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Cavedon M, vonHoldt B, Hebblewhite M, Hegel T, Heppenheimer E, Hervieux D, Mariani S, Schwantje H, Steenweg R, Watters M, Musiani M. Selection of both habitat and genes in specialized and endangered caribou. Conserv Biol 2022; 36. [PMID: 35146809 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Genetic mechanisms determining habitat selection and specialization of individuals within species have been hypothesized, but not tested at the appropriate individual level in nature. In this work, we analyzed habitat selection for 139 GPS-collared caribou belonging to three declining ecotypes sampled throughout Northwestern Canada. We used Resource Selection Functions (RSFs) comparing resources at used and available locations. We found that the three caribou ecotypes differed in their use of habitat suggesting specialization. On expected grounds, we also found differences in habitat selection between summer and winter, but also, originally, among the individuals within an ecotype. We next obtained Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for the same caribou individuals, we detected those associated to habitat selection, and then identified genes linked to these SNPs. These genes had functions related in other organisms to habitat and dietary specializations, and climatic adaptations. We therefore suggest that individual variation in habitat selection was based on genotypic variation in the SNPs of individual caribou, indicating that genetic forces underlie habitat and diet selection in the species. We also suggest that the associations between habitat and genes that we detected may lead to lack of resilience in the species, thus contributing to caribou endangerment. Our work emphasizes that similar mechanisms may exist for other specialized, endangered species. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cavedon
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544-2016, USA
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Montana, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Troy Hegel
- Yukon Department of Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2C6, Canada
- Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Branch, Alberta Environment and Parks, 4999 98 Ave., Edmonton, AB, T6B 2×3, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544-2016, USA
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Branch, Alberta Environment and Parks, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 6J4, Canada
| | - Stefano Mariani
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Helen Schwantje
- Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Government of British Columbia, 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6J 9, Canada
| | - Robin Steenweg
- Pacific Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC, V4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Megan Watters
- Land and Resource Specialist, 300 - 10003 110th Avenue Fort, St. John, BC, V1J 6M7, Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Veterinary Medicine (Joint Appointment), University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
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2
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Cavedon M, vonHoldt B, Hebblewhite M, Hegel T, Heppenheimer E, Hervieux D, Mariani S, Schwantje H, Steenweg R, Theoret J, Watters M, Musiani M. Genomic legacy of migration in endangered caribou. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009974. [PMID: 35143486 PMCID: PMC8830729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wide-ranging animals, including migratory species, are significantly threatened by the effects of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss. In the case of terrestrial mammals, this results in nearly a quarter of species being at risk of extinction. Caribou are one such example of a wide-ranging, migratory, terrestrial, and endangered mammal. In populations of caribou, the proportion of individuals considered as "migrants" can vary dramatically. There is therefore a possibility that, under the condition that migratory behavior is genetically determined, those individuals or populations that are migratory will be further impacted by humans, and this impact could result in the permanent loss of the migratory trait in some populations. However, genetic determination of migration has not previously been studied in an endangered terrestrial mammal. We examined migratory behavior of 139 GPS-collared endangered caribou in western North America and carried out genomic scans for the same individuals. Here we determine a genetic subdivision of caribou into a Northern and a Southern genetic cluster. We also detect >50 SNPs associated with migratory behavior, which are in genes with hypothesized roles in determining migration in other organisms. Furthermore, we determine that propensity to migrate depends upon the proportion of ancestry in individual caribou, and thus on the evolutionary history of its migratory and sedentary subspecies. If, as we report, migratory behavior is influenced by genes, caribou could be further impacted by the loss of the migratory trait in some isolated populations already at low numbers. Our results indicating an ancestral genetic component also suggest that the migratory trait and their associated genetic mutations could not be easily re-established when lost in a population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cavedon
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Troy Hegel
- Yukon Department of Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Branch, Alberta Environment and Parks, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
| | - Stefano Mariani
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Schwantje
- Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Government of British Columbia, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robin Steenweg
- Pacific Region, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jessica Theoret
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Megan Watters
- Land and Resource Specialist, Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Veterinary Medicine (Joint Appointment), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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3
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Heppenheimer E, Brzeski KE, Hinton JW, Chamberlain MJ, Robinson J, Wayne RK, vonHoldt BM. A Genome-Wide Perspective on the Persistence of Red Wolf Ancestry in Southeastern Canids. J Hered 2020; 111:277-286. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The red wolf (Canis rufus), a legally recognized and critically endangered wolf, is known to interbreed with coyotes (Canis latrans). Declared extirpated in the wild in 1980, red wolves were reintroduced to northeastern North Carolina nearly a decade later. Interbreeding with coyotes was thought to be restricted to a narrow geographic region adjacent to the reintroduced population and largely believed to threaten red wolf recovery. However, red wolf ancestry was recently discovered in canids along the American Gulf Coast, igniting a broader survey of ancestry in southeastern canid populations. Here, we examine geographic and temporal patterns of genome-wide red wolf ancestry in 260 canids across the southeastern United States at over 164 000 SNP loci. We found that red wolf ancestry was most prevalent in canids sampled from Texas in the mid-1970s, although non-trivial amounts of red wolf ancestry persist in this region today. Further, red wolf ancestry was also observed in a subset of coyotes inhabiting North Carolina, despite management efforts to limit the occurrence of hybridization events. Lastly, we found no evidence of substantial red wolf ancestry in southeastern canids outside of these 2 admixture zones. Overall, this study provides a genome-wide survey of red wolf ancestry in canids across the southeastern United States, which may ultimately inform future red wolf restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- Michigan Technological University, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Houghton, MI
| | - Joseph W Hinton
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY
| | | | - Jacqueline Robinson
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Robert K Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Bridgett M vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
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vonHoldt BM, DeCandia AL, Heppenheimer E, Janowitz-Koch I, Shi R, Zhou H, German CA, Brzeski KE, Cassidy KA, Stahler DR, Sinsheimer JS. Heritability of interpack aggression in a wild pedigreed population of North American grey wolves. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1764-1775. [PMID: 31905256 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a quantitative trait deeply entwined with individual fitness. Mapping the genomic architecture underlying such traits is complicated by complex inheritance patterns, social structure, pedigree information and gene pleiotropy. Here, we leveraged the pedigree of a reintroduced population of grey wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, to examine the heritability of and the genetic variation associated with aggression. Since their reintroduction, many ecological and behavioural aspects have been documented, providing unmatched records of aggressive behaviour across multiple generations of a wild population of wolves. Using a linear mixed model, a robust genetic relationship matrix, 12,288 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 111 wolves, we estimated the SNP-based heritability of aggression to be 37% and an additional 14% of the phenotypic variation explained by shared environmental exposures. We identified 598 SNP genotypes from 425 grey wolves to resolve a consensus pedigree that was included in a heritability analysis of 141 individuals with SNP genotype, metadata and aggression data. The pedigree-based heritability estimate for aggression is 14%, and an additional 16% of the phenotypic variation was explained by shared environmental exposures. We find strong effects of breeding status and relative pack size on aggression. Through an integrative approach, these results provide a framework for understanding the genetic architecture of a complex trait that influences individual fitness, with linkages to reproduction, in a social carnivore. Along with a few other studies, we show here the incredible utility of a pedigreed natural population for dissecting a complex, fitness-related behavioural trait.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ruoyao Shi
- BioKnow Health Informatics Lab, College of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher A German
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - Kira A Cassidy
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA
| | - Janet S Sinsheimer
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics and Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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5
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Cavedon M, Gubili C, Heppenheimer E, vonHoldt B, Mariani S, Hebblewhite M, Hegel T, Hervieux D, Serrouya R, Steenweg R, Weckworth BV, Musiani M. Genomics, environment and balancing selection in behaviourally bimodal populations: The caribou case. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:1946-1963. [PMID: 30714247 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Selection forces that favour different phenotypes in different environments can change frequencies of genes between populations along environmental clines. Clines are also compatible with balancing forces, such as negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS), which maintains phenotypic polymorphisms within populations. For example, NFDS is hypothesized to maintain partial migration, a dimorphic behavioural trait prominent in species where only a fraction of the population seasonally migrates. Overall, NFDS is believed to be a common phenomenon in nature, yet a scarcity of studies were published linking naturally occurring allelic variation with bimodal or multimodal phenotypes and balancing selection. We applied a Pool-seq approach and detected selection on alleles associated with environmental variables along a North-South gradient in western North American caribou, a species displaying partially migratory behaviour. On 51 loci, we found a signature of balancing selection, which could be related to NFDS and ultimately the maintenance of the phenotypic polymorphisms known within these populations. Yet, remarkably, we detected directional selection on a locus when our sample was divided into two behaviourally distinctive groups regardless of geographic provenance (a subset of GPS-collared migratory or sedentary individuals), indicating that, within populations, phenotypically homogeneous groups were genetically distinctive. Loci under selection were linked to functional genes involved in oxidative stress response, body development and taste perception. Overall, results indicated genetic differentiation along an environmental gradient of caribou populations, which we found characterized by genes potentially undergoing balancing selection. We suggest that the underlining balancing force, NFDS, plays a strong role within populations harbouring multiple haplotypes and phenotypes, as it is the norm in animals, plants and humans too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cavedon
