DOI: 10.5061/dryad.98sf7m0k4
title: Data from: Extended and cumulative effects of experimentally induced intergroup conflict in a cooperatively breeding mammal

description: Conflict between rival groups is rife in nature. Whilst recent work has
 begun exploring the behavioural consequences of this intergroup conflict,
 studies have primarily considered just the 1–2 hours immediately after
 single interactions with rivals or their cues. Using a habituated
 population of wild dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula), we conducted
 week-long manipulations to investigate longer-term impacts of intergroup
 conflict. Compared to a single presentation of control herbivore faeces,
 one rival-group faecal presentation (simulating a territorial intrusion)
 resulted in more within-group grooming the following day, beyond the
 likely period of conflict-induced stress. Repeated presentations of
 outsider cues led to further changes in baseline behaviour by the end of
 the week: compared to control weeks, mongooses spent less time foraging,
 foraged closer to their groupmates and exhibited more pronounced
 inter-individual grooming differences, even when there had been no recent
 simulated intrusion. Moreover, there was more baseline territorial
 scent-marking and a higher likelihood of group fissioning in intrusion
 weeks. Consequently, individuals gained less body mass at the end of weeks
 with repeated simulated intrusions. Our experimental findings provide
 evidence for longer-term, extended and cumulative effects of an elevated
 intergroup threat, which may lead to fitness consequences and underpin
 this powerful selective pressure.
description: # Data from: Extended and cumulative effects of experimentally induced
 intergroup conflict in a cooperatively breeding mammal Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.98sf7m0k4](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.98sf7m0k4) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The experiment had two
 treatments (control and intrusion), each one-week long, that were
 conducted on each of the seven habituated dwarf mongoose groups on the
 Dwarf Mongoose Research Project.  To assess behavioural changes the day
 after exposure to a single rival-group intrusion and after repeated
 intrusions, we conducted observations on Days 2 and 6 of each treatment
 week.  Data from the experiment was used to analyse the extended and
 cumulative effects of intergroup conflict in dwarf mongooses.  ### Files
 and variables #### File: ProcB_datasets_for_dryad.xlsx **Description and
 variables:** Below are descriptions of the data that were used in our
 analyses (provided in the order that they appear in the manuscript).  Day
 2 proportion time grooming - the first tab of the Excel document includes
 data for analysis of the response variable: proportion of time grooming on
 day 2 (prop_day_gr in Excel spreadsheet). This was calculated by taking
 the total time that each individual spent grooming (min)/the total time
 available for grooming (min). Predictor variables in the analysis
 included: treatment (control, rival), dominance status of the individual
 (dominant, subordinate), and sex (male, female).  Day 6 proportion time
 grooming - the second tab of the Excel document includes data for analysis
 of the response variable: proportion of time grooming on day 6
 (prop_day_gr in Excel spreadsheet). This was calculated in the same way
 and contained the same predictor variables as on Day 2.  Day 2 grooming
 rate - this tab in the document contains data for analysis of the response
 variable: grooming rate on Day 2. This was analysed in a model where the
 response variable was the counts of grooming interactions that each
 individual was involved in (Gr_freq in the Excel spreadsheet). Duration
 (min) was added as an offset term to account for differences in the time
 available for grooming. The same predictor variables were included in the
 model as those in the proportion analyses above: treatment, dominance, and
 sex.  Day 6 grooming rate - this tab contains data for analysis of the
 response variable: grooming rate on Day 6. This was analysed in the same
 way as that on Day 2 (see above) with the same predictor variables.  Day 2
 grooming duration - this tab contains data for analysis of the response
 variable: mean grooming bout duration per individual. This was log
 transformed (Av_gr_dur_log) and analysed in a model with the predictor
 variables: treatment, dominance, and sex.  Day 6 grooming duration - this
 tab contains the same data as above, but for Day 6.  Day 2 sentinel - this
 tab contains data for analysis of whether a sentinel was present when a
 scan sample was conducted (yes/no). Predictor variables in this model
 include: treatment (control, rival), habitat (open, medium, dense), wind
 (still, light breeze) and group size (number of individuals in the
 group).  Day 6 sentinel - this tab contains the same data as above, but
 for Day 6.  Day 2 Nearest neighbour - this tab contains data for analysis
 of nearest-neighbour distances (m) at the individual level. Distances were
 square-root transformed (NN_distance_sqrt) and analysed in a model with
 the predictor variables: treatment, dominance, and sex.  Day 6 Nearest
 neighbour - this tab contains the same data as above, but for Day 6.  Day
 2 Adult body mass - this tab contains data for analysis of the body mass
 changes (grams) of adult individuals during the morning foraging session
 on Day 2 (DIFFERENCE). Predictor variables in this model included:
 treatment, dominance, and sex.  Day 6 Adult body mass - this tab contains
 the same data as above, but for Day 6.  Day 2 Pup body mass - this tab
 contains data for analysis of the body mass changes (grams) of
 independently foraging pups over the morning foraging session on Day 2
 (DIFFERENCE). Predictor variables in this model included: treatment and
 sex. Dominance status was not included as it is not assigned until
 adulthood.  Day 6 Pup body mass - this tab contains the same data as
 above, with the exception that the pup body mass data was square-root
 transformed (SQRT) for this analysis of Day 6 data.  Day 2-6 Adult body
 mass - this tab contains the data for analysis of the difference in body
 mass change (Diff_adult_weights) of adults between Day 2 and Day 6 for
 each treatment week. Treatment was included as a predictor variable
 (control/rival).  Day 2-6 Pup body mass - this tab contains the same data
 but for the body mass changes of pups (Diff_pup_weights) between Day 2 and
 Day 6. Treatment was included as a predictor variable (control/rival). 
 Foraging, latrine, group splits - this tab contains data for analysis of
 group-level events. By monitoring groups over the course of a whole trial
 week, we could also gain sufficient data to consider treatment effects on
 relatively sporadic group-level behaviours. We analysed the proportion of
 scan samples in which the group was foraging (number of scan samples where
 the group was foraging/total number of scan samples;
 Day2_prop_foraging_control, Day2_prop_foraging_rival,
 Day6_prop_foraging_control, Day6_prop_foraging_rival). We also analysed
 the proportion of time latrining (total time latrining/total time
 available for latrining; proportion_time_latrine_control,
 proportion_time_latrine_rival) and the rate of group splits (total number
 of group splits/total time available for group splitting;
 Grp_split_rate_control, Grp_split_rate_rival).  ## Code/software For
 group-level analyses (foraging activity, latrining, group fissions), we
 ran Wilcoxon signed-rank tests in SPSS 24 (IBM Corp, 2016) and used exact
 tests to generate p-values. When multiple factors and repeated sampling
 from the same groups and individuals needed to be taken into
 consideration, we conducted linear mixed models (LMMs) or generalized
 linear mixedmodels (GLMMs) in RStudio 3.6.2 (R Core Team, 2019) using the
 packages lme4 and glmmTMB.