Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (5)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Neff, B. D.
Right arrow Articles by Repka, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Neff, B. D.
Right arrow Articles by Repka, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


The Journal of Heredity 2002:93(6)
© 2002 The American Genetic Association 93:406-414

A Bayesian Model for Assessing the Frequency of Multiple Mating in Nature

B. D. Neff, T. E. Pitcher, and J. Repka

From the Department of Biology, Biological & Geological Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London N6A 5B7, Ontario, Canada (Neff); the Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto M5S 3G5, Ontario, Canada (Pitcher); and the Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto M5S 3G5, Ontario, Canada (Repka).

Address correspondence to Bryan D. Neff at the address above, or e-mail: bneff{at}uwo.ca.

Many breeding systems have multiple mating, in which males or females mate with multiple partners. With the advent of molecular markers, it is now possible to detect multiple mating in nature. However, no model yet exists to effectively assess the frequency of multiple mating (fmm)—the proportion of broods with at least two males (or females) genetically contributing—from limited genetic data. We present a single-sex model based on Bayes' rule that incorporates the numbers of loci, alleles, offspring, and genetic parents. Two genetic criteria for calculating fmm are considered: the proportion of broods with three or more paternal (or maternal) alleles at any one locus and the total number of haplotypes observed in each brood. The former criterion provides the most precise estimates of fmm. The model enables the calculation of confidence intervals and allows mutations (or typing errors) to be incorporated into the calculation. Failure to account for mutations can result in overestimates of fmm. The model can also utilize other biological data, such as behavioral observations during mating, thereby increasing the accuracy of the calculation as compared to previous models. For example, when two sires contribute equally to multiply mated broods, only three loci with five equally common alleles are required to provide estimates of fmm with high precision. We demonstrate the model with an example addressing the frequency of multiple paternity in small versus large clutches of the endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi) and show that females that lay large clutches are more likely to have multiply mated.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 GeneticsHome page
J. Wang
Sibship Reconstruction From Genetic Data With Typing Errors
Genetics, April 1, 2004; 166(4): 1963 - 1979.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.