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Chrysoula Gubili
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK.,Hellenic Agricultural Organisation, Fisheries Research Institute, Kavala, Greece
| | - Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Stefano Mariani
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Troy Hegel
- Yukon Department of Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Resource Management - Operations Division, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
| | - Robert Serrouya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Robin Steenweg
- Resource Management - Operations Division, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Marco Musiani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Veterinary Medicine (Joint Appointment), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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6
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Hinton JW, Heppenheimer E, West KM, Caudill D, Karlin ML, Kilgo JC, Mayer JJ, Miller KV, Walch M, vonHoldt B, Chamberlain MJ. Geographic patterns in morphometric and genetic variation for coyote populations with emphasis on southeastern coyotes. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3389-3404. [PMID: 30962900 PMCID: PMC6434562 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior to 1900, coyotes (Canis latrans) were restricted to the western and central regions of North America, but by the early 2000s, coyotes became ubiquitous throughout the eastern United States. Information regarding morphological and genetic structure of coyote populations in the southeastern United States is limited, and where data exist, they are rarely compared to those from other regions of North America. We assessed geographic patterns in morphology and genetics of coyotes with special consideration of coyotes in the southeastern United States. Mean body mass of coyote populations increased along a west-to-east gradient, with southeastern coyotes being intermediate to western and northeastern coyotes. Similarly, principal component analysis of body mass and linear body measurements suggested that southeastern coyotes were intermediate to western and northeastern coyotes in body size but exhibited shorter tails and ears from other populations. Genetic analyses indicated that southeastern coyotes represented a distinct genetic cluster that differentiated strongly from western and northeastern coyotes. We postulate that southeastern coyotes experienced lower immigration from western populations than did northeastern coyotes, and over time, genetically diverged from both western and northeastern populations. Coyotes colonizing eastern North America experienced different selective pressures than did stable populations in the core range, and we offer that the larger body size of eastern coyotes reflects an adaptation that improved dispersal capabilities of individuals in the expanding range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. Hinton
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | | | | | - Danny Caudill
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionGainesvilleFlorida
- Present address:
Alaska Department of Fish and GameFairbanksAlaska
| | - Melissa L. Karlin
- Department of Physics and Environmental SciencesSt. Mary's UniversitySan AntonioTexas
| | - John C. Kilgo
- United States Department of AgricultureForest Service Southern Research StationNew EllentonSouth Carolina
| | - John Joseph Mayer
- United States Department of Energy, Environmental Sciences, and BiotechnologySavannah River National LaboratoryAikenSouth Carolina
| | - Karl V. Miller
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | | | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
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7
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DeCandia AL, Brzeski KE, Heppenheimer E, Caro CV, Camenisch G, Wandeler P, Driscoll C, vonHoldt BM. Urban colonization through multiple genetic lenses: The city-fox phenomenon revisited. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2046-2060. [PMID: 30847091 PMCID: PMC6392345 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is driving environmental change on a global scale, creating novel environments for wildlife to colonize. Through a combination of stochastic and selective processes, urbanization is also driving evolutionary change. For instance, difficulty in traversing human-modified landscapes may isolate newly established populations from rural sources, while novel selective pressures, such as altered disease risk, toxicant exposure, and light pollution, may further diverge populations through local adaptation. Assessing the evolutionary consequences of urban colonization and the processes underlying them is a principle aim of urban evolutionary ecology. In the present study, we revisited the genetic effects of urbanization on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) that colonized Zurich, Switzerland. Through use of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellite markers linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), we expanded upon a previous neutral microsatellite study to assess population structure, characterize patterns of genetic diversity, and detect outliers associated with urbanization. Our results indicated the presence of one large evolutionary cluster, with substructure evident between geographic sampling areas. In urban foxes, we observed patterns of neutral and functional diversity consistent with founder events and reported increased differentiation between populations separated by natural and anthropogenic barriers. We additionally reported evidence of selection acting on MHC-linked markers and identified outlier loci with putative gene functions related to energy metabolism, behavior, and immunity. We concluded that demographic processes primarily drove patterns of diversity, with outlier tests providing preliminary evidence of possible urban adaptation. This study contributes to our overall understanding of urban colonization ecology and emphasizes the value of combining datasets when examining evolutionary change in an increasingly urban world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. DeCandia
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
| | - Kristin E. Brzeski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental ScienceMichigan Technological UniversityHoughtonMichigan
| | | | - Catherine V. Caro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
| | - Glauco Camenisch
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Carlos Driscoll
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral GenomicsNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of HealthRockvilleMaryland
| | - Bridgett M. vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
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8
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Heppenheimer E, Harrigan RJ, Rutledge LY, Koepfli KP, DeCandia AL, Brzeski KE, Benson JF, Wheeldon T, Patterson BR, Kays R, Hohenlohe PA, von Holdt BM. Population Genomic Analysis of North American Eastern Wolves (Canis lycaon) Supports Their Conservation Priority Status. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9120606. [PMID: 30518163 PMCID: PMC6316216 DOI: 10.3390/genes9120606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The threatened eastern wolf is found predominantly in protected areas of central Ontario and has an evolutionary history obscured by interbreeding with coyotes and gray wolves, which challenges its conservation status and subsequent management. Here, we used a population genomics approach to uncover spatial patterns of variation in 281 canids in central Ontario and the Great Lakes region. This represents the first genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset with substantial sample sizes of representative populations. Although they comprise their own genetic cluster, we found evidence of eastern wolf dispersal outside of the boundaries of protected areas, in that the frequency of eastern wolf genetic variation decreases with increasing distance from provincial parks. We detected eastern wolf alleles in admixed coyotes along the northeastern regions of Lake Huron and Lake Ontario. Our analyses confirm the unique genomic composition of eastern wolves, which are mostly restricted to small fragmented patches of protected habitat in central Ontario. We hope this work will encourage an innovative discussion regarding a plan for managed introgression, which could conserve eastern wolf genetic material in any genome regardless of their potential mosaic ancestry composition and the habitats that promote them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Ryan J Harrigan
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Linda Y Rutledge
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
- Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada.
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA.
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Alexandra L DeCandia
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
| | - John F Benson
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.
| | - Tyler Wheeldon
- Environmental & Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
| | - Brent R Patterson
- Environmental & Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
| | - Roland Kays
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA.
| | - Paul A Hohenlohe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
| | - Bridgett M von Holdt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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9
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Heppenheimer E, Brzeski KE, Hinton JW, Patterson BR, Rutledge LY, DeCandia AL, Wheeldon T, Fain SR, Hohenlohe PA, Kays R, White BN, Chamberlain MJ, vonHoldt BM. High genomic diversity and candidate genes under selection associated with range expansion in eastern coyote ( Canis latrans) populations. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12641-12655. [PMID: 30619570 PMCID: PMC6309008 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Range expansion is a widespread biological process, with well-described theoretical expectations associated with the colonization of novel ranges. However, comparatively few empirical studies address the genomic outcomes accompanying the genome-wide consequences associated with the range expansion process, particularly in recent or ongoing expansions. Here, we assess two recent and distinct eastward expansion fronts of a highly mobile carnivore, the coyote (Canis latrans), to investigate patterns of genomic diversity and identify variants that may have been under selection during range expansion. Using a restriction-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq), we genotyped 394 coyotes at 22,935 SNPs and found that overall population structure corresponded to their 19th century historical range and two distinct populations that expanded during the 20th century. Counter to theoretical expectations for populations to bottleneck during range expansions, we observed minimal evidence for decreased genomic diversity across coyotes sampled along either expansion front, which is likely due to hybridization with other Canis species. Furthermore, we identified 12 SNPs, located either within genes or putative regulatory regions, that were consistently associated with range expansion. Of these 12 genes, three (CACNA1C, ALK, and EPHA6) have putative functions related to dispersal, including habituation to novel environments and spatial learning, consistent with the expectations for traits under selection during range expansion. Although coyote colonization of eastern North America is well-publicized, this study provides novel insights by identifying genes associated with dispersal capabilities in coyotes on the two eastern expansion fronts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristin E. Brzeski
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental ScienceMichigan Technological UniversityHoughtonMichigan
| | - Joseph W. Hinton
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestryPeterboroughOntarioCanada
- Trent UniversityPeterboroughOntario
| | - Linda Y. Rutledge
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
