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DO BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS MINIMIZE INBREEDING?

F Stephen Dobson1, Ronald K Chesser2,3, John L Hoogland4

  • 1Department of Zoology and Wildlife Science, and Alabama Agricultural Experimental Station, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|June 2, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Black-tailed prairie dogs minimize inbreeding within social groups through male dispersal and female philopatry. This behavior, along with kin recognition, reduces inbreeding rates at the breeding group level but not the colony level.

Keywords:
CynomysF-statisticsgene diversitygene dynamicsinbreedingsocial behavior

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Population Genetics
  • Conservation Biology

Background:

  • The significance of inbreeding in natural populations remains debated.
  • Mechanisms influencing inbreeding, such as dispersal and philopatry, are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate inbreeding and social structure in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus).
  • To determine how dispersal and mating behaviors affect genetic variation patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed 15 years of demographic, behavioral, pedigree, and allozyme data.
  • Developed a breeding-group model incorporating prairie dog behavior and demography.
  • Estimated fixation indices (F-statistics) using pedigrees, allozyme data, and the model.

Main Results:

  • Pedigrees showed mean inbreeding coefficients (F) of 1-2%.
  • Model, pedigree, and allozyme data indicated strong genetic structuring within the colony (F_LS = 0.16-0.19).
  • Inbreeding was minimized within breeding groups (coteries) but not at the colony level.

Conclusions:

  • Male-biased dispersal and female philopatry are key mechanisms minimizing inbreeding.
  • Incest avoidance occurs via kin recognition within breeding groups.
  • Social structure significantly influences inbreeding avoidance in natural populations.