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Author |
Krueger, K. |
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Title |
Social Ecology of Horses |
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Book Chapter |
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Year |
2008 |
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Ecology of Social Evolution |
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195-206 |
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Horses (Equidae ) are believed to clearly demonstrate the links between ecology and social organization. Their social cognitive abilities enable them to succeed in many different environments, including those provided for them by humans, or the ones domestic horses encounter when escaping from their human care takers. Living in groups takes different shapes in equids. Their aggregation and group cohesion can be explained by Hamilton“s selfish herd theory. However, when an individual joins and to which group it joins appears to be an active individual decision depending on predation pressure, intra group harassment and resource availability. The latest research concerning the social knowledge horses display in eavesdropping experiments affirms the need for an extension of simple herd concepts in horses for a cognitive component. Horses obviously realize the social composition of their group and determine their own position in it. The horses exceedingly flexible social behavior demands for explanations about the cognitive mechanisms, which allow them to make individual decisions. ”Ecology conditions like those that favour the evolution of open behavioural programs sometimes also favour the evolution of the beginnings of consciousness, by favouring conscious choice. Or in other words, consciousness originates with the choice that are left open by open behavioural programs." Popper (1977) |
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Springer Verlag |
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Heidelberg |
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j. Korb and J. Heinze |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4387 |
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Author |
Parker, M.; Redhead, E.S.; Goodwin, D.; McBride, S.D. |
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Title |
Impaired instrumental choice in crib-biting horses (Equus caballus) |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2008 |
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Behavioural Brain Research |
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Behav. Brain. Res. |
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191 |
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1 |
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137-140 |
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Horse; Stereotypy; Striatum; Dopamine; Concurrent-chain schedules; Choice |
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Horses displaying an oral stereotypy were tested on an instrumental choice paradigm to examine differences in learning from non-stereotypic counterparts. Stereotypic horses are known to have dysfunction of the dorsomedial striatum, and lesion studies have shown that this region may mediate response-outcome learning. The paradigm was specifically applied in order to examine learning that requires maintenance of response-outcome judgements. The non-stereotypic horses learned, over three sessions, to choose a more immediate reinforcer, whereas the stereotypic horses failed to do so. This suggests an initial behavioural correlate for dorsomedial striatum dysregulation in the stereotypy phenotype. |
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0166-4328 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4830 |
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Author |
Christensen, J.W.; Rundgren, M. |
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Title |
Predator odour per se does not frighten domestic horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2008 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
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Volume |
112 |
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1-2 |
Pages |
136-145 |
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Horse; Predator odour; Behaviour; Heart rate; Fear |
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Horses frequently react nervously when passing animal production farms and other places with distinctive smells, leading riders to believe that horses are innately frightened by certain odours. In three experiments, we investigated how horses respond to (1) urine from wolves and lions, (2) blood from slaughtered conspecifics and fur-derived wolf odour, and (3) a sudden auditory stimulus in either presence or absence of fur-derived wolf odour. The experiments were carried out under standardised conditions using a total of 45 naive, 2-year-old horses. In the first two experiments we found that horses showed significant changes in behaviour (Experiments 1 and 2: increased sniffing; Experiment 2 only: increased vigilance, decreased eating, and more behavioural shifts), but no increase in heart rate compared to controls when exposed to predator odours and conspecific blood in a known test environment. However, the third experiment showed that exposure to a combination of wolf odour and a sudden stimulus (sound of a moving plastic bag) caused significantly increased heart rate responses and a tendency to a longer latency to resume feeding, compared to control horses exposed to the sudden stimulus without the wolf odour. The results indicate that predator odour per se does not frighten horses but it may cause an increased level of vigilance. The presence of predator odour may, however, cause an increased heart rate response if horses are presented to an additional fear-eliciting stimulus. This strategy may be adaptive in the wild where equids share habitats with their predators, and have to trade-off time and energy spent on anti-predation responses against time allocated to essential non-defensive activities. |
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Admin @ knut @ |
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4339 |
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Author |
Proops, L.; McComb, K.; Reby, D. |
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Title |
Cross-modal individual vocal recognition in the domestic horse |
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Conference Article |
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Year |
2008 |
Publication |
IESM 2008 |
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Keywords |
social cognition, animal-human interaction, horses, attention |
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Horses fulfill many of the criteria for a species in which it would be adaptive to be capable of individual recognition: they are highly social, form strong and long lasting bonds, their affiliations are rarely kin based, they have a fission-fusion social structure and they possess inter and intra-group dominance hierarchies.
