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Dissegna A, Rota M, Basile S, Fusco G, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Velli E, Caniglia R. How to Choose? Comparing Different Methods to Count Wolf Packs in a Protected Area of the Northern Apennines. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040932. [PMID: 37107690 PMCID: PMC10137897 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a natural rewilding process that caused wolf populations in Europe to increase and expand in the last years, human-wolf conflicts still persist, threatening the long-term wolf presence in both anthropic and natural areas. Conservation management strategies should be carefully designed on updated population data and planned on a wide scale. Unfortunately, reliable ecological data are difficult and expensive to obtain and often hardly comparable through time or among different areas, especially because of different sampling designs. In order to assess the performance of different methods to estimate wolf (Canis lupus L.) abundance and distribution in southern Europe, we simultaneously applied three techniques: wolf howling, camera trapping and non-invasive genetic sampling in a protected area of the northern Apennines. We aimed at counting the minimum number of packs during a single wolf biological year and evaluating the pros and cons for each technique, comparing results obtained from different combinations of these three methods and testing how sampling effort may affect results. We found that packs' identifications could be hardly comparable if methods were separately used with a low sampling effort: wolf howling identified nine, camera trapping 12 and non-invasive genetic sampling eight packs. However, increased sampling efforts produced more consistent and comparable results across all used methods, although results from different sampling designs should be carefully compared. The integration of the three techniques yielded the highest number of detected packs, 13, although with the highest effort and cost. A common standardised sampling strategy should be a priority approach to studying elusive large carnivores, such as the wolf, allowing for the comparison of key population parameters and developing shared and effective conservation management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Dissegna
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Martino Rota
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Simone Basile
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fusco
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Mencucci
- Reparto Carabinieri Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | - Nadia Cappai
- Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
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2
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Kazimirov PA, Leontyev SV, Nechaeva AV, Belokon MM, Belokon YS, Bondarev AY, Davydov AV, Politov DV. Population Genetic Structure of the Steppe Wolf of Russia and Kazakhstan by Microsatellite Loci. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422110047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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3
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Viluma A, Flagstad Ø, Åkesson M, Wikenros C, Sand H, Wabakken P, Ellegren H. Whole-genome resequencing of temporally stratified samples reveals substantial loss of haplotype diversity in the highly inbred Scandinavian wolf population. Genome Res 2022; 32:449-458. [PMID: 35135873 PMCID: PMC8896455 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276070.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic drift can dramatically change allele frequencies in small populations and lead to reduced levels of genetic diversity, including loss of segregating variants. However, there is a shortage of quantitative studies of how genetic diversity changes over time in natural populations, especially on genome-wide scales. Here, we analyzed whole-genome sequences from 76 wolves of a highly inbred Scandinavian population, founded by only one female and two males, sampled over a period of 30 yr. We obtained chromosome-level haplotypes of all three founders and found that 10%–24% of their diploid genomes had become lost after about 20 yr of inbreeding (which approximately corresponds to five generations). Lost haplotypes spanned large genomic regions, as expected from the amount of recombination during this limited time period. Altogether, 160,000 SNP alleles became lost from the population, which may include adaptive variants as well as wild-type alleles masking recessively deleterious alleles. Although not sampled, we could indirectly infer that the two male founders had megabase-sized runs of homozygosity and that all three founders showed significant haplotype sharing, meaning that there were on average only 4.2 unique haplotypes in the six copies of each autosome that the founders brought into the population. This violates the assumption of unrelated founder haplotypes often made in conservation and management of endangered species. Our study provides a novel view of how whole-genome resequencing of temporally stratified samples can be used to visualize and directly quantify the consequences of genetic drift in a small inbred population.
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Åkesson M, Flagstad Ø, Aspi J, Kojola I, Liberg O, Wabakken P, Sand H. Genetic signature of immigrants and their effect on genetic diversity in the recently established Scandinavian wolf population. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01423-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTransboundary connectivity is a key component when conserving and managing animal species that require large areas to maintain viable population sizes. Wolves Canis lupus recolonized the Scandinavian Peninsula in the early 1980s. The population is geographically isolated and relies on immigration to not lose genetic diversity and to maintain long term viability. In this study we address (1) to what extent the genetic diversity among Scandinavian wolves has recovered during 30 years since its foundation in relation to the source populations in Finland and Russia, (2) if immigration has occurred from both Finland and Russia, two countries with very different wolf management and legislative obligations to ensure long term viability of wolves, and (3) if immigrants can be assumed to be unrelated. Using 26 microsatellite loci we found that although the genetic diversity increased among Scandinavian wolves (n = 143), it has not reached the same levels found in Finland (n = 25) or in Russia (n = 19). Low genetic differentiation between Finnish and Russian wolves, complicated our ability to determine the origin of immigrant wolves (n = 20) with respect to nationality. Nevertheless, based on differences in allelic richness and private allelic richness between the two countries, results supported the occurrence of immigration from both countries. A priori assumptions that immigrants are unrelated is non-advisable, since 5.8% of the pair-wise analyzed immigrants were closely related. To maintain long term viability of wolves in Northern Europe, this study highlights the potential and need for management actions that facilitate transboundary dispersal.
