Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations
Abstract Social learning, where animals learn from other individuals, occurs in many diverse species. The influential but debated ‘costly information’ hypothesis posits that animals will rely more on social information in high-risk contexts, such as under increased predation risk. We examined and co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Animal Cognition |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01929-8 |
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| author | Mélanie F. Guigueno Adrian C. K. Foster Simon M. Reader |
| author_facet | Mélanie F. Guigueno Adrian C. K. Foster Simon M. Reader |
| author_sort | Mélanie F. Guigueno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Social learning, where animals learn from other individuals, occurs in many diverse species. The influential but debated ‘costly information’ hypothesis posits that animals will rely more on social information in high-risk contexts, such as under increased predation risk. We examined and compared the effects of perceived predation risk on social learning of foraging sites in female Trinidadian guppies from wild and domestic populations raised in common-garden environments. We used a demonstrator-observer pairing where a subject could observe conspecific ‘demonstrators’ feeding from one of two feeders, and measured whether the observer subsequently spent more time at a demonstrated or non-demonstrated feeder. We manipulated perceived predation risk using alarm cue (conspecific skin extract). Stress responses and social learning differed between the two populations. Most notably, high predation risk enhanced social learning in the wild-type guppies, but depressed it in the domestic guppies. Thus, fish from both populations were able to socially learn, but under opposing contexts. These results suggest social learning propensities are the product of multiple interacting systems, and biases to favour social learning can emerge dependent on evolutionary history and current conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9c73f61df5f9472fb2402c90fbb0606d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1435-9456 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Cognition |
| spelling | doaj-art-9c73f61df5f9472fb2402c90fbb0606d2025-01-12T12:32:51ZengSpringerAnimal Cognition1435-94562025-01-0128111110.1007/s10071-024-01929-8Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populationsMélanie F. Guigueno0Adrian C. K. Foster1Simon M. Reader2Department of Biology, McGill UniversityDepartment of Biology, McGill UniversityDepartment of Biology, McGill UniversityAbstract Social learning, where animals learn from other individuals, occurs in many diverse species. The influential but debated ‘costly information’ hypothesis posits that animals will rely more on social information in high-risk contexts, such as under increased predation risk. We examined and compared the effects of perceived predation risk on social learning of foraging sites in female Trinidadian guppies from wild and domestic populations raised in common-garden environments. We used a demonstrator-observer pairing where a subject could observe conspecific ‘demonstrators’ feeding from one of two feeders, and measured whether the observer subsequently spent more time at a demonstrated or non-demonstrated feeder. We manipulated perceived predation risk using alarm cue (conspecific skin extract). Stress responses and social learning differed between the two populations. Most notably, high predation risk enhanced social learning in the wild-type guppies, but depressed it in the domestic guppies. Thus, fish from both populations were able to socially learn, but under opposing contexts. These results suggest social learning propensities are the product of multiple interacting systems, and biases to favour social learning can emerge dependent on evolutionary history and current conditions.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01929-8Social learningStressRiskAnti-predator behaviourComparative studyFish |
| spellingShingle | Mélanie F. Guigueno Adrian C. K. Foster Simon M. Reader Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations Animal Cognition Social learning Stress Risk Anti-predator behaviour Comparative study Fish |
| title | Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| title_full | Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| title_fullStr | Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| title_short | Current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| title_sort | current predation risk has opposing effects on social learning of foraging locations across two guppy populations |
| topic | Social learning Stress Risk Anti-predator behaviour Comparative study Fish |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-024-01929-8 |
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