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Social consequences of rapid environmental change
Daniel T Blumstein1, Loren D Hayes2, Noa Pinter-Wollman1
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 621 Young Dr. South, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|December 6, 2022
Summary
Environmental changes impact animal populations indirectly through social behavior. Understanding these indirect effects is crucial for managing population resilience amid rapid environmental shifts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Direct environmental impacts on population growth and resilience are well-documented.
- Indirect pathways linking environmental changes to population consequences, particularly via social behavior, are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the critical role of social behavior in mediating the effects of anthropogenic environmental changes on animal population resilience.
- To propose a framework for studying the demographic consequences of environmental change through social structures.
Main Methods:
- Developing a conceptual framework to analyze how environmental drivers influence social structures and, consequently, population demographics.
- Identifying direct and indirect pathways through which environmental changes affect social behavior and population outcomes.
Main Results:
- Social structures are emergent phenotypes with significant demographic consequences for animal groups.
- Environmental drivers can directly alter the outcomes of social structures or indirectly modify social interactions, group composition, and size.
Conclusions:
- Social behavior is a key factor in understanding how environmental changes affect population resilience.
- Quantifying direct and indirect pathways will enhance our ability to manage the impacts of human-induced environmental changes on animal populations.
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