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5
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Santostasi NL, Gimenez O, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Ciucci P. Estimating Admixture at the Population Scale: Taking Imperfect Detectability and Uncertainty in Hybrid Classification Seriously. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina L. Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome La Sapienza Rome Italy
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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6
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Population genetics of the African wolf (Canis lupaster) across its range: first evidence of hybridization with domestic dogs in Africa. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00059-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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7
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Salvatori V, Godinho R, Braschi C, Boitani L, Ciucci P. High levels of recent wolf × dog introgressive hybridization in agricultural landscapes of central Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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8
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Smeds L, Kojola I, Ellegren H. The evolutionary history of grey wolf Y chromosomes. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2173-2191. [PMID: 30788868 PMCID: PMC6850511 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of Y chromosome haplotypes uniquely provide a paternal picture of evolutionary histories and offer a very useful contrast to studies based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Here we used a bioinformatic approach based on comparison of male and female sequence coverage to identify 4.7 Mb from the grey wolf (Canis lupis) Y chromosome, probably representing most of the male-specific, nonampliconic sequence from the euchromatic part of the chromosome. We characterized this sequence and then identified ≈1,500 Y-linked single nucleotide polymorphisms in a sample of 145 resequenced male wolves, including 75 Finnish wolf genomes newly sequenced in this study, and in 24 dogs and eight other canids. We found 53 Y chromosome haplotypes, of which 26 were seen in grey wolves, that clustered in four major haplogroups. All four haplogroups were represented in samples of Finnish wolves, showing that haplogroup lineages were not partitioned on a continental scale. However, regional population structure was indicated because individual haplotypes were never shared between geographically distant areas, and genetically similar haplotypes were only found within the same geographical region. The deepest split between grey wolf haplogroups was estimated to have occurred 125,000 years ago, which is considerably older than recent estimates of the time of divergence of wolf populations. The distribution of dogs in a phylogenetic tree of Y chromosome haplotypes supports multiple domestication events, or wolf paternal introgression, starting 29,000 years ago. We also addressed the disputed origin of a recently founded population of Scandinavian wolves and observed that founding as well as most recent immigrant haplotypes were present in the neighbouring Finnish population, but not in sequenced wolves from elsewhere in the world, or in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnéa Smeds
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ilpo Kojola
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Hans Ellegren
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Pahad G, Montgelard C, Jansen van Vuuren B. Phylogeography and niche modelling: reciprocal enlightenment. MAMMALIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2018-0191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Phylogeography examines the spatial genetic structure of species. Environmental niche modelling (or ecological niche modelling; ENM) examines the environmental limits of a species’ ecological niche. These two fields have great potential to be used together. ENM can shed light on how phylogeographical patterns develop and help identify possible drivers of spatial structure that need to be further investigated. Specifically, ENM can be used to test for niche differentiation among clades, identify factors limiting individual clades and identify barriers and contact zones. It can also be used to test hypotheses regarding the effects of historical and future climate change on spatial genetic patterns by projecting niches using palaeoclimate or future climate data. Conversely, phylogeographical information can populate ENM with within-species genetic diversity. Where adaptive variation exists among clades within a species, modelling their niches separately can improve predictions of historical distribution patterns and future responses to climate change. Awareness of patterns of genetic diversity in niche modelling can also alert conservationists to the potential loss of genetically diverse areas in a species’ range. Here, we provide a simplistic overview of both fields, and focus on their potential for integration, encouraging researchers on both sides to take advantage of the opportunities available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govan Pahad
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
| | - Claudine Montgelard
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier , EPHE, Biogéographie et Ecologie des Vertébrés , 1919 route de Mende , 34293 Montpellier , France
| | - Bettine Jansen van Vuuren
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
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10
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Canu A, Mattioli L, Santini A, Apollonio M, Scandura M. ‘Video-scats’: combining camera trapping and non-invasive genotyping to assess individual identity and hybrid status in gray wolf. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canu
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- L. Mattioli, Regione Toscana, Settore Attività Faunistico Venatoria, Pesca Dilettantistica, Pesca in Mare, Arezzo, Italy
| | | | - Marco Apollonio
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
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11
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Hindrikson M, Remm J, Pilot M, Godinho R, Stronen AV, Baltrūnaité L, Czarnomska SD, Leonard JA, Randi E, Nowak C, Åkesson M, López-Bao JV, Álvares F, Llaneza L, Echegaray J, Vilà C, Ozolins J, Rungis D, Aspi J, Paule L, Skrbinšek T, Saarma U. Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1601-1629. [PMID: 27682639 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Malgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, LN6 7DL, Lincoln, UK
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
| | - Laima Baltrūnaité
- Laboratory of Mammalian Biology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis Llaneza
- ARENA Asesores en Recursos Naturales S.L. c/Perpetuo Socorro, n° 12 Entlo 2B, 27003, Lugo, Spain
| | - Jorge Echegaray
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dainis Rungis
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Genetics and Physiology, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ladislav Paule
- Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, T.G. Masaryk str. 24, SK-96053, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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12
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Cullingham CI, Thiessen CD, Derocher AE, Paquet PC, Miller JM, Hamilton JA, Coltman DW. Population structure and dispersal of wolves in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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de Groot GA, Nowak C, Skrbinšek T, Andersen LW, Aspi J, Fumagalli L, Godinho R, Harms V, Jansman HA, Liberg O, Marucco F, Mysłajek RW, Nowak S, Pilot M, Randi E, Reinhardt I, Śmietana W, Szewczyk M, Taberlet P, Vilà C, Muñoz-Fuentes V. Decades of population genetic research reveal the need for harmonization of molecular markers: the grey wolf C
anis lupus
as a case study. Mamm Rev 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Arjen de Groot
- Animal Ecology; Alterra, Wageningen UR; P.O. Box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Večna pot 111 Ljubljana 1000 Slovenia
| | | | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Biology, Genetics and Physiology; University of Oulu; P.O. Box 3000 90014 Oulu Finland
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution; Laboratory for Conservation Biology; Biophore Building; University of Lausanne; 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Raquel Godinho
- Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources; CIBIO/InBio; Campus Agrário de Vairão 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
- Department of Biology; Faculty of Sciences; University of Porto; Rua do Campo Alegre s/n 4169-007 Porto Portugal
- Department of Zoology; Faculty of Sciences; University of Johannesburg; Auckland Park 2006 Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Verena Harms
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
| | - Hugh A.H. Jansman
- Animal Ecology; Alterra, Wageningen UR; P.O. Box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Olof Liberg
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU); Grimsö Wildlife Research Station SE-730 91 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Francesca Marucco
- Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime; Centro Gestione e Conservazione Grandi Carnivori; Piazza Regina Elena 30 12010 Valdieri Italy
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Pawińskiego 5a 02-106 Warszawa Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature ‘Wolf’; Twardorzeczka 229 34-324 Lipowa Poland
| | - Małgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences; University of Lincoln; Green Lane Lincoln LN6 7DL UK
| | - Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica; Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA); Via Cà Fornacetta 9 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO) Italy
- Aalborg University; Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering; Sohngårdsholmsvej 57 9000 Aalborg Denmark
| | - Ilka Reinhardt
- LUPUS - German Institute for Wolf Monitoring and Research; Dorfstraße 20 02979 Spreewitz Germany
| | - Wojciech Śmietana
- Polish Academy of Sciences; Institute of Nature Conservation; Mickiewicza 33 31-120 Kraków Poland
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Pawińskiego 5a 02-106 Warszawa Poland
| | - Pierre Taberlet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA); F-38000 Grenoble France
- Université Grenoble Alpes; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA); F-38000 Grenoble France
| | - Carles Vilà
- Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC); Avenida Americo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Violeta Muñoz-Fuentes
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
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Brown SK, Darwent CM, Wictum EJ, Sacks BN. Using multiple markers to elucidate the ancient, historical and modern relationships among North American Arctic dog breeds. Heredity (Edinb) 2015; 115:488-95. [PMID: 26103948 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2015.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout most of the Americas, post-colonial dogs largely erased the genetic signatures of pre-historical dogs. However, the North American Arctic harbors dogs that are potentially descended from pre-historical ancestors, as well as those affected by post-colonial translocations and admixtures. In particular, Inuit dogs from Canada and Greenland are thought to descend from dogs associated with Thule peoples, who relied on them for transportation ca. 1000 years ago. Whether Thule dogs reflected an earlier colonization by Paleoeskimo dogs ca. 4500 years ago is unknown. During the Alaskan Gold Rush, additional sled dogs, possibly of post-colonial derivation, the Alaskan Husky, Malamute and Siberian Husky, were used in the Arctic. The genealogical relationships among and origins of these breeds are unknown. Here we use autosomal, paternal and maternal DNA markers to (1) test the hypothesis that Inuit dogs have retained their indigenous ancestry, (2) characterize their relationship to one another and to other Arctic breeds, and (3) estimate the age of North American indigenous matrilines and patrilines. On the basis of the agreement of all three markers we determined that Inuit dogs have maintained their indigenous nature, and that they likely derive from Thule dogs. In addition, we provide support for previous research that the Inuit dogs from Canada and Greenland dog should not be distinguished as two breeds. The Alaskan Husky displayed evidence of European introgression, in contrast to the Malamute and Siberian Husky, which appear to have maintained most of their ancient Siberian ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Brown
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - C M Darwent
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - E J Wictum
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - B N Sacks
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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15
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Jones EP, Searle JB. Differing Y chromosome versus mitochondrial DNA ancestry, phylogeography, and introgression in the house mouse. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor P. Jones
- Population Biology and Conservation Biology; Evolutionary Biology Centre; University of Uppsala; Uppsala Sweden
- Food and Environment Research Agency; Sand Hutton York YO41 1LZ UK
| | - Jeremy B. Searle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA
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16
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Stronen AV, Navid EL, Quinn MS, Paquet PC, Bryan HM, Darimont CT. Population genetic structure of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in a marine archipelago suggests island-mainland differentiation consistent with dietary niche. BMC Ecol 2014; 14:11. [PMID: 24915756 PMCID: PMC4050401 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-14-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that ecological heterogeneity across space can influence the genetic structure of populations, including that of long-distance dispersers such as large carnivores. On the central coast of British Columbia, Canada, wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) dietary niche and parasite prevalence data indicate strong ecological divergence between marine-oriented wolves inhabiting islands and individuals on the coastal mainland that interact primarily with terrestrial prey. Local holders of traditional ecological knowledge, who distinguish between mainland and island wolf forms, also informed our hypothesis that genetic differentiation might occur between wolves from these adjacent environments. RESULTS We used microsatellite genetic markers to examine data obtained from wolf faecal samples. Our results from 116 individuals suggest the presence of a genetic cline between mainland and island wolves. This pattern occurs despite field observations that individuals easily traverse the 30 km wide study area and swim up to 13 km among landmasses in the region. CONCLUSIONS Natal habitat-biased dispersal (i.e., the preference for dispersal into familiar ecological environments) might contribute to genetic differentiation. Accordingly, this working hypothesis presents an exciting avenue for future research where marine resources or other components of ecological heterogeneity are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid V Stronen
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Waszkiewicza 1, Białowieża 17-230, Poland
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 57, Aalborg 9000, Denmark
| | - Erin L Navid
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1 N4, Canada
| | - Michael S Quinn
- Institute for Environmental Sustainability, Mount Royal University, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, Alberta T3E 6 K6, Canada
| | - Paul C Paquet
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3R4, Canada
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 86 Denny Island, British Columbia V0T 1B0, Canada
| | - Heather M Bryan
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3R4, Canada
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 86 Denny Island, British Columbia V0T 1B0, Canada
- Hakai Beach Institute, Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia V0P 1H0, Canada
| | - Christopher T Darimont
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3R4, Canada
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 86 Denny Island, British Columbia V0T 1B0, Canada
- Hakai Beach Institute, Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia V0P 1H0, Canada
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17
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Aghbolaghi MA, Rezaei HR, Scandura M, Kaboli M. Low gene flow between Iranian Grey Wolves(Canis lupus)and dogs documented using uniparental genetic markers. ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2014.914708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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18
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Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Milanesi P, Randi E. Noninvasive sampling and genetic variability, pack structure, and dynamics in an expanding wolf population. J Mammal 2014. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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19
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Fabbri E, Caniglia R, Kusak J, Galov A, Gomerčić T, Arbanasić H, Huber D, Randi E. Genetic structure of expanding wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Italy and Croatia, and the early steps of the recolonization of the Eastern Alps. Mamm Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2013.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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20
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Randi E, Hulva P, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Galov A, Kusak J, Bigi D, Bolfíková BČ, Smetanová M, Caniglia R. Multilocus detection of wolf x dog hybridization in italy, and guidelines for marker selection. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86409. [PMID: 24466077 PMCID: PMC3899229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization and introgression can impact the evolution of natural populations. Several wild canid species hybridize in nature, sometimes originating new taxa. However, hybridization with free-ranging dogs is threatening the genetic integrity of grey wolf populations (Canis lupus), or even the survival of endangered species (e.g., the Ethiopian wolf C. simensis). Efficient molecular tools to assess hybridization rates are essential in wolf conservation strategies. We evaluated the power of biparental and uniparental markers (39 autosomal and 4 Y-linked microsatellites, a melanistic deletion at the β-defensin CBD103 gene, the hypervariable domain of the mtDNA control-region) to identify the multilocus admixture patterns in wolf x dog hybrids. We used empirical data from 2 hybrid groups with different histories: 30 presumptive natural hybrids from Italy and 73 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs of known hybrid origin, as well as simulated data. We assessed the efficiency of various marker combinations and reference samples in admixture analyses using 69 dogs of different breeds and 99 wolves from Italy, Balkans and Carpathian Mountains. Results confirmed the occurrence of hybrids in Italy, some of them showing anomalous phenotypic traits and exogenous mtDNA or Y-chromosome introgression. Hybridization was mostly attributable to village dogs and not strictly patrilineal. The melanistic β-defensin deletion was found only in Italian dogs and in putative hybrids. The 24 most divergent microsatellites (largest wolf-dog FST values) were equally or more informative than the entire panel of 39 loci. A smaller panel of 12 microsatellites increased risks to identify false admixed individuals. The frequency of F1 and F2 was lower than backcrosses or introgressed individuals, suggesting hybridization already occurred some generations in the past, during early phases of wolf expansion from their historical core areas. Empirical and simulated data indicated the identification of the past generation backcrosses is always uncertain, and a larger number of ancestry-informative markers is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Life Science Research Centre, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josip Kusak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniele Bigi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Milena Smetanová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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21
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Reponen SEM, Brown SK, Barnett BD, Sacks BN. Genetic and morphometric evidence on a Galápagos Island exposes founder effects and diversification in the first-known (truly) feral western dog population. Mol Ecol 2013; 23:269-83. [PMID: 24261528 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Revised: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Domesticated animals that revert to a wild state can become invasive and significantly impact native biodiversity. Although dogs can be problematic locally, only the Australasian dingo is known to occur in isolation from humans. Western dogs have experienced more intense artificial selection, which potentially limits their invasiveness. However, feral dogs eradicated from Isabela Island, Galápagos in the 1980s could be the first-known exception. We used DNA and morphometric data from 92 of these dogs to test the hypotheses that (i) these dogs persisted independently of humans for up to a century and a half since descending from a handful of dogs introduced in the early 1800s, vs. (ii) similarly to other western feral dog populations, they reflected continuous recruitment of strays from human settlements on a portion of the Island. We detected one dominant maternal lineage and one dominant paternal lineage shared by the three subpopulations, along with low autosomal genetic diversity, consistent with the hypothesized common origins from a small founder population. Genetic diversity patterns among the three island subpopulations were consistent with stepping-stone founder effects, while morphometric differentiation suggested rapid phenotypic divergence, possibly due to drift and reinforced by selection corresponding to distinct microclimates and habitats on Isabela. Despite the continued presence of free-ranging dogs in the vicinity of settlements on Isabela and other Galápagos Islands, feral populations have not reestablished in remote areas since the 1980s, emphasizing the rarity of conditions necessary for feralization of modern western dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sini E M Reponen
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, One Shields Avenue/Old Davis Road, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Sarah K Brown
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, One Shields Avenue/Old Davis Road, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Bruce D Barnett
- Barnett Environmental, 5214 El Cemonte Ave., Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Benjamin N Sacks
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, One Shields Avenue/Old Davis Road, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, One Shields Avenue/Old Davis Road, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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22
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Wheeldon TJ, Rutledge LY, Patterson BR, White BN, Wilson PJ. Y-chromosome evidence supports asymmetric dog introgression into eastern coyotes. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:3005-20. [PMID: 24101990 PMCID: PMC3790547 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Revised: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization has played an important role in the evolutionary history of Canis species in eastern North America. Genetic evidence of coyote–dog hybridization based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is lacking compared to that based on autosomal markers. This discordance suggests dog introgression into coyotes has potentially been male biased, but this hypothesis has not been formally tested. Therefore, we investigated biparentally, maternally, and paternally inherited genetic markers in a sample of coyotes and dogs from southeastern Ontario to assess potential asymmetric dog introgression into coyotes. Analysis of autosomal microsatellite genotypes revealed minimal historical and contemporary admixture between coyotes and dogs. We observed only mutually exclusive mtDNA haplotypes in coyotes and dogs, but we observed Y-chromosome haplotypes (Y-haplotypes) in both historical and contemporary coyotes that were also common in dogs. Species-specific Zfy intron sequences of Y-haplotypes shared between coyotes and dogs confirmed their homology and indicated a putative origin from dogs. We compared Y-haplotypes observed in coyotes, wolves, and dogs profiled in multiple studies, and observed that the Y-haplotypes shared between coyotes and dogs were either absent or rare in North American wolves, present in eastern coyotes, but absent in western coyotes. We suggest the eastern coyote has experienced asymmetric genetic introgression from dogs, resulting from predominantly historical hybridization with male dogs and subsequent backcrossing of hybrid offspring with coyotes. We discuss the temporal and spatial dynamics of coyote–dog hybridization and the conditions that may have facilitated the introgression of dog Y-chromosomes into coyotes. Our findings clarify the evolutionary history of the eastern coyote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J Wheeldon
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9J 7B8
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23
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Black coats in an admixed wolf × dog pack is melanism an indicator of hybridization in wolves? EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-013-0703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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24
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Sacks BN, Brown SK, Stephens D, Pedersen NC, Wu JT, Berry O. Y Chromosome Analysis of Dingoes and Southeast Asian Village Dogs Suggests a Neolithic Continental Expansion from Southeast Asia Followed by Multiple Austronesian Dispersals. Mol Biol Evol 2013; 30:1103-18. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mst027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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25
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Neaves LE, Zenger KR, Prince RIT, Eldridge MDB. Paternally inherited genetic markers reveal new insights into genetic structuring within Macropus fuliginosus and hybridisation with sympatric Macropus giganteus. AUST J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1071/zo12087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There are several aspects of biology in which the contribution of males and females is unequal. In these instances the examination of Y chromosome markers may be used to elucidate male-specific attributes. Here, male dispersal patterns and genetic structuring were examined using four Y-microsatellite loci in 186 male western grey kangaroos, Macropus fuliginosus, from throughout the species’ trans-continental distribution. In addition, 52 male grey kangaroos were examined to investigate hybridisation between M. fuliginosus and the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, in their region of sympatry in eastern Australia. Detected Y chromosome diversity was low, resulting from low effective male population size due to skewed sex ratios and a polygynous mating system. As expected, male dispersal was high across the range. However, the Lake Torrens–Flinders Ranges region appears to have significantly restricted male movement between eastern and central/western Australia. There was little evidence to suggest that other barriers (Nullarbor Plain and Swan River Valley) previously identified by nuclear and mitochondrial DNA marker studies restrict male movement. Hence, the admixture events previously identified may be associated with high male dispersal. Within the region of sympatry between M. fuliginosus and M. giganteus in eastern Australia, four M. giganteus individuals were found to possess M. fuliginosus Y-haplotypes. These results confirm the occurrence of hybridisation between male M. fuliginosus and female M. giganteus. Additionally, the introgression of M. fuliginosus Y-haplotypes into M. giganteus populations indicates that at least some male hybrids are fertile, despite evidence to the contrary from captive studies. This study has provided insights into the male contribution to population history, structure and hybridisation in M. fuliginosus, which were not predicted by comparisons between biparentally and maternally inherited markers. This highlights the importance of direct examination of the Y chromosome to provide novel insights into male-mediated processes, especially where the contribution of the sexes may differ.
