Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Kin-based social groups are commonly studied among cooperatively breeding species but have been less studied in "nontraditional" group breeding systems. We investigated the presence of kin-based sociality among females in the common eider ( Somateria mollisima ), a colonial nesting sea duc...
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:beheco:ark002v1 2023-05-15T15:55:55+02:00 Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) McKinnon, Laura Gilchrist, H. Grant Scribner, Kim T. 2006-05-05 14:19:45.0 text/html http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/ark002v1 https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 en eng Oxford University Press http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/ark002v1 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 Copyright (C) 2006, International Society for Behavioral Ecology Article TEXT 2006 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 2016-11-16T18:36:11Z Kin-based social groups are commonly studied among cooperatively breeding species but have been less studied in "nontraditional" group breeding systems. We investigated the presence of kin-based sociality among females in the common eider ( Somateria mollisima ), a colonial nesting sea duck that exhibits high levels of natal philopatry in females. Previous studies of female sociality in common eiders have been restricted to observations during brood rearing. However, aggregations of female common eiders are also observed during other periods of the life cycle such as colony arrival and nesting. Here we apply a novel, empirical framework using molecular markers and field sampling to genetically characterize female social groups at several stages of the common eider life cycle. When compared with mean estimates of interindividual relatedness for the entire colony, significantly higher levels of relatedness were found between females within groups arriving to the colony in flight, between females and nearest neighbors at the time of nest site selection, and between groups of females departing the colony with ducklings. Both full-sibling and half-sibling equivalent relationships were also found within these groups. Therefore, throughout each of several stages including in-flight colony arrival, nesting, and brood rearing, we provide the first genetically confirmed evidence of female kin-based social groups in common eiders and anseriformes in general. Text Common Eider Somateria mollissima HighWire Press (Stanford University) The Canadian Field-Naturalist 125 1 41 |
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Article McKinnon, Laura Gilchrist, H. Grant Scribner, Kim T. Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
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Article |
description |
Kin-based social groups are commonly studied among cooperatively breeding species but have been less studied in "nontraditional" group breeding systems. We investigated the presence of kin-based sociality among females in the common eider ( Somateria mollisima ), a colonial nesting sea duck that exhibits high levels of natal philopatry in females. Previous studies of female sociality in common eiders have been restricted to observations during brood rearing. However, aggregations of female common eiders are also observed during other periods of the life cycle such as colony arrival and nesting. Here we apply a novel, empirical framework using molecular markers and field sampling to genetically characterize female social groups at several stages of the common eider life cycle. When compared with mean estimates of interindividual relatedness for the entire colony, significantly higher levels of relatedness were found between females within groups arriving to the colony in flight, between females and nearest neighbors at the time of nest site selection, and between groups of females departing the colony with ducklings. Both full-sibling and half-sibling equivalent relationships were also found within these groups. Therefore, throughout each of several stages including in-flight colony arrival, nesting, and brood rearing, we provide the first genetically confirmed evidence of female kin-based social groups in common eiders and anseriformes in general. |
format |
Text |
author |
McKinnon, Laura Gilchrist, H. Grant Scribner, Kim T. |
author_facet |
McKinnon, Laura Gilchrist, H. Grant Scribner, Kim T. |
author_sort |
McKinnon, Laura |
title |
Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
title_short |
Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
title_full |
Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
title_fullStr |
Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) |
title_sort |
genetic evidence for kin-based female social structure in common eiders (somateria mollissima) |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/ark002v1 https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 |
genre |
Common Eider Somateria mollissima |
genre_facet |
Common Eider Somateria mollissima |
op_relation |
http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/ark002v1 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 2006, International Society for Behavioral Ecology |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark002 |
container_title |
The Canadian Field-Naturalist |
container_volume |
125 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
41 |
_version_ |
1766391403871469568 |