Recovery in the melting pot: complex origins and restored genetic diversity in newly established Eurasian beaver (Rodentia: Castoridae) populations

Munclinger, Pavel; Syrůčková, Alena; Náhlovský, Jan; Durka, Walter; Saveljev, Alexander P.; Rosell, Frank; Stubbe, Annegret; Stubbe, Michael; Ulevičius, Alius; Samiya, Ravchig; Yanuta, Grigori; Vorel, Aleš

doi:10.1093/biolinnean/blac003

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 108 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…2021, Munclinger et al. 2022), skeleton (Fandén 2005), and anal gland secretions (Schulte et al. 1995).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This category collects 34 documents related to non-invasive control and genetic monitoring of the species. They control genetic structure and variability of population mostly through DNA-based methods (Fedorca et al 2021, Iso-Touru et al 2021, Munclinger et al 2022, skeleton (Fandén 2005), and anal gland secretions (Schulte et al 1995). The analysis of anal gland secretions is also used to distinguish the two species, that is, American and Eurasian beavers (Rosell & Sun 1999, Rosell et al 2019.…”

Section: Genetic Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A bibliometric literature review in beaver management: when does the beaver become a resource?

Treves,

Comino

2023

Mammal Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most biodiverse habitats, but they are among the most endangered due to human activities. In this context, beavers represent a nature‐based solutions to preserve and repair freshwater ecosystem, given their important role as ecosystem engineers. However, in an environment modified by humans, beaver activities frequently create conflicts masking the positive effects of this rodent. Therefore, the management of beaver populations and human–beaver conflicts is needed. This article investigates the literature about beaver management through a bibliometric analysis to understand past, current, and future response. Moreover, it quantifies the number of studies that consider beavers as a resource, and it identifies the emerging themes in the field. The bibliometric analysis was performed considering a total of 415 documents with the software VOSviewer and the R web interface for bibliometrix Biblioshiny. The analysis presented here provides a complete view of past, present, and future management approaches and responses at the base of beaver management strategies. Three main results emerged. Firstly, a rising tendency in the number of publications about beavers that are directly linked to the populations development and spread has detected. Secondly, only 4.3% of scientific literature has referred to beaver‐related restoration. Thirdly, the ‘human perceptions’ has resulted in the emerging field investigated. Findings suggest that there is a lot of research interest about beaver management. The beaver is still poorly managed as a tool for freshwater ecosystem restoration. The management is shifting from studies focused more so on beaver ecology to others mainly focused on the beaver effects and the human dimension. This review provides a starting point for future research on beavers and suggests the development of socio‐ecological management models that consider benefits and impacts of beavers. This will help the decision‐making process of conservation and restoration initiatives.

show abstract

“…2021, Munclinger et al. 2022), skeleton (Fandén 2005), and anal gland secretions (Schulte et al. 1995).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Genetic Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A bibliometric literature review in beaver management: when does the beaver become a resource?

Treves,

Comino

2023

Mammal Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Despite the lack of reference samples from relict populations, all newly established populations of Eurasian beavers in Europe are characterized by a high genetic diversity (due to translocations from different areas), which may in turn promote range expansion (Munclinger et al 2022). Beaver individuals from Central Italy belong to the Western mitochondrial DNA clade, which includes Central and Eastern European populations (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eurasian beavers in Central Italy: perceptions in the local community

Viviano,

Auster,

Mazza

et al. 2023

Sci Nat

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

According to the IUCN guidelines, wildlife reintroduction should consider any impacts on humans within feasibility assessments. Eurasian beavers Castor fiber are recovering across their native range, due to protection laws and reintroductions. In Central Italy, a self-sustaining, naturalised population of Eurasian beavers has been identified in the last five years. A questionnaire to measure whether and how citizens in the local area perceive the presence of the beaver was administered to 1114 respondents. We observed a comprehensive awareness of the presence of the beaver in Italy and a high ability to distinguish it from non-native coypus Myocastor coypus (92.3%). We also recorded a general high knowledge of issues related to the presence of the beaver (i.e., potential effects on indigenous biodiversity). The majority (65.5%) of the surveyed population was in favour of reintroducing the beaver in Central Italy, and only 1.2% was firmly against it. The majority of interviewed people was against the removal of beavers from Central Italy (65.8%), whereas only 3.7% was in favor, citing fears of perceived impacts on the river, crops, and fish populations.

show abstract

Genetic admixture between Central European and Alpine wolf populations

Hulva,

Collet,

Baránková

et al. 2024

Wildlife Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The recovery and expansion of formerly isolated wolf populations in Europe raise questions about the nature of their interactions and future consequences for population viability and conservation. Will fragmented populations fuse or maintain a certain level of isolation with migration? Central Europe is suitable for obtaining empirical data in this field as it represents a ‘crossroad' with the potential for contact among several phylogeographic lineages. In this study, non‐invasive genetic samples obtained during population monitoring in the Bohemian and Bavarian Forest (BBF) mountain ranges in the Czech Republic and Germany (Bohemian Massif) were analysed at different neutral markers including mitochondrial sequence, nuclear autosomal microsatellites and gonosomal sex markers. Resultant genetic profiles were compared with reference data to study population ancestry. Both cluster analyses of microsatellite genotypes and syntopic occurrence of haplotypes HW01 and HW22 showed genetic admixture between Central European and Alpine populations. This represents secondary contact and interbreeding of formerly allopatric populations with different phylogeographic histories and distant expansion centres in different biomes in the Baltic region versus the Apennine peninsula and Alps. Moreover, the study describes the founding event and genealogy of this admixed deme, inhabiting intermediate environmental conditions compared to parental forms, and emphasises the role of protected areas as stepping stones in the range recolonization process in endangered large mammals.

show abstract

Recovery in the melting pot: complex origins and restored genetic diversity in newly established Eurasian beaver (Rodentia: Castoridae) populations

Cited by 4 publications

References 108 publications

A bibliometric literature review in beaver management: when does the beaver become a resource?

A bibliometric literature review in beaver management: when does the beaver become a resource?

Eurasian beavers in Central Italy: perceptions in the local community

Genetic admixture between Central European and Alpine wolf populations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About