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Gajdárová B, Belotti E, Bufka L, Volfová J, Wölfl S, Mináriková T, Hollerbach L, Duľa M, Kleven O, Kutal M, Nowak C, Ozoliņš J, Tám B, Bryja J, Koubek P, Krojerová-Prokešová J. Long-term genetic monitoring of a reintroduced Eurasian lynx population does not indicate an ongoing loss of genetic diversity. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
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Lima CM, Santarém N, Neves NC, Sarmento P, Carrapato C, de Sousa R, Cardoso L, Cordeiro-da-Silva A. Serological and Molecular Survey of Leishmania infantum in a Population of Iberian Lynxes ( Lynx pardinus). Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122447. [PMID: 36557700 PMCID: PMC9788222 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infantum, the sand fly-transmitted protozoan parasite responsible for leishmaniasis in humans, dogs, and cats, is endemic in the Iberian Peninsula. However, the impact of L. infantum infection on the conservation of the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is unknown. Herein, we describe for the first time the occurrence of L. infantum infection among a population of reintroduced and wild-born L. pardinus living in the Portuguese Guadiana Valley Park. The presence of infection was addressed by molecular detection of Leishmania kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in 35 lynxes, with further confirmation of L. infantum species performed by an internally transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 sequencing. Eight blood samples were positive for kDNA, and ITS-1 sequencing confirmed the presence of L. infantum in two of those samples. Exposure to Leishmania was screened in a group of 36 lynxes using an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and a multi-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), using SPLA, rK39, and CPX as Leishmania-specific antigens. Four animals presented a positive IFAT at a dilution of 1:40. Eight samples were considered seropositive to all ELISA Leishmania-specific antigens. Agreement between PCR, IFAT, and all ELISA antigens was found for 1 in 27 samples. These results highlight the susceptibility of autochthonous L. pardinus to L. infantum infection. Further investigation is required to assess the impact of L. infantum infection on this wild species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara M. Lima
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Parasite Disease Group, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Parasite Disease Group, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (N.S.); (L.C.); (A.C.-d.-S.)
| | - Nuno Costa Neves
- Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), 7800-298 Beja, Portugal
| | - Pedro Sarmento
- Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), 7800-298 Beja, Portugal
| | - Carlos Carrapato
- Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), 7800-298 Beja, Portugal
| | - Rita de Sousa
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Disease Research (CEVDI), National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, and CECAV—Animal and Veterinary Research Centre, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Correspondence: (N.S.); (L.C.); (A.C.-d.-S.)
| | - Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Parasite Disease Group, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (N.S.); (L.C.); (A.C.-d.-S.)
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Alvarez-Aleman A, Hunter ME, Frazer TK, Powell JA, Alfonso EG, Austin JD. The first assessment of the genetic diversity and structure of the endangered West Indian manatee in Cuba. Genetica 2022; 150:327-341. [PMID: 36271978 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-022-00172-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The coastal waters of Cuba are home to a small, endangered population of West Indian manatee, which would benefit from a comprehensive characterization of the population's genetic variation. We conducted the first genetic assessment of Cuban manatees to determine the extent of the population's genetic structure and characterize the neutral genetic diversity among regions within the archipelago. We genotyped 49 manatees at 18 microsatellite loci, a subset of 27 samples on 1703 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and sequenced 59 manatees at the mitochondrial control region. The Cuba manatee population had low nuclear (microsatellites HE = 0.44, and SNP HE = 0.29) and mitochondrial genetic diversity (h = 0.068 and π = 0.00025), and displayed moderate departures from random mating (microsatellite FIS = 0.12, SNP FIS = 0.10). Our results suggest that the western portion of the archipelago undergoes periodic exchange of alleles based on the evidence of shared ancestry and low but significant differentiation. The southeast Guantanamo Bay region and the western portion of the archipelago were more differentiated than southwest and northwest manatees. The genetic distinctiveness observed in the southeast supports its recognition as a demographically independent unit for natural resource management regardless of whether it is due to historical isolation or isolation by distance. Estimates of the regional effective population sizes, with the microsatellite and SNP datasets, were small (all Ne < 60). Subsequent analyses using additional samples could better examine how the observed structure is masking simple isolation by distance patterns or whether ecological or biogeographic forces shape genetic patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmari Alvarez-Aleman
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 2035 McCarty hall D, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA. .,Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 16 # 114 Entre 1ra y 3ra Plaza, Havana, Cuba. .,Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, FL, USA.
| | - Margaret E Hunter
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, 7920 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA
| | - Thomas K Frazer
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 2035 McCarty hall D, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.,College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, KRC 3109, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - James A Powell
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, FL, USA
| | - Eddy Garcia Alfonso
- Refugio de Fauna Lanzanillo-Pajonal-Fragoso, Empresa Provincial para la Protección de la Flora y la Fauna, Villa Clara, Cuba
| | - James D Austin
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 2035 McCarty hall D, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.,Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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Abstract
SignificanceThe dynamics of deleterious variation under contrasting demographic scenarios remain poorly understood in spite of their relevance in evolutionary and conservation terms. Here we apply a genomic approach to study differences in the burden of deleterious alleles between the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and the widespread Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). Our analysis unveils a significantly lower deleterious burden in the former species that should be ascribed to genetic purging, that is, to the increased opportunities of selection against recessive homozygotes due to the inbreeding caused by its smaller population size, as illustrated by our analytical predictions. This research provides theoretical and empirical evidence on the evolutionary relevance of genetic purging under certain demographic conditions.
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New developments in the field of genomic technologies and their relevance to conservation management. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01415-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRecent technological advances in the field of genomics offer conservation managers and practitioners new tools to explore for conservation applications. Many of these tools are well developed and used by other life science fields, while others are still in development. Considering these technological possibilities, choosing the right tool(s) from the toolbox is crucial and can pose a challenging task. With this in mind, we strive to inspire, inform and illuminate managers and practitioners on how conservation efforts can benefit from the current genomic and biotechnological revolution. With inspirational case studies we show how new technologies can help resolve some of the main conservation challenges, while also informing how implementable the different technologies are. We here focus specifically on small population management, highlight the potential for genetic rescue, and discuss the opportunities in the field of gene editing to help with adaptation to changing environments. In addition, we delineate potential applications of gene drives for controlling invasive species. We illuminate that the genomic toolbox offers added benefit to conservation efforts, but also comes with limitations for the use of these novel emerging techniques.
