Only males care about their environment: sex-biased dispersal in the asp viper (Vipera aspis)

Abstract Sex-biased dispersal is common among vertebrates and numerous studies have documented a tendency towards male-biased dispersal in mammals and female-biased dispersal in birds. A few studies have demonstrated that male-biased dispersal seems to be prevalent in reptiles. However, most of these studies considered only a single study site without taking into account possible local variability. We investigated sex-biased dispersal in Vipera aspis in four study sites in Switzerland using microsatellite markers and we predicted a higher dispersal in males than females. In two study sites, females were more spatially autocorrelated and showed a stronger isolation by distance compared with males, which suggests male-biased dispersal. In the other two study sites, the absence of sex-biased dispersal could have been the result of habitat fragmentation. Surprisingly, the dispersal ability of females was similar in the four sites, regardless of habitat fragmentation. This finding suggests a limited impact of habitat on female dispersal and the opposite for male dispersal. Our study demonstrates the importance of inferring sex-biased dispersal in different habitats, because local barriers can affect the outcome of such studies. Hence, general conclusions about patterns of sex-biased dispersal should be drawn with caution when studies are conducted at a single study site.

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Effects of habitat fragmentation on the movement patterns and dispersal ability of the brown spiny rat (Maxomys rajah) in the Planted Forest Zone of Sarawak, Eastern Malaysia

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/s10531-009-9729-9 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 531-541 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Antony Bruce Shadbolt ◽

Roslina Ragai

Keyword(s):

Habitat Fragmentation ◽

Movement Patterns ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Planted Forest ◽

Forest Zone

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Are habitat fragmentation, local adaptation and isolation-by-distance driving population divergence in wild riceOryza rufipogon?

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1111/mec.12517 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (22) ◽

pp. 5531-5547 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Yao Zhao ◽

Klaas Vrieling ◽

Hui Liao ◽

Manqiu Xiao ◽

Yongqing Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Fragmentation ◽

Local Adaptation ◽

Isolation By Distance ◽

Population Divergence

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Female dispersal and isolation-by-distance ofNasonia vitripennispopulations in a local mate competition context

Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata ◽

10.1111/j.1570-7458.2009.00881.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 132 (2) ◽

pp. 147-154 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Bernd K. Grillenberger ◽

Jürgen Gadau ◽

R. Bijlsma ◽

Louis van de Zande ◽

Leo W. Beukeboom

Keyword(s):

Isolation By Distance ◽

Local Mate Competition ◽

Mate Competition ◽

Local Mate ◽

Female Dispersal

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Habitat Fragmentation Effects Depend on Complex Interactions Between Population Size and Dispersal Ability: Modeling Influences of Roads, Agriculture and Residential Development Across a Range of Life-History Characteristics

Spatial Complexity, Informatics, and Wildlife Conservation ◽

10.1007/978-4-431-87771-4_20 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 369-385 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Samuel A. Cushman ◽

Bradley W. Compton ◽

Kevin McGarigal

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Habitat Fragmentation ◽

Population Size ◽

Residential Development ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Complex Interactions ◽

Life History Characteristics

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First data on population estimates and dispersal of Montenegrina subcristata – a field study at Virpazar, Montenegro

Ecologica Montenegrina ◽

10.37828/em.2019.26.11 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 147-165

Author(s):

Anđela Bulatović ◽

Jovana Marković ◽

Elisabeth Haring ◽

Wilhelm Pinsker ◽

Katharina Mason ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Size ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Population Estimates ◽

Data Loggers ◽

Individual Number ◽

Temperature And Humidity ◽

Minimum Distances ◽

Study Sites

Background. In this study a population of the rock dwelling terrestrial gastropod Montenegrina subcristata was monitored over one season and data about life cycle, population density and dispersal were gathered. Three study sites (A, B, C) near Virpazar, Montenegro were selected. Snails were categorized into three size classes. (1) The smallest juveniles were counted but not marked because of their tiny and dainty shell, middle sized snails (2) were marked with a dot and (3) larger subadults and adults were marked with an individual number. The sites were observed 25 times from April to October 2017. The study sites were equipped with data loggers to register microclimate data like temperature and humidity. Based on counts and recapture counts population estimates were calculated. Positions of the snails were recorded throughout the season and minimum distances between each two observations were calculated.Results. Small juveniles (not marked) were observed in high numbers at the beginning of the season and disappeared during summer. Site C had to be excluded from the calculations because snails nearly disappeared as early as the second visit. Population size estimations of sites A and B provided similar results for the beginning of the season, whereas for June the high estimates stood in high contrast to the number of observed snails in that period. Concerning "minimum distances" (MD; distance between two subsequent observations), the majority of MDs with a 1-week interval resulted in 0–0.1m. Yet, some individuals were more mobile, with sums of MDs over the season of up to 8.0 m. The sum of MDs over the season was on average 1.6 m (sites A+B).The temperature and humidity curves of the data loggers showed a seasonal pattern. The average temperatures of all three sites were rather similar. However, daily oscillations in temperature and humidity were high in some periods and differed between sites. In site C temperature and humidity extremes and fluctuations were pronouncedly higher, with the highest temperatures reaching more than 60 °C and relative humidity dropping each day below 3.7% in June.Conclusions. Dispersal ability is in general low but single individuals might cover distances of at least several meters over the season. Together with further observations we conclude that fluctuations of population size can be considerable and might be strongly influenced by climatic conditions. On the other hand, also population estimates may be influenced by climatic conditions. This study provided first hints to assess the potential of migration, local extinction and recolonization in Montenegrina and other rock dwelling snails.

