Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract Ecological factors, such as predation, have traditionally been used to explain sociability. However, it is increasingly recognised that individuals within a group do not associate randomly, and that these non-random associations can generate fitness advantages. The majority of the empirical...

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Autores principales:	Leanne Proops, Camille A. Troisi, Tanja K. Kleinhappel, Teresa Romero
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/c2990ad56be54bd9b47d6dca86ed257b
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:c2990ad56be54bd9b47d6dca86ed257b2021-12-02T18:46:58ZNon-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)10.1038/s41598-021-94608-42045-2322https://doaj.org/article/c2990ad56be54bd9b47d6dca86ed257b2021-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94608-4https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Ecological factors, such as predation, have traditionally been used to explain sociability. However, it is increasingly recognised that individuals within a group do not associate randomly, and that these non-random associations can generate fitness advantages. The majority of the empirical evidence on differentiated associations in group-living mammals, however, comes from a limited number of taxa and we still know very little about their occurrence and characteristics in some highly social species, such as rats (Rattus spp.). Here, using network analysis, we quantified association patterns in four groups of male fancy rats. We found that the associations between rats were not randomly distributed and that most individuals had significantly more preferred/avoided associates than expected by random. We also found that these preferences can be stable over time, and that they were not influenced by individuals’ rank position in the dominance hierarchy. Our findings are consistent with work in other mammals, but contrast with the limited evidence available for other rat strains. While further studies in groups with different demographic composition are warranted to confirm our findings, the occurrence of differentiated associations in all male groups of rats have important implications for the management and welfare of captive rat populations.Leanne ProopsCamille A. TroisiTanja K. KleinhappelTeresa RomeroNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Leanne Proops Camille A. Troisi Tanja K. Kleinhappel Teresa Romero Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
description	Abstract Ecological factors, such as predation, have traditionally been used to explain sociability. However, it is increasingly recognised that individuals within a group do not associate randomly, and that these non-random associations can generate fitness advantages. The majority of the empirical evidence on differentiated associations in group-living mammals, however, comes from a limited number of taxa and we still know very little about their occurrence and characteristics in some highly social species, such as rats (Rattus spp.). Here, using network analysis, we quantified association patterns in four groups of male fancy rats. We found that the associations between rats were not randomly distributed and that most individuals had significantly more preferred/avoided associates than expected by random. We also found that these preferences can be stable over time, and that they were not influenced by individuals’ rank position in the dominance hierarchy. Our findings are consistent with work in other mammals, but contrast with the limited evidence available for other rat strains. While further studies in groups with different demographic composition are warranted to confirm our findings, the occurrence of differentiated associations in all male groups of rats have important implications for the management and welfare of captive rat populations.
format	article
author	Leanne Proops Camille A. Troisi Tanja K. Kleinhappel Teresa Romero
author_facet	Leanne Proops Camille A. Troisi Tanja K. Kleinhappel Teresa Romero
author_sort	Leanne Proops
title	Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
title_short	Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
title_full	Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
title_fullStr	Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
title_full_unstemmed	Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)
title_sort	non-random associations in group housed rats (rattus norvegicus)
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/c2990ad56be54bd9b47d6dca86ed257b
work_keys_str_mv	AT leanneproops nonrandomassociationsingrouphousedratsrattusnorvegicus AT camilleatroisi nonrandomassociationsingrouphousedratsrattusnorvegicus AT tanjakkleinhappel nonrandomassociationsingrouphousedratsrattusnorvegicus AT teresaromero nonrandomassociationsingrouphousedratsrattusnorvegicus
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Non-random associations in group housed rats (Rattus norvegicus)

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