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Merli E, Mattioli L, Bassi E, Bongi P, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Luccarini S, Morimando F, Viviani V, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimating Wolf Population Size and Dynamics by Field Monitoring and Demographic Models: Implications for Management and Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1735. [PMID: 37889658 PMCID: PMC10252110 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We estimated the current size and dynamics of the wolf population in Tuscany and investigated the trends and demographic drivers of population changes. Estimates were obtained by two different approaches: (i) mixed-technique field monitoring (from 2014 to 2016) that found the minimum observed pack number and estimated population size, and (ii) an individual-based model (run by Vortex software v. 10.3.8.0) with demographic inputs derived from a local intensive study area and historic data on population size. Field monitoring showed a minimum population size of 558 wolves (SE = 12.005) in 2016, with a density of 2.74 individuals/100 km2. The population model described an increasing trend with an average annual rate of increase λ = 1.075 (SE = 0.014), an estimated population size of about 882 individuals (SE = 9.397) in 2016, and a density of 4.29 wolves/100 km2. Previously published estimates of wolf population were as low as 56.2% compared to our field monitoring estimation and 34.6% in comparison to our model estimation. We conducted sensitivity tests to analyze the key parameters driving population changes based on juvenile and adult mortality rates, female breeding success, and litter size. Mortality rates played a major role in determining intrinsic growth rate changes, with adult mortality accounting for 62.5% of the total variance explained by the four parameters. Juvenile mortality was responsible for 35.8% of the variance, while female breeding success and litter size had weak or negligible effects. We concluded that reliable estimates of population abundance and a deeper understanding of the role of different demographic parameters in determining population dynamics are crucial to define and carry out appropriate conservation and management strategies to address human-wildlife conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Merli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- Wildlife Service, Tuscany Region, 50127 Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Siriano Luccarini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Federico Morimando
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Viviana Viviani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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Lugli F, Caniglia R, Mattioli L, Fabbri E, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Mucci N, Apollonio M, Scandura M. Lifelong non-invasive genetic monitoring of a philopatric female wolf in the Tuscan Apennines, Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01548-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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3
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Silva P, Galaverni M, Ortega-Del Vecchyo D, Fan Z, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Randi E, Wayne R, Godinho R. Genomic evidence for the Old divergence of Southern European wolf populations. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201206. [PMID: 32693716 PMCID: PMC7423677 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is one of the most widely distributed mammals in which a variety of distinct populations have been described. However, given their currently fragmented distribution and recent history of human-induced population decline, little is known about the events that led to their differentiation. Based on the analysis of whole canid genomes, we examined the divergence times between Southern European wolf populations and their ancient demographic history. We found that all present-day Eurasian wolves share a common ancestor ca 36 000 years ago, supporting the hypothesis that all extant wolves derive from a single population that subsequently expanded after the Last Glacial Maximum. We also estimated that the currently isolated European populations of the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and the Dinarics-Balkans diverged very closely in time, ca 10 500 years ago, and maintained negligible gene flow ever since. This indicates that the current genetic and morphological distinctiveness of Iberian and Italian wolves can be attributed to their isolation dating back to the end of the Pleistocene, predating the recent human-induced extinction of wolves in Central Europe by several millennia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Silva
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Conservation Unit, WWF Italia, Via Po 25/c - 00198 Roma, Italy
| | - Diego Ortega-Del Vecchyo
- International Laboratory for Human Genome Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Zhenxin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Department for the Monitoring and Protection of the Environment and for Biodiversity Conservation, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bo), Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Department for the Monitoring and Protection of the Environment and for Biodiversity Conservation, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bo), Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna 40126, Italy.,Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Robert Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
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Bassi E, Gazzola A, Bongi P, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Relative impact of human harvest and wolf predation on two ungulate species in Central Italy. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Andrea Gazzola
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity (ACDB) Focşani Romania
