Network nestedness in primates: a structural constraint or a biological advantage of social complexity?

Abstract

This study investigates the prevalence and implications of nestedness within primate social networks, examining its relationship with cognitive and structural factors. We analysed data from 51 primate groups across 21 species, employing network analysis to evaluate nestedness and its correlation with modularity, neocortex ratio, and group size. We used Bayesian mixed effects modelling to investigate nestedness in primate social networks, controlling for phylogenetic dependencies and exploring various factors like neocortex ratio and group size. Our findings reveal a significant occurrence of nestedness in 66% of the species studied, exceeding chance expectations. This nestedness was more pronounced in groups with less steep dominance hierarchies, contrary to traditional assumptions linking it to hierarchical social structures. A notable inverse relationship between nestedness and modularity was observed, suggesting a structural trade-off in network formation. This pattern persisted even after controlling for species-specific social behaviours, indicating a general structural feature of primate networks. Surprisingly, our analysis showed no significant correlation between nestedness and neocortex ratio or group size, challenging the social brain hypothesis and suggesting a greater role for ecological factors in cognitive evolution. This study emphasises the importance of weak links in maintaining network resilience. Overall, our research provides new insights into primate social network structures, highlighting complex interplays between network characteristics and challenging existing paradigms in cognitive and evolutionary biology.