Social consequences of rapid environmental change

While direct influences of the environment on population growth and resilience are well studied, indirect routes linking environmental changes to population conse-quences are less explored. We suggest that social behavior is key for understand-ing how anthropogenic environmental changes affect the resilience of animal populations. Social structures of animal groups are evolved and emergent pheno-types that often have demographic consequences for group members. Impor-tantly, environmental drivers may directly influence the consequences of social structure or indirectly influence them through modifications to social interactions, group composition, or group size. We have developed a framework to study these demographic consequences. Estimating the strength of direct and indirect pathways will give us tools to understand, and potentially manage, the effect of human-induced rapid environmental changes.

Automated summary

Social behavior is crucial in understanding the impact of human-induced environmental changes on animal population resilience. Social structures of animal groups, which often have demographic consequences for group members, can be directly influenced or indirectly modified by environmental drivers through social interactions, group composition, or group size. We have developed a framework to study these demographic consequences and estimating the strength of direct and indirect pathways will provide insights for understanding and potentially managing the effects of human-induced rapid environmental changes.