Article Evaluation
editThe article I have chosen to evaluate is Separation anxiety in dogs.
The article seems to clearly explain separation anxiety in dogs. There are explanations of typical behaviours, the causes of those behaviours, and treatments for those behaviours. The information provided was concise, and there was nothing that seemed to make the article too confusing.
Something that could be added is another treatment such as doggy daycare. This is something many people do when they are away from home for several hours at a time, and I think it would make a great addition to the treatment section for separation anxiety. The information about the software named Digital Dogsitter was retrieved in 2012, which is still relevant as it is still a product used today. But, since 2012 there have been several more softwares used for dogs that contain more features.
The article does not seem to be heavily biased toward a particular position, and seems to focus on all positions equally. There is a thorough explanation of the types of drugs used for separation anxiety in dogs, but I think that this was helpful as many people may not know how these specific drugs work or what effects that they may have on dogs.
A few of the links for citations do not work. For the other sources, they do support the claims in the article. The references used in the article come from reliable sources such as scholarly articles and websites such as the Humane Society and ASPCA.
The article has been rated as Start-Class, and Low-importance. Much more could be added to the article, including images. It is also part of WikiProject Dogs.
Article Selection
editThe first article that I am interested in improving is Pant-hoot (call). The content in this article is relevant to the topic, as it explains clearly the reasons why the pant-hoot is used (not only is it a form of communication, it is also used as a method of bonding). The claims in this article have citations, which all come from scientific literature.
Potential sources that could improve this article:
Chimpanzee arrival pant-hoots: Do they signify food or status? https://link-springer-com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/content/pdf/10.1007%2FBF02735273.pdf
Behavioural Changes at Adolescence in Chimpanzees https://www-jstor-org.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/stable/pdf/4534896.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ab2eb09ce786576d3274867d0bfed3edc
Can Chimpanzee Vocalizations Reveal the Origins of Human Language? https://search-proquest-com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/docview/2037840814?rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo
Another article that I am interested in improving is Flocking (behavior). This article is rated start-class and mid-importance, so the article is currently quite incomplete. It looks like there could be some citations added throughout the article, but the sources provided are mostly reliable.
Potential sources that could improve this article:
Reduced flocking by birds on islands with relaxed predation https://www-jstor-org.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/stable/pdf/4142530.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aa3b1b4fbc7502b94380ac8fb72cccfd3
Effects of environmental features on flocking behavior https://www-sciencedirect-com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/science/article/pii/S1226861512001112
Fission-fusion society is another article that could use some improving. It is also rated start-class and mid-importance. It seems to be quite short, and doesn't contain very many examples. It states which species that fission-fusion societies occur in, but it would be more helpful to be provided with some examples. There are very few citations
Potential sources that could improve this article:
Forest elephants: fission-fusion and social arenas https://www-sciencedirect-com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/science/article/pii/S0003347212005143
Bats are able to maintain long-term social relationships despite the high fission-fusion dynamics of their groups https://www-jstor-org.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/stable/41314996?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Unraveling fission-fusion dynamics: how subgroup properties and dyadic interactions influence individual decisions https://www-jstor-org.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/stable/43599483?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Article Draft
editThe change in composition, subgroup size, and dispersion of different groups are the 3 main elements of a fission-fusion society[1][2].
Species
editPrimates
editChimpanzees
editChimpanzees often form smaller subgroups when travelling for longer periods at a time in between each food patch[3]. When obtaining food, the size of subgroups can change depending on how much food is available and how far away the food may be. If food is worth retrieving due to little travel costs, subgroup size will enlarge. So among chimpanzees, the abundance of food and how dense it may be are factors that contribute to the changes of subgroup sizes[3].
Orangutans
editOrangutans are one type of primates that model individual-based fission-fusion[4]. Travel parties are established among this species inhabiting specifically in a Sumatran forest, and there are several benefits. Mating opportunities are a large benefit of grouping, as parties are most substantial during high mating activity[4]. Infant socialization also contains benefits as well as costs, due to their needs to be cared for. Females are required to carry their infants, and those with infants of mid-size experience greater costs than those of small sizes. Carrying a small infant does not require much, and they become less dependent as they begin to wean. Mid-sized infants on the other hand, require the most energy. When travelling, females are required to support their mid-sized infants by carrying them, and waiting for them if they've fallen behind[4].
Humans
editHumans also form fission-fusion societies, and this began with industrialization. In hunter-gatherer societies, humans form groups which are made up of several individuals that may split up to obtain different resources[5]. Another example of a fission-fusion society in hunter-gatherer societies is communication among the group. Groups may begin to split due to arguments and disagreements[5]. Among humans, gossip and language in general is also an important feature involved in fission-fusion. Communication keeps distant groups together although they may not be within close distances of each other[5].
Elephants
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Elephants display grouping as it helps to minimize risks and enhance benefits. Forest elephants often fuse into larger groups throughout forest clearings, to exchange information and maximize social opportunities[6]. Elephants are drawn to large parties present at forest clearings, and remain in the clearing for a longer period of time if there are individuals outside of their party present. Young African male elephants display a preference for larger groups, in order to communicate with other elephants and to explore dominance[7]. Adolescent males can gain knowledge from adult males and acquire information about their new social methods[7].
