also navigated more efficiently than did the individuals of which they were composed, even though leadership was not necessarily assumed by the more efficient bird. In the context of mass migration of birds and other animals, our results imply that simple self-organizing rules can produce behaviors that improve accuracy in decision-making and thus benefit individuals traveling in groups , and . |
Address |
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom. daro.biro@zoo.ox.ac.uk |
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Language |
Englisch |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Editor |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0960-9822 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
PMID:17084696 |
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2026 |
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Author |
Rosa, P.A.J.; Azevedo, A.M.; Aires-Barros, M.R. |
Title |
Application of central composite design to the optimisation of aqueous two-phase extraction of human antibodies |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Journal of Chromatography. A |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Chromatogr A |
Volume |
1141 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
50-60 |
Keywords |
Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antibodies/*chemistry/*isolation & purification; Buffers; Chemical Fractionation/*methods; Horses; Humans; Hydrophobicity; Isoelectric Point; Models, Biological; Molecular Weight; Myoglobin/chemistry/isolation & purification; Osmolar Concentration; Phase Transition; Polyethylene Glycols; Serum Albumin/chemistry/isolation & purification; Sodium Chloride |
Abstract |
The partition of human antibodies in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and phosphate was systematically studied using first pure proteins systems and then an artificial mixture of proteins containing 1mg/ml human immunoglobulin G (IgG), 10mg/ml serum albumin and 2mg/ml myoglobin. Preliminary results obtained using pure proteins systems indicated that the PEG molecular weight and concentration, the pH value and the salts concentration had a pronounced effect on the partitioning behaviour of all proteins. For high ionic strengths and pH values higher than the isoelectric point (pI) of the contaminant proteins, IgG could be selectively recovered on the top phase. According to these results, a face centred composite design was performed in order to optimise the purification of IgG from the mixture of proteins. The optimal conditions for the isolation of IgG were observed for high concentrations of NaCl and low concentrations of both phase forming components. The best purification was achieved using an ATPS containing 8% (w/w) PEG 3350, 10% (w/w) phosphate pH 6 and 15% (w/w) NaCl. A recovery yield of 101+/-7%, a purity of 99+/-0% and a yield of native IgG of 97+/-4% were obtained. Back extraction studies of IgG to a new phosphate phase were performed and higher yields were obtained using 10% phosphate buffer at pH 6. The total extraction yield was 76% and the purity 100%. |
Address |
IBB Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre for Biological and Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal |
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English |
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ISSN |
0021-9673 |
ISBN |
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Notes |
PMID:17196214 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
1842 |
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Author |
Grosenick, L.; Clement, T.S.; Fernald, R.D. |
Title |
Fish can infer social rank by observation alone |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
Volume |
445 |
Issue |
7126 |
Pages |
429-432 |
Keywords |
Aggression/physiology; Animals; Cognition/*physiology; Female; Fishes/*physiology; Learning/*physiology; Male; Models, Biological; *Social Dominance; Territoriality |
Abstract |
Transitive inference (TI) involves using known relationships to deduce unknown ones (for example, using A > B and B > C to infer A > C), and is thus essential to logical reasoning. First described as a developmental milestone in children, TI has since been reported in nonhuman primates, rats and birds. Still, how animals acquire and represent transitive relationships and why such abilities might have evolved remain open problems. Here we show that male fish (Astatotilapia burtoni) can successfully make inferences on a hierarchy implied by pairwise fights between rival males. These fish learned the implied hierarchy vicariously (as 'bystanders'), by watching fights between rivals arranged around them in separate tank units. Our findings show that fish use TI when trained on socially relevant stimuli, and that they can make such inferences by using indirect information alone. Further, these bystanders seem to have both spatial and featural representations related to rival abilities, which they can use to make correct inferences depending on what kind of information is available to them. Beyond extending TI to fish and experimentally demonstrating indirect TI learning in animals, these results indicate that a universal mechanism underlying TI is unlikely. Rather, animals probably use multiple domain-specific representations adapted to different social and ecological pressures that they encounter during the course of their natural lives. |
Address |
Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA. logang@stanford.edu |
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English |
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ISSN |
1476-4687 |
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Notes |
PMID:17251980 |
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
600 |
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Author |
Reimers, M.; Schwarzenberger, F.; Preuschoft, S. |
Title |
Rehabilitation of research chimpanzees: stress and coping after long-term isolation |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Hormones and Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Horm Behav |
Volume |
51 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
428-435 |
Keywords |
Adaptation, Psychological/*physiology; Animals; *Animals, Laboratory; Exploratory Behavior; Hydrocortisone/analysis/metabolism; Male; Models, Biological; *Pan troglodytes; Social Dominance; Social Environment; *Social Isolation/psychology; Stress/*rehabilitation/veterinary; Time |
Abstract |
We report on the permanent retirement of chimpanzees from biomedical research and on resocialization after long-term social isolation. Our aim was to investigate to what extent behavioral and endocrine measures of stress in deprived laboratory chimpanzees can be improved by a more species-typical social life style. Personality in terms of novelty responses, social dominance after resocialization and hormonal stress susceptibility were affected by the onset of maternal separation of infant chimpanzees and duration of deprivation. Chimpanzees, who were separated from their mothers at a younger age and kept in isolation for more years appeared to be more timid personalities, less socially active, less dominant and more susceptible to stress, as compared to chimpanzees with a less severe deprivation history. However, permanent retirement from biomedical research in combination with therapeutic resocialization maximizing chimpanzees' situation control resulted in reduced fecal cortisol metabolite levels. Our results indicate that chimpanzees can recover from severe social deprivation, and may experience resocialization as less stressful than solitary housing. |
