Authors
Lucretia E Olson, Daniel T Blumstein
Publication date
2010/9/1
Journal
Behavioral Ecology
Volume
21
Issue
5
Pages
957-965
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Description
Mammalian sociality varies both within and between species. We developed a trait-based method to quantify sociality in a continuous way to study the adaptive utility and evolution of male social behavior. The metric is based on 3 key traits—mutual tolerance, collaboration, and partner preference; males with no traits are not social, whereas those with all 3 traits are described as forming coalitions. We applied this framework to systematically describe sociality in the yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris). Male marmot sociality varies: social groups contain one to several adult males, who may or may not monopolize reproduction. Through a series of experiments and demographic analyses, we found that male marmots do not appear to discriminate among individuals and thus do not show evidence of partner preference, males do not adjust alarm-calling behavior in a way consistent with male–male …
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