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Vitikainen EIK, Meniri M, Marshall HH, Thompson FJ, Businge R, Mwanguhya F, Kyabulima S, Mwesige K, Ahabonya S, Sanderson JL, Kalema-Zikusoka G, Hoffman JI, Wells D, Lewis G, Walker SL, Nichols HJ, Blount JD, Cant MA. The social formation of fitness: lifetime consequences of prenatal nutrition and postnatal care in a wild mammal population. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220309. [PMID: 37381858 PMCID: PMC10291432 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in medicine and evolutionary biology suggests that the sequencing of parental investment has a crucial impact on offspring life history and health. Here, we take advantage of the synchronous birth system of wild banded mongooses to test experimentally the lifetime consequences to offspring of receiving extra investment prenatally versus postnatally. We provided extra food to half of the breeding females in each group during pregnancy, leaving the other half as matched controls. This manipulation resulted in two categories of experimental offspring in synchronously born litters: (i) 'prenatal boost' offspring whose mothers had been fed during pregnancy, and (ii) 'postnatal boost' offspring whose mothers were not fed during pregnancy but who received extra alloparental care in the postnatal period. Prenatal boost offspring lived substantially longer as adults, but postnatal boost offspring had higher lifetime reproductive success (LRS) and higher glucocorticoid levels across the lifespan. Both types of experimental offspring had higher LRS than offspring from unmanipulated litters. We found no difference between the two experimental categories of offspring in adult weight, age at first reproduction, oxidative stress or telomere lengths. These findings are rare experimental evidence that prenatal and postnatal investments have distinct effects in moulding individual life history and fitness in wild mammals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. I. K. Vitikainen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, PO Box 65, 00014 Finland
| | - M. Meniri
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - H. H. Marshall
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
- Centre for Research in Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, University of Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PJ, UK
| | - F. J. Thompson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - R. Businge
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - F. Mwanguhya
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - S. Kyabulima
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - K. Mwesige
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - S. Ahabonya
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - J. L. Sanderson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - G. Kalema-Zikusoka
- Conservation Through Public Health, PO Box 75298, Uringi Crescent Rd, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - J. I. Hoffman
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Germany
| | - D. Wells
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Germany
| | - G. Lewis
- Department of Biosciences, Wallace Building, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - S. L. Walker
- Chester Zoo Endocrine Laboratory, Endocrinology, Science Centre, Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - H. J. Nichols
- Department of Biosciences, Wallace Building, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - J. D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - M. A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, PO Box 66 Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
- German Primate Center, University of Goettingen, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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2
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Kin-structured cooperatively breeding groups due to limited dispersal in the obligate shell-brooding cichlid Neolamprologus meeli. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03201-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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4
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Khera M, Arbuckle K, Hoffman JI, Sanderson JL, Cant MA, Nichols HJ. Cooperatively breeding banded mongooses do not avoid inbreeding through familiarity-based kin recognition. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In species that live in family groups, such as cooperative breeders, inbreeding is usually avoided through the recognition of familiar kin. For example, individuals may avoid mating with conspecifics encountered regularly in infancy, as these likely include parents, siblings, and closely related alloparents. Other mechanisms have also been reported, albeit rarely; for example, individuals may compare their own phenotype to that of others, with close matches representing likely relatives (“phenotype matching”). However, determinants of the primary inbreeding avoidance mechanisms used by a given species remain poorly understood. We use 24 years of life history and genetic data to investigate inbreeding avoidance in wild cooperatively breeding banded mongooses (Mungos mungo). We find that inbreeding avoidance occurs within social groups but is far from maximised (mean pedigree relatedness between 351 breeding pairs = 0.144). Unusually for a group-living vertebrate, we find no evidence that females avoid breeding with males with which they are familiar in early life. This is probably explained by communal breeding; females give birth in tight synchrony and pups are cared for communally, thus reducing the reliability of familiarity-based proxies of relatedness. We also found little evidence that inbreeding is avoided by preferentially breeding with males of specific age classes. Instead, females may exploit as-yet unknown proxies of relatedness, for example, through phenotype matching, or may employ postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance mechanisms. Investigation of species with unusual breeding systems helps to identify constraints against inbreeding avoidance and contributes to our understanding of the distribution of inbreeding across species.
