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Asman M, Bartosik K, Jakubas-Zawalska J, Świętek A, Witecka J. A New Endemic Locality of Dermacentor reticulatus in Central-Southern Poland and Its Potential Epidemiological Implications. INSECTS 2024; 15:580. [PMID: 39194785 DOI: 10.3390/insects15080580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Dermacentor reticulatus (Acari: Ixodidae) is an important arthropod vector in medical and veterinary contexts. Its geographic range is divided into western and eastern populations separated by a "Dermacentor-free zone" in central Poland. Recent faunistic studies showed a new endemic locality of the species in Upper Silesia to the west of the Vistula River (central-southern Poland) and its co-occurrence with I. ricinus. The prevalence of five tick-borne pathogens (TBPs), e.g., B. burgdorferi s.l., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp., in the ticks was assessed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. The molecular studies revealed the presence of Rickettsia spp. in 23.8% of the D. reticulatus specimens. In turn, 94.1% of the I. ricinus adults were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l., 11.7 % with Babesia spp., and 5.8% with Rickettsia spp. Coinfections with two TBPs were noted in 17.6% of the I. ricinus. These findings highlight not only the risk of infestation by both tick species in an area previously considered Dermacentor-free, but also the high prevalence of TBPs in the study area. Increased focus on medical and veterinary services appears necessary to diagnose and prevent tick-borne diseases in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Asman
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 19 St., 41-808 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Bartosik
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Chair of Pharmacology and Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland
| | | | - Agata Świętek
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 19 St., 41-808 Zabrze, Poland
- Silesia LabMed Research and Implementation Centre, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana St., 41-808 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Joanna Witecka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jedności 8 St., 41-218 Sosnowiec, Poland
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Salado I, Preick M, Lupiáñez-Corpas N, Fernández-Gil A, Vilà C, Hofreiter M, Leonard JA. Large variance in inbreeding within the Iberian wolf population. J Hered 2024; 115:349-359. [PMID: 37955431 PMCID: PMC11235127 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad071] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) population on the Iberian Peninsula was the largest in western and central Europe during most of the 20th century, with its size apparently never under a few hundred individuals. After partial legal protection in the 1970s in Spain, the northwest Iberian population increased to about 300 to 350 packs and then stabilized. In contrast to many current European wolf populations, which have been connected through gene flow, the Iberian wolf population has been isolated for decades. Here, we measured changes in genomic diversity and inbreeding through the last decades in a geographic context. We find that the level of genomic diversity in Iberian wolves is low compared with other Eurasian wolf populations. Despite population expansion in the last 50 years, some modern wolves had very high inbreeding, especially in the recently recolonized and historical edge areas. These individuals contrast with others with low inbreeding within the same population. The high variance in inbreeding despite population expansion seems associated with small-scale fragmentation of the range that is revealed by the genetic similarity between modern and historical samples from close localities despite being separated by decades, remaining differentiated from other individuals that are just over 100 km away, a small distance for a species with great dispersal capacity inhabiting a continuous range. This illustrates that, despite its demographically stable condition, the population would probably benefit from favoring connectivity within the population as well as genetic exchange with other European wolf populations to avoid excessive fragmentation and local inbreeding depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Salado
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Michaela Preick
- Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics Group, Faculty of Science, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Natividad Lupiáñez-Corpas
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Gil
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Michael Hofreiter
- Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics Group, Faculty of Science, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
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Musiani M, Randi E. Conservation genomics of wolves: The global impact of RK Wayne's research. J Hered 2024; 115:458-469. [PMID: 38381553 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esae007] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
RK Wayne has arguably been the most influential geneticist of canids, famously promoting the conservation of wolves in his homeland, the United States. His influence has been felt in other countries and regions outside the contiguous United States, where he inspired others, also including former graduate students and research fellows of his, to use modern molecular techniques to examine the evolutionary biology of canids to inform the conservation and management of wolves. In this review, we focus on the implications of Wayne's work on wolves outside the United States. He envisioned a clear future for wolf conservation research, involving the study of wolves' ecological and genetic diversity, and the description of ecotypes requiring conservation. He also documented widespread hybridization among canids and introgression of DNA from domestic dogs to wolves, a process that started dozens of thousands of years ago. His work therefore calls for innovative studies, such as examining the potential fitness benefits of introgression. Inspired by his results, for example, on the purging of deleterious alleles in small populations, wolf researchers should use novel molecular tools to challenge other conservation genetics paradigms. Overall, RK Wayne's work constitutes a call for answers, which as scientists or citizens concerned with conservation matters, we are obliged to address, as we contribute to monitoring and maintaining biodiversity during our period of dramatic transformations of the biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Musiani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
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Žunna A, Ruņģis DE, Ozoliņš J, Stepanova A, Done G. Genetic Monitoring of Grey Wolves in Latvia Shows Adverse Reproductive and Social Consequences of Hunting. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1255. [PMID: 37759654 PMCID: PMC10525079 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, genetic research methods play an important role in animal population studies. Since 2009, genetic material from Latvian wolf specimens obtained through hunting has been systematically gathered. This study, spanning until 2021, scrutinizes the consequences of regulated wolf hunting on population genetic metrics, kinship dynamics, and social organization. We employed 16 autosomal microsatellites to investigate relationships between full siblings and parent-offspring pairs. Our analysis encompassed expected and observed heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficients, allelic diversity, genetic distance and differentiation, mean pairwise relatedness, and the number of migrants per generation. The Latvian wolf population demonstrated robust genetic diversity with minimal inbreeding, maintaining stable allelic diversity and high heterozygosity over time and it is not fragmented. Our findings reveal the persistence of conventional wolf pack structures and enduring kinship groups. However, the study also underscores the adverse effects of intensified hunting pressure, leading to breeder loss, pack disruption, territorial displacement, and the premature dispersal of juvenile wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agrita Žunna
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Rīgas Str. 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia; (D.E.R.)
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Jan M, Stronen AV, Boljte B, Černe R, Huber Đ, Iosif R, Kljun F, Konec M, Kos I, Krofel M, Kusak J, Luštrik R, Majić Skrbinšek A, Promberger-Füerpass B, Potočnik H, Rigg R, Trontelj P, Skrbinšek T. Wolf genetic diversity compared across Europe using the yardstick method. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13727. [PMID: 37608038 PMCID: PMC10444868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40834-x] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrating data across studies with traditional microsatellite genetic markers requires careful calibration and represents an obstacle for investigation of wide-ranging species where populations require transboundary management. We used the "yardstick" method to compare results published across Europe since 2002 and new wolf (Canis lupus) genetic profiles from the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe and the Dinaric Mountains in Southeastern Europe, with the latter as our reference population. We compared each population with Dinaric wolves, considering only shared markers (range 4-17). For each population, we calculated standard genetic diversity indices plus calibrated heterozygosity (Hec) and allelic richness (Ac). Hec and Ac in Dinaric (0.704 and 9.394) and Carpathian wolves (0.695 and 7.023) were comparable to those observed in other large and mid-sized European populations, but smaller than those of northeastern Europe. Major discrepancies in marker choices among some studies made comparisons more difficult. However, the yardstick method, including the new measures of Hec and Ac, provided a direct comparison of genetic diversity values among wolf populations and an intuitive interpretation of the results. The yardstick method thus permitted the integration of diverse sources of publicly available microsatellite data for spatiotemporal genetic monitoring of evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Jan
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Barbara Boljte
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Černe
- Slovenia Forest Service, Večna pot 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Đuro Huber
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ruben Iosif
- Foundation Conservation Carpathia, 27 Calea Feldioarei, 500471, Brașov, Romania
| | - Franc Kljun
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjeta Konec
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Kos
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Josip Kusak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Roman Luštrik
- Genialis Inc, Vojkova cesta 63, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Hubert Potočnik
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robin Rigg
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Slovak Wildlife Society, Belanská 574/6, P.O. Box 72, Liptovský Hrádok, 033 01, Slovakia
| | - Peter Trontelj
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Velli E, Caniglia R, Mattucci F. Phylogenetic History and Phylogeographic Patterns of the European Wildcat ( Felis silvestris) Populations. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050953. [PMID: 36899811 PMCID: PMC10000227 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050953] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Disentangling phylogenetic and phylogeographic patterns is fundamental to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of taxa and assess their actual conservation status. Therefore, in this study, for the first time, the most exhaustive biogeographic history of European wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations was reconstructed by typing 430 European wildcats, 213 domestic cats, and 72 putative admixed individuals, collected across the entire species' distribution range, at a highly diagnostic portion of the mitochondrial ND5 gene. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses identified two main ND5 lineages (D and W) roughly associated with domestic and wild polymorphisms. Lineage D included all domestic cats, 83.3% of putative admixed individuals, and also 41.4% of wildcats; these latter mostly showed haplotypes belonging to sub-clade Ia, that diverged about 37,700 years ago, long pre-dating any evidence for cat domestication. Lineage W included all the remaining wildcats and putative admixed individuals, spatially clustered into four main geographic groups, which started to diverge about 64,200 years ago, corresponding to (i) the isolated Scottish population, (ii) the Iberian population, (iii) a South-Eastern European cluster, and (iv) a Central European cluster. Our results suggest that the last Pleistocene glacial isolation and subsequent re-expansion from Mediterranean and extra-Mediterranean glacial refugia were pivotal drivers in shaping the extant European wildcat phylogenetic and phylogeographic patterns, which were further modeled by both historical natural gene flow among wild lineages and more recent wild x domestic anthropogenic hybridization, as confirmed by the finding of F. catus/lybica shared haplotypes. The reconstructed evolutionary histories and the wild ancestry contents detected in this study could be used to identify adequate Conservation Units within European wildcat populations and help to design appropriate long-term management actions.
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Bilbija B, Spitzweg C, Papoušek I, Fritz U, Földvári G, Mullett M, Ihlow F, Sprong H, Civáňová Křížová K, Anisimov N, Belova OA, Bonnet SI, Bychkova E, Czułowska A, Duscher GG, Fonville M, Kahl O, Karbowiak G, Kholodilov IS, Kiewra D, Krčmar S, Kumisbek G, Livanova N, Majláth I, Manfredi MT, Mihalca AD, Miró G, Moutailler S, Nebogatkin IV, Tomanović S, Vatansever Z, Yakovich M, Zanzani S, Široký P. Dermacentor reticulatus - a tick on its way from glacial refugia to a panmictic Eurasian population. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:91-101. [PMID: 36549441 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The ornate dog tick (Dermacentor reticulatus) shows a recently expanding geographic distribution. Knowledge on its intraspecific variability, population structure, rate of genetic diversity and divergence, including its evolution and geographic distribution, is crucial to understand its dispersal capacity. All such information would help to evaluate the potential risk of future spread of associated pathogens of medical and veterinary concern. A set of 865 D. reticulatus ticks was collected from 65 localities across 21 countries, from Portugal in the west to Kazakhstan and southern Russia in the east. Cluster analyses of 16 microsatellite loci were combined with nuclear (ITS2, 18S) and mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI) sequence data to uncover the ticks' population structures and geographical patterns. Approximate Bayesian computation was applied to model evolutionary relationships among the found clusters. Low variability and a weak phylogenetic signal showing an east-west cline were detected both for mitochondrial and nuclear sequence markers. Microsatellite analyses revealed three genetic clusters, where the eastern and western cluster gradient was supplemented by a third, northern cluster. Alternative scenarios could explain such a tripartite population structure by independent formation of clusters in separate refugia, limited gene flow connected with isolation by distance causing a "bipolar pattern", and the northern cluster deriving from admixture between the eastern and western populations. The best supported demographic scenario of this tick species indicates that the northern cluster derived from admixture between the eastern and western populations 441 (median) to 224 (mode) generations ago, suggesting a possible link with the end of the Little Ice Age in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branka Bilbija
- Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, FVHE, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého 1946/1, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Cäcilia Spitzweg
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ivo Papoušek
- Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, FVHE, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého 1946/1, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Uwe Fritz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, 1121 Budapest, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29-33, Hungary; Centre for Eco-Epidemiology, National Laboratory for Health Security, 1121 Budapest, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29-33, Hungary
| | - Martin Mullett
- Phytophthora Research Centre, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Flora Ihlow
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | - Hein Sprong
- National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology (Z&O), Mailbox 63, room V353, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Kristína Civáňová Křížová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nikolay Anisimov
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), University of Tyumen, Volodarskogo 6, 625003 Tyumen, Russia
| | - Oxana A Belova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis) prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, Poselenie Moskovskiy, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sarah I Bonnet
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France; Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Elizabeth Bychkova
- Laboratory of Parasitology, State Scientific and Production Association "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on Bioresources", 27, Akademicheskaya Str, 220072 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Aleksandra Czułowska
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Acaroentomology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego str. 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Georg G Duscher
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria; AGES-Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, Vienna, 1220, Austria
| | - Manoj Fonville
- National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology (Z&O), Mailbox 63, room V353, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Olaf Kahl
- Tick-radar GmbH, 10555 Berlin, Germany
| | - Grzegorz Karbowiak
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda street 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ivan S Kholodilov
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis) prem. 8, k.17, pos. Institut Poliomyelita, Poselenie Moskovskiy, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dorota Kiewra
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Acaroentomology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego str. 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Stjepan Krčmar
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Gulzina Kumisbek
- Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, School of Pharmacy, Department of Engineering Disciplines, Tole Bi, 94, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Natalya Livanova
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Frunze str. 11, Novosibirsk 630091, Russia
| | - Igor Majláth
- Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Department of Animal Physiology, Srobarova 2, 041 54 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Maria Teresa Manfredi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
| | - Andrei D Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur 3-5, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania
| | - Guadalupe Miró
- Animal Health Dept. Veterinary School, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Igor V Nebogatkin
- I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogdana Khmelnytskovo 15, 01030 Kyiv, Ukraine; Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Snežana Tomanović
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Dr. Subotića 4, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zati Vatansever
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept. of Parasitology, Kars, Turkey
| | - Marya Yakovich
- Laboratory of Parasitology, State Scientific and Production Association "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on Bioresources", 27, Akademicheskaya Str, 220072 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Sergio Zanzani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
| | - Pavel Široký
- Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, FVHE, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého 1946/1, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
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Torretta E, Corradini A, Pedrotti L, Bani L, Bisi F, Dondina O. Hide-and-Seek in a Highly Human-Dominated Landscape: Insights into Movement Patterns and Selection of Resting Sites of Rehabilitated Wolves ( Canis lupus) in Northern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010046. [PMID: 36611657 PMCID: PMC9817923 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing the behavioural responses of floating wolves to human presence is crucial for investigating the chance of wolf populations expanding into urbanised landscapes. We studied the movement ecology of three rehabilitated wolves in a highly human-dominated landscape (Po Plain, Italy) to explore wolf's plasticity amid widespread human pressure. To reach this aim, we estimated individual 95% utilisation distributions (UD) after the release and inspected both 95% UDs and net squared displacements to identify individual movement patterns; tested for differences in movement patterns during day and night; and analysed the selection of resting sites during dispersal movement in a highly human-altered environment. Both the 95% UDs and step lengths were smaller for wolves settling in suitable areas than for those settling in more urbanised areas. All wolves exhibited strong temporal segregation with humans during all movement phases, particularly while dispersing across highly urbanised areas. Main roads and proximity to built-up areas were shown to limit wolves' dispersal, whereas small-wooded patches that provide shelter during rest facilitated long-distance movements. This study provides important insights into wolf movement and settling in urban and peri-urban areas, providing critical knowledge to promote human-carnivore coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Torretta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Corradini
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach, 1, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy
| | | | - Luciano Bani
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Bisi
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit, Guido Tosi Research Group, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Insubria University, Via J. H. Dunant, 3-I, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Olivia Dondina
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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9
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Assessing 3D vs. 2D habitat metrics in a Mediterranean ecosystem for a wiser wildlife management. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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10
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Mayer M, Olsen K, Schulz B, Matzen J, Nowak C, Thomsen PF, Hansen MM, Vedel-Smith C, Sunde P. Occurrence and Livestock Depredation Patterns by Wolves in Highly Cultivated Landscapes. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.783027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attacks by large predators on livestock are an important driver of conflicts. Consequently, knowledge about where predators occur, where livestock depredation takes place and what factors influence it will aid the mitigation of stakeholder conflicts. Following legal protection, wolves (Canis lupus) in Central Europe are recently spreading to areas dominated by agriculture, bringing them in closer contact with livestock. Here, we analyzed habitat selection and livestock depredation rates of 43 wolves identified by genotyping on the Jutland peninsula, consisting of mainland Denmark and the northernmost German federal state Schleswig-Holstein. Occupancy by resident wolves correlated positively with forest and other non-forested semi-natural land cover (habitat for natural ungulate prey), whereas occupancy by non-resident wolves correlated with increasing forest cover and sheep density. The latter effect likely reflected increased sampling probability of highly mobile dispersers killing livestock. We recorded 565 livestock depredation events (85 in Denmark and 480 in Schleswig-Holstein), of which 42% (55 in DK and 185 in SH) could be assigned to 27 individual wolves based on DNA evidence. Livestock (mostly sheep) were killed by wolves in 16% of the study area. Our results indicate that wolves mostly killed livestock as a context-dependent response, i.e., being dispersers in agricultural areas with low availability of wild ungulate prey and high livestock densities, and not because of behavioral preferences for sheep. Moreover, the livestock depredation was lower in areas with livestock protection measures (implemented in areas with established pairs/packs). We conclude that while wolf attacks on livestock in established wolf territories generally can be reduced through improvement of fences, livestock depredation by non-resident wolves in agricultural areas constitutes a bigger challenge. Albeit technically possible, the economic costs of implementing predator-proof fences and other preventive measures in such pastoral areas infrequently visited by wolves will be considerable. Experiences so far further indicate that lethal removal of identified “problem wolves” may be inefficient in practice.
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11
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Kutzer P, Szentiks CA, Bock S, Fritsch G, Magyar T, Schulze C, Semmler T, Ewers C. Re-Emergence and Spread of Haemorrhagic Septicaemia in Germany: The Wolf as a Vector? Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091999. [PMID: 34576894 PMCID: PMC8465458 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 2010, outbreaks of haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) caused by Pasteurella (P.) multocida capsular type B (PmB) emerged in Germany. In 2017, we noticed a close spatiotemporal relationship between HS outbreak sites and wolf (Canis lupus) territories. Thus, the main objectives of our study were to investigate the molecular epidemiology of German PmB-HS-isolates and to assess the role of wolves as putative vectors of this pathogen. We collected 83 PmB isolates from HS outbreaks that occurred between 2010 and 2019 and sampled 150 wolves, which were found dead in the years 2017 to 2019, revealing another three PmB isolates. A maximum-likelihood-based phylogeny of the core genomes of 65 PmB-HS-isolates and the three PmB-wolf-isolates showed high relatedness. Furthermore, all belonged to capsular:LPS:MLST genotype B:L2:ST122RIRDC and showed highly similar virulence gene profiles, but clustered separately from 35 global ST122RIRDC strains. Our data revealed that German HS outbreaks were caused by a distinct genomic lineage of PmB-ST122 strains, hinting towards an independent, ongoing epidemiologic event. We demonstrated for the first time, that carnivores, i.e., wolves, might harbour PmB as a part of their oropharyngeal microbiota. Furthermore, the results of our study imply that wolves can carry the pathogen over long distances, indicating a major role of that animal species in the ongoing epidemiological event of HS in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kutzer
- Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany; (S.B.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-335-5217-2118
| | - Claudia A. Szentiks
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Sabine Bock
- Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany; (S.B.); (C.S.)
| | - Guido Fritsch
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Tibor Magyar
- Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network (ELKH), 1143 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Christoph Schulze
- Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany; (S.B.); (C.S.)
| | - Torsten Semmler
- Microbial Genomics, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Christa Ewers
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany;
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12
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Kloch A, Biedrzycka A, Szewczyk M, Nowak S, Niedźwiedzka N, Kłodawska M, Hájková A, Hulva P, Jędrzejewska B, Mysłajek R. High genetic diversity of immunity genes in an expanding population of a highly mobile carnivore, the grey wolf
Canis
lupus
, in Central Europe. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kloch
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre University of Warsaw Warszawa Poland
| | | | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology Faculty of Biology University of Gdańsk Gdańsk Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature “Wolf” Twardorzeczka Poland
| | | | - Monika Kłodawska
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Hájková
- State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic Spišská Nová Ves Slovakia
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology Faculty of Science University of Ostrava Ostrava Czech Republic
| | | | - Robert Mysłajek
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre University of Warsaw Warszawa Poland
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13
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Haidt A, Gawryś R, Szewczyk M. Human Decision-Making as a Key Factor in the Risk of Wolf-Dog Interactions during Outdoor Activities. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092497. [PMID: 34573463 PMCID: PMC8470882 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The aim of the study was to determine the nature and causes of direct contact between a wolf and domestic dog during different forms of human recreation. The results are crucial for reducing human–nature conflicts and for education. Thanks to this study, we conclude that humans are responsible for reducing the risk of direct contact between these two canine species. The risk of interaction between wolves and a dog that is with a human depends on the distance between the dog and its owner, the number of wolves, and the size of the dog. Hunting with a dog poses a seven times greater risk of interaction with wolves compared to recreational walking. Abstract As a result of species protection in Poland, wolves now appear in places that are attractive for human recreation, increasing their exposure to dogs. This creates a risk of spontaneous direct interactions between these two canine species. Aggressive interactions between the gray wolf and the domestic dog lead to human–large predator conflicts. This study examined wolf–dog interactions using data collected in an online questionnaire and included questions related to factors that might influence the likelihood of interactions between these canines. One of the most important factors affecting the likelihood of interaction between a dog and a wolf was the distance between the dog and the human. The number of wolves was also important—the more wolves, the more likely they were to interact with dogs. The risk of interaction also significantly increases with decreasing distance to human settlements. There were also statistical differences in terms of the type of outdoor activity being engaged in. Hunting was seven times more likely to result in a wolf–dog interaction than normal walk. We postulate that the choices made by the human (dog control and type of recreation) caring for the dog are an important factor that can reduce the risk of direct contact between dogs and wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andżelika Haidt
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute, Sękocin Stary, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Radosław Gawryś
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute, Sękocin Stary, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland;
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
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14
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How the west was won: genetic reconstruction of rapid wolf recolonization into Germany's anthropogenic landscapes. Heredity (Edinb) 2021; 127:92-106. [PMID: 33846578 PMCID: PMC8249462 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-021-00429-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Following massive persecution and eradication, strict legal protection facilitated a successful reestablishment of wolf packs in Germany, which has been ongoing since 2000. Here, we describe this recolonization process by mitochondrial DNA control-region sequencing, microsatellite genotyping and sex identification based on 1341 mostly non-invasively collected samples. We reconstructed the genealogy of German wolf packs between 2005 and 2015 to provide information on trends in genetic diversity, dispersal patterns and pack dynamics during the early expansion process. Our results indicate signs of a founder effect at the start of the recolonization. Genetic diversity in German wolves is moderate compared to other European wolf populations. Although dispersal among packs is male-biased in the sense that females are more philopatric, dispersal distances are similar between males and females once only dispersers are accounted for. Breeding with close relatives is regular and none of the six male wolves originating from the Italian/Alpine population reproduced. However, moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding levels of the recolonizing population are preserved by high sociality, dispersal among packs and several immigration events. Our results demonstrate an ongoing, rapid and natural wolf population expansion in an intensively used cultural landscape in Central Europe.
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15
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Sunde P, Collet S, Nowak C, Thomsen PF, Hansen MM, Schulz B, Matzen J, Michler F, Vedel‐Smith C, Olsen K. Where have all the young wolves gone? Traffic and cryptic mortality create a wolf population sink in Denmark and northernmost Germany. Conserv Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sunde
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Rønde Denmark
| | - Sebastian Collet
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Conservation Genetics Section Gelnhausen Germany
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Conservation Genetics Section Gelnhausen Germany
| | | | | | - Björn Schulz
- Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig‐Holstein Molfsee Germany
| | - Jens Matzen
- Stiftung Wildtiere im Norden Molfsee Germany
| | - Frank‐Uwe Michler
- Faculty of Forest and Environment, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde Germany
| | | | - Kent Olsen
- Natural History Museum Aarhus Aarhus C Denmark
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16
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Szewczyk M, Nowak C, Hulva P, Mergeay J, Stronen AV, Bolfíková BČ, Czarnomska SD, Diserens TA, Fenchuk V, Figura M, Groot AD, Haidt A, Hansen MM, Jansman H, Kluth G, Kwiatkowska I, Lubińska K, Michaux JR, Niedźwiecka N, Nowak S, Olsen K, Reinhardt I, Romański M, Schley L, Smith S, Špinkytė-Bačkaitienė R, Stachyra P, Stępniak KM, Sunde P, Thomsen PF, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Mysłajek RW. Genetic support for the current discrete conservation unit of the Central European wolf population. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Szewczyk
- M. Szewczyk (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7424-1120) ✉ , Dept of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Univ. of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Carsten Nowak
- C. Nowak (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3139-1951), Senckenberg Research Inst. and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Pavel Hulva
- P. Hulva (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4968-4859), Faculty of Science, Charles Univ. in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, and: Faculty of Science, Univ. of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Joachim Mergeay
- J. Mergeay (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6504-0551), Research Inst. for Nature and Forest (INBO), Geraardsbergen, Belgium, and: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Astrid V. Stronen
- A. V. Stronen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5169-6736), Dept of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, Univ. of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- B. Černá Bolfíková (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8059-4889), Dept of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech Univ. of Life Sciences Prague, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Sylwia D. Czarnomska
- S. D. Czarnomska (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8081-0956), Museum and Inst. of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tom A. Diserens
- T. A. Diserens (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0693-4168), Mammal Research Inst., Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland, and: Faculty of Biology, Univ. of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Michał Figura
- M. Figura (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8367-5828), N. Niedźwiecka (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9352-8546) and S. Nowak (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-8032), Association for Nature ‘Wolf’, Twardorzeczka, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Arjen de Groot
- A. de Groot (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7308-9200) and H. Jansman, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Andżelika Haidt
- A. Haidt (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3570-8899), Dept of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Inst., Sekocin Stary, Raszyn, Poland
| | - Michael M. Hansen
- M. M. Hansen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-4828) and P. F. Thomsen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9867-4366), Dept of Biology, Aarhus Univ., Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Hugh Jansman
- A. de Groot (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7308-9200) and H. Jansman, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Gesa Kluth
- G. Kluth and I. Reinhardt (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4314-3362),LUPUS– German Inst. forWolfMonitoring andResearch, Spreewitz, Germany
| | - Iga Kwiatkowska
- I. Kwiatkowska (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5618-6196) and R. W. Mysłajek (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9619-2868), Dept of Ecology, Inst. of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Univ. of Warsaw,
| | | | - Johan R. Michaux
- J. Michaux (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4644-9244), Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Univ. of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Natalia Niedźwiecka
- M. Figura (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8367-5828), N. Niedźwiecka (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9352-8546) and S. Nowak (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-8032), Association for Nature ‘Wolf’, Twardorzeczka, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- M. Figura (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8367-5828), N. Niedźwiecka (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9352-8546) and S. Nowak (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-8032), Association for Nature ‘Wolf’, Twardorzeczka, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Kent Olsen
- K. Olsen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5624-128X), Natural History Museum Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ilka Reinhardt
- G. Kluth and I. Reinhardt (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4314-3362),LUPUS– German Inst. forWolfMonitoring andResearch, Spreewitz, Germany
| | | | - Laurent Schley
- L. Schley (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7681-6143), Administration de la Nature et des Forêts, Diekirch, Luxembourg
| | - Steve Smith
- S. Smith (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1318-0018), Konrad Lorenz Inst. of Ethology, Dept of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Univ. of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Kinga M. Stępniak
- K. M. Stępniak (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4506-2542), Inst. of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Univ. of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Peter Sunde
- P. Sunde (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7485-037X), Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ., Rønde, Denmark
| | - Philip F. Thomsen
- M. M. Hansen (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-4828) and P. F. Thomsen (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9867-4366), Dept of Biology, Aarhus Univ., Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica
- T. Zwijacz-Kozica(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7488-975X), Tatra National Park, Zakopane, Poland
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- I. Kwiatkowska (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5618-6196) and R. W. Mysłajek (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9619-2868), Dept of Ecology, Inst. of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Univ. of Warsaw,
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17
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Schley L, Jacobs M, Collet S, Kristiansen A, Herr J. First wolves in Luxembourg since 1893, originating from the Alpine and Central European populations. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Considering the spread of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) in Europe over the past 30 years, Luxembourg took some measures to prepare for the return of this apex predator, including the establishment of a management plan that notably addresses the issue of wolf depredation on livestock. Here we present the results of genetic analyses of putative wolf saliva, hair and scat samples collected from or near prey carcasses between 2015 and 2020. In two cases, the wolf was confirmed via DNA analysis: in July 2017 near Garnich and in April 2020 near Niederanven, both assigned to category C1 (hard evidence). A third case was classified as C2 (confirmed observation) based on prey carcass characteristics, while genetic analysis yielded no result. These are the first confirmed records of wolves in Luxemburg since 1893. Moreover, the two C1-cases originated from the Alpine (Garnich) and Central European (Niederanven) populations. Given similar developments in the neighboring countries and regions, we conclude that the area including the Benelux countries as well as Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Northern France may well become a melting pot for wolves of the two aforementioned populations in the coming years and decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Schley
- Administration de la nature et des forêts , 81 avenue de la Gare, L-9233 , Diekirch , Luxembourg
- Musée national d’histoire naturelle , 25 rue Münster, L-2160 , Luxembourg , Luxembourg
| | - Marianne Jacobs
- Administration de la nature et des forêts , 81 avenue de la Gare, L-9233 , Diekirch , Luxembourg
- Musée national d’histoire naturelle , 25 rue Münster, L-2160 , Luxembourg , Luxembourg
| | - Sebastian Collet
- Senckenberg-Institut Gelnhausen , Clamecystrasse 12, D-63571 Gelnhausen , Germany
| | - Alexander Kristiansen
- Administration de la nature et des forêts , 81 avenue de la Gare, L-9233 , Diekirch , Luxembourg
- Musée national d’histoire naturelle , 25 rue Münster, L-2160 , Luxembourg , Luxembourg
| | - Jan Herr
- Administration de la nature et des forêts , 81 avenue de la Gare, L-9233 , Diekirch , Luxembourg
- Musée national d’histoire naturelle , 25 rue Münster, L-2160 , Luxembourg , Luxembourg
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18
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Moroni B, Rossi L, Meneguz PG, Orusa R, Zoppi S, Robetto S, Marucco F, Tizzani P. Dirofilaria immitis in wolves recolonizing northern Italy: are wolves competent hosts? Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:482. [PMID: 32962753 PMCID: PMC7507288 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04353-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wild carnivores such as the grey wolf (Canis lupus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and golden jackal (Canis aureus) are recognized hosts of Dirofilaria immitis. However, few studies have focused on their actual role in the epidemiology of heartworm infection. This study describes the prevalence and distribution of D. immitis in wolves in a heartworm-endemic area in northern Italy where wolves have recently returned after long-time eradication, and investigates the fertility status of the collected adult nematodes. Methods In the frame of a long-term wolf monitoring programme in northwestern Italy, 210 wolf carcasses from four provinces were inspected for the presence of filarioid nematodes in the right heart and pulmonary arteries. Female heartworms were measured, and their uterine content analyzed according to a previously described “embryogram” technique. Results Three wolves, all originating from a single province (Alessandria), were positive for D. immitis (1.42%, 95% CI: 0.48–4.11%, in the whole study area; 13.6%, 95% CI: 4.7–33.3%, limited to the single province from which infected wolves originated). Mean intensity was 5 worms (range: 3–7) and the female worms measured 21–28 cm in length. Six out of 9 female worms harbored uterine microfilariae: 5 were classified as gravid; 1 showed a “discontinuous gradient”; and 3 were non-gravid. Conclusions The present data show that heartworm infection is already prevalent in wolves that have recolonized the known heartworm-endemic area. Based on “embryogram” results, wolves were shown suitable heartworm hosts. Interestingly, investigated wolves appeared similarly exposed to heartworm infection as sympatric unprotected dogs (owned dogs that have never received any heartworm prevention treatment) sampled at the beginning of the wolf return process.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Moroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Luca Rossi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Pier Giuseppe Meneguz
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Riccardo Orusa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Centro di Referenza Nazionale Malattie Animali Selvatici (CeRMAS), S.C. Valle d'Aosta- S.S. Patologie della Fauna Selvatica, Rue de l'Amerique 7G, 11020, Quart, AO, Italy
| | - Simona Zoppi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta via Bologna 148, 10154, Torino, Italy
| | - Serena Robetto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Centro di Referenza Nazionale Malattie Animali Selvatici (CeRMAS), S.C. Valle d'Aosta- S.S. Patologie della Fauna Selvatica, Rue de l'Amerique 7G, 11020, Quart, AO, Italy
| | - Francesca Marucco
- Centro di Referenza regionale Grandi Carnivori, Ente di Gestione Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime, Piazza Regina Elena 30, 12010, Valdieri, CN, Italy
| | - Paolo Tizzani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy.
