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Santostasi NL, Bauduin S, Grente O, Gimenez O, Ciucci P. Simulating the efficacy of wolf-dog hybridization management with individual-based modeling. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14312. [PMID: 38894638 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Introgressive hybridization between wolves and dogs is a conservation concern due to its potentially deleterious long-term evolutionary consequences. European legislation requires that wolf-dog hybridization be mitigated through effective management. We developed an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the life cycle of gray wolves that incorporates aspects of wolf sociality that affect hybridization rates (e.g., the dissolution of packs after the death of one/both breeders) with the goal of informing decision-making on management of wolf-dog hybridization. We applied our model by projecting hybridization dynamics in a local wolf population under different mate choice and immigration scenarios and contrasted results of removal of admixed individuals with their sterilization and release. In several scenarios, lack of management led to complete admixture, whereas reactive management interventions effectively reduced admixture in wolf populations. Management effectiveness, however, strongly depended on mate choice and number and admixture level of individuals immigrating into the wolf population. The inclusion of anthropogenic mortality affecting parental and admixed individuals (e.g., poaching) increased the probability of pack dissolution and thus increased the probability of interbreeding with dogs or admixed individuals and boosted hybridization and introgression rates in all simulation scenarios. Recognizing the necessity of additional model refinements (appropriate parameterization, thorough sensitivity analyses, and robust model validation) to generate management recommendations applicable in real-world scenarios, we maintain confidence in our model's potential as a valuable conservation tool that can be applied to diverse situations and species facing similar threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sarah Bauduin
- Direction de la Recherche et Appui Scientifique, Service Conservation et Gestion des Espèces à Enjeux, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Juvignac, France
| | - Oksana Grente
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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2
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Amici F, Meacci S, Caray E, Oña L, Liebal K, Ciucci P. A first exploratory comparison of the behaviour of wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf-dog hybrids in captivity. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:9. [PMID: 38429445 PMCID: PMC10907477 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01849-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Extensive introgression of genes from domesticated taxa may be a serious threat for the genomic integrity and adaptability of wild populations. Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are especially vulnerable to this phenomenon, but there are no studies yet assessing the potential behavioural effects of dog-introgression in wolves. In this study, we conducted a first systematic comparison of admixed (N = 11) and non-admixed (N = 14) wolves in captivity, focusing on their reaction to unfamiliar humans and novel objects, and the cohesiveness of their social groups. When exposed to unfamiliar humans in the experimental task, wolves were more vigilant, fearful and aggressive than admixed wolves, and less likely to approach humans, but also more likely to spend time in human proximity. When exposed to novel objects, wolves were more aggressive than admixed wolves, less likely to spend time in object proximity, and more likely to interact with objects, but also less vigilant and as fearful as admixed wolves. Finally, social networks were more cohesive in wolves than in admixed wolves. Although caution is needed when comparing groups of captive individuals with different life experiences, our study suggests that dog admixture may lead to important behavioural changes in wolves, with possible implications for conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Amici
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Simone Meacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emmeline Caray
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Linda Oña
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Liebal
- Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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3
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Esattore B, Rossi AC, Bazzoni F, Riggio C, Oliveira R, Leggiero I, Ferretti F. Same place, different time, head up: Multiple antipredator responses to a recolonizing apex predator. Curr Zool 2023; 69:703-717. [PMID: 37876645 PMCID: PMC10591180 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Prey adjust their antipredator behavioral tactics to minimize the risk of an encounter with predators. Spatiotemporal responses of prey to predators have been reported, but the nature of antipredator response is not ubiquitous and it is the object of increasing interest, especially considering the recent recovery of large carnivores in Europe, and the potential for behavioral antipredator responses to elicit consequences at the ecosystem level. We have tested multiple antipredator responses by fallow deer Dama dama to wolf Canis lupus in a Mediterranean protected area recently recolonized by this apex predator. Through intensive camera trapping, we tested for temporal and spatial association between predator and prey, and we have also studied deer vigilance in forest habitats where focal observations are usually impossible. Wolf detection rates were spatially associated with those of fallow deer. Accordingly, no evidence was found for fallow deer avoiding sites with higher predator detection rates. Temporal activity patterns were significantly different between the 2 species, with the wolf being mainly nocturnal whereas fallow deer was active especially during daylight. A comparison with a preliminary study strongly suggests an increase in the diurnal activity of fallow deer along with the stabilization of wolf presence in the area. Both the rate and the duration of vigilance of female fallow deer increased with the local frequency of wolf activity. We suggest an antipredator response based on temporal-rather than spatial-avoidance, as well as increased vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Esattore
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815,104 00, Uhříněves, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Suchdol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Agnese Carlotta Rossi
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Bazzoni
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Chiara Riggio
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Raquel Oliveira
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Ivan Leggiero
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Unit of Behavioral Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Siena, Via Pier Andrea Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
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4
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Barash A, Preiss-Bloom S, Machluf Y, Fabbri E, Malkinson D, Velli E, Mucci N, Barash A, Caniglia R, Dayan T, Dekel Y. Possible origins and implications of atypical morphologies and domestication-like traits in wild golden jackals (Canis aureus). Sci Rep 2023; 13:7388. [PMID: 37149712 PMCID: PMC10164184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34533-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Deciphering the origins of phenotypic variations in natural animal populations is a challenging topic for evolutionary and conservation biologists. Atypical morphologies in mammals are usually attributed to interspecific hybridisation or de-novo mutations. Here we report the case of four golden jackals (Canis aureus), that were observed during a camera-trapping wildlife survey in Northern Israel, displaying anomalous morphological traits, such as white patches, an upturned tail, and long thick fur which resemble features of domesticated mammals. Another individual was culled under permit and was genetically and morphologically examined. Paternal and nuclear genetic profiles, as well as geometric morphometric data, identified this individual as a golden jackal rather than a recent dog/wolf-jackal hybrid. Its maternal haplotype suggested past introgression of African wolf (Canis lupaster) mitochondrial DNA, as previously documented in other jackals from Israel. When viewed in the context of the jackal as an overabundant species in Israel, the rural nature of the surveyed area, the abundance of anthropogenic waste, and molecular and morphological findings, the possibility of an individual presenting incipient stages of domestication should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet Barash
- School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Unit of Agrigenomics, Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, 1290000, Kazerin, Israel
| | - Shlomo Preiss-Bloom
- School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yossy Machluf
- Unit of Agrigenomics, Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, 1290000, Kazerin, Israel
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‑CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064, Bologna, Italy
| | - Dan Malkinson
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‑CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nadia Mucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‑CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alon Barash
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, 8 Henrietta Szold St, Safed, Israel
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‑CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Tamar Dayan
- School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Yaron Dekel
- Unit of Agrigenomics, Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, 1290000, Kazerin, Israel.
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing and The Cheryl Spencer Institute of Nursing Research, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
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Dissegna A, Rota M, Basile S, Fusco G, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Velli E, Caniglia R. How to Choose? Comparing Different Methods to Count Wolf Packs in a Protected Area of the Northern Apennines. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040932. [PMID: 37107690 PMCID: PMC10137897 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a natural rewilding process that caused wolf populations in Europe to increase and expand in the last years, human-wolf conflicts still persist, threatening the long-term wolf presence in both anthropic and natural areas. Conservation management strategies should be carefully designed on updated population data and planned on a wide scale. Unfortunately, reliable ecological data are difficult and expensive to obtain and often hardly comparable through time or among different areas, especially because of different sampling designs. In order to assess the performance of different methods to estimate wolf (Canis lupus L.) abundance and distribution in southern Europe, we simultaneously applied three techniques: wolf howling, camera trapping and non-invasive genetic sampling in a protected area of the northern Apennines. We aimed at counting the minimum number of packs during a single wolf biological year and evaluating the pros and cons for each technique, comparing results obtained from different combinations of these three methods and testing how sampling effort may affect results. We found that packs' identifications could be hardly comparable if methods were separately used with a low sampling effort: wolf howling identified nine, camera trapping 12 and non-invasive genetic sampling eight packs. However, increased sampling efforts produced more consistent and comparable results across all used methods, although results from different sampling designs should be carefully compared. The integration of the three techniques yielded the highest number of detected packs, 13, although with the highest effort and cost. A common standardised sampling strategy should be a priority approach to studying elusive large carnivores, such as the wolf, allowing for the comparison of key population parameters and developing shared and effective conservation management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Dissegna
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Martino Rota
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Simone Basile
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fusco
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Mencucci
- Reparto Carabinieri Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | - Nadia Cappai
- Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
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6
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Hinton JW, West KM, Sullivan DJ, Frair JL, Chamberlain MJ. The natural history and ecology of melanism in red wolf and coyote populations of the southeastern United States – evidence for Gloger’s rule. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:33. [PMID: 37170305 PMCID: PMC10127370 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00138-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Gloger’s rule postulates that animals should be darker colored in warm and humid regions where dense vegetation and dark environments are common. Although rare in Canis populations, melanism in wolves is more common in North America than other regions globally and is believed to follow Gloger’s rule. In the temperate forests of the southeastern United States, historical records of red wolf (Canis rufus) and coyote (Canis latrans) populations document a consistent presence of melanism. Today, the melanistic phenotype is extinct in red wolves while occurring in coyotes and red wolf-coyote hybrids who occupy the red wolf's historical range. To assess if Gloger’s rule could explain the occurrence and maintenance of melanistic phenotypes in Canis taxa, we investigated differences in morphology, habitat selection, and survival associated with pelage color using body measurements, GPS tracking data, and long-term capture-mark-recapture and radio-telemetry data collected on coyotes and hybrids across the southeastern United States.
Results
We found no correlation between morphometrics and pelage color for Canis taxa. However, we observed that melanistic coyotes and hybrids experienced greater annual survival than did their gray conspecifics. Furthermore, we observed that melanistic coyotes maintained larger home ranges and exhibited greater selection for areas with dense canopy cover and wetlands than did gray coyotes.
Conclusions
In the southeastern United States, pelage color influenced habitat selection by coyotes and annual survival of coyotes and hybrids providing evidence that Gloger’s rule is applicable to canids inhabiting regions with dense canopy cover and wetlands. Greater annual survival rates observed in melanistic Canis may be attributed to better concealment in areas with dense canopy cover such as coastal bottomland forests. We suggest that the larger home range sizes of melanistic coyotes may reflect the trade-off of reduced foraging efficiency in lower quality wetland habitat for improved survival. Larger home ranges and differential use of land cover by melanistic coyotes may facilitate weak assortative mating in eastern coyote populations, in which melanistic animals may have lower success of finding compatible mates in comparison to gray conspecifics. We offer that our observations provide a partial explanation for why melanism is relatively low (< 10%) but consistent within coyote populations throughout southeastern parts of their range.
