Competitive ability is a fast-evolving trait between house mouse populations (Mus musculus domesticus).

ABSTRACT:

Background

House mice are commensal animals with a nearly global distribution, structured into well differentiated local populations. Besides genetic differences between the populations, they have also diverged behaviorally over time, whereby it remains open how fast general behavioral characteristics can change. Here we study the competitive potential of two very recently separated populations of the Western house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) by using two different approaches-one under controlled cage conditions, the other under more natural conditions in enclosures mimicking a secondary encounter condition.

Results

We observe a clear bias in the competitive ability towards one of the populations for both tests. The measured behavioral bias is also reflected in the numbe

SUBMITTER: Linnenbrink M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9733109 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature