More social female yellow-bellied marmots have enhanced summer survival

Abstract

For many animals, group living is an effective strategy to mitigate predation risk and ensure survival. However, in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), increased sociality is associated with lower female reproductive success, decreased female longevity, and increased over-winter mortality for both males and females which raises questions about the adaptive value of sociality in this facultatively social mammal. Here we used social network analysis to ask questions about the relationship between specific attributes of sociality and summer survival, which is almost always attributable to predation. Yearling females have enhanced survival when they have stronger social relationships and are more central in their network. Adult female survival is not associated with social network traits, but females are more likely to survive the summer if they live in larger groups. Male survival is not associated with either social network trait variation or variation in group size. These findings identify a benefit for marmot sociality and an explanation for marmot colony social structuring.

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