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Published on: September 19, 2011
Low heritabilities, but genetic and maternal correlations between red squirrel behaviours
Ryan W Taylor1, A K Boon, B Dantzer
1Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. rwtaylor@msu.edu
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|January 25, 2012
Summary
Animal personalities, or consistent behavioral differences, show low heritability in red squirrels. Maternal and environmental factors significantly influence these traits, alongside a genetic link between activity and aggression.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Quantitative Genetics
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Animal personalities, defined as consistent individual differences in behavior, are observed across many species and have ecological significance.
- Understanding the genetic and environmental underpinnings of these traits in wild populations is crucial but remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate genetic parameters for aggression, activity, and docility in wild North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
- To investigate the sources of variation and covariation in behavioral traits within this species.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a Bayesian animal model approach to analyze behavioral data from a wild red squirrel population.
- Estimated heritability, cohort effects, maternal effects, and permanent environmental effects for key behavioral traits.
Main Results:
- Found low heritabilities for aggression, activity, and docility (0.08-0.12).
- Identified significant cohort (0.07-0.09), maternal (0.07-0.15), and permanent environmental (0.08-0.16) effects.
- Detected substantial positive genetic (0.68) and maternal (0.58) correlations between activity and aggression.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated the presence of heritable variation in red squirrel behavior.
- Highlighted the significant role of maternal and environmental factors in shaping behavioral variation and covariation.
- Provided evidence for genetically based behavioral correlations, specifically between activity and aggression.
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