Effects of inbreeding on fitness-related traits in a small isolated moose population.

ABSTRACT: Inbreeding can affect fitness-related traits at different life history stages and may interact with environmental variation to induce even larger effects. We used genetic parentage assignment based on 22 microsatellite loci to determine a 25 year long pedigree for a newly established island population of moose with 20-40 reproducing individuals annually. We used the pedigree to calculate individual inbreeding coefficients and examined for effects of individual inbreeding (f) and heterozygosity on fitness-related traits. We found negative effects of f on birth date, calf body mass and twinning rate. The relationship between f and calf body mass and twinning rate were found to be separate but weaker after accounting for birth date. We found no support for an inbreeding effect on the age-spec

SUBMITTER: Haanes H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3853567 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature