10.5061/DRYAD.H90J32V2
Nielsen, Johanna F.
University of Edinburgh
English, Sinead
University of Cambridge
Goodall-Copestake, William P.
University of Edinburgh
Wang, Jinliang
Zoological Society of London
Walling, Craig A.
University of Edinburgh
Bateman, Andrew W.
University of Cambridge
Kruuk, Loeske E. B.
University of Edinburgh
Clutton-Brock, Tim H.
University of Cambridge
Pemberton, Josephine M.
University of Edinburgh
Data from: Inbreeding and inbreeding depression of early life traits in a
cooperative mammal
Dryad
dataset
2012
Suricata suricatta
Inbreeding
emergence mass
juvenile survival
growth rate
2012-01-26T20:14:31Z
2012-01-26T20:14:31Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05565.x
237616 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Mating between relatives often results in negative fitness consequences or
inbreeding depression. However, the expression of inbreeding in
populations of wild cooperative mammals and the effects of environmental,
maternal and social factors on inbreeding depression in these systems are
currently not well understood. This study uses pedigree-based inbreeding
coefficients from a long-term study of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) in
South Africa to reveal that 44% of the population have detectably non-zero
(F>0) inbreeding coefficients. 15% of these inbred individuals were
the result of moderate inbreeding (F≥0.125), although such inbreeding
events almost solely occurred when mating individuals had no prior
experience of each other. Inbreeding depression was evident for a range of
traits: pup mass at emergence from the natal burrow, hind-foot length,
growth until independence and juvenile survival. However, we found no
evidence of significant inbreeding depression for skull and forearm length
or for pup survival. This research provides a rare investigation into
inbreeding in a cooperative mammal, revealing high levels of inbreeding,
considerable negative consequences and complex interactions with the
social environment.
MixedModelData
26°58’S
21°49’E
Southern Kalahari Desert
South Africa