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Ranke PS, Pepke ML, Søraker JS, David G, Araya‐Ajoy YG, Wright J, Nafstad ÅM, Rønning B, Pärn H, Ringsby TH, Jensen H, Sæther B. Long-distance dispersal in the short-distance dispersing house sparrow ( Passer domesticus). Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11356. [PMID: 38694748 PMCID: PMC11056847 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a small passerine known to be highly sedentary. Throughout a 30-year capture-mark-recapture study, we have obtained occasional reports of recoveries far outside our main metapopulation study system, documenting unusually long dispersal distances. Our records constitute the highest occurrence of long-distance dispersal events recorded for this species in Scandinavia. Such long-distance dispersals radically change the predicted distribution of dispersal distances and connectedness for our study metapopulation. Moreover, it reveals a much greater potential for colonization than formerly recorded for the house sparrow, which is an invasive species across four continents. These rare and occasional long-distance dispersal events are challenging to document but may have important implications for the genetic composition of small and isolated populations and for our understanding of dispersal ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S. Ranke
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- BirdLife NorwayTrondheimNorway
| | - Michael L. Pepke
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jørgen S. Søraker
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of BiologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Gabriel David
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Yimen G. Araya‐Ajoy
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Jonathan Wright
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Ådne M. Nafstad
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bernt Rønning
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Teacher EducationNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Henrik Pärn
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua)Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesLysekilSweden
| | - Thor Harald Ringsby
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bernt‐Erik Sæther
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- The Gjærevoll Centre, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
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2
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Miller CV, Bossu CM, Sarraco JF, Toews DPL, Rushing CS, Roberto-Charron A, Tremblay JA, Chandler RB, DeSaix MG, Fiss CJ, Larkin JL, Haché S, Nebel S, Ruegg KC. Genomics-informed conservation units reveal spatial variation in climate vulnerability in a migratory bird. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17199. [PMID: 38018020 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17199] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Identifying genetic conservation units (CUs) in threatened species is critical for the preservation of adaptive capacity and evolutionary potential in the face of climate change. However, delineating CUs in highly mobile species remains a challenge due to high rates of gene flow and genetic signatures of isolation by distance. Even when CUs are delineated in highly mobile species, the CUs often lack key biological information about what populations have the most conservation need to guide management decisions. Here we implement a framework for CU identification in the Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis), a migratory bird species of conservation concern, and then integrate demographic modelling and genomic offset to guide conservation decisions. We find that patterns of whole genome genetic variation in this highly mobile species are primarily driven by putative adaptive variation. Identification of CUs across the breeding range revealed that Canada Warblers fall into two evolutionarily significant units (ESU), and three putative adaptive units (AUs) in the South, East, and Northwest. Quantification of genomic offset, a metric of genetic changes necessary to maintain current gene-environment relationships, revealed significant spatial variation in climate vulnerability, with the Northwestern AU being identified as the most vulnerable to future climate change. Alternatively, quantification of past population trends within each AU revealed the steepest population declines have occurred within the Eastern AU. Overall, we illustrate that genomics-informed CUs provide a strong foundation for identifying current and future regional threats that can be used to inform management strategies for a highly mobile species in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin V Miller
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Christen M Bossu
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - James F Sarraco
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, USA
| | - David P L Toews
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Clark S Rushing
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Junior A Tremblay
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Richard B Chandler
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Matthew G DeSaix
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Cameron J Fiss
- Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeff L Larkin
- Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Samuel Haché
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | | | - Kristen C Ruegg
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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3
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Turbek SP, Funk WC, Ruegg KC. Where to draw the line? Expanding the delineation of conservation units to highly mobile taxa. J Hered 2023; 114:300-311. [PMID: 36815497 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation units (CUs) are an essential tool for maximizing evolutionary potential and prioritizing areas across a species' range for protection when implementing conservation and management measures. However, current workflows for identifying CUs on the basis of neutral and adaptive genomic variation largely ignore information contained in patterns of isolation by distance (IBD), frequently the primary signal of population structure in highly mobile taxa, such as birds, bats, and marine organisms with pelagic larval stages. While individuals located on either end of a species' distribution may exhibit clear genetic, phenotypic, and ecological differences, IBD produces subtle changes in allele frequencies across space, making it difficult to draw clear boundaries for conservation purposes in the absence of discrete population structure. Here, we highlight potential pitfalls that arise when applying common methods for delineating CUs to continuously distributed organisms and review existing methods for detecting subtle breakpoints in patterns of IBD that can indicate barriers to gene flow in highly mobile taxa. In addition, we propose a new framework for identifying CUs in all organisms, including those characterized by continuous genomic differentiation, and suggest several possible ways to harness the information contained in patterns of IBD to guide conservation and management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheela P Turbek
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - W Chris Funk
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Kristen C Ruegg
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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4
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Atsawawaranunt K, Ewart KM, Major RE, Johnson RN, Santure AW, Whibley A. Tracing the introduction of the invasive common myna using population genomics. Heredity (Edinb) 2023:10.1038/s41437-023-00621-w. [PMID: 37193854 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00621-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The common myna (Acridotheres tristis) is one of the most invasive bird species in the world, yet its colonisation history is only partly understood. We identified the introduction history and population structure, and quantified the genetic diversity of myna populations from the native range in India and introduced populations in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, and South Africa, based on thousands of single nucleotide polymorphism markers in 814 individuals. We were able to identify the source population of mynas in several invasive locations: mynas from Fiji and Melbourne, Australia, were likely founded by individuals from a subpopulation in Maharashtra, India, while mynas in Hawaii and South Africa were likely independently founded by individuals from other localities in India. Our findings suggest that New Zealand mynas were founded by individuals from Melbourne, which, in turn, were founded by individuals from Maharashtra. We identified two genetic clusters among New Zealand mynas, divided by New Zealand's North Island's axial mountain ranges, confirming previous observations that mountains and thick forests may form barriers to myna dispersal. Our study provides a foundation for other population and invasion genomic studies and provides useful information for the management of this invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle M Ewart
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard E Major
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rebecca N Johnson
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., DC, USA
| | - Anna W Santure
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Annabel Whibley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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5
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Tyagi A, Khan A, Thatte P, Ramakrishnan U. Genome‐wide
SNP
markers from fecal samples reveal anthropogenic impacts on connectivity: case of a small carnivore in the central Indian landscape. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Tyagi
- National Centre for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
- SASTRA Deemed to be University Thanjavur India
| | - A. Khan
- National Centre for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - P. Thatte
- National Centre for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
- World Wide Fund for Nature‐India New Delhi India
| | - U. Ramakrishnan
- National Centre for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
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6
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Dessalegn A, Balakrishnan M, Töpfer T, Podsiadlowski L, Wube T. Genetic diversity of the Ankober Serin (Crithagra ankoberensis) at Simien Mountains National Park and Guassa Community Conservation Area, Ethiopia. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2021.2006078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Till Töpfer
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tilaye Wube
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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7
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Nikolakis ZL, Orton RW, Crother BI. Fine‐scale population structure within an Eastern Nearctic snake complex (
Pituophis melanoleucus
). ZOOL SCR 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L. Nikolakis
- Department of Biology Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Louisina USA
- Department of Biology University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas USA
| | - Richard W. Orton
- Department of Biology University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas USA
| | - Brian I. Crother
- Department of Biology Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Louisina USA
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8
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Rivera MM, Mindiola M, Engstrom E, Cooper CB, Khan MZ. Do We Impact Neighboring Nests When Managing for House Sparrows on Nest-Box Trails? Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.0312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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9
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10
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Hanson HE, Mathews NS, Hauber ME, Martin LB. The house sparrow in the service of basic and applied biology. eLife 2020; 9:e52803. [PMID: 32343224 PMCID: PMC7189751 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
From the northernmost tip of Scandinavia to the southernmost corner of Patagonia, and across six continents, house sparrows (Passer domesticus) inhabit most human-modified habitats of the globe. With over 7,000 articles published, the species has become a workhorse for not only the study of self-urbanized wildlife, but also for understanding life history and body size evolution, sexual selection and many other biological phenomena. Traditionally, house sparrows were studied for their adaptations to local biotic and climatic conditions, but more recently, the species has come to serve as a focus for studies seeking to reveal the genomic, epigenetic and physiological underpinnings of success among invasive vertebrate species. Here, we review the natural history of house sparrows, highlight what the study of these birds has meant to bioscience generally, and describe the many resources available for future work on this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley E Hanson
- Global and Planetary Health, University of South FloridaTampaUnited States
| | - Noreen S Mathews
- Global and Planetary Health, University of South FloridaTampaUnited States
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and BehaviorUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbanaUnited States
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Global and Planetary Health, University of South FloridaTampaUnited States
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11
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Abstract
AbstractTranslocation of conspecific individuals to reduce extinction risk of small, isolated populations and prevent genetic depletion is a powerful tool in conservation biology. An important question is how the translocated individuals influence the long-term genetic composition of the recipient population. Here, we experimentally reinforced a house sparrow (Passer domesticus) population, and examined the impact of this translocation on allele frequencies, levels of heterozygosity and genetic differentiation over six cohorts. We found no permanent increase in the mean number of alleles across loci or levels of observed heterozygosity, but a few alleles private to the translocated individuals remained in the population and we found a short-term increase in heterozygosity. Consequently, genetic differentiation of the recipient population compared to the genetic composition prior to reinforcement was small. The limited genetic impact was due to combined effects of a small probability of establishment and low mating success for the translocated individuals, together with increased genetic drift in the recipient population. Our findings emphasize the importance of selection and genetic drift as forces that may decrease the genetic contribution of reinforcement, especially in small populations. Conservation managers should aim to improve habitat quality in the recipient population to reduce genetic drift following translocation and thereby avoid the need for continued reinforcement. Furthermore, by facilitating establishment success and selecting individuals expected to have high mating success, possibly indicated by sexually selected traits, genetic contribution of released individuals is increased which in turn will decrease reproductive skew and genetic drift.
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12
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Thatte P, Chandramouli A, Tyagi A, Patel K, Baro P, Chhattani H, Ramakrishnan U. Human footprint differentially impacts genetic connectivity of four wide‐ranging mammals in a fragmented landscape. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Prachi Thatte
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Anuradha Chandramouli
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Abhinav Tyagi
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Kaushal Patel
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Phulmani Baro
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Himanshu Chhattani
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
| | - Uma Ramakrishnan
- National Center for Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore India
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13
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Gómez C, Guerrero SL, FitzGerald AM, Bayly NJ, Hobson KA, Cadena CD. Range‐wide populations of a long‐distance migratory songbird converge during stopover in the tropics. ECOL MONOGR 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camila Gómez
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva de Vertebrados Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de Los Andes Bogota 111711 Colombia
- SELVA: Investigación para la Conservación en el Neotrópico Bogota 111311 Colombia
| | - Sara L. Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva de Vertebrados Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de Los Andes Bogota 111711 Colombia
| | - Alyssa M. FitzGerald
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology State University of New York Albany New York 12222 USA
- University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
- Fisheries Ecology Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Institute, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
| | - Nicholas J. Bayly
- SELVA: Investigación para la Conservación en el Neotrópico Bogota 111311 Colombia
| | | | - Carlos Daniel Cadena
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva de Vertebrados Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de Los Andes Bogota 111711 Colombia
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14
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Bagi Z, Dimopoulos EA, Loukovitis D, Eraud C, Kusza S. MtDNA genetic diversity and structure of Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29518164 PMCID: PMC5843281 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is one of the most successful biological invaders among terrestrial vertebrates. However, little information is available on the genetic diversity of the species. A total of 134 Eurasian Collared Doves from Europe, Asia and the Caribbean (n = 20) were studied by sequencing a 658-bp length of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Fifty-two different haplotypes and relatively high haplotype and nucleotide diversities (Hd±SD = 0.843±0.037 and π±SD = 0.026±0.013) were detected. Haplotype Ht1 was particularly dominant: it included 44.03% of the studied individuals, and contained sequences from 75% of the studied countries. Various analyses (FST, AMOVA, STRUCTURE) distinguished 2 groups on the genetic level, designated ‘A’ and ‘B’. Two groups were also separated in the median-joining network and the maximum likelihood tree. The results of the neutrality tests were negative (Fu FS = -25.914; Tajima D = -2.606) and significantly different from zero (P≤0.001) for group A, whereas both values for group B were positive (Fu FS = 1.811; Tajima D = 0.674) and not significant (P>0.05). Statistically significant positive autocorrelation was revealed among individuals located up to 2000 km apart (r = 0.124; P = 0.001). The present results provide the first information on the genetic diversity and structure of the Eurasian Collared Dove, and can thereby serve as a factual and comparative basis for similar studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Bagi
- Animal Genetic Laboratory, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Evangelos Antonis Dimopoulos
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Loukovitis
- Lab of Agrobiotechnology and Inspection of Agricultural Products, Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Cyril Eraud
- Unité Avifaune migratrice, Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Szilvia Kusza
- Animal Genetic Laboratory, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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15
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Phenotypic divergence despite low genetic differentiation in house sparrow populations. Sci Rep 2018; 8:394. [PMID: 29321524 PMCID: PMC5762629 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18718-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying patterns of phenotypic variation among populations can shed light on the drivers of evolutionary processes. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is one of the world's most ubiquitous bird species, as well as a successful invader. We investigated phenotypic variation in house sparrow populations across a climatic gradient and in relation to a possible scenario of an invasion. We measured variation in morphological, coloration, and behavioral traits (exploratory behavior and neophobia) and compared it to the neutral genetic variation. We found that sparrows were larger and darker in northern latitudes, in accordance with Bergmann's and Gloger's biogeographic rules. Morphology and behavior mostly differed between the southernmost populations and the other regions, supporting the possibility of an invasion. Genetic differentiation was low and diversity levels were similar across populations, indicating high gene flow. Nevertheless, the southernmost and northern populations differed genetically to some extent. Furthermore, genetic differentiation (F ST) was lower in comparison to phenotypic variation (P ST), indicating that the phenotypic variation is shaped by directional selection or by phenotypic plasticity. This study expands our knowledge on evolutionary mechanisms and biological invasions.
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16
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Andrew SC, Awasthy M, Bolton PE, Rollins LA, Nakagawa S, Griffith SC. The genetic structure of the introduced house sparrow populations in Australia and New Zealand is consistent with historical descriptions of multiple introductions to each country. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1643-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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17
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Limited Dispersal and Significant Fine - Scale Genetic Structure in a Tropical Montane Parrot Species. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0169165. [PMID: 28033364 PMCID: PMC5199109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical montane ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots harbouring many endemics that are confined to specific habitat types within narrow altitudinal ranges. While deforestation put these ecosystems under threat, we still lack knowledge about how heterogeneous environments like the montane tropics promote population connectivity and persistence. We investigated the fine-scale genetic structure of the two largest subpopulations of the endangered El Oro parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi) endemic to the Ecuadorian Andes. Specifically, we assessed the genetic divergence between three sites separated by small geographic distances but characterized by a heterogeneous habitat structure. Although geographical distances between sites are small (3-17 km), we found genetic differentiation between all sites. Even though dispersal capacity is generally high in parrots, our findings indicate that dispersal is limited even on this small geographic scale. Individual genotype assignment revealed similar genetic divergence across a valley (~ 3 km distance) compared to a continuous mountain range (~ 13 km distance). Our findings suggest that geographic barriers promote genetic divergence even on small spatial scales in this endangered endemic species. These results may have important implications for many other threatened and endemic species, particularly given the upslope shift of species predicted from climate change.
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18
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Zhang M, Evans TA. Determining urban exploiter status of a termite using genetic analysis. Urban Ecosyst 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-016-0628-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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19
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Geue JC, Vágási CI, Schweizer M, Pap PL, Thomassen HA. Environmental selection is a main driver of divergence in house sparrows ( Passer domesticus) in Romania and Bulgaria. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7954-7964. [PMID: 27891219 PMCID: PMC5108248 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Both neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes can cause population divergence, but their relative contributions remain unclear. We investigated the roles of these processes in population divergence in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) from Romania and Bulgaria, regions characterized by high landscape heterogeneity compared to Western Europe. We asked whether morphological divergence, complemented with genetic data in this human commensal species, was best explained by environmental variation, geographic distance, or landscape resistance—the effort it takes for an individual to disperse from one location to the other—caused by either natural or anthropogenic barriers. Using generalized dissimilarity modeling, a matrix regression technique that fits biotic beta diversity to both environmental predictors and geographic distance, we found that a small set of climate and vegetation variables explained up to ~30% of the observed divergence, whereas geographic and resistance distances played much lesser roles. Our results are consistent with signals of selection on morphological traits and of isolation by adaptation in genetic markers, suggesting that selection by natural environmental conditions shapes population divergence in house sparrows. Our study thus contributes to a growing body of evidence that adaptive evolution may be a major driver of diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Geue
- Comparative Zoology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary; Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj- Napoca Romania
| | - Mona Schweizer
- Animal Physiological Ecology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
| | - Péter L Pap
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary; Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj- Napoca Romania
| | - Henri A Thomassen
- Comparative Zoology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
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Cousseau L, Husemann M, Foppen R, Vangestel C, Lens L. A longitudinal genetic survey identifies temporal shifts in the population structure of Dutch house sparrows. Heredity (Edinb) 2016; 117:259-67. [PMID: 27273323 PMCID: PMC5026754 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Dutch house sparrow (Passer domesticus) densities dropped by nearly 50% since the early 1980s, and similar collapses in population sizes have been reported across Europe. Whether, and to what extent, such relatively recent demographic changes are accompanied by concomitant shifts in the genetic population structure of this species needs further investigation. Therefore, we here explore temporal shifts in genetic diversity, genetic structure and effective sizes of seven Dutch house sparrow populations. To allow the most powerful statistical inference, historical populations were resampled at identical locations and each individual bird was genotyped using nine polymorphic microsatellites. Although the demographic history was not reflected by a reduction in genetic diversity, levels of genetic differentiation increased over time, and the original, panmictic population (inferred from the museum samples) diverged into two distinct genetic clusters. Reductions in census size were supported by a substantial reduction in effective population size, although to a smaller extent. As most studies of contemporary house sparrow populations have been unable to identify genetic signatures of recent population declines, results of this study underpin the importance of longitudinal genetic surveys to unravel cryptic genetic patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Cousseau
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - M Husemann
- General Zoology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - R Foppen
- Sovon, Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Ecophysiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - C Vangestel
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Taxonomy and Phylogeny Unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
| | - L Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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21
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Camacho C, Canal D, Potti J. Natal habitat imprinting counteracts the diversifying effects of phenotype-dependent dispersal in a spatially structured population. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:158. [PMID: 27503506 PMCID: PMC4976508 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0724-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Habitat selection may have profound evolutionary consequences, but they strongly depend on the underlying preference mechanism, including genetically-determined, natal habitat and phenotype-dependent preferences. It is known that different mechanisms may operate at the same time, yet their relative contribution to population differentiation remains largely unexplored empirically mainly because of the difficulty of finding suitable study systems. Here, we investigate the role of early experience and genetic background in determining the outcome of settlement by pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) breeding in two habitat patches between which dispersal and subsequent reproductive performance is influenced by phenotype (body size). For this, we conducted a cross-fostering experiment in a two-patch system: an oakwood and a conifer plantation separated by only 1 km. Results Experimental birds mostly returned to breed in the forest patch where they were raised, whether it was that of their genetic or their foster parents, indicating that decisions on where to settle are determined by individuals’ experience in their natal site, rather than by their genetic background. Nevertheless, nearly a third (27.6 %) moved away from the rearing habitat and, as previously observed in unmanipulated individuals, dispersal between habitats was phenotype-dependent. Pied flycatchers breeding in the oak and the pine forests are differentiated by body size, and analyses of genetic variation at microsatellite loci now provide evidence of subtle genetic differentiation between the two populations. This suggests that phenotype-dependent dispersal may contribute to population structure despite the short distance and widespread exchange of birds between the study plots. Conclusions Taken together, the current and previous findings that pied flycatchers do not always settle in the habitat to which they are best suited suggest that their strong tendency to return to the natal patch regardless of their body size might lead to maladaptive settlement decisions and thus constrain the potential of phenotype-dependent dispersal to promote microgeographic adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Camacho
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain.
| | - David Canal
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Jaime Potti
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
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22
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Khimoun A, Eraud C, Ollivier A, Arnoux E, Rocheteau V, Bely M, Lefol E, Delpuech M, Carpentier ML, Leblond G, Levesque A, Charbonnel A, Faivre B, Garnier S. Habitat specialization predicts genetic response to fragmentation in tropical birds. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:3831-44. [PMID: 27314987 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation is one of the most severe threats to biodiversity as it may lead to changes in population genetic structure, with ultimate modifications of species evolutionary potential and local extinctions. Nonetheless, fragmentation does not equally affect all species and identifying which ecological traits are related to species sensitivity to habitat fragmentation could help prioritization of conservation efforts. Despite the theoretical link between species ecology and extinction proneness, comparative studies explicitly testing the hypothesis that particular ecological traits underlies species-specific population structure are rare. Here, we used a comparative approach on eight bird species, co-occurring across the same fragmented landscape. For each species, we quantified relative levels of forest specialization and genetic differentiation among populations. To test the link between forest specialization and susceptibility to forest fragmentation, we assessed species responses to fragmentation by comparing levels of genetic differentiation between continuous and fragmented forest landscapes. Our results revealed a significant and substantial population structure at a very small spatial scale for mobile organisms such as birds. More importantly, we found that specialist species are more affected by forest fragmentation than generalist ones. Finally, our results suggest that even a simple habitat specialization index can be a satisfying predictor of genetic and demographic consequences of habitat fragmentation, providing a reliable practical and quantitative tool for conservation biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Khimoun
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Cyril Eraud
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Anthony Ollivier
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Emilie Arnoux
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Vincent Rocheteau
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Marine Bely
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Emilie Lefol
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Martin Delpuech
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Marie-Laure Carpentier
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Gilles Leblond
- SARL BIOS, 168 rue de Brindeau, 97190, Le Gosier, France
| | - Anthony Levesque
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Cellule Technique des Antilles Françaises, Chemin de Boyer, Section Boisbert, 97129, Le Lamentin, France
| | - Anaïs Charbonnel
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Station biologique de Chizé, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Bruno Faivre
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Stéphane Garnier
- UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, CNRS/Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Equipe BIOME, 6 bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
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23
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Hernández MA, Campos F, Santamaría T, Rojo MA, Dias S. Is isolation by distance the cause of the genetic structure of the Iberian white‐throated dipper populations? J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Hernández
- Department of Environmental Biology School of Sciences University of Navarra Pamplona Spain
| | - F. Campos
- European University Miguel de Cervantes Valladolid Spain
| | | | - M. A. Rojo
- European University Miguel de Cervantes Valladolid Spain
| | - S. Dias
- Centre for Applied Ecology Prof. Baeta Neves/InBIO Associate Laboratory (CEABN/InBIO) School of Agriculture University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
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24
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25
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Engler JO, Balkenhol N, Filz KJ, Habel JC, Rödder D. Comparative landscape genetics of three closely related sympatric Hesperid butterflies with diverging ecological traits. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106526. [PMID: 25184414 PMCID: PMC4153614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how landscape characteristics affect gene flow in species with diverging ecological traits, it is important to analyze taxonomically related sympatric species in the same landscape using identical methods. Here, we present such a comparative landscape genetic study involving three closely related Hesperid butterflies of the genus Thymelicus that represent a gradient of diverging ecological traits. We analyzed landscape effects on their gene flow by deriving inter-population connectivity estimates based on different species distribution models (SDMs), which were calculated from multiple landscape parameters. We then used SDM output maps to calculate circuit-theoretic connectivity estimates and statistically compared these estimates to actual genetic differentiation in each species. We based our inferences on two different analytical methods and two metrics of genetic differentiation. Results indicate that land use patterns influence population connectivity in the least mobile specialist T. acteon. In contrast, populations of the highly mobile generalist T. lineola were panmictic, lacking any landscape related effect on genetic differentiation. In the species with ecological traits in between those of the congeners, T. sylvestris, climate has a strong impact on inter-population connectivity. However, the relative importance of different landscape factors for connectivity varies when using different metrics of genetic differentiation in this species. Our results show that closely related species representing a gradient of ecological traits also show genetic structures and landscape genetic relationships that gradually change from a geographical macro- to micro-scale. Thus, the type and magnitude of landscape effects on gene flow can differ strongly even among closely related species inhabiting the same landscape, and depend on their relative degree of specialization. In addition, the use of different genetic differentiation metrics makes it possible to detect recent changes in the relative importance of landscape factors affecting gene flow, which likely change as a result of contemporary habitat alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan O. Engler
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Wildlife Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Niko Balkenhol
- Department of Wildlife Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katharina J. Filz
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
- Museum of Natural History Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jan C. Habel
- Department of Ecology and Ecosystemmanagement, Technical University Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Dennis Rödder
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
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26
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Baalsrud HT, Saether BE, Hagen IJ, Myhre AM, Ringsby TH, Pärn H, Jensen H. Effects of population characteristics and structure on estimates of effective population size in a house sparrow metapopulation. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:2653-68. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helle Tessand Baalsrud
