Personality shapes inter- and intraspecific interactions in rodents: a behavioral experiment with Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Abstract

Abstract Interspecific and intraspecific interactions are integral components of antagonistic and mutualistic networks of all animal species. These interactions are affected by various factors, such as morphological, physiological, and genetic characteristics. However, the impact of personality traits on animal inter- and intraspecific interactions remains unclear. We investigated the role of different personality types (proactive and reactive) in Lasiopodomys brandtii. We examined both intraspecific interactions with Lasiopodomys brandtii and interspecific interactions with Kunming mice. We found that for intraspecific interactions, proactive individuals had higher numbers of contacts with opponents, spent more time in the vicinity of an opponent, and moved greater distances within the vicinity of an opponent. For interspecific interactions, proactive individuals had higher numbers of contacts with opponents than reactive individuals. These results suggest that proactive individuals, especially male voles, tend to occupy dominant positions in both intraspecific and interspecific relationships. Consequently, our study is meaningful in understanding how personality traits affect animal behavior, species niche differentiation, and community dynamics and local biodiversity.