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Dertien JS, Baldwin RF. Does scale or method matter for conservation? Application of directional and omnidirectional connectivity models in spatial prioritizations. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2023.976914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThe maintenance of habitat connections between fragmented habitat patches is vital for the conservation of wildlife populations and ecosystem functioning. The awareness of connectivity issues for species conservation has resulted in a growth of connectivity modeling and the application of these results in conservation planning. Such connectivity modeling efforts can include several decisions or data limitations, which could influence the connectivity results and ultimately a systematic conservation plan (SCP). However, there has been little investigation of how these different decisions on species, scale, and extent influence the ultimate conservation planning outcomes.MethodsWe modeled the connectivity of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), and black bear (Ursus americanus), three species with varying ecological requirements, through the Congaree Biosphere Region, South Carolina, USA. We modeled habitat suitability for each species using boosted regression trees and converted these results into resistance layers for the connectivity analyses. We compared models for each species at multistate regional and local extents using directional and omnidirectional circuit theory approaches. We then used the results from each modeling combination as conservation goals for three different SCPs to determine how connectivity modeling decisions may influence geographic conservation decisions.ResultsThere was substantial positive spatial correlation between the three connectivity models of each species, and there appeared to be general agreement among mammals as to most important primary corridors. Across all species, the greatest agreement was between the omnidirectional and local directional models as compared with the regional directional plan, which highlighted a unique corridor. The omnidirectional conservation plan required the least amount of planning units to achieve its conservation goals, followed by the local and then regional directional plans that required over 200 km2 more land area to be conserved.DiscussionOur results indicate that overall variations in connectivity modeling decisions may have only a moderate impact on the identification of important movement corridors for conservation at the local scale. Practitioners should base modeling decisions on the ecology of the study region, conservation question, and available computing resource.
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2
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Pither R, O’Brien P, Brennan A, Hirsh-Pearson K, Bowman J. Predicting areas important for ecological connectivity throughout Canada. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281980. [PMID: 36812251 PMCID: PMC9946242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Governments around the world have acknowledged that urgent action is needed to conserve and restore ecological connectivity to help reverse the decline of biodiversity. In this study we tested the hypothesis that functional connectivity for multiple species can be estimated across Canada using a single, upstream connectivity model. We developed a movement cost layer with cost values assigned using expert opinion to anthropogenic land cover features and natural features based on their known and assumed effects on the movement of terrestrial, non-volant fauna. We used Circuitscape to conduct an omnidirectional connectivity analysis for terrestrial landscapes, in which the potential contribution of all landscape elements to connectivity were considered and where source and destination nodes were independent of land tenure. Our resulting map of mean current density provided a seamless estimate of movement probability at a 300 m resolution across Canada. We tested predictions in our map using a variety of independently collected wildlife data. We found that GPS data for individual caribou, wolves, moose, and elk that traveled longer distances in western Canada were all significantly correlated with areas of high current densities. The frequency of moose roadkill in New Brunswick was also positively associated with current density, but our map was not able to predict areas of high road mortality for herpetofauna in southern Ontario. The results demonstrate that an upstream modelling approach can be used to characterize functional connectivity for multiple species across a large study area. Our national connectivity map can help governments in Canada prioritize land management decisions to conserve and restore connectivity at both national and regional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Pither
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
- * E-mail: (RP); (JB)
| | - Paul O’Brien
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Angela Brennan
- Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kristen Hirsh-Pearson
- Conservation Solutions Lab, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada
| | - Jeff Bowman
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Canada
- Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
- * E-mail: (RP); (JB)
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3
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Manlove K, Wilber M, White L, Bastille‐Rousseau G, Yang A, Gilbertson MLJ, Craft ME, Cross PC, Wittemyer G, Pepin KM. Defining an epidemiological landscape that connects movement ecology to pathogen transmission and pace‐of‐life. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1760-1782. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.14032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Mark Wilber
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Knoxville Tennessee USA
| | - Lauren White
- National Socio‐Environmental Synthesis Center University of Maryland Annapolis Maryland USA
| | | | - Anni Yang
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Marie L. J. Gilbertson
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Meggan E. Craft
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Paul C. Cross
- U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Bozeman Montana USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