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
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5
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Mattioli L, Canu A, Passilongo D, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimation of pack density in grey wolf ( Canis lupus) by applying spatially explicit capture-recapture models to camera trap data supported by genetic monitoring. Front Zool 2018; 15:38. [PMID: 30305834 PMCID: PMC6171198 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0281-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Density estimation is a key issue in wildlife management but is particularly challenging and labour-intensive for elusive species. Recently developed approaches based on remotely collected data and capture-recapture models, though representing a valid alternative to more traditional methods, have found little application to species with limited morphological variation. We implemented a camera trap capture-recapture study to survey wolf packs in a 560-km2 area of Central Italy. Individual recognition of focal animals (alpha) in the packs was possible by relying on morphological and behavioural traits and was validated by non-invasive genotyping and inter-observer agreement tests. Two types (Bayesian and likelihood-based) of spatially explicit capture-recapture (SCR) models were fitted on wolf pack capture histories, thus obtaining an estimation of pack density in the area. Results In two sessions of camera trapping surveys (2014 and 2015), we detected a maximum of 12 wolf packs. A Bayesian model implementing a half-normal detection function without a trap-specific response provided the most robust result, corresponding to a density of 1.21 ± 0.27 packs/100 km2 in 2015. Average pack size varied from 3.40 (summer 2014, excluding pups and lone-transient wolves) to 4.17 (late winter-spring 2015, excluding lone-transient wolves). Conclusions We applied for the first time a camera-based SCR approach in wolves, providing the first robust estimate of wolf pack density for an area of Italy. We showed that this method is applicable to wolves under the following conditions: i) the existence of sufficient phenotypic/behavioural variation and the recognition of focal individuals (i.e. alpha, verified by non-invasive genotyping); ii) the investigated area is sufficiently large to include a minimum number of packs (ideally 10); iii) a pilot study is carried out to pursue an adequate sampling design and to train operators on individual wolf recognition. We believe that replicating this approach in other areas can allow for an assessment of density variation across the wolf range and would provide a reliable reference parameter for ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mattioli
- Settore Attività Faunistico Venatoria, Pesca Dilettantistica, Pesca in mare, Regione Toscana, Via A. Testa 2, I-52100 Arezzo, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniela Passilongo
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
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6
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Cryptic population structure reveals low dispersal in Iberian wolves. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14108. [PMID: 30237419 PMCID: PMC6147861 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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.
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Poglayen G, Gori F, Morandi B, Galuppi R, Fabbri E, Caniglia R, Milanesi P, Galaverni M, Randi E, Marchesi B, Deplazes P. Italian wolves ( Canis lupus italicus Altobello, 1921) and molecular detection of taeniids in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Northern Italian Apennines. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2017; 6:1-7. [PMID: 28180084 PMCID: PMC5284487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
After centuries of massive decline, the recovery of the wolf (Canis lupus italicus) in Italy is a typical conservation success story. To learn more about the possible role of parasites in the wolves' individual and population health and conservation we used non-invasive molecular approaches on fecal samples to identify individual wolves, pack membership, and the taeniids present, some of which are zoonotic. A total of 130 specimens belonging to 54 wolves from eight packs were collected and examined. Taeniid eggs were isolated using a sieving/flotation technique, and the species level was identified by PCR (gene target: 12S rRNA and nad1). Taeniid prevalence was 40.7% for Taenia hydatigena, 22.2% for T. krabbei, 1.8% for T. polyachanta and 5.5% for Echinococcus granulosus. The prevalence of E. granulosus is discussed. Our results show that the taeniid fauna found in wolves from the Foreste Casentinesi National Park is comparable to that described for other domestic and wild Italian canids and provides insights into the wolves’ diet and their relationship with the environment. Non-invasive techniques were used to identify individual wolves and their taeniids. The taeniids detected could be linked to individual wolves and to packs. The taeniids detected provided information on the wolves' diet and on zoonotic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Poglayen
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Gori
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benedetto Morandi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pietro Milanesi
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Marchesi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Canu A, Mattioli L, Santini A, Apollonio M, Scandura M. ‘Video-scats’: combining camera trapping and non-invasive genotyping to assess individual identity and hybrid status in gray wolf. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canu
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- L. Mattioli, Regione Toscana, Settore Attività Faunistico Venatoria, Pesca Dilettantistica, Pesca in Mare, Arezzo, Italy
| | | | - Marco Apollonio