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Miao J, Farhat P, Wang W, Ruhsam M, Milne R, Yang H, Tso S, Li J, Xu J, Opgenoorth L, Miehe G, Mao K. Evolutionary history of two rare endemic conifer species from the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 128:903-918. [PMID: 34472580 PMCID: PMC8577208 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Understanding the population genetics and evolutionary history of endangered species is urgently needed in an era of accelerated biodiversity loss. This knowledge is most important for regions with high endemism that are ecologically vulnerable, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). METHODS The genetic variation of 84 juniper trees from six populations of Juniperus microsperma and one population of Juniperus erectopatens, two narrow-endemic junipers from the QTP that are sister to each other, was surveyed using RNA-sequencing data. Coalescent-based analyses were used to test speciation, migration and demographic scenarios. Furthermore, positively selected and climate-associated genes were identified, and the genetic load was assessed for both species. KEY RESULTS Analyses of 149 052 single nucleotide polymorphisms showed that the two species are well differentiated and monophyletic. They diverged around the late Pliocene, but interspecific gene flow continued until the Last Glacial Maximum. Demographic reconstruction by Stairway Plot detected two severe bottlenecks for J. microsperma but only one for J. erectopatens. The identified positively selected genes and climate-associated genes revealed habitat adaptation of the two species. Furthermore, although J. microsperma had a much wider geographical distribution than J. erectopatens, the former possesses lower genetic diversity and a higher genetic load than the latter. CONCLUSIONS This study sheds light on the evolution of two endemic juniper species from the QTP and their responses to Quaternary climate fluctuations. Our findings emphasize the importance of speciation and demographic history reconstructions in understanding the current distribution pattern and genetic diversity of threatened species in mountainous regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibin Miao
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
- College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, PR China
| | - Perla Farhat
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
- CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Wentao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Markus Ruhsam
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Richard Milne
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JH, UK
| | - Heng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Sonam Tso
- College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, PR China
| | - Jialiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jingjing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Lars Opgenoorth
- Faculty of Biology and Geology, University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Georg Miehe
- Faculty of Biology and Geology, University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Kangshan Mao
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, Sichuan, PR China
- College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, PR China
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Lucena-Perez M, Kleinman-Ruiz D, Marmesat E, Saveljev AP, Schmidt K, Godoy JA. Bottleneck-associated changes in the genomic landscape of genetic diversity in wild lynx populations. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2664-2679. [PMID: 34815746 PMCID: PMC8591332 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Demographic bottlenecks generally reduce genetic diversity through more intense genetic drift, but their net effect may vary along the genome due to the random nature of genetic drift and to local effects of recombination, mutation, and selection. Here, we analyzed the changes in genetic diversity following a bottleneck by comparing whole-genome diversity patterns in populations with and without severe recent documented declines of Iberian (Lynx pardinus, n = 31) and Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx, n = 29). As expected, overall genomic diversity correlated negatively with bottleneck intensity and/or duration. Correlations of genetic diversity with divergence, chromosome size, gene or functional site content, GC content, or recombination were observed in nonbottlenecked populations, but were weaker in bottlenecked populations. Also, functional features under intense purifying selection and the X chromosome showed an increase in the observed density of variants, even resulting in higher θ W diversity than in nonbottlenecked populations. Increased diversity seems to be related to both a higher mutational input in those regions creating a large collection of low-frequency variants, a few of which increase in frequency during the bottleneck to the point they become detectable with our limited sample, and the reduced efficacy of purifying selection, which affects not only protein structure and function but also the regulation of gene expression. The results of this study alert to the possible reduction of fitness and adaptive potential associated with the genomic erosion in regulatory elements. Further, the detection of a gain of diversity in ultra-conserved elements can be used as a sensitive and easy-to-apply signature of genetic erosion in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lucena-Perez
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | - Daniel Kleinman-Ruiz
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
- Departamento de Genética Facultad de Biología Universidad Complutense Madrid Spain
| | - Elena Marmesat
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | - Alexander P Saveljev
- Department of Animal Ecology Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur Farming Kirov Russia
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences Białowieża Poland
| | - José A Godoy
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
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Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus). Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Allio R, Tilak MK, Scornavacca C, Avenant NL, Kitchener AC, Corre E, Nabholz B, Delsuc F. High-quality carnivoran genomes from roadkill samples enable comparative species delineation in aardwolf and bat-eared fox. eLife 2021; 10:e63167. [PMID: 33599612 PMCID: PMC7963486 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In a context of ongoing biodiversity erosion, obtaining genomic resources from wildlife is essential for conservation. The thousands of yearly mammalian roadkill provide a useful source material for genomic surveys. To illustrate the potential of this underexploited resource, we used roadkill samples to study the genomic diversity of the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) and the aardwolf (Proteles cristatus), both having subspecies with similar disjunct distributions in Eastern and Southern Africa. First, we obtained reference genomes with high contiguity and gene completeness by combining Nanopore long reads and Illumina short reads. Then, we showed that the two subspecies of aardwolf might warrant species status (P. cristatus and P. septentrionalis) by comparing their genome-wide genetic differentiation to pairs of well-defined species across Carnivora with a new Genetic Differentiation index (GDI) based on only a few resequenced individuals. Finally, we obtained a genome-scale Carnivora phylogeny including the new aardwolf species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Allio
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Marie-Ka Tilak
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Celine Scornavacca
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Nico L Avenant
- National Museum and Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free StateBloemfonteinSouth Africa
| | - Andrew C Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums ScotlandEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Erwan Corre
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, ABiMS, Station Biologique de RoscoffRoscoffFrance
| | - Benoit Nabholz
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF)ParisFrance
| | - Frédéric Delsuc
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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Premier J, Fickel J, Heurich M, Kramer-Schadt S. The boon and bane of boldness: movement syndrome as saviour and sink for population genetic diversity. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:16. [PMID: 32337047 PMCID: PMC7175569 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many felid species are of high conservation concern, and with increasing human disturbance the situation is worsening. Small isolated populations are at risk of genetic impoverishment decreasing within-species biodiversity. Movement is known to be a key behavioural trait that shapes both demographic and genetic dynamics and affects population survival. However, we have limited knowledge on how different manifestations of movement behaviour translate to population processes. In this study, we aimed to 1) understand the potential effects of movement behaviour on the genetic diversity of small felid populations in heterogeneous landscapes, while 2) presenting a simulation tool that can help inform conservation practitioners following, or considering, population management actions targeting the risk of genetic impoverishment. METHODS We developed a spatially explicit individual-based population model including neutral genetic markers for felids and applied this to the example of Eurasian lynx. Using a neutral landscape approach, we simulated reintroductions into a three-patch system, comprising two breeding patches separated by a larger patch of differing landscape heterogeneity, and tested for the effects of various behavioural movement syndromes and founder population sizes. We explored a range of movement syndromes by simulating populations with various movement model parametrisations that range from 'shy' to 'bold' movement behaviour. RESULTS We find that movement syndromes can lead to a higher loss of genetic diversity and an increase in between population genetic structure for both "bold" and "shy" movement behaviours, depending on landscape conditions, with larger decreases in genetic diversity and larger increases in genetic differentiation associated with bold movement syndromes, where the first colonisers quickly reproduce and subsequently dominate the gene pool. In addition, we underline the fact that a larger founder population can offset the genetic losses associated with subpopulation isolation and gene pool dominance. CONCLUSIONS We identified a movement syndrome trade-off for population genetic variation, whereby bold-explorers could be saviours - by connecting populations and promoting panmixia, or sinks - by increasing genetic losses via a 'founder takes all' effect, whereas shy-stayers maintain a more gradual genetic drift due to their more cautious behaviour. Simulations should incorporate movement behaviour to provide better projections of long-term population viability and within-species biodiversity, which includes genetic diversity. Simulations incorporating demographics and genetics have great potential for informing conservation management actions, such as population reintroductions or reinforcements. Here, we present such a simulation tool for solitary felids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Premier
- Chair of wildlife ecology and wildlife management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Str. 2, 94481 Grafenau, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Marco Heurich
- Chair of wildlife ecology and wildlife management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Str. 2, 94481 Grafenau, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kramer-Schadt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Technical University Berlin, Rothenburg Str. 12, 12165 Berlin, Germany
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Lansink GMJ, Esparza-Salas R, Joensuu M, Koskela A, Bujnáková D, Kleven O, Flagstad Ø, Ollila T, Kojola I, Aspi J, Kvist L. Population genetics of the wolverine in Finland: the road to recovery? CONSERV GENET 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-020-01264-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAfter decades, even centuries of persecution, large carnivore populations are widely recovering in Europe. Considering the recent recovery of the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Finland, our aim was to evaluate genetic variation using 14 microsatellites and mtDNA control region (579 bp) in order (1) to determine whether the species is represented by a single genetic population within Finland, (2) to quantify the genetic diversity, and (3) to estimate the effective population size. We found two major genetic clusters divided between eastern and northern Finland based on microsatellites (FST = 0.100) but also a significant pattern of isolation by distance. Wolverines in western Finland had a genetic signature similar to the northern cluster, which can be explained by former translocations of wolverines from northern to western Finland. For both main clusters, most estimates of the effective population size Ne were below 50. Nevertheless, the genetic diversity was higher in the eastern cluster (HE = 0.57, AR = 4.0, AP = 0.3) than in the northern cluster (HE = 0.49, AR = 3.7, AP = 0.1). Migration between the clusters was low. Two mtDNA haplotypes were found: one common and identical to Scandinavian wolverines; the other rare and not previously detected. The rare haplotype was more prominent in the eastern genetic cluster. Combining all available data, we infer that the genetic population structure within Finland is shaped by a recent bottleneck, isolation by distance, human-aided translocations and postglacial recolonization routes.
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Garrote G, Fernández-López J, Rojas E, López G, Simón MA. Planning the peninsula-wide recovery of the Iberian lynx: identification of favourable habitat areas. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The creation of new populations through reintroductions in their former range is still necessary for the long-term conservation of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). A large-scale assessment of habitat suitability is a necessary prerequisite for evaluating the possibility of carrying out lynx reintroductions. We modelled habitat suitability for the Iberian lynx in the Iberian Peninsula using MaxEnt. Lynx presence data for 2010–2013 from Andujar-Cardeña and Doñana populations were used. Habitat variables were quantified using the CORINE Land Cover. This habitat suitability model predicted an environmentally suitable area of 87,747 km2, which represents 14.08% of the whole Iberian Peninsula. Of the total suitable habitat identified, 45% is located in a large continuous area in the south-western quadrant coinciding with the historical range of the species in the mid-20th century. However, there are also relevant patches mainly in the north-eastern quadrant. About 55% of the potential area suitable for the lynx falls outside protected areas. If Iberian lynx populations are to attain levels that will facilitate their long-term survival, it will be necessary to consider potential habitat for the species throughout the whole of the Iberian Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán Garrote
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, c/Johann Gutenberg s/n, Isla de la Cartuja , 41092 , Seville , Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-López
- Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid–CSIC , Madrid , Spain
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Eva Rojas
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, c/Johann Gutenberg s/n, Isla de la Cartuja , 41092 , Seville , Spain
| | - Guillermo López
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, c/Johann Gutenberg s/n, Isla de la Cartuja , 41092 , Seville , Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Simón
- Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía, c/Doctor Eduardo García-Triviño López , 15. 23009 , Jaén , Spain
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Detailed characterization of repeat motifs of nine canid microsatellite loci in African painted dogs (Lycaon pictus). MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00442-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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14
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Current genetic admixture between relictual populations might enhance the recovery of an elusive carnivore. CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01199-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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15
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Matzenbacher CA, Da Silva J, Garcia ALH, Cappetta M, de Freitas TRO. Anthropogenic Effects on Natural Mammalian Populations: Correlation Between Telomere Length and Coal Exposure. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6325. [PMID: 31004106 PMCID: PMC6474877 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Candiota coal mine in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) is one of the largest in Brazil. Coal is a fossil fuel that causes environmental impacts from its extraction to combustion due to the release of different agents, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals. Ctenomys torquatus are herbivorous and subterranean rodents that dig tunnels with their paws and teeth and can be exposed to coal through contaminated food. Exposure to pollutants can cause DNA damage and affect different tissues, inducing alterations in the population structure and genetic diversity. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of exposure to coal and its derivatives on the C. torquatus population and to examine the relationship of coal exposure with variations in absolute telomere length (aTL), global DNA methylation and genotoxicity. Our study showed an inverse correlation between telomere length and coal exposure in addition to an increase in DNA damage. The results indicate that coal and its byproducts can contribute to the alteration of the C. torquatus population structure, as evidenced by a reduction in the number of adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina A Matzenbacher
- Department of Genetics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, C.P. 15053, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Juliana Da Silva
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Lutheran University of Brazil, ULBRA, Canoas, 92425-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Ana Leticia H Garcia
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Lutheran University of Brazil, ULBRA, Canoas, 92425-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Quality, University Feevale, ERS-239, 2755, 93525-075, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Mónica Cappetta
- Laboratorio de Epidemiología Genética, Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Thales R O de Freitas
- Department of Genetics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, C.P. 15053, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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16
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Genetic evaluation of the Iberian lynx ex situ conservation programme. Heredity (Edinb) 2019; 123:647-661. [PMID: 30952964 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-019-0217-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ex situ programmes have become critical for improving the conservation of many threatened species, as they establish backup populations and provide individuals for reintroduction and reinforcement of wild populations. The Iberian lynx was considered the most threatened felid species in the world in the wake of a dramatic decline during the second half of the 20th century that reduced its numbers to around only 100 individuals. An ex situ conservation programme was established in 2003 with individuals from the two well-differentiated, remnant populations, with great success from a demographic point of view. Here, we evaluate the genetic status of the Iberian lynx captive population based on molecular data from 36 microsatellites, including patterns of relatedness and representativeness of the two remnant genetic backgrounds among founders, the evolution of diversity and inbreeding over the years, and genetic differentiation among breeding facilities. In general terms, the ex situ population harbours most of the genetic variability found in the two wild populations and has been able to maintain reasonably low levels of inbreeding and high diversity, thus validating the applied management measures and potentially representing a model for other species in need of conservation.
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Yang Y, Ma T, Wang Z, Lu Z, Li Y, Fu C, Chen X, Zhao M, Olson MS, Liu J. Genomic effects of population collapse in a critically endangered ironwood tree Ostrya rehderiana. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5449. [PMID: 30575743 PMCID: PMC6303402 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07913-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased human activity and climate change are driving numerous tree species to endangered status, and in the worst cases extinction. Here we examine the genomic signatures of the critically endangered ironwood tree Ostrya rehderiana and its widespread congener O. chinensis. Both species have similar demographic histories prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM); however, the effective population size of O. rehderiana continued to decrease through the last 10,000 years, whereas O. chinensis recovered to Pre-LGM numbers. O. rehderiana accumulated more deleterious mutations, but purged more severely deleterious recessive variations than in O. chinensis. This purging and the gradually reduced inbreeding depression together may have mitigated extinction and contributed to the possible future survival of the outcrossing O. rehderiana. Our findings provide critical insights into the evolutionary history of population collapse and the potential for future recovery of the endangered trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, 610065, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, 610065, Chengdu, China
| | - Zefu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, 610065, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiqiang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chengxin Fu
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of Ministry of Education, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyong Chen
- School of Ecological & Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Dongchuan Road 500, 200241, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingshui Zhao
- Zhejiang Tianmushan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Matthew S Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 43131, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3131, USA
| | - Jianquan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, 610065, Chengdu, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China.
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18
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Casas-Marce M, Marmesat E, Soriano L, Martínez-Cruz B, Lucena-Perez M, Nocete F, Rodríguez-Hidalgo A, Canals A, Nadal J, Detry C, Bernáldez-Sánchez E, Fernández-Rodríguez C, Pérez-Ripoll M, Stiller M, Hofreiter M, Rodríguez A, Revilla E, Delibes M, Godoy JA. Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Genetic Variation in the Iberian Lynx along Its Path to Extinction Reconstructed with Ancient DNA. Mol Biol Evol 2018; 34:2893-2907. [PMID: 28962023 PMCID: PMC5850336 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There is the tendency to assume that endangered species have been both genetically and demographically healthier in the past, so that any genetic erosion observed today was caused by their recent decline. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) suffered a dramatic and continuous decline during the 20th century, and now shows extremely low genome- and species-wide genetic diversity among other signs of genomic erosion. We analyze ancient (N = 10), historical (N = 245), and contemporary (N = 172) samples with microsatellite and mitogenome data to reconstruct the species' demography and investigate patterns of genetic variation across space and time. Iberian lynx populations transitioned from low but significantly higher genetic diversity than today and shallow geographical differentiation millennia ago, through a structured metapopulation with varying levels of diversity during the last centuries, to two extremely genetically depauperate and differentiated remnant populations by 2002. The historical subpopulations show varying extents of genetic drift in relation to their recent size and time in isolation, but these do not predict whether the populations persisted or went finally extinct. In conclusion, current genetic patterns were mainly shaped by genetic drift, supporting the current admixture of the two genetic pools and calling for a comprehensive genetic management of the ongoing conservation program. This study illustrates how a retrospective analysis of demographic and genetic patterns of endangered species can shed light onto their evolutionary history and this, in turn, can inform conservation actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Casas-Marce
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Elena Marmesat
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Laura Soriano
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Begoña Martínez-Cruz
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Maria Lucena-Perez
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco Nocete
- Grupo de Investigación MIDAS, Departamento Historia I (Prehistoria), Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo
- Department of Prehistory, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.,IDEA (Instituto de Evolución en África), Madrid, Spain.,Equipo de Investigación Primeros Pobladores de Extremadura, Casa de la Cultura Rodríguez Moñino, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Antoni Canals
- Equipo de Investigación Primeros Pobladores de Extremadura, Casa de la Cultura Rodríguez Moñino, Cáceres, Spain.,IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution), Tarragona, Spain.,Area de Prehistoria (Department of Prehistory), Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain
| | - Jordi Nadal
- SERP, Departament de Prehistòria, Història Antiga i Arqueologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cleia Detry
- UNIARQ - Centro de Arqueologia da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, Alameda da Universidade, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Eloísa Bernáldez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Paleobiología, Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico, Consejería de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Manuel Pérez-Ripoll
- Prehistory and Archaeology Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mathias Stiller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Michael Hofreiter
- Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Life Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Alejandro Rodríguez
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Miguel Delibes
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - José A Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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19
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Lucena-Perez M, Soriano L, López-Bao JV, Marmesat E, Fernández L, Palomares F, Godoy JA. Reproductive biology and genealogy in the endangered Iberian lynx: Implications for conservation. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Lopes-Fernandes M, Espírito-Santo C, Frazão-Moreira A. The return of the Iberian lynx to Portugal: local voices. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2018; 14:3. [PMID: 29325579 PMCID: PMC5765628 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0200-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethnographic research can help to establish dialog between conservationists and local people in reintroduction areas. Considering that predator reintroductions may cause local resistance, we assessed attitudes of different key actor profiles to the return of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) to Portugal before reintroduction started in 2015. We aimed to characterize a social context from an ethnoecological perspective, including factors such as local knowledge, perceptions, emotions, and opinions. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 131) in three different protected areas and observed practices and public meetings in order to describe reintroduction contestation, emotional involvement with the species, and local perceptions about conservation. Detailed content data analysis was undertaken and an open-ended codification of citations was performed with the support of ATLAS.ti. Besides the qualitative analyses, we further explored statistic associations between knowledge and opinions and compared different geographical areas and hunters with non-hunters among key actors. RESULTS Local ecological knowledge encompassed the lynx but was not shared by the whole community. Both similarities and differences between local and scientific knowledge about the lynx were found. The discrepancies with scientific findings were not necessarily a predictor of negative attitudes towards reintroduction. Contestation issues around reintroduction differ between geographical areas but did not hinder an emotional attachment to the species and its identification as a territory emblem. Among local voices, financial compensation was significantly associated to hunters and nature tourism was cited the most frequent advantage of lynx presence. Materialistic discourses existed in parallel with non-economic factors and the existence of moral agreement with its protection. The considerable criticism and reference to restrictions by local actors concerning protected areas and conservation projects indicated the experience of an imposed model of nature conservation. Opinions about participation in the reintroduction process highlighted the need for a closer dialog between all actors and administration. CONCLUSIONS Local voices analyzed through an ethnoecological perspective provide several views on reintroduction and nature conservation. They follow two main global trends of environmental discourse: (1) nature becomes a commodified object to exploit while contestation about wildlife is centered on financial return and (2) emblematic wild species create an emotional attachment, become symbolic, and gather moral agreement for nature protection. Lynx reintroduction has been not only just a nature protection theme but also a negotiation process with administration. Western rural communities are not the "noble savages" and nature protectors as are other traditional groups, and actors tend to claim for benefits in a situation of reintroduction. Both parties comprehend a similar version of appropriated nature. Understanding complexity and diverse interests in local communities are useful in not oversimplifying local positions towards predator conservation. We recommend that professional conservation teams rethink their image among local populations and increase proximity with different types of key actors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Lopes-Fernandes
- Divisão de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas (ICNF), Avenida da República, 16, 1069-040 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas/Nova, Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia (CRIA-FCSH/NOVA), Avenida de Berna, 26, 1069-061 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Clara Espírito-Santo
- Grupo Lobo, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, C2, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Montes de Encanto, Rua da Charnequinha, 5, Parracheira, 2420-026 Arrabal, Portugal
| | - Amélia Frazão-Moreira
- Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas/Nova, Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia (CRIA-FCSH/NOVA), Avenida de Berna, 26, 1069-061 Lisboa, Portugal
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21
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Baas P, van der Valk T, Vigilant L, Ngobobo U, Binyinyi E, Nishuli R, Caillaud D, Guschanski K. Population-level assessment of genetic diversity and habitat fragmentation in critically endangered Grauer's gorillas. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:565-575. [PMID: 29313894 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The critically endangered Grauer's gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) has experienced an estimated 77% population decline within a single generation. Although crucial for informed conservation decisions, there is no clear understanding about population structure and distribution of genetic diversity across the species' highly fragmented range. We fill this gap by studying several core and peripheral Grauer's gorilla populations throughout their distribution range. MATERIALS AND METHODS We generated genetic profiles for a sampling of an unstudied population of Grauer's gorillas from within the species' core range at 13 autosomal microsatellite loci and combined them with previously published and newly generated data from four other Grauer's gorilla populations, two mountain gorilla populations, and one western lowland gorilla population. RESULTS In agreement with previous studies, the genetic diversity of Grauer's gorillas is intermediate, falling between western lowland and mountain gorillas. Among Grauer's gorilla populations, we observe lower genetic diversity and high differentiation in peripheral compared with central populations, indicating a strong effect of genetic drift and limited gene flow among small, isolated forest fragments. DISCUSSION Although genetically less diverse, peripheral populations are frequently essential for the long-term persistence of a species and migration between peripheral and core populations may significantly enrich the overall species genetic diversity. Thus, in addition to central Grauer's gorilla populations from the core of the distribution range that clearly deserve conservation attention, we argue that conservation strategies aiming to ensure long-term species viability should include preserving peripheral populations and enhancing habitat connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Baas
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tom van der Valk
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Primatology Department, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Urbain Ngobobo
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Escobar Binyinyi
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Radar Nishuli
- Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, N4, Réserve de Faune à Okapis, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Damien Caillaud
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, California
| | - Katerina Guschanski
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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22
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Kleinman-Ruiz D, Martínez-Cruz B, Soriano L, Lucena-Perez M, Cruz F, Villanueva B, Fernández J, Godoy JA. Novel efficient genome-wide SNP panels for the conservation of the highly endangered Iberian lynx. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:556. [PMID: 28732460 PMCID: PMC5522595 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3946-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has been acknowledged as the most endangered felid species in the world. An intense contraction and fragmentation during the twentieth century left less than 100 individuals split in two isolated and genetically eroded populations by 2002. Genetic monitoring and management so far have been based on 36 STRs, but their limited variability and the more complex situation of current populations demand more efficient molecular markers. The recent characterization of the Iberian lynx genome identified more than 1.6 million SNPs, of which 1536 were selected and genotyped in an extended Iberian lynx sample. METHODS We validated 1492 SNPs and analysed their heterozygosity, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium. We then selected a panel of 343 minimally linked autosomal SNPs from which we extracted subsets optimized for four different typical tasks in conservation applications: individual identification, parentage assignment, relatedness estimation, and admixture classification, and compared their power to currently used STR panels. RESULTS We ascribed 21 SNPs to chromosome X based on their segregation patterns, and identified one additional marker that showed significant differentiation between sexes. For all applications considered, panels of autosomal SNPs showed higher power than the currently used STR set with only a very modest increase in the number of markers. CONCLUSIONS These novel panels of highly informative genome-wide SNPs provide more powerful, efficient, and flexible tools for the genetic management and non-invasive monitoring of Iberian lynx populations. This example highlights an important outcome of whole-genome studies in genetically threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kleinman-Ruiz
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Begoña Martínez-Cruz
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Laura Soriano
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Maria Lucena-Perez
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Fernando Cruz
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.,CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Villanueva
- Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, INIA, Carretera de la Coruña Km. 7, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Fernández
- Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, INIA, Carretera de la Coruña Km. 7, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Godoy
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Calle Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
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23
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Marmesat E, Schmidt K, Saveljev AP, Seryodkin IV, Godoy JA. Retention of functional variation despite extreme genomic erosion: MHC allelic repertoires in the Lynx genus. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:158. [PMID: 28676046 PMCID: PMC5496644 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-1006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Demographic bottlenecks erode genetic diversity and may increase endangered species' extinction risk via decreased fitness and adaptive potential. The genetic status of species is generally assessed using neutral markers, whose dynamic can differ from that of functional variation due to selection. The MHC is a multigene family described as the most important genetic component of the mammalian immune system, with broad implications in ecology and evolution. The genus Lynx includes four species differing immensely in demographic history and population size, which provides a suitable model to study the genetic consequences of demographic declines: the Iberian lynx being an extremely bottlenecked species and the three remaining ones representing common and widely distributed species. We compared variation in the most variable exon of the MHCI and MHCII-DRB loci among the four species of the Lynx genus. RESULTS The Iberian lynx was characterised by lower number of MHC alleles than its sister species (the Eurasian lynx). However, it maintained most of the functional genetic variation at MHC loci present in the remaining and genetically healthier lynx species at all nucleotide, amino acid, and supertype levels. CONCLUSIONS Species-wide functional genetic diversity can be maintained even in the face of severe population bottlenecks, which caused devastating whole genome genetic erosion. This could be the consequence of divergent alleles being retained across paralogous loci, an outcome that, in the face of frequent gene conversion, may have been favoured by balancing selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Marmesat
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Alexander P Saveljev
- Department of Animal Ecology, Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur Farming, 79 Preobrazhenskaya Str, Kirov, 610000, Russia
| | - Ivan V Seryodkin
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Animals, Pacific Institute of Geography of Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 7 Radio Street, Vladivostok, 690041, Russia
- Far Eastern Federal University, 8 Sukhanova Street, Vladivostok, 690091, Russia
| | - José A Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
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24
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Territoriality ensures paternity in a solitary carnivore mammal. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4494. [PMID: 28674454 PMCID: PMC5495821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04820-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In solitary carnivorous mammals, territoriality is assumed to benefit male fitness by ensuring the exclusivity of matings within territories via mate guarding and female defence. However, this hypothesis remains empirically untested. Here, we examined this hypothesis for solitary territorial carnivores using the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) as a case study. We expected that territorial males sire all litters born within their territories, translating into the absence of multi-paternity cases within the same litter. We analysed parentage in 43 kittens, belonging to 20 different litters. For 42 kittens, a father could be assigned using microsatellites and always coincided with the individual holding the territory. For 16 kittens from 10 litters for which we also had information on SNPs, paternity assignments coincided with microsatellites, except for a litter (two kittens) from the same litter for which a different male was assigned, but the territorial male could not be excluded. Our results indicated that multi-paternity in the Iberian lynx must be a rare event, and that territorial males sire all litters born from the females with which they share territories. We propose that both the low number of mature individuals in the lynx population and the fact that female oestrus is induced by male presence may explain results.
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Abascal F, Corvelo A, Cruz F, Villanueva-Cañas JL, Vlasova A, Marcet-Houben M, Martínez-Cruz B, Cheng JY, Prieto P, Quesada V, Quilez J, Li G, García F, Rubio-Camarillo M, Frias L, Ribeca P, Capella-Gutiérrez S, Rodríguez JM, Câmara F, Lowy E, Cozzuto L, Erb I, Tress ML, Rodriguez-Ales JL, Ruiz-Orera J, Reverter F, Casas-Marce M, Soriano L, Arango JR, Derdak S, Galán B, Blanc J, Gut M, Lorente-Galdos B, Andrés-Nieto M, López-Otín C, Valencia A, Gut I, García JL, Guigó R, Murphy WJ, Ruiz-Herrera A, Marques-Bonet T, Roma G, Notredame C, Mailund T, Albà MM, Gabaldón T, Alioto T, Godoy JA. Extreme genomic erosion after recurrent demographic bottlenecks in the highly endangered Iberian lynx. Genome Biol 2016; 17:251. [PMID: 27964752 PMCID: PMC5155386 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1090-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genomic studies of endangered species provide insights into their evolution and demographic history, reveal patterns of genomic erosion that might limit their viability, and offer tools for their effective conservation. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is the most endangered felid and a unique example of a species on the brink of extinction. RESULTS We generate the first annotated draft of the Iberian lynx genome and carry out genome-based analyses of lynx demography, evolution, and population genetics. We identify a series of severe population bottlenecks in the history of the Iberian lynx that predate its known demographic decline during the 20th century and have greatly impacted its genome evolution. We observe drastically reduced rates of weak-to-strong substitutions associated with GC-biased gene conversion and increased rates of fixation of transposable elements. We also find multiple signatures of genetic erosion in the two remnant Iberian lynx populations, including a high frequency of potentially deleterious variants and substitutions, as well as the lowest genome-wide genetic diversity reported so far in any species. CONCLUSIONS The genomic features observed in the Iberian lynx genome may hamper short- and long-term viability through reduced fitness and adaptive potential. The knowledge and resources developed in this study will boost the research on felid evolution and conservation genomics and will benefit the ongoing conservation and management of this emblematic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Abascal
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - André Corvelo
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Cruz
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José L Villanueva-Cañas
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Vlasova
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Marcet-Houben
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Martínez-Cruz
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jade Yu Cheng
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 8, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Pablo Prieto
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Quesada
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Oncología (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Javier Quilez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Francisca García
- Servei de Cultius Cel.lulars (SCC, SCAC), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Rubio-Camarillo
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Leonor Frias
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paolo Ribeca
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José M Rodríguez
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
- National Bioinformatics Institute (INB), Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Francisco Câmara
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ernesto Lowy
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luca Cozzuto
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ionas Erb
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael L Tress
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Jose L Rodriguez-Ales
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Ruiz-Orera
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Reverter
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Casas-Marce
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Laura Soriano
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Javier R Arango
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Oncología (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Sophia Derdak
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Galán
- Department of Environmental Biology, Center for Biological Research (CIB), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julie Blanc
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Gut
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Belen Lorente-Galdos
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Andrés-Nieto
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Carlos López-Otín
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Oncología (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
- National Bioinformatics Institute (INB), Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Ivo Gut
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José L García
- Department of Environmental Biology, Center for Biological Research (CIB), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Computational Genomics Group, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - William J Murphy
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Aurora Ruiz-Herrera
