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Santostasi NL, Bauduin S, Grente O, Gimenez O, Ciucci P. Simulating the efficacy of wolf-dog hybridization management with individual-based modeling. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14312. [PMID: 38894638 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Introgressive hybridization between wolves and dogs is a conservation concern due to its potentially deleterious long-term evolutionary consequences. European legislation requires that wolf-dog hybridization be mitigated through effective management. We developed an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the life cycle of gray wolves that incorporates aspects of wolf sociality that affect hybridization rates (e.g., the dissolution of packs after the death of one/both breeders) with the goal of informing decision-making on management of wolf-dog hybridization. We applied our model by projecting hybridization dynamics in a local wolf population under different mate choice and immigration scenarios and contrasted results of removal of admixed individuals with their sterilization and release. In several scenarios, lack of management led to complete admixture, whereas reactive management interventions effectively reduced admixture in wolf populations. Management effectiveness, however, strongly depended on mate choice and number and admixture level of individuals immigrating into the wolf population. The inclusion of anthropogenic mortality affecting parental and admixed individuals (e.g., poaching) increased the probability of pack dissolution and thus increased the probability of interbreeding with dogs or admixed individuals and boosted hybridization and introgression rates in all simulation scenarios. Recognizing the necessity of additional model refinements (appropriate parameterization, thorough sensitivity analyses, and robust model validation) to generate management recommendations applicable in real-world scenarios, we maintain confidence in our model's potential as a valuable conservation tool that can be applied to diverse situations and species facing similar threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sarah Bauduin
- Direction de la Recherche et Appui Scientifique, Service Conservation et Gestion des Espèces à Enjeux, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Juvignac, France
| | - Oksana Grente
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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Schoonemann J, Nagelkerke J, Seuntjens TG, Osinga N, van Liere D. Applying XGBoost and SHAP to Open Source Data to Identify Key Drivers and Predict Likelihood of Wolf Pair Presence. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:1072-1087. [PMID: 38372749 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01941-1] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Wolves have returned to Germany since 2000. Numbers have grown to 209 territorial pairs in 2021. XGBoost machine learning, combined with SHAP analysis is applied to predict German wolf pair presence in 2022 for 10 × 10 km grid cells. Model input consisted of 38 variables from open sources, covering the period 2000 to 2021. The XGBoost model predicted well, with 0.91 as the AUC. SHAP analysis ranked the variables: distance to the closest neighboring wolf pair was the main driver for a grid cell to become occupied by a wolf pair. The clustering tendency of related wolves seems to be an important explanatory factor here. Second was the percentage of wooded area. The next eight variables related to wolf presence in the preceding year, except at fifth, eighth and tenth position in the total order: human density (square root) in the grid, percentage arable land and road density respectively. Other variables including the occurrence of wild prey were the weakest predictors. The SHAP analysis also provided crucial added value in identifying a variable that had threshold values where its contribution to the prediction changed from positive to negative or vice versa. For instance, low density of people increased the probability of wolf pair presence, whereas a high density decreased this probability. Cumulative lift techniques showed that the model performed almost four times better than random prediction. The combination of XGBoost, SHAP and cumulative lift techniques is new in wolf management and conservation, allowing for the focusing of educational and financial resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nynke Osinga
- Institute for Coexistence with Wildlife, Heuvelweg 7, 7218 BD, Almen, Nederland
| | - Diederik van Liere
- Institute for Coexistence with Wildlife, Heuvelweg 7, 7218 BD, Almen, Nederland
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Eriksson CE, Roffler GH, Allen JM, Lewis A, Levi T. The origin, connectivity, and individual specialization of island wolves after deer extirpation. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11266. [PMID: 38633525 PMCID: PMC11021858 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolves are assumed to be ungulate obligates, however, a recently described pack on Pleasant Island, Alaska USA, is persisting on sea otters and other marine resources without ungulate prey, violating this long-held assumption. We address questions about these wolves regarding their origin and fate, degree of isolation, risk of inbreeding depression, and diet specialization by individual and sex. We applied DNA metabarcoding and genotyping by amplicon sequencing using 957 scats collected from 2016 to 2022, and reduced representation sequencing of tissue samples to establish a detailed understanding of Pleasant Island wolf ecology and compare them with adjacent mainland wolves. Dietary overlap was higher among individual wolves on Pleasant Island (Pianka's index mean 0.95 ± 0.03) compared to mainland wolves (0.70 ± 0.21). The individual diets of island wolves were dominated by sea otter, ranging from 40.6% to 63.2% weighted percent of occurrence (wPOO) (mean 55.5 ± 8.7). In contrast, individual mainland wolves primarily fed on ungulates (42.2 ± 21.3) or voles during a population outbreak (31.2 ± 23.2). We traced the origin of the Pleasant Island pack to a mainland pair that colonized around 2013 and produced several litters. After this breeding pair was killed, their female offspring and an immigrant male became the new breeders in 2019. We detected 20 individuals of which 8 (40%) were trapped and killed while two died of natural causes during the 6-year study. Except for the new breeding male, the pedigree analysis and genotype results showed no additional movement to or from the island, indicating limited dispersal but no evidence of inbreeding. Our findings suggest wolves exhibit more flexible foraging behavior than previously believed, and hunting strategies can substantially differ between individuals within or between packs. Nevertheless, anthropogenic and natural mortality combined with limited connectivity to the mainland may inhibit the continued persistence of Pleasant Island wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E. Eriksson
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Gretchen H. Roffler
- Alaska Department of Fish and GameDivision of Wildlife ConservationDouglasAlaskaUSA
| | - Jennifer M. Allen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Alex Lewis
- Alaska Department of Fish and GameDivision of Wildlife ConservationDouglasAlaskaUSA
| | - Taal Levi
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
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Pacheco C, Rio-Maior H, Nakamura M, Álvares F, Godinho R. Relatedness-based mate choice and female philopatry: inbreeding trends of wolf packs in a human-dominated landscape. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:211-220. [PMID: 38472424 PMCID: PMC10997798 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00676-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding can reduce offspring fitness and has substantial implications for the genetic diversity and long-term viability of populations. In social cooperative canids, inbreeding is conditioned by the geographic proximity between opposite-sex kin outside natal groups and the presence of related individuals in neighbouring groups. Consequently, challenges in moving into other regions where the species is present can also affect inbreeding rates. These can be particularly problematic in areas of high human density, where movement can be restricted, even for highly vagile species. In this study, we investigate the socio-ecological dynamics of Iberian wolf packs in the human-dominated landscape of Alto Minho, in northwest Portugal, where wolves exhibit a high prevalence of short-distance dispersal and limited gene flow with neighbouring regions. We hypothesise that mating occurs regardless of relatedness, resulting in recurrent inbreeding due to high kin encounter rates. Using data from a 10-year non-invasive genetic monitoring programme and a combination of relatedness estimates and genealogical reconstructions, we describe genetic diversity, mate choice, and dispersal strategies among Alto Minho packs. In contrast with expectations, our findings reveal relatedness-based mate choice, low kin encounter rates, and a reduced number of inbreeding events. We observed a high prevalence of philopatry, particularly among female breeders, with the most common breeding strategy involving the pairing of a philopatric female with an unrelated immigrant male. Overall, wolves were not inbred, and temporal changes in genetic diversity were not significant. Our findings are discussed, considering the demographic trend of wolves in Alto Minho and its human-dominated landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Pacheco
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Helena Rio-Maior
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Mónia Nakamura
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
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Musto C, Cerri J, Capizzi D, Fontana MC, Rubini S, Merialdi G, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Santi A, Rossi A, Barsi F, Gelmini L, Fiorentini L, Pupillo G, Torreggiani C, Bianchi A, Gazzola A, Prati P, Sala G, Apollonio M, Delogu M, Biancardi A, Uboldi L, Moretti A, Garbarino C. First evidence of widespread positivity to anticoagulant rodenticides in grey wolves (Canis lupus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:169990. [PMID: 38232835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169990] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs) can be critical for carnivores, due to their widespread use and impacts. However, although many studies explored the impacts of ARs on small and mesocarnivores, none assessed the extent to which they could contaminate large carnivores in anthropized landscapes. We filled this gap by exploring spatiotemporal trends in grey wolf (Canis lupus) exposure to ARs in central and northern Italy, by subjecting a large sample of dead wolves (n = 186) to the LC-MS/MS method. Most wolves (n = 115/186, 61.8 %) tested positive for ARs (1 compound, n = 36; 2 compounds, n = 47; 3 compounds, n = 16; 4 or more compounds, n = 16). Bromadiolone, brodifacoum and difenacoum, were the most common compounds, with brodifacoum and bromadiolone being the ARs that co-occurred the most (n = 61). Both the probability of testing positive for multiple ARs and the concentration of brodifacoum, and bromadiolone in the liver, systematically increased in wolves that were found at more anthropized sites. Moreover, wolves became more likely to test positive for ARs through time, particularly after 2020. Our results underline that rodent control, based on ARs, increases the risks of unintentional poisoning of non-target wildlife. However, this risk does not only involve small and mesocarnivores, but also large carnivores at the top of the food chain, such as wolves. Therefore, rodent control is adding one further conservation threat to endangered large carnivores in anthropized landscapes of Europe, whose severity could increase over time and be far higher than previously thought. Large-scale monitoring schemes for ARs in European large carnivores should be devised as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Jacopo Cerri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Dario Capizzi
- Directorate for Environment, Latium Region, 00173 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Fontana
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Silva Rubini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Centro per lo Studio e la Documentazione sul Lupo, 50033 Firenze, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Centro per lo Studio e la Documentazione sul Lupo, 50033 Firenze, Italy