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26
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Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Mastrogiuseppe L, Randi E. Who is who? Identification of livestock predators using forensic genetic approaches. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2012. [PMID: 23200859 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2012.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Molecular identifications of salivary DNA are increasingly applied in wildlife forensic investigations, and are successfully used to identify unknown livestock predators, or elucidate cases of large carnivore attacks to humans. In Europe most of livestock predations are attributed to wolves (Canis lupus), thought free-ranging dogs are sometime the responsible, and false predations are declared by breeders to obtain compensations. In this study we analyzed 33 salivary DNA samples collected from the carcasses of 13 sheep and a horse presumably predated by wolves in seven farms in central Italy. Reliable individual genotypes were determined in 18 samples (corresponding to samples from nine sheep and the horse) using 12 unlinked autosomal microsatellites, mtDNA control-region sequences, a male-specific ZFX/ZFY restriction-site and four Y-linked microsatellites. Results indicate that eight animals were killed by five wolves (a male and four different females), the ninth by a female dog while the horse was post-mortem consumed by a male dog. The genotype of one female wolf matched with the genetic profile of a female wolf that was non-invasively sampled 4 years before in the same area near livestock predation remains. Genetic identifications always supported the results of veterinary reports. These findings show that salivary DNA genotyping, together with detailed veterinary field and necropsy reports, provides evidence which helps to correctly identify species, gender and individual genetic profiles of livestock predators, thus contributing to clarify attack dynamics and to evaluate the impact of wolf predations on husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romolo Caniglia
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bo), Italy.
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27
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Benson JF, Patterson BR, Wheeldon TJ. Spatial genetic and morphologic structure of wolves and coyotes in relation to environmental heterogeneity in aCanishybrid zone. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:5934-54. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Revised: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 08/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John F. Benson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program; Trent University; Peterborough ON Canada K9J 7B8
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Wildlife Research and Development Section; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; Peterborough ON Canada K9J 7B8
| | - Tyler J. Wheeldon
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program; Trent University; Peterborough ON Canada K9J 7B8
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Hindrikson M, Männil P, Ozolins J, Krzywinski A, Saarma U. Bucking the trend in wolf-dog hybridization: first evidence from europe of hybridization between female dogs and male wolves. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46465. [PMID: 23056315 PMCID: PMC3463576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2010] [Accepted: 09/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on hybridization have proved critical for understanding key evolutionary processes such as speciation and adaptation. However, from the perspective of conservation, hybridization poses a concern, as it can threaten the integrity and fitness of many wild species, including canids. As a result of habitat fragmentation and extensive hunting pressure, gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations have declined dramatically in Europe and elsewhere during recent centuries. Small and fragmented populations have persisted, but often only in the presence of large numbers of dogs, which increase the potential for hybridization and introgression to deleteriously affect wolf populations. Here, we demonstrate hybridization between wolf and dog populations in Estonia and Latvia, and the role of both genders in the hybridization process, using combined analysis of maternal, paternal and biparental genetic markers. Eight animals exhibiting unusual external characteristics for wolves - six from Estonia and two from Latvia - proved to be wolf-dog hybrids. However, one of the hybridization events was extraordinary. Previous field observations and genetic studies have indicated that mating between wolves and dogs is sexually asymmetrical, occurring predominantly between female wolves and male dogs. While this was also the case among the Estonian hybrids, our data revealed the existence of dog mitochondrial genomes in the Latvian hybrids and, together with Y chromosome and autosomal microsatellite data, thus provided the first evidence from Europe of mating between male wolves and female dogs. We discuss patterns of sexual asymmetry in wolf-dog hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Peep Männil
- Estonian Environment Information Centre, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Janis Ozolins
- State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, Salaspils, Latvia
| | | | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- * E-mail:
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29
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Wheeldon TJ, Patterson BR. Genetic and morphological differentiation of wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in northeastern Ontario. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gray wolves ( Canis lupus L., 1758), eastern wolves ( Canis lycaon Schreber, 1775), and coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) are presently managed as a single biological population in primary wolf range in Ontario with the intent of minimizing incidental harvest of wolves. This management strategy is based on the assumption that wolves and coyotes cannot be reliably distinguished because of hybridization, and the resulting restrictions on coyote harvest are unpopular with hunters and farmers. We genetically and morphologically characterized a sample of sympatric wolves and coyotes harvested in the Lesser Clay Belt area of northeastern Ontario in 2006–2009 to test the hypothesis that these species cannot be reliably distinguished. We found that wolves and coyotes were genetically and morphologically distinct, with minimal hybridization between them. Our findings suggest that wolves and coyotes in the sampled area can be reliably distinguished, but further sampling is required to determine the full extent of areas in Ontario where wolves and coyotes are reliably distinguishable. We discuss unresolved issues regarding the feasibility of separate management for these species. We also discuss implications of our findings regarding wolf recovery in the northeastern United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Wheeldon
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, DNA Building, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, DNA Building, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
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30
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An Account of the Taxonomy of North American Wolves From Morphological and Genetic Analyses. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.3996/nafa.77.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The available scientific literature was reviewed to assess the taxonomic standing of North American wolves, including subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus. The recent scientific proposal that the eastern wolf, C. l. lycaon, is not a subspecies of gray wolf, but a full species, Canis lycaon, is well-supported by both morphological and genetic data. This species' range extends westward to Minnesota, and it hybridizes with gray wolves where the two species are in contact in eastern Canada and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Genetic data support a close relationship between eastern wolf and red wolf Canis rufus, but do not support the proposal that they are the same species; it is more likely that they evolved independently from different lineages of a common ancestor with coyotes. The genetic distinctiveness of the Mexican wolf Canis lupus baileyi supports its recognition as a subspecies. The available genetic and morphometric data do not provide clear support for the recognition of the Arctic wolf Canis lupus arctos, but the available genetic data are almost entirely limited to one group of genetic markers (microsatellite DNA) and are not definitive on this question. Recognition of the northern timber wolf Canis lupus occidentalis and the plains wolf Canis lupus nubilus as subspecies is supported by morphological data and extensive studies of microsatellite DNA variation where both subspecies are in contact in Canada. The wolves of coastal areas in southeastern Alaska and British Columbia should be assigned to C. lupus nubilus. There is scientific support for the taxa recognized here, but delineation of exact geographic boundaries presents challenges. Rather than sharp boundaries between taxa, boundaries should generally be thought of as intergrade zones of variable width.
