1
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Wang Z, Kim S, Farrell BD, de Medeiros BAS. Customizable PCR-based target enrichment probes for sequencing fungi-parasitized insects. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39034422 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Wang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sangil Kim
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Brian D Farrell
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Bruno A S de Medeiros
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States
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2
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Silva FLD, de Medeiros BAS, Farrell BD. Once upon a fly: The biogeographical odyssey of Labrundinia (Chironomidae, Tanypodinae), an aquatic non-biting midge towards diversification. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 194:108025. [PMID: 38342160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Labrundinia is a highly recognizable lineage in the Pentaneurini tribe (Diptera, Chironomidae). The distinct predatory free-swimming larvae of this genus are typically present in unpolluted aquatic environments, such as small streams, ponds, lakes, and bays. They can be found on the bottom mud, clinging to rocks and wood, and dwelling among aquatic vegetation. Labrundinia has been extensively studied in ecological research and comprises 39 species, all but one of which has been described from regions outside the Palearctic. Earlier phylogenetic studies have suggested that the initial diversification of the genus likely occurred in the Neotropical Region, with its current presence in the Nearctic Region and southern South America being the result of subsequent dispersal events. Through the integration of molecular and morphological data in a calibrated phylogeny, we reveal a complex and nuanced evolutionary history for Labrundinia, providing insights into its biogeographical and diversification patterns. In this comprehensive study, we analyze a dataset containing 46 Labrundinia species, totaling 10,662 characters, consisting of 10,616 nucleotide sites and 46 morphological characters. The molecular data was generated mainly by anchored enrichment hybrid methods. Using this comprehensive dataset, we inferred the phylogeny of the group based on a total evidence matrix. Subsequently, we employed the generated tree for time calibration and further analysis of biogeography and diversification patterns. Our findings reveal multiple dispersal events out of the Neotropics, where the group originated in the late Cretaceous approximately 72 million years ago (69-78 Ma). We further reveal that the genus experienced an early burst of diversification rates during the Paleocene, which gradually decelerated towards the present-day. We also find that the Neotropics have played a pivotal role in the evolution of Labrundinia by serving as both a cradle and a museum. By "cradle," we mean that the region has been a hotspot for the origin and diversification of new Labrundinia lineages, while "museum" refers to the region's ability to preserve ancestral lineages over extended periods. In summary, our findings indicate that the Neotropics have been a key source of genetic diversity for Labrundinia, resulting in the development of distinctive adaptations and characteristics within the genus. This evidence highlights the crucial role that these regions have played in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of Labrundinia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Laurindo da Silva
- Laboratory of Aquatic Insect Biodiversity and Ecology, Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.
| | - Bruno A S de Medeiros
- Field Museum of Natural History, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Chicago, USA; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
| | - Brian D Farrell
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
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3
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Yanuta G, Wróbel M, Klich D, Haidt A, Drobik-Czwarno W, Balcerak M, Mitrenkov A. How should we manage a strong Eurasian Beaver population? A comparison of population trends in Poland and Belarus. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 318:115608. [PMID: 35779294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Eurasian beaver is currently found in at least 32 European countries, with many of these populations being established in the 1960s. In most European countries, the beaver is under protection, however, when the population is strong, the beaver becomes a game species. In Poland, the beaver is partially protected despite the species having a strong population. In this study we aimed to compare the development trends of Eurasian beaver populations in two management regimes, in Poland (protected) and Belarus (hunted), between 2004 and 2019. We compared beaver population trends in both countries, and analyzed the factors that could impact population growth. In Poland, during this period the population increased 3.5 times, while in Belarus it was only 20%. Distinct differences in the rate of population numbers increase were also observed between regions in Poland, but a stable, slight increase similar in all regions in Belarus. Our study did not show that precipitation or the density of this species influenced the rate of population development in Poland. During this period, hunting and wolf density significantly and negatively impacted beaver population growth in Belarus, but in the long-term analysis, hunting had a lower impact on beaver population growth. We concluded that we can expect a further increase in this population in Poland. Long-term hunting at a level of 13,7% (based on the analysis of population dynamics and hunting bags for Belarus) of the annual population seems to be a safe value for the beaver population. Nevertheless more detailed analysis should be carried out in the face of the large differences between regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gigorij Yanuta
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Michał Wróbel
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090, Sękocin Stary, Poland.
| | - Daniel Klich
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Andżelika Haidt
- Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090, Sękocin Stary, Poland.
| | - Wioleta Drobik-Czwarno
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marek Balcerak
- Department of Animal Breeding, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Andrey Mitrenkov
- Belarusian State Technological University, Sverdlova 13a, 220006, Minsk, Belarus.
