Abstract

In some species, populations routinely contain a mixture of lone and group-living individuals. Such facultative sociality may reflect individual differences in behavior as well as adaptive responses to variation in local environmental conditions. To explore interactions between individual- and population-level variabilities in behavior in a species provisionally described as facultatively social, we examined spatial and social relationships within a population of highland tuco-tucos (Ctenomys opimus) at Laguna de los Pozuelos, Jujuy Province, Argentina. Using data collected over 5 consecutive years, we sought to (1) confirm the regular occurrence of both lone and group-living individuals and (2) characterize the temporal consistency of individual social relationships. Our analyses revealed that although the study population typically contained lone as well as group-living animals, individual spatial and social relationships varied markedly over time. Specifically, the extent to which individuals remained resident in the same location across years varied, as did the number of conspecifics with which an animal lived, with an overall tendency for individuals to live in larger groups over successive years. Collectively, these analyses indicate that population-level patterns of behavior in C. opimus are consistent with facultative sociality but that this variation does not arise due to persistent differences in individual behavior (i.e., living alone versus with conspecifics). Instead, based on changes in spatial and social relationships across years, we suggest that variation in the tendency to live in groups is shaped primarily by local ecological and demographic conditions.

Significance statement

Characterizing variation in conspecific relationships is critical to understanding the adaptive bases for social behavior. Using data collected over 5 successive years, we examined temporal variation in spatial and social relationships within a population of highland tuco-tucos (C. opimus) from northern Argentina. In addition to providing the first multi-year assessment of the behavior and demography of this species, our analyses generate important insights into relationships between individual behavior and population-level patterns of social organization. The behavioral variability evident in our study population suggests that C. opimus is an ideal system in which to explore the causes and consequences of individual differences in social behavior.

中文翻译：

---

对地下啮齿类动物高地土库土库克（Ctenomys opimus）的空间和社会关系变异性的多年评估

摘要

在某些物种中，种群通常混有孤独和生活在群居中的个体。这种兼职的社会性可能反映出行为的个体差异以及对当地环境条件变化的适应性反应。为了探究临时描述为兼性社会的物种中行为的个体和群体水平变异之间的相互作用，我们研究了高原土拨鼠种群（Ctenomys opimus）中的空间和社会关系。）在阿根廷Jujuy Province的Laguna de los Pozuelos。使用连续5年收集的数据，我们试图（1）确认孤独和集体生活的个体的定期发生，以及（2）表征个体社会关系的时间一致性。我们的分析表明，尽管研究人群通常包含独居动物和成群生活的动物，但个体的空间和社会关系会随着时间而显着变化。具体而言，个体多年来在同一地点的居住程度有所不同，动物的同种异体数量也有所不同，总体而言，个体可能会连续多年以较大的群体生活。总体而言，这些分析表明，鸦片梭菌的种群水平行为模式与兼职的社会性是一致的，但是这种差异不会由于个人行为的持续差异而产生（即，单独生活或同居）。取而代之的是，根据多年来空间和社会关系的变化，我们建议以群体形式生活的趋势的变化主要是由当地的生态和人口状况决定的。

重要性声明

表征特定关系的变化对于理解社会行为的适应基础至关重要。使用连续5年收集的数据，我们检查了阿根廷北部高地tuco-tucos（C. opimus）种群内空间和社会关系的时间变化。除了提供对该物种的行为和人口统计学的首次多年评估之外，我们的分析还对个体行为与社会组织的人口层次模式之间的关系产生了重要的见解。在我们的研究人群中显而易见的行为变异性表明，鸦片梭菌是探索社会行为中个体差异的原因和后果的理想系统。