TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of relatedness in mate choice by an arboreal marsupial in the presence of fine-scale genetic structure
AU - Blyton, Michaela D.J.
AU - Shaw, Robyn E.
AU - Peakall, Rod
AU - Lindenmayer, David B.
AU - Banks, Sam C.
N1 - Funding Information:
Christine Hayes completed the mitochondrial haplotyping. Richard Blyton, Michelle Johnson, Mark Boorman, Guy Leech, Stephanie Bland, Amelia Coman, Mrinalini Pratap, Lachlan McBurney, and David Blair provided assistance with fieldwork. Funding was provided by the Hermon Slade Foundation (HSF 08–4) and the Australian Research Council (DP 0984876). The comments of three anonymous reviewers contributed extensively to the improvements in the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
PY - 2016/3/1
Y1 - 2016/3/1
N2 - Where dispersal distances are restricted or generations overlap, kin may remain spatially clustered, leading to positive spatial genetic structure and the potential for inbreeding. In such circumstances, post-dispersal behavioral mechanisms may be required if individuals are to avoid mating with kin. Here, we conducted an empirical investigation of mate choice in the presence of fine-scale genetic structure. We assessed the potential for mating among relatives using genetic spatial autocorrelation analysis among adult mountain brushtail possums (Trichosurus cunninghami). There was significant positive spatial genetic structure among opposite-sexed adults (on a scale of 200 m), suggesting that kin remained spatially clustered after dispersal. Despite this, no genetic evidence of inbreeding was found. We assessed whether females may potentially avoid inbreeding: (1) by seeking distant mates and/or (2) by the active avoidance of kin in mate choice. Individuals did not choose distant mates, as 97 % of pairs that mated were separated by
AB - Where dispersal distances are restricted or generations overlap, kin may remain spatially clustered, leading to positive spatial genetic structure and the potential for inbreeding. In such circumstances, post-dispersal behavioral mechanisms may be required if individuals are to avoid mating with kin. Here, we conducted an empirical investigation of mate choice in the presence of fine-scale genetic structure. We assessed the potential for mating among relatives using genetic spatial autocorrelation analysis among adult mountain brushtail possums (Trichosurus cunninghami). There was significant positive spatial genetic structure among opposite-sexed adults (on a scale of 200 m), suggesting that kin remained spatially clustered after dispersal. Despite this, no genetic evidence of inbreeding was found. We assessed whether females may potentially avoid inbreeding: (1) by seeking distant mates and/or (2) by the active avoidance of kin in mate choice. Individuals did not choose distant mates, as 97 % of pairs that mated were separated by
KW - Fine-scale genetic structure
KW - Inbreeding avoidance
KW - Mate choice
KW - Trichosurus cunninghami
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/286853de-f6d0-38bc-903e-877d1bb51af1/
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958113365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00265-015-2049-z
DO - 10.1007/s00265-015-2049-z
M3 - Article
SN - 0340-5443
VL - 70
SP - 313
EP - 321
JO - Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
JF - Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
IS - 3
ER -