Dispersal patterns of Reeves’s pheasant based on genetic and behavioral evidence

Abstract

Dispersal is an important life history trait that plays a crucial role in avoiding inbreeding. Uncovering the dispersal pattern of a threatened species facilitates conservation efforts. Most species of Galliformes are forest-dwelling terrestrial birds with a weak dispersal ability and high conservation priorities. However, little is known about the dispersal behavior and dispersal pattern of Galliformes species such as Reeves’s pheasant Syrmaticus reevesii, a globally vulnerable species endemic to China. Here, we integrated behavioral and genetic analyses to investigate the dispersal pattern of Reeves’s pheasant. Our results revealed that both females and males would disperse, although the overall dispersal pattern was more likely to be male-biased. Reeves’s pheasant population had a low level of genetic diversity, and a mild level of inbreeding. With speculating low genetic diversity was resulted by fragmented habitat, and male-biased dispersal may reduce the opportunity of inbreeding. Our research indicated that sex-biased dispersal patterns may be a behavioral mechanism adopted by wildlife to avoid inbreeding in a fragmented habitat.