Show simple item record

Files in this item

Thumbnail

Item metadata

dc.contributor.advisorJanik, Vincent
dc.contributor.advisorGraves, Jeff
dc.contributor.authorIslas, Valentina
dc.coverage.spatialviii, 154 p.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-20T14:40:33Z
dc.date.available2010-09-20T14:40:33Z
dc.date.issued2010-06-23
dc.identifieruk.bl.ethos.552439
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10023/1002
dc.description.abstractThe Eastern Scottish population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) is the northernmost population of this species. The resident core of this population consists of 120 to 150 different individuals. This small size and its geographical isolation from other populations raises questions about its viability and whether the population has behavioural patterns that differ from those common to other populations of the same species. Microsatellite genetic diversity was low and mitochondrial DNA genetic diversity values were lowest in East Scotland compared to other populations worldwide and to neighbouring populations around UK waters. It has been well documented, from four different field sites worldwide, that male bottlenose dolphins form alliances with preferred male associates. These alliances can last for several years and the males involved show association coefficients similar to those of mothers and calves (0.8-1.0). These alliances appear to be of great importance in obtaining matings for the males. In the Eastern Scottish population males do not form alliances. No evidence of strong associations between individuals of either sex was found and there was no correlation between association and relatedness patterns. I suggest that the isolation and small size of the population together with reduced genetic diversity affects the pressure of kin selection for altruistic behaviours. There is no gain in competing or associating with close relatives for access to mates and it might be more important to avoid inbreeding by dispersing. Although evidence of gene flow between East Scotland and its neighbouring populations was not confirmed with Bayesian clustering analysis, a small set of individuals from Wales were found to be closely related to individuals from the East Coast of Scotland. In general the dynamics found in UK water populations resemble those of the Western North Atlantic with sympatric populations of coastal as well as pelagic individuals.en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of St Andrews
dc.subjectPopulation structureen_US
dc.subjectBottlenose dolphinsen_US
dc.subjectMale alliancesen_US
dc.subjectAssociation patternsen_US
dc.subject.lccQL737.C432I8
dc.subject.lcshBottlenose dolphin--Scotland, Easten_US
dc.subject.lcshBottlenose dolphin--Scotland, East--Geneticsen_US
dc.subject.lcshBottlenose dolphin--Scotland, East--Behavioren_US
dc.subject.lcshCetacea populations--Scotland, Easten_US
dc.titleGenetic characterisation and social structure of the East Scotland population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.contributor.sponsorConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) (Mexico)en_US
dc.contributor.sponsorMarBEFen_US
dc.contributor.sponsorRoyal Society (Great Britain)en_US
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen_US
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD Doctor of Philosophyen_US
dc.publisher.institutionThe University of St Andrewsen_US
dc.publisher.departmentSea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biologyen_US


This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record