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Departament de Biologia Cel.lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Tomas Marques-Bonet
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guglielmo Roma
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cedric Notredame
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas Mailund
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 8, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - M Mar Albà
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tyler Alioto
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José A Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
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Marmesat E, Soriano L, Mazzoni CJ, Sommer S, Godoy JA. PCR Strategies for Complete Allele Calling in Multigene Families Using High-Throughput Sequencing Approaches. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157402. [PMID: 27294261 PMCID: PMC4905633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The characterization of multigene families with high copy number variation is often approached through PCR amplification with highly degenerate primers to account for all expected variants flanking the region of interest. Such an approach often introduces PCR biases that result in an unbalanced representation of targets in high-throughput sequencing libraries that eventually results in incomplete detection of the targeted alleles. Here we confirm this result and propose two different amplification strategies to alleviate this problem. The first strategy (called pooled-PCRs) targets different subsets of alleles in multiple independent PCRs using different moderately degenerate primer pairs, whereas the second approach (called pooled-primers) uses a custom-made pool of non-degenerate primers in a single PCR. We compare their performance to the common use of a single PCR with highly degenerate primers using the MHC class I of the Iberian lynx as a model. We found both novel approaches to work similarly well and better than the conventional approach. They significantly scored more alleles per individual (11.33 ± 1.38 and 11.72 ± 0.89 vs 7.94 ± 1.95), yielded more complete allelic profiles (96.28 ± 8.46 and 99.50 ± 2.12 vs 63.76 ± 15.43), and revealed more alleles at a population level (13 vs 12). Finally, we could link each allele's amplification efficiency with the primer-mismatches in its flanking sequences and show that ultra-deep coverage offered by high-throughput technologies does not fully compensate for such biases, especially as real alleles may reach lower coverage than artefacts. Adopting either of the proposed amplification methods provides the opportunity to attain more complete allelic profiles at lower coverages, improving confidence over the downstream analyses and subsequent applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Marmesat
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Laura Soriano
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Camila J. Mazzoni
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - José A. Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- * E-mail:
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27
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Genetic differences in the response to landscape fragmentation by a habitat generalist, the bobcat, and a habitat specialist, the ocelot. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0846-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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28
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Ancient, but not recent, population declines have had a genetic impact on alpine yellow-bellied toad populations, suggesting potential for complete recovery. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0818-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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29
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Amelkina O, Zschockelt L, Painer J, Serra R, Villaespesa F, Braun BC, Jewgenow K. Apoptosis-Related Factors in the Luteal Phase of the Domestic Cat and Their Involvement in the Persistence of Corpora Lutea in Lynx. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143414. [PMID: 26599641 PMCID: PMC4658015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The corpus luteum (CL) is a transient gland formed in the ovary after ovulation and is the major source of progesterone. In the Iberian and Eurasian lynx, CL physiologically persist after parturition and retain their capacity to produce progesterone, thus suppressing the ovarian activity. This unique reproductive characteristic has a big impact on the success of assisted reproduction techniques in the endangered Iberian lynx. The mechanisms behind CL persistence are not yet understood and require extensive studies on potential luteotropic and luteolytic factors in felids. Because the apoptosis system has been shown to be involved in structural regression of CL in many species, we aimed to investigate the capacity of perCL to undergo apoptosis. In addition, we performed initial studies on the apoptosis system in the luteal phase of the domestic cat. No previous research on this system has been made in this species. Our factors of interest included agents of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, i.e., pro-survival B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and pro-apoptotic BCL2-associated X protein (BAX), the executioner caspase-3 (CASP3), as well as of the extrinsic pathway, i.e., pro-apoptotic receptor FAS, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and its receptors (pro-apoptotic TNFRSF1A and pro-survival TNFRSF1B). We analyzed the relative mRNA levels of these factors, as well as protein localization of CASP3 and TNF during stages of pregnancy and the non-pregnant luteal phase in CL of domestic cats. The same factors were investigated in freshly ovulated CL (frCL) and perCL of Iberian and Eurasian lynx, which were histologically analyzed. All factors were present in the CL tissue of both domestic cat and lynx throughout all analyzed stages. The presence of pro-apoptotic factors BAX, CASP3, FAS and TNFRSF1A in perCL of the Eurasian and Iberian lynx might indicate the potential sensitivity of perCL to apoptotic signals. The expression of pro-survival factors BCL2 and TNFRSF1B was significantly higher in perCL compared to frCL of studied Iberian lynx, suggesting the potential involvement of these factors in the structural integrity of perCL. In both Iberian lynx and pregnant and non-pregnant domestic cats, the expression of TNFRSF1A was significantly higher in forming CL compared to other stages, suggesting the conserved involvement of this factor in the tissue reorganization during formation of the feline CL. The mRNA levels of CASP3 and TNFRSF1B were highest during regression stages of domestic cat CL. The current study provides initial results on the possible involvement of the apoptosis system in the structure and function of the feline CL and in its physiological persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Amelkina
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Lina Zschockelt
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johanna Painer
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Serra
- Iberian lynx captive breeding program, Centro Nacional de Reprodução de Lince Ibérico, Silves, Portugal
| | - Francisco Villaespesa
- Iberian lynx captive breeding program, Centro de Cría de Lince Ibérico El Acebuche, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Huelva, Spain
| | - Beate C. Braun
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katarina Jewgenow
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
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Diefenbach D, Hansen L, Bohling J, Miller‐Butterworth C. Population and genetic outcomes 20 years after reintroducing bobcats (Lynx rufus) to Cumberland Island, Georgia USA. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:4885-95. [PMID: 26640668 PMCID: PMC4662311 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1988-1989, 32 bobcats Lynx rufus were reintroduced to Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, from which they had previously been extirpated. They were monitored intensively for 3 years immediately post-reintroduction, but no estimation of the size or genetic diversity of the population had been conducted in over 20 years since reintroduction. We returned to CUIS in 2012 to estimate abundance and effective population size of the present-day population, as well as to quantify genetic diversity and inbreeding. We amplified 12 nuclear microsatellite loci from DNA isolated from scats to establish genetic profiles to identify individuals. We used spatially explicit capture-recapture population estimation to estimate abundance. From nine unique genetic profiles, we estimate a population size of 14.4 (SE = 3.052) bobcats, with an effective population size (N e) of 5-8 breeding individuals. This is consistent with predictions of a population viability analysis conducted at the time of reintroduction, which estimated the population would average 12-13 bobcats after 10 years. We identified several pairs of related bobcats (parent-offspring and full siblings), but ~75% of the pairwise comparisons were typical of unrelated individuals, and only one individual appeared inbred. Despite the small population size and other indications that it has likely experienced a genetic bottleneck, levels of genetic diversity in the CUIS bobcat population remain high compared to other mammalian carnivores. The reintroduction of bobcats to CUIS provides an opportunity to study changes in genetic diversity in an insular population without risk to this common species. Opportunities for natural immigration to the island are limited; therefore, continued monitoring and supplemental bobcat reintroductions could be used to evaluate the effect of different management strategies to maintain genetic diversity and population viability. The successful reintroduction and maintenance of a bobcat population on CUIS illustrates the suitability of translocation as a management tool for re-establishing felid populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duane Diefenbach
