The Research

Research Proposal Abstract

EAPSI: Social networks, fractal complexity, and parasites in Japanese Macaques

Fractals (complex patterns that are self-similar at different scales) are ubiquitous in nature and help systems remain efficient and stable, but little is known about these patterns in relation to animal behavior. This research will investigate the fractal complexity of Japanese Macaque behavior patterns in relationship to parasite infection and an animal’s social network. This collaboration offers a unique opportunity to conduct behavioral observations on Koshima Island, one of the most influential research sites in the history of animal behavior, while learning statistical methods for fractal analysis under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Macintosh of Kyoto University. This research will advance our understanding of how internal and external factors such as health and social environment influence behavior, and how individual behavior relates to societal stability.

Fractal patterns in behavior offer explanations for how animals allocate energy to specific activities, and are linked theoretically to the ability to adjust to environmental variability or changes. To investigate how the energetic costs of parasite infection affect organizational complexity in behavior, fractal analyses will be run on discretely categorized locomotion and foraging sequences recorded during focal-follows of Japanese macaques in varying health states. In addition, to examine the relationship between individual behavior patterns and social network, social interaction data will be integrated using computational network tools that reveal dominance certainty and community structure. These findings will illuminate the bigger picture of modulation between an individual’s physical condition, the structure of individual behavior patterns, and group level organization.