Bats
editBats are one of the species which shows an advanced fission-fusion society[8]. Among female northern long-eared bats, switching roosts is common. There are several factors involved when switching roosts, which can include canopy cover and height, decay stage of the roost, and tree height[9]. Geographic regions contribute to the switching of roosts, as females have been shown to switch when temperatures rise in Kentucky, and less when in a colder climate in Nova Scotia[9]. There are also three important behaviours involved in roost-switching, which are fission-fusion grouping, synchronized movement, and settlement behaviour[8]. Settlement behaviour is when bats remain in the most desirable roost possible, synchronized movement is when bats choose to move to another roost in a synchronized manner, and fission-fusion behaviour is when a bat colony separates into sub-colonies which then combine back together to form a large colony[8]. A reason that bats can display fission-fusion behaviours is due to the risk of infection. Increased risk of disease can occur from settlement and synchronized behaviours, but fission-fusion societies are capable of reducing the risk of disease. Fission-fusion societies are capable of reducing the risk because of the frequent separation into subgroups[8].
References
edit- ^ Ramos-Fernández, Gabriel; Morales, Juan M. (2014-05-09). "Unraveling fission-fusion dynamics: how subgroup properties and dyadic interactions influence individual decisions". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 68 (8): 1225–1235. doi:10.1007/s00265-014-1733-8. ISSN 0340-5443.
- ^ Aureli, Filippo; Schaffner, Colleen M.; Boesch, Christophe; Bearder, Simon K.; Call, Josep; Chapman, Colin A.; Connor, Richard; Fiore, Anthony Di; Dunbar, Robin I. M. (August 2008). "Fission‐Fusion Dynamics". Current Anthropology. 49 (4): 627–654. doi:10.1086/586708. ISSN 0011-3204.
{{cite journal}}: no-break space character in|first2=at position 8 (help); no-break space character in|first4=at position 6 (help); no-break space character in|first6=at position 6 (help); no-break space character in|first8=at position 8 (help); no-break space character in|first9=at position 6 (help) - ^ a b Chapman, C.A.; Chapman, L.J.; Wrangham, R.W. (January 1995). "Ecological constraints on group size: an analysis of spider monkey and chimpanzee subgroups". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 36 (1): 59–70. doi:10.1007/bf00175729. ISSN 0340-5443.
- ^ a b c van Schaik, Carel P. (January 1999). "The socioecology of fission-fusion sociality in Orangutans". Primates. 40 (1): 69–86. doi:10.1007/bf02557703. ISSN 0032-8332.
- ^ a b c Couzin, Iain D.; Laidre, Mark E. (August 2009). "Fission–fusion populations". Current Biology. 19 (15): R633–R635. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.05.034. ISSN 0960-9822.
- ^ Fishlock, Vicki; Lee, Phyllis C. (February 2013). "Forest elephants: fission–fusion and social arenas". Animal Behaviour. 85 (2): 357–363. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.11.004. ISSN 0003-3472.
- ^ a b Evans, Kate E.; Harris, Stephen (September 2008). "Adolescence in male African elephants, Loxodonta africana, and the importance of sociality". Animal Behaviour. 76 (3): 779–787. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.03.019. ISSN 0003-3472.
- ^ a b c d Kashima, Kazutaka; Ohtsuki, Hisashi; Satake, Akiko (February 7, 2013). "Fission-fusion bat behavior as a strategy for balancing the conflicting needs of maximizing information accuracy and minimizing infection risk". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 318: 101–109. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.10.034. ISSN 0022-5193.
- ^ a b Patriquin, Krista J.; Leonard, Marty L.; Broders, Hugh G.; Ford, W. Mark; Britzke, Eric R.; Silvis, Alexander (December 2016). "Weather as a proximate explanation for fission–fusion dynamics in female northern long-eared bats". Animal Behaviour. 122: 47–57. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.09.022. ISSN 0003-3472.
Peer Review from k36jew
editI found your article interesting and I did not know what a fission – fusion society was or even that it existed in many species until reading your article.
A few suggestions that I can make are:
(1) I would suggest adding a lead section. This would tell others about the topic you are discussing throughout your article.
(2) I suggest adding a heading to your reference section. This would separate the references from the main article and allow others to easily access your references.
(3) The human section heading in the table of contents is showing that it is part of the bat section. To explain further, the bat section says 4.3, and the human section is saying 4.3.1 indicating that the human section is part of the bat section. I would suggest changing this so that the human section has it own heading, maybe being 4.4. This point also leads into my next suggestion.
(4) Switching the placement of the human section. I suggest this because humans evolved from primates and it might help the article flow a little better if the human section came after the primate section or became part of the primate section.
(5) In the Elephant section, maybe talk about some examples of risks and benefits to why forest elephants form groups. Also, you discuss male African Elephants but not females. Maybe discussing whether females participate in group forming or not would help strengthen this section.
(6) In the primate section, I wasn’t quite sure if infant carrying was an important factor in group forming. Maybe you could explain this point a little more. Other than that, I found this section well written.
(7) For the bat section, I would suggest discussing male bats as well to help strengthen the section.
Overall, the article had a neutral tone, and some reliable sources. I enjoyed reading it and I hope these suggestions help.
Good Job!
Peer Review
editHi There,
The examples you provide are good ones and the sources you chose seem reputable and are cited adequately in your contribution. Some of your sections are a little short however, and adding some more content to them might clarify some of your points a little bit, like why the female bats change roosts in warmer climates. As k36jew mentioned, your humans section is listed under bats instead of primates. There are some issues with clarity in the bats section (as mentioned) and in the chimpanzee section, distribution and density of food mean nearly the same thing (maybe abundance and density would be better?). The sections on humans and orangutans were written well and nothing jumped out at me about them. I hope these suggestions help!
Cheers