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4
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Mulvaney JM, Matthee CA, Cherry MI. Species-landscape interactions drive divergent population trajectories in four forest-dependent Afromontane forest songbird species within a biodiversity hotspot in South Africa. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2680-2697. [PMID: 34815747 PMCID: PMC8591328 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Species confined to naturally fragmented habitats may exhibit intrinsic population complexity which may challenge interpretations of species response to anthropogenic landscape transformation. In South Africa, where native forests are naturally fragmented, forest-dependent birds have undergone range declines since 1992, most notably among insectivores. These insectivores appear sensitive to the quality of natural matrix habitats, and it is unknown whether transformation of the landscape matrix has disrupted gene flow in these species. We undertook a landscape genetics study of four forest-dependent insectivorous songbirds across southeast South Africa. Microsatellite data were used to conduct a priori optimization of landscape resistance surfaces (land cover, rivers and dams, and elevation) using cost-distances along least-cost pathway (LCP), and resistance distances (IBR). We detected pronounced declines in effective population sizes over the past two centuries for the endemic forest specialist Cossypha dichroa and Batis capensis, alongside recent gene flow disruption in B. capensis, C. dichroa and Pogonocichla stellata. Landscape resistance modelling showed both native forest and dense thicket configuration facilitates gene flow in P. stellata, B. capensis and C. dichroa. Facultative dispersal of P. stellata through dense thicket likely aided resilience against historic landscape transformation, whereas combined forest-thicket degradation adversely affected the forest generalist B. capensis. By contrast, Phylloscopus ruficapilla appears least reliant upon landscape features to maintain gene flow and was least impacted by anthropogenic landscape transformation. Collectively, gene flow in all four species is improved at lower elevations, along river valleys, and riparian corridors- where native forest and dense thicket better persist. Consistent outperformance of LCP over IBR land-cover models for P. stellata, B. capensis and C. dichroa demonstrates the benefits of wildlife corridors for South African forest-dependent bird conservation, to ameliorate the extinction debts from past and present anthropogenic forest exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M. Mulvaney
- Department of Botany and ZoologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
| | - Conrad A. Matthee
- Department of Botany and ZoologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
| | - Michael I. Cherry
- Department of Botany and ZoologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
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5
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Wieringa JG, Carstens BC, Gibbs HL. Predicting migration routes for three species of migratory bats using species distribution models. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11177. [PMID: 33959415 PMCID: PMC8054759 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding seasonal variation in the distribution and movement patterns of migratory species is essential to monitoring and conservation efforts. While there are many species of migratory bats in North America, little is known about their seasonal movements. In terms of conservation, this is important because the bat fatalities from wind energy turbines are significant and may fluctuate seasonally. Here we describe seasonally resolved distributions for the three species that are most impacted by wind farms (Lasiurus borealis (eastern red bat), L. cinereus (hoary bat) and Lasionycteris noctivagans (silver-haired bat)) and use these distributions to infer their most likely migratory pathways. To accomplish this, we collected 2,880 occurrence points from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility over five decades in North America to model species distributions on a seasonal basis and used an ensemble approach for modeling distributions. This dataset included 1,129 data points for L. borealis, 917 for L. cinereus and 834 for L. noctivagans. The results suggest that all three species exhibit variation in distributions from north to south depending on season, with each species showing potential migratory pathways during the fall migration that follow linear features. Finally, we describe proposed migratory pathways for these three species that can be used to identify stop-over sites, assess small-scale migration and highlight areas that should be prioritized for actions to reduce the effects of wind farm mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamin G Wieringa
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Bryan C Carstens
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - H Lisle Gibbs
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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6
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Dudaniec RY, Carey AR, Svensson EI, Hansson B, Yong CJ, Lancaster LT. Latitudinal clines in sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism and sex-specific genetic dispersal during a poleward range expansion. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:1104-1118. [PMID: 33759189 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Range expansions can be shaped by sex differences in behaviours and other phenotypic traits affecting dispersal and reproduction. Here, we investigate sex differences in morphology, behaviour and genomic population differentiation along a climate-mediated range expansion in the common bluetail damselfly (Ischnura elegans) in northern Europe. We sampled 65 sites along a 583-km gradient spanning the I. elegans range in Sweden and quantified latitudinal gradients in site relative abundance, sex ratio and sex-specific shifts in body size and mating status (a measure of sexual selection). Using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for 426 individuals from 25 sites, we further investigated sex-specific landscape and climatic effects on neutral genetic connectivity and migration patterns. We found evidence for sex differences associated with the I. elegans range expansion, namely (a) increased male body size with latitude, but no latitudinal effect on female body size, resulting in reduced sexual dimorphism towards the range limit, (b) a steeper decline in male genetic similarity with increasing geographic distance than in females, (c) male-biased genetic migration propensity and (d) a latitudinal cline in migration distance (increasing migratory distances towards the range margin), which was stronger in males. Cooler mean annual temperatures towards the range limit were associated with increased resistance to gene flow in both sexes. Sex ratios became increasingly male biased towards the range limit, and there was evidence for a changed sexual selection regime shifting from favouring larger males in the south to favouring smaller males in the north. Our findings suggest sex-specific spatial phenotype sorting at the range limit, where larger males disperse more under higher landscape resistance associated with cooler climates. The combination of latitudinal gradients in sex-biased dispersal, increasing male body size and (reduced) sexual size dimorphism should have emergent consequences for sexual selection dynamics and the mating system at the expanding range front. Our study illustrates the importance of considering sex differences in the study of range expansions driven by ongoing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Y Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander R Carey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Saving our Species Program, New South Wales Government, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Chuan Ji Yong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lesley T Lancaster
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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7
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Westphal D, Mancini AN, Baden AL. Primate landscape genetics: A review and practical guide. Evol Anthropol 2021; 30:171-184. [PMID: 33720482 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Landscape genetics is an emerging field that integrates population genetics, landscape ecology, and spatial statistics to investigate how geographical and environmental features and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, genetic drift, and selection structure genetic variation at both the population and individual levels, with implications for ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Despite being particularly well suited for primatologists, this method is currently underutilized. Here, we synthesize the current state of research on landscape genetics in primates. We begin by outlining how landscape genetics has been used to disentangle the drivers of diversity, followed by a review of how landscape genetic methods have been applied to primates. This is followed by a section highlighting special considerations when applying the methods to primates, and a practical guide to facilitate further landscape genetics studies using both existing and de novo datasets. We conclude by exploring future avenues of inquiry that could be facilitated by recent developments as well as underdeveloped applications of landscape genetics to primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darice Westphal
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, New York, USA
| | - Amanda N Mancini
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrea L Baden
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, New York, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Hunter College, New York, New York, USA
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8
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Lehnen SE, Sternberg MA, Swarts HM, Sesnie SE. Evaluating population connectivity and targeting conservation action for an endangered cat. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Lehnen
- Division of Biological Sciences U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P.O. Box 1306 Albuquerque New Mexico87103USA
| | - Mitch A. Sternberg
- South Texas Refuge Complex U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 3325 Green Jay Road Alamo Texas78516USA
| | - Hilary M. Swarts
- Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 22817 Ocelot Road Los Fresnos Texas78566USA
| | - Steven E. Sesnie
- Division of Biological Sciences U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service P.O. Box 1306 Albuquerque New Mexico87103USA
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9
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Savary P, Foltête JC, Moal H, Vuidel G, Garnier S. Analysing landscape effects on dispersal networks and gene flow with genetic graphs. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 21:1167-1185. [PMID: 33460526 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Graph-theoretic approaches have relevant applications in landscape genetic analyses. When species form populations in discrete habitat patches, genetic graphs can be used (a) to identify direct dispersal paths followed by propagules or (b) to quantify landscape effects on multi-generational gene flow. However, the influence of their construction parameters remains to be explored. Using a simulation approach, we constructed genetic graphs using several pruning methods (geographical distance thresholds, topological constraints, statistical inference) and genetic distances to weight graph links (FST , DPS , Euclidean genetic distances). We then compared the capacity of these different graphs to (a) identify the precise topology of the dispersal network and (b) to infer landscape resistance to gene flow from the relationship between cost-distances and genetic distances. Although not always clear-cut, our results showed that methods based on geographical distance thresholds seem to better identify dispersal networks in most cases. More interestingly, our study demonstrates that a sub-selection of pairwise distances through graph pruning (thereby reducing the number of data points) can counter-intuitively lead to improved inferences of landscape effects on dispersal. Finally, we showed that genetic distances such as the DPS or Euclidean genetic distances should be preferred over the FST for landscape effect inference as they respond faster to landscape changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Savary
- ARP-Astrance, 9 Avenue Percier, Paris, 75008, France.,ThéMA, UMR 6049 CNRS, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 32 Rue Mégevand, Besançon Cedex, 25030, France.,Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, Dijon, 21000, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Foltête
- ThéMA, UMR 6049 CNRS, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 32 Rue Mégevand, Besançon Cedex, 25030, France
| | - Hervé Moal
- ARP-Astrance, 9 Avenue Percier, Paris, 75008, France
| | - Gilles Vuidel
- ThéMA, UMR 6049 CNRS, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 32 Rue Mégevand, Besançon Cedex, 25030, France
| | - Stéphane Garnier
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, Dijon, 21000, France
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10
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Emel SL, Wang S, Metz RP, Spigler RB. Type and intensity of surrounding human land use, not local environment, shape genetic structure of a native grassland plant. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:639-655. [PMID: 33245827 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Landscape heterogeneity can shape genetic structure and functional connectivity of populations. When this heterogeneity imposes variable costs of moving across the landscape, populations can be structured according to a pattern of "isolation by resistance" (IBR). At the same time, divergent local environmental filters can limit gene flow, creating an alternative pattern of "isolation by environment" (IBE). Here, we evaluate IBR and IBE in the insect-pollinated, biennial plant Sabatia angularis (L.) Pursh (Gentianaceae) across serpentine grasslands in the fragmented landscape of SE Pennsylvania, USA using ~4500 neutral SNP loci. Specifically, we test the extent to which radical alteration of the landscape matrix by humans has fundamentally altered the cost of movement, imprinting a pattern of IBR dictated by land use type and intensity, and the potential for IBE in relation to a gradient of heavy metal concentrations found in serpentine soil. We reveal a strong signal of IBR and a weak signal of IBE across sites, indicating the greater importance of the landscape matrix in shaping genetic structure of S. angularis populations in the study region. Based on Circuitscape and least cost path approaches, we find that both low- and high-intensity urbanization resist gene flow by orders of magnitude greater than "natural" habitats, although resistance to low-intensity urbanization weakens at larger spatial scales. While cropland presents a substantially lower barrier than urban development, cumulative human land use surrounding populations predicts within-population genetic diversity and inbreeding in S. angularis. Our results emphasize the role of forest buffers and corridors in facilitating gene flow between serpentine grassland patches and averting local extinction of plant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Emel
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, USA
| | - Shichen Wang
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, TX, USA
| | - Richard P Metz
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, TX, USA
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11
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Lee TS, Creech TG, Martinson A, Nielsen SE, Jakes AF, Jones PF, Sanderson K, Ford AT. Prioritizing human safety and multispecies connectivity across a regional road network. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tracy S. Lee
- Miistakis Institute, Mount Royal University Calgary Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ken Sanderson
- Miistakis Institute, Mount Royal University Calgary Canada
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12
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Covarrubias S, González C, Gutiérrez‐Rodríguez C. Effects of natural and anthropogenic features on functional connectivity of anurans: a review of landscape genetics studies in temperate, subtropical and tropical species. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Covarrubias
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia Michoacán México
| | - C. González
- Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia Michoacán México
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13
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Balkenhol N, Schwartz MK, Inman RM, Copeland JP, Squires JS, Anderson NJ, Waits LP. Landscape genetics of wolverines ( Gulo gulo): scale-dependent effects of bioclimatic, topographic, and anthropogenic variables. J Mammal 2020; 101:790-803. [PMID: 32665742 PMCID: PMC7333878 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change can have particularly severe consequences for high-elevation species that are well-adapted to long-lasting snow conditions within their habitats. One such species is the wolverine, Gulo gulo, with several studies showing a strong, year-round association of the species with the area defined by persistent spring snow cover. This bioclimatic niche also predicts successful dispersal paths for wolverines in the contiguous United States, where the species shows low levels of genetic exchange and low effective population size. Here, we assess the influence of additional climatic, vegetative, topographic, and anthropogenic, variables on wolverine genetic structure in this region using a multivariate, multiscale, landscape genetic approach. This approach allows us to detect landscape-genetic relationships both due to typical, small-scale genetic exchange within habitat, as well as exceptional, long-distance dispersal among habitats. Results suggest that a combination of snow depth, terrain ruggedness, and housing density, best predict gene flow in wolverines, and that the relative importance of variables is scale-dependent. Environmental variables (i.e., isolation-by-resistance, IBR) were responsible for 79% of the explained variation at small scales (i.e., up to ~230 km), and 65% at broad scales (i.e., beyond ~420 km). In contrast, a null model based on only space (i.e., isolation-by-distance, IBD) accounted only for 17% and 11% of the variation at small and broad scales, respectively. Snow depth was the most important variable for predicting genetic structures overall, and at small scales, where it contributed 43% to the variance explained. At broad spatial scales, housing density and terrain ruggedness were most important with contributions to explained variation of 55% and 25%, respectively. While the small-scale analysis most likely captures gene flow within typical wolverine habitat complexes, the broad-scale analysis reflects long-distance dispersal across areas not typically inhabited by wolverines. These findings help to refine our understanding of the processes shaping wolverine genetic structure, which is important for maintaining and improving functional connectivity among remaining wolverine populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niko Balkenhol
- Wildlife Sciences, University of Goettingen, Buesgenweg, Goettingen, Germany.,Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences, Univesity of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Michael K Schwartz
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, E. Beckwith, Missoula, MT, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey P Copeland
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, E. Beckwith, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - John S Squires
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, E. Beckwith, Missoula, MT, USA
| | | | - Lisette P Waits
- Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences, Univesity of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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14
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Poli C, Hightower J, Fletcher RJ. Validating network connectivity with observed movement in experimental landscapes undergoing habitat destruction. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Poli
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Jessica Hightower
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Robert J. Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
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15
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Grasty MR, Thompson PG, Hendrickson EC, Pheil AE, Cruzan MB. Fine-scale habitat heterogeneity and vole runways influence seed dispersal in Plagiobothrys nothofulvus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:413-422. [PMID: 32090323 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Seed dispersal allows plants to colonize new sites and contributes to gene flow among populations. Despite its fundamental importance to ecological and evolutionary processes, our understanding of seed dispersal is limited due to the difficulty of directly observing dispersal events. This is particularly true for the majority of plant species that are considered to have gravity as their primary dispersal mechanism. The potential for long-distance movement of gravity-dispersed seeds by secondary dispersal vectors is rarely evaluated. METHODS We employ whole-genome assays of maternally inherited cpDNA in Plagiobothrys nothofulvus to resolve patterns of genetic variation due to effective (realized) seed dispersal within a 16 hectare prairie that is characterized by a mosaic of habitat types. We evaluate the effects of microgeographic landscape features extracted from micro-UAV aerial surveys on patterns of seed dispersal using landscape genetics methods. RESULTS We found evidence of high resistance to seed-mediated gene flow (effective dispersal) within patches of Plagiobothrys nothofulvus, and strong genetic structure over distances of less than 20 m. Geographic distance was a poor predictor of dispersal distance, while landscape features had stronger influences on patterns of dispersal (distance and direction of seed movement). Patterns of dispersal were best predicted by the combined distribution of flower patches, habitat type, and the network of vole runways, with the latter explaining the largest proportion of variation in the model. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that primary dispersal occurs mostly within microhabitats and infrequent secondary dispersal may occur over longer distances due to the activity of small mammals and other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica R Grasty
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon, 97207, USA
| | - Pamela G Thompson
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon, 97207, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Hendrickson
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon, 97207, USA
| | - Avery E Pheil
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon, 97207, USA
| | - Mitchell B Cruzan
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon, 97207, USA
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Baden AL, Mancini AN, Federman S, Holmes SM, Johnson SE, Kamilar J, Louis EE, Bradley BJ. Anthropogenic pressures drive population genetic structuring across a Critically Endangered lemur species range. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16276. [PMID: 31700150 PMCID: PMC6838192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52689-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades Madagascar has experienced significant habitat loss and modification, with minimal understanding of how human land use practices have impacted the evolution of its flora and fauna. In light of ongoing and intensifying anthropogenic pressures, we seek new insight into mechanisms driving genetic variability on this island, using a Critically Endangered lemur species, the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), as a test case. Here, we examine the relative influence of natural and anthropogenic landscape features that we predict will impose barriers to dispersal and promote genetic structuring across the species range. Using circuit theory, we model functional connectivity among 18 sampling localities using population-based genetic distance (FST). We optimized resistance surfaces using genetic algorithms and assessed their performance using maximum-likelihood population-effects mixed models. The best supported resistance model was a composite surface that included two anthropogenic features, habitat cover and distance to villages, suggesting that rapid land cover modification by humans has driven change in the genetic structure of wild lemurs. Primary conservation priority should be placed on mitigating further forest loss and connecting regions identified as having low dispersal potential to prevent further loss of genetic diversity and promote the survival of other moist forest specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Baden
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, USA.