Significance statement
Choosing the right mate is never easy, but it may be particularly difficult for banded mongooses. In most social animals, individuals avoid mating with those that were familiar to them as infants, as these are likely to be relatives. However, we show that this rule does not work in banded mongooses. Here, the offspring of several mothers are raised in large communal litters by their social group, and parents seem unable to identify or direct care towards their own pups. This may make it difficult to recognise relatives based on their level of familiarity and is likely to explain why banded mongooses frequently inbreed. Nevertheless, inbreeding is lower than expected if mates are chosen at random, suggesting that alternative pre- or post-copulatory inbreeding avoidance mechanisms are used.
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Croft DP, Weiss MN, Nielsen MLK, Grimes C, Cant MA, Ellis S, Franks DW, Johnstone RA. Kinship dynamics: patterns and consequences of changes in local relatedness. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211129. [PMID: 34403632 PMCID: PMC8370800 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that patterns of local relatedness can change over time in predictable ways, a process termed kinship dynamics. Kinship dynamics may occur at the level of the population or social group, where the mean relatedness across all members of the population or group changes over time, or at the level of the individual, where an individual's relatedness to its local group changes with age. Kinship dynamics are likely to have fundamental consequences for the evolution of social behaviour and life history because they alter the inclusive fitness payoffs to actions taken at different points in time. For instance, growing evidence suggests that individual kinship dynamics have shaped the evolution of menopause and age-specific patterns of helping and harming. To date, however, the consequences of kinship dynamics for social evolution have not been widely explored. Here we review the patterns of kinship dynamics that can occur in natural populations and highlight how taking a kinship dynamics approach has yielded new insights into behaviour and life-history evolution. We discuss areas where analysing kinship dynamics could provide new insight into social evolution, and we outline some of the challenges in predicting and quantifying kinship dynamics in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren P. Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael N. Weiss
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Center for Whale Research, Friday Harbour, WA, USA
| | - Mia L. K. Nielsen
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Charli Grimes
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Samuel Ellis
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Daniel W. Franks
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of York, York, UK
| | - Rufus A. Johnstone
- Behaviour and Evolution Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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6
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Verble K, Hallerman EM, Alexander KA. Urban landscapes increase dispersal, gene flow, and pathogen transmission potential in banded mongoose ( Mungos mungo) in northern Botswana. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9227-9240. [PMID: 34306619 PMCID: PMC8293740 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease transmission can be strongly influenced by the manner in which conspecifics are connected across a landscape and the effects of land use upon these dynamics. In northern Botswana, the territorial and group-living banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) lives across urban and natural landscapes and is infected with a novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex pathogen, M. mungi. Using microsatellite markers amplified from DNA derived from banded mongoose fecal and tissue samples (n = 168), we evaluated population genetic structure, individual dispersal, and gene flow for 12 troops. Genetic structure was detectable and moderately strong across groups (F ST = 0.086), with K = 7 being the best-supported number of genetic clusters. Indications of admixture in certain troops suggest formation of new groups through recent fusion events. Differentiation was higher for troops inhabiting natural areas (F ST = 0.102) than for troops in urban landscapes (F ST = 0.081). While this suggests increased levels of gene flow between urban-dwelling troops, the inclusion of a smaller number of study troops from natural land types may have influenced these findings. Of those individuals confirmed infected with M. mungi, the majority (73%, n = 11) were assigned to their natal group which is consistent with previous observations linking lower levels of dispersal with infection. Twenty-one probable dispersing individuals were identified, with all suspected migrants originating from troops within the urban landscape. Findings suggest that urbanized landscapes may increase gene flow and dispersal behavior with a concomitant increase in the risk of pathogen spread. As urban landscapes expand, there is an increasing need to understand how land use and pathogen infection may change wildlife behavior and disease transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelton Verble
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlabamaTuscaloosaALUSA
| | - Eric M. Hallerman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Kathleen A. Alexander
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Chobe Research InstituteCARACALKasaneBotswana
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7
