Meeting Abstract

P2.7  Jan. 5  The kinship component of winter aggregation behavior in southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans). THORINGTON, K. K.*; WEIGL, P. D.; Wake Forest University, Winston Salem NC; Wake Forest University, Winston Salem NC thorkk2@wfu.edu

Southern flying squirrels are highly gregarious in winter, nesting in groups of 5-20 individuals thereby reducing thermoregulatory costs. These squirrels rely on scatter hoarded nuts and seeds during winter months. While the squirrel who stores a food item has a marked advantage in finding that food item, it must contend with other animals, including nest mates, opportunistically pilfering cached food. These squirrels face a dilemma: group living is advantageous for energy conservation, but may be deleterious to individual survival due to food pilfering by nest mates. Living with kin may mitigate these deleterious effects as, if an individual dies, its stored food can benefit its relatives. Therefore genes and behavioral traits associated with wintertime kin-based aggregation will be represented in succeeding generations. Experiments on winter aggregation dynamics in flying squirrel groups during three non-breeding season time periods (November � February) showed squirrels preferentially nest with kin under adequate food conditions. Kinship remains a dominant factor influencing nest mate choice even as familiarity of the animals increases to significant levels. (In time period one the kinship (K) component from hierarchical regression was K ΔR² = 0.240, P ≤ 0.001 and familiarity (F) ΔR ² = 0.006, P = 0.2, time period two K ΔR² = 0.076, P = 0.003 and F ΔR² = 0.041, P = 0.02, and time three K ΔR² = 0.076, P ≤ 0.001 F ΔR² = 0.094, P ≤ 0.001.) In the laboratory, kinship is the major factor determining aggregation behaviors. However, with increasing familiarity of individuals in an area, unrelated squirrels are accepted into kin-based winter aggregations.