Assessing social structure: a data-driven approach to define associations between individuals.

ABSTRACT: Our interpretation of animal social structures is inherently dependent on our ability to define association criteria that are biologically meaningful. However, association thresholds are often based upon generalized preconceptions of a species' social behaviour, and the impact of using these arbitrary definitions has been largely overlooked. In this study we suggest a probability-based method for defining association thresholds using lagged identification rates on photographic records of identifiable individuals. This technique uses a simple model of emigration/immigration from photographable clusters to identify the time-dependent lag value between identifications of two individuals that corresponds to approximately 75% probability of being in close spatial proximity and likely associatin

SUBMITTER: Tavares SB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9883313 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature