TY - JOUR
T1 - How cooperatively breeding birds identify relatives and avoid incest
T2 - New insights into dispersal and kin recognition
AU - Riehl, Christina Pauline
AU - Stern, Caitlin A.
PY - 2015/12/1
Y1 - 2015/12/1
N2 - Cooperative breeding in birds typically occurs when offspring - usually males - delay dispersal from their natal group, remaining with the family to help rear younger kin. Sex-biased dispersal is thought to have evolved in order to reduce the risk of inbreeding, resulting in low relatedness between mates and the loss of indirect fitness benefits for the dispersing sex. In this review, we discuss several recent studies showing that dispersal patterns are more variable than previously thought, often leading to complex genetic structure within cooperative avian societies. These empirical findings accord with recent theoretical models suggesting that sex- biased dispersal is neither necessary, nor always sufficient, to prevent inbreeding. The ability to recognize relatives, primarily by learning individual or group-specific vocalizations, may play a more important role in incest avoidance than currently appreciated.
AB - Cooperative breeding in birds typically occurs when offspring - usually males - delay dispersal from their natal group, remaining with the family to help rear younger kin. Sex-biased dispersal is thought to have evolved in order to reduce the risk of inbreeding, resulting in low relatedness between mates and the loss of indirect fitness benefits for the dispersing sex. In this review, we discuss several recent studies showing that dispersal patterns are more variable than previously thought, often leading to complex genetic structure within cooperative avian societies. These empirical findings accord with recent theoretical models suggesting that sex- biased dispersal is neither necessary, nor always sufficient, to prevent inbreeding. The ability to recognize relatives, primarily by learning individual or group-specific vocalizations, may play a more important role in incest avoidance than currently appreciated.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84947345007&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1002/bies.201500120
DO - 10.1002/bies.201500120
M3 - Article
C2 - 26577076
AN - SCOPUS:84947345007
SN - 0265-9247
VL - 37
SP - 1303
EP - 1308
JO - BioEssays
JF - BioEssays
IS - 12
ER -