Integrating social network analysis and fine-scale positioning to characterize the associations of a benthic shark

Armansin, Nicolette C.; Lee, K.A.; Huveneers, Charlie; Harcourt, Robert

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.02.014

Cited by 35 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…This means that, in the case of benthic animals such as Port Jackson sharks, individual associations seem relevant when recorded within a 4–60 m detection range, with a higher resolution at 4–10 m. This is not surprising as Port Jackson sharks are often found sharing refuges or gutters, forming small aggregations within a few metres ( figure 1 a ) [ 36 ]. This is also in accordance with observational studies of social structure in fish and sharks where associations are generally defined as two individuals present within one to four body lengths [ 15 , 17 , 25 ]. Although our study was characterized by a low sample size, node level metrics in partial networks should predict an animal's real social position [ 37 ], especially as our study focuses on the relative difference of edge weight and centrality between network construction methods of a similar set of individuals.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…New technologies such as Encounternet, which is an automated telemetry system combining animal radio tags and wireless stations, can improve the creation of social networks [ 40 , 41 ], although this technology has rarely been tested underwater [ 42 ]. Another approach is to use the Vemco Radio-Acoustic Positioning (VRAP) system or the more recent VPS to record the spatial position of individual sharks and subsequently infer associations between individuals [ 25 , 43 ]. This is certainly a more accurate resolution that is similar to the use of GPS trackers in terrestrial studies and is expected to produce more realistic interactions, but remains relatively complex and costly to implement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Omni-directional submersible ultrasonic receivers (miniSUR, Sonotronics, Inc.) are fixed acoustic receivers that record the identity of tagged individuals as per VR2Ws, but the detection range can be selected by modifying the gain setting of the receiver, allowing co-occurrences to be defined at a finer resolution with the goal to record fish being within one to five body lengths which is regularly used to define group formation or an association [ 15 , 25 ]. In this study, the detection range of the miniSURs was set to 18 dB in 2012 corresponding to approximately 10 m radius according to the manufacturer (Sonotronics, Inc.).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[ 23 ] for Vemco VR2W acoustic receivers; and Armansin et al . [ 25 ] for Vemco Positioning System (VPS)).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry?

et al. 2017

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Accurately estimating contacts between animals can be critical in ecological studies such as examining social structure, predator–prey interactions or transmission of information and disease. While biotelemetry has been used successfully for such studies in terrestrial systems, it is still under development in the aquatic environment. Acoustic telemetry represents an attractive tool to investigate spatio-temporal behaviour of marine fish and has recently been suggested for monitoring underwater animal interactions. To evaluate the effectiveness of acoustic telemetry in recording interindividual contacts, we compared co-occurrence matrices deduced from three types of acoustic receivers varying in detection range in a benthic shark species. Our results demonstrate that (i) associations produced by acoustic receivers with a large detection range (i.e. Vemco VR2W) were significantly different from those produced by receivers with smaller ranges (i.e. Sonotronics miniSUR receivers and proximity loggers) and (ii) the position of individuals within their network, or centrality, also differed. These findings suggest that acoustic receivers with a large detection range may not be the best option to represent true social networks in the case of a benthic marine animal. While acoustic receivers are increasingly used by marine ecologists, we recommend users first evaluate the influence of detection range to depict accurate individual interactions before using these receivers for social or predator–prey studies. We also advocate for combining multiple receiver types depending on the ecological question being asked and the development of multi-sensor tags or testing of new automated proximity loggers, such as the Encounternet system, to improve the precision and accuracy of social and predator–prey interaction studies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[ 23 ] for Vemco VR2W acoustic receivers; and Armansin et al . [ 25 ] for Vemco Positioning System (VPS)).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry?

et al. 2017

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“…Rather we aim to explore the broader utility of such methods for capturing the underlying social structure of animals moving through, but not necessarily attracted to, arrays of spatial receivers, where data are typically rather sparse and sporadic, and may have no natural ‘breaks’ in the pattern of detections. Recently, Armansin and colleagues used a small acoustic array to demonstrate that if receivers are placed close enough together to overlap, hyperbolic positioning can be used to reconstruct the social associations of site-attached, benthic elasmobranchs, using an approach akin to PBSN construction [22]. Building on such work and using time-series data gathered by a spatially extensive, fixed array of non-overlapping acoustic receivers at a remote Pacific Atoll, we address the following questions: (i) can a GMM approach reconstruct social associations in simulated structured data?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inferring animal social networks and leadership: applications for passive monitoring arrays

Jacoby

Papastamatiou

Freeman

2016

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Analyses of animal social networks have frequently benefited from techniques derived from other disciplines. Recently, machine learning algorithms have been adopted to infer social associations from time-series data gathered using remote, telemetry systems situated at provisioning sites. We adapt and modify existing inference methods to reveal the underlying social structure of wide-ranging marine predators moving through spatial arrays of passive acoustic receivers. From six months of tracking data for grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) at Palmyra atoll in the Pacific Ocean, we demonstrate that some individuals emerge as leaders within the population and that this behavioural coordination is predicted by both sex and the duration of co-occurrences between conspecifics. In doing so, we provide the first evidence of long-term, spatially extensive social processes in wild sharks. To achieve these results, we interrogate simulated and real tracking data with the explicit purpose of drawing attention to the key considerations in the use and interpretation of inference methods and their impact on resultant social structure. We provide a modified translation of the GMMEvents method for R, including new analyses quantifying the directionality and duration of social events with the aim of encouraging the careful use of these methods more widely in less tractable social animal systems but where passive telemetry is already widespread.

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Bottlenose dolphins share fish farm areas while maintaining sexual segregation: Investigating group memberships through spatially and temporally explicit parameters

Bonizzoni¹,

Genov

Bearzi

2022

Aquatic Conservation

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Group membership is a key attribute of animal societies and central to the study of social structure in several taxa. However, social structure analyses are sensitive to the way data are collected and associations defined. In this study, a time–space method was used to investigate the social structure of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus observed and photographed across 7 years in the semi‐enclosed Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Instead of adopting traditional group definitions, individuals were considered as being members of the same group if photographed within a specific time and space window. This approach can be applied post hoc across studies and can offer advantages under challenging sampling conditions (e.g. when dealing with groups spread over vast areas or when group membership is otherwise hard to assess). Dolphins were mostly found around coastal cage aquaculture facilities farming European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax and gilthead seabream Sparus aurata. Dolphins formed clusters largely or entirely composed of individuals of the same sex, suggestive of sex‐based homophily. Habitat partitioning was not detected: there was substantial spatial overlap among dolphin clusters, with all individuals using a relatively small area in the northern portion of the Gulf, where most of the productive fish farms were located. Associations between females were stronger than those between males, and daughters tended to stay in the group of their mothers. Sex‐based social clustering may allow females and calves to limit interactions with potentially aggressive males, while individuals of both sexes benefit from prey concentrated around fish farms. Adaptation to foraging around farms can result in trade‐offs between the costs and benefits of nourishment and social interaction. This may have both positive or negative effects on the animals that should be considered in the context of ensuring their favourable conservation status.

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Integrating social network analysis and fine-scale positioning to characterize the associations of a benthic shark

Cited by 35 publications

References 94 publications

Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry?

Does detection range matter for inferring social networks in a benthic shark using acoustic telemetry?

Inferring animal social networks and leadership: applications for passive monitoring arrays

Bottlenose dolphins share fish farm areas while maintaining sexual segregation: Investigating group memberships through spatially and temporally explicit parameters

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