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Karabanina E, Lansink GMJ, Ponnikas S, Kvist L. A renewed glance at the Palearctic golden eagle: Genetic variation in space and time. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11109. [PMID: 38469039 PMCID: PMC10925523 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11109] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic pressures on nature have been causing population declines for centuries. Intensified persecution of apex predators, like the golden eagle, resulted in population bottlenecks during the 19th and 20th centuries. To study population genetics and demographic history of the golden eagle throughout its distribution, we collected museum samples from previously underrepresented regions, such as Russia and Central Asia. We used 12 microsatellite loci and a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region to re-evaluate phylogeography of Eurasian golden eagles and study the impacts of the population bottleneck. Our results revealed a north-south genetic gradient, expressed by the difference between Mediterranean and Holarctic lineages, as well as genetically distinct Northern Europe and Central Asia and Caucasus regions. Furthermore, Northern Europe exhibited the lowest, whereas Central Asia and Caucasus had the highest genetic diversity. Although golden eagles maintained relatively high genetic diversity, we detected genetic signatures of the recent bottleneck, including reduced genetic diversity and a decline in the effective female population size around the year 1975. Our study improves the knowledge of the genetic composition of Eurasian golden eagles and highlights the importance of understanding their historical population dynamics in the face of ongoing and future conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Suvi Ponnikas
- Ecology and Genetics Research UnitUniversity of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Laura Kvist
- Ecology and Genetics Research UnitUniversity of OuluOuluFinland
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Gousy-Leblanc M, Yannic G, Therrien JF, Lecomte N. Mapping our knowledge on birds of prey population genetics. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01368-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Genetic diversity of the Griffon vulture population in Serbia and its importance for conservation efforts in the Balkans. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20394. [PMID: 33230239 PMCID: PMC7684298 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77342-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Griffon vulture was once a widespread species across the region of Southeast Europe, but it is now endangered and in some parts is completely extinct. In the Balkan Peninsula the largest Griffon vulture inland population inhabits the territory of Serbia. We present, for the first time, the genetic data of this valuable population that could be a source for future reintroduction programs planned in South-eastern Europe. To characterize the genetic structure of this population we used microsatellite markers from ten loci. Blood samples were collected from 57 chicks directly in the nests during the ongoing monitoring program. We performed a comparative analysis of the obtained data with the existing data from three native populations from French Pyrenees, Croatia, and Israel. We have assessed the genetic differentiation between different native populations and determined the existence of two genetic clusters that differentiate the populations from the Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas. Furthermore, we analysed whether the recent bottleneck events influenced the genetic structure of the populations studied, and we found that all native populations experienced a recent bottleneck event, and that the population of Israel was the least affected. Nevertheless, the parameters of genetic diversity suggest that all analysed populations have retained a similar level of genetic diversity and that the Griffon vulture population from Serbia exhibits the highest value for private alleles. The results of this study suggest that the Griffon vulture populations of the Balkan Peninsula are genetically differentiated from the populations of the Iberian Peninsula, which is an important information for future reintroduction strategies.
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Nebel C, Gamauf A, Haring E, Segelbacher G, Väli Ü, Villers A, Zachos FE. New insights into population structure of the European golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) revealed by microsatellite analysis. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractConnectivity between golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) populations is poorly understood. Field studies exploring natal dispersal suggest that this raptor is a philopatric species, but with the ability to roam far. However, little is known about the population structure of the species in Europe. Our study is based on 14 microsatellite loci and is complemented by new and previously published mitochondrial control region DNA data. The present dataset includes 121 eagles from Scotland, Norway, Finland, Estonia, the Mediterranean and Alpine regions. Our sampling focused on the Alpine and Mediterranean populations because both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages found in golden eagles, the Holarctic and the Mediterranean, are known to co-occur there. Cluster analyses of nuclear DNA support a shallow split into northern and southern populations in Europe, similar to the distribution of the two mtDNA lineages, with the Holarctic lineage occurring in the north and the Mediterranean lineage predominating in the south. Additionally, Scotland shows significant differentiation and low relative migration levels that indicate isolation from the mainland populations. Alpine and Mediterranean golden eagles do not show nuclear structure corresponding to divergent mtDNA lineages. This indicates that the presence of northern Holarctic mitochondrial haplotypes in the Alps and the Mediterranean is attributable to past admixture rather than recent long-distance dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nebel
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anita Gamauf
- Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Haring
- Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Ülo Väli
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Alexandre Villers
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR7372, CNRS – Université de la Rochelle, Beauvoir sur Niort, France
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Unité Avifaune Migratrice, Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Station de Chizé, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Frank E Zachos
- Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Mays SE, Newberry GN, Riley L, Britten HB, Swanson DL. Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles Minor) in Agricultural Landscapes: Genetic Structure of Populations Restricted to Urban Rooftop Nesting. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-181.1.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Mays
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 57069
| | | | - Lynn Riley
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 57069
| | - Hugh B. Britten
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 57069
| | - David L. Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 57069
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