Humpback dolphins(Sousa spp.)are obligate shallow-water and resident species,and they typically live in fission–fusion societies composed of small-sized groups with changeable membership.However,we have scant knowled...Humpback dolphins(Sousa spp.)are obligate shallow-water and resident species,and they typically live in fission–fusion societies composed of small-sized groups with changeable membership.However,we have scant knowledge of their behavioral ecology,starting with potential factors influencing inter-population variability of their group sizes.Here,we compiled a new global dataset of humpback dolphin group sizes based on 150 published records.Our data indicated an inter-specific consistency of group-living strategy among the 4 species in the Sousa genus,as these species preferred living in small-sized groups with a mean size of mostly no more than 10,a minimum size of single individual or small pairs,and a maximum size of several tens or≈100.In addition,we clearly showed the geographic variations in group sizes of humpback dolphins at a global scale.We found that the geographic variations in humpback dolphin group sizes were primarily associated with the latitude,sea surface temperature,and abundance.To conclude,our findings provide insights into social dynamics and socioecological trade-offs of humpback dolphins,and help better understand how these resident animals adapted to their shallow-water habitats from the perspectives of biogeography and socioecology.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42041007 and 42201306)the China National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents(BX2021042)+2 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M700458)the US National Science Foundation(1924111)Michigan AgBioResearch。
基金This study was financially supported by the Major Science and Technology Project in Hainan province(ZDKJ2016009-1-1)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41306169,41406182,and 41422604)+2 种基金the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation of Hong Kong(AW02-1920)the Chinese White Dolphin Conservation Action Project of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural of People’s Republic of China(Y760091HT1)the Biodiversity Investigation,Observation and Assessment Program of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China(2019-2023).
文摘Humpback dolphins(Sousa spp.)are obligate shallow-water and resident species,and they typically live in fission–fusion societies composed of small-sized groups with changeable membership.However,we have scant knowledge of their behavioral ecology,starting with potential factors influencing inter-population variability of their group sizes.Here,we compiled a new global dataset of humpback dolphin group sizes based on 150 published records.Our data indicated an inter-specific consistency of group-living strategy among the 4 species in the Sousa genus,as these species preferred living in small-sized groups with a mean size of mostly no more than 10,a minimum size of single individual or small pairs,and a maximum size of several tens or≈100.In addition,we clearly showed the geographic variations in group sizes of humpback dolphins at a global scale.We found that the geographic variations in humpback dolphin group sizes were primarily associated with the latitude,sea surface temperature,and abundance.To conclude,our findings provide insights into social dynamics and socioecological trade-offs of humpback dolphins,and help better understand how these resident animals adapted to their shallow-water habitats from the perspectives of biogeography and socioecology.
