Heterogeneous structure in mixed-species corvid flocks in flight
Heterogeneous structure in mixed-species corvid flocks in flight
复制标题
DOI：
10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.01.015
复制
发表时间：
2013-04-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Thornton, Alex
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Jolles, Jolle W.;King, Andrew J.;Thornton, Alex
飞翔的鸟群代表了集体行为的一个显著例子。自组织模型表明，遵循简单规则的个体之间的重复互动可以产生群体表现出的复杂模式和协调运动。然而，这样的模型往往假设个体是相同的和可互换的，并且没有考虑到个体差异和群体成员之间的社会关系。在这里，我们表明，物种差异和社会结构导致的异质性可以影响种群的空间动态。利用混合乌鸦、乌鸦和乌鸦的高分辨率照片，我们发现鸟类优先与同种群联系在一起，而且，像单一物种群体的高级成员一样，更大、更具社会优势的乌鸦将自己定位在群体的前沿附近。如果相邻的鸟类属于同一物种，它们会显示出更接近的方向排列，特别是相邻的寒鸦彼此飞得非常近。此外，这两个物种的鸟类经常飞得特别近，特别接近同一物种的邻居，这可能反映了这种一夫一妻制的社会制度的特征。综上所述，我们的发现表明，个体及其社会制度的特征很可能导致对群体结构产生严重影响的偏爱联系。(C)2013年动物行为研究协会。爱思唯尔有限公司出版。保留所有权利。
Flocks of birds in flight represent a striking example of collective behaviour. Models of self-organization suggest that repeated interactions among individuals following simple rules can generate the complex patterns and coordinated movements exhibited by flocks. However, such models often assume that individuals are identical and interchangeable, and fail to account for individual differences and social relationships among group members. Here, we show that heterogeneity resulting from species differences and social structure can affect flock spatial dynamics. Using high-resolution photographs of mixed flocks of jackdaws, Corvus monedula, and rooks, Corvus frugilegus, we show that birds preferentially associated with conspecifics and that, like high-ranking members of single-species groups, the larger and more socially dominant rooks positioned themselves near the leading edge of flocks. Neighbouring birds showed closer directional alignment if they were of the same species, and neighbouring jackdaws in particular flew very close to one another. Moreover, birds of both species often flew especially close to a single same-species neighbour, probably reflecting the monogamous pair bonds that characterize these corvid social systems. Together, our findings demonstrate that the characteristics of individuals and their social systems are likely to result in preferential associations that critically influence flock structure. (C) 2013 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.