Estimating sex-specific dispersal rates with autosomal markers in hierarchically structured populations

Authored by P Fontanillas, E Petit, N Perrin

Date Published: 2004

Sponsors: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

A recent study suggests that sex-specific dispersal rates can be quantitatively estimated on the basis of sex- and state-specific (pre- vs. postdispersal) F-statistics. In the present paper, we extend this approach to account for the hierarchical structure of natural populations, and we validate it through individual-based simulations. The model is applied to an empirical data set consisting of 536 individuals (males, females, and predispersal juveniles) of greater white-toothed shrews (Crocidura russula), sampled according to a hierarchical design and typed for seven autosomal microsatellite loci. From this dataset, dispersal is significantly female biased at the local scale (breeding-group level), but not at the larger scale (among local populations). We argue that selective pressures on dispersal are likely to depend on the spatial scale considered, and that short-distance dispersal should mainly respond to kin interactions (inbreeding or kin competition avoidance), which exert differential pressure on males and females.

Tags

Reproductive success Mitochondrial-dna Gene flow Subdivided populations Crocidura-russula White-toothed shrew Female-biased dispersal Inbreeding avoidance F-statistics Covariance components