10.5061/DRYAD.65610
Wultsch, Claudia
Panthera Corporation
Caragiulo, Anthony
American Museum of Natural History
Dias-Freedman, Isabela
Rutgers University
Quigley, Howard
Panthera Corporation
Rabinowitz, Salisa
American Museum of Natural History
Amato, George
American Museum of Natural History
Data from: Genetic diversity and population structure of Mesoamerican
jaguars (Panthera onca): implications for conservation and management
Dryad
dataset
2017
jaguar
Panthera onca
2017-08-25T00:00:00Z
2017-08-25T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162377
17107 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Mesoamerican jaguars (Panthera onca) have been extirpated from over 77% of
their historic range, inhabiting fragmented landscapes at potentially
reduced population sizes. Maintaining and restoring genetic diversity and
connectivity across human-altered landscapes has become a major
conservation priority; nonetheless large-scale genetic monitoring of
natural populations is rare. This is the first regional conservation
genetic study of jaguars to primarily use fecal samples collected in the
wild across five Mesoamerican countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Honduras, and Mexico. We genotyped 445 jaguar fecal samples and examined
patterns of genetic diversity and connectivity among 115 individual
jaguars using data from 12 microsatellite loci. Overall, moderate levels
of genetic variation were detected (NA = 4.50 ± 1.05, AR = 3.43 ± 0.22, HE
= 0.59 ± 0.04), with Mexico having the lowest genetic diversity, followed
by Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa Rica. Population-based gene flow
measures (FST = 0.09 to 0.15, Dest = 0.09 to 0.21), principal component
analysis, and Bayesian clustering applied in a hierarchical framework
revealed significant genetic structure in Mesoamerican jaguars, roughly
grouping individuals into four genetic clusters with varying levels of
admixture. Gene flow was highest among Selva Maya jaguars (northern
Guatemala and central Belize), whereas genetic differentiation among all
other sampling sites was moderate. Genetic subdivision was most pronounced
between Selva Maya and Honduran jaguars, suggesting limited jaguar
movement between these close geographic regions and ultimately refuting
the hypothesis of contemporary panmixia. To maintain a critical linkage
for jaguars dispersing through the Mesoamerican landscape and ensure
long-term viability of this near threatened species, we recommend
continued management and maintenance of jaguar corridors. The baseline
genetic data provided by this study underscores the importance of
understanding levels of genetic diversity and connectivity to making
informed management and conservation decisions with the goal to maintain
functional connectivity across the region.
STRUCTURE - Mesoamerican Jaguars - Wultsch et al. 2016STRUCTURE file for
the manuscript "Genetic diversity and population structure of
Mesoamerican jaguars (Panthera onca): implications for conservation and
management ". The file includes microsatellite genotype data for
jaguars studied across five Mesoamerican countries.Wultsch et
al_Structure_MAJags.str
Mesoamerica