Are staged dyadic encounters useful for studying aggressive behaviour of arvicoline rodents?

Abstract

We investigated the aggressiveness of adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in dyadic encounters staged in different types of arena trials to determine if responses differed (i) between neutral arena trials conducted in the laboratory and resident-intruder trials conducted in the field, (ii) between trials staged before and after 3 months of isolation from social contact, (iii) between voles reared in the laboratory and voles reared in the field, and (iv) among trials staged with the same individual over time. Though rodents are usually expected to be more aggressive on their own home range, female prairie voles tended to be more aggressive in neutral arenas. Males showed no difference in aggression between trials held in neutral arenas and trials held in arenas placed in their home ranges. Aggressiveness was not affected by 3 months of isolation for either males or females, suggesting that recent social cues may not strongly influence aggressive behaviour in this species. Voles reared in the laboratory were significantly more aggressive than those-reared in enclosed field populations, which suggests that direct comparisons of field and laboratory studies of aggressive behaviour may be suspect. Individuals showed little change in aggressiveness when tested over several weeks in three trials with different opponents. We conclude that encounters staged in arenas provide standardized estimates of aggressiveness that are robust to differences in testing procedures and are repeatable over time. Therefore, their continued use seems warranted for studying aggressive behaviour of voles and lemmings.RCsumC : Nous avons CtudiC I'agressivitC chez des adultes du Campagnol des Prairies (Microtus ochrogaster) en suscitant des rencontres deux a deux de divers types dans des arknes et nous avons examink les diffkrences de rCactions (i) entre des rencontres dans des arknes neutres en laboratoire et des rencontres rdsidant-intrus sur le terrain, (ii) entre des rencontres suscitCes avant et aprks 3 mois d'isolement, (iii) entre des rencontres de campagnols ClevCs en laboratoire et des rencontres de campagnols ClevCs en nature et (iv) entre les rencontres mettant en cause le mCme campagnol a diffkrents moments. Bien que les rongeurs soient gCnCralement plus agressifs dans les limites de leur propre domaine, les femelles avaient tendance a Ctre plus agressives dans les arknes neutres. Les miles manifestaient la mCme agressivitk au cours des expCriences en arkne neutre et au cours des expkriences dans des arknes situCes dans leur domaine. L'isolement de 3 mois n'a pas affect6 l'agressivitk, ni chez les miles, ni chez les femelles, ce qui semble indiquer que les expCriences sociales rCcentes influencent peu le comportement agressif chez cette espkce. Les campagnols ClevCs en laboratoire Ctaient significativement plus agressifs que ceux ClevCs au sein de populations gardCes en nature, ce qui donne a penser que les rCsultats de comparaisons directes entre des Ctudes des comportements agressifs en laboratoire et sur le terrain sont d...

Neonatal exposure to the D1 agonist SKF38393 inhibits pair bonding in the adult prairie vole

“…The levels of behavior exhibited in the intrasexual aggression test were similar to those previously published (Getz, 1962; Harper and Batzli, 1997; Stribley and Carter, 1999; Bales and Carter, 2003a). Aggressive behavior (lunging and chasing) was low and did not differ between males and females.…”

“…Subjects were given a dyadic encounter test for intrasexual aggression (Winslow et al, 1993; Harper and Batzli, 1997; Bowler et al, 2002; Bales and Carter, 2003a). The test subject was placed in a novel cage with an unfamiliar stimulus animal of the same sex and approximate age and size.…”

Establishment of stable dominance interactions in prairie vole peers: Relationships with alcohol drinking and activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus

“…These may not indicate aggression levels toward a same-sex conspecific. One study that examined aggression in same-sex dyads observed more aggressive behaviors in males than females, although the effect of sex was not statistically tested (Harper & Batzli, 1997). Our experiments observed strong and weak dominance in both male and female vole pairs.…”

Breeding state and season affect interspecific interaction types: indirect resource competition and direct interference

“…Staged dyadic encounters are an approved tool to approach to the aggressive behaviour of voles and lemmings (Harper and Batzli 1997). We targeted focal animals by setting the most commonly used traps for these individual animals early in the morning and then checking the traps after 2–4 h. Upon capture, an opponent was presented to the focal female at the point of capture in a clean arena ( macrolon standard cage 42 × 28 cm with an extension of wall height to 30 cm) for 10 min.…”