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Modeling the emergence of seasonal fission-fusion dynamics in red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus)

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Abstract

Social systems can be defined based on their degree of fission-fusion dynamics, which depends on party characteristics (i.e., spatial cohesion, party size, and sex-age composition). Although the ecological and ethological causes of fission-fusion dynamics are still under revision, fruit availability seems to be a main factor in party formation in primates. We therefore explored ecological (i.e., fruit availability as an indicator of food competition) and ethological factors (i.e., travel distance) related to fission-fusion dynamics using our own agent-based simulation model. We compared the simulation results from the model with field data obtained from the movement patterns of a wild group of red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) (Dolado et al. 2016, Folia Primatol 87:197–212) and found that they were consistent with field data obtained on C. torquatus in that they showed similar patterns of seasonal fission-fusion dynamics. Moreover, the results suggest that the fission-fusion dynamics observed in simulations can match patterns of travel distance of arboreal species subject to food competition that reflects behavioral flexibility to adapt to environmental conditions shown by C. torquatus in the field.

Significance statement

We have developed an agent-based model that reproduces the seasonal fission-fusion dynamics shown by a wild group of C. torquatus on the Atlantic coast of Gabon. The results of our simulations suggest that fission-fusion dynamics are an emergent behavior and that agent-based models are a good tool for exploring emergent behaviors in silico. Moreover, the agent-based simulation approach provides helpful new insights for future field studies on fission-fusion dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded by Fundació Barcelona Zoo (2012 Floquet de Neu grant) and the Department of Psychology, University of Barcelona. We would like to thank our field assistants and the World Wildlife Foundation in Gamba for their logistical support getting in and out of the forest. We would also like to thank the reviewers for their constructive criticism and recommendations, which helped us improve our article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurosciences (NeuroUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Ruth Dolado, Elisabet Gimeno & Francesc S. Beltran

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  1. Ruth Dolado
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  2. Elisabet Gimeno
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  3. Francesc S. Beltran
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Correspondence to Ruth Dolado.

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Funding

This study was funded by Fundació Barcelona Zoo (2012 Floquet de Neu grant) and the Department of Psychology (Special Research Actions), University of Barcelona.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical statement

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Research authorizations were obtained from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of Gabon (No. AvAR0017/14) and the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (No. AE140011). All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of these institutions.

Data availability statement

The datasets during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Communicated by R. Noë

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Dolado, R., Gimeno, E. & Beltran, F.S. Modeling the emergence of seasonal fission-fusion dynamics in red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 71, 100 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-017-2331-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-017-2331-3

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