The influence of nonrandom extra-pair paternity on heritability estimates derived from wild pedigrees.

ABSTRACT: Quantitative genetic analysis is often fundamental for understanding evolutionary processes in wild populations. Avian populations provide a model system due to the relative ease of inferring relatedness among individuals through observation. However, extra-pair paternity (EPP) creates erroneous links within the social pedigree. Previous work has suggested this causes minor underestimation of heritability if paternal misassignment is random and hence not influenced by the trait being studied. Nevertheless, much literature suggests numerous traits are associated with EPP and the accuracy of heritability estimates for such traits remains unexplored. We show analytically how nonrandom pedigree errors can influence heritability estimates. Then, combining empirical data from a large great tit (

SUBMITTER: Firth JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4950017 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature