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Berge, J.; Cottier, F.; Last, K.S.; Varpe, O.; Leu, E.; Soreide, J.; Eiane, K.; Falk-Petersen, S.; Willis, K.; Nygard, H.; Vogedes, D.; Griffiths, C.; Johnsen, G.; Lorentzen, D.; Brierley, A.S. |
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Title |
Diel vertical migration of Arctic zooplankton during the polar night |
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2008 |
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Biology Letters |
Abbreviated Journal |
Biol Lett |
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High-latitude environments show extreme seasonal variation in physical and biological variables. The classic paradigm of Arctic marine ecosystems holds that most biological processes slow down or cease during the polar night. One key process that is generally assumed to cease during winter is diel vertical migration (DVM) of zooplankton. DVM constitutes the largest synchronized movement of biomass on the planet, and is of paramount importance for marine ecosystem function and carbon cycling. Here we present acoustic data that demonstrate a synchronized DVM behaviour of zooplankton that continues throughout the Arctic winter, in both open and ice-covered waters. We argue that even during the polar night, DVM is regulated by diel variations in solar and lunar illumination, which are at intensities far below the threshold of human perception. We also demonstrate that winter DVM is stronger in open waters compared with ice-covered waters. This suggests that the biologically mediated vertical flux of carbon will increase if there is a continued retreat of the Arctic winter sea ice cover. |
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University Centre in Svalbard, Pb 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratories, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, UK |
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1744-9561 |
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PMID:18948249 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4629 |
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Scheumann, M.; Zimmermann, E. |
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Title |
Sex-specific asymmetries in communication sound perception are not related to hand preference in an early primate |
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2008 |
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BMC Biology |
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6 |
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1 |
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3 |
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BACKGROUND:Left hemispheric dominance of language processing and handedness, previously thought to be unique to humans, is currently under debate. To gain an insight into the origin of lateralization in primates, we have studied gray mouse lemurs, suggested to represent the most ancestral primate condition. We explored potential functional asymmetries on the behavioral level by applying a combined handedness and auditory perception task. For testing handedness, we used a forced food-grasping task. For testing auditory perception, we adapted the head turn paradigm, originally established for exploring hemispheric specializations in conspecific sound processing in Old World monkeys, and exposed 38 subjects to control sounds and conspecific communication sounds of positive and negative emotional valence.RESULTS:The tested mouse lemur population did not show an asymmetry in hand preference or in orientation towards conspecific communication sounds. However, males, but not females, exhibited a significant right ear-left hemisphere bias when exposed to conspecific communication sounds of negative emotional valence. Orientation asymmetries were not related to hand preference.CONCLUSION:Our results provide the first evidence for sex-specific asymmetries for conspecific communication sound perception in non-human primates. Furthermore, they suggest that hemispheric dominance for communication sound processing evolved before handedness and independently from each other. |
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1741-7007 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5369 |
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Rands, S.A.; Cowlishaw, G.; Pettifor, R.A.; Rowcliffe, J.M.; Johnstone, R.A. |
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The emergence of leaders and followers in foraging pairs when the qualities of individuals differ |
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2008 |
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BMC Evolutionary Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
BMC Evol Biol |
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8 |
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51 |
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Animals; *Feeding Behavior; *Food Chain; *Models, Biological; *Social Dominance |
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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. |
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Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. sean.rands@bristol.ac.uk |
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1471-2148 |
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PMID:18282297 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5126 |
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Author |
Griffin, A.S. |
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Title |
Socially acquired predator avoidance: Is it just classical conditioning? |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
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Brain Research Bulletin |
Abbreviated Journal |
Special Issue:Brain Mechanisms, Cognition and Behaviour in Birds |
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76 |
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3 |
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264-271 |
