Cryptic Population Structure Reveals Low Dispersal in Iberian Wolves

• Published in: Scientific Reports
• Main Authors: Silva, Pedro, López Bao, José Vicente, Llaneza, Luis, Godinho, Raquel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Nature 2018
• Subjects: Cryptic population structure; Genetic clusters; Wolf population; Proportional membership; Douro River; Canis lupus
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2183/38597; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32369-3

[Abstract]: Highly mobile mammalian carnivores are expected to have the capability to maintain high levels of gene flow across large geographic scales. Nonetheless, surprising levels of genetic structure have been found in many such populations. We combined genetic and spatial behavioural information from wolves (Canis lupus) in the Iberian Peninsula (Western Europe) during the last two decades to present a particular case of low dispersal levels in a large carnivore population persisting in human-dominated landscapes. We found an exceptionally reticulated pattern of cryptic population structure emerging at two hierarchical levels, in which four or eleven meaningful genetic clusters can be recognized, respectively. These clusters were characterized by moderate-high levels of differentiation (average pairwise FST = 0.09–0.19), low levels of admixture and varying degrees of genetic diversity. The number of dispersers identified among the 11 clusters was very low (<4% out of 218 wolves). Spatial information of tracked wolves further confirmed the geographical genetic patterns (only 2 out of 85 collared wolves overlapped with more than one genetic cluster). The high levels of genetic structure in this population may be determined by the recent demographic history of this population, among other factors. The identification of meaningful genetic clusters has implications for the delineation of conservation units and, consequently, on the conservation and management actions for Iberian wolves. We acknowledge the Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry (SMLM/ICNF) for providing wolf tissue samples in Portugal. For collection of wolf samples in Spain, we thank Consejería de Medio Ambiente del Principado de Asturias, Consellería de Medio Ambiente de la Xunta de Galicia, Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Castilla y León, Gobierno de Cantabria and Parque Nacional Picos de Europa. We thank Sofia Mourão for lab assistance and Mónia Nakamura, Nuno Santos and Ricardo Brandão for fieldwork ...