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Population genetics in a fragmented population of the European tree frog (Hyla arborea)

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/15685381-00002875 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 95-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Astrid Krug ◽

Heike Pröhl

Keyword(s):

Gene Flow ◽

Habitat Fragmentation ◽

Habitat Degradation ◽

Isolation By Distance ◽

Sampling Site ◽

Source Population ◽

Tree Frog ◽

Population Declines ◽

Hyla Arborea ◽

Genetic Clusters

Habitat degradation and fragmentation are known to be major threats for population persistence in European amphibians. The European tree frog Hyla arborea has suffered from dramatic population declines in the last decades and has therefore been categorised as threatened in many Red Data lists. In the region of Hannover (Germany), the European tree frog has a fragmented distribution. The aim of our study was to infer the genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation in this area by examining genetic variation and population structure. DNA samples from 193 individuals from 11 sampling sites (10 sampling sites located 2 to 32 km apart from each other near Hannover and for comparison one sampling site 140 km northeast) were analysed with eight highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. Bayesian analyses indicated that the tree frog occurrences near Hannover were fragmented into four genetically distinct clusters according to their geographical distribution. Pairwise genetic distances between sampling sites varied between 0 and 0.23 (FST) and 0 and 0.48 (Dest) and indicated high to moderate gene flow within genetic clusters and nearly absent gene flow among genetic clusters. Moreover, we identified a potential source population within the region for an introduced population in the southwest of Hannover. Our data suggest that the genetic structure is influenced in part by isolation by distance and in part by lack of habitat or migration barriers. Habitat fragmentation should by counteracted by targeted conservation measures in areas where gaps in distribution and genetic fragmentation have been revealed.

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Characteristics of dispersal in wolverines

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z01-124 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 79 (9) ◽

pp. 1641-1649 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Knut Morten Vangen ◽

Jens Persson ◽

Arild Landa ◽

Roy Andersen ◽

Peter Segerström

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Summer Period ◽

Dispersal Pattern ◽

Male Dispersal ◽

Female Dispersal ◽

Present Distribution ◽

Dispersal Distances ◽

Exploratory Movements ◽

Competition For Resources

We studied patterns of dispersal and sizes of home ranges of juvenile wolverines (Gulo gulo). Mean dispersal age was 13 months for both male (n = 11) and female (n = 9) wolverines. Females displayed more variation in dispersal age (726 months) than males (718 months). Of the animals used in the dispersal analyses, all males and 69% of females dispersed. All sedentary females (n = 4) occupied their mother's territory when she died or shifted territory, and no females dispersed from a territory vacated by their mother. Competition for resources seemed to determine the female dispersal pattern, while competition for mates seemed to explain the male dispersal pattern. Dispersal distances averaged 51 km for males and 60 km for females. However, this is likely to be an underestimation. Eight cases of exploratory movements were observed, and on average, these immediately preceded dispersal movements. The size of juvenile home ranges of males (85 km2) and females (81 km2) corresponded to the home-range area of denning females during the summer period. Wolverines have the capacity to recolonize gaps in the present distribution of the species in Scandinavia. Other factors, therefore, most likely explain the large proportion of vacant wolverine habitats.

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Contrasting patterns of genetic structure and dispersal ability in ant-attended and non-attended Tuberculatus aphids

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2009.0781 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 282-286 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Izumi Yao

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Genetic Differentiation ◽

Population Genetic ◽

Allelic Richness ◽

Aphid Species ◽

Seasonal Abundance ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Quercus Crispula ◽

Study Sites ◽

Quercus Dentata

Aphid species within the genus Tuberculatus exhibit a variety of interactions with ants, ranging from close associations to non-attendance. An ant-attended species, Tuberculatus quercicola , and two non-attended species, Tuberculatus japonicus and Tuberculatus paiki , are sympatric and hosted by the tree species Quercus dentata (Fagaceae). An undescribed ant-attended species of Tuberculatus (sp. A) and several non-attended Tuberculatus species are found on Quercus crispula trees. The population genetic structure was examined for the species sympatric on 11 Q. dentata trees and on 11 Q. crispula trees using five microsatellite loci. To determine the extent to which ant-attended or non-attended species migrate between subpopulations, flight intercept traps were placed in the study sites. Ant-attended species exhibited lower allelic richness and showed increased genetic differentiation between subpopulations compared with those of non-attended species. The number of non-attended species caught in traps increased with seasonal abundance; however, few ant-attended species were trapped, despite their abundance. These results suggest that populations of ant-attended aphids are composed of fragmented local subpopulations that are connected by low dispersal rates, leading to considerable population differentiation.

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