- U.S. Geological SurveyPennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16802
| | - Leslie Hansen
- Los Alamos National LaboratoryMS M887P.O. Box 1663Los AlamosNew Mexico87545
| | - Justin Bohling
- Department of Ecosystem Science and ManagementThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16802
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Graciá E, Ortego J, Godoy JA, Pérez-García JM, Blanco G, del Mar Delgado M, Penteriani V, Almodóvar I, Botella F, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Genetic Signatures of Demographic Changes in an Avian Top Predator during the Last Century: Bottlenecks and Expansions of the Eurasian Eagle Owl in the Iberian Peninsula. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133954. [PMID: 26230922 PMCID: PMC4521928 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of the demographic history of species can help to understand the negative impact of recent population declines in organisms of conservation concern. Here, we use neutral molecular markers to explore the genetic consequences of the recent population decline and posterior recovery of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) in the Iberian Peninsula. During the last century, the species was the object of extermination programs, suffering direct persecution by hunters until the 70's. Moreover, during the last decades the eagle owl was severely impacted by increased mortality due to electrocution and the decline of its main prey species, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In recent times, the decrease of direct persecution and the implementation of some conservation schemes have allowed the species' demographic recovery. Yet, it remains unknown to which extent the past population decline and the later expansion have influenced the current species' pattern of genetic diversity. We used eight microsatellite markers to genotype 235 eagle owls from ten Spanish subpopulations and analyse the presence of genetic signatures attributable to the recent population fluctuations experienced by the species. We found moderate levels of differentiation among the studied subpopulations and Bayesian analyses revealed the existence of three genetic clusters that grouped subpopulations from central, south-western and south-eastern Spain. The observed genetic structure could have resulted from recent human-induced population fragmentation, a patchy distribution of prey populations and/or the philopatric behaviour and habitat selection of the species. We detected an old population bottleneck, which occurred approximately 10,000 years ago, and significant signatures of recent demographic expansions. However, we did not find genetic signatures for a recent bottleneck, which may indicate that population declines were not severe enough to leave detectable signals on the species genetic makeup or that such signals have been eroded by the rapid demographic recovery experienced by the species in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Graciá
- Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| | - Joaquín Ortego
- Genetic and Cultural Biodiversity Group, Hunting Resources Research Institute, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - José Antonio Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural History, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - María del Mar Delgado
- Department of Biosciences, Metapopulation Research Group, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Unit of Biodiversity, UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA, Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Penteriani
- Research Unit of Biodiversity, UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA, Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Irene Almodóvar
- Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| | - Francisco Botella
- Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
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32
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Ramón-Laca A, Soriano L, Gleeson D, Godoy JA. A simple and effective method for obtaining mammal DNA from faeces. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Martínez-de la Puente J, Méndez M, Ruiz S, Godoy JA, Soriguer RC, Figuerola J. Individual identification of endangered species using mosquito blood meals: a proof-of-concept study in Iberian lynx. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:1607-10. [PMID: 25656463 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4343-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Host identification from mosquito blood meals has been routinely used to identify the feeding preferences of insects in studies on transmission of vector-borne pathogens. Here, we identified for the first time the susceptibility of the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) to the attack of a wild mosquito female, the mosquito Anopheles atroparvus. Furthermore, we used 11 microsatellite markers to test for the utility of vertebrate DNA isolated from insect blood meals for individual identification of wildlife. Only the three smallest markers were successfully amplified; however, this genotype did not match with any of the previously genotyped individuals in southern Spain. These results support the use of DNA from mosquito blood meals as a non-invasive source of DNA and a powerful tool on epidemiological and conservation biology studies. However, as may be the case of other non-invasive sampling methods, the utility of this technique is probably limited by the quantity and quality of vertebrate DNA.
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Klimova A, Munguia-Vega A, Hoffman JI, Culver M. Genetic diversity and demography of two endangered captive pronghorn subspecies from the Sonoran Desert. J Mammal 2014. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Valtonen M, Palo JU, Aspi J, Ruokonen M, Kunnasranta M, Nyman T. Causes and consequences of fine-scale population structure in a critically endangered freshwater seal. BMC Ecol 2014; 14:22. [PMID: 25005257 PMCID: PMC4106222 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-14-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Small, genetically uniform populations may face an elevated risk of extinction due to reduced environmental adaptability and individual fitness. Fragmentation can intensify these genetic adversities and, therefore, dispersal and gene flow among subpopulations within an isolated population is often essential for maintaining its viability. Using microsatellite and mtDNA data, we examined genetic diversity, spatial differentiation, interregional gene flow, and effective population sizes in the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal (Phoca hispida saimensis), which is endemic to the large but highly fragmented Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland. Results Microsatellite diversity within the subspecies (HE = 0.36) ranks among the lowest thus far recorded within the order Pinnipedia, with signs of ongoing loss of individual heterozygosity, reflecting very low effective subpopulation sizes. Bayesian assignment analyses of the microsatellite data revealed clear genetic differentiation among the main breeding areas, but interregional structuring was substantially weaker in biparentally inherited microsatellites (FST = 0.107) than in maternally inherited mtDNA (FST = 0.444), indicating a sevenfold difference in the gene flow mediated by males versus females. Conclusions Genetic structuring in the population appears to arise from the joint effects of multiple factors, including small effective subpopulation sizes, a fragmented lacustrine habitat, and behavioural dispersal limitation. The fine-scale differentiation found in the landlocked Saimaa ringed seal is especially surprising when contrasted with marine ringed seals, which often exhibit near-panmixia among subpopulations separated by hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. Our results demonstrate that population structures of endangered animals cannot be predicted based on data on even closely related species or subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Valtonen
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland.
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