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- A. Canu, M. Apollonio and M. Scandura , Dept. of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, Univ. of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, IT-07100 Sassari, Italy. AC also at: C.I.R.Se.M.A.F. Firenze, Italy
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9
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Trophic overlap between wolves and free-ranging wolf×dog hybrids in the Apennine Mountains, Italy. Glob Ecol Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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10
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Suter SM, Giordano M, Nietlispach S, Apollonio M, Passilongo D. Non-invasive acoustic detection of wolves. BIOACOUSTICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2016.1260052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan M. Suter
- Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Waedenswil, Switzerland
| | - Marta Giordano
- Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Waedenswil, Switzerland
| | | | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniela Passilongo
- Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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11
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Hindrikson M, Remm J, Pilot M, Godinho R, Stronen AV, Baltrūnaité L, Czarnomska SD, Leonard JA, Randi E, Nowak C, Åkesson M, López-Bao JV, Álvares F, Llaneza L, Echegaray J, Vilà C, Ozolins J, Rungis D, Aspi J, Paule L, Skrbinšek T, Saarma U. Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1601-1629. [PMID: 27682639 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Malgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, LN6 7DL, Lincoln, UK
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
| | - Laima Baltrūnaité
- Laboratory of Mammalian Biology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis Llaneza
- ARENA Asesores en Recursos Naturales S.L. c/Perpetuo Socorro, n° 12 Entlo 2B, 27003, Lugo, Spain
| | - Jorge Echegaray
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dainis Rungis
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Genetics and Physiology, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ladislav Paule
- Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, T.G. Masaryk str. 24, SK-96053, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Milanesi P, Randi E. One, no one, or one hundred thousand: how many wolves are there currently in Italy? MAMMAL RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-015-0247-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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13
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Aghbolaghi MA, Rezaei HR, Scandura M, Kaboli M. Low gene flow between Iranian Grey Wolves(Canis lupus)and dogs documented using uniparental genetic markers. ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2014.914708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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14
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Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Milanesi P, Randi E. Noninvasive sampling and genetic variability, pack structure, and dynamics in an expanding wolf population. J Mammal 2014. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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15
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Randi E, Hulva P, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Galov A, Kusak J, Bigi D, Bolfíková BČ, Smetanová M, Caniglia R. Multilocus detection of wolf x dog hybridization in italy, and guidelines for marker selection. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86409. [PMID: 24466077 PMCID: PMC3899229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization and introgression can impact the evolution of natural populations. Several wild canid species hybridize in nature, sometimes originating new taxa. However, hybridization with free-ranging dogs is threatening the genetic integrity of grey wolf populations (Canis lupus), or even the survival of endangered species (e.g., the Ethiopian wolf C. simensis). Efficient molecular tools to assess hybridization rates are essential in wolf conservation strategies. We evaluated the power of biparental and uniparental markers (39 autosomal and 4 Y-linked microsatellites, a melanistic deletion at the β-defensin CBD103 gene, the hypervariable domain of the mtDNA control-region) to identify the multilocus admixture patterns in wolf x dog hybrids. We used empirical data from 2 hybrid groups with different histories: 30 presumptive natural hybrids from Italy and 73 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs of known hybrid origin, as well as simulated data. We assessed the efficiency of various marker combinations and reference samples in admixture analyses using 69 dogs of different breeds and 99 wolves from Italy, Balkans and Carpathian Mountains. Results confirmed the occurrence of hybrids in Italy, some of them showing anomalous phenotypic traits and exogenous mtDNA or Y-chromosome introgression. Hybridization was mostly attributable to village dogs and not strictly patrilineal. The melanistic β-defensin deletion was found only in Italian dogs and in putative hybrids. The 24 most divergent microsatellites (largest wolf-dog FST values) were equally or more informative than the entire panel of 39 loci. A smaller panel of 12 microsatellites increased risks to identify false admixed individuals. The frequency of F1 and F2 was lower than backcrosses or introgressed individuals, suggesting hybridization already occurred some generations in the past, during early phases of wolf expansion from their historical core areas. Empirical and simulated data indicated the identification of the past generation backcrosses is always uncertain, and a larger number of ancestry-informative markers is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Life Science Research Centre, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josip Kusak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniele Bigi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Milena Smetanová