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A veil of ignorance can promote fairness in a mammal society. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3717. [PMID: 34162841 PMCID: PMC8222408 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Rawls argued that fairness in human societies can be achieved if decisions about the distribution of societal rewards are made from behind a veil of ignorance, which obscures the personal gains that result. Whether ignorance promotes fairness in animal societies, that is, the distribution of resources to reduce inequality, is unknown. Here we show experimentally that cooperatively breeding banded mongooses, acting from behind a veil of ignorance over kinship, allocate postnatal care in a way that reduces inequality among offspring, in the manner predicted by a Rawlsian model of cooperation. In this society synchronized reproduction leaves adults in a group ignorant of the individual parentage of their communal young. We provisioned half of the mothers in each mongoose group during pregnancy, leaving the other half as matched controls, thus increasing inequality among mothers and increasing the amount of variation in offspring birth weight in communal litters. After birth, fed mothers provided extra care to the offspring of unfed mothers, not their own young, which levelled up initial size inequalities among the offspring and equalized their survival to adulthood. Our findings suggest that a classic idea of moral philosophy also applies to the evolution of cooperation in biological systems. Obscuring knowledge of personal gains from individuals can theoretically maintain fairness in a cooperative group. Experiments show that wild, cooperatively breeding banded mongooses uncertain of kinship allocate postnatal care in a way that reduces inequality among offspring, suggesting a classic idea of moral philosophy can apply in biological systems.
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8
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Preston EFR, Thompson FJ, Ellis S, Kyambulima S, Croft DP, Cant MA. Network-level consequences of outgroup threats in banded mongooses: Grooming and aggression between the sexes. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:153-167. [PMID: 33428240 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Animal groups are heterogeneous assemblages of individuals with differing fitness interests, which may lead to internal conflict over investment in group territorial defence. Differences between individuals may lead to different behavioural responses to intergroup conflict, particularly between the sexes. These potential impacts have been little studied. We used social network analysis to investigate the impact of simulated intergroup conflicts on social relationships in groups of wild banded mongooses Mungos mungo, in which intergroup fights are more costly for males than females. We predicted that social cohesion (specifically male-to-male and female-to-male grooming) would increase after conflict, and aggression would decrease, to minimize conflict between the sexes. Simulated intergroup conflicts were performed by exposing banded mongoose groups to scents, 'war cry' playbacks, and live intruders from a rival group. All grooming and aggression interactions between individuals were recorded, and grooming and aggression social networks were created for the 2 days preceding a simulated intergroup conflict (pre-conflict network) and the 2 days after (post-conflict network). We found no evidence of an increase in social cohesion after simulated conflicts, measured as grooming eigenvector centrality. Male-to-male, male-to-female and female-to-male grooming strength decreased after simulated intrusions compared to female-to-female grooming strength. However, male-female aggression decreased in intrusion trials compared to other interaction types, consistent with the hypothesis that intergroup encounters reduce the level of intragroup conflict between males and females. Males were more affected socially by intergroup encounters than females, which may be because they are investing in defence rather than internal relationships. Focusing on individual relationship changes, using social network analysis, can reveal changes in the directionality of behaviour in response to intergroup encounters, and highlight how individual responses to conflict may scale up to affect social networks and, potentially, group performance. This study highlights the importance of studying both group-level behaviours and individual relationships to more fully understand responses to intergroup encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth F R Preston
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Faye J Thompson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Samuel Ellis
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Darren P Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael A Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
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9
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Wells DA, Cant MA, Thompson FJ, Marshall HH, Vitikainen EIK, Hoffman JI, Nichols HJ. Extra-group paternity varies with proxies of relatedness in a social mammal with high inbreeding risk. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Behavioral mechanisms for avoiding inbreeding are common in the natural world and are believed to have evolved as a response to the negative consequences of inbreeding. However, despite a fundamental role in fitness, we have a limited understanding of the cues that individuals use to assess inbreeding risk, as well as the extent to which individual inbreeding behavior is repeatable. We used piecewise structural equation modeling of 24 years of data to investigate the causes and consequences of within- versus extra-group paternity in banded mongooses. This cooperatively breeding mammal lives in tight-knit social groups that often contain closely related opposite-sex breeders, so inbreeding can be avoided through extra-group mating. We used molecular parentage assignments to show that, despite extra-group paternity resulting in outbred offspring, within-group inbreeding occurs frequently, with around 16% litters being moderately or highly inbred. Additionally, extra-group paternity appears to be plastic, with females mating outside of their social group according to individual proxies (age and immigration status) and societal proxies (group size and age) of within-group inbreeding risk but not in direct response to levels of within-group relatedness. While individual repeatability in extra-group paternity was relatively low, female cobreeders showed high repeatability, suggesting a strong constraint arising from the opportunities for extra-group mating. The use of extra-group paternity as an inbreeding avoidance strategy is, therefore, limited by high costs, opportunity constraints, and the limited reliability of proxies of inbreeding risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Wells
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach, Bielefeld, Germany
- School of Natural Science and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael A Cant
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Faye J Thompson
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Harry H Marshall
- Centre for Research in Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Emma I K Vitikainen
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach, Bielefeld, Germany
- British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Hazel J Nichols
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Postfach, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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10
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Gueuning M, Frey JE, Praz C. Ultraconserved yet informative for species delimitation: Ultraconserved elements resolve long-standing systematic enigma in Central European bees. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4203-4220. [PMID: 32916006 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Accurate and testable species hypotheses are essential for measuring, surveying and managing biodiversity. Taxonomists often rely on mitochondrial DNA barcoding to complement morphological species delimitations. Although COI-barcoding has largely proven successful in assisting identifications for most animal taxa, there are nevertheless numerous cases where mitochondrial barcodes do not reflect species hypotheses. For instance, what is regarded as a single species can be associated with two distinct DNA barcodes, which can point either to cryptic diversity or to within-species mitochondrial divergences without reproductive isolation. In contrast, two or more species can share barcodes, for instance due to mitochondrial introgression. These intrinsic limitations of DNA barcoding are commonly addressed with nuclear genomic markers, which are expensive, may have low repeatability and often require high-quality DNA. To overcome these limitations, we examined the use of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) as a quick and robust genomic approach to address such problematic cases of species delimitation in bees. This genomic method was assessed using six different species complexes suspected to harbour cryptic diversity, mitochondrial introgression or mitochondrial paraphyly. The sequencing of UCEs recovered between 686 and 1,860 homologous nuclear loci and provided explicit species delimitation in all investigated species complexes. These results provide strong evidence for the suitability of UCEs as a fast method for species delimitation even in recently diverged lineages. Furthermore, we provide the first evidence for both mitochondrial introgression among distinct bee species, and mitochondrial paraphyly within a single bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Gueuning
- Agroscope, Research Group Molecular Diagnostics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Wädenswil, Switzerland.,Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Juerg E Frey
- Agroscope, Research Group Molecular Diagnostics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Praz
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
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11
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Pearson SK, Johnston GR, Bull CM, Fenner AL, Gardner MG. Fine‐scale genetic structuring in a group‐living lizard, the gidgee skink (
Egernia stokesii
). AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Pearson
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University of South Australia GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001Australia
| | - Gregory R. Johnston
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University of South Australia GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001Australia
- South Australian Museum Adelaide South Australia Australia
- Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology School of Medicine University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - C. Michael Bull
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University of South Australia GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001Australia
| | - Aaron L. Fenner
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University of South Australia GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001Australia
| | - Michael G. Gardner
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University of South Australia GPO Box 2100 Adelaide South Australia 5001Australia
- South Australian Museum Adelaide South Australia Australia
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12
