Intraspecific variation in group structure arises due to environmentally-mediated directional dispersal in a cooperative breeder

Many cooperatively breeding species live in groups with complex social structure—large group sizes, low but mixed kin structure, and multiple breeding pairs—that form as a result of immigration of unrelated individuals in addition to offspring delaying or foregoing dispersal. Differences in patterns of dispersal can therefore generate variation in social structure, even within the same species or population. Yet, the mechanisms underlying inter-individual variation in dispersal and intraspecific variation in social structure remain poorly studied. Here, we examine how environmentally-mediated dispersal patterns inferred from genetic data influence variation in social structure in the superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus), a complex cooperative breeder that inhabits a spatiotemporally variable savanna environment. Using genome-wide polymorphic loci and remotely-sensed, fine-scale ecological data, we find evidence of not only frequent and long-distance dispersal in both sexes (low isola..., , , ## Intraspecific variation in group structure arises due to environmentally-mediated directional dispersal in a cooperative breeder

We have submitted raw data (**starlings_inds_dryad.csv**, **pairwsie.fst.longform_dryad.csv**, **master_group_data_dryad.csv**, and **populations.snps_dryad.gen**) and R script (**shah_and_rubenstein_dryad_2024.07.01.R**) belonging to Shah S. S. & Rubenstein D. R. (2024) Intraspecific variation in group structure arises due to environmentally-mediated directional dispersal in a cooperative breeder.

## Description of the data and file structure

### Metadata for \"starling\_inds\_dryad\"

| Column | Entry | Value | Explanation |
| ------ | --------- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A | ID | | unique ID of the individual |
| B | Group | | Group IDs for the 22 superb starling groups part of the ...