| | - Annalisa Santi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Filippo Barsi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luca Gelmini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Fiorentini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pupillo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Camilla Torreggiani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bianchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gazzola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paola Prati
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sala
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto Biancardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Uboldi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Moretti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Chiara Garbarino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
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Roffler GH, Pilgrim KL, Williams BC. Patterns of Wolf Dispersal Respond to Harvest Density across an Island Complex. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:622. [PMID: 38396590 PMCID: PMC10885989 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolves are highly mobile predators and can disperse across a variety of habitats and over long distances. However, less is known about dispersal capabilities across water and among islands. The biogeography of island systems fosters spatially structured local populations, and their degree of connectivity may influence the dynamics and long-term viability of the regional population. We sought to quantify wolf dispersal rate, distance, and dispersal sex bias throughout Prince of Wales Island, a 6670 km2 island in southeast Alaska, and the surrounding islands that constitute the wildlife management unit (9025 km2). We also investigated patterns of dispersal in relation to hunting and trapping intensity and wolf population density. We used DNA data collected during 2012-2021 long-term monitoring efforts and genotyped 811 wolves, 144 of which (18%) were dispersers. Annual dispersal rates were 9-23% and had a weakly positive relationship with wolf density. Wolves dispersed 41.9 km on average (SD = 23.7 km), and males and females did not disperse at different rates. Of the dispersing wolves, 107 died, and the majority (n = 81) died before they were able to settle. The leading manner of death was trapping (97% of mortalities), and wolves tended to disperse from areas with low harvest density to areas where harvest density was relatively higher. Dispersal occurred both to and from small islands and the larger Prince of Wales Island, indicating bidirectional as opposed to asymmetrical movement, and the genetic overlap of wolf groups demonstrates connectivity throughout this naturally patchy system. Island ecosystems have different predator-prey dynamics and recolonization processes than large, intact systems due to their isolation and restricted sizes; thus, a better understanding of the degree of population connectivity including dispersal patterns among islands in the Prince of Wales archipelago could help inform the management and research strategies of these wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen H. Roffler
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Douglas, AK 99824, USA
| | - Kristine L. Pilgrim
- National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Missoula, MT 59802, USA;
| | - Benjamin C. Williams
- Auke Bay Laboratories, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Juneau, AK 99801, USA;
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Moreno A, Musto C, Gobbi M, Maioli G, Menchetti M, Trogu T, Paniccià M, Lavazza A, Delogu M. Detection and molecular analysis of Pseudorabies virus from free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus) in Italy - a case report. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:9. [PMID: 38172819 PMCID: PMC10765938 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03857-0] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The only natural hosts of Pseudorabies virus (PRV) are members of the family Suidae (Sus scrofa scrofa). In mammals, the infection is usually fatal and typically causes serious neurologic disease. This study describes four Aujeszky's disease cases in free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus). In Italy, the wolf is a strictly protected species and is in demographic expansion. CASE PRESENTATION Three wolves (Wolf A, B, and C) were found in a regional park in Northern Italy, and one (Wolf D) was found in Central Italy. Wolf A and D were alive at the time of the finding and exhibited a fatal infection with epileptic seizures and dyspnoea, dying after a few hours. Wolf B presented scratching lesions under the chin and a detachment of the right earlobe, whilst Wolf C was partially eaten. The wolves showed hepatic congestion, diffuse enteritis, moderate pericardial effusion, severe bilateral pneumonia, and diffuse hyperaemia in the brain. The diagnostic examinations included virological analyses and detection of toxic molecules able to cause serious neurological signs. All four wolves tested positive for pseudorabies virus (PrV). The analysed sequences were placed in Italian clade 1, which is divided into two subclades, "a" and "b". The sequences of Wolf A, B, and C were closely related to other Italian sequences in the subclade b, originally obtained from wild boars and hunting dogs. The sequence from Wolf D was located within the same clade and was closely related to the French hunting dog sequences belonging to group 4. CONCLUSION Results showed the presence of PrV strains currently circulating in wild boars and free-ranging Italian wolves. The genetic characterisation of the PrV UL44 sequences from the four wolves confirmed the close relationship with the sequences from wild boars and hunting dogs. This fact supports a possible epidemiological link with the high PrV presence in wild boars and the possibility of infection in wolves through consumption of infected wild boar carcasses or indirect transmission. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first detection of Pseudorabies virus in free-ranging Italian wolves in northern and central Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moreno
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy.
| | - Marco Gobbi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Perugia, 06126, Italy
| | - Giulia Maioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marika Menchetti
- Neurology and Neurosurgery Division, San Marco Veterinary Clinic, Veggiano, Padua, 35030, Italy
| | - Tiziana Trogu
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marta Paniccià
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Perugia, 06126, Italy
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy
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Jarausch A, von Thaden A, Sin T, Corradini A, Pop MI, Chiriac S, Gazzola A, Nowak C. Assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation in the Eastern Romanian Carpathian wolf population. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22574. [PMID: 38114536 PMCID: PMC10730609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48741-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The Carpathian Mountains have been constantly inhabited by grey wolves and present one of the largest distribution areas in Europe, comprising between 2300 and 2700 individuals in Romania. To date, however, relatively little is known about the Romanian wolf population. We aimed to provide a first assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation based on 444 mostly non-invasively collected samples in the Eastern Romanian Carpathians. Pack reconstruction and analysis of population genetic parameters were performed with mitochondrial DNA control-region sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. We found relatively high levels of genetic diversity, which is similar to values found in previous studies on Carpathian wolves from Poland and Slovakia, as well as to the long-lasting Dinaric-Balkan wolf population. We found no significant population structure in our study region, suggesting effective dispersal and admixture. Analysis of wolf-dog hybridisation using a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism panel optimised for hybrid detection revealed low rates of admixture between wolves and domestic dogs. Our results provide evidence for the existence of a genetically viable wolf population in the Romanian Carpathians. The genetic data obtained in this study may serve as valuable baseline information for the elaboration of monitoring standards and management plans for wolves in Romania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Jarausch
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Biologicum, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Alina von Thaden
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Teodora Sin
- Department of Systems Ecology and Sustainability, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, 050095, Bucharest, Romania
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, Ion Creanga 12, 620083, Focsani, Romania
| | - Andrea Corradini
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, Ion Creanga 12, 620083, Focsani, Romania
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38098, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133, Palermo, PA, Italy
| | - Mihai I Pop
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, Ion Creanga 12, 620083, Focsani, Romania
| | - Silviu Chiriac
- Environmental Protection Agency, Vrancea County, Dinicu Golescu 2, 620106, Focsani, Romania
| | - Andrea Gazzola
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, Ion Creanga 12, 620083, Focsani, Romania
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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9
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Marucco F, Boiani MV, Dupont P, Milleret C, Avanzinelli E, Pilgrim K, Schwartz MK, von Hardenberg A, Perrone DS, Friard OP, Menzano A, Bisi F, Fattori U, Tomasella M, Calderola S, Carolfi S, Ferrari P, Chioso C, Truc F, Bombieri G, Pedrotti L, Righetti D, Acutis PL, Guglielmo F, Hauffe HC, Rossi C, Caniglia R, Aragno P, La Morgia V, Genovesi P, Bischof R. A multidisciplinary approach to estimating wolf population size for long-term conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14132. [PMID: 37259636 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The wolf (Canis lupus) is among the most controversial of wildlife species. Abundance estimates are required to inform public debate and policy decisions, but obtaining them at biologically relevant scales is challenging. We developed a system for comprehensive population estimation across the Italian alpine region (100,000 km2 ), involving 1513 trained operators representing 160 institutions. This extensive network allowed for coordinated genetic sample collection and landscape-level spatial capture-recapture analyses that transcended administrative boundaries to produce the first estimates of key parameters for wolf population status assessment. Wolf abundance was estimated at 952 individuals (95% credible interval 816-1120) and 135 reproductive units (i.e., packs) (95% credible interval 112-165). We also estimated that mature individuals accounted for 33-45% of the entire population. The monitoring effort was spatially estimated thereby overcoming an important limitation of citizen science data. This is an important approach for promoting wolf-human coexistence based on wolf abundance monitoring and an endorsement of large-scale harmonized conservation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Marucco
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria V Boiani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Chester, Chester, UK
| | - Pierre Dupont
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Cyril Milleret
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Elisa Avanzinelli
- Centro Grandi Carnivori, Ente di Gestione Aree Protette Alpi Marittime, Valdieri, Italy
| | - Kristine Pilgrim
- USDA National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Michael K Schwartz
- USDA National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Achaz von Hardenberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Chester, Chester, UK
| | | | - Olivier P Friard
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Arianna Menzano
- Centro Grandi Carnivori, Ente di Gestione Aree Protette Alpi Marittime, Valdieri, Italy
| | - Francesco Bisi
- Environmental Analysis and Management Unit, Guido Tosi Research Group, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Umberto Fattori
- Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Osservatorio Biodiversità, Trieste, Italy
| | - Michela Tomasella
- Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Osservatorio Biodiversità, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sonia Calderola
- Regione del Veneto, Direzione Agroambiente, Programmazione e Gestione ittica e faunistico-venatoria, Venezia, Italy
| | - Sabrina Carolfi
- Regione Liguria, Settore Politiche della Natura e delle aree Interne, Protette e Marine, Parchi e Biodiversità - Settore Fauna Selvatica, Caccia e Vigilanza Venatoria, Genoa, Italy