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19
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Landscape Connectivity and Suitable Habitat Analysis for Wolves (Canis lupus L.) in the Eastern Pyrenees. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12145762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, much of the mountain area in European countries has turned into potential habitat for species of medium- and large-sized mammals. Some of the occurrences that explain this trend are biodiversity protection, the creation of natural protected areas, and the abandonment of traditional agricultural activities. In recent years, wolves have once again been seen in forests in the eastern sector of the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees. The success or failure of their permanent settlement will depend on several factors, including conservation measures for the species, habitat availability, and the state of landscape connectivity. The aim of this study is to analyze the state of landscape connectivity for fragments of potential wolf habitat in Catalonia, Andorra, and on the French side of the Eastern Pyrenees. The results show that a third of the area studied constitutes potential wolf habitat and almost 90% of these spaces are of sufficient size to host stable packs. The set of potential wolf habitat fragments was also assessed using the probability of connectivity index (dPC), which analyses landscape connectivity based on graph structures. According to the graph theory, the results confirm that all the nodes or habitat fragments are directly or indirectly interconnected, thus forming a single component. Given the large availability of suitable habitat and the current state of landscape connectivity for the species, the dispersal of the wolf would be favorable if stable packs are formed. A new established population in the Pyrenees could lead to more genetic exchange between the Iberian wolf population and the rest of Europe’s wolf populations.
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20
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Abstract
AbstractIn wolves Canis lupus, scent marking plays an important role in territory defence. In Europe, studies on patterns of scent marking in wolves have mostly been conducted in mountains or primeval forests, but since these areas are characterised by low human activity, the impact of people on this behaviour has been neglected. We conducted a study that combined genetic methods with an analysis of the spatial distribution of wolf territory markings in lowland managed forests with high human activity. We found that scent markings are deposited by all members of wolf family groups. Wolves most intensively marked crossroads and their vicinity, especially on roads only accessible for four-wheel drive cars. Our study provides further evidence that crossroads of forest roads play a crucial role in wolf scent marking. The results of our study may be useful during inventories of wolf populations based on collecting indirect signs of their presence or non-invasive genetic sampling.
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21
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The effectiveness of livestock protection measures against wolves (Canis lupus) and implications for their co-existence with humans. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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22
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Ericson HS, Fedorca A, Toderas I, Hegyeli Z, Plis K, Dykyy I, Jędrzejewska B, Ionescu G, Fedorca M, Iacolina L, Stronen AV. Genome-wide profiles indicate wolf population connectivity within the eastern Carpathian Mountains. Genetica 2019; 148:33-39. [PMID: 31873826 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-019-00083-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Carpathian Mountains provide critical wildlife habitat in central Europe, and previous genome-wide studies have found western Carpathian Mountain wolves (Canis lupus) to be a separate population. Whereas differentiation to the north may be explained by a lowland-mountain transition and habitat fragmentation, the eastern Carpathian Mountains extending through Romania appear to offer continuous wildlife habitat southward. Our objective was to assess gene flow patterns and population connectivity among wolves in Romania, western Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova. We sought to determine if the Carpathian Mountain region is best described by a north-south gradient in genetic profiles, or whether Romanian wolves show population structure with northern individuals clustering with western Ukraine. We genotyped 48 individuals with 170 000 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, and successful profiles from Romania (n = 27) and Moldova (n = 2) were merged with existing data from western Ukraine (n = 10). Expected heterozygosity was 0.234 (SE 0.001) for Romania and 0.229 (SE 0.001) for western Ukraine, whereas observed heterozygosity values were 0.230 (SE 0.001) versus 0.231 (SE 0.001). Population structure analyses with a maximum likelihood method supported K = 1 population, followed by K = 2 where Romania formed one cluster, and western Ukraine and Moldova formed another. Principal component analysis results were broadly consistent with K = 2. Pairwise FST between western Ukraine and Romania was 0.042 (p = 0.001). Our findings indicated weak population differentiation, and future research may clarify whether the spatial distribution of genetic diversity in the region is associated with environmental and ecological factors such as terrain ruggedness and the distribution of prey species.
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Affiliation(s)
- H S Ericson
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - A Fedorca
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Brasov, Romania
- Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
| | - I Toderas
- Institute of Zoology, Moldova Academy of Sciences, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
| | - Z Hegyeli
- "Milvus Group" Bird and Nature Protection Association, Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - K Plis
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - I Dykyy
- Department of Zoology, Biological Faculty, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - B Jędrzejewska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - G Ionescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Brasov, Romania
- Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
| | - M Fedorca
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Brasov, Romania
- Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
| | - L Iacolina
- Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - A V Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Insubria University, Varese, Italy.
- Biology Department, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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23
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Szewczyk M, Nowak S, Niedźwiecka N, Hulva P, Špinkytė-Bačkaitienė R, Demjanovičová K, Bolfíková BČ, Antal V, Fenchuk V, Figura M, Tomczak P, Stachyra P, Stępniak KM, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Mysłajek RW. Dynamic range expansion leads to establishment of a new, genetically distinct wolf population in Central Europe. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19003. [PMID: 31831858 PMCID: PMC6908625 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55273-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Local extinction and recolonization events can shape genetic structure of subdivided animal populations. The gray wolf (Canis lupus) was extirpated from most of Europe, but recently recolonized big part of its historical range. An exceptionally dynamic expansion of wolf population is observed in the western part of the Great European Plain. Nonetheless, genetic consequences of this process have not yet been fully understood. We aimed to assess genetic diversity of this recently established wolf population in Western Poland (WPL), determine its origin and provide novel data regarding the population genetic structure of the grey wolf in Central Europe. We utilized both spatially explicit and non-explicit Bayesian clustering approaches, as well as a model-independent, multivariate method DAPC, to infer genetic structure in large dataset (881 identified individuals) of wolf microsatellite genotypes. To put the patterns observed in studied population into a broader biogeographic context we also analyzed a mtDNA control region fragment widely used in previous studies. In comparison to a source population, we found slightly reduced allelic richness and heterozygosity in the newly recolonized areas west of the Vistula river. We discovered relatively strong west-east structuring in lowland wolves, probably reflecting founder-flush and allele surfing during range expansion, resulting in clear distinction of WPL, eastern lowland and Carpathian genetic groups. Interestingly, wolves from recently recolonized mountainous areas (Sudetes Mts, SW Poland) clustered together with lowland, but not Carpathian wolf populations. We also identified an area in Central Poland that seems to be a melting pot of western, lowland eastern and Carpathian wolves. We conclude that the process of dynamic recolonization of Central European lowlands lead to the formation of a new, genetically distinct wolf population. Together with the settlement and establishment of packs in mountains by lowland wolves and vice versa, it suggests that demographic dynamics and possibly anthropogenic barriers rather than ecological factors (e.g. natal habitat-biased dispersal patterns) shape the current wolf genetic structure in Central Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.,Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland.,Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Natalia Niedźwiecka
- Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 170 00, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Klára Demjanovičová
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 170 00, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Antal
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Tajovského 28B, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Viktar Fenchuk
- APB-BirdLife Belarus, Engelsa 34A - 1, 220030, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Michał Figura
- Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland
| | - Patrycja Tomczak
- Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland.,Institute of Romance Studies, Faculty of Modern Languages and Literature, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Al. Niepodległości 4, 61-874, Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Kinga M Stępniak
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.,Association for Nature "Wolf", Twardorzeczka, Cynkowa 4, 34-324, Lipowa, Poland
| | | | - Robert W Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
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24
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Ciucani MM, Palumbo D, Galaverni M, Serventi P, Fabbri E, Ravegnini G, Angelini S, Maini E, Persico D, Caniglia R, Cilli E. Old wild wolves: ancient DNA survey unveils population dynamics in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Italian remains. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6424. [PMID: 30944772 PMCID: PMC6441319 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The contemporary Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) represents a case of morphological and genetic uniqueness. Today, Italian wolves are also the only documented population to fall exclusively within the mitochondrial haplogroup 2, which was the most diffused across Eurasian and North American wolves during the Late Pleistocene. However, the dynamics leading to such distinctiveness are still debated. Methods In order to shed light on the ancient genetic variability of this wolf population and on the origin of its current diversity, we collected 19 Late Pleistocene-Holocene samples from northern Italy, which we analyzed at a short portion of the hypervariable region 1 of the mitochondrial DNA, highly informative for wolf and dog phylogenetic analyses. Results Four out of the six detected haplotypes matched the ones found in ancient wolves from northern Europe and Beringia, or in modern European and Chinese wolves, and appeared closely related to the two haplotypes currently found in Italian wolves. The haplotype of two Late Pleistocene samples matched with primitive and contemporary dog sequences from the canine mitochondrial clade A. All these haplotypes belonged to haplogroup 2. The only exception was a Holocene sample dated 3,250 years ago, affiliated to haplogroup 1. Discussion In this study we describe the genetic variability of the most ancient wolf specimens from Italy analyzed so far, providing a preliminary overview of the genetic make-up of the population that inhabited this area from the last glacial maximum to the Middle Age period. Our results endorsed that the genetic diversity carried by the Pleistocene wolves here analyzed showed a strong continuity with other northern Eurasian wolf specimens from the same chronological period. Contrarily, the Holocene samples showed a greater similarity only with modern sequences from Europe and Asia, and the occurrence of an haplogroup 1 haplotype allowed to date back previous finding about its presence in this area. Moreover, the unexpected discovery of a 24,700-year-old sample carrying a haplotype that, from the fragment here obtained, falls within the canine clade A, could represent the oldest evidence in Europe of such dog-rich clade. All these findings suggest complex population dynamics that deserve to be further investigated based on mitochondrial or whole genome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Maria Ciucani
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.,Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Davide Palumbo
- Ente di Gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia Orientale, Monteveglio, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Conservation Unit, WWF Italia, Rome, Italy.,Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Serventi
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.,Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences-BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Ravegnini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabrina Angelini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Maini
- ArcheoLaBio-Research Centre for Bioarchaeology, Department of History and Culture, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Davide Persico
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Cilli
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
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25
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Stronen AV, Iacolina L, Ruiz-Gonzalez A. Rewilding and conservation genomics: How developments in (re)colonization ecology and genomics can offer mutual benefits for understanding contemporary evolution. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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26
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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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27
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Spatial organization in wolves Canis lupus recolonizing north-west Poland: Large territories at low population density. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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28
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Noninvasive genetic assessment provides evidence of extensive gene flow and possible high movement ability in the African golden wolf. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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29
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Klitgaard K, Chriél M, Isbrand A, Jensen TK, Bødker R. Identification of Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks Carrying Rickettsia raoultii on Migrating Jackal, Denmark. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:2072-2074. [PMID: 29148376 PMCID: PMC5708226 DOI: 10.3201/eid2312.170919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
From a migrating golden jackal (Canis aureus), we retrieved 21 live male Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, a species not previously reported from wildlife in Denmark. We identified Rickettsia raoultii from 18 (86%) of the ticks. This bacterium is associated with scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite syndrome among humans.
