Effect of ecological factors on fine-scale patterns of social structure in African lions.

摘要: Environmental variations can influence the extent to which individuals interact with other by changing value of grouping. It is well known that many species form and disband groups, often in response distribution abundance resources. While previous studies showed resources broad‐scale structure animal knowledge gaps remain on whether they affect fine‐scale patterns association among within groups. We quantify African lions while simultaneously monitoring prey. We test how social ecological factors, including individual trait (age, sex, reproductive state) similarity prey availability (prey abundance, dispersion, herd size body size) within‐pride lions. We found decisions about associates depended resource associating equally across all members pride when herds were scarce, aggregated or large bodied, more exclusively (in subgroups preferred associates) abundant, dispersed small bodied. Individuals lion prides seemed be buffering against changes modulating their strength density connections conspecifics split into subgroups. The was greater lower are bodied. Our findings suggest making at both subgroup level level, representing putatively fitness‐enhancing strategies. typically shifting between having few strong weaker depending prevailing conditions, dispersion greatest impact splitting maintenance face change suggests fission–fusion nature might essential for long‐term even short‐term conditions do not allow them. More broadly, our study reveals dynamics factors have an effect animals multiple levels sociality.