| | - Piero Ferrari
- Regione Liguria, Settore Politiche della Natura e delle aree Interne, Protette e Marine, Parchi e Biodiversità - Settore Fauna Selvatica, Caccia e Vigilanza Venatoria, Genoa, Italy
| | - Christian Chioso
- Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta - Flora e fauna - Ufficio per la fauna selvatica e ittica, Quart, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Truc
- Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta - Flora e fauna - Ufficio per la fauna selvatica e ittica, Quart, Italy
| | - Giulia Bombieri
- MUSE - Museo delle Scienze di Trento, Conservation Biology Section, Trento, Italy
| | - Luca Pedrotti
- ERSAF - Direzione Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio, Sondrio, Italy
| | - Davide Righetti
- Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Ripartizione Foreste, Ufficio Caccia e Pesca, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Pierluigi L Acutis
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte. Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Genetics Laboratory, Turin, Italy
| | - Fabio Guglielmo
- Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta, Biodiversità, sostenibilità e aree naturali protette, Museo regionale di Scienze naturali Efisio Noussan, Saint-Christophe, Italy
| | - Heidi C Hauffe
- Conservation Genomics Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Chiara Rossi
- Conservation Genomics Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Wildlife Coordination Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Aragno
- ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Wildlife Coordination Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina La Morgia
- ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Wildlife Coordination Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Piero Genovesi
- ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Wildlife Coordination Service, Rome, Italy
| | - Richard Bischof
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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10
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Lobo D, López-Bao JV, Godinho R. The population bottleneck of the Iberian wolf impacted genetic diversity but not admixture with domestic dogs: A temporal genomic approach. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5986-5999. [PMID: 37855673 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
After decades of intense persecution, the Iberian wolf subspecies faced a severe bottleneck in the 1970s that considerably reduced its range and population size, nearly leading to its extinction in central and southern Iberian Peninsula. Such population decline could have impacted the genetic diversity of Iberian wolves through different processes, namely genetic drift and dynamics of hybridization with domestic dogs. By contrasting the genomes of 68 contemporary with 54 historical samples spanning the periods before and immediately after the 1970s bottleneck, we found evidence of its impact on genetic diversity and dynamics of wolf-dog hybridization. Our genome-wide assessment revealed that wolves and dogs form two well-differentiated genetic groups in Iberia and that hybridization rates did not increase during the bottleneck. However, an increased number of hybrid individuals was found over time during the population re-expansion, particularly at the edge of the wolf range. We estimated a low percentage of dog ancestry (~1.4%) in historical samples, suggesting that dog introgression was not a key driver for wolf extinction in central and southern Iberia. Our findings also unveil a significant decline in genetic diversity in contemporary samples, with the highest proportion of homozygous segments in the genome being recently inherited. Overall, our study provides unprecedented insight into the impact of a sharp decline on the Iberian wolf genome and refines our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary drivers of wolf-dog hybridization in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Lobo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS, Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - José Vicente López-Bao
- Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC - Oviedo University - Principality of Asturias) Oviedo University, Mieres, Spain
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS, Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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11
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Žunna A, Ruņģis DE, Ozoliņš J, Stepanova A, Done G. Genetic Monitoring of Grey Wolves in Latvia Shows Adverse Reproductive and Social Consequences of Hunting. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1255. [PMID: 37759654 PMCID: PMC10525079 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, genetic research methods play an important role in animal population studies. Since 2009, genetic material from Latvian wolf specimens obtained through hunting has been systematically gathered. This study, spanning until 2021, scrutinizes the consequences of regulated wolf hunting on population genetic metrics, kinship dynamics, and social organization. We employed 16 autosomal microsatellites to investigate relationships between full siblings and parent-offspring pairs. Our analysis encompassed expected and observed heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficients, allelic diversity, genetic distance and differentiation, mean pairwise relatedness, and the number of migrants per generation. The Latvian wolf population demonstrated robust genetic diversity with minimal inbreeding, maintaining stable allelic diversity and high heterozygosity over time and it is not fragmented. Our findings reveal the persistence of conventional wolf pack structures and enduring kinship groups. However, the study also underscores the adverse effects of intensified hunting pressure, leading to breeder loss, pack disruption, territorial displacement, and the premature dispersal of juvenile wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agrita Žunna
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Rīgas Str. 111, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia; (D.E.R.)
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12
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Cerri J, Musto C, Stefanini FM, di Nicola U, Riganelli N, Fontana MC, Rossi A, Garbarino C, Merialdi G, Ciuti F, Berzi D, Delogu M, Apollonio M. A human-neutral large carnivore? No patterns in the body mass of gray wolves across a gradient of anthropization. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282232. [PMID: 37262076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its distribution in Europe over the last few decades. To better understand the extent to which wolves could re-occupy their historical range, it is important to test if anthropization can affect their fitness-related traits. After having accounted for ecologically relevant confounders, we assessed how anthropization influenced i) the growth of wolves during their first year of age (n = 53), ii) sexual dimorphism between male and female adult wolves (n = 121), in a sample of individuals that had been found dead in Italy between 1999 and 2021. Wolves in anthropized areas have a smaller overall variation in their body mass, during their first year of age. Because they already have slightly higher body weight at 3-5 months, possibly due to the availability of human-derived food sources. The difference in the body weight of adult females and males slightly increases with anthropization. However, this happens because of an increase in the body mass of males only, possibly due to sex-specific differences in dispersal and/or to "dispersal phenotypes". Anthropization in Italy does not seem to have any clear, nor large, effect on the body mass of wolves. As body mass is in turn linked to important processes, like survival and reproduction, our findings indicates that wolves could potentially re-occupy most of their historical range in Europe, as anthropized landscapes do not seem to constrain such of an important life-history trait. Wolf management could therefore be needed across vast spatial scales and in anthropized areas prone to social conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Cerri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico M Stefanini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano "La Statale", Milano, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria C Fontana
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Chiara Garbarino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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13
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Merli E, Mattioli L, Bassi E, Bongi P, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Luccarini S, Morimando F, Viviani V, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimating Wolf Population Size and Dynamics by Field Monitoring and Demographic Models: Implications for Management and Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1735. [PMID: 37889658 PMCID: PMC10252110 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We estimated the current size and dynamics of the wolf population in Tuscany and investigated the trends and demographic drivers of population changes. Estimates were obtained by two different approaches: (i) mixed-technique field monitoring (from 2014 to 2016) that found the minimum observed pack number and estimated population size, and (ii) an individual-based model (run by Vortex software v. 10.3.8.0) with demographic inputs derived from a local intensive study area and historic data on population size. Field monitoring showed a minimum population size of 558 wolves (SE = 12.005) in 2016, with a density of 2.74 individuals/100 km2. The population model described an increasing trend with an average annual rate of increase λ = 1.075 (SE = 0.014), an estimated population size of about 882 individuals (SE = 9.397) in 2016, and a density of 4.29 wolves/100 km2. Previously published estimates of wolf population were as low as 56.2% compared to our field monitoring estimation and 34.6% in comparison to our model estimation. We conducted sensitivity tests to analyze the key parameters driving population changes based on juvenile and adult mortality rates, female breeding success, and litter size. Mortality rates played a major role in determining intrinsic growth rate changes, with adult mortality accounting for 62.5% of the total variance explained by the four parameters. Juvenile mortality was responsible for 35.8% of the variance, while female breeding success and litter size had weak or negligible effects. We concluded that reliable estimates of population abundance and a deeper understanding of the role of different demographic parameters in determining population dynamics are crucial to define and carry out appropriate conservation and management strategies to address human-wildlife conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Merli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- Wildlife Service, Tuscany Region, 50127 Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Siriano Luccarini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Federico Morimando
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Viviana Viviani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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14
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Dissegna A, Rota M, Basile S, Fusco G, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Velli E, Caniglia R. How to Choose? Comparing Different Methods to Count Wolf Packs in a Protected Area of the Northern Apennines. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040932. [PMID: 37107690 PMCID: PMC10137897 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a natural rewilding process that caused wolf populations in Europe to increase and expand in the last years, human-wolf conflicts still persist, threatening the long-term wolf presence in both anthropic and natural areas. Conservation management strategies should be carefully designed on updated population data and planned on a wide scale. Unfortunately, reliable ecological data are difficult and expensive to obtain and often hardly comparable through time or among different areas, especially because of different sampling designs. In order to assess the performance of different methods to estimate wolf (Canis lupus L.) abundance and distribution in southern Europe, we simultaneously applied three techniques: wolf howling, camera trapping and non-invasive genetic sampling in a protected area of the northern Apennines. We aimed at counting the minimum number of packs during a single wolf biological year and evaluating the pros and cons for each technique, comparing results obtained from different combinations of these three methods and testing how sampling effort may affect results. We found that packs' identifications could be hardly comparable if methods were separately used with a low sampling effort: wolf howling identified nine, camera trapping 12 and non-invasive genetic sampling eight packs. However, increased sampling efforts produced more consistent and comparable results across all used methods, although results from different sampling designs should be carefully compared. The integration of the three techniques yielded the highest number of detected packs, 13, although with the highest effort and cost. A common standardised sampling strategy should be a priority approach to studying elusive large carnivores, such as the wolf, allowing for the comparison of key population parameters and developing shared and effective conservation management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Dissegna
