Spermophilus columbianus

Elliott, Charles L.; Flinders, Jerran T.

doi:10.2307/3504178

Cited by 24 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Columbian ground squirrels are small (< 1 kg), ground‐dwelling mammals resident in the Rocky Mountains of North America (Elliott & Flinders, 1991). We studied a free‐ranging population in Sheep River Provincial Park, Alberta (50° N, 114° W and 1500 m a.s.l.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A quantitative genetic analysis of hibernation emergence date in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels

Lane

Kruuk

Charmantier

et al. 2011

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The life history schedules of wild organisms have long attracted scientific interest, and, in light of ongoing climate change, an understanding of their genetic and environmental underpinnings is increasingly becoming of applied concern. We used a multi‐generation pedigree and detailed phenotypic records, spanning 18 years, to estimate the quantitative genetic influences on the timing of hibernation emergence in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus). Emergence date was significantly heritable [h2 = 0.22 ± 0.05 (in females) and 0.34 ± 0.14 (in males)], and there was a positive genetic correlation (rG = 0.76 ± 0.22) between male and female emergence dates. In adult females, the heritabilities of body mass at emergence and oestrous date were h2 = 0.23 ± 0.09 and h2 = 0.18 ± 0.12, respectively. The date of hibernation emergence has been hypothesized to have evolved so as to synchronize subsequent reproduction with upcoming peaks in vegetation abundance. In support of this hypothesis, although levels of phenotypic variance in emergence date were higher than oestrous date, there was a highly significant genetic correlation between the two (rG = 0.98 ± 0.01). Hibernation is a prominent feature in the annual cycle of many small mammals, but our understanding of its influences lags behind that for phenological traits in many other taxa. Our results provide the first insight into its quantitative genetic influences and thus help contribute to a more general understanding of its evolutionary significance.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A quantitative genetic analysis of hibernation emergence date in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels

Lane

Kruuk

Charmantier

et al. 2011

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Females were defined as dispersers if their nest location was more than 30 m from where they had been born (natal movements) or from the location used in the previous year (breeding movements). At this distance, the old and new home ranges (usual activity areas, Elliott & Flinders 1991) exhibited little or no overlap, and we considered that the home range was an area included in a circle about 30 m in diameter. The distance of changes in nest site locations was calculated as the distance between natal nest and first breeding location (natal movements) and between nest locations of two consecutive years (breeding movements).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Philopatry and within‐colony movements in Columbian ground squirrels

2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Philopatry and dispersal result in selection of habitat locations that may differ in resources and social environment and thus should influence fitness components like survival and reproduction. We examined short-distance movements of young and adult females from natal or previous nesting sites within a colony of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada, over a 17-year period. Females of all ages were strongly philopatric, yet a few (10-15%) exhibited movements that took them to new home ranges. We tested three hypotheses to explain the pattern of female natal and breeding movements: (1) that movements of philopatric females promote proximity to close kin; (2) that range shifts favour close kin via bequeathal of territory and (3) that dispersers move to lower density areas where competition for resources is lower. Tests of these three hypotheses revealed that: (1) philopatry and movements of young and older philopatric females led to proximity to mothers and local presence of close kin; (2) breeding dispersal did not result in bequeathal of home range to daughters, but movements of philopatric females suggested that they shared space with close kin and (3) adult females moved to new ranges with lower local densities, though dispersing females also left ranges where local density was significantly lower than for philopatric females. Natal and breeding movements among years produced two opportunities for territorial females: close spatial proximity to close kin via short philopatric movements, and habitats with fewer competitors via longer dispersal movements.

show abstract

“…(b) Inter-nest burrow distances We considered as neighbours all reproductive females that established their natal nest burrow less than 30 m (roughly a home range diameter; Elliott & Flinders 1991) away from one another. Location of the nest sites were mapped using a Cartesian grid of flagged wires placed over the colony (cell size ¼ 10 Â 10 m), and nest burrows were determined either by live-trapping newly emerging juveniles at those specific sites, or by observing a lactating female there at morning emergence.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kin selection in Columbian ground squirrels ( Urocitellus columbianus ): littermate kin provide individual fitness benefits

et al. 2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Since W. D. Hamilton's seminal work on the evolution of sociality, a large body of research has accumulated on how kin selection might explain the evolution of cooperation in many group-living species. Our study examined the evolutionary basis of philopatry and cooperation; specifically, whether individuals benefit from the presence of close kin. We applied an individual fitness approach to a 16-year study of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) to investigate potential causal paths by which the presence of kin might act on individual fitness. Our results indicate that individual fitness benefits resulted from associations of philopatric female kin, and support the hypothesis that increased tolerance of proximity of kin is a proximate mechanism for these benefits. The major life-history influence of kin on individual fitness was through improved reproductive success, and this benefit may have been owing to philopatric settlement of kin that were recognized through familiarization in the natal burrow. Thus, we demonstrated an evolutionary basis necessary for ongoing kin-selected cooperation in Columbian ground squirrels, though the mechanism of familiarity may determine which kin individuals benefit from cooperative behaviours.

show abstract

Spermophilus columbianus

Cited by 24 publications

References 0 publications

A quantitative genetic analysis of hibernation emergence date in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels

A quantitative genetic analysis of hibernation emergence date in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels

Philopatry and within‐colony movements in Columbian ground squirrels

Kin selection in Columbian ground squirrels ( Urocitellus columbianus ): littermate kin provide individual fitness benefits

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About