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Marucco F, Vucetich LM, Peterson RO, Adams JR, Vucetich JA. Evaluating the efficacy of non-invasive genetic methods and estimating wolf survival during a ten-year period. CONSERV GENET 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-012-0412-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Rutledge LY, White BN, Row JR, Patterson BR. Intense harvesting of eastern wolves facilitated hybridization with coyotes. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:19-33. [PMID: 22408723 PMCID: PMC3297175 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2011] [Revised: 09/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite ethical arguments against lethal control of wildlife populations, culling is routinely used for the management of predators, invasive or pest species, and infectious diseases. Here, we demonstrate that culling of wildlife can have unforeseen impacts that can be detrimental to future conservation efforts. Specifically, we analyzed genetic data from eastern wolves (Canis lycaon) sampled in Algonquin Provincial Park (APP), Ontario, Canada from 1964 to 2007. Research culls in 1964 and 1965 killed the majority of wolves within a study region of APP, accounting for approximately 36% of the park's wolf population at a time when coyotes were colonizing the region. The culls were followed by a significant decrease in an eastern wolf mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype (C1) in the Park's wolf population, as well as an increase in coyote mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. The introgression of nuclear DNA from coyotes, however, appears to have been curtailed by legislation that extended wolf protection outside park boundaries in 2001, although eastern wolf mtDNA haplotype C1 continued to decline and is now rare within the park population. We conclude that the wolf culls transformed the genetic composition of this unique eastern wolf population by facilitating coyote introgression. These results demonstrate that intense localized harvest of a seemingly abundant species can lead to unexpected hybridization events that encumber future conservation efforts. Ultimately, researchers need to contemplate not only the ethics of research methods, but also that future implications may be obscured by gaps in our current scientific understanding.
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Wilson PJ, Rutledge LY, Wheeldon TJ, Patterson BR, White BN. Y-chromosome evidence supports widespread signatures of three-species Canis hybridization in eastern North America. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:2325-32. [PMID: 23139890 PMCID: PMC3488682 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Revised: 05/14/2012] [Accepted: 05/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been considerable discussion on the origin of the red wolf and eastern wolf and their evolution independent of the gray wolf. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and a Y-chromosome intron sequence in combination with Y-chromosome microsatellites from wolves and coyotes within the range of extensive wolf–coyote hybridization, that is, eastern North America. The detection of divergent Y-chromosome haplotypes in the historic range of the eastern wolf is concordant with earlier mtDNA findings, and the absence of these haplotypes in western coyotes supports the existence of the North American evolved eastern wolf (Canis lycaon). Having haplotypes observed exclusively in eastern North America as a result of insufficient sampling in the historic range of the coyote or that these lineages subsequently went extinct in western geographies is unlikely given that eastern-specific mtDNA and Y-chromosome haplotypes represent lineages divergent from those observed in extant western coyotes. By combining Y-chromosome and mtDNA distributional patterns, we identified hybrid genomes of eastern wolf, coyote, gray wolf, and potentially dog origin in Canis populations of central and eastern North America. The natural contemporary eastern Canis populations represent an important example of widespread introgression resulting in hybrid genomes across the original C. lycaon range that appears to be facilitated by the eastern wolf acting as a conduit for hybridization. Applying conventional taxonomic nomenclature and species-based conservation initiatives, particularly in human-modified landscapes, may be counterproductive to the effective management of these hybrids and fails to consider their evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Wilson
- Natural Resources DNA Profiling & Forensic Centre, Trent University DNA Building, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, K9J 7B8
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Stronen AV, Tessier N, Jolicoeur H, Paquet PC, Hénault M, Villemure M, Patterson BR, Sallows T, Goulet G, Lapointe FJ. Canid hybridization: contemporary evolution in human-modified landscapes. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:2128-40. [PMID: 23139873 PMCID: PMC3488665 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary evolution through human-induced hybridization occurs throughout the taxonomic range. Formerly allopatric species appear especially susceptible to hybridization. Consequently, hybridization is expected to be more common in regions with recent sympatry owing to human activity than in areas of historical range overlap. Coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray wolves (C. lupus) are historically sympatric in western North America. Following European settlement gray wolf range contracted, whereas coyote range expanded to include eastern North America. Furthermore, wolves with New World (NW) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes now extend from Manitoba to Québec in Canada and hybridize with gray wolves and coyotes. Using mtDNA and 12 microsatellite markers, we evaluated levels of wolf-coyote hybridization in regions where coyotes were present (the Canadian Prairies, n = 109 samples) and absent historically (Québec, n = 154). Wolves with NW mtDNA extended from central Saskatchewan (51°N, 69°W) to northeastern Québec (54°N, 108°W). On the Prairies, 6.3% of coyotes and 9.2% of wolves had genetic profiles suggesting wolf-coyote hybridization. In contrast, 12.6% of coyotes and 37.4% of wolves in Québec had profiles indicating hybrid origin. Wolves with NW and Old World (C. lupus) mtDNA appear to form integrated populations in both regions. Our results suggest that hybridization is more frequent in historically allopatric populations. Range shifts, now expected across taxa following climate change and other human influence on the environment, might therefore promote contemporary evolution by hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid V Stronen
- Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada
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Brown SK, Pedersen NC, Jafarishorijeh S, Bannasch DL, Ahrens KD, Wu JT, Okon M, Sacks BN. Phylogenetic distinctiveness of Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian village dog Y chromosomes illuminates dog origins. PLoS One 2011; 6:e28496. [PMID: 22194840 PMCID: PMC3237445 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern genetic samples are commonly used to trace dog origins, which entails untested assumptions that village dogs reflect indigenous ancestry or that breed origins can be reliably traced to particular regions. We used high-resolution Y chromosome markers (SNP and STR) and mitochondrial DNA to analyze 495 village dogs/dingoes from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, along with 138 dogs from >35 modern breeds to 1) assess genetic divergence between Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian village dogs and their phylogenetic affinities to Australian dingoes and gray wolves (Canis lupus) and 2) compare the genetic affinities of modern breeds to regional indigenous village dog populations. The Y chromosome markers indicated that village dogs in the two regions corresponded to reciprocally monophyletic clades, reflecting several to many thousand years divergence, predating the Neolithic ages, and indicating long-indigenous roots to those regions. As expected, breeds of the Middle East and East Asia clustered within the respective regional village dog clade. Australian dingoes also clustered in the Southeast Asian clade. However, the European and American breeds clustered almost entirely within the Southeast Asian clade, even sharing many haplotypes, suggesting a substantial and recent influence of East Asian dogs in the creation of European breeds. Comparison to 818 published breed dog Y STR haplotypes confirmed this conclusion and indicated that some African breeds reflect another distinct patrilineal origin. The lower-resolution mtDNA marker consistently supported Y-chromosome results. Both marker types confirmed previous findings of higher genetic diversity in dogs from Southeast Asia than the Middle East. Our findings demonstrate the importance of village dogs as windows into the past and provide a reference against which ancient DNA can be used to further elucidate origins and spread of the domestic dog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Brown