| | - Amanda N Mancini
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, USA
| | - Sarah Federman
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sheila M Holmes
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Steig E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jason Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, USA
| | - Edward E Louis
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, 3701S 10th St, Omaha, NE68107, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
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17
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Crossley MS, Rondon SI, Schoville SD. Effects of contemporary agricultural land cover on Colorado potato beetle genetic differentiation in the Columbia Basin and Central Sands. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9385-9394. [PMID: 31463029 PMCID: PMC6706216 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Landscape structure, which can be manipulated in agricultural landscapes through crop rotation and modification of field edge habitats, can have important effects on connectivity among local populations of insects. Though crop rotation is known to influence the abundance of Colorado potato beetle (CPB; Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) fields each year, whether crop rotation and intervening edge habitat also affect genetic variation among populations is unknown. We investigated the role of landscape configuration and composition in shaping patterns of genetic variation in CPB populations in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington, and the Central Sands of Wisconsin, USA. We compared landscape structure and its potential suitability for dispersal, tested for effects of specific land cover types on genetic differentiation among CPB populations, and examined the relationship between crop rotation distances and genetic diversity. We found higher genetic differentiation between populations separated by low potato land cover, and lower genetic diversity in populations occupying areas with greater crop rotation distances. Importantly, these relationships were only observed in the Columbia Basin, and no other land cover types influenced CPB genetic variation. The lack of signal in Wisconsin may arise as a consequence of greater effective population size and less pronounced genetic drift. Our results suggest that the degree to which host plant land cover connectivity affects CPB genetic variation depends on population size and that power to detect landscape effects on genetic differentiation might be reduced in agricultural insect pest systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia I. Rondon
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension CenterOregon State UniversityHermistonORUSA
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Fletcher RJ, Sefair JA, Wang C, Poli CL, Smith TAH, Bruna EM, Holt RD, Barfield M, Marx AJ, Acevedo MA. Towards a unified framework for connectivity that disentangles movement and mortality in space and time. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1680-1689. [PMID: 31347244 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Predicting connectivity, or how landscapes alter movement, is essential for understanding the scope for species persistence with environmental change. Although it is well known that movement is risky, connectivity modelling often conflates behavioural responses to the matrix through which animals disperse with mortality risk. We derive new connectivity models using random walk theory, based on the concept of spatial absorbing Markov chains. These models decompose the role of matrix on movement behaviour and mortality risk, can incorporate species distribution to predict the amount of flow, and provide both short- and long-term analytical solutions for multiple connectivity metrics. We validate the framework using data on movement of an insect herbivore in 15 experimental landscapes. Our results demonstrate that disentangling the roles of movement behaviour and mortality risk is fundamental to accurately interpreting landscape connectivity, and that spatial absorbing Markov chains provide a generalisable and powerful framework with which to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA
| | - Jorge A Sefair
- School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Chao Wang
- School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Caroline L Poli
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA
| | - Thomas A H Smith
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA
| | - Emilio M Bruna
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA.,Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, PO Box 115530, 319 Grinter Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-5530, USA
| | - Robert D Holt
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525, 111 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-8525, USA
| | - Michael Barfield
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525, 111 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-8525, USA
| | - Andrew J Marx
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA
| | - Miguel A Acevedo
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0430, USA
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Identifying habitats and corridors of an invasive plant, Ageratina altissima, in an urban forest. LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11355-019-00381-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kang W, Thorne JH, Kim G, Lee D, Song Y. Conserving terrestrial linkages that connect natural landscapes of the Korean Peninsula. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:385. [PMID: 31111242 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7520-2] [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: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced land degradation fragments natural ecosystems, hinders ecological processes, and threatens biodiversity. Maintaining or restoring ecological flows across landscapes through landscape linkages may provide a solution. Here, we identify a peninsula-wide ecological connectivity network for the Korean Peninsula using two linkage mapping models. We found three major north-south axes of connectivity traversing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which emerged as an important east-west linkage. Only 7% of the highest-ranked connections are currently secured by protected areas. We found 120 linkages in North and South Korea that are intersected by road networks consisting of motorways and trunk roads under both models. These locations should be the focus of immediate attention for conservation planners, as well as 274 and 1130 additional road-impacted linkages under one model or the other. The results can be used for policy support, and potentially as a basis for the two countries to engage in discussions about ecosystem health and climate change adaptation. The approach presented here can also be efficiently used to assess and map natural landscape linkages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanmo Kang
- Department of Human Environment Design, Cheongju University, 298 Daeseong-ro, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 28503, Republic of Korea
| | - James H Thorne
