Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs
Abstract The gray wolf, Canis lupus, once inhabited much of the northern hemisphere worldwide; however, persecution drove its populations almost to extinction. In North America, diverse conservation programs have been implemented in the last decades to recover its populations in the wild, many of th...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/103/6/1305/48721598/gyac066.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 2023-05-15T15:49:55+02:00 Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs González-Bernal, Alejandro Rojas-Soto, Octavio Martínez-Meyer, Enrique Ge, Deyan Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología 2022 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/103/6/1305/48721598/gyac066.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights Journal of Mammalogy volume 103, issue 6, page 1305-1314 ISSN 0022-2372 1545-1542 Nature and Landscape Conservation Genetics Animal Science and Zoology Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2022 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 2023-01-20T11:06:17Z Abstract The gray wolf, Canis lupus, once inhabited much of the northern hemisphere worldwide; however, persecution drove its populations almost to extinction. In North America, diverse conservation programs have been implemented in the last decades to recover its populations in the wild, many of them guided by the historical distribution of the gray wolf subspecies. Over time, several authors have proposed different subspecies classifications. Nevertheless, most of them are mutually inconsistent regarding the number and distribution of subspecies, creating controversy when implementing conservation programs. This study used niche-based distribution models and cluster analysis to explore the bioclimatic profiles of C. lupus across North America and compare them with different subspecies classifications to identify environmental correlatives that support the proposed designations. Our cluster analysis results indicate that the optimal number of climatic groups was five, designated as Northern, Eastern, Western, Coastal, and Southern groups, with transitional overlap boundaries located at their peripheries, indicating climatic gradients between them and supporting the idea of intergrading zones. The geographic ranges of these groups mismatched to a different extent with all subspecies delimitations. In general, the boundaries of putative subspecies did not match the climatic patterns of North America. Our results may contribute to the recovery programs underway for this carnivore by identifying suitable areas for the release of individuals from specific lineages. New approaches to characterizing the intraspecific variation of the gray wolf should include all evidence available, including genetic, morphological, and ecological information. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus gray wolf Oxford University Press (via Crossref) Journal of Mammalogy |
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Open Polar |
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Oxford University Press (via Crossref) |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
topic |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Genetics Animal Science and Zoology Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Genetics Animal Science and Zoology Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics González-Bernal, Alejandro Rojas-Soto, Octavio Martínez-Meyer, Enrique Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
topic_facet |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Genetics Animal Science and Zoology Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Abstract The gray wolf, Canis lupus, once inhabited much of the northern hemisphere worldwide; however, persecution drove its populations almost to extinction. In North America, diverse conservation programs have been implemented in the last decades to recover its populations in the wild, many of them guided by the historical distribution of the gray wolf subspecies. Over time, several authors have proposed different subspecies classifications. Nevertheless, most of them are mutually inconsistent regarding the number and distribution of subspecies, creating controversy when implementing conservation programs. This study used niche-based distribution models and cluster analysis to explore the bioclimatic profiles of C. lupus across North America and compare them with different subspecies classifications to identify environmental correlatives that support the proposed designations. Our cluster analysis results indicate that the optimal number of climatic groups was five, designated as Northern, Eastern, Western, Coastal, and Southern groups, with transitional overlap boundaries located at their peripheries, indicating climatic gradients between them and supporting the idea of intergrading zones. The geographic ranges of these groups mismatched to a different extent with all subspecies delimitations. In general, the boundaries of putative subspecies did not match the climatic patterns of North America. Our results may contribute to the recovery programs underway for this carnivore by identifying suitable areas for the release of individuals from specific lineages. New approaches to characterizing the intraspecific variation of the gray wolf should include all evidence available, including genetic, morphological, and ecological information. |
author2 |
Ge, Deyan Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
González-Bernal, Alejandro Rojas-Soto, Octavio Martínez-Meyer, Enrique |
author_facet |
González-Bernal, Alejandro Rojas-Soto, Octavio Martínez-Meyer, Enrique |
author_sort |
González-Bernal, Alejandro |
title |
Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
title_short |
Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
title_full |
Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
title_fullStr |
Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) subspecies in North America using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
title_sort |
climatic comparison of the gray wolf ( canis lupus ) subspecies in north america using niche-based distribution models and its implications for conservation programs |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/103/6/1305/48721598/gyac066.pdf |
genre |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
op_source |
Journal of Mammalogy volume 103, issue 6, page 1305-1314 ISSN 0022-2372 1545-1542 |
op_rights |
https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac066 |
container_title |
Journal of Mammalogy |
_version_ |
1766384932256481280 |