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Learning; Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning; Social learning; Ecological specialization; General process theory; Ecology; Predation; Backward conditioning |
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Associative learning theories presume the existence of a general purpose learning process, the structure of which does not mirror the demands of any particular learning problem. In contrast, learning scientists working within an Evolutionary Biology tradition believe that learning processes have been shaped by ecological demands. One potential means of exploring how ecology may have modified properties of acquisition is to use associative learning theory as a framework within which to analyse a particular learning phenomenon. Recent work has used this approach to examine whether socially transmitted predator avoidance can be conceptualised as a classical conditioning process in which a novel predator stimulus acts as a conditioned stimulus (CS) and acquires control over an avoidance response after it has become associated with alarm signals of social companions, the unconditioned stimulus (US). I review here a series of studies examining the effect of CS/US presentation timing on the likelihood of acquisition. Results suggest that socially acquired predator avoidance may be less sensitive to forward relationships than traditional classical conditioning paradigms. I make the case that socially acquired predator avoidance is an exciting novel one-trial learning paradigm that could be studied along side fear conditioning. Comparisons between social and non-social learning of danger at both the behavioural and neural level may yield a better understanding of how ecology might shape properties and mechanisms of learning. |
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0361-9230 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4697 |
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Author |
Aerts, J.-M.; Gebruers, F.; Van Camp, E.; Berckmans, D. |
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Title |
Controlling horse heart rate as a basis for training improvement |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
Publication |
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture |
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64 |
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1 |
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78-84 |
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Heart rate; Horse; Model predictive control; Transfer function model |
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Equine training methods, and consequently, performance times have improved little since the last decades. With advances in measuring signals on-line by means of several new technologies and analytical procedures, and processing these signals immediately with strong and compact processors, it may be possible to develop new training methods. In this research, the objective was to explore the possibilities of using modern model-based algorithms to control the heart rate of horses (bpm) on-line by means of the control input running speed (km/h). Forty-five experiments with five horses and four riders were carried out to generate measurements of physiological status during running. The dynamical characteristics of each horse were quantified using linear discrete transfer function models. The dynamic response of heart rate to step changes in running speed were accurately described. In 90% of the cases, a first-order model gave the best fit. For 69% of the models, the r2 was higher than 0.90 and for 34% of the models, the r2 was even higher than 0.95. In a next step, the model-based algorithm was evaluated by controlling cardiac responses of two horses (horses 2 and 4) to a pre-defined trajectory. The model parameters were kept constant. On average, the error between the defined target trajectory in heart rate and the actual controlled heart rate ranged between 0.2 and 1.4 bpm for the whole target heart rate trajectory. During the steady-state part of the trajectory the average error was maximum 1.1 bpm. In the transient from one steady-state heart rate to another level, the error could increase on average up to 5 bpm. In the future, the combination of on-line measured bioresponses with real-time analysis can be used for adjusting the work load of the horse, during training, directly to the immediate needs of horse (welfare) and trainer (performance). |
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Division Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses (M3-BIORES), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4555 |
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Author |
Corballis, M.C. |
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Title |
Of mice and men – and lopsided birds |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
Publication |
Cortex |
Abbreviated Journal |
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44 |
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1 |
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3-7 |
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Cerebral asymmetry; Handedness; Evolution; Laterality |
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The article by Zucca and Sovrano (2008, this issue) represents part of a new wave of studies of lateralization in nonhuman species. This work is often in conflict with earlier studies of human cerebral asymmetry and handedness, and the associated claim that these asymmetries are uniquely human, and perhaps even a result of the “speciation event” that led to modern humans. It is now apparent that there are close parallels between human and nonhuman asymmetries, suggesting that they have ancient roots. I argue that asymmetries must be seen in the context of a bilaterally symmetrical body plan, and that there is a balance to be struck between the adaptive advantages of symmetry and asymmetry. In human evolution, systematic asymmetries were incorporated into activities that probably are unique to our species, but the precursors of these asymmetries are increasingly evident in other species, including frogs, fish, birds, and mammals – especially primates. |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4634 |
