Bücher von Vladimir Gromov

In rodent populations, there are two main types of complex social units ¿ aggregations (breeding colonies) and family groups. The basic features of their social organization are quite different. Some species with a family-group lifestyle have the most complex social structure and social organization. Impact of ecological factors, including predation and food resources, on the evolution of sociality in rodents (i.e., the transition from solitary living to a family-group lifestyle) is still unclear. It seems that a set of ecological conditions resulting in the evolutionary transition towards a family-group lifestyle is unique for any relevant rodent species, and there are no universal rules explaining the effect of external factors on species-specific social organization. It is very likely that social organization of any rodent species may reflect the combined effects of life-history and ecological constraints, social pressures, and phylogenetic history. Moreover, social factors alone, especially cooperation, may play a greater role in the evolution of sociality among rodents. The book should be interesting for ecologists, ethologists and evolutionary biologists as well as students.

Spo¿eczno¿¿ u gryzoni oznacza tryb ¿ycia w grupie rodzinnej. Czynniki promuj¿ce ¿¿czenie w pary i opiek¿ dwup¿ciow¿ wydaj¿ si¿ mie¿ kluczowe znaczenie dla ewolucji w kierunku socjalizmu. Gatunki spo¿eczne ró¿ni¿ si¿ od izolowanych ze wzgl¿du na cz¿stsze i trwalsze kontakty dotykowe pomi¿dzy samcami oraz bezpo¿redni¿ opiek¿ nad m¿odymi okazywan¿ przez oboje rodziców (zw¿aszcza wyl¿ganie, przytulanie i piel¿gnacja szczeni¿t). Wyniki moich badä potwierdzaj¿ hipotez¿, ¿e dodatkowa stymulacja dotykowa niemowl¿t przez rodziców, a tak¿e ograniczenie tej stymulacji mo¿e prowadzi¿ do istotnej zmiany ich pó¿niejszych zachowä, zw¿aszcza rodzicielskich. Stwierdzono, ¿e zmiana zachowä spowodowana ograniczeniem stymulacji dotykowej wyräa si¿ w os¿abieniu wi¿zi mi¿dzy parami i ograniczeniu opieki ojcowskiej. Stymulacja dotykowa jest uwäana za mechanizm proksymacyjny promuj¿cy wi¿zania mi¿dzy parami i wy¿szy poziom opieki ojcowskiej. Inwestycje ojcowskie wyräaj¿ce si¿ w bezpo¿redniej opiece nad m¿odymi wydaj¿ si¿ by¿ istotnym czynnikiem odpowiedzialnym za ewolucj¿ w kierunku socjalizacji gryzoni. Ksi¿¿ka powinna by¿ interesuj¿ca dla ekologów, etologów i biologów ewolucyjnych, a tak¿e studentów wydziäów biologicznych.

Sociality in rodents means a family-group mode of life. Factors promoting pair-bonding and biparental care appear to be of crucial importance for evolution towards sociality. Social species differ from solitary ones because of a higher rate and lasting duration of tactile contact between mates and direct care of young exhibited by both parents (especially brooding, huddling over and grooming pups). The results of my studies support the hypothesis that additional tactile stimulation of infants by parents, as well as limitation of such stimulation, can lead to substantial alteration of their subsequent behavior, especially parental one. Behavioral alteration caused by limitation of tactile stimulation was found to be expressed by weakening of pair bonds and reduced paternal care. Tactile stimulation is considered a proximate mechanism promoting pair-bonding and a higher rate of paternal care. Paternal investment expressed by direct care of young seems to be an essential factor responsible for the evolution towards sociality in rodents. The book should be interesting for ecologists, ethologists and evolutionary biologists as well as students of biological departments.