@article{8a145e5675a74cbab5dc84c932cafb05,
title = "Social behaviour and gut microbiota in red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer): In search of the role of immunity in the evolution of sociality",
abstract = "Vertebrate gut microbiota form a key component of immunity and a dynamic link between an individual and the ecosystem. Microbiota might play a role in social systems as well, because microbes are transmitted during social contact and can affect host behaviour. Combining methods from behavioural and molecular research, we describe the relationship between social dynamics and gut microbiota of a group-living cooperative species of primate, the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer). Specifically, we ask whether patterns of social contact (group membership, group size, position in social network, individual sociality) are associated with patterns of gut microbial composition (diversity and similarity) between individuals and across time. Red-bellied lemurs were found to have gut microbiota with slight temporal fluctuations and strong social group-specific composition. Contrary to expectations, individual sociality was negatively associated with gut microbial diversity. However, position within the social network predicted gut microbial composition. These results emphasize the role of the social environment in determining the microbiota of adult animals. Since social transmission of gut microbiota has the potential to enhance immunity, microbiota might have played an escalating role in the evolution of sociality.",
keywords = "cooperation, immunity, lemur, microbial transmission, microbiota, social network, sociality",
author = "Aura Raulo and Lasse Ruokolainen and Avery Lane and Katherine Amato and Rob Knight and Steven Leigh and Rebecca Stumpf and Bryan White and Nelson, {Karen E.} and Baden, {Andrea L.} and Tecot, {Stacey R.}",
note = "Funding Information: University of Arizona School of Anthropology; Leakey Foundation; American Association of Physical Anthropologists; Hunter College of City University of New York; National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: NSF BCS 935347; Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation; Rowe-Wright Primate Fund; The L. S. B. Leakey Foundation Funding Information: Our fieldwork was made possible by our expert field technicians Lahitsara Pierre and Razafindraibe Dominique, and the Centre ValBio research station in Ranomafana, Madagascar, and was completed with the permission of Madagascar National Parks (056/13/MEF/SG/DGF/DCB.SAP/SCB) and the logistical support of the Madagascar Institut pour la Conservations des Ecosyst{\`e}mes Tropicaux (MICET). We thank the Earth Microbiome Project (NSF BCS 935347) for funding the microbial analysis, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Hunter College of City University of New York, Rowe-Wright Primate Fund, Leakey Foundation and University of Arizona School of Anthropology, Social and Behavioral Science Research Institute, and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences for funding the data collection and hormonal assays as part of the Red-Bellied-Lemur Allomaternal Care project, and Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation for funding the rest of this work. We also thank Sarah Zohdy, who inspired us to seize these ideas, and Matan Shenhav and Jani Anttila for most insightful conversations and crucial help with the data analysis. Funding Information: Our fieldwork was made possible by our expert field technicians Lahitsara Pierre and Razafindraibe Dominique, and the Centre ValBio research station in Ranomafana, Madagascar, and was completed with the permission of Madagascar National Parks (056/13/MEF/SG/DGF/DCB.SAP/SCB) and the logistical support of the Madagascar Institut pour la Conservations des Ecosyst?mes Tropicaux (MICET). We thank the Earth Microbiome Project (NSF BCS 935347) for funding the microbial analysis, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Hunter College of City University of New York, Rowe-Wright Primate Fund, Leakey Foundation and University of Arizona School of Anthropology, Social and Behavioral Science Research Institute, and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences for funding the data collection and hormonal assays as part of the Red-Bellied-Lemur Allomaternal Care project, and Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation for funding the rest of this work. We also thank Sarah Zohdy, who inspired us to seize these ideas, and Matan Shenhav and Jani Anttila for most insightful conversations and crucial help with the data analysis. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology {\textcopyright} 2017 British Ecological Society",
year = "2018",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1111/1365-2656.12781",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "87",
pages = "388--399",
journal = "Journal of Animal Ecology",
issn = "0021-8790",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",
number = "2",
}