- Canid Diversity and Conservation Laboratory, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Niels C. Pedersen
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Sardar Jafarishorijeh
- Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Danika L. Bannasch
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Population, Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Kristen D. Ahrens
- Canid Diversity and Conservation Laboratory, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Biological Sciences Department, California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Jui-Te Wu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Michaella Okon
- Ruah Midbar Kennel for Desert Bred Salukis, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Benjamin N. Sacks
- Canid Diversity and Conservation Laboratory, Center for Veterinary Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Population, Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Biological Sciences Department, California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Stronen AV, Forbes GJ, Paquet PC, Goulet G, Sallows T, Musiani M. Dispersal in a plain landscape: short-distance genetic differentiation in southwestern Manitoba wolves, Canada. CONSERV GENET 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-011-0290-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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GODINHO RAQUEL, LLANEZA LUIS, BLANCO JUANC, LOPES SUSANA, ÁLVARES FRANCISCO, GARCÍA EMILIOJ, PALACIOS VICENTE, CORTÉS YOLANDA, TALEGÓN JAVIER, FERRAND NUNO. Genetic evidence for multiple events of hybridization between wolves and domestic dogs in the Iberian Peninsula. Mol Ecol 2011; 20:5154-66. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05345.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Adams JR, Vucetich LM, Hedrick PW, Peterson RO, Vucetich JA. Genomic sweep and potential genetic rescue during limiting environmental conditions in an isolated wolf population. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:3336-44. [PMID: 21450731 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic rescue, in which the introduction of one or more unrelated individuals into an inbred population results in the reduction of detrimental genetic effects and an increase in one or more vital rates, is a potentially important management tool for mitigating adverse effects of inbreeding. We used molecular techniques to document the consequences of a male wolf (Canis lupus) that immigrated, on its own, across Lake Superior ice to the small, inbred wolf population in Isle Royale National Park. The immigrant's fitness so exceeded that of native wolves that within 2.5 generations, he was related to every individual in the population and his ancestry constituted 56 per cent of the population, resulting in a selective sweep of the total genome. In other words, all the male ancestry (50% of the total ancestry) descended from this immigrant, plus 6 per cent owing to the success of some of his inbred offspring. The immigration event occurred in an environment where space was limiting (i.e. packs occupied all available territories) and during a time when environmental conditions had deteriorated (i.e. wolves' prey declined). These conditions probably explain why the immigration event did not obviously improve the population's demography (e.g. increased population numbers or growth rate). Our results show that the beneficial effects of gene flow may be substantial and quickly manifest, short-lived under some circumstances, and how the demographic benefits of genetic rescue might be masked by environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Adams
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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39
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40
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Forensic DNA against wildlife poaching: Identification of a serial wolf killing in Italy. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2010; 4:334-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2009] [Revised: 10/14/2009] [Accepted: 10/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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41
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WHEELDON TYLERJ, PATTERSON BRENTR, WHITE BRADLEYN. Sympatric wolf and coyote populations of the western Great Lakes region are reproductively isolated. Mol Ecol 2010; 19:4428-40. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04818.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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43
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Iacolina L, Scandura M, Gazzola A, Cappai N, Capitani C, Mattioli L, Vercillo F, Apollonio M. Y-chromosome microsatellite variation in Italian wolves: A contribution to the study of wolf-dog hybridization patterns. Mamm Biol 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2010.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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44
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Rutledge LY, Garroway CJ, Loveless KM, Patterson BR. Genetic differentiation of eastern wolves in Algonquin Park despite bridging gene flow between coyotes and grey wolves. Heredity (Edinb) 2010; 105:520-31. [PMID: 20160760 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2010.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinguishing genetically differentiated populations within hybrid zones and determining the mechanisms by which introgression occurs are crucial for setting effective conservation policy. Extensive hybridization among grey wolves (Canis lupus), eastern wolves (C. lycaon) and coyotes (C. latrans) in eastern North America has blurred species distinctions, creating a Canis hybrid swarm. Using complementary genetic markers, we tested the hypotheses that eastern wolves have acted as a conduit of sex-biased gene flow between grey wolves and coyotes, and that eastern wolves in Algonquin Provincial Park (APP) have differentiated following a history of introgression. Mitochondrial, Y chromosome and autosomal microsatellite genetic data provided genotypes for 217 canids from three geographic regions in Ontario, Canada: northeastern Ontario, APP and southern Ontario. Coyote mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes were common across regions but coyote-specific Y chromosome haplotypes were absent; grey wolf mtDNA was absent from southern regions, whereas grey wolf Y chromosome haplotypes were present in all three regions. Genetic structuring analyses revealed three distinct clusters within a genetic cline, suggesting some gene flow among species. In APP, however, 78.4% of all breeders and 11 of 15 known breeding pairs had assignment probability of Q0.8 to the Algonquin cluster, and the proportion of eastern wolf Y chromosome haplotypes in APP breeding males was higher than expected from random mating within the park (P<0.02). The data indicate that Algonquin wolves remain genetically distinct despite providing a sex-biased genetic bridge between coyotes and grey wolves. We speculate that ongoing hybridization within the park is limited by pre-mating reproductive barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Y Rutledge