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30
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Byrne ME, Webster SC, Lance SL, Love CN, Hinton TG, Shamovich D, Beasley JC. Evidence of long-distance dispersal of a gray wolf from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1201-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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31
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Lesniak I, Heckmann I, Franz M, Greenwood AD, Heitlinger E, Hofer H, Krone O. Recolonizing gray wolves increase parasite infection risk in their prey. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:2160-2170. [PMID: 29468033 PMCID: PMC5817143 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent recolonization of Central Europe by the European gray wolf (Canis lupus) provides an opportunity to study the dynamics of parasite transmission for cases when a definitive host returns after a phase of local extinction. We investigated whether a newly established wolf population increased the prevalence of those parasites in ungulate intermediate hosts representing wolf prey, whether some parasite species are particularly well adapted to wolves, and the potential basis for such adaptations. We recorded Sarcocystis species richness in wolves and Sarcocystis prevalence in ungulates harvested in study sites with and without permanent wolf presence in Germany using microscopy and DNA metabarcoding. Sarcocystis prevalence in red deer (Cervus elaphus) was significantly higher in wolf areas (79.7%) than in control areas (26.3%) but not in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (97.2% vs. 90.4%) or wild boar (Sus scrofa) (82.8% vs. 64.9%). Of 11 Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis taeniata and Sarcocystis grueneri occurred more often in wolves than expected from the Sarcocystis infection patterns of ungulate prey. Both Sarcocystis species showed a higher increase in prevalence in ungulates in wolf areas than other Sarcocystis species, suggesting that they are particularly well adapted to wolves, and are examples of "wolf specialists". Sarcocystis species richness in wolves was significantly higher in pups than in adults. "Wolf specialists" persisted during wolf maturation. The results of this study demonstrate that (1) predator-prey interactions influence parasite prevalence, if both predator and prey are part of the parasite life cycle, (2) mesopredators do not necessarily replace the apex predator in parasite transmission dynamics for particular parasites of which the apex predator is the definitive host, even if meso- and apex predators were from the same taxonomic family (here: Canidae, e.g., red foxes Vulpes vulpes), and (3) age-dependent immune maturation contributes to the control of protozoan infection in wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Lesniak
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Mathias Franz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Alex D. Greenwood
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Emanuel Heitlinger
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Ecology and Evolution of Molecular Parasite Host InteractionsHumboldt–Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, PharmacyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
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32
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Hulva P, Černá Bolfíková B, Woznicová V, Jindřichová M, Benešová M, Mysłajek RW, Nowak S, Szewczyk M, Niedźwiecka N, Figura M, Hájková A, Sándor AD, Zyka V, Romportl D, Kutal M, Finďo S, Antal V. Wolves at the crossroad: Fission-fusion range biogeography in the Western Carpathians and Central Europe. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science; University of Ostrava; Ostrava Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Woznicová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science; University of Ostrava; Ostrava Czech Republic
| | - Milena Jindřichová
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Benešová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
| | | | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
| | - Natalia Niedźwiecka
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
- Association for Nature “Wolf”; Lipowa Poland
| | | | - Andrea Hájková
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic; Banská Bystrica Slovakia
| | - Atilla D. Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca; Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Vladimír Zyka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Dušan Romportl
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Kutal
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic; Olomouc Branch; Olomouc Czech Republic
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology; Mendel University in Brno; Brno Czech Republic
| | - Slavomír Finďo
- Forest Protection and Wildlife Management; National Forest Centre; Zvolen Slovakia
| | - Vladimír Antal
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic; Banská Bystrica Slovakia
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33
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Lesniak I, Franz M, Heckmann I, Greenwood AD, Hofer H, Krone O. Surrogate hosts: Hunting dogs and recolonizing grey wolves share their endoparasites. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2017; 6:278-286. [PMID: 28951833 PMCID: PMC5605491 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how closely related wildlife species and their domesticated counterparts exchange or share parasites, or replace each other in parasite life cycles, is of great interest to veterinary and human public health, and wildlife ecology. Grey wolves (Canis lupus) host and spread endoparasites that can either directly infect canid conspecifics or their prey serving as intermediate hosts of indirectly transmitted species. The wolf recolonization of Central Europe represents an opportunity to study parasite transmission dynamics between wildlife and domestic species for cases when a definitive host returns after local extinction – a situation equivalent to a ‘removal experiment’. Here we investigate whether the re–appearance of wolves has increased parasite pressure on hunting dogs – a group of companion animals of particular interest as they have a similar diet to wolves and flush wolf habitats when hunting. We compared prevalence (P) and species richness (SR) of helminths and the protozoan Sarcocystis to determine whether they were higher in hunting dogs from wolf areas (ndogs = 49) than a control area (ndogs = 29) without wolves. Of particular interest were S. grueneri and S. taeniata, known as ‘wolf specialists’. Five helminth and 11 Sarcocystis species were identified, of which all helminths and eight Sarcocystis species were shared between dogs and wolves. Overall prevalence and species richness of helminths (P:38.5% vs. 24.1%; SRmean:0.4 vs. 0.3 species) and Sarcocystis (P:63.3% vs. 65.5%, SRmean:2.1 vs. 1.8 species) did not differ between study sites. However, hunting dogs were significantly more likely to be infected with S. grueneri in wolf areas (P:45.2% vs. 10.5%; p = 0.035). The findings suggest that wolves indirectly increase S. grueneri infection risk for hunting dogs since cervids are intermediate hosts and occasionally fed to dogs. Furthermore, a periodic anthelminthic treatment of hunting dogs may be an effective measure to control helminth infections regardless of wolf presence. General parasite burden in hunting dogs is not increased by wolves. General Sarcocystis burden in hunting dogs is high due to raw feeding. ‘Wolf specialist’ parasite S. grueneri more prevalent in hunting dogs from wolf areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Lesniak
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mathias Franz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alex D Greenwood
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, 14163 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
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34
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Diserens TA, Borowik T, Nowak S, Szewczyk M, Niedźwiecka N, Mysłajek RW. Deficiencies in Natura 2000 for protecting recovering large carnivores: A spotlight on the wolf Canis lupus in Poland. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184144. [PMID: 28873090 PMCID: PMC5584752 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
If protected areas are to remain relevant in our dynamic world they must be adapted to changes in species ranges. In the EU one of the most notable such changes is the recent recovery of large carnivores, which are protected by Natura 2000 at the national and population levels. However, the Natura 2000 network was designed prior to their recent recovery, which raises the question whether the network is sufficient to protect the contemporary ranges of large carnivores. To investigate this question we evaluated Natura 2000 coverage of the three wolf Canis lupus populations in Poland. Wolf tracking data showed that wolves have recolonised almost all suitable habitat in Poland (as determined by a recent habitat suitability model), so we calculated the overlap between the Natura 2000 network and all wolf habitat in Poland. On the basis of published Natura 2000 criteria, we used 20% as the minimum required coverage. At the national level, wolves are sufficiently protected (22% coverage), but at the population level, the Baltic and Carpathian populations are far better protected (28 and 47%, respectively) than the endangered Central European Lowland population (12%). As Natura 2000 insufficiently protects the most endangered wolf population in Poland, we recommend expansion of Natura 2000 to protect at least an additional 8% of wolf habitat in western Poland, and discuss which specific forests are most in need of additional coverage. Implementation of these actions will have positive conservation implications and help Poland to fulfil its Habitats Directive obligations. As it is likely that similar gaps in Natura 2000 are arising in other EU member states experiencing large carnivore recoveries, particularly in Central Europe, we make the case for a flexible approach to Natura 2000 and suggest that such coverage evaluations may be beneficial elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A. Diserens
