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Amici, F., Widdig, A., Lehmann, J., & Majolo, B. (2019). A meta-analysis of interindividual differences in innovation. Anim. Behav., 155, 257–268.
Abstract: The ability to innovate and the social transmission of innovations have played a central role in human evolution. However, innovation is also crucial for other animals, by allowing them to cope with novel socioecological challenges. Although innovation plays such a central role in animals' lives, we still do not know the conditions required for innovative behaviour to emerge. Here, we focused on interindividual differences in innovation by (1) extensively reviewing existing literature on innovative behaviour in animals and (2) quantitatively testing the different evolutionary hypotheses that have been proposed to explain interindividual variation in innovation propensity during foraging tasks. We ran a series of phylogenetically controlled mixed-effects meta-regression models to determine which hypotheses (if any) are supported by currently available empirical studies. Our analyses show that innovation is more common in individuals that are older and belong to the larger sex, but also in more neophilic and/or explorative individuals. Moreover, these effects change depending on the study setting (i.e. wild versus captive). Our results provide no clear support to the excess of energy or the bad competitor hypotheses and suggest that study setting and interindividual differences in traits related to personality are also important predictors of innovation.
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Moehlman, P. D. (1998). Feral asses (Equus africanus): intraspecific variation in social organization in arid and mesic habitats. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 60(2-3), 171–195.
Abstract: Feral asses have been studied in the arid habitats of the southwestern United States [Moehlman, P.D., 1974. Behavior and ecology of feral asses (Equus asinus). PhD dissertation, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 251 pp.; Moehlman, P.D., 1979. Behavior and ecology of feral asses (Equus asinus). Nat. Geogr. Soc. Res. Reports 1970, 405-411.; Woodward, S.L., 1979. The social system of feral asses (Equus asinus). Z. Tierpsychol. 49, 304-316] and in the mesic habitat of Ossabaw Island, Georgia [Moehlman, P.D., 1979, ibid; McCort, W.D., 1980. The feral asses (Equus asinus) of Ossabaw Island, Georgia. PhD dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 219 pp]. The feral ass populations in these two locales exhibited intraspecific variation in polygynous mating systems and social organization which were consistent with the ecological classification of mating systems of Emlen and Oring (1977) [Emlen, S.T., Oring, S.W., 1977. Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems. Science 197 (4300), 215-223]. Feral asses in the arid environment have a `resource defense' polygynous mating system, and those in the mesic habitat exhibit `female (harem) defense' polygyny. The intraspecific variation observed in feral asses encompasses the interspecific variation observed in the family Equidae.
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Moehlman, P. D., Fowler, L. E., & Roe, J. H. (1998). Feral asses (Equus africanus) of Volcano Alcedo, Galapagos: behavioral ecology, spatial distribution, and social organization. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 60(2-3), 197–210.
Abstract: Feral asses were studied on Volcano Alcedo, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, during the wet season of 1980. On the volcano rim during March/April, two stable groups were observed to have a `female (harem) defense' polygynous mating system [Emlen, S.T., Oring, S.W., 1977. Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems. Science 197 (4300), pp. 215-223] and social behavior patterns and feeding ecology similar to feral asses living in a habitat where forage and climate are similar, e.g., Ossabaw Island, Georgia [Moehlman, P.D., 1979. Behavior and ecology of feral asses (Equus asinus). Nat. Geogr. Soc. Res. Rep., 1970, pp. 405-411; Moehlman, P.D., 1997. Feral asses (Equus africanus): intraspecific variation in social organization in arid and mesic habitats. J. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., this issue; McCort, W.D., 1980. The feral asses (Equus asinus) of Ossabaw Island, Georgia., PhD Dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 219 pp.].
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