10.5061/DRYAD.12JM63XSR
Trumbo, Daryl R
0000-0002-8438-2856
Colorado State University
Salerno, Patricia E
Colorado State University
Logan, Kenneth
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Alldredge, Mat
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Gagne, Roderick B
Colorado State University
Kozakiewicz, Christopher P
0000-0002-4868-9252
University of Tasmania
Kraberger, Simona
Colorado State University
Fountain-Jones, Nick
University of Minnesota
Craft, Meggan E
University of Minnesota
Carver, Scott
0000-0002-3579-7588
University of Tasmania
Ernest, Holly B
University of Wyoming
Crooks, Kevin
Colorado State University
VandeWoude, Sue
Colorado State University
Funk, W. Chris
Colorado State University
Urbanization impacts apex predator gene flow but not genetic diversity
across an urban-rural divide
Dryad
dataset
2019
Puma concolor
landscape genomics
2019-10-31T00:00:00Z
2019-10-31T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15261
38350173424 bytes
9
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Apex predators are important indicators of intact natural ecosystems. They
are also sensitive to urbanization because they require broad home ranges
and extensive contiguous habitat to support their prey base. Pumas (Puma
concolor) can persist near human developed areas, but urbanization may be
detrimental to their movement ecology, population structure, and genetic
diversity. To investigate potential effects of urbanization in population
connectivity of pumas, we performed a landscape genomics study of 130
pumas on the rural Western Slope and more urbanized Front Range of
Colorado, USA. Over 12,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped
using double-digest, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing
(ddRADseq). We investigated patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity,
and tested for correlations between key landscape variables and genetic
distance to assess the effects of urbanization and other landscape factors
on gene flow. Levels of genetic diversity were similar for the Western
Slope and Front Range, but effective population sizes were smaller,
genetic distances were higher, and there was more admixture in the more
urbanized Front Range. Forest cover was strongly positively associated
with puma gene flow on the Western Slope, while impervious surfaces
restricted gene flow and more open, natural habitats enhanced gene flow on
the Front Range. Landscape genomic analyses revealed differences in puma
movement and gene flow patterns in rural versus urban settings. Our
results highlight the utility of dense, genome-scale markers to document
subtle impacts of urbanization on a wide-ranging carnivore living near a
large urban center.