Breeder turnover creates allelic variation in groups of gray wolves

Abstract

Genetic diversity is an important driver affecting the health of wildlife populations. In cooperatively breeding species, human impacts and breeder turnover can affect genetic diversity in groups. We generally do not have strong inferences about how the genetic composition of a group changes through time as individuals are lost (e.g., die, emigrate) or adopted (e.g., immigrate). I wanted to know how breeder turnover, group size, and harvest affected the fluctuation of unique alleles in groups of gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) in Idaho, USA, during 2008–2020. Turnover of breeding males was strongly associated with allelic change in groups. Turnover of breeding females also had a strong association with allelic change in groups, but was not the most supported model. Harvest was strongly correlated with breeding female turnover but not breeding male turnover. Outside of breeding female turnover, harvest generally had little effect on allelic change in groups. Groups rarely adopted new individuals unless there was a breeding vacancy. I show that over time groups gain and lose alleles in roughly equal proportions, but there are episodic changes to alleles in groups as a function of breeding male turnover. These findings have implications for how we define and evaluate group persistence and breeder lineages in cooperative breeders. Such definitions have important implications for studying the evolution and maintenance of cooperative breeding. It may be beneficial to define characteristics and vital rates of groups based, at least in part, on their underlying genetics when such information can be obtained.