Data from: Wolves at the crossroad: fission-fusion range biogeography in the Western Carpathians and Central Europe
Aim: Population fragmentation represents a leitmotif of conservation biology, but the impact of population reconnection is less well studied. The recent recolonization of large carnivores in Europe is a good model for studying this phenomenon. We aim to show novel data regarding distribution and pop...
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Zusammenfassung: | Aim: Population fragmentation represents a leitmotif of conservation
biology, but the impact of population reconnection is less well studied.
The recent recolonization of large carnivores in Europe is a good model
for studying this phenomenon. We aim to show novel data regarding
distribution and population genetic structure of the grey wolf in Central
Europe, a region considered a frequent crossroad and contact zone of
different phylogeographic lineages, in a biogeographic context. Location:
Western Carpathians, Central Europe. Methods: In concordance with the
presumption of a highly mobile mammal, individual-based Bayesian
clustering and a posteriori definition of populations were used.
Integrating the frameworks of landscape genetics and biogeography enabled
the identification of transitions in population architecture. These
patterns could be ascribed to isolating factors based on historical
knowledge about species demography. Results: Genetic differentiation
mirrors population isolation and recognized environmental clusters,
suggesting ecotypic variation. The east–west split in the Western
Carpathians likely represents the signature of range fragmentation during
bottlenecks in the 20th century. Mitochondrial variability is more
depleted than nuclear variability, indicating founder-flush demography.
Microsatellites show finer-scale differentiation in the Carpathians
compared to the European plain, corresponding to topographic
heterogeneity. Long-range dispersal of a Carpathian wolf (ca. 300 km), the
establishment of enclaves originated from the lowland population and
admixture with mountain wolves were ascertained, indicating a population
fraction producing large-scale gene flow. Main conclusion: Carpathian
wolves are characterized by periods of population and range decline due to
eradication, facilitating refugial role of alpine habitats and peripatric
effects, followed by expansions and fusions probably caused by forest
transition, population adaptation and efforts in conservation management.
New occurrence and hybridization events predict further contacts between
formerly isolated populations, with potential opposing effects of
heterosis and outbreeding depression. Population recovery might be
hindered due to isolation by environment and anthropogenic impacts. |
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DOI: | 10.5061/dryad.54p37 |