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7
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A reduced SNP panel to trace gene flow across southern European wolf populations and detect hybridization with other Canis taxa. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4195. [PMID: 35264717 PMCID: PMC8907317 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra- and inter-specific gene flow are natural evolutionary processes. However, human-induced hybridization is a global conservation concern across taxa, and the development of discriminant genetic markers to differentiate among gene flow processes is essential. Wolves (Canis lupus) are affected by hybridization, particularly in southern Europe, where ongoing recolonization of historic ranges is augmenting gene flow among divergent populations. Our aim was to provide diagnostic canid markers focused on the long-divergent Iberian, Italian and Dinaric wolf populations, based on existing genomic resources. We used 158 canid samples to select a panel of highly informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to (i) distinguish wolves in the three regions from domestic dogs (C. l. familiaris) and golden jackals (C. aureus), and (ii) identify their first two hybrid generations. The resulting 192 SNPs correctly identified the five canid groups, all simulated first-generation (F1) hybrids (0.482 ≤ Qi ≤ 0.512 between their respective parental groups) and all first backcross (BC1) individuals (0.723 ≤ Qi ≤ 0.827 to parental groups). An assay design and test with invasive and non-invasive canid samples performed successfully for 178 SNPs. By separating natural population admixture from inter-specific hybridization, our reduced panel can help advance evolutionary research, monitoring, and timely conservation management.
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8
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Coppola F, Baldanti S, Di Rosso A, Vecchio G, Casini L, Russo C, Lucchini V, Boni CB, Malasoma M, Gabbani C, Felicioli A. Settlement of a stable wolf pack in a highly anthropic area of Pisan hills: Relationship with animal husbandry and hunting in a human-wolf coexistence perspective. Anim Sci J 2022; 93:e13799. [PMID: 36546504 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Anthropic areas play a pivot role for main wolf conservation challenges. Wolf presence in the higher Pisan hills has been well documented while wolf settlement in the lower Pisan hills is still uncertain. In this study, long-term information on wolf presence in a highly anthropic area of the lower Pisan hills was collected by using non-invasive monitoring techniques. Furthermore, both the relationship of this predator with human activity and the impact of hunting on wolf presence have been investigated. The results obtained indicate the presence of a stable and reproductive wolf pack composed by both Italian wolf and hybrids individuals in the municipalities of Crespina Lorenzana and Casciana Terme Lari. A high impact of wolf on livestock was recorded in this area since no prevention systems were adopted by farmers. Wolf appears not to have a negative impact on wild boar population. Similarly, wild boar drive hunting does not appear to affect the wolf pack presence in the area. Thereby wolf may play a key role as controller of wild population. Prevention strategies improvement becomes instrumental to promote wolf-human coexistence. Further investigation to monitor pack hybridization level and turnover and to assess the impact of packs on wild population and livestock in anthropic areas is desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Coppola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Samuele Baldanti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessia Di Rosso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Casini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Russo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Felicioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Dziech A. Identification of Wolf-Dog Hybrids in Europe – An Overview of Genetic Studies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.760160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant development of genetic tools during the last decades provided opportunities for more detailed analyses and deeper understanding of species hybridization. New genetic markers allowed for reliable identification of admixed individuals deriving from recent hybridization events (a few generations) and those originating from crossings up to 19 generations back. Implementation of microsatellites (STRs) together with Bayesian clustering provided abundant knowledge regarding presence of admixed individuals in numerous populations and helped understand the problematic nature of studying hybridization (i.a., defining a reliable thresholds for recognizing individuals as admixed or obtaining well-grounded results representing actual proportion of hybrids in a population). Nevertheless, their utilization is limited to recent crossbreeding events. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) proved to be more sensible tools for admixture analyses furnishing more reliable knowledge, especially for older generation backcrosses. Small sets of Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) of both types of markers were effective enough to implement in monitoring programs, however, SNPs seem to be more appropriate because of their ability to identify admixed individuals up to 3rd generations. The main aim of this review is to summarize abundant knowledge regarding identification of wolf-dog hybrids in Europe and discuss the most relevant problems relating to the issue, together with advantages and disadvantages of implemented markers and approaches.
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Santostasi NL, Gimenez O, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Ciucci P. Estimating Admixture at the Population Scale: Taking Imperfect Detectability and Uncertainty in Hybrid Classification Seriously. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina L. Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome La Sapienza Rome Italy
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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11
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Moravčíková N, Kasarda R, Židek R, Vostrý L, Vostrá-Vydrová H, Vašek J, Čílová D. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Genomic Divergence from Its Ancestors Canis lupus, German Shepherd Dog, and Different Sheepdogs of European Origin. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:832. [PMID: 34071464 PMCID: PMC8228135 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study focused on the genomic differences between the Czechoslovakian wolfdog (CWD) and its ancestors, the Grey wolf (GW) and German Shepherd dog. The Saarloos wolfdog and Belgian Shepherd dog were also included to study the level of GW genetics retained in the genome of domesticated breeds. The dataset consisted of 131 animals and 143,593 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The effects of demographic history on the overall genome structure were determined by screening the distribution of the homozygous segments. The genetic variance distributed within and between groups was quantified by genetic distances, the FST index, and discriminant analysis of principal components. Fine-scale population stratification due to specific morphological and behavioural traits was assessed by principal component and factorial analyses. In the CWD, a demographic history effect was manifested mainly in a high genome-wide proportion of short homozygous segments corresponding to a historical load of inbreeding derived from founders. The observed proportion of long homozygous segments indicated that the inbreeding events shaped the CWD genome relatively recently compared to other groups. Even if there was a significant increase in genetic similarity among wolf-like breeds, they were genetically separated from each other. Moreover, this study showed that the CWD genome carries private alleles that are not found in either wolves or other dog breeds analysed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Moravčíková
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
| | - Radovan Kasarda
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
| | - Radoslav Židek
- Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
- NU3gen, Pažite 145/7, 010 09 Žilina, Slovakia
| | - Luboš Vostrý
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
| | - Hana Vostrá-Vydrová
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Jakub Vašek
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
| | - Daniela Čílová
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
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12
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Rossa M, Lovari S, Ferretti F. Spatiotemporal patterns of wolf, mesocarnivores and prey in a Mediterranean area. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02956-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Spatial and temporal occurrence can mediate behavioural interactions between apex predators, mesocarnivores and herbivores. Predators should adapt their activity to that of prey, whereas predator avoidance would be expected to influence activity patterns and space use of prey and smaller competitors. We evaluated interspecific spatiotemporal relationships in a prey-rich community including an apex predator (the wolf), three wild ungulates and several smaller herbivores/mesocarnivores, through camera trapping. All considered species (i.e. wolves and potential prey/smaller competitors: wild boar, fallow deer, roe deer, crested porcupine, red fox and European badger) were active especially at night and/or twilight. Among wild ungulates, the wolf showed the greatest temporal overlap with the wild boar and the lowest one with the least abundant and used of them, i.e. the roe deer. The main prey (i.e. the fallow deer) showed more diurnal activity and a lower temporal overlap with the predator in sites with high wolf activity than in low-activity ones. Among mesocarnivores, the red fox showed extensive temporal overlap with the wolf: the overlap between the two canids was greater in sites intensively used by this apex predator than in sites with low wolf activity, supporting a concurrent study which suggested a potential for facilitative—rather than competitive—interactions. Spatiotemporal relationships suggest complex interactions between the apex predator, prey and smaller carnivores, for which a substantial temporal or spatial association was often supported.
Significance statement
There is a growing interest in the influence of apex predators on ecosystems through their effects on the behaviour of prey and smaller carnivores, especially in the light of the ongoing recovery of large carnivores in temperate areas. Predators should synchronise their activity to that of prey; conversely, prey and smaller carnivores would be expected to avoid predators. In a rich community including the wolf, three wild ungulates and several mesomammals, we detected (i) a substantial temporal overlap between wolves and wild boar, porcupines and mesocarnivores; (ii) a negative temporal association between the predator and its main prey (i.e. the fallow deer) and (iii) a great temporal overlap between the wolf and the red fox. We provide a baseline to evaluate temporal changes of predator-prey-mesocarnivore behavioural interactions along with variations of carnivore-prey densities.
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Ferretti F, Pacini G, Belardi I, ten Cate B, Sensi M, Oliveira R, Rossa M, Burrini L, Lovari S. Recolonizing wolves and opportunistic foxes: interference or facilitation? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The mechanisms of interactions among carnivore species range from facilitation (mainly through increased availability of prey carcasses) to competition. We assessed the potential for facilitative/competitive interactions between the two most widespread carnivores in the world, the wolf and the red fox, in a prey-rich area recently recolonized by the apex predator. One could expect that the superior competitor would ecologically suppress the inferior one, leading to avoidance of the former by the latter. In a Mediterranean coastal area (2017–2018), we assessed spatiotemporal and dietary interspecific overlap and investigated whether the recovery of wolves affected food habits of foxes. Spatiotemporal overlap was extensive (0.84–0.89). Wild ungulates were the staple of the wolf diet (~88–90%); foxes used mainly invertebrates and fruits (~78%), with ungulates being a substantial food category (13% of diet; 66% of occurrences among vertebrate prey). Interspecific dietary overlap was low (0.23), but extensive (0.89) for vertebrate prey. In comparison to a preceding wolf-free period, the volume and occurrence of large mammals in the diet of foxes showed a 2.8- to 3.5-fold increase. Apparently, foxes did not avoid wolves, which provided additional food to the foxes as prey leftovers. In a rich community, the presence of wolves may increase the food spectrum of foxes. Temporal variation of facilitation vs. competition should be assessed in relationship to spatiotemporal changes of predator–prey numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Giada Pacini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Irene Belardi
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Bouke ten Cate
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Sensi
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Raquel Oliveira
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Mariana Rossa
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lucia Burrini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Sandro Lovari
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
- Maremma Natural History Museum, Strada Corsini, Grosseto, Italy
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14
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Buglione M, Troisi SR, Petrelli S, van Vugt M, Notomista T, Troiano C, Bellomo A, Maselli V, Gregorio R, Fulgione D. The First Report on the Ecology and Distribution of the Wolf Population in Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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15
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Santostasi NL, Ciucci P, Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Gimenez O. Assessing the dynamics of hybridization through a matrix modelling approach. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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16
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Ferretti F, Fattorini N. Competitor densities, habitat, and weather: effects on interspecific interactions between wild deer species. Integr Zool 2020; 16:670-684. [PMID: 32654371 PMCID: PMC8451872 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing interest on the potential interplay between weather, habitat, and interspecific competition on population dynamics of wild herbivores. Favorable environmental conditions may buffer the negative effects of competition; conversely, competition may be expected to be stronger under harsh environmental conditions. We investigated relationships between competitor abundance, weather, and habitat cover on density and local distribution of a medium‐sized herbivore, the roe deer Capreolus capreolus, as well as its spatial overlap with fallow deer Dama dama in a Mediterranean protected area. Over 11 years (2007–2017), roe deer density was not affected by spring–summer rainfall in the previous year and decreased with increasing density of fallow deer in the previous year. Hence, over the considered temporal scale, results supported a major role of competition over weather in influencing population trends of roe deer. At a finer spatial scale, roe deer occupancy was negatively affected by local abundance of fallow deer, especially in “poorer” habitats. We found a slight support for a positive effect of fallow deer density on interspecific spatial overlap. Moreover, fine‐scale spatial overlap between deer species increased with decreasing rainfall in spring–summer. Fallow deer were introduced to our study area in historical times and their role as superior competitors over roe deer has been found also in other study areas. We suggest a potential role of harsh weather conditions during the growing season of vegetation (i.e. scarce rainfall) in triggering the potential for ecological overlap, emphasizing the negative effects of interspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Fattorini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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17
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Abstract
Abstract
The gray wolf and the domestic dog are closely related species that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. In settings where unrestrained dogs are present in the wild, hybridization can happen naturally. However, the behavior of the resulting hybrids and their ecological impact is largely understudied. In September–November 2018, a putative gray wolf was repeatedly camera-trapped in a group of 10 presumably feral dogs in a remote mountainous area (the Osogovo Mountain) along the border between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. The most feasible explanation for this individual’s atypical behavior is that it is of hybrid origin (assumption based on phenotype). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented observation of such a kind. A discussion of its recruitment and position in the group is presented, setting the basis for further investigation of the complex interaction between wolves, dogs and hybrids in the wild.