- Trent UniversityPeterboroughOntario
| | | | - Tyler Wheeldon
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestryPeterboroughOntarioCanada
- Trent UniversityPeterboroughOntario
| | | | - Paul A. Hohenlohe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary StudiesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdaho
| | - Roland Kays
- Department of Forestry and Environmental ResourcesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
- North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesRaleighNorth Carolina
| | | | | | - Bridgett M. vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
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10
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Heppenheimer E, Cosio DS, Brzeski KE, Caudill D, Van Why K, Chamberlain MJ, Hinton JW, vonHoldt B. Demographic history influences spatial patterns of genetic diversityin recently expanded coyote (Canis latrans) populations. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 120:183-195. [PMID: 29269931 PMCID: PMC5836586 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-017-0014-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-mediated range expansions have increased in recent decades and represent unique opportunities to evaluate genetic outcomes of establishing peripheral populations across broad expansion fronts. Over the past century, coyotes (Canis latrans) have undergone a pervasive range expansion and now inhabit every state in the continental United States. Coyote expansion into eastern North America was facilitated by anthropogenic landscape changes and followed two broad expansion fronts. The northern expansion extended through the Great Lakes region and southern Canada, where hybridization with remnant wolf populations was common. The southern and more recent expansion front occurred approximately 40 years later and across territory where gray wolves have been historically absent and remnant red wolves were extirpated in the 1970s. We conducted a genetic survey at 10 microsatellite loci of 482 coyotes originating from 11 eastern U.S. states to address how divergent demographic histories influence geographic patterns of genetic diversity. We found that population structure corresponded to a north-south divide, which is consistent with the two known expansion routes. Additionally, we observed extremely high genetic diversity, which is atypical of recently expanded populations and is likely the result of multiple complex demographic processes, in addition to hybridization with other Canis species. Finally, we considered the transition of allele frequencies across geographic space and suggest the mid-Atlantic states of North Carolina and Virginia as an emerging contact zone between these two distinct coyote expansion fronts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106 A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - Daniela S Cosio
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106 A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Kristin E Brzeski
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106 A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Danny Caudill
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA
- Alaska Department of Fish Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - Kyle Van Why
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, PO Box 60827, Harrisburg, PA, 17106, USA
| | - Michael J Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA, 30621, USA
| | - Joseph W Hinton
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA, 30621, USA
| | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106 A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
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vonHoldt B, Heppenheimer E, Petrenko V, Croonquist P, Rutledge LY. Ancestry-Specific Methylation Patterns in Admixed Offspring from an Experimental Coyote and Gray Wolf Cross. J Hered 2017; 108:341-348. [PMID: 28182234 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced fitness of admixed individuals is typically attributed to genetic incompatibilities. Although mismatched genomes can lead to fitness changes, in some cases the reduction in hybrid fitness is subtle. The potential role of transcriptional regulation in admixed genomes could provide a mechanistic explanation for these discrepancies, but evidence is lacking for nonmodel organisms. Here, we explored the intersection of genetics and gene regulation in admixed genomes derived from an experimental cross between a western gray wolf and western coyote. We found a significant positive association between methylation and wolf ancestry, and identified outlier genes that have been previously implicated in inbreeding-related, or otherwise deleterious, phenotypes. We describe a pattern of site-specific, rather than genome-wide, methylation driven by inter-specific hybridization. Epigenetic variation is thus suggested to play a nontrivial role in both maintaining and combating mismatched genotypes through putative transcriptional mechanisms. We conclude that the regulation of gene expression is an underappreciated key component of hybrid genome functioning, but could also act as a potential source of novel and beneficial adaptive variation in hybrid offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett vonHoldt
- From the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (vonHoldt, Heppenheimer, and Rutledge); and Biology Department, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 (Petrenko and Croonquist)
| | - Elizabeth Heppenheimer
- From the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (vonHoldt, Heppenheimer, and Rutledge); and Biology Department, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 (Petrenko and Croonquist)
| | - Vladimir Petrenko
- From the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (vonHoldt, Heppenheimer, and Rutledge); and Biology Department, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 (Petrenko and Croonquist)
| | - Paula Croonquist
- From the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (vonHoldt, Heppenheimer, and Rutledge); and Biology Department, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 (Petrenko and Croonquist)
| | - Linda Y Rutledge
- From the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (vonHoldt, Heppenheimer, and Rutledge); and Biology Department, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 (Petrenko and Croonquist)
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