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Holekamp KE, Sawdy MA. The evolution of matrilineal social systems in fissiped carnivores. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180065. [PMID: 31303158 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We review matrilineal relationships in the societies of fissiped mammalian carnivores, focusing on how the most complex of these may have evolved from simpler systems. Although competition for food is very intense at the trophic level occupied by most carnivores, and although most species of extant fissiped carnivores therefore lead solitary lives, some species show at least rudimentary clustering of maternal kin and matrilineal resource-sharing or transmission of critical resources between generations. The resources shared or transmitted range from individual food items and territories to entire networks of potential allies. The greatest elaboration of matrilineal relationships has occurred in two large carnivores, lions and spotted hyenas, which occur sympatrically throughout much of Africa. The societies of both these species apparently evolved in response to a shared suite of ecological conditions. The highly matrilineal societies of spotted hyenas are unique among carnivores and closely resemble the societies of many cercopithecine primates. The conditions favouring the evolution of matrilineal societies in carnivores include male-biased dispersal, female philopatry, the need for assistance in protecting or provisioning offspring, reliance on large or abundant prey, particularly in open habitat, high population density and kin-structured cooperative interactions that have strong positive effects on fitness. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay E Holekamp
- 1 Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA.,2 Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA
| | - Maggie A Sawdy
- 1 Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA.,2 Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University , East Lansing, MI , USA
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13
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Rodrigues AMM. Ecological succession, patch age and the evolution of social behaviour and terminal investment. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- António M. M. Rodrigues
- Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Cambridge; Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
- Wolfson College; Barton Road Cambridge UK
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14
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Rodrigues AMM. Demography, life history and the evolution of age-dependent social behaviour. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1340-1353. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Rodrigues AMM, Taylor TB. Ecological and demographic correlates of cooperation from individual to budding dispersal. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1058-1070. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tiffany B. Taylor
- The Milner Centre for Evolution & Department of Biology and Biochemistry; University of Bath; Bath UK
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16
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Mitchell J, Kyabulima S, Businge R, Cant MA, Nichols HJ. Kin discrimination via odour in the cooperatively breeding banded mongoose. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171798. [PMID: 29657784 PMCID: PMC5882708 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Kin discrimination is often beneficial for group-living animals as it aids in inbreeding avoidance and providing nepotistic help. In mammals, the use of olfactory cues in kin discrimination is widespread and may occur through learning the scents of individuals that are likely to be relatives, or by assessing genetic relatedness directly through assessing odour similarity (phenotype matching). We use scent presentations to investigate these possibilities in a wild population of the banded mongoose Mungos mungo, a cooperative breeder in which inbreeding risk is high and females breed communally, disrupting behavioural cues to kinship. We find that adults show heightened behavioural responses to unfamiliar (extra-group) scents than to familiar (within-group) scents. Interestingly, we found that responses to familiar odours, but not unfamiliar odours, varied with relatedness. This suggests that banded mongooses are either able to use an effective behavioural rule to identify likely relatives from within their group, or that phenotype matching is used in the context of within-group kin recognition but not extra-group kin recognition. In other cooperative breeders, familiarity is used within the group and phenotype matching may be used to identify unfamiliar kin. However, for the banded mongoose this pattern may be reversed, most likely due to their unusual breeding system which disrupts within-group behavioural cues to kinship.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Mitchell
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - S. Kyabulima
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
| | - R. Businge
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
| | - M. A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - H. J. Nichols
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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17
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Female breeding dispersal in wolverines, a solitary carnivore with high territorial fidelity. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1164-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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Nichols HJ. The causes and consequences of inbreeding avoidance and tolerance in cooperatively breeding vertebrates. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- H. J. Nichols
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
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19
