Patterns of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation in Iberian populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Emys orbicularis</Emphasis> (Emydidae): conservation implications |
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Authors: | Guillermo Velo-Antón Mario García-París Adolfo Cordero Rivera |
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Institution: | (1) Grupo de Ecoloxía Evolutiva, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, E.U.E.T. Forestal, Campus Universitario, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain;(2) Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain |
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Abstract: | The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is threatened and in decline in several regions of its natural range, due to habitat loss combined with population fragmentation.
In this work, we have focused our efforts on studying the genetic diversity and structure of Iberian populations with a fine-scale
sampling (254 turtles in 10 populations) and a representation from North Africa and Balearic island populations. Using both
nuclear and mitochondrial markers (seven microsatellites, ∼1048 bp nDNA and ∼1500 bp mtDNA) we have carried out phylogenetic
and demographic analyses. Our results show low values of genetic diversity at the mitochondrial level although our microsatellite
dataset revealed relatively high levels of genetic variability with a latitudinal genetic trend decreasing from southern to
northern populations. A moderate degree of genetic differentiation was estimated for Iberian populations (genetic distances,
F
ST
values and clusters in the Bayesian analysis). The results in this study combining mtDNA and nDNA, provide the most comprehensive
population genetic data for E. orbicularis in the Iberian Peninsula. Our results suggest that Iberian populations within the Iberian–Moroccan lineage should be considered
as a single subspecies with five management units, and emphasize the importance of habitat management rather than population
reinforcement (i.e. captive breeding and reintroduction) in this long-lived species. |
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Keywords: | Emys orbicularis Genetic diversity mtDNA nDNA Population structure |
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