Revisiting the cognitive buffer hypothesis for the evolution of large brains.
Why have some animals evolved large brains despite substantial energetic and developmental costs? A classic answer is that a large brain facilitates the construction of behavioural responses to unusual, novel or complex socioecological challenges. This buffer effect should increase survival rates and favour a longer reproductive life, thereby compensating for the costs of delayed reproduction. Although still limited, evidence in birds and mammals is accumulating that a large brain facilitates the construction of novel and altered behavioural patterns and that this ability helps dealing with new ecological challenges more successfully, supporting the cognitive-buffer interpretation of the evolution of large brains.
Sol
Daniel
D
CSIC-CEAB-CREAF Centre for Ecological Research and Applied Forestries, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain. dsolrueda@gmail.com
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size