Relationship Among Demographic, Social and Genetic Structure

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Nontechnical summary Relationship Among Demographic, Social, and Genetic Structure Recent results from Altmann's studies provided the most complete genetic analysis of any wild nonhuman primate group and identified paternity and genetic structure in a baboon group that is striking for its reflection of observed behavior. The analyses relating social structure, behavior, and genetic structure can now be extended to enable evaluation of the magnitude of variability over time and space for these long-lived animals that, like humans, mature slowly and exhibit a considerable range of behavior and group composition. The extent of variability in behavior and in its effects on genetic structure is important for its implications for evolution and biodiversity. A second major goal of the present study, therefore, will be to identify particular behavioral and other mechanisms that produce the relationships between social and genetic structure. These include investigations of the conditions and mechanisms whereby mate choice and alliances modify the power of male dominance status to determine paternity and those whereby close relatives are recognized and avoided as mates when the ubiquitous mechanism of emigration from the group of birth is not sufficient for avoiding inbreeding. These kinds of behavioral and other mechanisms are essential components of basic evolutionary processes. They may also be significant determinants of survival under critical conditions such as low population density or population fragmentation, in which case an understanding of mechanisms and their functioning can provide not only a potent predictor of population response but also a powerful management tool for shaping outcomes.