Agriculture creates subtle genetic structure among migratory and nonmigratory populations of burrowing owls throughout North America

Macías‐Duarte, Alberto; Conway, Courtney J.; Culver, Melanie

doi:10.1002/ece3.6725

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…While previous genetic studies failed to identify any significant limitations to gene flow among resident or migratory breeding groups in western burrowing owls (Desmond et al., 2001; Korfanta et al., 2005; Macías‐Duarte et al., 2020), we detected clear population structure patterns associated with migratory phenotypes. Namely, we found distinct genetic clustering of residents by population and no limitations to gene flow among the migratory breeding groups.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 68%

“…The Imperial Valley, for instance, experienced a 2.5× fold increase in burrowing owl population density from 1980 to 2000 as agricultural operations escalated in the area (Rosenberg & Haley, 2004), and it currently supports the majority of the total extant population in California (Poulin et al., 2020). Recent work suggests non‐breeding partial migratory populations may be experiencing a switch to breeding partial migratory populations in desert areas heavily impacted by agriculture (Macías‐Duarte et al., 2020). Increased gene flow resulting from this change may explain the lack of differentiation in the PCA between both CA‐Imp and AZ‐P and the migratory group.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent work suggests non-breeding partial migratory populations may be experiencing a switch to breeding partial migratory populations in desert areas heavily impacted by agriculture (Macías-Duarte et al, 2020). Increased gene flow resulting from this change may explain the lack of differentiation in the PCA between both CA-Imp and AZ-P and the migratory group.…”

Section: Lack Of Structure In Two Resident Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Genetic and environmental drivers of migratory behavior in western burrowing owls and implications for conservation and management

Barr,

Bossu,

Bay

et al. 2023

Evolutionary Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Migration is driven by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, but many questions remain about those drivers. Potential interactions between genetic and environmental variants associated with different migratory phenotypes are rarely the focus of study. We pair low coverage whole genome resequencing with a de novo genome assembly to examine population structure, inbreeding, and the environmental factors associated with genetic differentiation between migratory and resident breeding phenotypes in a species of conservation concern, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). Our analyses reveal a dichotomy in gene flow depending on whether the population is resident or migratory, with the former being genetically structured and the latter exhibiting no signs of structure. Among resident populations, we observed significantly higher genetic differentiation, significant isolation‐by‐distance, and significantly elevated inbreeding. Among migratory breeding groups, on the other hand, we observed lower genetic differentiation, no isolation‐by‐distance, and substantially lower inbreeding. Using genotype–environment association analysis, we find significant evidence for relationships between migratory phenotypes (i.e., migrant versus resident) and environmental variation associated with cold temperatures during the winter and barren, open habitats. In the regions of the genome most differentiated between migrants and residents, we find significant enrichment for genes associated with the metabolism of fats. This may be linked to the increased pressure on migrants to process and store fats more efficiently in preparation for and during migration. Our results provide a significant contribution toward understanding the evolution of migratory behavior and vital insight into ongoing conservation and management efforts for the western burrowing owl.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 68%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lack Of Structure In Two Resident Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Genetic and environmental drivers of migratory behavior in western burrowing owls and implications for conservation and management

Barr,

Bossu,

Bay

et al. 2023

Evolutionary Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Combining genomic and field analyses to reveal migratory status in a burrowing owl population

Trulio,

Chromczak,

Higgins

et al. 2023

Conserv Genet

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Geographic variation in dispersal of western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) populations across North America

Macías‐Duarte

Conway

2021

Behavioral Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Dispersal is one of the key elements of species’ metapopulation dynamics and, hence, influences global conservation status. Furthermore, determining the geographic variation in magnitude and direction of dispersal throughout a species’ distribution may expand our understanding of the causes of population declines in species of conservation concern. For instance, western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) populations have declined at the northern and eastern edge of their breeding distribution during the 20th century. In the same period, large areas of thornscrub that did not support breeding owls were converted to irrigated agriculture in the southern edge of the subspecies’ breeding distribution in northwestern Mexico. These farmlands now support some of the highest breeding densities of owls. We tested the hypothesis that owls that colonized this recently created habitat originated from declining migratory populations from the northern portion of the subspecies’ range. We used stable isotopes 2H, 13C, and 15N in owl feathers to infer breeding dispersal patterns throughout the subspecies’ breeding range. Populations near the northern edge of the subspecies’ breeding range had immigrants that dispersed over larger distances than immigrants at low and mid latitude populations. However, agricultural populations in northwestern Mexico disrupted this latitudinal pattern, attracting owls from more distant locations. We also found immigrants originated from further distances in declining populations than increasing populations. Stable isotopes provided no evidence of contemporaneous breeding dispersal from Canadian populations to northwestern Mexico but suggest that agricultural areas in the southern edge of the subspecies’ distribution have altered the continental dispersal pattern.

show abstract

Agriculture creates subtle genetic structure among migratory and nonmigratory populations of burrowing owls throughout North America

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 4 publications

References 49 publications

Genetic and environmental drivers of migratory behavior in western burrowing owls and implications for conservation and management

Genetic and environmental drivers of migratory behavior in western burrowing owls and implications for conservation and management

Combining genomic and field analyses to reveal migratory status in a burrowing owl population

Geographic variation in dispersal of western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) populations across North America

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About