1. Evidence of fine-scale genetic structure for the endangered Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in the French Pyrenees
- Author
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M.T. Cabria Garrido, Frédéric Blanc, François Gillet, C. Vial-Novella, Stéphane Aulagnier, Christine Fournier-Chambrillon, Eric Sourp, Johan Michaux, Rafael Zardoya, Mélanie Némoz, Unité de recherche Comportement et Ecologie de la Faune Sauvage (CEFS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Institut de Botanique B22, Laboratoire de Génétique de la Conservation, Université de Liège, Conservatoire Régional des Espaces Naturels Midi-Pyrénées (CREN Midi-Pyrénées), Groupe de Recherche et d’Etude pour la Gestion de l’Environnement (GREGE), Parc National des Pyrenées, Département Biologie Vétérinaire, Laboratoires des Pyrénées et des Landes, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Animal et gestion intégrée des risques (UPR AGIRs), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), European Union Funding Network (ERDF and LIFE+), Agence de l'eau Adour-Garonne, Agence de l'eau Rhone-Mediterranee-Corse, DREAL Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees, and Languedoc-Roussillon, Conseil Regional Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc-Roussillon, Conseil General des Pyrenees-Atlantiques, de l'Aude et des Pyrenees-Orientales, EDF, SHEM, Patagonia, Parc National des Pyrenees, and ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie), Parc National des Pyrénées, Animal et gestion intégrée des risques (Cirad-Bios-UPR 22 AGIRs), Département Systèmes Biologiques (Cirad-BIOS), and Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Conservation genetics ,microsatellite ,maintenance breeding ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Endangered species ,Zoology ,galemys pyrenaicus ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,microsatellites ,03 medical and health sciences ,Genetic variation ,Genetics ,genetic structure ,Genetic variability ,Galemys pyrenaicus ,Microsatellites ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Genetic diversity ,structure génétique des populations ,Ecology ,biology ,conservation génétique ,conservation genetics ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,genêtic variation ,Desman ,030104 developmental biology ,diversité génétique ,Genetic structure ,Animal Science and Zoology ,L20 - Écologie animale ,P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières - Abstract
The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is a small, semiaquatic mammal endemic to the Pyrenean Mountains and the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula where it lives in cold and well-oxygenated flowing mountain streams. This species is currently classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and has been undergoing habitat loss and fragmentation for decades, inevitably impacting its distribution. A recent genetic study, based on mitochondrial and intronic sequences, showed that the genetic variability of the Pyrenean desman is very low in the Pyrenees. In this study, we investigated the potential existence of genetic structure and gene flow at a smaller scale using 24 polymorphic microsatellite loci. As the Pyrenean desman is a very elusive species, we supplemented our tissue sample collection with samples of feces collected in the French range of this species. We successfully identified 70 individuals based on 355 fecal samples. Bayesian analyses revealed 3 genetic and geographic clusters (1 eastern, 1 central, and 1 western, including 3 genetic subclusters), with origins tracing back only 200 years. These clusters were characterized by low levels of genetic diversity and high inbreeding coefficients. Although gene flow among clusters appeared to be limited, populations seem to have exchanged alleles recently. Therefore, connectivity between watersheds should be enhanced to maintain genetic diversity and potentially improve the long-term survival of the Pyrenean desman in France.
- Published
- 2016
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