Unraveling the disease consequences and mechanisms of modular structure in animal social networks.

ABSTRACT: Disease risk is a potential cost of group living. Although modular organization is thought to reduce this cost in animal societies, empirical evidence toward this hypothesis has been conflicting. We analyzed empirical social networks from 43 animal species to motivate our study of the epidemiological consequences of modular structure in animal societies. From these empirical studies, we identified the features of interaction patterns associated with network modularity and developed a theoretical network model to investigate when and how subdivisions in social networks influence disease dynamics. Contrary to prior work, we found that disease risk is largely unaffected by modular structure, although social networks beyond a modular threshold experience smaller disease burden and longer disea

SUBMITTER: Sah P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5402400 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature