Early play may predict later dominance relationships in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris)

Abstract

Play has been defined as apparently functionless behaviour, yet since play is costly, models of adaptive evolution predict that it should have some beneficial function (or functions) that outweigh its costs. We provide strong evidence for a long-standing, but poorly supported hypothesis: that early social play is practice for later dominance relationships. We calculated the relative dominance rank by observing the directional outcome of playful interactions in juvenile and yearling yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) and found that these rank relationships were correlated with later dominance ranks calculated from agonistic interactions, however, the strength of this relationship attenuated over time. While play may have multiple functions, one of them may be to establish later dominance relationships in a minimally costly way.

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“…Similarly, an evaluation of fi eld data on yellow baboons reveal that early life play behaviour predicts both early and prospective wellbeing (Pereira and Fairbanks 1993 ). More recently, it was documented that social dominance in adulthood is related to juvenile play in yellow-bellied marmoths (Blumstein et al 2013 ). Rate of social play shows a positive relation with subsequent reproductive success in ground squirrels (Nunes et al 2004 ) and feral horses that spend more time playing were having a higher survival rate (Cameron et al 2008 ).…”

Impact of personality traits and early life experience on timing of emigration and rise to alpha male status for wild male white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

“…However, a study of yellow-bellied marmots has demonstrated a link between play outcomes in pups and dominance rank as yearlings, which attenuates over time (so that the association almost vanishes by the time they are adults) (Blumstein et al, 2013). The precise mechanism by which play predicts later rank is as yet unknown.…”

Absolute, not relative brain size correlates with sociality in ground squirrels

“…In species where both sexes disperse and groups consist of related and unrelated individuals, social bonds develop early in the ontogeny and greatly influence dominance rank, dispersal decision and reproductive success in adults of both sexes (e.g. [24,25]). Some species are monogamous because males are not able to monopolize more than one female [26,27].…”