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Author Blackmore, T.L.; Foster, T.M.; Sumpter, C.E.; Temple, W. url  doi
openurl 
  Title An investigation of colour discrimination with horses (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.  
  Volume 78 Issue 3 Pages 387-396  
  Keywords Chromatic discrimination; Colour vision; Horse; Operant  
  Abstract The ability of four horses (Equus caballus) to discriminate coloured (three shades of blue, green, red, and yellow) from grey (neutral density) stimuli, produced by back projected lighting filters, was investigated in a two response forced-choice procedure. Pushes of the lever in front of a coloured screen were occasionally reinforced, pushes of the lever in front of a grey screen were never reinforced. Each colour shade was randomly paired with a grey that was brighter, one that was dimmer, and one that approximately matched the colour in terms of brightness. Each horse experienced the colours in a different order, a new colour was started after 85% correct responses over five consecutive sessions or if accuracy showed no trend over sessions. All horses reached the 85% correct with blue versus grey, three horses did so with both yellow and green versus grey. All were above chance with red versus grey but none reached criterion. Further analysis showed the wavelengths of the green stimuli used overlapped with the yellow. The results are consistent with histological and behavioural studies that suggest that horses are dichromatic. They differ from some earlier data in that they indicate horses can discriminate yellow and blue, but that they may have deficiencies in discriminating red and green.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0376-6357 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5336  
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Author Scheumann, M.; Zimmermann, E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sex-specific asymmetries in communication sound perception are not related to hand preference in an early primate Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication BMC Biology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 3  
  Keywords  
  Abstract 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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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1741-7007 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5369  
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Author Siniscalchi, M.; Quaranta, A.; Rogers, L.J. doi  openurl
  Title Hemispheric specialization in dogs for processing different acoustic stimuli Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication PloS ONE Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 3 Issue Pages e3349  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5415  
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Author Siegel, J.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Do all animals sleep? Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Trends in Neurosciences Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 208-213  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Some animals never exhibit a state that meets the behavioral definition of sleep. Others suspend or greatly reduce ‘sleep’ behavior for many weeks during the postpartum period or during seasonal migrations without any consequent ‘sleep debt.’ Rats die from one form of sleep deprivation, but sleep loss has not been shown to cause death in well-controlled studies in other vertebrate species. Some marine mammal species do not show evidence for REM sleep, and convincing evidence for this state in reptiles, fish and insects is lacking. The enormous variation in the nature of rest and sleep states across the animal kingdom and within the mammalian class has important implications for understanding the evolution and functions of sleep.  
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  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0166-2236 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5613  
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Author Innes, L.; McBride, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Negative versus positive reinforcement: An evaluation of training strategies for rehabilitated horses Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 112 Issue 3–4 Pages 357-368  
  Keywords Horse; Training; Positive reinforcement; Negative reinforcement; Stress; Rehabilitation  
  Abstract Rescued equids are often exposed to rehabilitation and training (or retraining) programmes to improve their physical and psychological well-being as well as to facilitate the re-homing process. Training uses either positive or negative reinforcement learning procedures and it is considered here that, there may be welfare implications associated with using the latter technique as it has the potential to overlay acute stress on animals with a chronic stress life history. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare these training strategies (negative versus positive reinforcement) on equine behaviour and physiology as the first step in establishing an optimal rehabilitation approach (from a welfare perspective) for equids that have been subjected to chronic stress in the form of long-term neglect/cruelty. Over a 7-week period, 16 ponies (aged 6–18 months) were trained using either positive (‘positive’) (n = 8) or negative reinforcement (‘negative’) (n = 8) techniques to lead in hand, stand to be groomed, traverse an obstacle course and load into a trailer. Heart rate was measured (5 s intervals) on days 1 and 4 of each training week, ‘Pre’- (1 h), ‘During’ (0.5 h) and ‘Post’- (1 h) training session. Ethograms (10.00–20.00 h) outside of the training period were also compiled twice weekly. In addition, weekly arena tests (as a measure of reactivity) were also performed 1 week before and during the 7 weeks of training. Results showed significant differences between the two training schedules for some measures during the latter stages of the trial and suggested that animals trained under a positive reinforcement schedule were more motivated to participate in the training sessions and exhibited more exploratory or ‘trial and error’ type behaviours in novel situations/environments. In this context, the incorporation of positive reinforcement schedules within a rehabilitation programme may be of benefit to the animal from a welfare perspective.  