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Martino Rota
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Simone Basile
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fusco
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Mencucci
- Reparto Carabinieri Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | - Nadia Cappai
- Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
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15
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Torretta E, Corradini A, Pedrotti L, Bani L, Bisi F, Dondina O. Hide-and-Seek in a Highly Human-Dominated Landscape: Insights into Movement Patterns and Selection of Resting Sites of Rehabilitated Wolves ( Canis lupus) in Northern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010046. [PMID: 36611657 PMCID: PMC9817923 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing the behavioural responses of floating wolves to human presence is crucial for investigating the chance of wolf populations expanding into urbanised landscapes. We studied the movement ecology of three rehabilitated wolves in a highly human-dominated landscape (Po Plain, Italy) to explore wolf's plasticity amid widespread human pressure. To reach this aim, we estimated individual 95% utilisation distributions (UD) after the release and inspected both 95% UDs and net squared displacements to identify individual movement patterns; tested for differences in movement patterns during day and night; and analysed the selection of resting sites during dispersal movement in a highly human-altered environment. Both the 95% UDs and step lengths were smaller for wolves settling in suitable areas than for those settling in more urbanised areas. All wolves exhibited strong temporal segregation with humans during all movement phases, particularly while dispersing across highly urbanised areas. Main roads and proximity to built-up areas were shown to limit wolves' dispersal, whereas small-wooded patches that provide shelter during rest facilitated long-distance movements. This study provides important insights into wolf movement and settling in urban and peri-urban areas, providing critical knowledge to promote human-carnivore coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Torretta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Corradini
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach, 1, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy
| | | | - Luciano Bani
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Bisi
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit, Guido Tosi Research Group, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Insubria University, Via J. H. Dunant, 3-I, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Olivia Dondina
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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16
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“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”: Molecular Tools to Reconstruct multilocus Genetic Profiles from Wild Canid Consumption Remains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182428. [PMID: 36139288 PMCID: PMC9495216 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive genetic sampling is a practical tool to monitor pivotal ecological parameters and population dynamic patterns of endangered species. It can be particularly suitable when applied to elusive carnivores such as the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), which can live in overlapping ecological contexts and sometimes share their habitats with their domestic free-ranging relatives, increasing the risk of anthropogenic hybridisation. In this case study, we exploited all the ecological and genetic information contained in a single biological canid faecal sample, collected in a forested area of central Italy, to detect any sign of trophic interactions between wolves and European wildcats or their domestic counterparts. Firstly, the faecal finding was morphologically examined, showing the presence of felid hair and claw fragment remains. Subsequently, total genomic DNA contained in the hair and claw samples was extracted and genotyped, through a multiple-tube approach, at canid and felid diagnostic panels of microsatellite loci. Finally, the obtained individual multilocus genotypes were analysed with reference wild and domestic canid and felid populations to assess their correct taxonomic status using Bayesian clustering procedures. Assignment analyses classified the genotype obtained from the endothelial cells present on the hair sample as a wolf with slight signals of dog ancestry, showing a qi = 0.954 (C.I. 0.780–1.000) to the wolf cluster, and the genotype obtained from the claw as a domestic cat, showing a qi = 0.996 (95% C.I. = 0.982–1.000) to the domestic cat cluster. Our results clearly show how a non-invasive multidisciplinary approach allows the cost-effective identification of both prey and predator genetic profiles and their taxonomic status, contributing to the improvement of our knowledge about feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and anthropogenic hybridisation risk in threatened species.
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17
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Coppola F, Baldanti S, Di Rosso A, Vecchio G, Casini L, Russo C, Lucchini V, Boni CB, Malasoma M, Gabbani C, Felicioli A. Settlement of a stable wolf pack in a highly anthropic area of Pisan hills: Relationship with animal husbandry and hunting in a human-wolf coexistence perspective. Anim Sci J 2022; 93:e13799. [PMID: 36546504 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13799] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Anthropic areas play a pivot role for main wolf conservation challenges. Wolf presence in the higher Pisan hills has been well documented while wolf settlement in the lower Pisan hills is still uncertain. In this study, long-term information on wolf presence in a highly anthropic area of the lower Pisan hills was collected by using non-invasive monitoring techniques. Furthermore, both the relationship of this predator with human activity and the impact of hunting on wolf presence have been investigated. The results obtained indicate the presence of a stable and reproductive wolf pack composed by both Italian wolf and hybrids individuals in the municipalities of Crespina Lorenzana and Casciana Terme Lari. A high impact of wolf on livestock was recorded in this area since no prevention systems were adopted by farmers. Wolf appears not to have a negative impact on wild boar population. Similarly, wild boar drive hunting does not appear to affect the wolf pack presence in the area. Thereby wolf may play a key role as controller of wild population. Prevention strategies improvement becomes instrumental to promote wolf-human coexistence. Further investigation to monitor pack hybridization level and turnover and to assess the impact of packs on wild population and livestock in anthropic areas is desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Coppola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Samuele Baldanti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessia Di Rosso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Casini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Russo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Felicioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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18
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Adavoudi R, Pilot M. Consequences of Hybridization in Mammals: A Systematic Review. Genes (Basel) 2021; 13:50. [PMID: 35052393 PMCID: PMC8774782 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization, defined as breeding between two distinct taxonomic units, can have an important effect on the evolutionary patterns in cross-breeding taxa. Although interspecific hybridization has frequently been considered as a maladaptive process, which threatens species genetic integrity and survival via genetic swamping and outbreeding depression, in some cases hybridization can introduce novel adaptive variation and increase fitness. Most studies to date focused on documenting hybridization events and analyzing their causes, while relatively little is known about the consequences of hybridization and its impact on the parental species. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review of studies on hybridization in mammals published in 2010-2021, and identified 115 relevant studies. Of 13 categories of hybridization consequences described in these studies, the most common negative consequence (21% of studies) was genetic swamping and the most common positive consequence (8%) was the gain of novel adaptive variation. The total frequency of negative consequences (49%) was higher than positive (13%) and neutral (38%) consequences. These frequencies are biased by the detection possibilities of microsatellite loci, the most common genetic markers used in the papers assessed. As negative outcomes are typically easier to demonstrate than positive ones (e.g., extinction vs hybrid speciation), they may be over-represented in publications. Transition towards genomic studies involving both neutral and adaptive variation will provide a better insight into the real impacts of hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Małgorzata Pilot
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Nadwiślańska 108, 80-680 Gdańsk, Poland;
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Musto C, Cerri J, Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Bonilauri P, Maioli G, Fontana MC, Gelmini L, Prosperi A, Rossi A, Garbarino C, Fiorentini L, Ciuti F, Berzi D, Merialdi G, Delogu M. Men and wolves: Anthropogenic causes are an important driver of wolf mortality in human-dominated landscapes in Italy. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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20
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Lugli F, Caniglia R, Mattioli L, Fabbri E, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Mucci N, Apollonio M, Scandura M. Lifelong non-invasive genetic monitoring of a philopatric female wolf in the Tuscan Apennines, Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01548-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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21
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Dziech A. Identification of Wolf-Dog Hybrids in Europe – An Overview of Genetic Studies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.760160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant development of genetic tools during the last decades provided opportunities for more detailed analyses and deeper understanding of species hybridization. New genetic markers allowed for reliable identification of admixed individuals deriving from recent hybridization events (a few generations) and those originating from crossings up to 19 generations back. Implementation of microsatellites (STRs) together with Bayesian clustering provided abundant knowledge regarding presence of admixed individuals in numerous populations and helped understand the problematic nature of studying hybridization (i.a., defining a reliable thresholds for recognizing individuals as admixed or obtaining well-grounded results representing actual proportion of hybrids in a population). Nevertheless, their utilization is limited to recent crossbreeding events. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) proved to be more sensible tools for admixture analyses furnishing more reliable knowledge, especially for older generation backcrosses. Small sets of Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) of both types of markers were effective enough to implement in monitoring programs, however, SNPs seem to be more appropriate because of their ability to identify admixed individuals up to 3rd generations. The main aim of this review is to summarize abundant knowledge regarding identification of wolf-dog hybrids in Europe and discuss the most relevant problems relating to the issue, together with advantages and disadvantages of implemented markers and approaches.
