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Jan M, Stronen AV, Boljte B, Černe R, Huber Đ, Iosif R, Kljun F, Konec M, Kos I, Krofel M, Kusak J, Luštrik R, Majić Skrbinšek A, Promberger-Füerpass B, Potočnik H, Rigg R, Trontelj P, Skrbinšek T. Wolf genetic diversity compared across Europe using the yardstick method. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13727. [PMID: 37608038 PMCID: PMC10444868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40834-x] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrating data across studies with traditional microsatellite genetic markers requires careful calibration and represents an obstacle for investigation of wide-ranging species where populations require transboundary management. We used the "yardstick" method to compare results published across Europe since 2002 and new wolf (Canis lupus) genetic profiles from the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe and the Dinaric Mountains in Southeastern Europe, with the latter as our reference population. We compared each population with Dinaric wolves, considering only shared markers (range 4-17). For each population, we calculated standard genetic diversity indices plus calibrated heterozygosity (Hec) and allelic richness (Ac). Hec and Ac in Dinaric (0.704 and 9.394) and Carpathian wolves (0.695 and 7.023) were comparable to those observed in other large and mid-sized European populations, but smaller than those of northeastern Europe. Major discrepancies in marker choices among some studies made comparisons more difficult. However, the yardstick method, including the new measures of Hec and Ac, provided a direct comparison of genetic diversity values among wolf populations and an intuitive interpretation of the results. The yardstick method thus permitted the integration of diverse sources of publicly available microsatellite data for spatiotemporal genetic monitoring of evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Jan
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Barbara Boljte
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Černe
- Slovenia Forest Service, Večna pot 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Đuro Huber
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ruben Iosif
- Foundation Conservation Carpathia, 27 Calea Feldioarei, 500471, Brașov, Romania
| | - Franc Kljun
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjeta Konec
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Kos
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Josip Kusak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Roman Luštrik
- Genialis Inc, Vojkova cesta 63, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Hubert Potočnik
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robin Rigg
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Slovak Wildlife Society, Belanská 574/6, P.O. Box 72, Liptovský Hrádok, 033 01, Slovakia
| | - Peter Trontelj
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Bubnicki JW, Churski M, Schmidt K, Diserens TA, Kuijper DPJ. Linking spatial patterns of terrestrial herbivore community structure to trophic interactions. eLife 2019; 8:e44937. [PMID: 31577225 PMCID: PMC6805123 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Large herbivores influence ecosystem functioning via their effects on vegetation at different spatial scales. It is often overlooked that the spatial distribution of large herbivores results from their responses to interacting top-down and bottom-up ecological gradients that create landscape-scale variation in the structure of the entire community. We studied the complexity of these cascading interactions using high-resolution camera trapping and remote sensing data in the best-preserved European lowland forest, Białowieża Forest, Poland. We showed that the variation in spatial distribution of an entire community of large herbivores is explained by species-specific responses to both environmental bottom-up and biotic top-down factors in combination with human-induced (cascading) effects. We decomposed the spatial variation in herbivore community structure and identified functionally distinct landscape-scale herbivory regimes ('herbiscapes'), which are predicted to occur in a variety of ecosystems and could be an important mechanism creating spatial variation in herbivory maintaining vegetation heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcin Churski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Tom A Diserens
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Dries PJ Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
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