Multi-generational persistence of traditions in neighbouring meerkat groups
| Autor: | Jamie Samson, Tim H. Clutton-Brock, Alex Thornton |
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| Rok vydání: | 2010 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Persistence (psychology) Herpestidae media_common.quotation_subject Immigration Biology Territoriality General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Animals Social Behavior Ecosystem Research Articles General Environmental Science media_common Group membership Behavior Animal General Immunology and Microbiology Ecology Food availability General Medicine Social learning Burrow Genetic differentiation Geographic Information Systems Female General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Demography |
| Zdroj: | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 277:3623-3629 |
| ISSN: | 1471-2954 0962-8452 |
| DOI: | 10.1098/rspb.2010.0611 |
| Popis: | Reports of socially transmitted traditions based on behavioural differences between geographically separated groups of conspecifics are contentious because they cannot exclude genetic or environmental causes. Here, we report persistent differences between neighbouring groups of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) where extensive gene flow precludes genetic differentiation. Over 11 years, some groups consistently emerged later from their sleeping burrows in the morning than others, despite complete turnovers in group membership and the influx of immigrants. Group territories overlapped and, in many cases, the same sleeping burrows were used by different groups. Differences persisted even after accounting for effects of group size, weather and burrow characteristics, and were unrelated to food availability within territories. These results provide compelling evidence that the emergence times of meerkat groups represent conservative traditions. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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