Molecular Estimation of Dispersal for Ecology and Population Genetics

TLDR

Dispersal of individuals, gametes, or seeds from birthplaces to new sites shapes gene, individual, and species dynamics, yet measuring it is challenging, prompting extensive use of genetic tools. This review surveys the diverse molecular methods for estimating dispersal to guide ecologists in inference and interpretation and encourage further methodological advances. The authors compile and evaluate a range of genetic techniques for estimating dispersal, highlighting their assumptions, strengths, and limitations.

Abstract

The dispersal process, by which individuals or other dispersing agents such as gametes or seeds move from birthplace to a new settlement locality, has important consequences for the dynamics of genes, individuals, and species. Many of the questions addressed by ecology and evolutionary biology require a good understanding of species’ dispersal patterns. Much effort has thus been devoted to overcoming the difficulties associated with dispersal measurement. In this context, genetic tools have long been the focus of intensive research, providing a great variety of potential solutions to measuring dispersal. This methodological diversity is reviewed here to help (molecular) ecologists find their way toward dispersal inference and interpretation and to stimulate further developments.