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18
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Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Velli E, Mattucci F, Canu A, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Scandura M, Fabbri E. A standardized approach to empirically define reliable assignment thresholds and appropriate management categories in deeply introgressed populations. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2862. [PMID: 32071323 PMCID: PMC7028925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59521-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic hybridization is recognized as a major threat to the long-term survival of natural populations. While identifying F1 hybrids might be simple, the detection of older admixed individuals is far from trivial and it is still debated whether they should be targets of management. Examples of anthropogenic hybridization have been described between wolves and domestic dogs, with numerous cases detected in the Italian wolf population. After selecting appropriate wild and domestic reference populations, we used empirical and simulated 39-autosomal microsatellite genotypes, Bayesian assignment and performance analyses to develop a workflow to detect different levels of wolf x dog admixture. Membership proportions to the wild cluster (qiw) and performance indexes identified two q-thresholds which allowed to efficiently classify the analysed genotypes into three assignment classes: pure (with no or negligible domestic ancestry), older admixed (with a marginal domestic ancestry) and recent admixed (with a clearly detectable domestic ancestry) animals. Based on their potential to spread domestic variants, such classes were used to define three corresponding management categories: operational pure, introgressed and operational hybrid individuals. Our multiple-criteria approach can help wildlife managers and decision makers in more efficiently targeting the available resources for the long-term conservation of species threatened by anthropogenic hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | | | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Mattucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Nadia Mucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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19
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Salvatori V, Godinho R, Braschi C, Boitani L, Ciucci P. High levels of recent wolf × dog introgressive hybridization in agricultural landscapes of central Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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20
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Donfrancesco V, Ciucci P, Salvatori V, Benson D, Andersen LW, Bassi E, Blanco JC, Boitani L, Caniglia R, Canu A, Capitani C, Chapron G, Czarnomska SD, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Galov A, Gimenez O, Godinho R, Greco C, Hindrikson M, Huber D, Hulva P, Jedrzejewski W, Kusak J, Linnell JDC, Llaneza L, López-Bao JV, Männil P, Marucco F, Mattioli L, Milanesi P, Milleret C, Mysłajek RW, Ordiz A, Palacios V, Pedersen HC, Pertoldi C, Pilot M, Randi E, Rodríguez A, Saarma U, Sand H, Scandura M, Stronen AV, Tsingarska E, Mukherjee N. Unravelling the Scientific Debate on How to Address Wolf-Dog Hybridization in Europe. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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21
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Fattorini N, Ferretti F. To scan or not to scan? Occurrence of the group‐size effect in a seasonally nongregarious forager. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Fattorini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences University of Siena Siena Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences University of Siena Siena Italy
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22
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Zafar-ul Islam M, Boug A, Shehri A, da Silva LG. Geographic distribution patterns of melanistic Arabian Wolves, Canis lupus arabs (Pocock), in Saudi Arabia (Mammalia: Carnivora). ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2019.1580931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ahmed Boug
- Prince Saud al Faisal Wildlife Research Center, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Shehri
- Prince Saud al Faisal Wildlife Research Center, Taif, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Two decades of non-invasive genetic monitoring of the grey wolves recolonizing the Alps support very limited dog introgression. Sci Rep 2019; 9:148. [PMID: 30651571 PMCID: PMC6335406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37331-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Potential hybridization between wolves and dogs has fueled the sensitive conservation and political debate underlying the recovery of the grey wolf throughout Europe. Here we provide the first genetic analysis of wolf-dog admixture in an area entirely recolonized, the northwestern Alps. As part of a long-term monitoring program, we performed genetic screening of thousands of non-invasive samples collected in Switzerland and adjacent territories since the return of the wolf in the mid-1990s. We identified a total of 115 individuals, only 2 of them showing significant signs of admixture stemming from past interbreeding with dogs, followed by backcrossing. This low rate of introgression (<2% accounting for all wolves ever detected over 1998–2017) parallels those from other European populations, especially in Western Europe (<7%). Despite potential hybridization with stray dogs, few founders and strong anthropogenic pressures, the genetic integrity of the Alpine population has remained intact throughout the entire recolonization process. In a context of widespread misinformation, this finding should reduce conflicts among the different actors involved and facilitate wolf conservation. Real-time genetic monitoring will be necessary to identify potential hybrids and support an effective management of this emblematic population.
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24
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Santostasi NL, Ciucci P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Gimenez O. Use of hidden Markov capture-recapture models to estimate abundance in the presence of uncertainty: Application to the estimation of prevalence of hybrids in animal populations. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:744-755. [PMID: 30766665 PMCID: PMC6362442 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating the relative abundance (prevalence) of different population segments is a key step in addressing fundamental research questions in ecology, evolution, and conservation. The raw percentage of individuals in the sample (naive prevalence) is generally used for this purpose, but it is likely to be subject to two main sources of bias. First, the detectability of individuals is ignored; second, classification errors may occur due to some inherent limits of the diagnostic methods. We developed a hidden Markov (also known as multievent) capture-recapture model to estimate prevalence in free-ranging populations accounting for imperfect detectability and uncertainty in individual's classification. We carried out a simulation study to compare naive and model-based estimates of prevalence and assess the performance of our model under different sampling scenarios. We then illustrate our method with a real-world case study of estimating the prevalence of wolf (Canis lupus) and dog (Canis lupus familiaris) hybrids in a wolf population in northern Italy. We showed that the prevalence of hybrids could be estimated while accounting for both detectability and classification uncertainty. Model-based prevalence consistently had better performance than naive prevalence in the presence of differential detectability and assignment probability and was unbiased for sampling scenarios with high detectability. We also showed that ignoring detectability and uncertainty in the wolf case study would lead to underestimating the prevalence of hybrids. Our results underline the importance of a model-based approach to obtain unbiased estimates of prevalence of different population segments. Our model can be adapted to any taxa, and it can be used to estimate absolute abundance and prevalence in a variety of cases involving imperfect detection and uncertainty in classification of individuals (e.g., sex ratio, proportion of breeders, and prevalence of infected individuals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”University of Rome La SapienzaRomeItaly
- CEFE, CNRSUniversity of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”University of Rome La SapienzaRomeItaly
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‐CGE)Ozzano dell'EmiliaBolognaItaly
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‐CGE)Ozzano dell'EmiliaBolognaItaly
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine CenterAppennino Tosco‐Emiliano National ParkLigonchioItaly
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine CenterAppennino Tosco‐Emiliano National ParkLigonchioItaly
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRSUniversity of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
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25
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Milanesi P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Puopolo F, Galaverni M, Holderegger R. Combining Bayesian genetic clustering and ecological niche modeling: Insights into wolf intraspecific genetic structure. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11224-11234. [PMID: 30519439 PMCID: PMC6262746 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of intraspecific genetic variation and how it relates to environmental factors is of increasing interest to researchers in macroecology and biogeography. Recent studies investigated the relationships between the environment and patterns of intraspecific genetic variation across species ranges but only few rigorously tested the relation between genetic groups and their ecological niches. We quantified the relationship of genetic differentiation (F ST) and the overlap of ecological niches (as measured by n-dimensional hypervolumes) among genetic groups resulting from spatial Bayesian genetic clustering in the wolf (Canis lupus) in the Italian peninsula. Within the Italian wolf population, four genetic clusters were detected, and these clusters showed different ecological niches. Moreover, different wolf clusters were significantly related to differences in land cover and human disturbance features. Such differences in the ecological niches of genetic clusters should be interpreted in light of neutral processes that hinder movement, dispersal, and gene flow among the genetic clusters, in order to not prematurely assume any selective or adaptive processes. In the present study, we found that both the plasticity of wolves-a habitat generalist-to cope with different environmental conditions and the occurrence of barriers that limit gene flow lead to the formation of genetic intraspecific genetic clusters and their distinct ecological niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Milanesi
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | | | | | - Rolf Holderegger
- WSL Swiss Federal Research InstituteBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems SciencesETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
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26
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27
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Pilot M, Greco C, vonHoldt BM, Randi E, Jędrzejewski W, Sidorovich VE, Konopiński MK, Ostrander EA, Wayne RK. Widespread, long-term admixture between grey wolves and domestic dogs across Eurasia and its implications for the conservation status of hybrids. Evol Appl 2018; 11:662-680. [PMID: 29875809 PMCID: PMC5978975 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybridisation between a domesticated species and its wild ancestor is an important conservation problem, especially if it results in the introgression of domestic gene variants into wild species. Nevertheless, the legal status of hybrids remains unregulated, partially because of the limited understanding of the hybridisation process and its consequences. The occurrence of hybridisation between grey wolves and domestic dogs is well documented from different parts of the wolf geographic range, but little is known about the frequency of hybridisation events, their causes and the genetic impact on wolf populations. We analysed 61K SNPs spanning the canid genome in wolves from across Eurasia and North America and compared that data to similar data from dogs to identify signatures of admixture. The haplotype block analysis, which included 38 autosomes and the X chromosome, indicated the presence of individuals of mixed wolf-dog ancestry in most Eurasian wolf populations, but less admixture was present in North American populations. We found evidence for male-biased introgression of dog alleles into wolf populations, but also identified a first-generation hybrid resulting from mating between a female dog and a male wolf. We found small blocks of dog ancestry in the genomes of 62% Eurasian wolves studied and melanistic individuals with no signs of recent admixed ancestry, but with a dog-derived allele at a locus linked to melanism. Consequently, these results suggest that hybridisation has been occurring in different parts of Eurasia on multiple timescales and is not solely a recent phenomenon. Nevertheless, wolf populations have maintained genetic differentiation from dogs, suggesting that hybridisation at a low frequency does not diminish distinctiveness of the wolf gene pool. However, increased hybridisation frequency may be detrimental for wolf populations, stressing the need for genetic monitoring to assess the frequency and distribution of individuals resulting from recent admixture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Greco
- Department of Environmental Monitoring and Biodiversity ConservationItalian National Institute for Environmental Protection and ResearchBolognaItaly
| | - Bridgett M. vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Environmental Monitoring and Biodiversity ConservationItalian National Institute for Environmental Protection and ResearchBolognaItaly
- Department 18/Section of Environmental EngineeringAalborg UniversityAalborgDenmark
| | - Włodzimierz Jędrzejewski
- Mammal Research InstitutePolish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
- Present address:
Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC)Centro de EcologiaCaracasVenezuela
| | | | | | - Elaine A. Ostrander
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics BranchNational Human Genome Research InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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28
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Saleh M, Younes M, Sarhan M, Abdel-Hamid F. Melanism and coat colour polymorphism in the Egyptian Wolf Canis lupaster Hemprich & Ehrenberg (Carnivora: Canidae) from Egypt. ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2018.1475117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Saleh
