Social ontogeny and behavioural diversity

Page 1

J. Zool., Lond. (1979) 188, 251-266

Social ontogeny and behavioural diversity :consequences for Bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis inhabiting desert and mountain environments JOELBERGER* Ethology Group: Department of Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado 80309, U.S.A. (Accepted 10 October 1978)

(With 5 figures in the text) The development of social behaviour was studied in three natural populations of Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Individuals in all populations exhibited the same behavioural repertoires, but the utilization of specific behaviours among both infants and adults differed between populations. It was suggested that differences in the adult utilization of behaviour patterns result in part from behaviours used during infancy. In turn, the social and physical environments affected the development of subsequent behaviour patterns in sheep older than Iambs. Desert sheep (in southern California) used mounting behaviours often, presumably because they matured sexually at an early age. Sheep in a more northern environment (British Columbia) used different behaviour patterns more frequently perhaps as a consequence of interactions experienced in larger bands. Additionally, playful interactions were reduced due to physical hazards in thedesert, but they wereat least nine timesas frequent in the northern study population. Play in large groups resulted in the utilization of more different kinds of behaviour patterns. These behavioural findings are interpreted ecologically as consequences of inhabiting environments that differ socially and physically.

Contents Introduction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Methods . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Study populations . . . . .. .. .. Data collection . . . . . . . . . . Analyses . . . . . . . . .. .. Ethogram . . . . . . .. . . . . Results . . . . . . . . .. .. .. Sex and age differences in behavioural development Behavioural development in different environments Behavioural diversity . . . . . . . . . . Discussion . . . . . . . . .. .. .. Development of motor patterns . . . . .. Social ontogeny in different environments . . . . Population differences in behavioural ontogenies Behavioural development and diversity . . .. References . . . . .. . . . . . . ..

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Page 252 252 252 254 254 254 255 255 255 259 260 260 261 261 262 264

* Present address: Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, U.S.A. 251

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0022-5460/79/06025 1 16 S02.00/0

Q 1979 The Zoological Society of London


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