Dissertation
Affiliative behaviour in a wild population of Eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii): Effect of individual attributes and fitness benefits
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00142
Abstract
All animal species engage in social interactions with conspecifics when competing for abiotic and biotic resources from their environment (e.g., space, food, water, mating partners). Social interactions can be affiliative, which involves the occurrence of non-aggressive physical proximity between individuals. Affiliative interactions represent a crucial aspect of social evolution as they can lead to the evolution, maintenance, and reinforcement of social bonds, as well as provide fitness benefits (e.g., increased reproductive success, survival, and longevity). Further, affiliative interactions are often influenced by an individual’s own attributes (e.g., age, sex), but also by the attributes of all conspecifics it interacts with.
In this thesis, I use a wild population of eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii) to investigate the effect of individuals’ attributes on various affiliative behaviours and explore the fitness consequences of these behaviours. Eastern water dragons are highly gregarious and form social associations, which are defined as pairs of individuals that socially tolerate each other in close spatial proximity without aggressively reacting to each other.
Details
- Title
- Affiliative behaviour in a wild population of Eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii): Effect of individual attributes and fitness benefits
- Authors
- Coralie Delme - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Contributors
- Celine Frere (Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00142
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99633341002621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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