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Stepien CA, Karsiotis SI, Sullivan TJ, Klymus KE. Population genetic structure and comparative diversity of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu: congruent patterns from two genomes. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2017; 90:2125-2147. [PMID: 28321848 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Genetic diversity and divergence patterns of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu spawning groups are analysed across its northern native range with mtDNA cytochrome b gene sequences and eight unlinked nuclear DNA microsatellite loci. Results reveal high levels of genetic variability and significant differences in allelic representation among populations (mtDNA: mean ± s.e., HD = 0·50 ± 0·06, mean ± s.e., θST = 0·41 ± 0·02 and microsatellites: mean ± s.e. HO = 0·46 ± 0·03, mean ± s.e. θST = 0·25 ± 0·01). The distributions of 28 variant mtDNA haplotypes, which differ by an average of 3·94 nucleotides (range = 1-8), denote divergent representation among geographic areas. Microsatellite data support nine primary population groups, whose high self-assignment probabilities likewise display marked divergence. Genetic patterns demonstrate: (1) high genetic diversity in both genomes, (2) significant divergence among populations, probably resulting from natal site homing and low lifetime migration, (3) support for three post-glacial refugia that variously contributed to the current northern populations, which remain evident today despite waterway connectivity and (4) a weak yet significant genetic isolation by geographic distance pattern, indicating that other processes affect the differences among populations, such as territoriality and site fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Stepien
- Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, U.S.A
- NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, U.S.A
| | - S I Karsiotis
- Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, U.S.A
| | - T J Sullivan
- Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, U.S.A
| | - K E Klymus
- Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, U.S.A
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20
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Jackson CR, Groom RJ, Jordan NR, McNutt JW. The effect of relatedness and pack size on territory overlap in African wild dogs. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:10. [PMID: 28417004 PMCID: PMC5392232 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-017-0099-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spacing patterns mediate competitive interactions between conspecifics, ultimately increasing fitness. The degree of territorial overlap between neighbouring African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) packs varies greatly, yet the role of factors potentially affecting the degree of overlap, such as relatedness and pack size, remain unclear. We used movement data from 21 wild dog packs to calculate the extent of territory overlap (20 dyads). RESULTS On average, unrelated neighbouring packs had low levels of overlap restricted to the peripheral regions of their 95% utilisation kernels. Related neighbours had significantly greater levels of peripheral overlap. Only one unrelated dyad included overlap between 75%-75% kernels, but no 50%-50% kernels overlapped. However, eight of 12 related dyads overlapped between their respective 75% kernels and six between the frequented 50% kernels. Overlap between these more frequented kernels confers a heightened likelihood of encounter, as the mean utilisation intensity per unit area within the 50% kernels was 4.93 times greater than in the 95% kernels, and 2.34 times greater than in the 75% kernels. Related packs spent significantly more time in their 95% kernel overlap zones than did unrelated packs. Pack size appeared to have little effect on overlap between related dyads, yet among unrelated neighbours larger packs tended to overlap more onto smaller packs' territories. However, the true effect is unclear given that the model's confidence intervals overlapped zero. CONCLUSIONS Evidence suggests that costly intraspecific aggression is greatly reduced between related packs. Consequently, the tendency for dispersing individuals to establish territories alongside relatives, where intensively utilised portions of ranges regularly overlap, may extend kin selection and inclusive fitness benefits from the intra-pack to inter-pack level. This natural spacing system can affect survival parameters and the carrying capacity of protected areas, having important management implications for intensively managed populations of this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig R. Jackson
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Sluppen, PO Box 5685, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rosemary J. Groom
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- African Wildlife Conservation Fund, Savé Valley Conservancy, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Neil R. Jordan
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Wildlife Reproduction Centre, Obley Road, Dubbo, NSW 2830 Australia
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21
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Mitchell J, Vitikainen EIK, Wells DA, Cant MA, Nichols HJ. Heterozygosity but not inbreeding coefficient predicts parasite burdens in the banded mongoose. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Mitchell
- School of Natural Science and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
| | - E. I. K. Vitikainen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter (Penryn campus) Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - D. A. Wells
- School of Natural Science and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
| | - M. A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter (Penryn campus) Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - H. J. Nichols
- School of Natural Science and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
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22
