Journal article 1416 views
Selfish-herd behaviour of sheep under threat
Andrew King 
,
Alan M. Wilson,
Simon D. Wilshin,
John Lowe,
Hamed Haddadi,
Stephen Hailes,
A. Jennifer Morton
,
Alan M. Wilson,
Simon D. Wilshin,
John Lowe,
Hamed Haddadi,
Stephen Hailes,
A. Jennifer Morton
Current Biology, Volume: 22, Issue: 14, Pages: R561 - R562
Swansea University Author:
Andrew King
Full text not available from this repository: check for access using links below.
DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.cub.2012.05.008
Abstract
Flocking is a striking example of collective behaviour that is found in insect swarms, fish schools and mammal herds. A major factor in the evolution of flocking behaviour is thought to be predation, whereby larger and/or more cohesive groups dilute the effects of predators. In this work used global...
| Published in: | Current Biology |
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| ISSN: | 09609822 |
| Published: |
2012
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa13504 |
| Abstract: |
Flocking is a striking example of collective behaviour that is found in insect swarms, fish schools and mammal herds. A major factor in the evolution of flocking behaviour is thought to be predation, whereby larger and/or more cohesive groups dilute the effects of predators. In this work used global positioning system (GPS) data to characterise the response of a group of prey animals (a flock of sheep) to an approaching predator (a herding dog). This is the first time such data has been collected in a terrestrial system. Analyses of relative sheep movement trajectories showed that sheep exhibit a strong attraction towards the centre of the flock under threat, a pattern that we could re-create using a simple mathematical model. The findings support a 40-year-old "selfish herd theory" put forward by evolutionary biologist Bill Hamilton. |
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| Item Description: |
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| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Issue: |
14 |
| Start Page: |
R561 |
| End Page: |
R562 |