Table 3 Variable importance (%incMSE) and relative ranking (from highest to lowest variable importance) of the demographic and founder condition variables used as predictors in three separate RF regressions with genetic responses (H_o, F_ST and F_IS)

Demographic variables

N residents “source” patch

28.45 {8}

17.22 {7}

28.66 {6}

N residents “arrival” patch

28.72 {7}

121.91 {1}

42.61 {4}

Proportion dispersers changing patches

64.92 {4}

54.61 {4}

57.60 {2}

Proportion dispersers dying

41.33 {5}

7.12 {8}

20.35 {8}

“arrival” patch λ

97.25 {3}

95.09 {2}

79.42 {1}

N successful migrants

40.61 {6}

41.84 {5}

52.63 {3}

Founder conditions

Number of founders

279.35 {1}

28.52 {6}

26.75 {7}

Movement syndrome

131.88 {2}

72.70 {3}

40.23 {5}