Population genetic structure of black rats in an urban environment: a case study in Cotonou, Benin

• Main Authors: Badou, Sylvestre, Gauthier, Philippe, Houemenou, Gualbert, Loiseau, Anne, Dossou, Henri-Joël, Etougbetche, Jonas, Houéménou, Honoré, Agbangla, C., Brouat, Carine, Dobigny, Gauthier
• Other Authors: Ecole Polytechnique d'Abomey Calavi (EPAC), Université d’Abomey-Calavi = University of Abomey Calavi (UAC), Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR CBGP), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD France-Sud )-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Université d’Abomey-Calavi - Faculté des sciences agronomiques (UAC FSA), Laboratoire de Biogéographie et Expertise Environnementale (LABEE), Sylvestre Badou was granted a Doctoral Research Fellowship (ARTS) by IRD (2019-2022). In 2015, Gualbert Houéménou benefitted from an international mobility supported by the Abomey-Calavi Polytechnic Higher School (EPAC). IRD funded the study, partly through its supportive grants to the young associated research group "Biological Invasions in West Africa" (JEAI IBAO). Data used in this work were produced through the genotyping and sequencing facilities of Labex CeMEB mutualized GenSeq platform (Mediterranean Center for Environment and Biodiversity, Genotyping-Sequencing Platform)., ANR-10-LABX-0004,CeMEB,Mediterranean Center for Environment and Biodiversity(2010)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: population genetics; urban ecology; biological invasion; Africa; rodent control; [SDV.GEN.GA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Animal genetics; [SDV.GEN.GPO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Populations and Evolution [q-bio.PE]; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03709148; https://hal.science/hal-03709148/document; https://hal.science/hal-03709148/file/Badou%20et%20al.,%202021.pdf; https://doi.org/10.4404/hystrix-00417-2021

International audience The cosmopolitan black rat, Rattus rattus, has invaded many cities throughout the world. Although the species is responsible for major damages to food stocks and crops and is involved in the maintenance, circulation and transmission of many zoonotic pathogens to humans and animals, a lot remains to be known about its eco-evolutionary characteristics, especially in highly modified environments like the urban habitat. In particular, very few studies were conducted on the genetic structure of urban black rat populations, which is yet a prerequisite for defining effective management units. Here, we focus on the population genetics of Rattus rattus in Cotonou, Benin. Forty different localities were sampled throughout the city and 457 individuals were genotyped using 18 microsatellite markers. Our results reveal two poorly distinguishable but significant genetic clusters, one of each side of Cotonou channel, that tend to homogenize into a single group due to probable gene flow between the two shores. Implications in terms of management units and rodent control are discussed.