Distribution of natal dispersal distances and the genetic structure of Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) populations

Natal dispersal distances are difficult to measure, yet important for estimating the genetic structure and demographic connectedness of natural populations. Here we provide estimates of the distributions of male and female natal dispersal distances from a long-term study of Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis (L., 1758)) in southwestern Alberta, Canada, based on individuals marked as brood chicks and re-observed as adults during subsequent breeding seasons. The mean distance dispersed by females (2.33 km) was twice that of males (1.13 km), and both dispersal distributions were leptokurtic. Given estimates of population density and survivorship, we estimated the genetic effective neighborhood size of this population as approximately 541 individuals. We computed equivalent estimates for two additional long-term studies of this species, based on data available in the literature; mean natal dispersal distances, averaged across sexes, ranged from 1.73 km to 2.73 km for the three populations; effective deme sizes ranged from 541 to 890. Consequently, three widespread populations of Spruce Grouse yielded roughly similar estimates of demographic and genetic structure.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author