We used a novel cross-modal, expectancy violation paradigm to provide the first systematic evidence that a non-human animal – the domestic horse- is capable of cross modal recognition. We believe this paradigm could provide an ideal way to study individual recognition across a wide range of species.
For full published details see: Proops L, McComb K, Reby D (2009) Cross-modal individual recognition in domestic horses (Equus caballus). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106: 947-951. |
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Centre for Mammal Vocal Communication Research, Psychology department, |
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Proops, L |
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IESM 2008 |
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Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4469 |
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Author |
Bartosova, J.; Dvorakova, R.; Vancatova, M.; Svobodova, I. |
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Title |
Comprehension of human pointing gesture in domestic horses: Effect of training method |
Type |
Conference Article |
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Year |
2008 |
Publication |
IESM 2008 |
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Keywords |
Human-horse communication, Pointing, Training methods, Horsemanship |
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Abstract |
Horses have been considered to rely on human gesticular cues (McKinley and Sambrook 2000, Anim Cogn 3:13-22; and recently Maros et al. 2008, Anim Cogn 11:457-466), however large variability among individuals tested in two-ways object choice tasks was found. Part of the horses in those studies (40 and 26 %, respectively) even failed to pass adequately through the training session which preceded the testing phase and served to learn a horse to carry out a task. Therefore, we alternated the experimental design designed by McKinley and Sambrook (reduced number of testing trials to 10 per horse to keep its attention, applied just one, a dynamic-sustained pointing cue with touching the bucket, etc.), and tested an effect of training method, sex, age, and learning on proportion of correct choices. We hypothesised, that horses trained by “traditional” method (TTM) will get lower score than those experienced with “horsemanship-based” methods (HTM), being characterized by closer and more frequent human-horse contact and also extended exercising “from the ground” with frequent using of arms cues. Despite simplification of the methods, only about 60 % of tested horses passed through the training phase (i.e., learned to come to and upturn the bucket with hidden treat). Successful completion of training phase was reached regardless of age or sex of a horse, but by the training method; HTM horses ran better compared to TTM ones. No significant effect of age, sex, or learning (i.e., trial order within all 10), and training method as well was found on proportion of correct trials in the testing phase. Horses made a correct choice in more than 70% of trials. Individual scores ranged from 50 to 100 %. In conclusion, horses showed high level of comprehension of human pointing gesture, regardless of their sex or age. No effects of training method or learning process within a test suggest low impact of handling and learning on the level of comprehension at least of the most vivid human pointing gesture. Horses trained by methods based on “natural human-horse communication” did enhance cooperation with people. |
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Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, CZ-104 00 Praha Uhrineves, Czech Republic |
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Corporate Author |
Bartosova, J. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4464 |
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Author |
Kuhne, F.; Struwe, R.; Balzer, H.U. |
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Title |
A new, non-invasive method to assess specific strain in horses |
Type |
Conference Article |
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Year |
2008 |
Publication |
IESM 2008 |
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Horses" reactions to normal environmental and training situations play an important
role the human-horse relationship. These demands on horses can either lead some
individuals to withdrawal, immobility or aggressive defence. However, the reaction to
such situations varies greatly among horses, which is reflected in individual
differences in sympathetic, parasympathetic and muscular reactivity. The observable
behavioural responses of the horses seem to be qualitatively related to the internal
state of physiological arousal. In future it should be possible to identify behavioural
signs which really do reflect internal states of the autonomic nervous system to
provide general advice concerning human handling and training in view of reducing
stress in horses.
For these purposes, we have determined responses of the vegetative nervous
system based on variation in skin potential, skin resistance and electromyogram
using non-invasive real-time measurements. All these parameters can be measured
by a SMARD-Watch-System (System of non-invasive Measurement and Analysis
for Regulatory Diagnostics), which can be externally attached to the horses using a
harness.
The physiological data will assess using a time series analysis. Thereby the changes
in the regulatory processes in each of the three physiological systems can be
determined in detail. Based on this analysis characteristic behaviour patterns will be
analysed by the variability of the regulatory processes. According to temporary shifts
in regulatory processes, stable and unstable regulation states will be determined.
Depending on the proportions of unstable regulation processes during and after
external threat, four types of regulation can be defined: the Control, Cope,
Compensate and Non-cope- type. Defined time-windows, for example a ten minutes
lasting pre- and post-test phase and a ten or twenty minutes lasting time-window for
the execution of the specific stimulus have to be chosen to decide these regulation
types.
These four regulation types and the preferred individual behaviour strategies have to
be compared to evaluate the relative frequency of occurrence of a behaviour strategy
depending on responses of the vegetative nervous system. In view of validating
behavioural indicators of emotional reactivity, the aim of this new method is to
characterize individual differences in the behavioural and physiological responses of
horses to normal environmental and training stimuli.
Evidence is provided by human and animal data that the non-invasive real-time
measurement of the vegetative nervous system based on variation in skin potential,
skin resistance etc. is a promising approach for evaluating stress and emotional
states in vertebrates. It will be explained that the chronobiological evaluation of
physiological parameters has the potential to contribute much to our understanding
and assessment of the underlying physiological processes of stress responses in
horses. |
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Division of Animal Welfare and Ethology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Germany |
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Corporate Author |
Kuhne, F. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4465 |
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Author |
Whitehead, H. |
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Title |
Precision and power in the analysis of social structure using associations |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2008 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
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75 |
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3 |
Pages |
1093-1099 |
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association; precision; social structure; statistical power |
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I develop guidelines for assessing the precision and power of statistical techniques that are frequently used to study nonhuman social systems using observed dyadic associations. Association indexes estimate the proportion of time that two individuals are associated. Binomial approximation and nonparametric bootstrap methods produce similar estimates of the precision of association indexes. For a mid-range (0.4-0.9) association index to have a standard error of less than 0.1 requires about 15 observations of the pair associated, and for it to be less than 0.05, this rises to 50 observations. The coefficient of variation among dyads of the proportion of time that pairs of individuals are actually associated describes social differentiation (S), and this may be estimated from association data using maximum likelihood. With a poorly differentiated population (S~0.2), a data set needs about five observed associations per dyad to achieve a correlation between true and estimated association indexes of r=~0.4. It requires about 10 times as much data to achieve a representation with r=~0.8. Permutation tests usually reject the null hypothesis that individuals have no preferred associates when S2H>5, where H is the mean number of observed associations per individual. Thus most situations require substantial numbers of observations of associations to give useful portrayals of social systems, and sparse association data inform only when social differentiation is high. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4692 |
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Author |
De Pasquale, A.; Ingala, A.; Innella, G.; Luigiano, G.; Malara, L.; Panzera, M. |
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Title |
The influence of the enriched environment on the reactivity of the precociously handled foals (Equus caballus L.). |
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Conference Article |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Foal, Handling, Enriched environment, Reactivity. |
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In a preliminary study, we evaluated the effect of precocious handling (at birth, 10, 30 and 60 days) and enriched environment on foal. Two experimental groups were created:
- 3 foals not handled and stabled in semi-enriched environment (Group A).
- 6 foals handled and stabled in an enriched environment (Group B).
All nine foals were tested with a novel object test (umbrella) at three months of age, to assess the Heart Rate (HR) values measured by a telemetric heart rate monitor (Polar Horse Trainer), during opening, touching and closing of the umbrella.
The statistical analysis carried out by means of the Mann-Whitney test showed lower HR values of the foals of group B (P<0.05).
Furthermore we have investigated 10 foals born between 2006 and 2008 to study the influence of enriched environment and precocious handling on behavioural responsiveness. The foals were housed on a farm which ensured an enriched environment and made social intra and interspecific interactions easier, alias autoshaping. They were submitted to:
- Handling within 24 hours from birth.
- Handling and reactivity test (arena test) executed at 10, 30 and 60 days.
The temporal correlation was studied among ages and baseline HR values, using the
Spearman"s test, to assess the beginning of neurovegetative HR control.
In fact statistically significant differences were obtained (r = -0.431; P<0,02). Temporal values of obtained HR baseline, using the Wilcoxon test, showed lower values at 60 days. The comparison was significant among mean and max baseline HR values of 30 vs 60 and 10 vs 60 (P<0.05), while no differences were observed during the reactivity test. This shows that adequate conditions of management associated to a precocious and continuous handling allow the foals to maintain their natural investigative behaviour disappearing fear and flight reactions. |
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Dept. of Experimental Sciences and Applied Biotechnologies, Unit of Applied Physiology and Comparative Ethology , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – University of Messina, Italy. |
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De Pasquale, A |
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IESM 2008 |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4486 |
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Author |
Krueger, K. |
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Title |
Social cognition and social learning in horses |
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Conference Article |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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In comparison to other social animals it appears to be far more difficult to show social learning in horses, although the social background of the animals prompts the prediction that social learning should be verifiable. This demands for a thorough analysis of conditions, context and effects of social learning which might not be as obvious in horses than in other social animals. Moreover, the horse“s social cognition in general, i.e. the processing, encoding, storage, retrieval, and application of social information, needs to be examined. In previous studies we addressed the horse”s perception of it“s social environment. Our results indicate that domestic horses are not only capable of distinguishing between familiar and unfamiliar horses but also of recognizing the social status of familiar horses relative to their own. Furthermore, they extract information from observing interactions between a familiar horse and a human experimenter, and adjust their behaviour according to the observed horse”s reaction and relative dominance status when they are themselves later confronted with the experimenter in a similar situation. Additionally, we showed in pilot experiments that horses paid more attention to the gaze of dominant horses from their own social group than to that of unknown or subordinate horses. In another study we suggested that horses of both sexes are capable of determining the social affiliation, the sex and, for their own group members, the identity of individuals, by sniffing their faeces. Hence, social affiliation and dominance relationships seemed to have a major influence on the horses` motivation to pay attention to their conspecifics. In the future we will take another step towards linking the horse“s social cognitive capacities with its social ecology, social structure, and individuality. In the context of comparative cognition research on the socially complex primates, or on a range of carnivores such as corvids, canids or dolphins, horses are particularly interesting, because they are highly social, but do not rely on social hunting or cooperative raising of offspring. Also foraging is simple for horses, predator avoidance is demanding and this may be the main reason for the horse”s complex social lives and their choice of learning tactics. Hence, we will investigate the horse"s investigative behaviour towards neutral, fear-eliciting and food related novel objects. We propose that, as in other species, sociality and distinct personalities are key features for the understanding of cognitive capacities and the choice of learning strategies. |
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University of Regensburg – Biology I |
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Krueger, K. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4462 |
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Ostner, J.; Heistermann, M.; Schülke, O. |
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Dominance, aggression and physiological stress in wild male Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
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Hormones and Behavior |
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54 |
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5 |
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613-619 |
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Social stress; Dominance; Aggression; Fecal glucocorticoid excretion; Male bonds; Assamese macaques |
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In group-living animals relative rank positions are often associated with differences in glucocorticoid output. During phases of social stability, when dominance positions are clear and unchallenged, subordinates often face higher costs in terms of social stress than dominant individuals. In this study we test this prediction and examine additional potential correlates of stress, such as reproductive season, age and amount of aggression received in wild, seasonally breeding Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis). During a mating and a non-mating season we collected 394 h of focal observational data and 440 fecal samples of six adult and six large subadult males living in a multimale-multifemale group in their natural habitat in northeastern Thailand. The mating season was characterized by a general increase in aggressive behavior and glucocorticoid excretion across all males compared to the non-mating season. Among adult males, mating season glucocorticoid levels were significantly negatively related with dominance rank and positively with the amount of aggression received. Both relationships were non-significant among large subadult males. Thus, our results suggest that in adult Assamese macaques a high dominance position is not associated with high costs. Low costs of dominance might be induced by strong social bonds among top-ranking males, which exchange frequent affiliative interactions and serve as allies in coalitionary aggression against potentially rank-challenging subordinate males. |
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0018-506x |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4694 |
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