Hierarchy dominance

Coe, T., Hamilton, P.B., and Hodgson, D.H. et al. An environmental estrogen alters dominance hierarchies and disrupts sexual selection in group spawning fish. Environmental Science and Technology (in press). 

All indications are that we are only just beginning to see a few threads of the rich fabric of chemical signals that link lobsters to each other and to their environment. Exoskeleton, bladders, glands, and control of currents all indicate that these animals can be chemically quiet and release specific signals at critical times during aggression and courtship. Chemical signals appear to be used to remember individuals and to facilitate stable dominance hierarchies. 

Bell, W. J. and Gorton, R. E., Jr. (1978). Informational analysis of agonistic behaviour and dominance hierarchy formation in a cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea. Behaviour 67 217-235. 

Smith, S. K. and Breed, M. D. (1982). Olfactory cues in discrimination among individuals in dominance hierarchies in the cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea. Physiological Entomology 7 337-341. 

Various centers of metabolic activity exhibit a high demand for photosynthates such that there is competition within the plant for available resources. Thus, during the development of the plant, at any moment in time, there exists a dominance hierarchy for photosynthates. In the Jerusalem artichoke, photosynthetically fixed carbon resources are allocated among maintenance reactions, production of additional structural components, and deposition within specialized storage sites within the plant. The allocation hierarchy shifts not only as the plant develops, but also in diurnal cycles. Therefore, photosynthate allocation depends upon both timing and assimilate availability. 

A dominance hierarchy also exists within individual sinks. When the level of photosynthate is high, lateral buds on the tubers begin to develop and act as competing sinks (Tsvetoukhine, 1960). Development of lateral buds results in tubers with a highly irregular form and reduced value for many uses. 

Kozorovitskiy Y, Gould E (2004) Dominance hierarchy influences adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. J Neurosci 24 6755-6759. 

The structures of groups of clawed, spiny, and slipper lobsters in the field are, at first sight, very different. However, there are similarities in their use of chemical communication in social interactions clawed and spiny lobsters establish dominance hierarchies that are maintained, at least partially, via urinary chemical cues. 

Although much less is known about slipper lobsters, one species (the Mediterranean slipper lobster, Scyllarides latus) is known to establish and maintain an almost linear dominance hierarchy in semi-naturalistic conditions (Barshaw and Spanier 1994). Interestingly, females were reported to interact more often than males, which were not observed to engage in intrasexual agonistic encounters (Barshaw and Spanier 1994). 

Thus, clawed, spiny, and slipper lobsters exhibit similar behaviors they all engage in agonistic encounters that result in the establishment of a dominance hierarchy, and urine is involved in maintaining it without the need for further, possibly dangerous, combat. Hierarchy maintenance through individual recognition is not restricted to lobsters, as it is also found in mantis shrimp (Mead and Caldwell, Chap. 11) and hermit crabs (Gherardi and Tricarico, Chap. 15). 

Gherardi F, Daniels WH (2003) Dominance hierarchies and status recognition in the crayfish Procambarus acutus acutus. Can J Zool 81 1269-1281... 

Herberholz J, Issa FA, Edwards DH (2001) Patterns of neural circuit activation and behavior during dominance hierarchy formation in freely behaving crayfish. J Neurosci 21 2759-2767... 

Huxley TH (1879) The crayfish an introduction to the study of zoology. C. Kegan Paul, London Issa FA, Adamson DJ, Edwards DH (1999) Dominance hierarchy formation in juvenile crayfish... 

Correa C, Baeza JA, Hinojosa IA, Thiel M (2003) Male dominance hierarchy and mating tactics in the rock shrimp Rhynchocinetes typus (Decapoda Caridea). J Crust Biol 23 33-45... 

Bullhead catfish (Ictalurus nebulosus) detect the body odors of conspecifics indicative of dominant relationships, and increase territorial aggression toward chemical strangers. Nonspecific diet metabolites as well as specific pheromones are important in chemical mediation of social behavior (Bryant and Atema 1987). Pheromone-mediated social behaviors were also observed in the Nile (Oreochromis niloticus) and the Mozambique tilapia (O. mossambicus ). They use pheromones to establish hierarchies, display elaborate courtship rituals and parental care (mouth-brooding) (Miranda et al. 2005 Barata et al. 2008). In crustaceans, brood pheromone has been associated with maternal behavior in crayfish (Little 1975,1976). Chemical cues in the urine are also important for crustaceans to recognize individuals and to establish dominance hierarchies (Katoh et al. 2008 Skog et al. 2009). A review on crayfish courtship and dominance pheromones can be found in this volume (Breithaupt, Chap. 13). 

Laboratory mice have been used as the model rodent to demonstrate the potential of aversive social odors to manage populations. Chemical constituents in the urine of dominant male mice have been shown to inhibit the exploratory behaviour of subordinate mice in laboratory-based arena studies. Two constituents, a and P-famesene, have been patented as mouse repellents (Novotny, Harvey Jemiolo, 1993). However, we do not know what effect these chemicals have on free-living rodent populations, where dominance hierarchies may not always exist. The scent marks left by dominant male rats within family groups appear to act not so much as warning signals for strange rats, but as aids to orientation (Lund, 1975). In the context of controlling rat populations, social odors are unlikely to produce the immediate reduction in numbers required to control a troublesome rat... 

Hoppe, 1975) and also release less esterase in their urine (and virtually no Imwe) compared to males from other strains. The amount of esterase secreted by a male may also depend on social environment (e.g., dominance hierarchies). In six strains (KsJ, 6J, lOJ, BALB, CBA, and DBA), one male per cage typically released Imwe when grouped. Because male social status and release of urine esterases are both androgen-dependent, future work should establish whether there is any relationship between male social status and the numbers and concentrations of esterases in the urine of male mice. 

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