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Female dispersal and isolation‐by‐distance of Nasonia vitripennis populations in a local mate competition context
Author(s) -
Grillenberger Bernd K.,
Gadau Jürgen,
Bijlsma R.,
Van De Zande Louis,
Beukeboom Leo W.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/j.1570-7458.2009.00881.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , biology , nasonia vitripennis , inbreeding , context (archaeology) , ecology , parasitoid wasp , population , isolation by distance , inbreeding avoidance , mating , pteromalidae , zoology , parasitoid , genetic structure , hymenoptera , mate choice , genetic variation , demography , genetics , paleontology , sociology , gene
Dispersal behavior directly influences the level of inbreeding, but the effect of inbreeding avoidance on dispersal is less well studied. The parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) is known to mate exclusively on the natal patch, and females are the only dispersing sex. A previous study has shown that foundresses on a patch are typically unrelated, implying that females disperse for a considerable distance from their natal patch after mating. We investigated dispersal of N. vitripennis on two scales. On a local scale we used a mark‐release‐recapture experiment, and on the larger scale we investigated isolation by distance using a population genetic approach. We found that N. vitripennis females are long‐distance dispersers, capable of covering at least 2 km in 48 h. Populations within a range of 100 km showed no substructure, but larger distances or major geographical barriers restricted gene flow and led to significant population structure. The results provide a basis for future research on dispersal of parasitoids and are discussed in the context of dispersal abilities and inbreeding avoidance in Nasonia .