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Higher Reproductive Success among Kin Groups of Bank Voles (Clethrionomys Glareolus)
Author(s) -
Mappes Tapio,
Ylonen Hannu,
Viitala Jussi
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1940934
Subject(s) - bank vole , biology , biological dispersal , reproductive success , intraspecific competition , kin selection , competition (biology) , ecology , population , offspring , demography , reproduction , kinship , range (aeronautics) , sexual selection , home range , zoology , habitat , pregnancy , genetics , materials science , sociology , political science , law , composite material
According to the kin selection theory the degree of genetic relatedness affects the nature of intraspecific competition and it might promote cooperative and/or altruistic behavior between individuals. We examined kinship effects on reproductive success of territorial females and survival of juveniles in the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus. Four experimental populations were founded in large enclosures (0.5 ha): two consistent of five related (Related, R) and two of five mutually unrelated females (Unrelated, UR). Each population had five males of heterogeneous origin. Our earlier results showed that populations of the R grew twice as fast as the UR. Here we show that recruitment and offspring survival is connected to spacing behavior of mothers. Unrelated females who had their home range close to each other produced significantly fewer recruits that the related ones. There home ranges overlapped significantly less and ranges were smaller if they were situated close to each other. Furthermore, the survival of juveniles declined with dispersal distance from the natal territory in populations of the UR. Trappabilities of juveniles were also lower among the young whose home range were close to unrelated females, indicating avoidance of mature females. Our results indicate that competition for space is more intense among related neighbors, decreasing their reproductive success. Infanticide towards unrelated nestlings and/or juveniles is one possible mechanism decreasing survival and causing a lower recruitment of young. On the contrary, sharing of space among related neighbors did not seem to cause notable costs on their reproduction. Mature females allowed related young females to use their territory, but still, the young did not acquire an area for their own reproduction, probably due to a mother—daughter conflict. The basic social structure of Clethrionomys populations, i.e., exclusive female territoriality, remain the same regardless of a high degree of relatedness.