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomasz Borowik
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature “Wolf”, Twardorzeczka, Poland
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Packila ML, Riley MD, Spence RS, Inman RM. Long-Distance Wolverine Dispersal from Wyoming to Historic Range in Colorado. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.3955/046.091.0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark L. Packila
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 222 E Main Street, Lone Elk 3B, Ennis, Montana 59729
| | | | - Robert S. Spence
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 222 E Main Street, Lone Elk 3B, Ennis, Montana 59729
| | - Robert M. Inman
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 222 E Main Street, Lone Elk 3B, Ennis, Montana 59729
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Nowak S, Mysłajek RW, Szewczyk M, Tomczak P, Borowik T, Jędrzejewska B. Sedentary but not dispersing wolves Canis lupus
recolonizing western Poland (2001-2016) conform to the predictions of a habitat suitability model. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Faculty of Biology; Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; University of Warsaw; Warszawa Poland
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Faculty of Biology; Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; University of Warsaw; Warszawa Poland
| | - Patrycja Tomczak
- Association for Nature “Wolf”; Lipowa Poland
- Faculty of Modern Languages and Literature; Institute of Romance Studies; Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań; Poznań Poland
| | - Tomasz Borowik
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences; Białowieża Poland
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Milanesi P, Holderegger R, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Randi E. Expert-based versus habitat-suitability models to develop resistance surfaces in landscape genetics. Oecologia 2016; 183:67-79. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3751-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Hindrikson M, Remm J, Pilot M, Godinho R, Stronen AV, Baltrūnaité L, Czarnomska SD, Leonard JA, Randi E, Nowak C, Åkesson M, López-Bao JV, Álvares F, Llaneza L, Echegaray J, Vilà C, Ozolins J, Rungis D, Aspi J, Paule L, Skrbinšek T, Saarma U. Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1601-1629. [PMID: 27682639 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Malgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, LN6 7DL, Lincoln, UK
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
| | - Laima Baltrūnaité
- Laboratory of Mammalian Biology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis Llaneza
- ARENA Asesores en Recursos Naturales S.L. c/Perpetuo Socorro, n° 12 Entlo 2B, 27003, Lugo, Spain
| | - Jorge Echegaray
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dainis Rungis
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Genetics and Physiology, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ladislav Paule
- Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, T.G. Masaryk str. 24, SK-96053, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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Thomsen CL, Andersen LW, Stronen AV. Forensic DNA analyses suggest illegal trade of canid skins. MAMMAL RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-016-0296-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Stansbury CR, Ausband DE, Zager P, Mack CM, Waits LP. Identifying gray wolf packs and dispersers using noninvasive genetic samples. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carisa R. Stansbury
- University of Idaho; Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences; P.O. Box 441136 Moscow ID 83844 USA
| | - David E. Ausband
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Sciences Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Peter Zager
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game; 3316 16th St. Lewiston ID 83501 USA
| | - Curt M. Mack
- Nez Perce Tribe; Gray Wolf Recovery Project; P.O. Box 1922 McCall ID 83638 USA
| | - Lisette P. Waits
- University of Idaho; Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences; P.O. Box 441136 Moscow ID 83844 USA
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de Groot GA, Nowak C, Skrbinšek T, Andersen LW, Aspi J, Fumagalli L, Godinho R, Harms V, Jansman HA, Liberg O, Marucco F, Mysłajek RW, Nowak S, Pilot M, Randi E, Reinhardt I, Śmietana W, Szewczyk M, Taberlet P, Vilà C, Muñoz-Fuentes V. Decades of population genetic research reveal the need for harmonization of molecular markers: the grey wolf C
anis lupus
as a case study. Mamm Rev 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Arjen de Groot
- Animal Ecology; Alterra, Wageningen UR; P.O. Box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology; Biotechnical Faculty; University of Ljubljana; Večna pot 111 Ljubljana 1000 Slovenia
| | | | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Biology, Genetics and Physiology; University of Oulu; P.O. Box 3000 90014 Oulu Finland
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution; Laboratory for Conservation Biology; Biophore Building; University of Lausanne; 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Raquel Godinho
- Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources; CIBIO/InBio; Campus Agrário de Vairão 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
- Department of Biology; Faculty of Sciences; University of Porto; Rua do Campo Alegre s/n 4169-007 Porto Portugal
- Department of Zoology; Faculty of Sciences; University of Johannesburg; Auckland Park 2006 Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Verena Harms
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
| | - Hugh A.H. Jansman
- Animal Ecology; Alterra, Wageningen UR; P.O. Box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Olof Liberg
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU); Grimsö Wildlife Research Station SE-730 91 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Francesca Marucco
- Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime; Centro Gestione e Conservazione Grandi Carnivori; Piazza Regina Elena 30 12010 Valdieri Italy
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Pawińskiego 5a 02-106 Warszawa Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature ‘Wolf’; Twardorzeczka 229 34-324 Lipowa Poland
| | - Małgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences; University of Lincoln; Green Lane Lincoln LN6 7DL UK
| | - Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica; Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA); Via Cà Fornacetta 9 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO) Italy
- Aalborg University; Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering; Sohngårdsholmsvej 57 9000 Aalborg Denmark
| | - Ilka Reinhardt
- LUPUS - German Institute for Wolf Monitoring and Research; Dorfstraße 20 02979 Spreewitz Germany
| | - Wojciech Śmietana
- Polish Academy of Sciences; Institute of Nature Conservation; Mickiewicza 33 31-120 Kraków Poland
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology; Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Pawińskiego 5a 02-106 Warszawa Poland
| | - Pierre Taberlet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA); F-38000 Grenoble France
- Université Grenoble Alpes; Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA); F-38000 Grenoble France
| | - Carles Vilà
- Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC); Avenida Americo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Violeta Muñoz-Fuentes
- Conservation Genetics Group; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt; Clamecystrasse 12 63571 Gelnhausen Germany
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Rutkowski R, Krofel M, Giannatos G, Ćirović D, Männil P, Volokh AM, Lanszki J, Heltai M, Szabó L, Banea OC, Yavruyan E, Hayrapetyan V, Kopaliani N, Miliou A, Tryfonopoulos GA, Lymberakis P, Penezić A, Pakeltytė G, Suchecka E, Bogdanowicz W. A European Concern? Genetic Structure and Expansion of Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) in Europe and the Caucasus. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141236. [PMID: 26540195 PMCID: PMC4634961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the first continent-wide study of the golden jackal (Canis aureus), we characterised its population genetic structure and attempted to identify the origin of European populations. This provided a unique insight into genetic characteristics of a native carnivore population with rapid large-scale expansion. We analysed 15 microsatellite markers and a 406 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial control region. Bayesian-based and principal components methods were applied to evaluate whether the geographical grouping of samples corresponded with genetic groups. Our analysis revealed low levels of genetic diversity, reflecting the unique history of the golden jackal among Europe’s native carnivores. The results suggest ongoing gene flow between south-eastern Europe and the Caucasus, with both contributing to the Baltic population, which appeared only recently. The population from the Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece forms a common genetic cluster with samples from south-eastern Europe (ΔK approach in STRUCTURE, Principal Components Analysis [PCA]), although the results based on BAPS and the estimated likelihood in STRUCTURE indicate that Peloponnesian jackals may represent a distinct population. Moreover, analyses of population structure also suggest either genetic distinctiveness of the island population from Samos near the coast of Asia Minor (BAPS, most STRUCTURE, PCA), or possibly its connection with the Caucasus population (one analysis in STRUCTURE). We speculate from our results that ancient Mediterranean jackal populations have persisted to the present day, and have merged with jackals colonising from Asia. These data also suggest that new populations of the golden jackal may be founded by long-distance dispersal, and thus should not be treated as an invasive alien species, i.e. an organism that is “non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health”. These insights into the genetic structure and ancestry of Baltic jackals have important implications for management and conservation of jackals in Europe. The golden jackal is listed as an Annex V species in the EU Habitats Directive and as such, considering also the results presented here, should be legally protected in all EU member states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Rutkowski
