Investigating Unused Tools for the Animal Behavioral Diversity Toolkit

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Behavioral diversity is sometimes used by animal scientists to better understand and compare how animals behave. The methods used in behavioral diversity research have not been investigated across the entire research sector. This paper aims to identify which methods are being used in behavioral diversity research and find some novel methods from other areas of science that could be used in new research. To investigate the techniques and species investigated in behavioral diversity literature, a literature search was conducted. Two methods: behavioral richness and the Shannon–Wiener index, were the most often used methods, whereas the Behavioral Variability index featured rarely. While a range of species appeared in the behavioral literature, mammals were the most frequently studied animal group, whereas amphibians did not feature in any papers. There are several diversity indices which did not feature in behavioral diversity including Simpson’s index, and Chao. These methods could be used to better understand animal behavioral study outputs or be used to estimate the number of ‘unobserved’ behaviors that an animal may express. Future studies could therefore make use of these unused tools. ABSTRACT: Behavioral diversity is a commonly used tool used to quantify the richness and evenness of animal behaviors and assess the effect of variables that may impact an animal’s quality of life. The indices used in behavioral diversity research, and the study subjects, have not been formally reviewed. This paper aims to identify which indices are being used in behavioral diversity research, and under which scenarios, and uncover novel indices from other disciplines that could be applied to behavioral diversity. To investigate the techniques and species investigated in behavioral diversity literature, a Web of Science literature search was conducted. Two methods: behavioral richness and the Shannon–Wiener index, were the most frequently used indices, whereas the Behavioral Variability index featured rarely. While a range of species appeared in the behavioral literature, mammals were the most frequently studied Class, whereas amphibians did not feature in any papers. There are several diversity indices which did not feature in behavioral diversity including Simpson’s index, and Chao. Such indices could be used to better understand animal behavioral study outputs or be used to estimate the number of ‘unobserved’ behaviors that an animal may express. Future studies could therefore extend beyond the Shannon–Wiener and richness indices.