TY - JOUR
T1 - Foraging networks and social tolerance in a cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus)
AU - De la Fuente, María Fernanda
AU - Sueur, Cédric
AU - Garber, Paul A.
AU - Bicca-Marques, Júlio César
AU - Souto, Antonio
AU - Schiel, Nicola
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to Dr Geraldo Baracuhy for allowing us to conduct this study at the Baracuhy Biological Field Station. We also thank Filipa Abreu, Júlia Vasconcelos, Yara Lima and Chrissie McKenney for their help in the field, and Christini Caselli for suggestions on the early version of this manuscript. P.A.G. wishes to thank Chrissie, Sara, Jenni, and Dax for their continued love and support. J.C.B.‐M. thanks CNPq for research fellowships (PQ 303306/2013‐0 and 304475/2018‐1). This study was supported by grants from CAPES (PVE n° 88881.064998/2014‐01), CNPq (APQ 403126/2016‐9) and a PhD grant from CAPES awarded to M.F.D.l.F. C.S. is a junior member of IUF (Academic Institute of France).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 British Ecological Society
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - Within-group competition over food resources can be a major cost of social living. In the wild, foragers are confronted with social (e.g. hierarchical rank) and ecological (e.g. food availability and distribution) challenges that affect their foraging decisions and feeding success. Exhibiting prosocial behaviours, such as tolerance at feeding sites, can benefit group members by developing affiliative social relationships, enhancing access to resources and maximizing fitness. We examined social tolerance at feeding sites in Callithrix jacchus, a cooperatively breeding primate species. We investigated the set of social (rank, age and sex) and ecological (food availability) factors that influence the structure and dynamics of within-group foraging association networks. We designed and conducted an experimental field study of four wild groups of common marmosets in which we controlled food distribution (concentrated or scattered) and productivity (high, medium or low food rewards). Then, we used social network analyses to assess the number and strength of foraging associations among group members, their effects on individual food consumption, and whether recent experiences with conspecifics during foraging affected subsequent associations. Overall, common marmoset foraging association networks were cohesive, as group members jointly occupied feeding sites. The number and strength of associations varied depending on the ecological context. Associations were stronger during conditions in which food was concentrated at a single site. Individuals obtained greater access to food resources when sharing a feeding site with conspecifics, but once a food item was obtained, the forager moved to a nearby tree and consumed it away from others. Additionally, the strength of previous foraging associations and subsequent levels of social tolerance at feeding sites were positively related, a relationship compatible with the ability of memorizing associations over time and recalling the information in future decision-making. In sum, marmosets adjusted their partner choices and the strength of foraging associations in response to food availability. They exhibited increased social tolerance at feeding sites during conditions in which opportunities for contest competition were expected to be greatest. These cooperative breeding primates appear to mutually benefit by maintaining cohesive and strong affiliative relationships, and by increasing opportunities for coordinated behaviour and offspring survival.
AB - Within-group competition over food resources can be a major cost of social living. In the wild, foragers are confronted with social (e.g. hierarchical rank) and ecological (e.g. food availability and distribution) challenges that affect their foraging decisions and feeding success. Exhibiting prosocial behaviours, such as tolerance at feeding sites, can benefit group members by developing affiliative social relationships, enhancing access to resources and maximizing fitness. We examined social tolerance at feeding sites in Callithrix jacchus, a cooperatively breeding primate species. We investigated the set of social (rank, age and sex) and ecological (food availability) factors that influence the structure and dynamics of within-group foraging association networks. We designed and conducted an experimental field study of four wild groups of common marmosets in which we controlled food distribution (concentrated or scattered) and productivity (high, medium or low food rewards). Then, we used social network analyses to assess the number and strength of foraging associations among group members, their effects on individual food consumption, and whether recent experiences with conspecifics during foraging affected subsequent associations. Overall, common marmoset foraging association networks were cohesive, as group members jointly occupied feeding sites. The number and strength of associations varied depending on the ecological context. Associations were stronger during conditions in which food was concentrated at a single site. Individuals obtained greater access to food resources when sharing a feeding site with conspecifics, but once a food item was obtained, the forager moved to a nearby tree and consumed it away from others. Additionally, the strength of previous foraging associations and subsequent levels of social tolerance at feeding sites were positively related, a relationship compatible with the ability of memorizing associations over time and recalling the information in future decision-making. In sum, marmosets adjusted their partner choices and the strength of foraging associations in response to food availability. They exhibited increased social tolerance at feeding sites during conditions in which opportunities for contest competition were expected to be greatest. These cooperative breeding primates appear to mutually benefit by maintaining cohesive and strong affiliative relationships, and by increasing opportunities for coordinated behaviour and offspring survival.
KW - associations
KW - common marmoset
KW - field experiment
KW - group cohesion
KW - social network
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U2 - 10.1111/1365-2656.13609
DO - 10.1111/1365-2656.13609
M3 - Article
C2 - 34655252
AN - SCOPUS:85118300038
SN - 0021-8790
VL - 91
SP - 138
EP - 153
JO - Journal of Animal Ecology
JF - Journal of Animal Ecology
IS - 1
ER -