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Author |
Gould, J.L. |
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Title |
Animal Navigation: The Evolution of Magnetic Orientation |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
Publication |
Current Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
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18 |
Issue |
11 |
Pages |
R482-R484 |
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Summary Animals have several types of magnetic organ, often separately specialized for determining direction versus location. Recent results offer hints about how these once-unimaginable detectors may have evolved. |
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0960-9822 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4770 |
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Author |
King, A.J.; Douglas, C.M.S.; Huchard, E.; Isaac, N.J.B.; Cowlishaw, G. |
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Title |
Dominance and affiliation mediate despotism in a social primate |
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Journal Article |
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2008 |
Publication |
Current Biology : CB |
Abbreviated Journal |
Curr Biol |
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Volume |
18 |
Issue |
23 |
Pages |
1833-1838 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Authoritarianism; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Cooperative Behavior; *Decision Making; Feeding Behavior; Female; *Group Processes; Male; Papio ursinus/*psychology; *Social Dominance |
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Group-living animals routinely have to reach a consensus decision and choose between mutually exclusive actions in order to coordinate their activities and benefit from sociality. Theoretical models predict “democratic” rather than “despotic” decisions to be widespread in social vertebrates, because they result in lower “consensus costs”-the costs of an individual foregoing its optimal action to comply with the decision-for the group as a whole. Yet, quantification of consensus costs is entirely lacking, and empirical observations provide strong support for the occurrence of both democratic and despotic decisions in nature. We conducted a foraging experiment on a wild social primate (chacma baboons, Papio ursinus) in order to gain new insights into despotic group decision making. The results show that group foraging decisions were consistently led by the individual who acquired the greatest benefits from those decisions, namely the dominant male. Subordinate group members followed the leader despite considerable consensus costs. Follower behavior was mediated by social ties to the leader, and where these ties were weaker, group fission was more likely to occur. Our findings highlight the importance of leader incentives and social relationships in group decision-making processes and the emergence of despotism. |
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Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK. andrew.king@ioz.ac.uk |
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0960-9822 |
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PMID:19026539 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5124 |
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Author |
Hoffmann; G. |
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Title |
Bewegungsaktivität und Stressbelastung bei Pferden in Auslaufhaltungssystemen mit verschiedenen Bewegungsangeboten |
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Manuscript |
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2008 |
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Dissertation |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Pferdehaltungssysteme mit angrenzenden Ausläufen gelten als eine sehr tiergerechte
Haltungsform, da sie den Tieren eine gewisse Bewegungsmöglichkeit
bieten. Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchung war es, zu erfassen, ob der angrenzende
Auslauf selbst einen ausreichenden Anreiz zur Bewegung darstellt und wie sich verschiedene
Bewegungs- und Platzangebote auf die Bewegungsaktivität von Pferden
in einer Gruppen-Auslaufhaltung auswirken. Zudem wurde ermittelt, welche Auswirkung
die Bewegungsform bzw. –intensität auf das Wohlbefinden der Tiere hat.
Der Großteil der in Deutschland gehaltenen Pferde verbringt die meiste Zeit des
Tages im Stall, obwohl mittlerweile bekannt ist, dass Pferde unter natürlichen
Haltungsbedingungen 12 bis 16 Stunden des Tages in Bewegung verbringen. Der
Optimierung der Stallhaltungssysteme gilt daher ein besonderes Interesse.
Zu diesem Zweck wurden von September 2004 bis Oktober 2005 Versuche mit 24
Warmblutstuten im Alter von 1½ bis 3½ Jahren in Einzel- und Gruppen-
Auslaufhaltungssystemen durchgeführt. Jeweils sechs Pferde bildeten eine Versuchsgruppe.
In jeder Gruppe fanden fünf Varianten von einer ca. dreiwöchigen
Dauer statt. Die Gruppenhaltung wurde dabei durch drei unterschiedliche Zusatzbewegungsangebote
(2 Std. Weide / Tag, 2 Std. unbegrünte Koppel / Tag, 1 Std. Freilauf-
Führanlage / Tag) ergänzt. In der Einzel-Auslaufhaltung (Box mit 45 m²-großem
angrenzenden Auslauf) und in einer Versuchsvariante der Gruppenhaltung bekamen
die Pferde hingegen keine zusätzliche Bewegung außerhalb des Stallhaltungssystems
angeboten. Das Gruppenhaltungssystem selbst war durch die räumliche
Trennung der Funktionsbereiche (Liegen, Fressen, Trinken, Bewegen) gekennzeichnet
und der angrenzende Auslauf war 270 m² groß. In einer zusätzlichen Versuchsphase
fand in der Gruppenhaltung eine Erweiterung des permanent zugänglichen
Auslaufs auf insg. 540 m² statt.
Die Bewegungsaktivität wurde mit Pedometern erfasst, die an jeweils einem Hinterbein
der Pferde befestigt wurden und ergänzend fand eine Analyse von Videoaufzeichnungen
statt. Zur Beurteilung der Stressbelastung fanden Messungen der Herz192
Zusammenfassung
frequenzvariabilität (Parameter HF und SD2) und der fäkalen Cortisolmetabolitenkonzentration
statt.
