Dietary tryptophan affects group behavior in a social bird

The amino acid tryptophan (Trp) is precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Trp supplementation or other forms of serotonergic enhancement generally promote pro-social behavior, decreasing aggression and also feeding in different animals. However, past research has been conducted in confined spaces, and there is little work in naturalistic conditions where animals move and associate more freely. We gave a Trp-enriched diet to a free-flying flock of common waxbills (Estrilda astrild) in semi-natural conditions, and monitored group foraging, aggressions during feeding and the social network. Contrary to expectations, aggressiveness and feeding increased during Trp supplementation. Consistent with the prediction of increased social associations, foraging groups became larger and individuals joined more foraging groups, but these changes appear driven by increased appetite during Trp treatment. Also, the mean strength of associations in the social network did not change. Overall, Trp su..., , , # Data from 'Dietary tryptophan affects group behavior in a social bird' (Saldanha et al. 2024, Behavioral Ecology).

Created in March 2024 by Beatriz C. Saldanha ([[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])).

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Title:
Data from: Dietary tryptophan affects group behavior in a social bird

2. Authors:
Beatriz C. Saldanha 1,2, Patrícia Beltrão 1,2, Ana Cristina R. Gomes 1,2,3, Marta C. Soares 1,2,4, Gonçalo C. Cardoso 1,2 & Sandra Trigo 1,2
1CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
2BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
3Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
4MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, ARNET -Rede de Investigação Aquática, Departamento de P...