Using probability modelling and genetic parentage assignment to test the role of local mate availability in mating system variation.

The formal testing of mating system theories with empirical data is important for evaluating the relative importance of different processes in shaping mating systems in wild populations. Here we present a generally applicable probability modelling framework to test the role of local mate availability in determining a population’s level of genetic monogamy. We provide a significance test for detecting departures in observed mating patterns from model expectations based on mate availability alone, allowing the presence and direction of behavioural effects to be inferred. The assessment of mate availability can be flexible and in this study it was based on population density, sex ratio and spatial arrangement. This approach provides a useful tool for (1) isolating the effect of mate availability in variable mating systems and (2) in combination with genetic parentage analyses, gaining insights into the nature of mating behaviours in elusive species. To illustrate this modelling approach, w...

依托实证数据对交配系统理论开展正式检验，对于评估野生种群交配系统形成过程中各类作用机制的相对重要性至关重要。本研究提出了一套通用适用的概率建模框架，用于检验局部配偶可获得性对种群遗传单配制（genetic monogamy）水平的调控作用。本研究同时提供了一种显著性检验方法，可检测实际观测到的交配模式与仅基于配偶可获得性所构建的模型预期之间的偏差，进而推断行为效应的存在性及其作用方向。配偶可获得性的评估方式具备灵活性，本研究中该评估基于种群密度、性比与空间分布格局展开。该方法可为两方面研究提供实用工具：其一，在多变的交配系统中分离出配偶可获得性的作用效应；其二，结合遗传亲权分析（genetic parentage analyses），深入解析隐秘物种交配行为的本质特征。为阐明该建模方法，[原文后续内容未完整呈现]