Die Auswertung des Bewegungsverhaltens ergab, dass eine zusätzliche zweistündige
freie Bewegung der Pferdegruppe auf einer Weide zu einer deutlichen
Steigerung der durchschnittlichen Bewegungsaktivität (149,6 Min. / Tag) führt,
ebenso wie eine einstündige Bewegung in einer Führanlage (173,0 Min. / Tag). Eine
unbegrünte Koppel regte die Pferde der Gruppenhaltung hingegen nicht zu vermehrter
Bewegung an (131,6 Min. / Tag), sondern bewirkte z. T. sogar eine Abnahme
der Bewegungsaktivität. In der Gruppen-Auslaufhaltung ohne zusätzliches Bewegungsangebot
war die Bewegungsaktivität ebenfalls gering (125,8 Min / Tag) und
während der Einzel-Auslaufhaltung ohne Zusatzbewegung zeigten die Pferde die
geringste Bewegungsaktivität (102,3 Min. / Tag).
Bei der alleinigen Analyse der Bewegungszeit im Stallhaltungssystem war kein signifikanter
Einfluss der zusätzlichen Bewegung außerhalb des Stallsystems auf die
übrige Fortbewegung feststellbar.
Auch eine Vergrößerung des an den Stall angrenzenden Auslaufs im Gruppenhaltungssystem
hatte keinen steigernden Einfluss auf das Bewegungsverhalten der
Pferde.
Die Stressbelastung der Pferde war in den Varianten der Gruppenhaltung mit zweistündigem
Weidegang (SD2: 82,9 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten: 29,0 nmol / kg Kot) sowie
der einstündigen Bewegung in einer Freilauf-Führanlage (SD2: 99,2 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:
27,7 nmol / kg Kot) am geringsten. Die Untersuchungen zeigten eine
Stresszunahme in der Gruppenhaltung mit zweistündigem Auslauf auf einer unbegrünten
Koppel ohne Futterangebot (SD2: 101,3 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:
39,6 nmol / kg Kot) sowie in der Variante der Gruppenhaltung ohne zusätzliches Bewegungsangebot
(SD2: 113,3 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten: 38,4 nmol / kg Kot). Dem
Mittelwert der Gruppe nach zu folgern hatten die Pferde während der Einzelhaltung
ohne Zusatzbewegung eine sehr große Stressbelastung (SD2: 123,8 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:
37,5 nmol / kg Kot). Ein Vergleich der Gruppen- und Einzelhaltung hinsichtlich
der Herzfrequenzvariabilität hat jedoch gezeigt, dass insg. 70 % der Pferde
während der Haltung in einer Gruppe weniger Stress empfinden. Es gab aber auch
Zusammenfassung 193
Pferde (30 %), die in der Einzelhaltung eine abnehmende Stressbelastung zeigten,
wobei hier der Einfluss der Rangordnung eine entscheidende Rolle zu spielen
scheint.
Durch die Auswertung mehrerer Messparameter (sowohl für Stress- als auch für Bewegungsverhalten)
werden gleichgerichtete Tendenzen bei den Versuchsvarianten
deutlich, allerdings ist eine eindeutige Gewichtung der Parameter nicht möglich.
Somit ist die methodische Vorgehensweise dieser Untersuchung sehr positiv und als
notwendig anzusehen, da die Messdaten auch immer gewissen Schwankungen
durch externe Einflüsse unterliegen.
Allgemein ist festzuhalten, dass Auslaufhaltungssysteme zwar eine gewisse
Anregung zur Bewegung bieten, aber mit maximal vier Stunden (insg. 62 – 248 Min.)
Bewegung pro Tag war der tägliche Anteil an Bewegung sehr viel geringer als
beispielsweise bei Pferden in freier Wildbahn oder ganzjähriger Weidehaltung. Somit
deckt ein Auslaufhaltungssystem trotz getrennter Funktionsbereiche und eines
großen Auslaufs nicht den Bewegungsbedarf der Pferde, wenn keine zusätzlichen
Bewegungsanreize und –möglichkeiten angeboten werden.
Eine zusätzliche Bewegung von Pferden ist nicht nur zur Gesunderhaltung des
Bewegungsapparates und der Körperfunktionen notwendig, sondern auch um das
Wohlbefinden und die Ausgeglichenheit der Pferde zu steigern.
[Horse husbandry systems with close-by discharge are considered to be a very livestock-
friendly housing form, as they offer a certain movement opportunity for the
animals. The aim of the present study was to examine how different movement and
space offerings affect the movement activities of horses in a group horse husbandry
with close-by discharge, and whether the discharge provides itself an adequate
incentive for movement. The impact that the form or rather intensity of movement has
on the wellbeing of the animals was also established.
