Start early! Does social instability during the pre- and early postnatal development prepare male wild cavies for social challenge later in life?

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• 作者：Katja Siegeler ; Lars Lewejohann ; Klaus Failing ; Norbert Sachser…
• 关键词：Adaptation ; Biobehavioural profile ; Cortisol ; DNA fingerprinting ; Prenatal ; RFID ; Social environment ; Social experience ; Testosterone ; Wild cavy
• 刊名：Frontiers in Zoology
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：December 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：14
• 期：1
• 全文大小：693KB
• 刊物主题：Zoology; Applied Ecology; Biodiversity; Animal Physiology;
• 出版者：BioMed Central
• ISSN：1742-9994
• 卷排序：14

文摘

BackgroundThe social environment the mother experiences during pregnancy and lactation can powerfully influence the offspring’s behavioural profile. Our previous studies in wild cavies show that two different social environments during pregnancy and lactation bring about different behavioural strategies of male offspring later in life: An unstable social environment leads to a behavioural camouflage strategy, hypothesised to be beneficial at times of socially challenging situations. A stable social environment during early phases of life, however, leads to an early reproduction strategy, expected to be more successful at times of social stability. In the present study, we observed the behavioural strategies of the two types of males in direct comparison in a socially challenging situation: Two adolescent males were placed simultaneously in an unknown social group consisting of one adult male and two females in a semi-naturalistic environment. Cortisol as well as testosterone concentrations and activity levels were compared. Furthermore, paternities were analysed after the males reached sexual maturity. We hypothesised that sons showing a behavioural camouflage strategy are better adapted to cope with this socially challenging situation compared to those displaying an early reproduction strategy.