Benefits of living closer to kin vary by genealogical relationship in a territorial mammal.

ABSTRACT: While cooperative interactions among kin are a key building block in the societies of group-living species, their importance for species with more variable social environments is unclear. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) defend individual territories in dynamic neighbourhoods and are known to benefit from living among familiar conspecifics, but not relatives. However, kin-directed behaviours may be restricted to specific genealogical relationships or strongly mediated by geographical distance, masking their influence at broader scales. Using distance between territories as a proxy for the ability of individuals to interact, we estimated the influence of primary kin (parents, offspring, siblings) on the annual survival and reproductive success of red squirrels.

SUBMITTER: Walmsley SF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9832554 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature