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Kyriazis CC, Serieys LE, Bishop JM, Drouilly M, Viljoen S, Wayne RK, Lohmueller KE. The influence of gene flow on population viability in an isolated urban caracal population. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17346. [PMID: 38581173 PMCID: PMC11035096 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17346] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Wildlife populations are becoming increasingly fragmented by anthropogenic development. Small and isolated populations often face an elevated risk of extinction, in part due to inbreeding depression. Here, we examine the genomic consequences of urbanization in a caracal (Caracal caracal) population that has become isolated in the Cape Peninsula region of the City of Cape Town, South Africa, and is thought to number ~50 individuals. We document low levels of migration into the population over the past ~75 years, with an estimated rate of 1.3 effective migrants per generation. As a consequence of this isolation and small population size, levels of inbreeding are elevated in the contemporary Cape Peninsula population (mean FROH = 0.20). Inbreeding primarily manifests as long runs of homozygosity >10 Mb, consistent with the effects of isolation due to the rapid recent growth of Cape Town. To explore how reduced migration and elevated inbreeding may impact future population dynamics, we parameterized an eco-evolutionary simulation model. We find that if migration rates do not change in the future, the population is expected to decline, though with a low projected risk of extinction. However, if migration rates decline or anthropogenic mortality rates increase, the potential risk of extinction is greatly elevated. To avert a population decline, we suggest that translocating migrants into the Cape Peninsula to initiate a genetic rescue may be warranted in the near future. Our analysis highlights the utility of genomic datasets coupled with computational simulation models for investigating the influence of gene flow on population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C. Kyriazis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Laurel E.K. Serieys
- Panthera, 8 W 40th St, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline M. Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Marine Drouilly
- Panthera, 8 W 40th St, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Storme Viljoen
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kirk E. Lohmueller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Mitochondrial DNA variation of the caracal (Caracal caracal) in Iran and range-wide phylogeographic comparisons. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00328-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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3
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Slater K, Jager D, Wyk AM, Dalton DL, Kropff AS, Preez I. Population genetics of a lethally managed medium‐sized predator. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Slater
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit (ABEERU), Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences University of South Africa Florida Gauteng South Africa
| | - D. Jager
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science University of Pretoria Pretoria Gauteng South Africa
| | - A. M. Wyk
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science University of Pretoria Pretoria Gauteng South Africa
| | - D. L. Dalton
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- School of Health and Life Sciences Teesside University Middlesbrough UK
| | - A. S. Kropff
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
| | - I. Preez
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit (ABEERU), Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences University of South Africa Florida Gauteng South Africa
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Granell-Ruiz M, Norén K, Kalthoff DC, le Roux A, Dalerum F. Genetic variation between and within two populations of bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis Desmarest, 1822) in South Africa. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2021.1942204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karin Norén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniela C Kalthoff
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aliza le Roux
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
| | - Fredrik Dalerum
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Spanish National Research Council, University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Nattrass N, Conradie B, Stephens J, Drouilly M. Culling recolonizing mesopredators increases livestock losses: Evidence from the South African Karoo. AMBIO 2020; 49:1222-1231. [PMID: 31679108 PMCID: PMC7128017 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01260-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Populations of adaptable mesopredators are expanding globally where passive rewilding and natural recolonization are taking place, increasing the risk of conflict with remaining livestock farmers. We analysed data from two social surveys of farmers in the Karoo, South Africa, where black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and caracals (Caracal caracal) have re-emerged as a threat to sheep farms in the context of falling agricultural employment and the expansion of natural areas. We show that irrespective of measurement approach, lethal control of mesopredators in this fragmented socio-economic landscape was associated with increased livestock losses the following year. Terrain ruggedness was positively, and number of farmworkers negatively, associated with livestock losses. Our study provides further evidence that lethal control of mesopredators in this context is probably counter-productive and supports calls to develop, share and financially support a range of non-lethal methods to protect livestock, especially where natural recolonization of mesopredators is occurring. A graphical abstract can be found in Electronic supplementary material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoli Nattrass
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private bag x3, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
| | - Beatrice Conradie
- School of Economics and the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR), University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private bag x3, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
| | - Jed Stephens
- Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR), University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private bag x3, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
| | - Marine Drouilly
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private bag x3, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
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Nattrass N, Drouilly M, O'Riain MJ. Learning from science and history about black‐backed jackals
Canis mesomelas
and their conflict with sheep farmers in South Africa. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicoli Nattrass
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) University of Cape Town Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - Marine Drouilly
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) University of Cape Town Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - M. Justin O'Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) University of Cape Town Cape Town Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
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