Grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Estonia and Europe: genetic diversity, population structure and -processes, and hybridization between wolves and dogs
Date
2016-10-14
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Abstract
Ajal, mil mitmete hundipopulatsioonide levila on Euroopas suurenemas, on teadmised hundi populatsioonigeneetikast vajalikud liigi jaoks oluliste kaitse- ja majandamisotsuste tegemiseks ja seda nii kohalike populatsioonide kui ka üleeuroopalisel tasandil. Käesoleva töö peamisteks eesmärkideks oli uurida Eesti ja Läti hundipopulatsioonide struktuuri ja –protsesse, hübridiseerumist koertega ning laiemalt kogu Euroopa huntide ruumilis-geneetilise mitmekesisuse mustreid ja trende. Kasutades nii emaliini, isaliini kui ka biparentaalseid geneetilisi markereid kombineerivat analüüsi, tuvastasime Eestis (esmakordselt) ja Lätis hundi ja koera hübriidid, sealjuures kaks hübriidi Lätist esindasid väga haruldast, Euroopas esmakordselt tuvastatud hübridiseerimisjuhtumit - emase koera ja isase hundi vahel. Eestit ja Lätit hõlmav hundipopulatsiooni geneetilisel analüüsil leiti neli geneetiliselt eristuvat rühma ning uudne DResD analüüs tuvastas populatsioonis migratsioonikoridori ning liikumisbarjääre ja kontakttsoone eri geneetiliste rühmade vahel. Suuremat osa Euroopa hundipopulatsioonidest hõlmav meta-analüüs tuvastas olulise ruumilise mitmekesisuse trendi – huntide madalaim geneetiline mitmekesisus esines Euroopa edelaosas ja kõrgeim kirdeosas. Tulemustes selgunud ruumilise autokorrelatsiooni vahemik 650-850 km näitab, et konkreetse hundipopulatsiooni geneetilist mitmekesisust võivad mõjutada hundipopulatsioonid, mis asuvad kuni 850 km kaugusel.
Enamik Euroopa hundipopulatsioonidest on silmitsi sarnaste, inimese poolt otseselt või kaudselt seotud ohtudega: küttimine (sealhulgas salaküttimine), inimeste madal sallivus hundi suhtes, konfliktid kariloomade murdmise tõttu, elupaikade hävimine ning võimalik hübridiseerumine koertega. Selleks, et hunt säiliks Euroopas pikka aega ja soodsas seisundis, on vaja suurendada Euroopa hundipopulatsioonide üldist arvukust ja soodustada loomade levikut ja populatsioonide-siseseid ja -vahelisi seoseid. Hundi teaduspõhiseks kaitsmiseks ja majandamiseks nii piirkondlikel kui ka üleeuroopalisel skaalal, on hundipopulatsioone vaja hallata kui bioloogilisi üksusi, mis nõuab kõiki Euroopa hundipopulatsioone hõlmavaid täiendavaid geneetilisi analüüse, et teha kindlaks populatsioonide täpne arv, ruumiline jaotus, geenisiirde ulatused ning hübridiseerumise sageduse koertega.
As many wolf populations in Europe are expanding their range, knowledge of population genetics are of great importance for effective conservation and management of the species at both local and over-European scales. The main goal of this thesis was to provide information on wolf population structure and processes in Europe with a particular emphasis on Estonia and Latvia, including the wolf-dog hybridization. Using a combined analysis of maternal, paternal and biparental genetic markers, hybridization between grey wolf and domestic dog was ascertained in Estonia (for the first time) and in Latvia. The two hybrids from Latvia represented a very rare case of hybridization – the first record from Europe – between a female dog and a male wolf. Population structure analysis demonstrated that wolf popu¬lation shared between Estonia and Latvia is represented by four genetic groups. The spatially explicit DResD analysis provided clear evidence of spatial variation of genetic divergence, revealing a migration corridor, barriers, and several contact zones between different genetic groups. In a meta-analysis covering most of the European wolf populations, significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest) was found. The range of spatial autocorrelation of 650−850 km suggests, that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. Various human-related factors are undoubtedly the main source of threats to wolf populations in Europe: the majority of populations face similar common threats such as overharvesting (including poaching), low public acceptance, conflicts due to livestock depredation, habitat destruction, barriers to gene flow and interactions with dogs leading to possible hybridization. For the long-term survival and favourable conservation status of European wolves there is a need to increase the overall population size and favour wolf dispersal and connectivity among and within populations. For science-based wolf conservation and manage¬ment at regional and Europe-wide scales it was suggested to manage wolf populations according to biological units, which requires additional genetic analysis covering all wolf populations in Europe to define the exact number and spatial distribution of populations.
As many wolf populations in Europe are expanding their range, knowledge of population genetics are of great importance for effective conservation and management of the species at both local and over-European scales. The main goal of this thesis was to provide information on wolf population structure and processes in Europe with a particular emphasis on Estonia and Latvia, including the wolf-dog hybridization. Using a combined analysis of maternal, paternal and biparental genetic markers, hybridization between grey wolf and domestic dog was ascertained in Estonia (for the first time) and in Latvia. The two hybrids from Latvia represented a very rare case of hybridization – the first record from Europe – between a female dog and a male wolf. Population structure analysis demonstrated that wolf popu¬lation shared between Estonia and Latvia is represented by four genetic groups. The spatially explicit DResD analysis provided clear evidence of spatial variation of genetic divergence, revealing a migration corridor, barriers, and several contact zones between different genetic groups. In a meta-analysis covering most of the European wolf populations, significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest) was found. The range of spatial autocorrelation of 650−850 km suggests, that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. Various human-related factors are undoubtedly the main source of threats to wolf populations in Europe: the majority of populations face similar common threats such as overharvesting (including poaching), low public acceptance, conflicts due to livestock depredation, habitat destruction, barriers to gene flow and interactions with dogs leading to possible hybridization. For the long-term survival and favourable conservation status of European wolves there is a need to increase the overall population size and favour wolf dispersal and connectivity among and within populations. For science-based wolf conservation and manage¬ment at regional and Europe-wide scales it was suggested to manage wolf populations according to biological units, which requires additional genetic analysis covering all wolf populations in Europe to define the exact number and spatial distribution of populations.
Description
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Keywords
hunt, loomapopulatsioonid, geneetiline mitmekesisus, hübriidimine, koer, Eesti, Euroopa, populatsioonigeneetika, Canis lupus, animal populations, genetic diversity, hybridization, Canis familiaris, Estonia, Europe, population genetics