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Morales-González A, Fernández-Gil A, Quevedo M, Revilla E. Patterns and determinants of dispersal in grey wolves (Canis lupus). Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:466-480. [PMID: 34664396 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Dispersal is a key demographic process involving three stages: emigration, transience and settlement; each of which is influenced by individual, social and environmental determinants. An integrated understanding of species dispersal is essential for demographic modelling and conservation planning. Here, we review the dispersal patterns and determinants documented in the scientific literature for the grey wolf (Canis lupus) across its distribution range. We showed a surprisingly high variability within and among study areas on all dispersal parameters - dispersal rate, direction, distance, duration and success. We found that such large variability is due to multiple individual, social and environmental determinants, but also due to previously overlooked methodological research issues. We revealed a potential non-linear relationship between dispersal rate and population density, with dispersal rate higher at both ends of the gradient of population density. We found that human-caused mortality reduces distance, duration and success of dispersal events. Furthermore, dispersers avoid interaction with humans, and highly exposed areas like agricultural lands hamper population connectivity in many cases. We identified numerous methodological research problems that make it difficult to obtain robust estimates of dispersal parameters and robust inferences on dispersal patterns and their determinants. In particular, analyses where confounding factors were not accounted for led to substantial knowledge gaps on all aspects of dispersal in an otherwise much-studied species. Our understanding of wolf biology and management would significantly benefit if wolf dispersal studies reported the results and possible factors affecting wolf dispersal more transparently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Morales-González
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Gil
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Mario Quevedo
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, and Research Institute of Biodiversity (IMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
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Assessing trends in wolf impact on livestock through verified claims in historical vs. recent areas of occurrence in Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Santostasi NL, Gimenez O, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Ciucci P. Estimating Admixture at the Population Scale: Taking Imperfect Detectability and Uncertainty in Hybrid Classification Seriously. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina L. Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin” University of Rome La Sapienza Rome Italy
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO–CGE), Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine Center, Appennino Tosco‐Emiliano National Park, Ligonchio Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- CEFE, CNRS University of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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How the west was won: genetic reconstruction of rapid wolf recolonization into Germany's anthropogenic landscapes. Heredity (Edinb) 2021; 127:92-106. [PMID: 33846578 PMCID: PMC8249462 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-021-00429-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Following massive persecution and eradication, strict legal protection facilitated a successful reestablishment of wolf packs in Germany, which has been ongoing since 2000. Here, we describe this recolonization process by mitochondrial DNA control-region sequencing, microsatellite genotyping and sex identification based on 1341 mostly non-invasively collected samples. We reconstructed the genealogy of German wolf packs between 2005 and 2015 to provide information on trends in genetic diversity, dispersal patterns and pack dynamics during the early expansion process. Our results indicate signs of a founder effect at the start of the recolonization. Genetic diversity in German wolves is moderate compared to other European wolf populations. Although dispersal among packs is male-biased in the sense that females are more philopatric, dispersal distances are similar between males and females once only dispersers are accounted for. Breeding with close relatives is regular and none of the six male wolves originating from the Italian/Alpine population reproduced. However, moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding levels of the recolonizing population are preserved by high sociality, dispersal among packs and several immigration events. Our results demonstrate an ongoing, rapid and natural wolf population expansion in an intensively used cultural landscape in Central Europe.
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Natoli E, Bonanni R, Cafazzo S, Mills DS, Pontier D, Pilot M. Genetic inference of the mating system of free-ranging domestic dogs. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:646-656. [PMID: 34539241 PMCID: PMC8444980 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestication has greatly changed the social and reproductive behavior of dogs relative to that of wild members of the genus Canis, which typically exhibit social monogamy and extended parental care. Unlike a typical gray wolf pack that consists of a single breeding pair and their offspring from multiple seasons, a group of free-ranging dogs (FRDs) can include multiple breeding individuals of both sexes. To understand the consequences of this shift in reproductive behavior, we reconstructed the genetic pedigree of an FRD population and assessed the kinship patterns in social groups, based on genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes. Consistent with behavioral observations, the mating system of the study population was characterized by polygynandry. Instead of the discreet family units observed in wolves, FRDs were linked by a network of kinship relationships that spread across packs. However, we also observed reproduction of the same male-female pairs in multiple seasons, retention of adult offspring in natal packs, and dispersal between neighboring packs-patterns in common with wolves. Although monogamy is the predominant mating system in wolves, polygyny and polyandry are occasionally observed in response to increased food availability. Thus, polygynandry of domestic dogs was likely influenced by the shift in ecological niche from an apex predator to a human commensal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Natoli
- Canile Sovrazonale, ASL Roma 3 (Local Health Unit Rome 3), Via della Magliana 856H, 00148 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniel S Mills
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Dominique Pontier
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Małgorzata Pilot
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Nadwiślańska 108, 80-680 Gdańsk, Poland
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Moravčíková N, Kasarda R, Židek R, Vostrý L, Vostrá-Vydrová H, Vašek J, Čílová D. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Genomic Divergence from Its Ancestors Canis lupus, German Shepherd Dog, and Different Sheepdogs of European Origin. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:832. [PMID: 34071464 PMCID: PMC8228135 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study focused on the genomic differences between the Czechoslovakian wolfdog (CWD) and its ancestors, the Grey wolf (GW) and German Shepherd dog. The Saarloos wolfdog and Belgian Shepherd dog were also included to study the level of GW genetics retained in the genome of domesticated breeds. The dataset consisted of 131 animals and 143,593 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The effects of demographic history on the overall genome structure were determined by screening the distribution of the homozygous segments. The genetic variance distributed within and between groups was quantified by genetic distances, the FST index, and discriminant analysis of principal components. Fine-scale population stratification due to specific morphological and behavioural traits was assessed by principal component and factorial analyses. In the CWD, a demographic history effect was manifested mainly in a high genome-wide proportion of short homozygous segments corresponding to a historical load of inbreeding derived from founders. The observed proportion of long homozygous segments indicated that the inbreeding events shaped the CWD genome relatively recently compared to other groups. Even if there was a significant increase in genetic similarity among wolf-like breeds, they were genetically separated from each other. Moreover, this study showed that the CWD genome carries private alleles that are not found in either wolves or other dog breeds analysed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Moravčíková
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
| | - Radovan Kasarda
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
| | - Radoslav Židek
- Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia;
- NU3gen, Pažite 145/7, 010 09 Žilina, Slovakia
| | - Luboš Vostrý
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
| | - Hana Vostrá-Vydrová
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Jakub Vašek
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
| | - Daniela Čílová
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.V.); (J.V.); (D.Č.)