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Miha Krofel
- Wildlife Ecology Research Group, Department of Forestry, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Giorgos Giannatos
- Department of Zoology - Marine Biology, School of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Athens, Greece
| | - Duško Ćirović
- Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | | | - József Lanszki
- Department of Nature Conservation, University of Kaposvár, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Miklós Heltai
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - László Szabó
- Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | | | - Eduard Yavruyan
- Scientific Centre of Zoology and Hydroecology, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Vahram Hayrapetyan
- Stepanakert Branch of the Armenian National Agrarian University, Stepanakert, Armenia
| | - Natia Kopaliani
- Institute of Ecology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Anastasia Miliou
- Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, Mesokampos, Pythagorio, Samos, Greece
| | | | - Petros Lymberakis
- Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Aleksandra Penezić
- Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Ewa Suchecka
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Wiesław Bogdanowicz
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
- * E-mail:
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44
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Long-distance dispersal connects Dinaric-Balkan and Alpine grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-015-0971-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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45
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Stronen AV, Jędrzejewska B, Pertoldi C, Demontis D, Randi E, Niedziałkowska M, Borowik T, Sidorovich VE, Kusak J, Kojola I, Karamanlidis AA, Ozolins J, Dumenko V, Czarnomska SD. Genome-wide analyses suggest parallel selection for universal traits may eclipse local environmental selection in a highly mobile carnivore. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:4410-25. [PMID: 26664688 PMCID: PMC4667828 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecological and environmental heterogeneity can produce genetic differentiation in highly mobile species. Accordingly, local adaptation may be expected across comparatively short distances in the presence of marked environmental gradients. Within the European continent, wolves (Canis lupus) exhibit distinct north–south population differentiation. We investigated more than 67‐K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for signatures of local adaptation in 59 unrelated wolves from four previously identified population clusters (northcentral Europe n = 32, Carpathian Mountains n = 7, Dinaric‐Balkan n = 9, Ukrainian Steppe n = 11). Our analyses combined identification of outlier loci with findings from genome‐wide association study of individual genomic profiles and 12 environmental variables. We identified 353 candidate SNP loci. We examined the SNP position and neighboring megabase (1 Mb, one million bases) regions in the dog (C. lupus familiaris) genome for genes potentially under selection, including homologue genes in other vertebrates. These regions included functional genes for, for example, temperature regulation that may indicate local adaptation and genes controlling for functions universally important for wolves, including olfaction, hearing, vision, and cognitive functions. We also observed strong outliers not associated with any of the investigated variables, which could suggest selective pressures associated with other unmeasured environmental variables and/or demographic factors. These patterns are further supported by the examination of spatial distributions of the SNPs associated with universally important traits, which typically show marked differences in allele frequencies among population clusters. Accordingly, parallel selection for features important to all wolves may eclipse local environmental selection and implies long‐term separation among population clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Vik Stronen
- Section of Biology and Environmental Science Department of Chemistry and Bioscience Aalborg University Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H DK-9220 Aalborg Øst Denmark ; Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Waszkiewicza 1 PL 17-230 Bialowieza Poland
| | - Bogumiła Jędrzejewska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Waszkiewicza 1 PL 17-230 Bialowieza Poland
| | - Cino Pertoldi
- Section of Biology and Environmental Science Department of Chemistry and Bioscience Aalborg University Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H DK-9220 Aalborg Øst Denmark ; Aalborg Zoo Mølleparkvej 63 DK-9000 Aalborg Denmark
| | - Ditte Demontis
- Department of Human Genetics University of Aarhus Wilhelm Meyers Allé DK-8000 Aarhus Denmark
| | - Ettore Randi
- Section of Biology and Environmental Science Department of Chemistry and Bioscience Aalborg University Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H DK-9220 Aalborg Øst Denmark ; Laboratorio di Genetica ISPRA via Cà Fornacetta 9 I-40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - Magdalena Niedziałkowska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Waszkiewicza 1 PL 17-230 Bialowieza Poland
| | - Tomasz Borowik
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Waszkiewicza 1 PL 17-230 Bialowieza Poland
| | - Vadim E Sidorovich
- Institute of Zoology Scientific and Practical Centre for Biological Resources National Academy of Science of Belarus Akademicheskaya Str 27 220072 Minsk Belarus
| | - Josip Kusak
- Department of Biology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb Zagreb Croatia
| | - Ilpo Kojola
- Natural Resources Institute Finland Box 16 FI-96500 Rovaniemi Finland
| | - Alexandros A Karamanlidis
- ARCTUROS Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment GR-53075 Aetos Greece ; Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences NO-1432 Ås Norway
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava" Rīgas 111 LV-2169 Salaspils Latvia
| | - Vitalii Dumenko
- Biosphere Reserve Askania Nova Frunze Str. 13 Askania-Nova Chaplynka District Kherson Region 75230 Ukraine
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Waszkiewicza 1 PL 17-230 Bialowieza Poland
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Morrison CD, Boyce MS, Nielsen SE. Space-use, movement and dispersal of sub-adult cougars in a geographically isolated population. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1118. [PMID: 26290786 PMCID: PMC4540023 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cougar (Puma concolor) observations have increased in Midwest North America, with breeding populations re-establishing in several regions east of their contemporary range. The Cypress Hills Uplands, located in southwest Saskatchewan and southeast Alberta, was recently re-colonized by cougars and now supports the easternmost confirmed breeding population of cougars in Canada. A number of factors contribute to this cougar range expansion, but it is dispersal that provides the mechanism for re-colonization of historic range. We used GPS-collar data to examine space-use and movement behavior of sub-adult cougars, the age class associated with dispersal, in the Cypress Hills. Conditional logistic regression and a two-stage modeling approach were used to estimate resource selection functions (RSF) of sub-adult cougars during two distinct ranging behaviors: transient movements (i.e., dispersal and exploratory forays) and localizing movements (i.e., temporary home ranges). Linear regression was used to model movement rates, measured as the distance between consecutive 3-h GPS-relocations, of sub-adult cougars relative to different habitats, times of day and between transient and localizing behavior. All individual sub-adult cougars displayed bouts of transient and localizing behavior. All male cougars dispersed from their natal ranges and travelled considerably farther distances than female cougars. One male dispersed over 750 km eastward through the agricultural belt of northern Montana and southern Saskatchewan. Males occupied temporary home ranges in more open habitats on the fringes of the insular Cypress Hills, while females appeared to be recruited into the adult population, occupying treed habitat that provided more suitable cover. During both ranging behaviors, sub-adult cougars selected for rugged terrain and proximity to hydrological features (likely supporting riparian habitats) and avoided open cover types. Differences in habitat selection between ranging behaviors were observed in response to open water, roads and elevation. Although certain habitat characteristics were preferred, transient and localizing cougars used fast-paced nocturnal movements and shortened daytime movements when traversing open habitats to effectively limit their residency and exposure in less-suitable landscapes. Additionally, cougars moved greater distances at night during transient behavior compared to localizing behavior indicating cougars used cover of darkness to traverse novel terrain. In doing so, sub-adult cougars can successfully disperse several hundred kilometres across a matrix of open habitat in search of resources and mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl D Morrison
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta , Edmonton, AB , Canada
| | - Mark S Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta , Edmonton, AB , Canada
| | - Scott E Nielsen
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta , Edmonton, AB , Canada
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