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive,Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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Greminger MP, Krützen M, Schelling C, Pienkowska-Schelling A, Wandeler P. The quest for Y-chromosomal markers - methodological strategies for mammalian non-model organisms. Mol Ecol Resour 2009; 10:409-20. [PMID: 21565040 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02798.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Tracing maternal and paternal lineages independently to explore breeding systems and dispersal strategies in natural populations has been high on the wish-list of evolutionary biologists. As males are the heterogametic sex in mammals, such sex-specific patterns can be indirectly observed when Y chromosome polymorphism is combined with mitochondrial sequence information. Over the past decade, Y-chromosomal markers applied to human populations have revealed remarkable differences in the demographic history and behaviour between the sexes. However, with a few exceptions, genetic data tracing the paternal line are lacking in most other mammalian species. This deficit can be attributed to the difficulty of developing Y-specific genetic markers in non-model organisms and the general low levels of polymorphisms observed on the Y chromosome. Here, we present an overview of the currently employed strategies for developing paternal markers in mammals. Moreover, we review the practical feasibility and requirements of various methodological strategies and highlight their future prospects when combined with new molecular techniques such as next generation sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja P Greminger
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland Animal Genetics Group, Vetsuisse-Faculty Zurich, University of Zurich, Tannenstrasse 1, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Department of Animal Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Tannenstrasse 1, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Zoological Museum, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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47
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KOBLMÜLLER STEPHAN, NORD MARIA, WAYNE ROBERTK, LEONARD JENNIFERA. Origin and status of the Great Lakes wolf. Mol Ecol 2009; 18:2313-26. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04176.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hagenblad J, Olsson M, Parker HG, Ostrander EA, Ellegren H. Population genomics of the inbred Scandinavian wolf. Mol Ecol 2009; 18:1341-51. [PMID: 19368642 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04120.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The Scandinavian wolf population represents one of the genetically most well-characterized examples of a severely bottlenecked natural population (with only two founders), and of how the addition of new genetic material (one immigrant) can at least temporarily provide a 'genetic rescue'. However, inbreeding depression has been observed in this population and in the absence of additional immigrants, its long-term viability is questioned. To study the effects of inbreeding and selection on genomic diversity, we performed a genomic scan with approximately 250 microsatellite markers distributed across all autosomes and the X chromosome. We found linkage disequilibrium (LD) that extended up to distances of 50 Mb, exceeding that of most outbreeding species studied thus far. LD was particularly pronounced on the X chromosome. Overall levels of observed genomic heterozygosity did not deviate significantly from simulations based on known population history, giving no support for a general selection for heterozygotes. However, we found evidence supporting balancing selection at a number of loci and also evidence suggesting directional selection at other loci. For markers on chromosome 23, the signal of selection was particularly strong, indicating that purifying selection against deleterious alleles may have occurred even in this very small population. These data suggest that population genomics allows the exploration of the effects of neutral and non-neutral evolution on a finer scale than what has previously been possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Hagenblad
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Sweden
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49
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Hailer F, Leonard JA. Hybridization among three native North American Canis species in a region of natural sympatry. PLoS One 2008; 3:e3333. [PMID: 18841199 PMCID: PMC2556088 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2008] [Accepted: 08/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population densities of many species throughout the world are changing due to direct persecution as well as anthropogenic habitat modification. These changes may induce or increase the frequency of hybridization among taxa. If extensive, hybridization can threaten the genetic integrity or survival of endangered species. Three native species of the genus Canis, coyote (C. latrans), Mexican wolf (C. lupus baileyi) and red wolf (C. rufus), were historically sympatric in Texas, United States. Human impacts caused the latter two to go extinct in the wild, although they survived in captive breeding programs. Morphological data demonstrate historic reproductive isolation between all three taxa. While the red wolf population was impacted by introgressive hybridization with coyotes as it went extinct in the wild, the impact of hybridization on the Texas populations of the other species is not clear. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We surveyed variation at maternally and paternally inherited genetic markers (mitochondrial control region sequence and Y chromosome microsatellites) in coyotes from Texas, Mexican wolves and red wolves from the captive breeding programs, and a reference population of coyotes from outside the historic red wolf range. Levels of variation and phylogenetic analyses suggest that hybridization has occasionally taken place between all three species, but that the impact on the coyote population is very small. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Our results demonstrate that the factors driving introgressive hybridization in sympatric Texan Canis are multiple and complex. Hybridization is not solely determined by body size or sex, and density-dependent effects do not fully explain the observed pattern either. No evidence of hybridization was identified in the Mexican wolf captive breeding program, but introgression appears to have had a greater impact on the captive red wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Hailer
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, National Zoological Park & National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., United States of America
| | - Jennifer A. Leonard
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, National Zoological Park & National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., United States of America
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Sacks BN, Bannasch DL, Chomel BB, Ernest HB. Coyotes demonstrate how habitat specialization by individuals of a generalist species can diversify populations in a heterogeneous ecoregion. Mol Biol Evol 2008; 25:1384-94. [PMID: 18391065 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msn082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The tendency for individuals to disperse into habitat similar to their natal habitat has been observed in a wide range of species, although its population genetic consequences have received little study. Such behavior could lead to discrete habitat-specific population subdivisions even in the absence of physical dispersal barriers or habitat gaps. Previous studies of coyotes have supported this hypothesis in a small region of California, but its evolutionary significance ultimately depends on the extent and magnitude of habitat-specific subdivision. Here, we investigated these questions using autosomal, Y chromosome, and mitochondrial markers and >2,000 coyotes from a broad region, including 2 adjacent ecoregions with contrasting levels of habitat heterogeneity--the California Floristic Province (CFP) (heterogeneous landscape) and the Desert-Prairie ecoregion (DPE) (homogeneous landscape). Consistent with predictions, we found a close correspondence between population genetic structure and habitat subdivisions throughout the CFP and virtual panmixia over the larger DPE. Conversely, although genetic diversity was similar in these 2 ecoregions overall, it was lower within sites of the CFP, as would be the expected consequence of greater genetic drift within subregions. The magnitude of habitat-specific genetic subdivisions (i.e., genetic distance) in the CFP varied considerably, indicating complexity (e.g., asymmetric gene flow or extinction/recolonization), but, in general, was higher than that due to geographic distance or recent human-related barriers. Because habitat-specific structure can enhance a species' adaptive potential and resilience to changing environments, these findings suggest the CFP may constitute an evolutionarily important portion of the range for coyotes and sympatric species exhibiting habitat-specific population structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N Sacks
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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