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4
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OUP accepted manuscript. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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5
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Halley DJ, Saveljev AP, Rosell F. Population and distribution of beavers
Castor fiber
and
Castor canadensis
in Eurasia. Mamm Rev 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Duncan J. Halley
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research PO Box 5685 Sluppen TrondheimNO‐7485 Norway
| | - Alexander P. Saveljev
- Department of Animal Ecology Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur Farming 79 Preobrazhenskaya Str. Kirov610000 Russia
| | - Frank Rosell
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Gullbringveien 36 Bø i TelemarkNO‐3800 Norway
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6
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Kinoshita E, Kosintsev PA, Abramov AV, Solovyev VA, Saveljev AP, Nishita Y, Masuda R. Holocene changes in the distributions of Asian and European badgers (Carnivora: Mustelidae: Meles) inferred from ancient DNA analysis. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAlthough the present-day distributional boundary between the European badger (Meles meles) and the Asian badger (Meles leucurus) is around the Volga River, studies of ancient bone remains have indicated changes in the distribution of M. meles and M. leucurus in the Urals–Volga region during the Holocene. To examine past changes in distribution using genetic data, changes in genetic diversity, and the relationships of Holocene to modern populations, we sequenced ~150 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region from the 44 ancient badger remains excavated from European Russian, Ural and Western Siberian sites, and we detected 12 haplotypes. Our study revealed Holocene changes in the distributional boundary between these badger species. Meles meles inhabited the Ural Mountains east of the Volga River in the Early Holocene, whereas M. leucurus expanded its distribution westwards, starting ~2500 years ago. Thereafter, M. leucurus rapidly replaced M. meles in the region between the Urals and the Volga, resulting in the present-day boundary in the Volga–Kama region. Among the 12 haplotypes detected, three for M. leucurus and four for M. meles were identical to partial sequences of haplotypes detected in modern populations, indicating considerable genetic continuity between Holocene and modern populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emi Kinoshita
- Department of Natural History Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Pavel A Kosintsev
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
- Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Alexei V Abramov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Yoshinori Nishita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Masuda
- Department of Natural History Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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7
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Dufresnes C, Miquel C, Remollino N, Biollaz F, Salamin N, Taberlet P, Fumagalli L. Howling from the past: historical phylogeography and diversity losses in European grey wolves. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1148. [PMID: 30068681 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic bottlenecks resulting from human-induced population declines make alarming symbols for the irreversible loss of our natural legacy worldwide. The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic example of extreme declines driven by anthropogenic factors. Here, we assessed the genetic signatures of 150 years of wolf persecution throughout the Western Palaearctic by high-throughput mitochondrial DNA sequencing of historical specimens in an unprecedented spatio-temporal framework. Despite Late Pleistocene bottlenecks, we show that historical genetic variation had remained high throughout Europe until the last several hundred years. In Western Europe, where wolves nearly got fully exterminated, diversity dramatically collapsed at the turn of the twentieth century and recolonization from few homogeneous relict populations induced drastic shifts of genetic composition. By contrast, little genetic displacement and steady levels of diversity were maintained in Eastern European regions, where human persecution had lesser effects on wolf demography. By comparing prehistoric, historic and modern patterns of genetic diversity, our study hence traces the timeframe and the active human role in the decline of the grey wolf, an emblematic yet controversial animal which symbolizes the complex relationship between human societies and nature conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Dufresnes
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Christian Miquel
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine (LECA), UMR5553, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Nadège Remollino
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Biollaz
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Route Pra de Louetse 32, 1968 Mase, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Salamin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Computational Biology University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Taberlet
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine (LECA), UMR5553, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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Recolonizing lost habitat—how European beavers (Castor fiber) return to south-western Germany. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0360-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Marr MM, Brace S, Schreve DC, Barnes I. Identifying source populations for the reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber L. 1758, into Britain: evidence from ancient DNA. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2708. [PMID: 29426903 PMCID: PMC5807398 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21173-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing true phylogenetic relationships between populations is a critical consideration when sourcing individuals for translocation. This presents huge difficulties with threatened and endangered species that have become extirpated from large areas of their former range. We utilise ancient DNA (aDNA) to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of a keystone species which has become extinct in Britain, the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber. We sequenced seventeen 492 bp partial tRNAPro and control region sequences from Late Pleistocene and Holocene age beavers and included these in network, demographic and genealogy analyses. The mode of postglacial population expansion from refugia was investigated by employing tests of neutrality and a pairwise mismatch distribution analysis. We found evidence of a pre-Late Glacial Maximum ancestor for the Western C. fiber clade which experienced a rapid demographic expansion during the terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene period. Ancient British beavers were found to originate from the Western phylogroup but showed no phylogenetic affinity to any one modern relict population over another. Instead, we find that they formed part of a large, continuous, pan-Western European clade that harbored little internal substructure. Our study highlights the utility of aDNA in reconstructing population histories of extirpated species which has real-world implications for conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Marr
- Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK.
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Selina Brace
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Danielle C Schreve
- Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Ian Barnes
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK
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10
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J. Gaywood
- Scottish Natural Heritage; Great Glen House, Leachkin Road Inverness IV3 8NW UK
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11
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Allometry of the skull in one autochthonous and two reintroduced populations of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber, Castoridae, Rodentia). RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.15.1.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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12
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Clavero M, Nores C, Kubersky-Piredda S, Centeno-Cuadros A. Interdisciplinarity to reconstruct historical introductions: solving the status of cryptogenic crayfish. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:1036-1049. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Clavero
- Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC; Américo Vespucio s.n. 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Carlos Nores
- Indurot, Universidad de Oviedo; Campus de Mieres 3006 Mieres Asturias, Spain
| | - Susanne Kubersky-Piredda
- Minerva Research Group; Bibliotheca Hertziana, Max Planck Institute for Art History; Via Gregoriana 28 I-00187 Rome Italy
| | - Alejandro Centeno-Cuadros
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemical Engineering; University Pablo de Olavide; Carretera de Utrera km 1 41013 Seville Spain
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13
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Biedrzycka A, Konior M, Babik W, Świsłocka M, Ratkiewicz M. Admixture of two phylogeographic lineages of the Eurasian beaver in Poland. Mamm Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Senn H, Ogden R, Frosch C, Syrůčková A, Campbell-Palmer R, Munclinger P, Durka W, Kraus RHS, Saveljev AP, Nowak C, Stubbe A, Stubbe M, Michaux J, Lavrov V, Samiya R, Ulevicius A, Rosell F. Nuclear and mitochondrial genetic structure in the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) - implications for future reintroductions. Evol Appl 2014; 7:645-62. [PMID: 25067948 PMCID: PMC4105916 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many reintroduction projects for conservation fail, and there are a large number of factors that may contribute to failure. Genetic analysis can be used to help stack the odds of a reintroduction in favour of success, by conducting assessment of source populations to evaluate the possibility of inbreeding and outbreeding depression and by conducting postrelease monitoring. In this study, we use a panel of 306 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers and 487-489 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA control region sequence data to examine 321 individuals from possible source populations of the Eurasian beaver for a reintroduction to Scotland. We use this information to reassess the phylogenetic history of the Eurasian beavers, to examine the genetic legacy of past reintroductions on the Eurasian landmass and to assess the future power of the genetic markers to conduct ongoing monitoring via parentage analysis and individual identification. We demonstrate the capacity of medium density genetic data (hundreds of SNPs) to provide information suitable for applied conservation and discuss the difficulty of balancing the need for high genetic diversity against phylogenetic best fit when choosing source population(s) for reintroduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Senn
- WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rob Ogden
- WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christiane Frosch
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Alena Syrůčková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Pavel Munclinger
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Walter Durka
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ Halle, Germany
| | - Robert H S Kraus
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Alexander P Saveljev
- Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur Farming, Russian Academy of Sciences Kirov, Russia
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Annegret Stubbe
- Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Institut für Biologie Bereich Zoologie/Molekulare Ökologie Hoher Weg 4 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Michael Stubbe
- Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Institut für Biologie Domplatz 4 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Johan Michaux
- Conservation Genetics Unit, Institute of Botany (Bat. 22), University of Liège (Sart Tilman) Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Ravchig Samiya
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Alius Ulevicius
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Frank Rosell
- Telemark University College, Department of Environmental Sciences Telemark, Norway
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15
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Frosch C, Kraus RHS, Angst C, Allgöwer R, Michaux J, Teubner J, Nowak C. The genetic legacy of multiple beaver reintroductions in Central Europe. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97619. [PMID: 24827835 PMCID: PMC4020922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The comeback of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) throughout western and central Europe is considered a major conservation success. Traditionally, several subspecies are recognised by morphology and mitochondrial haplotype, each linked to a relict population. During various reintroduction programs in the 20th century, beavers from multiple source localities were released and now form viable populations. These programs differed in their reintroduction strategies, i.e., using pure subspecies vs. mixed source populations. This inhomogeneity in management actions generated ongoing debates regarding the origin of present beaver populations and appropriate management plans for the future. By sequencing of the mitochondrial control region and microsatellite genotyping of 235 beaver individuals from five selected regions in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium we show that beavers from at least four source origins currently form admixed, genetically diverse populations that spread across the study region. While regional occurrences of invasive North American beavers (n = 20) were found, all but one C. fiber bore the mitochondrial haplotype of the autochthonous western Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). Considering this, as well as the viability of admixed populations and the fact that the fusion of different lineages is already progressing in all studied regions, we argue that admixture between different beaver source populations should be generally accepted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Frosch
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Robert H. S. Kraus
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Christof Angst
- Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune (CSCF), Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Johan Michaux
- Unité de Recherches Zoogéographiques, Institut de Zoologie, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jana Teubner
- Naturschutzstation Zippelsförde, Zippelsförde, Germany
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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