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Schneider TC, Kappeler PM, Pozzi L. Genetic population structure and relatedness in the narrow-striped mongoose ( Mungotictis decemlineata), a social Malagasy carnivore with sexual segregation. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3734-3749. [PMID: 27231532 PMCID: PMC4864277 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on the genetic structure of animal populations can allow inferences about mechanisms shaping their social organization, dispersal, and mating system. The mongooses (Herpestidae) include some of the best-studied mammalian systems in this respect, but much less is known about their closest relatives, the Malagasy carnivores (Eupleridae), even though some of them exhibit unusual association patterns. We investigated the genetic structure of the Malagasy narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata), a small forest-dwelling gregarious carnivore exhibiting sexual segregation. Based on mtDNA and microsatellite analyses, we determined population-wide haplotype structure and sex-specific and within-group relatedness. Furthermore, we analyzed parentage and sibship relationships and the level of reproductive skew. We found a matrilinear population structure, with several neighboring female units sharing identical haplotypes. Within-group female relatedness was significantly higher than expected by chance in the majority of units. Haplotype diversity of males was significantly higher than in females, indicating male-biased dispersal. Relatedness within the majority of male associations did not differ from random, not proving any kin-directed benefits of male sociality in this case. We found indications for a mildly promiscuous mating system without monopolization of females by males, and low levels of reproductive skew in both sexes based on parentages of emergent young. Low relatedness within breeding pairs confirmed immigration by males and suggested similarities with patterns in social mongooses, providing a starting point for further investigations of mate choice and female control of reproduction and the connected behavioral mechanisms. Our study contributes to the understanding of the determinants of male sociality in carnivores as well as the mechanisms of female competition in species with small social units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilman C. Schneider
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Department of Sociobiology/AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenKellnerweg 6D‐37077GöttingenGermany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Luca Pozzi
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology UnitGerman Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate ResearchKellnerweg 4D‐37077GöttingenGermany
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23
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Cote J, Bocedi G, Debeffe L, Chudzińska ME, Weigang HC, Dytham C, Gonzalez G, Matthysen E, Travis J, Baguette M, Hewison AJM. Behavioural synchronization of large-scale animal movements - disperse alone, but migrate together? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1275-1296. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Cote
- ENFA and UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), CNRS; Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier; Toulouse cedex 9 F-31062 France
| | - Greta Bocedi
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
| | - Lucie Debeffe
- CEFS, INRA; Université de Toulouse; Castanet Tolosan 31320 France
- Department of Biology; University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon SK S7N 5E2 Canada
| | | | - Helene C. Weigang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 68 Helsinki 00014 Finland
| | - Calvin Dytham
- Department of Biology; University of York; York YO10 5DD UK
| | - Georges Gonzalez
- CEFS, INRA; Université de Toulouse; Castanet Tolosan 31320 France
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Department of Biology; University of Antwerp; Antwerp B-2610 Belgium
| | - Justin Travis
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
| | - Michel Baguette
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Experimentale; CNRS UMR 5321; Moulis 09200 France
- Institut De Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité, UMR 7205; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Paris cedex 5 FR-75005 France
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24
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Sanderson JL, Stott I, Young AJ, Vitikainen EI, Hodge SJ, Cant MA. The origins of consistent individual differences in cooperation in wild banded mongooses, Mungos mungo. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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25
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Nichols HJ, Cant MA, Hoffman JI, Sanderson JL. Evidence for frequent incest in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Biol Lett 2015; 10:20140898. [PMID: 25540153 PMCID: PMC4298196 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As breeding between relatives often results in inbreeding depression, inbreeding avoidance is widespread in the animal kingdom. However, inbreeding avoidance may entail fitness costs. For example, dispersal away from relatives may reduce survival. How these conflicting selection pressures are resolved is challenging to investigate, but theoretical models predict that inbreeding should occur frequently in some systems. Despite this, few studies have found evidence of regular incest in mammals, even in social species where relatives are spatio-temporally clustered and opportunities for inbreeding frequently arise. We used genetic parentage assignments together with relatedness data to quantify inbreeding rates in a wild population of banded mongooses, a cooperatively breeding carnivore. We show that females regularly conceive to close relatives, including fathers and brothers. We suggest that the costs of inbreeding avoidance may sometimes outweigh the benefits, even in cooperatively breeding species where strong within-group incest avoidance is considered to be the norm.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J Nichols
- Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
| | - M A Cant
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter TR10 9FE, UK
| | - J I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33501, Germany
| | - J L Sanderson
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter TR10 9FE, UK
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26