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - GoWoon Kim
- O-Jeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongkun Lee
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural Systems Engineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngkeun Song
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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Emel SL, Olson DH, Knowles LL, Storfer A. Comparative landscape genetics of two endemic torrent salamander species, Rhyacotriton kezeri and R. variegatus: implications for forest management and species conservation. CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01172-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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22
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Dickson BG, Albano CM, Anantharaman R, Beier P, Fargione J, Graves TA, Gray ME, Hall KR, Lawler JJ, Leonard PB, Littlefield CE, McClure ML, Novembre J, Schloss CA, Schumaker NH, Shah VB, Theobald DM. Circuit-theory applications to connectivity science and conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:239-249. [PMID: 30311266 PMCID: PMC6727660 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Conservation practitioners have long recognized ecological connectivity as a global priority for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function. In the early years of conservation science, ecologists extended principles of island biogeography to assess connectivity based on source patch proximity and other metrics derived from binary maps of habitat. From 2006 to 2008, the late Brad McRae introduced circuit theory as an alternative approach to model gene flow and the dispersal or movement routes of organisms. He posited concepts and metrics from electrical circuit theory as a robust way to quantify movement across multiple possible paths in a landscape, not just a single least-cost path or corridor. Circuit theory offers many theoretical, conceptual, and practical linkages to conservation science. We reviewed 459 recent studies citing circuit theory or the open-source software Circuitscape. We focused on applications of circuit theory to the science and practice of connectivity conservation, including topics in landscape and population genetics, movement and dispersal paths of organisms, anthropogenic barriers to connectivity, fire behavior, water flow, and ecosystem services. Circuit theory is likely to have an effect on conservation science and practitioners through improved insights into landscape dynamics, animal movement, and habitat-use studies and through the development of new software tools for data analysis and visualization. The influence of circuit theory on conservation comes from the theoretical basis and elegance of the approach and the powerful collaborations and active user community that have emerged. Circuit theory provides a springboard for ecological understanding and will remain an important conservation tool for researchers and practitioners around the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett G. Dickson
- Conservation Science Partners Inc., 11050 Pioneer Trail, Suite 202, Truckee, CA, 96161, U.S.A
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Box 5694, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, U.S.A
| | - Christine M. Albano
- Conservation Science Partners Inc., 11050 Pioneer Trail, Suite 202, Truckee, CA, 96161, U.S.A
| | | | - Paul Beier
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, U.S.A
| | - Joe Fargione
- The Nature Conservancy – North America Region, 1101 West River Parkway, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, U.S.A
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, 38 Mather Drive, West Glacier, MT, 59936, U.S.A
| | - Miranda E. Gray
- Conservation Science Partners Inc., 11050 Pioneer Trail, Suite 202, Truckee, CA, 96161, U.S.A
| | - Kimberly R. Hall
- The Nature Conservancy – North America Region, 1101 West River Parkway, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, U.S.A
| | - Josh J. Lawler
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA, 98195, U.S.A
| | - Paul B. Leonard
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Science Applications, 101 12th Avenue, Number 110, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, U.S.A
| | - Caitlin E. Littlefield
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA, 98195, U.S.A
| | - Meredith L. McClure
- Conservation Science Partners Inc., 11050 Pioneer Trail, Suite 202, Truckee, CA, 96161, U.S.A
| | - John Novembre
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 920 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL, 60637, U.S.A
| | - Carrie A. Schloss
- The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A
| | - Nathan H. Schumaker
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 200 Southwest 35th Street, Corvallis, OR, 97330, U.S.A
| | - Viral B. Shah
- Julia Computing, 45 Prospect Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, U.S.A
| | - David M. Theobald
- Conservation Science Partners Inc., 11050 Pioneer Trail, Suite 202, Truckee, CA, 96161, U.S.A
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Flores‐Manzanero A, Luna‐Bárcenas MA, Dyer RJ, Vázquez‐Domínguez E. Functional connectivity and home range inferred at a microgeographic landscape genetics scale in a desert-dwelling rodent. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:437-453. [PMID: 30680126 PMCID: PMC6342108 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene flow in animals is limited or facilitated by different features within the landscape matrix they inhabit. The landscape representation in landscape genetics (LG) is traditionally modeled as resistance surfaces (RS), where novel optimization approaches are needed for assigning resistance values that adequately avoid subjectivity. Also, desert ecosystems and mammals are scarcely represented in LG studies. We addressed these issues by evaluating, at a microgeographic scale, the effect of landscape features on functional connectivity of the desert-dwelling Dipodomys merriami. We characterized genetic diversity and structure with microsatellites loci, estimated home ranges and movement of individuals using telemetry-one of the first with rodents, generated a set of individual and composite environmental surfaces based on hypotheses of variables influencing movement, and assessed how these variables relate to individual-based gene flow. Genetic diversity and structure results evidenced a family-induced pattern driven by first-order-related individuals, notably determining landscape genetic inferences. The vegetation cover and soil resistance optimized surface (NDVI) were the best-supported model and a significant predictor of individual genetic distance, followed by humidity and NDVI+humidity. Based on an accurate definition of thematic resolution, we also showed that vegetation is better represented as continuously (vs. categorically) distributed. Hence, with a nonsubjective optimization framework for RS and telemetry, we were able to describe that vegetation cover, soil texture, and climatic variables influence D. merriami's functional connectivity at a microgeographic scale, patterns we could further explain based on the home range, habitat use, and activity observed between sexes. We describe the relationship between environmental features and some aspects of D. merriami's behavior and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Flores‐Manzanero