  Address  
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  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5644  
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Author Hoffmann; G. openurl 
  Title Bewegungsaktivität und Stressbelastung bei Pferden in Auslaufhaltungssystemen mit verschiedenen Bewegungsangeboten Type Manuscript
  Year 2008 Publication Dissertation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract 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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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5660  
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Author Knubben,; J. M. Knubben; Gygax,; L. Gygax; Auer,; J. Auer; Fürst,; A. Fürst; Stauffacher,; Dr. M. Stauffacher url  doi
openurl 
  Title Häufigkeiten von Erkrankungen und Verletzungen in der Schweizer Pferdepopulation Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 150 Issue 8 Pages 399-408  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Bei einer für die Schweiz repräsentativ und zufällig ausgewählten Stichprobe von 2912 Pferden und Ponys wurden mittels Fragebogen Daten zum aktuellen Gesundheitszustand und zum Auftreten von Erkrankungen und Verletzungen während der vergangenen 12 Monate erfasst. 718 Pferde (24.7%) wurden im Erfassungszeitraum wegen 897 gesundheitlichen Problemen einem Tierarzt vorgestellt. Orthopädische und traumatische Fälle machten den grössten Anteil aus (41.5%), gefolgt von Erkrankungen des Gastrointestinal- (27.1%) und des Respirationstrakts (14.0%). Die Hälfte der Lahmheiten entstand als unmittelbare Folge einer Verletzung. Die Verletzungen waren assoziiert mit Weidegang/Auslauf (38.1%), Schläge/Bissen durch Artgenossen (21.6%), Stall (7.8%), Gelände (13.4%), Training (3.5%), Wettkampf (3.5%), Transport (3.0%) oder mit anderen Umständen (9.1%). In 26.5% der Kolikfälle wurde im Monat vor der Erkrankung Futterumstellung vorgenommen. Bei den Atmungserkrankungen wurde in 13.8% die gleiche Krankheit auch bei anderen Pferden im Stall diagnostiziert. Bei 8.1% aller Fälle erfolgte eine Operation, 6.7% waren mit einem mehrtägigem Klinikaufenthalt verbunden. Bei 25.6% aller tiermedizinisch diagnostizierten Fälle wurden ergänzend oder ausschliesslich komplementärmedizinische Therapiemethoden eingesetzt.  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5761  
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Author Amant, R. St.; Horton, T.E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Revisiting the definition of animal tool use Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 1199-1208  
  Keywords cognition; tool use  
  Abstract Benjamin Beck's definition of tool use has served the field of animal cognition well for over 25 years (Beck 1980, Animal Tool Behavior: the Use and Manufacture of Tools, New York, Garland STPM). This article proposes a new, more explanatory definition that accounts for tool use in terms of two complementary subcategories of behaviours: behaviours aimed at altering a target object by mechanical means and behaviours that mediate the flow of information between the tool user and the environment or other organisms in the environment. The conceptual foundation and implications of the new definition are contrasted with those of existing definitions, particularly Beck's. The new definition is informally evaluated with respect to a set of scenarios that highlights differences from Beck's definition as well as those of others in the literature.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5861  
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Author Boogert, N.J.; Reader, S.M.; Hoppitt, W.; Laland, K.N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title The origin and spread of innovations in starlings Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 1509-1518  
  Keywords diffusion dynamics; dominance; foraging; group; innovation; neophobia; social learning; social network; starling; Sturnus vulgaris  
  Abstract There are numerous reports of novel learned behaviour patterns in animal populations, yet the factors influencing the invention and spread of these innovations remain poorly understood. Here we investigated to what extent the pattern of spread of innovations in captive groups of starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, could be predicted by knowledge of individual and social group variables, including association patterns, social rank orders, measures of neophobia and asocial learning performance. We presented small groups of starlings with a series of novel extractive foraging tasks and recorded the latency for each bird to contact and solve each task, as well as the orders of contacting and solving. We then explored which variables best predicted the observed diffusion patterns. Object neophobia and social rank measures characterized who was the first of the group to contact the novel foraging tasks, and the subsequent spread of contacting tasks was associated with latency to feed in a novel environment. Asocial learning performance, measured in isolation, predicted who was the first solver of the novel foraging tasks in each group. Association patterns did not predict the spread of solving. Contact latency and solving duration were negatively correlated, consistent with social learning underlying the spread of solving. Our findings indicate that we can improve our understanding of the diffusion dynamics of innovations in animal groups by investigating group-dependent and individual variables in combination. We introduce novel methods for exploring predictors of the origin and spread of behavioural innovations that could be widely applied.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6036  
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Author Brooks, C.J.; Harris, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Directed movement and orientation across a large natural landscape by zebras, Equus burchelli antiquorum Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 76 Issue 2 Pages 277-285  
  Keywords correlated random walk; directed movement; Equus burchelli antiquorum; Gps; movement path; orientation; spatial memory; spatial scale; zebra  
  Abstract We investigated how plains zebras moved across a large natural landscape by analysing the movement paths of nine zebra mares foraging out from spatially confined waterholes during the dry season in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. Since it was essential to investigate directed movement over a range of spatial scales to determine the correct movement behaviour and strategy, we used Nams's scaling test for oriented movement. Zebras followed directed movement paths in the lower to medium spatial scales (10 m–3.7 km) and above their visual, and possibly olfactory, range. The spatial scale of directed movement suggests that zebras had a well-defined spatial awareness and cognitive ability. Seven zebras used directed movement paths, but the remaining two followed paths not significantly different to a correlated random walk (CRW). At large spatial scales (>3 km) no distinct movement pattern could be identified and paths could not be distinguished from a CRW. Foraging strategy affected the extent of directed movement: zebras with a confined dispersion of grazing patches around the central place directed their movements over a longer distance. Zebras may extend the distance at which they can direct their movement after improving their knowledge of the local environment.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6148  
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