Extensive genome introgression between domestic ferret and European polecat during population recovery in Great Britain

Etherington, Graham; Ciezarek, Adam; Shaw, Rebecca; Michaux, Johan; Croose, Elizabeth; Haerty, Wilfried; Palma, Federica Di

doi:10.1093/jhered/esac038

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Hybridization can also occur between wild and farmed conspecifics that have escaped from captive breeding facilities, which has happened with foxes ( Vulpes spp.) (Noren et al., 2005), minks (Kidd et al., 2009), and polecats (Etherington et al., 2022). Although this has been of great concern to conservationists, no loss in reproductive or adaptive fitness has been observed yet.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating hybrid speciation and swamping in wild carnivores with a decision‐tree approach

Tensen,

Fischer

2023

Conservation Biology

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Hybridization is an important evolutionary force with a principal role in the origin of new species, known as hybrid speciation. However, ongoing hybridization can create hybrid swamping, in which parental genomes are completely lost. This can become a biodiversity threat if it involves species that have adapted to certain environmental conditions and occur nowhere else. Because conservation scientists commonly have a negative attitude toward hybrids, it is important to improve understanding of the influence of interspecific gene flow on the persistence of species. We reviewed the literature on species hybridization to build a list of all known cases in the order Carnivora. To examine the relative impact, we also noted level of introgression, whether fertile offspring were produced, and whether there was mention of negative or positive evolutionary effects (hybrid speciation and swamping). To evaluate the conservation implications of hybrids, we developed a decision‐making tree with which to determine which actions should be taken to manage hybrid species . We found 53 hybrids involving 68 unique taxa, which is roughly 23% of all carnivore species. They mainly involved monophyletic (83%) and sympatric species (75%). For 2 species, the outcome of the assessment was to eliminate or restrict the hybrids: Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) and Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris). Both species hybridize with their domestic conspecifics. For all other cases, we suggest hybrids be protected in the same manner as native species. We found no evidence of genomic extinction in Carnivora. To the contrary, some species appear to be of hybrid origin, such as the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and African golden wolf (Canis lupaster). Other positive outcomes of hybridization are novel genetic diversity, adaptation to extreme environments, and increased reproductive fitness. These outcomes are particularly valuable for counterbalancing genetic drift and enabling adaptive introgression in a human‐dominated world.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating hybrid speciation and swamping in wild carnivores with a decision‐tree approach

Tensen,

Fischer

2023

Conservation Biology

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“…Human-induced hybridisation, frequently associated with species introductions and habitat degradation, may promote reproductive opportunities between taxa for which natural interbreeding would be highly unlikely [2]. In the United Kingdom alone, recent studies have demonstrated genetic evidence of introgression of wild mammals [3,4] and birds [5] with their domestic counterparts. Matias et al [2] analysed data from 13 European countries and found European wildcats (Felis silvestris) to, generally, have genetic integrity levels above the wildcat-hybrid threshold (ca.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology of a Hybrid Swarm: Evidence of 11 Feline Infectious Agents Circulating in a Population of Sympatric European Wildcat Hybrids and Free-Living Domestic Cats, in Scotland

Alves,

Bacon,

Langridge

et al. 2023

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases

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Hybridisation between wild and domestic species poses a serious challenge to conservation management and can, potentially, lead to extinction. Alongside it, disease transmission will inevitably occur. However, the link between these two phenomena has historically been neglected. In Scotland, the European wildcat is particularly threatened by hybridisation with the domestic cat, a process promoted by long-term habitat loss, human encroachment, and persecution. Between 2015 and 2019, free-living cats (n = 120) were captured in six conservation priority areas of northern Scotland. Samples were collected for infectious disease screening (feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, Chlamydia felis, Mycoplasma felis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma haemofelis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis, and Tritrichomonas foetus) and genetic analysis. Polymerase chain reaction and reverse transcriptionPCR were used to detect infectious DNA or RNA, respectively. The hybrid score (Q) for each individual cat was determined using a 35-SNP-marker test. Statistical analysis investigated the association between Q and probability of infection, accounting for spatial clustering. The results confirmed the presence of 11 infectious agents circulating in the free-living cat population of northern Scotland, which consists of a hybrid swarm between F. silvestris and F. catus. For eight of them (feline leukaemia virus, feline herpesvirus C. felis, B. bronchiseptica, M. felis, M. haemofelis, Ca. M. haemominutum, and T. foetus), there was no significant association between infection probability and Q, supporting our hypothesis that the hybrid swarm may be functioning as a single epidemiological unit. Considering the impact of infectious diseases on health, welfare, and population dynamics of domestic cats, their presence in the extremely fragile and hybridised population of F. silvestris in Scotland could be population limiting or, potentially, contribute to local extinction. Comprehensive disease surveillance, risk analysis, and domestic cat management will be essential for the European wildcat conservation, particularly where hybridisation is increasing and anthropogenic factors are prevalent.

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Genomics detects cryptic wallaby invasion

Veale,

McEwan,

Brauning

et al. 2024

Biol Invasions

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While conducting a landscape genomics study of invasive tammar wallabies (Notamacropus eugenii) in Aotearoa New Zealand we discovered that parma wallabies (N. parma) are also present in the North Island. This population has gone undetected for at least 30 years (and potentially for over a century), hidden amongst the morphologically similar tammar wallabies. The fact that an invasive wallaby species could remain undetected for so long, highlights the need for greater monitoring efforts for invasive species including genomic species identification.

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Extensive genome introgression between domestic ferret and European polecat during population recovery in Great Britain

Cited by 7 publications

References 83 publications

Evaluating hybrid speciation and swamping in wild carnivores with a decision‐tree approach

Evaluating hybrid speciation and swamping in wild carnivores with a decision‐tree approach

Epidemiology of a Hybrid Swarm: Evidence of 11 Feline Infectious Agents Circulating in a Population of Sympatric European Wildcat Hybrids and Free-Living Domestic Cats, in Scotland

Genomics detects cryptic wallaby invasion

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