Spatial population genetic structure and colony dynamics in Damaraland mole‑rats (Fukomys damarensis) from the southern Kalahari

dc.contributor.authorMynhardt, Samantha
dc.contributor.authorHarris‑Barnes, Lorraine
dc.contributor.authorBloomer, Paulette
dc.contributor.authorBennett, Nigel Charles
dc.contributor.emailsamantha.mynhardt@up.ac.zaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2022-07-15T05:08:53Z
dc.date.available2022-07-15T05:08:53Z
dc.date.issued2021-12-08
dc.descriptionADDITIONAL FILE 1 : TABLE S1. Evidence of dispersal from mark-recapture data, indicating the colonies/capture sites for individuals that were captured at different sites in successive years, and the spatial distance associated with each dispersal event.en_US
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND : Non-random associations within and among groups of social animals can provide valuable insight into the function of group living and the evolution of social behaviour. Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) demonstrate extremely high levels of reproductive skew, and dispersal is considered to be male-biased in onset and frequency, although asymmetry in dispersal distance is yet to be investigated. Dispersal may be positively correlated with increasing favourable environmental conditions, such as rainfall, however, the effects of ecological constraints on dispersal and colony fission–fusion dynamics have not previously been demonstrated on a spatial scale. Here we provide the first spatial population genetic study for this species. We investigated genetic structure in a population of Damaraland mole-rats from the southern Kalahari in South Africa over 3 years, combining observational dispersal data from mark-recapture with population genetic data to evaluate (1) sex-bias in frequency and distance of dispersal in this species, and (2) the effect of rainfall on fission–fusion dynamics of colonies. RESULTS : Our results demonstrate (1) that both males and females favour local dispersal but on rare occasions may disperse over distances greater than 400 m, (2) that males may disperse over greater distances than females, and (3) that males more frequently immigrate into established neighbouring colonies than females, who predominantly disperse by colony fission, i.e. multiple individuals “budding” from their native colony into a neighbouring territory, thereby establishing new colonies. Furthermore, our results demonstrate (4) elevated dispersal and colony fission in association with increased rainfall, supporting the hypothesis that rainfall may play a significant role in the maintenance and/or disruption of reproductive skew in Damaraland mole-rat populations. CONCLUSION : This study represents the first fine-scale spatial population genetic study in Damaraland mole-rats, and provides relevant insights into colony fission–fusion dynamics in a social and cooperatively breeding species.en_US
dc.description.departmentBiochemistryen_US
dc.description.departmentGeneticsen_US
dc.description.departmentMammal Research Instituteen_US
dc.description.departmentMicrobiology and Plant Pathologyen_US
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_US
dc.description.librarianam2022en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) Chair of Behavioural Ecology and Physiology (NCB), and the University of Pretoria.en_US
dc.description.urihttps://bmcecolevol.biomedcentral.comen_US
dc.identifier.citationMynhardt, S., Harris-Barnes, L., Bloomer, P. et al. 2021, 'Spatial population genetic structure and colony dynamics in Damaraland mole‑rats (Fukomys damarensis) from the southern Kalahari', BMC Ecology and Evolution, vol. 21, art. 221, pp. 1-17.en_US
dc.identifier.issn2730-7182
dc.identifier.other10.1186/s12862-021-01950-2
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/86208
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherBioMed Centralen_US
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2021. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.en_US
dc.subjectSocial mammalen_US
dc.subjectSex-biased dispersalen_US
dc.subjectDispersal distanceen_US
dc.subjectEcological constraintsen_US
dc.subjectReproductive skewen_US
dc.subjectPopulation geneticsen_US
dc.subjectDamaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis)en_US
dc.titleSpatial population genetic structure and colony dynamics in Damaraland mole‑rats (Fukomys damarensis) from the southern Kalaharien_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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