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud Younes
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Moustafa Sarhan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Fouad Abdel-Hamid
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
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29
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Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Pagani L, Fabbri E, Boattini A, Randi E. Disentangling Timing of Admixture, Patterns of Introgression, and Phenotypic Indicators in a Hybridizing Wolf Population. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:2324-2339. [PMID: 28549194 PMCID: PMC5850710 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization is a natural or anthropogenic process that can deeply affect the genetic make-up of populations, possibly decreasing individual fitness but sometimes favoring local adaptations. The population of Italian wolves (Canis lupus), after protracted demographic declines and isolation, is currently expanding in anthropic areas, with documented cases of hybridization with stray domestic dogs. However, identifying admixture patterns in deeply introgressed populations is far from trivial. In this study, we used a panel of 170,000 SNPs analyzed with multivariate, Bayesian and local ancestry reconstruction methods to identify hybrids, estimate their ancestry proportions and timing since admixture. Moreover, we carried out preliminary genotype-phenotype association analyses to identify the genetic bases of three phenotypic traits (black coat, white claws, and spur on the hind legs) putative indicators of hybridization. Results showed no sharp subdivisions between nonadmixed wolves and hybrids, indicating that recurrent hybridization and deep introgression might have started mostly at the beginning of the population reexpansion. In hybrids, we identified a number of genomic regions with excess of ancestry in one of the parental populations, and regions with excess or resistance to introgression compared with neutral expectations. The three morphological traits showed significant genotype-phenotype associations, with a single genomic region for black coats and white claws, and with multiple genomic regions for the spur. In all cases the associated haplotypes were likely derived from dogs. In conclusion, we show that the use of multiple genome-wide ancestry reconstructions allows clarifying the admixture dynamics even in highly introgressed populations, and supports their conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Galaverni
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
- Area Conservazione, WWF Italia, Rome, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Pagani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
- Estonian Biocentre, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Boattini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
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Pires AE, Amorim IR, Borges C, Simões F, Teixeira T, Quaresma A, Petrucci‐Fonseca F, Matos J. New insights into the genetic composition and phylogenetic relationship of wolves and dogs in the Iberian Peninsula. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:4404-4418. [PMID: 28649351 PMCID: PMC5478058 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the gene pool of Portuguese autochthonous dog breeds and their wild counterpart, the Iberian wolf subspecies (Canis lupus signatus), using standard molecular markers. A combination of paternal and maternal molecular markers was used to investigate the genetic composition, genetic differentiation and genetic relationship of native Portuguese dogs and the Iberian wolf. A total of 196 unrelated dogs, including breed and village dogs from Portugal, and other dogs from Spain and North Africa, and 56 Iberian wolves (wild and captive) were analyzed for nuclear markers, namely Y chromosome SNPs, Y chromosome STR loci, autosomal STR loci, and a mitochondrial fragment of the control region I. Our data reveal new variants for the molecular markers and confirm significant genetic differentiation between Iberian wolf and native domestic dogs from Portugal. Based on our sampling, no signs of recent introgression between the two subspecies were detected. Y chromosome data do not reveal genetic differentiation among the analyzed dog breeds, suggesting they share the same patrilineal origin. Moreover, the genetic distinctiveness of the Iberian wolf from other wolf populations is further confirmed with the description of new mtDNA variants for this endemism. Our research also discloses new molecular markers for wolf and dog subspecies assignment, which might become particularly relevant in the case of forensic or noninvasive genetic studies. The Iberian wolf represents a relic of the once widespread wolf population in Europe and our study reveals that it is a reservoir of unique genetic diversity of the grey wolf, Canis lupus. These results stress the need for conservation plans that will guarantee the sustainability of this threatened top predator in Iberia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Elisabete Pires
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Isabel R. Amorim
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos AçoresFaculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do AmbienteAçoresPortugal
| | - Carla Borges
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Fernanda Simões
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Tatiana Teixeira
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
| | - Andreia Quaresma
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Francisco Petrucci‐Fonseca
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - José Matos
- Biotechnology and Genetic Resources UnitNational Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Research, I.P. (INIAV)OeirasPortugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)Faculty of SciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
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31
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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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33
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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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Freedman AH, Lohmueller KE, Wayne RK. Evolutionary History, Selective Sweeps, and Deleterious Variation in the Dog. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-121415-032155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The dog is our oldest domesticate and has experienced a wide variety of demographic histories, including a bottleneck associated with domestication and individual bottlenecks associated with the formation of modern breeds. Admixture with gray wolves, and among dog breeds and populations, has also occurred throughout its history. Likewise, the intensity and focus of selection have varied, from an initial focus on traits enhancing cohabitation with humans, to more directed selection on specific phenotypic characteristics and behaviors. In this review, we summarize and synthesize genetic findings from genome-wide and complete genome studies that document the genomic consequences of demography and selection, including the effects on adaptive and deleterious variation. Consistent with the evolutionary history of the dog, signals of natural and artificial selection are evident in the dog genome. However, conclusions from studies of positive selection are fraught with the problem of false positives given that demographic history is often not taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam H. Freedman
- Informatics Group, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Kirk E. Lohmueller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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35
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Ex post and insurance-based compensation fail to increase tolerance for wolves in semi-agricultural landscapes of central Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-016-1001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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36
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Ferretti F, Fattorini L, Sforzi A, Pisani C. The use of faeces counts to estimate relative densities of wild boar in a Mediterranean area. POPUL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-016-0536-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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37
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Pecorella I, Ferretti F, Sforzi A, Macchi E. Effects of culling on vigilance behaviour and endogenous stress response of female fallow deer. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Human activities can induce behavioural and stress responses in wild animals. Information is scarce on the effects of culling on anti-predator behaviour and endogenous stress response of wild ungulates.
