Submission Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

Cognition is important to the individual animal and can help determine its role and impact on its ecological niche. Variation in cognition may influence the way animals interact with their environment and their performance in certain behaviors such as resource acquisition, range philopatry, and navigation. The question has been raised as to whether cognitive styles such as fast-slow or speed-accuracy types share a relationship with behavioral type. Animal personality (behavioral type) is made up of five axes: boldness, aggression, sociality, activity, and exploration. In this study, we investigate learning in a western Nebraska population of ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata) as it relates to boldness, activity, and exploration. Using field assay cognitive data combined with lab assay behavioral data, we determined that ornate box turtles exhibit both learning on the population level and exhibit consistent behavioral types. However, our results revealed no strong relationship between individual cognition and behavioral types, suggesting these two intrinsic traits are independent of one another in our population of ornate box turtles.

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Patience Wager, Washburn University

Katie Brighton, Washburn University

Mason Chanay, Washburn University

Aubrey Gauntt, Washburn University

Samantha Kim, Washburn University

Keetan Munsell, Washburn University

Abby Trautman, Washburn University

Timothy Speer, Washburn University

Samuel Wagner, Washburn University

Dr. Benjamin Reed, Washburn University

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Relationship between learning and BT in ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Cognition is important to the individual animal and can help determine its role and impact on its ecological niche. Variation in cognition may influence the way animals interact with their environment and their performance in certain behaviors such as resource acquisition, range philopatry, and navigation. The question has been raised as to whether cognitive styles such as fast-slow or speed-accuracy types share a relationship with behavioral type. Animal personality (behavioral type) is made up of five axes: boldness, aggression, sociality, activity, and exploration. In this study, we investigate learning in a western Nebraska population of ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata) as it relates to boldness, activity, and exploration. Using field assay cognitive data combined with lab assay behavioral data, we determined that ornate box turtles exhibit both learning on the population level and exhibit consistent behavioral types. However, our results revealed no strong relationship between individual cognition and behavioral types, suggesting these two intrinsic traits are independent of one another in our population of ornate box turtles.