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The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
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Intruder traits modulate aggressive behavior of territory owners
Caio Akira Miyai1,2, Fábio Henrique Carretero Sanches2,3, Tânia Márcia Costa1,2
1Aquaculture Center, CAUNESP, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil.
Scientific Reports
|July 23, 2020
Summary
Territory owners are more likely to win fights against intruders due to the prior residence effect. However, intruder traits, like social status signals, also influence owner aggression.
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Animal behavior
- Behavioral ecology
Background:
- The prior residence effect suggests territory owners have an advantage in fights against intruders.
- Previous studies often treated intruder characteristics as static variables in territorial behavior research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how intruder traits influence the aggressive behavior of territory owners.
- To evaluate the modulation of the prior residence effect by varying intruder characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Experimental staging of fights between territory owners and intruders in a model territorial species.
- Observation and analysis of owner's aggressive behavior in response to intruder traits.
Main Results:
- Intruder traits, specifically visual signals of social status (dominant-subordinate), modulated territory owner fighting behavior.
- The prior residence effect persisted even when intruder traits were varied.
Conclusions:
- Intruder characteristics play a significant role in modulating territorial defense.
- Future research must incorporate dynamic intruder traits for a more comprehensive understanding of territoriality.
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