Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social network analysis of species interactions

University Of Texas At San Antonio, San Antonio TX

Investigators

Abstract

Human-animal interactions can lead to positive or negative effects in health, fitness, and social network dynamics for both humans and non-human species. This doctoral dissertation project analyzes how social networks are affected in human-animal interactions, focusing on a social non-human primate species that shares space with human communities. The study investigates how costs and benefits in both species impact their respective social network dynamics. To attain this goal the study analyzes the: (1) dyadic ties in the human social network, (2) individual position of humans and non-human primates in the multispecies network, and (3) costs and benefits of these dynamics. This study is innovative in its use of social network analysis to a multispecies network. The study provides training and learning experiences for students. To assess the costs and benefits of multispecies social network dynamics, the study integrates data collected using behavioral ecology and ethnographic analyses. Baseline location, activity, focal and ad-libitum data, as well as group scans, are collected in the non-human primate species. Plant phenology, presence/absence of food phenophases, and food abundance are documented. Dominance ranks are assessed using submissive interactions with PERC packages in R. Undirected weighted networks are created based on social interaction data. Spatial data is used to assess spatial overlap and food encounters. Mixed methods are used to collect quantitative and qualitative ethnographic data. Multi-species interaction matrices are analyzed for correlation, and proximity levels are assessed. With these varied data, the study evaluates the correlation between individual traits, temporal and spatial variation in perceived costs and benefits of accessing the niche created by another species, as well as social network metrics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.