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Kojola I, Hallikainen V, Heikkinen S, Nivala V. Has the sex-specific structure of Finland's brown bear population changed during 21 years? WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ville Hallikainen
- V. Hallikainen, S. Heikkinen and V. Nivala, Natural Resources Institute (Luke), Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Samuli Heikkinen
- V. Hallikainen, S. Heikkinen and V. Nivala, Natural Resources Institute (Luke), Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Vesa Nivala
- V. Hallikainen, S. Heikkinen and V. Nivala, Natural Resources Institute (Luke), Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland
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Anijalg P, Remm J, Tammeleht E, Keis M, Valdmann H, Saarma U. Ongoing recovery of a brown bear population from a century-old severe bottleneck: insights from population genetic and spatially explicit analyses. CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01229-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Kopatz A, Eiken HG, Schregel J, Aspi J, Kojola I, Hagen SB. Genetic substructure and admixture as important factors in linkage disequilibrium-based estimation of effective number of breeders in recovering wildlife populations. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10721-10732. [PMID: 29299252 PMCID: PMC5743533 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of effective breeders (Nb ) and effective population size (Ne ) are population parameters reflective of evolutionary potential, susceptibility to stochasticity, and viability. We have estimated these parameters using the linkage disequilibrium-based approach with LDNE through the latest phase of population recovery of the brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Finland (1993-2010; N = 621). This phase of the recovery was recently documented to be associated with major changes in genetic composition. In particular, differentiation between the northern and the southern genetic cluster declined rapidly within 1.5 generations. Based on this, we have studied effects of the changing genetic structure on Nb and Ne , by comparing estimates for whole Finland with the estimates for the two genetic clusters. We expected a potentially strong relationship between estimate sizes and genetic differentiation, which should disappear as the population recovers and clusters merge. Consistent with this, our estimates for whole Finland were lower than the sum of the estimates of the two genetic clusters and both approaches produced similar estimates in the end. Notably, we also found that admixed genotypes strongly increased the estimates. In all analyses, our estimates for Ne were larger than Nb and likely reflective for brown bears of the larger region of Finland and northwestern Russia. Conclusively, we find that neglecting genetic substructure may lead to a massive underestimation of Nb and Ne . Our results also suggest the need for further empirical analysis focusing on individuals with admixed genotypes and their potential high influence on Nb and Ne .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hans Geir Eiken
- NIBIO—Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchSvanvikNorway
| | - Julia Schregel
- NIBIO—Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchSvanvikNorway
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of BiologyUniversity of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Ilpo Kojola
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)RovaniemiFinland
| | - Snorre B. Hagen
- NIBIO—Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchSvanvikNorway
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Hirata D, Mano T, Abramov AV, Baryshnikov GF, Kosintsev PA, Murata K, Masuda R. Paternal phylogeographic structure of the brown bear ( Ursus arctos) in northeastern Asia and the effect of male-mediated gene flow to insular populations. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2017; 3:21. [PMID: 29214050 PMCID: PMC5707830 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-017-0084-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex-biased dispersal is widespread among mammals, including the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Previous phylogeographic studies of the brown bear based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA have shown intraspecific genetic structuring around the northern hemisphere. The brown bears on Hokkaido Island, northern Japan, comprise three distinct maternal lineages that presumably immigrated to the island from the continent in three different periods. Here, we investigate the paternal genetic structure across northeastern Asia and assess the connectivity among and within intraspecific populations in terms of male-mediated gene flow. RESULTS We analyzed paternally inherited Y-chromosomal DNA sequence data and Y-linked microsatellite data of 124 brown bears from Hokkaido, the southern Kuril Islands (Kunashiri and Etorofu), Sakhalin, and continental Eurasia (Kamchatka Peninsula, Ural Mountains, European Russia, and Tibet). The Hokkaido brown bear population is paternally differentiated from, and lacked recent genetic connectivity with, the continental Eurasian and North American populations. We detected weak spatial genetic structuring of the paternal lineages on Hokkaido, which may have arisen through male-mediated gene flow among natal populations. In addition, our results suggest that the different dispersal patterns between male and female brown bears, combined with the founder effect and subsequent genetic drift, contributed to the makeup of the Etorofu Island population, in which the maternal and paternal lineages show different origins. CONCLUSIONS Brown bears on Hokkaido and the adjacent southern Kuril Islands experienced different maternal and paternal evolutionary histories. Our results indicate that sex-biased dispersal has played a significant role in the evolutionary history of the brown bear in continental populations and in peripheral insular populations, such as on Hokkaido, the southern Kuril Islands, and Sakhalin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Hirata
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810 Japan
| | - Tsutomu Mano
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hokkaido Research Organization, Sapporo, 080-0819 Japan
| | - Alexei V. Abramov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 199034 Russia
| | | | - Pavel A. Kosintsev
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, 620219 Russia
| | - Koichi Murata
- College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, 252-0880 Japan
| | - Ryuichi Masuda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810 Japan
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Schregel J, Kopatz A, Eiken HG, Swenson JE, Hagen SB. Sex-specific genetic analysis indicates low correlation between demographic and genetic connectivity in the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180701. [PMID: 28672045 PMCID: PMC5495496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The degree of gene flow within and among populations, i.e. genetic population connectivity, may closely track demographic population connectivity. Alternatively, the rate of gene flow may change relative to the rate of dispersal. In this study, we explored the relationship between genetic and demographic population connectivity using the Scandinavian brown bear as model species, due to its pronounced male dispersal and female philopatry. Thus, we expected that females would shape genetic structure locally, whereas males would act as genetic mediators among regions. To test this, we used eight validated microsatellite markers on 1531 individuals sampled noninvasively during country-wide genetic population monitoring in Sweden and Norway from 2006 to 2013. First, we determined sex-specific genetic structure and substructure across the study area. Second, we compared genetic differentiation, migration/gene flow patterns, and spatial autocorrelation results between the sexes both within and among genetic clusters and geographic regions. Our results indicated that demographic connectivity was not a reliable indicator of genetic connectivity. Among regions, we found no consistent difference in long-term gene flow and estimated current migration rates between males and females. Within regions/genetic clusters, only females consistently displayed significant positive spatial autocorrelation, indicating male-biased small-scale dispersal. In one cluster, however, males showed a dispersal pattern similar to females. The Scandinavian brown bear population has experienced substantial recovery over the last decades; however, our results did not show any changes in its large-scale population structure compared to previous studies, suggesting that an increase in population size and dispersal of individuals does not necessary lead to increased genetic connectivity. Thus, we conclude that both genetic and demographic connectivity should be estimated, so as not to make false assumptions about the reality of wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schregel
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Ǻs, Norway
- * E-mail: (JS); (SBH)
| | - Alexander Kopatz
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
| | - Hans Geir Eiken
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Ǻs, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Snorre B. Hagen
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NIBIO - Svanhovd, Svanvik, Norway
- * E-mail: (JS); (SBH)
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Pires AE, Amorim IR, Borges C, Simões F, Teixeira T, Quaresma A, Petrucci‐Fonseca F, Matos J. New insights into the genetic composition and phylogenetic relationship of wolves and dogs in the Iberian Peninsula. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:4404-4418. [PMID: 28649351 PMCID: PMC5478058 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the gene pool of Portuguese autochthonous dog breeds and their wild counterpart, the Iberian wolf subspecies (Canis lupus signatus), using standard molecular markers. A combination of paternal and maternal molecular markers was used to investigate the genetic composition, genetic differentiation and genetic relationship of native Portuguese dogs and the Iberian wolf. A total of 196 unrelated dogs, including breed and village dogs from Portugal, and other dogs from Spain and North Africa, and 56 Iberian wolves (wild and captive) were analyzed for nuclear markers, namely Y chromosome SNPs, Y chromosome STR loci, autosomal STR loci, and a mitochondrial fragment of the control region I. Our data reveal new variants for the molecular markers and confirm significant genetic differentiation between Iberian wolf and native domestic dogs from Portugal. Based on our sampling, no signs of recent introgression between the two subspecies were detected. Y chromosome data do not reveal genetic differentiation among the analyzed dog breeds, suggesting they share the same patrilineal origin. Moreover, the genetic distinctiveness of the Iberian wolf from other wolf populations is further confirmed with the description of new mtDNA variants for this endemism. Our research also discloses new molecular markers for wolf and dog subspecies assignment, which might become particularly relevant in the case of forensic or noninvasive genetic studies. The Iberian wolf represents a relic of the once widespread wolf population in Europe and our study reveals that it is a reservoir of unique genetic diversity of the grey wolf, Canis lupus. These results stress the need for conservation plans that will guarantee the sustainability of this threatened top predator in Iberia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Elisabete Pires
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Isabel R. Amorim
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos AçoresFaculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do AmbienteAçoresPortugal
| | - Carla Borges
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Fernanda Simões
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Tatiana Teixeira
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Andreia Quaresma
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Francisco Petrucci‐Fonseca
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - José Matos
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
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Kershaw F, Carvalho I, Loo J, Pomilla C, Best PB, Findlay KP, Cerchio S, Collins T, Engel MH, Minton G, Ersts P, Barendse J, Kotze PGH, Razafindrakoto Y, Ngouessono S, Meÿer M, Thornton M, Rosenbaum HC. Multiple processes drive genetic structure of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) populations across spatial scales. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:977-994. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francine Kershaw
- Columbia University; 116th Street and Broadway New York NY 10027 USA
| | - Inês Carvalho
- Population and Conservation Genetics Group; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência; Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras Portugal
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM); Universidade de Aveiro; Campus Universitário de Santiago 3810-193 Aveiro Portugal
| | - Jacqueline Loo
- Department of Biology; New York University; 100 Washington Square New York NY 10012 USA
| | - Cristina Pomilla
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; Wellcome Trust Genome Campus Hinxton Cambridge CB10 1SA UK
| | - Peter B. Best
- Mammal Research Institute; University of Pretoria; c/o Iziko South African Museum, P.O. Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - Ken P. Findlay
- Mammal Research Institute; University of Pretoria; c/o Iziko South African Museum, P.O. Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - Salvatore Cerchio
- Wildlife Conservation Society; Ocean Giants Program; 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460-1099 USA
| | - Tim Collins
- Wildlife Conservation Society; Ocean Giants Program; 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460-1099 USA
- Environment Society of Oman; P.O. Box 3955 PC 112 Ruwi Sultanate of Oman
| | - Marcia H. Engel
- Humpback Whale Project/Humpback Whale Institute; Rua Barão do Rio Branco, 125 Caravelas Bahia Brazil
| | - Gianna Minton
- Environment Society of Oman; P.O. Box 3955 PC 112 Ruwi Sultanate of Oman
| | - Peter Ersts
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th Street New York NY 10024 USA
| | - Jaco Barendse
- Mammal Research Institute; University of Pretoria; c/o Iziko South African Museum, P.O. Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - P. G. H. Kotze
- Department of Environmental Affairs; Branch Oceans and Coasts; Private Bag x2, Roggebaai 8012 Cape Town South Africa
| | - Yvette Razafindrakoto
- Wildlife Conservation Society-Madagascar Program; 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460-1099 USA
| | - Solange Ngouessono
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux; Batterie 4 BP 20379 Libreville Gabon
| | - Michael Meÿer
- Department of Environmental Affairs; Branch Oceans and Coasts; Private Bag x2, Roggebaai 8012 Cape Town South Africa
| | - Meredith Thornton
- Mammal Research Institute; University of Pretoria; c/o Iziko South African Museum, P.O. Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
| | - Howard C. Rosenbaum
- Wildlife Conservation Society; Ocean Giants Program; 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx NY 10460-1099 USA
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th Street New York NY 10024 USA
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Cattet M, Stenhouse GB, Janz DM, Kapronczai L, Anne Erlenbach J, Jansen HT, Nelson OL, Robbins CT, Boulanger J. The quantification of reproductive hormones in the hair of captive adult brown bears and their application as indicators of sex and reproductive state. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox032. [PMID: 28580147 PMCID: PMC5452076 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Recognizing the potential value of steroid hormone measurements to augment non-invasive genetic sampling, we developed procedures based on enzyme-linked immunoassays to quantify reproductive steroid hormone concentrations in brown bear (Ursus arctos) hair. Then, using 94 hair samples collected from eight captive adult bears over a 2-year period, we evaluated (i) associations between hair concentrations of testosterone, progesterone, estradiol and cortisol; (ii) the effect of collecting by shaving vs. plucking; and (iii) the utility of reproductive hormone profiles to differentiate sex and reproductive state. Sample requirements (125 mg of guard hair) to assay all hormones exceeded amounts typically obtained by non-invasive sampling. Thus, broad application of this approach will require modification of non-invasive techniques to collect larger samples, use of mixed (guard and undercoat) hair samples and/or application of more sensitive laboratory procedures. Concentrations of hormones were highly correlated suggesting their sequestration in hair reflects underlying physiological processes. Marked changes in hair hormone levels during the quiescent phase of the hair cycle, coupled with the finding that progesterone concentrations, and their association with testosterone levels, differed markedly between plucked and shaved hair samples, suggests steroids sequestered in hair were likely derived from various sources, including skin. Changes in hair hormone concentrations over time, and in conjunction with key reproductive events, were similar to what has been reported concerning hormonal changes in the blood serum of brown bears. Thus, potential for the measurement of hair reproductive hormone levels to augment non-invasive genetic sampling appears compelling. Nonetheless, we are conducting additional validation studies on hair collected from free-ranging bears, representative of all sex, age and reproductive classes, to fully evaluate the utility of this approach for brown bear conservation and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Cattet
- RGL Recovery Wildlife Health & Veterinary Services, 415 Mount Allison Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaS7H 4A6
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaS7N 5B4
- Corresponding author: RGL Recovery Wildlife Health & Veterinary Services, 415 Mount Allison Crescent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7H 4A6. Tel: +1-306-280-3782.
| | - Gordon B. Stenhouse
- fRI Research and Alberta Environment and Parks, 1176 Switzer Drive, Hinton, Alberta, CanadaT7V 1X6
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaS7N 5B4
| | - Luciene Kapronczai
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaS7N 5B3
| | - Joy Anne Erlenbach
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, PO Box 642812, Pullman, WA99164, USA
| | - Heiko T. Jansen
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, 1815 Ferdinand's Lane, Veterinary and Biomedical Research Building 205, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - O. Lynne Nelson
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, PO Box 647010, Pullman, WA 99164,USA
| | - Charles T. Robbins
- School of the Environment and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - John Boulanger
- Integrated Ecological Research, 924 Innes Street, Nelson, British Columbia, CanadaV1L 5T2
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Hindrikson M, Remm J, Pilot M, Godinho R, Stronen AV, Baltrūnaité L, Czarnomska SD, Leonard JA, Randi E, Nowak C, Åkesson M, López-Bao JV, Álvares F, Llaneza L, Echegaray J, Vilà C, Ozolins J, Rungis D, Aspi J, Paule L, Skrbinšek T, Saarma U. Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1601-1629. [PMID: 27682639 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Malgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, LN6 7DL, Lincoln, UK
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
| | - Laima Baltrūnaité
- Laboratory of Mammalian Biology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis Llaneza
- ARENA Asesores en Recursos Naturales S.L. c/Perpetuo Socorro, n° 12 Entlo 2B, 27003, Lugo, Spain
| | - Jorge Echegaray
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dainis Rungis
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Genetics and Physiology, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ladislav Paule
- Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, T.G. Masaryk str. 24, SK-96053, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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