Dominance hierarchy: Difference between revisions

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=== Benefits ===

Being subordinate offers a number of benefits. Subordination is beneficial in agonistic conflicts where rank predicts the outcome of a fight. Less injury will occur if subordinate individuals avoid fighting with higher-ranking individuals who would win a large percentage of the time — knowledgetime—knowledge of the pecking order keeps both parties from incurring the costs of a prolonged fight. In hens, it has been observed that both dominants and subordinates benefit from a stable hierarchical environment, because fewer challenges means more resources can be dedicated to laying eggs. In groups of highly related individuals, kin selection may influence the stability of hierarchical dominance. A subordinate individual closely related to the dominant individual may benefit more genetically by assisting the dominant individual to pass on their genes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pusey |first1=A. E. |last2=Packer |first2=C. |year=1997 |chapter=The ecology of relationships |title=Behavioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Approach |editor1=J. R. Krebs |editor2=N. B. Davies |___location= Oxford |publisher=[[Blackwell Science]] |pages=254–283}}</ref>

Alpha male [[baboon|savanna baboons]] have high levels of [[testosterone]] and stress; over a long period of time, this can lead to decreased fitness. The lowest-ranking males also had high stress levels, suggesting that it is the beta males that gain the most fitness, avoiding stress but receiving some of the benefits of moderate rank.<ref name= "Gesquiere"/> The mating tactics of savanna baboons are correlated with their age. Older, subordinate males form alliances to combat higher-ranking males and get access to females.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Noe |first1=R. |last2= Sluijter |first2=A. A. |year=1990 |title=Reproductive Tactics of Male Savanna Baboons |journal=Behaviour |volume=113 |issue=1–2 |pages=117–170 |doi=10.1163/156853990x00455 |s2cid=14258881 }}</ref>