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Berzi D, Cerri J, Musto C, Zanni ML. Use of European Funds and Ex Post Evaluation of Prevention Measures against Wolf Attacks ( Canis lupus italicus) in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1536. [PMID: 34070307 PMCID: PMC8225206 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Compensation programs are an important tool for mitigating conflicts between farmers and large predators. However, they present significant weaknesses and faults. For years, the EU has been prioritizing programs for the prevention of damage caused by large carnivores, rather than compensation programs, introducing compulsory compensation for the purposes of decision EC (2019) 772 of 29/01/19. This manuscript reports the experience with the wolf damage prevention programs in an Italian region, Emilia-Romagna, which implemented a pilot project, adopting a new method to interface with the farmers involved in the prevention programs. METHODS Starting in 2014, a project aimed at spreading prevention measures was financed through regional and European resources, accompanied by resources sharing and technical assistance with breeders from the regional body. In detail, (i) standardized types of intervention were defined and technical assistance was structured; (ii) ex post, the effectiveness of the interventions carried out was assessed; and (iii) the difficulties encountered in using the various financing instruments were analyzed. RESULTS Overall, 298 farms were analyzed, of which 166 applied for regional calls and 132 applied for European funds. The mitigation measures produced a reduction in predatory phenomena of 93.4%, i.e., from 528 to 35 predations over a period of 4-6 years. This study shows that more than one-third of the farmers were forced to abandon the two tenders, mainly due to the lack of liquidity in anticipating the prevention measures. CONCLUSION In the years examined by this study, the prevention programs in the Emilia-Romagna region, due to the technical support offered, proved to be a functional and effective tool, capable of significantly reducing the wolf predation on livestock. However, this work highlights the high percentage of denials of mitigation measures by farmers interested in adopting these tools, stressing the need for regional agencies to focus on new policies that can provide advance economic resources to farmers and solve the authorization problems related to the various bodies with which the participant in the tenders must interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duccio Berzi
- Ischetus scrl, Viale Ugo Bassi 6/r, 50137 Florence, Italy
| | - Jacopo Cerri
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper, Slovenia;
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 50 Via Tolara di Sopra,40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO), Italy;
| | - Maria Luisa Zanni
- Pianificazione e Osservatorio Faunistico, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Viale della Fiera 8, 40127 Bologna, Italy;
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Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Kędzierski W, Pawlak EW, Wilk I, Zyglewska K, Paszkowska A, Ryżak M, Wiśniewska A. Heart rate variability in Konik and purebred Arabian horses in response to different predator vocalisations. Animal 2020; 15:100045. [PMID: 33516023 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The current predation threat of domestic horses is generally low, and horses do not know predators' frightening cues. We studied whether horses still recognise predation threats. The aim of the study was to analyse the emotional response of purebred Arabian horses (Arabian) and Polish Konik horses (Konik) to an Arabian panther (Panthera pardus nimr) (panther) growl and a grey wolf (Canis lupus) (wolf) howl. Panther vocalisation was known to Arabian ancestors, whereas ancestors of Konik knew wolf vocalisation. The response to the howls of golden jackals (Canis aureus) (jackal), which did not prey on equids, was also studied comparatively. Two groups of 10 adult horses of each breed were subject to predator sounds of one predator daily for 5 min during a turn out on pasture. The test was performed for 18 days in total. The sound of each predator was interchangeably featured from one loudspeaker for 3 days followed by four loudspeakers simultaneously to imitate a group of predators for 3 days. The horses' emotional agitation in response to the sounds was measured based on the parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) using telemetric devices. The results showed that the predators' sounds were identified by horses as stressful or neutral. Horses generally retained their anti-predator responses even in the current habitat, which typically lacks predation cues. The results are not always coherent and may demonstrate that the response is somewhat attenuated. The wolf howl elicited a stronger response in Koniks. The panther growl more strongly influenced Arabians, whereas the jackal howl minimally elicited an agitation in the horses. The differentiated response of the two horse breeds to the three predator species suggests that the response is an innate adaptation to the predation risk in the habitat of the breed ancestors. This response occurs regardless of the emotional arousal specific to a breed, and the frightening cue is not the sound per se but the possible attack of predators. Horses display a type of understanding of the sound meaning. Their HRV response seems to be adequate for the threat signalised by the sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Janczarek
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - A Stachurska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
| | - W Kędzierski
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - E Wnuk Pawlak
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - I Wilk
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - K Zyglewska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - A Paszkowska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - M Ryżak
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - A Wiśniewska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
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Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Kędzierski W, Wiśniewska A, Ryżak M, Kozioł A. The intensity of physiological and behavioral responses of horses to predator vocalizations. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:431. [PMID: 33167961 PMCID: PMC7653799 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02643-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Predatory attacks on horses can become a problem in some parts of the world, particularly when considering the recovering gray wolf populations. The issue studied was whether horses transformed by humans and placed in stable-pasture environments had retained their natural abilities to respond to predation risk. The objective of the study was to determine the changes in cardiac activity, cortisol concentrations, and behavior of horses in response to the vocalizations of two predators: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which the horses of the breed studied had coevolved with but not been exposed to recently, and Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), from which the horses had been mostly isolated. In addition, we hypothesized that a higher proportion of Thoroughbred (TB) horse ancestry in the pedigree would result in higher emotional excitability in response to predator vocalizations. Nineteen horses were divided into groups of 75%, 50% and 25% TB ancestry. The auditory test conducted in a paddock comprised a 10-min prestimulus period, a 5-min stimulus period when one of the predators was heard, and a 10-min poststimulus period without any experimental stimuli. Results The increase in heart rate and saliva cortisol concentration in response to predator vocalizations indicated some level of stress in the horses. The lowered beat-to-beat intervals revealed a decrease in parasympathetic nervous system activity. The behavioral responses were less distinct than the physiological changes. The responses were more pronounced with leopard vocalizations than wolf vocalizations. Conclusions The horses responded with weak signs of anxiety when exposed to predator vocalizations. A tendency towards a stronger internal reaction to predators in horses with a higher proportion of TB genes suggested that the response intensity was partly innate. The more pronounced response to leopard than wolf may indicate that horses are more frightened of a threatening sound from an unknown predator than one known by their ancestors. The differing response can be also due to differences in the characteristic of the predators’ vocalizations. Our findings suggested that the present-day horses’ abilities to coexist with predators are weak. Hence, humans should protect horses against predation, especially when introducing them into seminatural locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Janczarek
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 str, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Stachurska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 str, 20-950, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Witold Kędzierski
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Wiśniewska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 str, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Ryżak
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agata Kozioł
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 str, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
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Buglione M, Troisi SR, Petrelli S, van Vugt M, Notomista T, Troiano C, Bellomo A, Maselli V, Gregorio R, Fulgione D. The First Report on the Ecology and Distribution of the Wolf Population in Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Bauduin S, Grente O, Santostasi NL, Ciucci P, Duchamp C, Gimenez O. An individual-based model to explore the impacts of lesser-known social dynamics on wolf populations. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Quinn CB, Alden PB, Sacks BN. Noninvasive Sampling Reveals Short-Term Genetic Rescue in an Insular Red Fox Population. J Hered 2020; 110:559-576. [PMID: 31002340 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic factors in the decline of small populations are extremely difficult to study in nature. We leveraged a natural experiment to investigate evidence of inbreeding depression and genetic rescue in a remnant population of subalpine-specialized Sierra Nevada red foxes (Vulpes vulpes necator) using noninvasive genetic monitoring during 2010-2017. Only 7 individuals were detected in the first 2 years. These individuals assigned genetically to the historical population and exhibited genetic hallmarks of inbreeding and no evidence of reproduction. Two years into the study, we detected 2 first-generation immigrant males from a recently expanding population of red foxes in the Great Basin Desert. Through annual resampling of individuals (634 red fox DNA samples, 41 individuals) and molecular reconstruction of pedigrees, we documented 1-3 litters/year for 5 years, all descended directly or indirectly from matings involving immigrant foxes. The observed heterozygosity and allelic richness of the population nearly doubled in 2 years. Abundance increased, indicative of a rapidly expanding population. Throughout the study, adult survival was high. Restoration of gene flow apparently improved the demographic trajectory of this population in the short term. Whether these benefits continue in the longer term could depend on numerous factors, such as maintenance of any locally adapted alleles. This study highlights the value of noninvasive genetic monitoring to assess rapidly shifting conditions in small populations. Uncertainties about the longer-term trajectory of this population underscore the need to continue monitoring and to research potential for both negative and positive aspects of continued genetic infusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cate B Quinn
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Preston B Alden
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Benjamin N Sacks
- Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
