Rare 'alpha male' primate dominance among opposites discovered in research
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have delved into the complexities of intersexual dominance in primates, shedding light on the various factors that influence these dynamics. The study, published in the journal PNAS on July 7, involved 253 populations across 121 primate species.
The findings reveal that intersexual dominance is not a simple matter of one sex dominating the other. Instead, dominance relations depend on multiple factors, making clear-cut dominance by males or females a rarity.
Almost half of aggressive interactions in primate groups involve male-female conflicts, contrary to prior focus mostly on same-sex fights. This highlights the importance of understanding the role of intersexual aggression in primate societies.
Reproductive control plays a critical role for female dominance in many species. In contrast to physical strength, females exert dominance by controlling reproduction, such as refusing mating, which gives them leverage over males.
Sexual dimorphism, the typical physical differences between the sexes, affects dominance dynamics. Males are often larger or stronger in primates, influencing dominance where brute force matters. However, this is not universal; some species show female dominance connected to social and ecological factors beyond size.
The study reveals that dominance patterns differ by taxonomic groups. Strict male dominance is predominantly found in great apes and some Old World monkeys, while strict female dominance more often occurs in certain other primates.
The environment and social structure influence how dominance relations manifest. This emphasizes that intersexual power asymmetries are not fixed but evolve according to circumstances.
For example, among our closest relatives, chimpanzees exhibit male-dominant societies, while bonobos tend to be female-dominant, illustrating flexible and non-deterministic patterns in intersexual dominance.
In summary, while male physical dominance linked to sexual dimorphism is common in many primate species, female dominance can arise through social strategies such as reproductive control. The extent and nature of intersexual dominance strongly depend on species-specific ecological and social factors.
These findings challenge simplistic views of universal male dominance across primates and emphasize the importance of broad comparative and contextual study. The study provides a more comprehensive exploration of variation in intersexual dominance relationships.
The research was co-authored by Peter Kappeler, the head of behavioral ecology and sociobiology at the German Primate Center research institute. The study paints a nuanced picture of intersexual relationships in primates, with both sexes often capable of winning aggressive contests against one another.
Researchers discovered that in the primate world, there are as many examples of females dominating males as there are of males dominating females. Male dominance was more common in ground-dwelling species where males were bigger and controlled mating with multiple females. On the other hand, female dominance mostly occurred in populations where females had reproductive control.
The study also found that the outcome of intersexual contests was rarely one-sided. Aggressive encounters between males and females were common in primates, making up around half of all contests. This challenges historical assumptions that males are usually more domineering.
The study further documents cases where females reign supreme in mammals, including matriarchal orcas and aggressive female meerkats. In the primate world, examples of female dominance can be found in species like bonobos and ring-tailed lemurs.
The study's first author, Élise Huchard, stated that in primates, female empowerment relies on alternative pathways, such as reproductive strategies to gain control over matings. The outcome was more complex in the remaining 106 populations of 69 species, where there were moderate sex biases.
In conclusion, this comprehensive study offers a fresh perspective on intersexual dominance in primates, revealing the complex interplay of factors that shape these relationships. The findings underscore the importance of considering the unique ecological and social contexts of each species to fully understand these dynamics.
- The study in the journal PNAS, focusing on intersexual dominance in primates, highlights the significance of understanding mental health and health-and-wellness within these complex social structures, as the ability to exert dominance can have direct implications on individual and group health.
- While science has traditionally focused on physical strength and sexual dimorphism as factors influencing intersexual dominance in primates, the ongoing research sheds light on the role of science, particularly psychology and sociology, in understanding mental-health factors that may contribute to dominance strategies, such as reproductive control and social positioning.