Address |
Department of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinarplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria. reimers@wild-vet.at |
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English |
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ISSN |
0018-506X |
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Notes |
PMID:17292368 |
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no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4188 |
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Author |
Bell, A.M. |
Title |
Evolutionary biology: animal personalities |
Type |
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Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
Volume |
447 |
Issue |
7144 |
Pages |
539-540 |
Keywords |
Aggression/physiology/psychology; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; *Evolution; Humans; *Models, Biological; Personality/genetics/*physiology; Reproduction/genetics/physiology; Risk-Taking; Selection (Genetics) |
Abstract |
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English |
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1476-4687 |
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Notes |
PMID:17538607 |
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no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4099 |
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Author |
Wolf, M.; van Doorn, G.S.; Leimar, O.; Weissing, F.J. |
Title |
Life-history trade-offs favour the evolution of animal personalities |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
Volume |
447 |
Issue |
7144 |
Pages |
581-584 |
Keywords |
Aggression/physiology/psychology; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; *Evolution; Exploratory Behavior/physiology; Models, Biological; Personality/*physiology; Predatory Behavior/physiology; Reproduction/physiology; Risk-Taking; Selection (Genetics) |
Abstract |
In recent years evidence has been accumulating that personalities are not only found in humans but also in a wide range of other animal species. Individuals differ consistently in their behavioural tendencies and the behaviour in one context is correlated with the behaviour in multiple other contexts. From an adaptive perspective, the evolution of animal personalities is still a mystery, because a more flexible structure of behaviour should provide a selective advantage. Accordingly, many researchers view personalities as resulting from constraints imposed by the architecture of behaviour (but see ref. 12). In contrast, we show here that animal personalities can be given an adaptive explanation. Our argument is based on the insight that the trade-off between current and future reproduction often results in polymorphic populations in which some individuals put more emphasis on future fitness returns than others. Life-history theory predicts that such differences in fitness expectations should result in systematic differences in risk-taking behaviour. Individuals with high future expectations (who have much to lose) should be more risk-averse than individuals with low expectations. This applies to all kinds of risky situations, so individuals should consistently differ in their behaviour. By means of an evolutionary model we demonstrate that this basic principle results in the evolution of animal personalities. It simultaneously explains the coexistence of behavioural types, the consistency of behaviour through time and the structure of behavioural correlations across contexts. Moreover, it explains the common finding that explorative behaviour and risk-related traits like boldness and aggressiveness are common characteristics of animal personalities. |
Address |
Theoretical Biology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands |
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English |
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1476-4687 |
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Notes |
PMID:17538618 |
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no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4098 |
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Author |
Rands, S.A.; Cowlishaw, G.; Pettifor, R.A.; Rowcliffe, J.M.; Johnstone, R.A. |
Title |
The emergence of leaders and followers in foraging pairs when the qualities of individuals differ |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2008 |
Publication |
BMC Evolutionary Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
BMC Evol Biol |
Volume |
8 |
Issue |
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Pages |
51 |
Keywords |
Animals; *Feeding Behavior; *Food Chain; *Models, Biological; *Social Dominance |
Abstract |
BACKGROUND: Foraging in groups offers animals a number of advantages, such as increasing their likelihood of finding food or detecting and avoiding predators. In order for a group to remain together, there has to be some degree of coordination of behaviour and movement between its members (which may in some cases be initiated by a decision-making leader, and in other cases may emerge as an underlying property of the group). For example, behavioural synchronisation is a phenomenon where animals within a group initiate and then continue to conduct identical behaviours, and has been characterised for a wide range of species. We examine how a pair of animals should behave using a state-dependent approach, and ask what conditions are likely to lead to behavioural synchronisation occurring, and whether one of the individuals is more likely to act as a leader. RESULTS: The model we describe considers how the energetic gain, metabolic requirements and predation risks faced by the individuals affect measures of their energetic state and behaviour (such as the degree of behavioural synchronisation seen within the pair, and the value to an individual of knowing the energetic state of its colleague). We explore how predictable changes in these measures are in response to changes in physiological requirements and predation risk. We also consider how these measures should change when the members of the pair are not identical in their metabolic requirements or their susceptibility to predation. We find that many of the changes seen in these measures are complex, especially when asymmetries exist between the members of the pair. CONCLUSION: Analyses are presented that demonstrate that, although these general patterns are robust, care needs to be taken when considering the effects of individual differences, as the relationship between individual differences and the resulting qualitative changes in behaviour may be complex. We discuss how these results are related to experimental observations, and how the model and its predictions could be extended. |
Address |
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. sean.rands@bristol.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
1471-2148 |
ISBN |
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Notes |
PMID:18282297 |
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no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5126 |
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