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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Johnson RN, Wilson-Wilde L, Linacre A. Current and future directions of DNA in wildlife forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2013; 10:1-11. [PMID: 24680123 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2013.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife forensic science may not have attained the profile of human identification, yet the scale of criminal activity related to wildlife is extensive by any measure. Service delivery in the arena of wildlife forensic science is often ad hoc, unco-ordinated and unregulated, yet many of those currently dedicated to wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered species are striving to ensure that the highest standards are met. The genetic markers and software used to evaluate data in wildlife forensic science are more varied than those in human forensic identification and are rarely standardised between species. The time and resources required to characterise and validate each genetic maker is considerable and in some cases prohibitive. Further, issues are regularly encountered in the construction of allelic databases and allelic ladders; essential in human identification studies, but also applicable to wildlife criminal investigations. Accreditation and certification are essential in human identification and are currently being strived for in the forensic wildlife community. Examples are provided as to how best practice can be demonstrated in all areas of wildlife crime analysis and ensure that this field of forensic science gains and maintains the respect it deserves. This review is aimed at those conducting human identification to illustrate how research concepts in wildlife forensic science can be used in the criminal justice system, as well as describing the real importance of this type of forensic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Johnson
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics, Science and Learning Division, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Linzi Wilson-Wilde
- Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency - National Institute of Forensic Science, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Adrian Linacre
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia
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Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Lapalombella S, Randi E. MHC variability in an isolated wolf population in Italy. J Hered 2013; 104:601-12. [PMID: 23885092 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Small, isolated populations may experience increased extinction risk due to reduced genetic variability at important functional genes, thus decreasing the population's adaptive potential. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a key immunological gene cluster, usually shows high variability maintained by positive or balancing selection in response to challenges by pathogens. Here we investigated for the first time, the variability of 3 MHC class II genes (DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1) in 94 samples collected from Italian wolves. The Italian wolf population has been long isolated south of the Alps and is presently recovering from a recent bottleneck that decreased the population to less than 100 individuals. Despite the bottleneck, Italian wolves show remarkable MHC variability with 6-9 alleles per locus, including 2 recently described alleles at DRB1. MHC sequences show signatures of historical selective pressures (high d N/d S ratio, ω > 1.74) but no evidence of ongoing selection. Variation at the MHC genes and 12 background microsatellite loci were not apparently affected by the recent bottleneck. Although MHC alleles of domestic dog origin were detected in 8 genetically admixed individuals, these alleles were rare or absent in nonadmixed wolves. Thus, despite known hybridization events between domestic dogs and Italian wolves, the Italian wolf population does not appear affected by deep introgression of domestic dog MHC alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Galaverni
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
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Quaglietta L, Fonseca VC, Hájková P, Mira A, Boitani L. Fine-scale population genetic structure and short-range sex-biased dispersal in a solitary carnivore,Lutra lutra. J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/12-mamm-a-171.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Jansson E, Ruokonen M, Kojola I, Aspi J. Rise and fall of a wolf population: genetic diversity and structure during recovery, rapid expansion and drastic decline. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:5178-93. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Revised: 08/02/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Jansson
- Department of Biology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000; Oulu; FIN-90014; Finland
| | - M. Ruokonen
- Department of Biology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000; Oulu; FIN-90014; Finland
| | - I. Kojola
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute; Rakentajantie 3; PO Box 413; Oulu; FIN-90014; Finland
| | - J. Aspi
- Department of Biology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000; Oulu; FIN-90014; Finland
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Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Cubaynes S, Gimenez O, Lebreton JD, Randi E. An improved procedure to estimate wolf abundance using non-invasive genetic sampling and capture–recapture mixture models. CONSERV GENET 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-011-0266-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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