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Nichols HJ, Cant MA, Sanderson JL. Adjustment of costly extra-group paternity according to inbreeding risk in a cooperative mammal. Behav Ecol 2015; 26:1486-1494. [PMID: 26609201 PMCID: PMC4652740 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Female-banded mongooses risk their lives to mate with rivals during pack “warfare.” Data from wild banded mongooses reveal that 18% of pups are fathered by males from rival packs. These pups are less likely to be inbred are heavier and have higher survival chances than their within-pack counterparts. However, their mothers risk a lot to mate with extra-pack males; aggressive encounters between packs account for 20% of pup deaths and 12% of adult deaths. Females of many animal species seek mating opportunities with multiple males, despite being able to obtain sufficient sperm to father their offspring from a single male. In animals that live in stable social groups, females often choose to mate outside their group resulting in extra-group paternity (EGP). One reason proposed to explain female choice for extra-group males is to obtain compatible genes, for example, in order to avoid inbreeding depression in offspring. The benefits of such extra-group paternities could be substantial if they result in fitter, outbred offspring. However, avoiding inbreeding in this way could be costly for females, for example, through retaliation by cuckolded males or through receiving aggression while prospecting for extra-group mating opportunities. We investigate the costs and benefits of EGP in the banded mongoose Mungos mungo, a cooperatively breeding mammal in which within-group mates are sometimes close relatives. We find that pups born to females that mate with extra-group males are more genetically heterozygous are heavier and are more likely to survive to independence than pups born to females that mate within their group. However, extra-group matings also involve substantial costs as they occur during violent encounters that sometimes result in injury and death. This appears to lead femalebanded mongooses to adaptively adjust EGP levels according to the current risk of inbreeding associated with mating within the group. For group-living animals, the costs of intergroup interactions may help to explain variation in both inbreeding rates and EGP within and between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazel J Nichols
- School of Natural Science and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University , Liverpool L3 3AF , UK and
| | - Michael A Cant
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jennifer L Sanderson
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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27
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Radersma R, Sheldon BC. A new permutation technique to explore and control for spatial autocorrelation. Methods Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Reinder Radersma
- Department of Zoology Edward Grey Institute University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Department of Biology Lund University 22100 Lund Sweden
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Department of Zoology Edward Grey Institute University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3PS UK
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28
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Koykka C, Wild G. The evolution of group dispersal with leaders and followers. J Theor Biol 2015; 371:117-26. [PMID: 25698231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Revised: 12/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In many species, individuals disperse in groups. While there are empirical studies that explore the proximate incentives for group dispersal, theoretical research has primarily examined the consequences rather than the evolution of this phenomenon. We design a simple model to study the origin and evolution of group dispersal. We assume that like many other group activities associated with collective movement, group dispersal in our model is initiated by leaders. We use the theory of inclusive fitness to examine the incentives for leading and following in this context. High relatedness, significant reductions in the cost of dispersal due to dispersing in groups, and reproductive skew in favour of followers facilitates the emergence of group dispersal. In contrast to some previous theoretical work, which has either concluded that leadership is uniformly altruistic or that it is uniformly selfish, we find that at evolutionary equilibrium the incentives for leading can be either selfish or altruistic. The nature of result (selfish or altruistic) depends on ecological and social conditions such as the cost of dispersal and the relatedness between leaders and followers. Our model demonstrates that kin selection is sufficient and that individual differences in condition and ability are not necessary to promote the emergence and maintenance of leader-follower relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Koykka
- Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada N6A 5B7
| | - Geoff Wild
- Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada N6A 5B7.
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29
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No evidence for avoidance of visibly diseased conspecifics in the highly social banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1849-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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30
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Jordan NR, Apps PJ, Golabek KA, McNutt JW. Top marks from top dogs: tandem marking and pair bond advertisement in African wild dogs. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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31
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Cant MA, Vitikainen E, Nichols HJ. Demography and Social Evolution of Banded Mongooses. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-407186-5.00006-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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