Meeting Abstract
Animals compete for resources by engaging in agonistic interactions. Animals use self and mutual assessment when engaging in these bouts, including but not limited to factors such as: size, sex, resource acquisition and population structure . The size of conspecifics plays an important role in determining the outcomes of interactions. This study examines the structure of a population, in relation to size, and its influence on assessment and the dynamics of aggression within the population. More specifically, this study attempts to empirically address the influence of population structure on aggression by examining the duration and frequency of interactions. Variably sized populations of four crayfish each are provided with four identical shelters and are recorded for 24-hour trials to determine fight duration, frequency, and outcome . Data suggests populations with primarily large animals (4 large, 3 large vs. 1 small) fight longer as compared to populations with an equal or greater number of small animals (2 large vs. 2 small, 1 large vs. 3 small). Additionally, numbers of fights were found to be greater in populations with all large animals. This project is a component of a broader study to provide empirical evidence to better understand the relationship and dynamics between self and mutual assessment in populations, and to develop a better understanding of how population structure affects the intricacies of aggressive behavior in animal contests.
