Fine-scale genetic structure suggests low levels of short-range gene flow in a wolf population of the Italian Apennines |
| |
Authors: | Scandura Massimo Iacolina Laura Capitani Claudia Gazzola Andrea Mattioli Luca Apollonio Marco |
| |
Institution: | 1.Dipartimento di Zoologia e Genetica Evoluzionistica, Università di Sassari, Via Muroni 25, 07100, Sassari, Italy ;2.Joint Research Centre (JRC)-Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES)-Rural, Water and Ecosystem Resources Unit, via E. Fermi, Ispra, Italy ;3.Servizio Piano Faunistico, Provincia di Arezzo, Piazza della Libertà 3, 57100, Arezzo, Italy ; |
| |
Abstract: | We investigated local gene flow in a high-density wolf (Canis lupus) population of the Italian Apennines, where no effective barrier to wolf dispersal was present. From 1998 to 2004 we examined
wolf carcasses and non-invasively collected samples, focusing on three mountain districts, separated by two valleys, where
wolf packs showed high spatial stability. Using nine autosomal microsatellites we successfully genotyped 177 samples, achieving
the identification of 74 wolves. Genetic relatedness steeply decreased with increasing distance between sampling areas, thus
suggesting that short-distance interpack migration is infrequent in this population. In addition, no individual from a central
pack under intensive monitoring was sampled in the range of the surrounding packs over a 4-year period. The limited short-distance
gene flow resulted in a cryptic genetic structure, which was revealed by Bayesian analysis. A different genetic cluster was
found in each of the three mountain areas, and a small proportion of first-generation immigrants was detected. Overall, the
present study suggests that local genetic differentiation in Italian wolves might arise from high spatial stability of packs
and can be favoured by a combination of long-range dispersal, the attitude to mate between unrelated individuals and a high
young mortality rate. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|