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Genetic evidence for male‐biased dispersal in the Siberian jay ( Perisoreus infaustus ) based on autosomal and Z‐chromosomal markers
Author(s) -
LI M.H.,
MERILÄ J.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04870.x
Subject(s) - biology , biological dispersal , population , introgression , genetics , philopatry , evolutionary biology , microsatellite , population genetics , allele , demography , gene , sociology
Sex‐bias in natal dispersal patterns can have important genetic and evolutionary consequences; however, reliable information about sex‐biased dispersal can be difficult to obtain with observational methods. We analysed the sex‐specific patterns of genetic differentiation among three Siberian jay ( Perisoreus infaustus ) populations, using 11 autosomal and six Z‐chromosomal microsatellite markers. Irrespective of marker‐type and indices used (viz. F ST , average pairwise relatedness and effective number of immigrants), all analyses provided strong evidence for male‐biased dispersal. Population structuring at autosomal loci ( F ST = 0.046, P < 0.05) exceeded that at Z‐chromosomal loci ( F ST = 0.033, P < 0.05), and levels of introgression were inferred to be significantly higher for Z‐chromosomal when compared to autosomal loci. Of the three populations studied, levels of genetic variability were the lowest in the southernmost fringe population, despite the fact that it harboured a group of divergent Z‐chromosomal haplotypes that were not found in the other two populations. In general, the results provide strong genetic evidence for male‐biased dispersal in Siberian jays, where observational data have previously suggested male philopatry. The results also highlight the utility of Z‐chromosomal markers for gaining insights into the genetic diversity and structuring of populations.