Dear colleagues,
On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of a new paper:
Zanardo N, Parra GJ, Diaz-Aguirre F, Pratt EAL, Moller LM (2018)
Social
cohesion
and
intra-population
community
structure
in
southern
Australian
bottlenose
dolphins
(Tursiops
sp.)
Behavioral
Ecology
and
Sociobiology 72:156
Abstract:
Defining
intra-population community variation in group living mammals provides insights about the impact of environmental, social, and anthropogenic factors on population
sub-structuring.
Here, we use generalized affiliation indices (GAIs) and social network analysis to investigate social cohesion and intra-population community structure of southern Australian bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
sp.) inhabiting Adelaide’s metropolitan coast in South Australia. Information on the sex and site fidelity of photographically identified individuals was used to investigate the potential link between these parameters and preferred affiliations at the population
level. Genetic data was also used to investigate genetic relatedness within and between sex and communities. Overall, dolphins showed non-random associations, with preferred associates prominent amongst females and resident individuals. Dolphins were clustered
into two social communities that showed little spatial overlap and were associated with different habitats; a northern, shallow-water community (NSWC), and a southern, deep-water community (SDWC). As expected, preferred associations were more prevalent within
than between communities, and analyses of genetic relatedness indicated that dolphins, particularly females, were on average more related within than between communities. Social network metrics varied between communities, with the temporal stability of associations
for both communities characterised by rapid disassociations and casual acquaintances. We suggest that these two dolphin communities likely arose due to a combination of ecological and socio-genetic factors. This study enhances our understanding of factors
shaping social groups in long-lived mammals, and our ability to manage human activities that can impact upon their behaviour and social structure.
This paper is available for viewing from Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology https://rdcu.be/5ukn, or if you would like a PDF, please send a request to nikki.zanardo@flinders.edu.au
Regards,
Nikki Zanardo
PhD Candidate
Cetacean, Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab &
Molecular Ecology Lab
College of Science & Engineering
Flinders University
( Tel +61 8 8201 2357 | * nikki.zanardo@flinders.edu.au
: www.cebel.org.au | : www.molecularecology.flinders.edu.au
My Page:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/people/nikki.zanardo