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Biomedical subjects

R I Dunbar

Publications and source records attributed to R I Dunbar.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Ecological modelling in an evolutionary context.

I argue that one of the strong features in disciplines like molecular biology and cosmology is the extent ot which they use a powerful theoretical framework to generate and test quantitative predictions. Studies of biological evolution can exploit a similar advantage by integrating our current understanding of physiological and sociobiological processes to generate models of much greater sophistication than has commonly been the practice hitherto. I illustrate this with a number of examples drawn from the evolutionary biology of human and nonhuman primates.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Contrasts in social structure among black-and-white colobus monkey groups.

Three types of Colobus guereza groups may be distinguished on the bases of size and composition, namely small one-male groups, large, one-male groups and multi-male groups. The social structure of each type of group is described in terms of the distribution of non-agonistic interactions, the frequency and distribution of agonistic behaviour and the organization of the roles of vigilance, territorial defence and leadership. A number of differences are found between the group types which appear to be related to the differences in group size and composition. It is suggested that these group types represent stages in the life-cycle of colobus groups, and that such an interpretation may help to resolve some of the conflicting reports in the literature.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed1975

Aggression and dominance in the weaver bird, Quelea quelea.

Previous work on agonistic behaviour in Quelea has been concerned primarily with hormonal variables. In the present series of experiments, a number of behavioural correlates of aggression and dominance are examined in male and bisexual groups. These include the effects of group arousal level on rates of agonistic encounters, the relationship between an individual's habitual level of activity and its relative dominance, aggressiveness and position on the perch in a resting "flock". The temporal patterning of encounters is analysed and the reasons why encounters tend to clump in time determined. The relationship between dominance in encounters over individual-distance infringements and dominance in encounters over access to a restricted food source is investigated and the effects of this on loss of weight in males and females determined. The results are discussed in relation to Ward's (1965) finging that in the wild females suffer higher mortality than males during the dry season and in relation to the general determinants of aggression in Quelea.

Aggression↗