10.5061/DRYAD.76TR6
Granroth-Wilding, Hanna
University of Turku
Primmer, Craig
University of Turku
Lindqvist, Meri
University of Turku
Poutanen, Jenni
University of Turku
Thalmann, Olaf
University of Turku
Aspi, Jouni
University of Oulu
Harmoinen, Jenni
University of Oulu
Kojola, Ilpo
Natural Resources Institute (Luke), Rovaniemi, Finland
Laaksonen, Toni
University of Turku
Data from: Non-invasive genetic monitoring involving citizen science
enables reconstruction of current pack dynamics in a re-establishing wolf
population
Dryad
dataset
2017
genetic monitoring
pedigree reconstruction
human-wildlife conflict
recolonization
Canis lupus
2017-12-12T18:28:48Z
2017-12-12T18:28:48Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-017-0154-8
10610 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Background: Carnivores are re-establishing in many human-populated areas,
where their presence is often contentious. Reaching consensus over
management decisions is often hampered by a dispute about the size of the
local carnivore population. Understanding the reproductive dynamics and
individual movements of the carnivores can provide support for management
decisions, but individual-level information can be difficult to obtain
from elusive, wide-ranging species. Non-invasive genetic sampling can
yield such information, but makes subsequent reconstruction of population
history challenging due to incomplete population coverage and error-prone
data. Here, we combine a collaborative, volunteer-based sampling scheme
with Bayesian pedigree reconstruction to describe the pack dynamics of an
establishing grey wolf (Canis lupus) population in south-west Finland,
where wolf breeding was recorded in 2006 for the first time in over a
century. Results: Using DNA extracted mainly from faeces collected since
2008, we identified 81 individual wolves and assigned credible full
parentages to 70 of these and partial parentages to a further 9, revealing
7 breeding pairs. Individuals used a range of strategies to obtain
breeding opportunities, including dispersal to established or new packs,
long-distance migration and inheriting breeding roles. Gene flow occurred
between all packs but inbreeding events were rare. Conclusions: These
findings demonstrate that characterizing ongoing pack dynamics can provide
detailed, locally-relevant insight into the ecology of contentious species
such as the wolf. Involving various stakeholders in data collection makes
these results more likely to be accepted as unbiased and hence reliable
grounds for management decisions.
Wolf monitoring genotype and phenotype dataThis file contains the
consensus multi-locus genotypes of all individual wolves identified and
fitted in the pedigree, along with phenotypic data used to inform the
pedigree.WolfMonitoring_GenAndPhenData.csv
Finland