Restricted dispersal determines fine-scale spatial genetic structure of Mongolian gerbils

作     者：Guiming WANG Wei LIU Yanni WANG Xinrong WAN Wenqin ZHONG 

作者机构：Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Mail Stop 9690 Mississippi State MS 39762 USA Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents 1 Beichen West Road Chaoyang District Beijing 100101 China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China College of Chemistry and Life Sciences Zhejiang Normal University 688 Yingbin Road Jinhua Zhejiang 321004 China 

出 版 物：《Current Zoology》 (动物学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2017年第63卷第6期

页      面：687-691页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 07[理学] 0905[农学-畜牧学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 

基　　金：supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents supported by the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University [to G.W.] 

主　　题：Meriones unguiculatus dispersal isolation by distance microsatellite analysis social rodents spatial genetic autocorrelation 

摘      要：Restricted gene flow may cause positive spatial genetic autocorrelation of animal populations at fine spatial scales. The Mongolian gerbil is a territorial, social rodent. Territoriality may create social fences to restrict dispersal or gene flow of Mongolian gerbils to a short distance. Restricted dispersal may differentiate fine-scale spatial genetic structure of populations with increasing distances (i.e., isolation by distance [IBD]). Competition for mates and inbreeding avoidance may result in equal dispersal propensity and subsequently similar spatial genetic autocorrelation between males and females of monogamous gerbils. We genotyped 327 gerbils, live captured from 26 burrow systems on a 9-ha plot in northcentral Inner Mongolia, China, using seven microsatellite loci. Spatial genetic autocorrelation was positive within 80 m and became negative from 80 m to 200 m, suggesting restricted gene flow. Inter-group genetic and geographic distances were related positively, supporting the IBD model. Live trapping data demonstrated equal dispersal propensities of male and female gerbils. Restricted dispersal and social organization may determine fine-scale spatial population genetic structure of social rodents.