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
- Posgrado en Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Madisson A. Luna‐Bárcenas
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Rodney J. Dyer
- Department of Biology and Center for Environmental StudiesVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginia
| | - Ella Vázquez‐Domínguez
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
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Koenig SJ, Bender DJ. Increasing the function in distance-based functional connectivity assessments: a modified spatial interaction model (SIM) approach. Ecol Modell 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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25
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Arredondo TM, Marchini GL, Cruzan MB. Evidence for human-mediated range expansion and gene flow in an invasive grass. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181125. [PMID: 30051826 PMCID: PMC6053927 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities and adjacent regions represent foci of intense human activity and provide unique opportunities for studying human-mediated dispersal and gene flow. We examined the effect of landscape features on gene flow in the invasive grass Brachypodium sylvaticum across an urban-rural interface at the edge of its expanding range. We used genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism surveys of individuals from 22 locations. Resistance surfaces were created for each landscape feature, using ResistanceGA to optimize resistance parameters. Our Structure analysis identified three distinct clusters, and diversity analyses support the existence of at least three local introductions. Multiple regression on distance matrices showed no evidence that development, roads, canopy cover or agriculture had a significant influence on genetic distance in B. sylvaticum Geographical distance was a mediocre predictor of genetic distance and reflected geographical clustering. The model of rivers acting as a conduit explained a large portion of variation in genetic distance, but the lack of evidence of directional gene flow eliminated hydrochory as a dispersal mechanism. These results and observations of the distribution of populations in disturbed sites indicate that the influence of rivers on patterns of dispersal of B. sylvaticum probably reflects seed dispersal due to human recreational activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina M Arredondo
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Gina L Marchini
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Mitchell B Cruzan
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
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Khimoun A, Peterman W, Eraud C, Faivre B, Navarro N, Garnier S. Landscape genetic analyses reveal fine-scale effects of forest fragmentation in an insular tropical bird. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:4906-4919. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Khimoun
- CNRS; Biogéosciences UMR6282; Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté; Dijon France
| | - William Peterman
- School of Environment and Natural Resources; The Ohio State University; Columbus OH USA
| | - Cyril Eraud
- CNERA Avifaune Migratrice; Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage; Villiers en Bois France
| | - Bruno Faivre
- CNRS; Biogéosciences UMR6282; Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté; Dijon France
| | - Nicolas Navarro
- CNRS; Biogéosciences UMR6282; Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté; Dijon France
- EPHE; PSL Research University Paris; Dijon France
| | - Stéphane Garnier
- CNRS; Biogéosciences UMR6282; Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté; Dijon France
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Marrotte RR, Bowman J, Brown MG, Cordes C, Morris KY, Prentice MB, Wilson PJ. Multi-species genetic connectivity in a terrestrial habitat network. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:21. [PMID: 29043084 PMCID: PMC5629812 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-017-0112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Habitat fragmentation reduces genetic connectivity for multiple species, yet conservation efforts tend to rely heavily on single-species connectivity estimates to inform land-use planning. Such conservation activities may benefit from multi-species connectivity estimates, which provide a simple and practical means to mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation for a larger number of species. To test the validity of a multi-species connectivity model, we used neutral microsatellite genetic datasets of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), American marten (Martes americana), fisher (Pekania pennanti), and southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) to evaluate multi-species genetic connectivity across Ontario, Canada. RESULTS We used linear models to compare node-based estimates of genetic connectivity for each species to point-based estimates of landscape connectivity (current density) derived from circuit theory. To our knowledge, we are the first to evaluate current density as a measure of genetic connectivity. Our results depended on landscape context: habitat amount was more important than current density in explaining multi-species genetic connectivity in the northern part of our study area, where habitat was abundant and fragmentation was low. In the south however, where fragmentation was prevalent, genetic connectivity was correlated with current density. Contrary to our expectations however, locations with a high probability of movement as reflected by high current density were negatively associated with gene flow. Subsequent analyses of circuit theory outputs showed that high current density was also associated with high effective resistance, underscoring that the presence of pinch points is not necessarily indicative of gene flow. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our study appears to provide support for the hypothesis that landscape pattern is important when habitat amount is low. We also conclude that while current density is proportional to the probability of movement per unit area, this does not imply increased gene flow, since high current density tends to be a result of neighbouring pixels with high cost of movement (e.g., low habitat amount). In other words, pinch points with high current density appear to constrict gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robby R. Marrotte
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Jeff Bowman
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Michael G.C. Brown
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Chad Cordes
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Kimberley Y. Morris
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Melanie B. Prentice
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Paul J. Wilson
- Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
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