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Topological effects of network structure on long‐term social network dynamics in a wild mammal
Author(s) -
Ilany Amiyaal,
Booms Andrew S.,
Holekamp Kay E.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12447
Subject(s) - centrality , social network (sociolinguistics) , biological dispersal , ecology , dynamic network analysis , term (time) , field (mathematics) , network dynamics , network science , dynamics (music) , complex network , computer science , biology , sociology , physics , mathematics , demography , population , combinatorics , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , computer network , pedagogy , discrete mathematics , world wide web , social media
Social structure influences ecological processes such as dispersal and invasion, and affects survival and reproductive success. Recent studies have used static snapshots of social networks, thus neglecting their temporal dynamics, and focused primarily on a limited number of variables that might be affecting social structure. Here, instead we modelled effects of multiple predictors of social network dynamics in the spotted hyena, using observational data collected during 20 years of continuous field research in Kenya. We tested the hypothesis that the current state of the social network affects its long‐term dynamics. We employed stochastic agent‐based models that allowed us to estimate the contribution of multiple factors to network changes. After controlling for environmental and individual effects, we found that network density and individual centrality affected network dynamics, but that social bond transitivity consistently had the strongest effects. Our results emphasise the significance of structural properties of networks in shaping social dynamics.