How highly social mammals optimize group size

(Phys.org)—The sizes of social groups among mammals are driven by dynamics from within the group and a combination of pressures and incentives from outside. While aggregation and cooperation are often beneficial for species survival, group size influences the allocation of time and the use of space, and has strong implications for individual health and fitness. Over the years, studies have largely suggested a linear relationship between group size, home range area and daily travel distance