Most of the horses held in Germany spend most of the day in the stable, although it is
meanwhile known that horses under natural housing conditions are 12 to 16 hours of
the day in motion. Therefore the improvement of stable housing systems applies a
special interest.
For this purpose, 24 warmblood mares, aged from 1½ to 3½ years, were studied in
single and group discharge husbandry systems from September 2004 until October
2005. Six horses formed an experimental group. In every group five variants of approximately
three weeks were proceeded. Thereby the group husbandry was supplemented
with three different additional movement opportunities (2 h pasture / day,
2 h non-grassy pasture land / day, 1 h free range horse walker / day). In the single
discharge husbandry (single box with 45 sq. m-large close-by discharge) and in one
experimental variant of the group husbandry got the horses, however, offered no additional
movement outside the husbandry system. The group husbandry system itself
was marked by the spatial division of the functional areas (lying, eating, drinking,
moving) and the close-by discharge measured 270 sq. m. In an additional phase of
the study, and expansion of the permanently accessible close-by discharge to
540 sq. m was found.
The movement activity was documented with pedometers attached respectively to
one hind leg of the horse and a supplementary analysis of video documentation. To
evaluate the stress exposure measurements of heart frequency variability (parameters
HF and SD2) and of the faecal cortisol metabolite concentration were performed.
Summary 195
The interpretation of the movement behaviour showed that additional two hours of
free movement on a pasture led to a significant increase in the average movement
activity (149.6 min / day), as well as one hour movement in a horsewalker did
(173.0 min / day). The non-grassy pasture land, however, didn’t inspire the horses of
the group husbandry to increased movement (131.6 min / day), but sometimes even
caused a decrease in movement activity. In the group discharge husbandry without
additional movement opportunities the movement activity was also low
(125.8 min / day), and during the single discharge husbandry without additional
movement the horses showed the least movement activity (102.3 min / day).
In analysing only the movement time in the stable system was no significant impact
of the additional movement outside the housing system to the rest of locomotion
ascertainable.
As well an expansion of the close-by stable discharge in the group husbandry system
had no increasing influence on the movement behaviour of the horses.
The stress exposure of the horses was least in the variations of group husbandry
with two hours on a pasture (SD2: 82.9 ms; cortisol metabolites: 29.0 nmol / kg faeces)
as well as one hour of movement in a free range horse walker (SD2: 99.2 ms;
cortisol metabolites: 27.7 nmol / kg faeces). The studies showed a rise in stress in
group husbandry with two hours of movement on a non-grassy pasture land without
feeding opportunity (SD2: 101.3 ms; cortisol metabolites: 39.6 nmol / kg faeces) as
well as in the variation of the group husbandry without additional movement offerings
(SD2: 113.3 ms; cortisol metabolites: 38.4 nmol / kg faeces). Judging from the mean
of the group the horses had a very high stress exposure in the variation of the single
husbandry without additional movement offerings (SD2: 123.8 ms; cortisol metabolites:
37.5 nmol / kg faeces). But a comparison of the group and single husbandry in
terms of the heart frequency variability showed that alltogether 70 % of the horses
experienced less stress if hold in a group. However, some horses (30 %) showed
reducing stress in the single husbandry, whereas here the influence of social hierarchy
seems to play a decisive role.
196 Summary
In consequence of the examination of several measuring parameters (both for stressand
for movement behaviour) parallel aligned tendencies become apparent in the
experimental variants, however, is a unique weighting of the parameters not possible.
Thus, the methodological approach of this study is to be regarde as very positive and
necessary, since the data always vary with some fluctuations by external influences.
In general it can be established that discharge husbandry systems offer some incentive
for the horse to move, but with a maximum of four hours (overall 62 – 248 min) of
movement per day, the daily proportion of movement was much less than, for example,
in the case of wild horses or year-round pasture keeping. Thus, if no additional
movement incentives and possibilities are offered, the discharge husbandry system
doesn’t cover the movement needs of the horse despite separate functional areas
and a large outside discharge.
Additional movement is not only necessary to keep the musculoskeletal system and
bodily functions of the horse healthy, but also to ensure the horse’s well being and
mental balance.] |
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Krueger, K. |
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Social Ecology of Horses |
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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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j. Korb and J. Heinze |
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