Active crocodiles are less sociable

Author:

Baker Cameron J.12ORCID,Class Barbara34ORCID,Dwyer Ross G.4ORCID,Franklin Craig E.2ORCID,Campbell Hamish A.1ORCID,Irwin Terri R.5,Frère Céline H.2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University , Darwin, Northern Territory 0815, Australia

2. The School of the Environment, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia

3. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München , Munich 80539, Germany

4. School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast , Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia

5. Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin Way , Beerwah, Queensland 4519, Australia

Abstract

How animals move and associate with conspecifics is rarely random, with a population’s spatial structure forming the foundation on which the social behaviours of individuals form. Studies examining the spatial–social interface typically measure averaged behavioural differences between individuals; however, this neglects the inherent variation present within individuals and how it may impact the spatial–social interface. Here, we investigated differences in among-individual (co)variance in sociability, activity and site fidelity in a population of wild estuarine crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus, across a 10-year period. By monitoring 118 crocodiles using coded acoustic transmitters and an array of fixed underwater receivers, we discovered that not only did individual crocodiles repeatably differ (among-individual variation) in each behaviour measured but also in how consistently they expressed these behaviours through time (within-individual variation). As expected, crocodile activity and sociability formed a behavioural syndrome, with more active individuals being less sociable. Interestingly, we also found that individuals that were either more sociable or displayed greater site fidelity were also more specialized (lower within-individual variation) in these behaviours. Together, our results provide important empirical evidence for the interplay between spatial, temporal and social individual-level behavioural variation and how these contribute to forming behavioural niches. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The spatial–social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration’.

Funder

Wildlife Warriors foundation

Australian Research Council

Publisher

The Royal Society

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

1. Expanding theory, methodology and empirical systems at the spatial–social interface;Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences;2024-09-04

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3