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Bassing SB, Ausband DE, Mitchell MS, Schwartz MK, Nowak JJ, Hale GC, Waits LP. Immigration does not offset harvest mortality in groups of a cooperatively breeding carnivore. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. B. Bassing
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula MT USA
| | - D. E. Ausband
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game Coeur d’Alene ID USA
| | - M. S. Mitchell
- U.S. Geological Survey Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula MT USA
| | - M. K. Schwartz
- U.S. Forest Service National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation Missoula MT USA
| | - J. J. Nowak
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula MT USA
| | - G. C. Hale
- Alberta Environment and Parks Blairmore AB Canada
| | - L. P. Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow ID USA
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Bassi E, Gazzola A, Bongi P, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Relative impact of human harvest and wolf predation on two ungulate species in Central Italy. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Andrea Gazzola
- Association for the Conservation of Biological Diversity (ACDB) Focşani Romania
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
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Fernández-Gil A, Quevedo M, Barrientos LM, Nuño A, Naves J, de Gabriel M, Ordiz A, Revilla E. Pack size in humanized landscapes: the Iberian wolf population. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Gil
- A. Fernández-Gil ✉ , J. Naves and E. Revilla, Estación Biológica de Doñana (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), C/Américo Vespucio 26, Isla de La Cartuja, ES-41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Mario Quevedo
- M. Quevedo, Depto Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, and Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Univ. de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | | | | | - Javier Naves
- A. Fernández-Gil ✉ , J. Naves and E. Revilla, Estación Biológica de Doñana (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), C/Américo Vespucio 26, Isla de La Cartuja, ES-41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Miguel de Gabriel
- M. de Gabriel, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Univ. de León, León, Spain
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- A. Ordiz, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Eloy Revilla
- A. Fernández-Gil ✉ , J. Naves and E. Revilla, Estación Biológica de Doñana (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), C/Américo Vespucio 26, Isla de La Cartuja, ES-41092 Sevilla, Spain
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Soller JM, Ausband DE, Szykman Gunther M. The curse of observer experience: Error in noninvasive genetic sampling. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229762. [PMID: 32168506 PMCID: PMC7069729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive genetic sampling (NGS) is commonly used to study elusive or rare species where direct observation or capture is difficult. Little attention has been paid to the potential effects of observer bias while collecting noninvasive genetic samples in the field, however. Over a period of 7 years, we examined whether different observers (n = 58) and observer experience influenced detection, amplification rates, and correct species identification of 4,836 gray wolf (Canis lupus) fecal samples collected in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park, USA and southwestern Alberta, Canada (2008-2014). We compared new observers (n = 33) to experienced observers (n = 25) and hypothesized experience level would increase the overall success of using NGS techniques in the wild. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found that new individuals were better than experienced observers at detecting and collecting wolf scats and correctly identifying wolf scats from other sympatric carnivores present in the study areas. While adequate training of new observers is crucial for the successful use of NGS techniques, attention should also be directed to experienced observers. Observer experience could be a curse because of their potential effects on NGS data quality arising from fatigue, boredom or other factors. The ultimate benefit of an observer to a project is a combination of factors (i.e., field savvy, local knowledge), but project investigators should be aware of the potential negative effects of experience on NGS sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M. Soller
- Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - David E. Ausband
- University of Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Micaela Szykman Gunther
- Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, United States of America
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Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Velli E, Mattucci F, Canu A, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Scandura M, Fabbri E. A standardized approach to empirically define reliable assignment thresholds and appropriate management categories in deeply introgressed populations. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2862. [PMID: 32071323 PMCID: PMC7028925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59521-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic hybridization is recognized as a major threat to the long-term survival of natural populations. While identifying F1 hybrids might be simple, the detection of older admixed individuals is far from trivial and it is still debated whether they should be targets of management. Examples of anthropogenic hybridization have been described between wolves and domestic dogs, with numerous cases detected in the Italian wolf population. After selecting appropriate wild and domestic reference populations, we used empirical and simulated 39-autosomal microsatellite genotypes, Bayesian assignment and performance analyses to develop a workflow to detect different levels of wolf x dog admixture. Membership proportions to the wild cluster (qiw) and performance indexes identified two q-thresholds which allowed to efficiently classify the analysed genotypes into three assignment classes: pure (with no or negligible domestic ancestry), older admixed (with a marginal domestic ancestry) and recent admixed (with a clearly detectable domestic ancestry) animals. Based on their potential to spread domestic variants, such classes were used to define three corresponding management categories: operational pure, introgressed and operational hybrid individuals. Our multiple-criteria approach can help wildlife managers and decision makers in more efficiently targeting the available resources for the long-term conservation of species threatened by anthropogenic hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | | | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Mattucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Nadia Mucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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Salvatori V, Godinho R, Braschi C, Boitani L, Ciucci P. High levels of recent wolf × dog introgressive hybridization in agricultural landscapes of central Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Hagemann L, Arandjelovic M, Robbins MM, Deschner T, Lewis M, Froese G, Boesch C, Vigilant L. Long-term inference of population size and habitat use in a socially dynamic population of wild western lowland gorillas. CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01209-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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41
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Genetic Characterization of Canine Adenovirus Type 1 Detected by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction in an Oral Sample of an Italian Wolf (Canis Lupus). J Wildl Dis 2019. [DOI: 10.7589/2018-08-206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Qiao M, Connor T, Shi X, Huang J, Huang Y, Zhang H, Ran J. Population genetics reveals high connectivity of giant panda populations across human disturbance features in key nature reserve. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:1809-1819. [PMID: 30847074 PMCID: PMC6392360 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The giant panda is an example of a species that has faced extensive historical habitat fragmentation, and anthropogenic disturbance and is assumed to be isolated in numerous subpopulations with limited gene flow between them. To investigate the population size, health, and connectivity of pandas in a key habitat area, we noninvasively collected a total of 539 fresh wild giant panda fecal samples for DNA extraction within Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China. Seven validated tetra-microsatellite markers were used to analyze each sample, and a total of 142 unique genotypes were identified. Nonspatial and spatial capture-recapture models estimated the population size of the reserve at 164 and 137 individuals (95% confidence intervals 153-175 and 115-163), respectively. Relatively high levels of genetic variation and low levels of inbreeding were estimated, indicating adequate genetic diversity. Surprisingly, no significant genetic boundaries were found within the population despite the national road G350 that bisects the reserve, which is also bordered with patches of development and agricultural land. We attribute this to high rates of migration, with four giant panda road-crossing events confirmed within a year based on repeated captures of individuals. This likely means that giant panda populations within mountain ranges are better connected than previously thought. Increased development and tourism traffic in the area and throughout the current panda distribution pose a threat of increasing population isolation, however. Maintaining and restoring adequate habitat corridors for dispersal is thus a vital step for preserving the levels of gene flow seen in our analysis and the continued conservation of the giant panda meta-population in both Wolong and throughout their current range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiju Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Bio‐Resource and Eco‐Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant PandaDujiangyanChina
| | - Thomas Connor
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichigan
| | | | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Bio‐Resource and Eco‐Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yan Huang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant PandaDujiangyanChina
| | - Hemin Zhang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant PandaDujiangyanChina
| | - Jianghong Ran
- Key Laboratory of Bio‐Resource and Eco‐Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
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Two decades of non-invasive genetic monitoring of the grey wolves recolonizing the Alps support very limited dog introgression. Sci Rep 2019; 9:148. [PMID: 30651571 PMCID: PMC6335406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37331-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Potential hybridization between wolves and dogs has fueled the sensitive conservation and political debate underlying the recovery of the grey wolf throughout Europe. Here we provide the first genetic analysis of wolf-dog admixture in an area entirely recolonized, the northwestern Alps. As part of a long-term monitoring program, we performed genetic screening of thousands of non-invasive samples collected in Switzerland and adjacent territories since the return of the wolf in the mid-1990s. We identified a total of 115 individuals, only 2 of them showing significant signs of admixture stemming from past interbreeding with dogs, followed by backcrossing. This low rate of introgression (<2% accounting for all wolves ever detected over 1998–2017) parallels those from other European populations, especially in Western Europe (<7%). Despite potential hybridization with stray dogs, few founders and strong anthropogenic pressures, the genetic integrity of the Alpine population has remained intact throughout the entire recolonization process. In a context of widespread misinformation, this finding should reduce conflicts among the different actors involved and facilitate wolf conservation. Real-time genetic monitoring will be necessary to identify potential hybrids and support an effective management of this emblematic population.