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Bernt-Erik Saether
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Ingerid Julie Hagen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Ane Marlene Myhre
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Thor Harald Ringsby
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Henrik Pärn
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Department of Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
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27
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Genetic differentiation over a short water barrier in the Brazilian tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) an endemic species of the Atlantic forest, Brazil. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0607-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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28
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Brommer JE, Hanski IK, Kekkonen J, Väisänen RA. Size differentiation in Finnish house sparrows follows Bergmann's rule with evidence of local adaptation. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:737-47. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. E. Brommer
- Department of Biology; University of Turku; Turku Finland
- Aronia Research and Development Institute; Åbo Akademi and Novia University of Applied Sciences; Ekenäs Finland
| | - I. K. Hanski
- Finnish Museum of Natural History; Helsinki Finland
| | - J. Kekkonen
- Department of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
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29
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Liu Y, Webber S, Bowgen K, Schmaltz L, Bradley K, Halvarsson P, Abdelgadir M, Griesser M. Environmental factors influence both abundance and genetic diversity in a widespread bird species. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4683-95. [PMID: 24363897 PMCID: PMC3867904 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity is one of the key evolutionary variables that correlate with population size, being of critical importance for population viability and the persistence of species. Genetic diversity can also have important ecological consequences within populations, and in turn, ecological factors may drive patterns of genetic diversity. However, the relationship between the genetic diversity of a population and how this interacts with ecological processes has so far only been investigated in a few studies. Here, we investigate the link between ecological factors, local population size, and allelic diversity, using a field study of a common bird species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We studied sparrows outside the breeding season in a confined small valley dominated by dispersed farms and small-scale agriculture in southern France. Population surveys at 36 locations revealed that sparrows were more abundant in locations with high food availability. We then captured and genotyped 891 house sparrows at 10 microsatellite loci from a subset of these locations (N = 12). Population genetic analyses revealed weak genetic structure, where each locality represented a distinct substructure within the study area. We found that food availability was the main factor among others tested to influence the genetic structure between locations. These results suggest that ecological factors can have strong impacts on both population size per se and intrapopulation genetic variation even at a small scale. On a more general level, our data indicate that a patchy environment and low dispersal rate can result in fine-scale patterns of genetic diversity. Given the importance of genetic diversity for population viability, combining ecological and genetic data can help to identify factors limiting population size and determine the conservation potential of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou, 510275, China ; Evolutionary Ecology Group and Computational and Molecular Population Genetics, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University Bern Balzerstrasse 6, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland
| | - Simone Webber
- Centre for Ornithology, University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, BT15 2TT, UK
| | - Katharine Bowgen
- School of Applied Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
| | - Lucie Schmaltz
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen PO Box 11103, Groningen, 9700 CC, The Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Halvarsson
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University Uppsala, SE-75236, Sweden
| | - Mohanad Abdelgadir
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University Uppsala, SE-75236, Sweden ; Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Hail Hail, PO 2440, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael Griesser
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala, Sweden ; Anthropological Institute and Museum, University Zürich Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
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30
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Bertrand JAM, Bourgeois YXC, Delahaie B, Duval T, García-Jiménez R, Cornuault J, Heeb P, Milá B, Pujol B, Thébaud C. Extremely reduced dispersal and gene flow in an island bird. Heredity (Edinb) 2013; 112:190-6. [PMID: 24084644 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2013.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Réunion grey white-eye, Zosterops borbonicus, a passerine bird endemic to Réunion Island in the Mascarene archipelago, represents an extreme case of microgeographical plumage colour variation in birds, with four distinct colour forms occupying different parts of this small island (2512 km(2)). To understand whether such population differentiation may reflect low levels of dispersal and gene flow at a very small spatial scale, we examined population structure and gene flow by analysing variation at 11 microsatellite loci among four geographically close localities (<26 km apart) sampled within the distribution range of one of the colour forms, the brown-headed brown form. Our results revealed levels of genetic differentiation that are exceptionally high for birds at such a small spatial scale. This strong population structure appears to reflect low levels of historical and contemporary gene flow among populations, unless very close geographically (<10 km). Thus, we suggest that the Réunion grey white-eye shows an extremely reduced propensity to disperse, which is likely to be related to behavioural processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A M Bertrand
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - Y X C Bourgeois
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - B Delahaie
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - T Duval
- Société Calédonienne d'Ornithologie Nord, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France
| | - R García-Jiménez
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - J Cornuault
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - P Heeb
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - B Milá
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - B Pujol
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
| | - C Thébaud
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France
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31
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Jensen H, Moe R, Hagen IJ, Holand AM, Kekkonen J, Tufto J, Saether BE. Genetic variation and structure of house sparrow populations: is there an island effect? Mol Ecol 2013; 22:1792-805. [PMID: 23379682 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Revised: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Population genetic structure and intrapopulation levels of genetic variation have important implications for population dynamics and evolutionary processes. Habitat fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity. It leads to smaller population sizes and reduced gene flow between populations and will thus also affect genetic structure. We use a natural system of island and mainland populations of house sparrows along the coast of Norway to characterize the different population genetic properties of fragmented populations. We genotyped 636 individuals distributed across 14 populations at 15 microsatellite loci. The level of genetic differentiation was estimated using F-statistics and specially designed Mantel tests were conducted to study the influence of population type (i.e. mainland or island) and geographic distance on the genetic population structure. Furthermore, the effects of population type, population size and latitude on the level of genetic variation within populations were examined. Our results suggest that genetic processes on islands and mainland differed in two important ways. First, the intrapopulation level of genetic variation tended to be lower and the occurrence of population bottlenecks more frequent on islands than the mainland. Second, although the general level of genetic differentiation was low to moderate, it was higher between island populations than between mainland populations. However, differentiation increased in mainland populations somewhat faster with geographical distance. These results suggest that population bottleneck events and genetic drift have been more important in shaping the genetic composition of island populations compared with populations on the mainland. Such knowledge is relevant for a better understanding of evolutionary processes and conservation of threatened populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Conservation Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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Lima MR, Macedo RHF, Martins TLF, Schrey AW, Martin LB, Bensch S. Genetic and morphometric divergence of an invasive bird: the introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Brazil. PLoS One 2012; 7:e53332. [PMID: 23285283 PMCID: PMC3532305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced species are interesting systems for the study of contemporary evolution in new environments because of their spatial and temporal scales. For this study we had three aims: (i) to determine how genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of introduced populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) in Brazil varies with range expansion, (ii) to determine how genetic diversity and differentiation in Brazil compares to ancestral European populations; and (iii) to determine whether selection or genetic drift has been more influential on phenotypic divergence. We used six microsatellite markers to genotype six populations from Brazil and four populations from Europe. We found slightly reduced levels of genetic diversity in Brazilian compared to native European populations. However, among introduced populations of Brazil, we found no association between genetic diversity and time since introduction. Moreover, overall genetic differentiation among introduced populations was low indicating that the expansion took place from large populations in which genetic drift effects would likely have been weak. We found significant phenotypic divergence among sites in Brazil. Given the absence of a spatial genetic pattern, divergent selection and not genetic drift seems to be the main force behind most of the phenotypic divergence encountered. Unravelling whether microevolution (e.g., allele frequency change), phenotypic plasticity, or both mediated phenotypic divergence is challenging and will require experimental work (e.g., common garden experiments or breeding programs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos R. Lima
- Departamento de Ecologia – IB, Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Thaís L. F. Martins
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Tremough, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron W. Schrey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lynn B. Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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33
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Borg ÅA, Pedersen SA, Jensen H, Westerdahl H. Variation in MHC genotypes in two populations of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) with different population histories. Ecol Evol 2012; 1:145-59. [PMID: 22393491 PMCID: PMC3287304 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Revised: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Small populations are likely to have a low genetic ability for disease resistance due to loss of genetic variation through inbreeding and genetic drift. In vertebrates, the highest genetic diversity of the immune system is located at genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Interestingly, parasite-mediated selection is thought to potentially maintain variation at MHC loci even in populations that are monomorphic at other loci. Therefore, general loss of genetic variation in the genome may not necessarily be associated with low variation at MHC loci. We evaluated inter- and intrapopulation variation in MHC genotypes between an inbred (Aldra) and a relatively outbred population (Hestmannøy) of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in a metapopulation at Helgeland, Norway. Genomic (gDNA) and transcribed (cDNA) alleles of functional MHC class I and IIB loci, along with neutral noncoding microsatellite markers, were analyzed to obtain relevant estimates of genetic variation. We found lower allelic richness in microsatellites in the inbred population, but high genetic variation in MHC class I and IIB loci in both populations. This suggests that also the inbred population could be under balancing selection to maintain genetic variation for pathogen resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åsa Alexandra Borg
- Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheim, Norway
| | - Sindre Andre Pedersen
- Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheim, Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheim, Norway
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Low genetic and morphological differentiation between an introduced population of dunnocks in New Zealand and an ancestral population in England. Biol Invasions 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-012-0278-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Genetic diversity and population structure in contemporary house sparrow populations along an urbanization gradient. Heredity (Edinb) 2012; 109:163-72. [PMID: 22588131 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2012.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
House sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have suffered major declines in urban as well as rural areas, while remaining relatively stable in suburban ones. Yet, to date no exhaustive attempt has been made to examine how, and to what extent, spatial variation in population demography is reflected in genetic population structuring along contemporary urbanization gradients. Here we use putatively neutral microsatellite loci to study if and how genetic variation can be partitioned in a hierarchical way among different urbanization classes. Principal coordinate analyses did not support the hypothesis that urban/suburban and rural populations comprise two distinct genetic clusters. Comparison of FST values at different hierarchical scales revealed drift as an important force of population differentiation. Redundancy analyses revealed that genetic structure was strongly affected by both spatial variation and level of urbanization. The results shown here can be used as baseline information for future genetic monitoring programmes and provide additional insights into contemporary house sparrow dynamics along urbanization gradients.
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BILLING ANNAM, LEE ALINEM, SKJELSETH SIGRUN, BORG ÅSAA, HALE MATTHEWC, SLATE JON, PÄRN HENRIK, RINGSBY THORH, SAETHER BERNTERIK, JENSEN HENRIK. Evidence of inbreeding depression but not inbreeding avoidance in a natural house sparrow population. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:1487-99. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05490.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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VANGESTEL CARL, MERGEAY JOACHIM, DAWSON DEBORAHA, VANDOMME VIKI, LENS LUC. Spatial heterogeneity in genetic relatedness among house sparrows along an urban-rural gradient as revealed by individual-based analysis. Mol Ecol 2011; 20:4643-53. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05316.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Does selection or genetic drift explain geographic differentiation of morphological characters in house sparrows Passer domesticus? Genet Res (Camb) 2011; 93:367-79. [PMID: 21859501 DOI: 10.1017/s0016672311000267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the relative influence of genetic drift and selection is fundamental in evolutionary biology. The theory of neutrality predicts that the genetic differentiation of a quantitative trait (QST) equals the genetic differentiation at neutral molecular markers (FST) if the quantitative trait has not been under selection. Thus, the relative magnitude of observed QST and expected QST under neutral expectations suggests the importance of selection and genetic drift for any observed phenotypic divergence. Because QST is based on additive genetic variance, estimating QST based on phenotypic measurements is problematic due to unknown environmental effects. To account for this, we used a model where the environmental component was allowed to vary when estimating QST. The model was used on data from 14 house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations in Norway. In accordance with the significant phenotypic inter-population differences our analyses suggested that directional selection may have favoured different optimal phenotypes for some morphological traits across populations. In particular, different body mass and male ornamental phenotypes seemed to have been favoured. The conclusions are, however, dependent on assumptions regarding the proportion of the observed inter-population variation that is due to additive genetic differences, showing the importance of collecting such information in natural populations. By estimating QST, allowing the additive genetic proportion of phenotypic inter-population variation to vary, and by making use of recent statistical methods to compare observed QST with neutral expectations, we can use data that are relatively easy to collect to identify adaptive variation in natural populations.
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Schrey AW, Grispo M, Awad M, Cook MB, McCoy ED, Mushinsky HR, Albayrak T, Bensch S, Burke T, Butler LK, Dor R, Fokidis HB, Jensen H, Imboma T, Kessler-Rios MM, Marzal A, Stewart IRK, Westerdahl H, Westneat DF, Zehtindjiev P, Martin LB. Broad-scale latitudinal patterns of genetic diversity among native European and introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations. Mol Ecol 2011; 20:1133-43. [PMID: 21251113 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05001.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Introduced species offer unique opportunities to study evolution in new environments, and some provide opportunities for understanding the mechanisms underlying macroecological patterns. We sought to determine how introduction history impacted genetic diversity and differentiation of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), one of the most broadly distributed bird species. We screened eight microsatellite loci in 316 individuals from 16 locations in the native and introduced ranges. Significant population structure occurred between native than introduced house sparrows. Introduced house sparrows were distinguished into one North American group and a highly differentiated Kenyan group. Genetic differentiation estimates identified a high magnitude of differentiation between Kenya and all other populations, but demonstrated that European and North American samples were differentiated too. Our results support previous claims that introduced North American populations likely had few source populations, and indicate house sparrows established populations after introduction. Genetic diversity also differed among native, introduced North American, and Kenyan populations with Kenyan birds being least diverse. In some cases, house sparrow populations appeared to maintain or recover genetic diversity relatively rapidly after range expansion (<50 years; Mexico and Panama), but in others (Kenya) the effect of introduction persisted over the same period. In both native and introduced populations, genetic diversity exhibited large-scale geographic patterns, increasing towards the equator. Such patterns of genetic diversity are concordant with two previously described models of genetic diversity, the latitudinal model and the species diversity model.
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Affiliation(s)
- A W Schrey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA.
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