Habitat-specific fitness benefits of sociality in Octodon degus

Recent debate has focused on how ecology shapes the evolution of group-living and cooperation in social vertebrates. Evidence suggests that group-living and cooperation enhance reproductive success under harsh local conditions in some species. Across two years, I studied two populations of Octodon degus, a plurally breeding rodent, to answer three questions: (1) Does living in large groups and having strong social network strength improve access to resources in harsh environments? (2) Does increased access to resources improve the reproductive success of group-living females? (3) Does living in large groups and having strong social network strength improve reproductive success of females in harsh environments? I quantified group sizes and social network strength, ecological conditions at burrow systems, and per capita offspring weaned of social groups to answer these questions. I found site- and year-specific relationships in partial support of predictions, demonstrating habitat-specific costs and benefits of social group-living and cooperation.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Strom, Madeline Klees

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hayes, Loren
• Klug, Hope; Schorr, Mark
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Octodontidae
• Degus
• Rodents

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/525

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1676