Aims
In a Mediterranean area, we evaluated the effects of culling on vigilance, foraging and endogenous stress response of female fallow deer (Dama dama).
Methods
Effects of culling were evaluated through behavioural observations and hormone analyses of faecal samples.
Key results
In an area where culling occurred (C), individuals showed significantly greater vigilance rates and foraged closer to wood than in an area with no culling (NC). In C, 24 h after culling, faecal cortisol concentrations were greater than those recorded in NC, but they decreased significantly to values comparable to (48 h post-shot) and lower than (72 h post-shot) those observed in NC.
Conclusions
Most likely, culling determined behavioural responses in female fallow deer, but did not trigger long-term physiological effects.
Implications
Increased anti-predator behaviour may complicate the implementation of long-term culling programs.
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Galov A, Fabbri E, Caniglia R, Arbanasić H, Lapalombella S, Florijančić T, Bošković I, Galaverni M, Randi E. First evidence of hybridization between golden jackal (Canis aureus) and domestic dog (Canis familiaris) as revealed by genetic markers. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:150450. [PMID: 27019731 PMCID: PMC4807452 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.150450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Interspecific hybridization is relatively frequent in nature and numerous cases of hybridization between wild canids and domestic dogs have been recorded. However, hybrids between golden jackals (Canis aureus) and other canids have not been described before. In this study, we combined the use of biparental (15 autosomal microsatellites and three major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci) and uniparental (mtDNA control region and a Y-linked Zfy intron) genetic markers to assess the admixed origin of three wild-living canids showing anomalous phenotypic traits. Results indicated that these canids were hybrids between golden jackals and domestic dogs. One of them was a backcross to jackal and another one was a backcross to dog, confirming that golden jackal-domestic dog hybrids are fertile. The uniparental markers showed that the direction of hybridization, namely females of the wild species hybridizing with male domestic dogs, was common to most cases of canid hybridization. A melanistic 3bp-deletion at the K locus (β-defensin CDB103 gene), that was absent in reference golden jackal samples, but was found in a backcross to jackal with anomalous black coat, suggested its introgression from dogs via hybridization. Moreover, we demonstrated that MHC sequences, although rarely used as markers of hybridization, can be also suitable for the identification of hybrids, as long as haplotypes are exclusive for the parental species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
- Author for correspondence: Ana Galov e-mail:
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO) 40064, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO) 40064, Italy
| | - Haidi Arbanasić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Silvana Lapalombella
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Tihomir Florijančić
- Department for Hunting, Fishery and Beekeeping, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Kralja Petra Svačića 1d, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Ivica Bošković
- Department for Hunting, Fishery and Beekeeping, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Kralja Petra Svačića 1d, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO) 40064, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO) 40064, Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Sohngårdsholmsvej 57, Aalborg 9000, Denmark
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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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40
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Godinho R, López-Bao JV, Castro D, Llaneza L, Lopes S, Silva P, Ferrand N. Real-time assessment of hybridization between wolves and dogs: combining noninvasive samples with ancestry informative markers. Mol Ecol Resour 2014; 15:317-28. [PMID: 25132482 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Wolves and dogs provide a paradigmatic example of the ecological and conservation implications of hybridization events between wild and domesticated forms. However, our understanding of such implications has been traditionally hampered by both high genetic similarity and the difficulties in obtaining tissue samples (TS), which limit our ability to assess ongoing hybridization events. To assess the occurrence and extension of hybridization in a pack of wolf-dog hybrids in northwestern Iberia, we compared the power of 52 nuclear markers implemented on TS with a subset of 13 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) typed in noninvasive samples (NIS). We demonstrate that the 13 AIMs are as accurate as the 52 markers that were chosen without regard to the power to differentiate between wolves and dogs, also having the advantage of being rapidly screened on NIS. The efficiency of AIMs significantly outperformed ten random sets of similar size and an additional commercial set of 18 markers. Bayesian clustering analysis implemented on AIMs and NIS identified nine hybrids, two wolves and two dogs. Four hybrids were unambiguously assigned to F1xWolf backcrosses. Our approach (AIMs + NIS) overcomes previous difficulties related to sample availability and informative power of markers, allowing a quick identification of wolf-dog hybrids in the first phases of hybridization episodes. This provides managers with a reliable tool to evaluate hybridization and estimate the success of their actions. This approach may be easily adapted for other pairs of wild/domesticated species, thus improving our understanding of the introgression of domestication genes into natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
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41
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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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42
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İlemin Y. A camera trapping survey reveals a melanistic Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) in an unusual habitat in Turkey (Mammalia: Carnivora). ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2014.892299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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43
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Lorenzini R, Fanelli R, Grifoni G, Scholl F, Fico R. Wolf–dog crossbreeding: “Smelling” a hybrid may not be easy. Mamm Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2013.07.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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44
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Fabbri E, Caniglia R, Kusak J, Galov A, Gomerčić T, Arbanasić H, Huber D, Randi E. Genetic structure of expanding wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Italy and Croatia, and the early steps of the recolonization of the Eastern Alps. Mamm Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2013.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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45
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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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