Social Function: access to resources

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Social Function access to resources

• WFSC 422 Ethology
• Presentation 6.2

Dr. Jane M. Packard, WFSC TAMU j-packard_at_tamu.edu
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Function of hierarchy

• H1 In hard times, those that were dominant were
  more likely to reproduce
• H2 In severe environments, those subordinates
  that dispersed were no more likely to
  survive/reproducegt biders stay at home
• H3 When breeders died, some biders had a chance
  to reproduce

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Naked mole rats- background
Molerat1.avi
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Naked mole rats- function
Molerat2.avi
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Naked mole rats- hierarchy

• STRUCTURE
• breeding female
• soldiers (large males females- could become
  breeders)
• young workers (reproductively suppressed by
  breeders scent)

• FUNCTION
• produced many expendable workers
• group defense- waited until queen died to fight
  for dominance
• group access to tubers in dry region-individuals
  benefited
• those that dispersed did not survive predators

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SUMMARY

• Hypotheses
• H1 in hard times, dominants reproduced better,
• H2 in severe environments, biders survived
  better,
• H3 if breeders died, biders stepped up
• Examples naked mole rats

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Action Items

• Do answers for Q6.3, Q6.4
• Search Web of Science for Honeycutt, R,
  Jarvis, J
• Search Google Scholar for naked mole rat
• Post examples and sources on WebCT Discussion for
  Unit 6