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Santostasi NL, Ciucci P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Molinari L, Reggioni W, Gimenez O. Use of hidden Markov capture-recapture models to estimate abundance in the presence of uncertainty: Application to the estimation of prevalence of hybrids in animal populations. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:744-755. [PMID: 30766665 PMCID: PMC6362442 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating the relative abundance (prevalence) of different population segments is a key step in addressing fundamental research questions in ecology, evolution, and conservation. The raw percentage of individuals in the sample (naive prevalence) is generally used for this purpose, but it is likely to be subject to two main sources of bias. First, the detectability of individuals is ignored; second, classification errors may occur due to some inherent limits of the diagnostic methods. We developed a hidden Markov (also known as multievent) capture-recapture model to estimate prevalence in free-ranging populations accounting for imperfect detectability and uncertainty in individual's classification. We carried out a simulation study to compare naive and model-based estimates of prevalence and assess the performance of our model under different sampling scenarios. We then illustrate our method with a real-world case study of estimating the prevalence of wolf (Canis lupus) and dog (Canis lupus familiaris) hybrids in a wolf population in northern Italy. We showed that the prevalence of hybrids could be estimated while accounting for both detectability and classification uncertainty. Model-based prevalence consistently had better performance than naive prevalence in the presence of differential detectability and assignment probability and was unbiased for sampling scenarios with high detectability. We also showed that ignoring detectability and uncertainty in the wolf case study would lead to underestimating the prevalence of hybrids. Our results underline the importance of a model-based approach to obtain unbiased estimates of prevalence of different population segments. Our model can be adapted to any taxa, and it can be used to estimate absolute abundance and prevalence in a variety of cases involving imperfect detection and uncertainty in classification of individuals (e.g., sex ratio, proportion of breeders, and prevalence of infected individuals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”University of Rome La SapienzaRomeItaly
- CEFE, CNRSUniversity of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”University of Rome La SapienzaRomeItaly
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‐CGE)Ozzano dell'EmiliaBolognaItaly
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO‐CGE)Ozzano dell'EmiliaBolognaItaly
| | - Luigi Molinari
- Wolf Apennine CenterAppennino Tosco‐Emiliano National ParkLigonchioItaly
| | - Willy Reggioni
- Wolf Apennine CenterAppennino Tosco‐Emiliano National ParkLigonchioItaly
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRSUniversity of Montpellier, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
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How to spot a black-footed cat? Successful application of cross-species markers to identify captive-bred individuals from non-invasive genetic sampling. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0407-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Milanesi P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Puopolo F, Galaverni M, Holderegger R. Combining Bayesian genetic clustering and ecological niche modeling: Insights into wolf intraspecific genetic structure. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11224-11234. [PMID: 30519439 PMCID: PMC6262746 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of intraspecific genetic variation and how it relates to environmental factors is of increasing interest to researchers in macroecology and biogeography. Recent studies investigated the relationships between the environment and patterns of intraspecific genetic variation across species ranges but only few rigorously tested the relation between genetic groups and their ecological niches. We quantified the relationship of genetic differentiation (F ST) and the overlap of ecological niches (as measured by n-dimensional hypervolumes) among genetic groups resulting from spatial Bayesian genetic clustering in the wolf (Canis lupus) in the Italian peninsula. Within the Italian wolf population, four genetic clusters were detected, and these clusters showed different ecological niches. Moreover, different wolf clusters were significantly related to differences in land cover and human disturbance features. Such differences in the ecological niches of genetic clusters should be interpreted in light of neutral processes that hinder movement, dispersal, and gene flow among the genetic clusters, in order to not prematurely assume any selective or adaptive processes. In the present study, we found that both the plasticity of wolves-a habitat generalist-to cope with different environmental conditions and the occurrence of barriers that limit gene flow lead to the formation of genetic intraspecific genetic clusters and their distinct ecological niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Milanesi
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | | | | | - Rolf Holderegger
- WSL Swiss Federal Research InstituteBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems SciencesETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
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Mattioli L, Canu A, Passilongo D, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimation of pack density in grey wolf ( Canis lupus) by applying spatially explicit capture-recapture models to camera trap data supported by genetic monitoring. Front Zool 2018; 15:38. [PMID: 30305834 PMCID: PMC6171198 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0281-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Density estimation is a key issue in wildlife management but is particularly challenging and labour-intensive for elusive species. Recently developed approaches based on remotely collected data and capture-recapture models, though representing a valid alternative to more traditional methods, have found little application to species with limited morphological variation. We implemented a camera trap capture-recapture study to survey wolf packs in a 560-km2 area of Central Italy. Individual recognition of focal animals (alpha) in the packs was possible by relying on morphological and behavioural traits and was validated by non-invasive genotyping and inter-observer agreement tests. Two types (Bayesian and likelihood-based) of spatially explicit capture-recapture (SCR) models were fitted on wolf pack capture histories, thus obtaining an estimation of pack density in the area. Results In two sessions of camera trapping surveys (2014 and 2015), we detected a maximum of 12 wolf packs. A Bayesian model implementing a half-normal detection function without a trap-specific response provided the most robust result, corresponding to a density of 1.21 ± 0.27 packs/100 km2 in 2015. Average pack size varied from 3.40 (summer 2014, excluding pups and lone-transient wolves) to 4.17 (late winter-spring 2015, excluding lone-transient wolves). Conclusions We applied for the first time a camera-based SCR approach in wolves, providing the first robust estimate of wolf pack density for an area of Italy. We showed that this method is applicable to wolves under the following conditions: i) the existence of sufficient phenotypic/behavioural variation and the recognition of focal individuals (i.e. alpha, verified by non-invasive genotyping); ii) the investigated area is sufficiently large to include a minimum number of packs (ideally 10); iii) a pilot study is carried out to pursue an adequate sampling design and to train operators on individual wolf recognition. We believe that replicating this approach in other areas can allow for an assessment of density variation across the wolf range and would provide a reliable reference parameter for ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mattioli
- Settore Attività Faunistico Venatoria, Pesca Dilettantistica, Pesca in mare, Regione Toscana, Via A. Testa 2, I-52100 Arezzo, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniela Passilongo
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
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Carroll EL, Bruford MW, DeWoody JA, Leroy G, Strand A, Waits L, Wang J. Genetic and genomic monitoring with minimally invasive sampling methods. Evol Appl 2018; 11:1094-1119. [PMID: 30026800 PMCID: PMC6050181 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The decreasing cost and increasing scope and power of emerging genomic technologies are reshaping the field of molecular ecology. However, many modern genomic approaches (e.g., RAD-seq) require large amounts of high-quality template DNA. This poses a problem for an active branch of conservation biology: genetic monitoring using minimally invasive sampling (MIS) methods. Without handling or even observing an animal, MIS methods (e.g., collection of hair, skin, faeces) can provide genetic information on individuals or populations. Such samples typically yield low-quality and/or quantities of DNA, restricting the type of molecular methods that can be used. Despite this limitation, genetic monitoring using MIS is an effective tool for estimating population demographic parameters and monitoring genetic diversity in natural populations. Genetic monitoring is likely to become more important in the future as many natural populations are undergoing anthropogenically driven declines, which are unlikely to abate without intensive adaptive management efforts that often include MIS approaches. Here, we profile the expanding suite of genomic methods and platforms compatible with producing genotypes from MIS, considering factors such as development costs and error rates. We evaluate how powerful new approaches will enhance our ability to investigate questions typically answered using genetic monitoring, such as estimating abundance, genetic structure and relatedness. As the field is in a period of unusually rapid transition, we also highlight the importance of legacy data sets and recommend how to address the challenges of moving between traditional and next-generation genetic monitoring platforms. Finally, we consider how genetic monitoring could move beyond genotypes in the future. For example, assessing microbiomes or epigenetic markers could provide a greater understanding of the relationship between individuals and their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Carroll
- Scottish Oceans Institute and Sea Mammal Research UnitUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Mike W. Bruford
- Cardiff School of Biosciences and Sustainable Places Research InstituteCardiff UniversityCardiff, WalesUK
| | - J. Andrew DeWoody
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and Department of Biological SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - Gregoire Leroy
- Animal Production and Health DivisionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsRomeItaly
| | - Alan Strand
- Grice Marine LaboratoryDepartment of BiologyCollege of CharlestonCharlestonSCUSA
| | - Lisette Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of IdahoMoscowIDUSA
| | - Jinliang Wang
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
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Arandjelovic M, Vigilant L. Non-invasive genetic censusing and monitoring of primate populations. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22743. [PMID: 29457631 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22743] [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: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Knowing the density or abundance of primate populations is essential for their conservation management and contextualizing socio-demographic and behavioral observations. When direct counts of animals are not possible, genetic analysis of non-invasive samples collected from wildlife populations allows estimates of population size with higher accuracy and precision than is possible using indirect signs. Furthermore, in contrast to traditional indirect survey methods, prolonged or periodic genetic sampling across months or years enables inference of group membership, movement, dynamics, and some kin relationships. Data may also be used to estimate sex ratios, sex differences in dispersal distances, and detect gene flow among locations. Recent advances in capture-recapture models have further improved the precision of population estimates derived from non-invasive samples. Simulations using these methods have shown that the confidence interval of point estimates includes the true population size when assumptions of the models are met, and therefore this range of population size minima and maxima should be emphasized in population monitoring studies. Innovations such as the use of sniffer dogs or anti-poaching patrols for sample collection are important to ensure adequate sampling, and the expected development of efficient and cost-effective genotyping by sequencing methods for DNAs derived from non-invasive samples will automate and speed analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Arandjelovic
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Advances in Using Non-invasive, Archival, and Environmental Samples for Population Genomic Studies. POPULATION GENOMICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/13836_2018_45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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