Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas
Wild pigs (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) alter ecosystems, affect the economy, and carry diseases that can be transmitted to livestock, humans, and wildlife. Understanding wild pig movements and population structure data, including natural population boundaries and dispersal, may potentially increa...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/168 |
| _version_ | 1797412512987086848 |
|---|---|
| author | Johanna Delgado-Acevedo Angeline Zamorano Randy W. DeYoung Tyler A. Campbell |
| author_facet | Johanna Delgado-Acevedo Angeline Zamorano Randy W. DeYoung Tyler A. Campbell |
| author_sort | Johanna Delgado-Acevedo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wild pigs (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) alter ecosystems, affect the economy, and carry diseases that can be transmitted to livestock, humans, and wildlife. Understanding wild pig movements and population structure data, including natural population boundaries and dispersal, may potentially increase the efficiency and effectiveness of management actions. We trapped, conducted aerial shootings, and hunted wild pigs from 2005 to 2009 in southern Texas. We used microsatellites to assist large-scale applied management. We quantify broad-scale population structure among 24 sites across southern Texas by computing an overall F<sub>ST</sub> value, and a Bayesian clustering algorithm both with and without considering the spatial location of samples. At a broad geographic scale, pig populations displayed a moderate degree of genetic structure (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.11). The best partition for number of populations, based on 2nd order rate of change of the likelihood distribution, was K = 10 genetic clusters. The spatially explicit Bayesian clustering algorithm produced similar results, with minor differences in designation of admixed sites. We found evidence of past (and possibly ongoing) translocations; many populations were admixed. Our original goal was to identify landscape features, such as barriers or dispersal corridors, that could be used to aid management. Unfortunately, the extensive admixture among clusters made this impossible. This research shows that large-scale management of wild pigs may be necessary to achieve control and ameliorate damages. Reduction or cessation of translocations is necessary to prevent human-mediated dispersion of wild pigs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:03:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-090cdd80ea70410ab6241f02b2b05f6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:03:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-090cdd80ea70410ab6241f02b2b05f6e2023-12-03T12:56:47ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-01-0111116810.3390/ani11010168Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern TexasJohanna Delgado-Acevedo0Angeline Zamorano1Randy W. DeYoung2Tyler A. Campbell3Texas A&M University-Commerce, STC 262, Commerce, TX 75429, USACaesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USACaesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USAEast Foundation, 200 Concord Plaza Dr., Suite 410, San Antonio, TX 78216, USAWild pigs (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) alter ecosystems, affect the economy, and carry diseases that can be transmitted to livestock, humans, and wildlife. Understanding wild pig movements and population structure data, including natural population boundaries and dispersal, may potentially increase the efficiency and effectiveness of management actions. We trapped, conducted aerial shootings, and hunted wild pigs from 2005 to 2009 in southern Texas. We used microsatellites to assist large-scale applied management. We quantify broad-scale population structure among 24 sites across southern Texas by computing an overall F<sub>ST</sub> value, and a Bayesian clustering algorithm both with and without considering the spatial location of samples. At a broad geographic scale, pig populations displayed a moderate degree of genetic structure (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.11). The best partition for number of populations, based on 2nd order rate of change of the likelihood distribution, was K = 10 genetic clusters. The spatially explicit Bayesian clustering algorithm produced similar results, with minor differences in designation of admixed sites. We found evidence of past (and possibly ongoing) translocations; many populations were admixed. Our original goal was to identify landscape features, such as barriers or dispersal corridors, that could be used to aid management. Unfortunately, the extensive admixture among clusters made this impossible. This research shows that large-scale management of wild pigs may be necessary to achieve control and ameliorate damages. Reduction or cessation of translocations is necessary to prevent human-mediated dispersion of wild pigs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/168wild piggenetic population structureinvasive species<i>Sus scrofa</i> |
| spellingShingle | Johanna Delgado-Acevedo Angeline Zamorano Randy W. DeYoung Tyler A. Campbell Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas Animals wild pig genetic population structure invasive species <i>Sus scrofa</i> |
| title | Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas |
| title_full | Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas |
| title_fullStr | Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas |
| title_short | Genetic Population Structure of Wild Pigs in Southern Texas |
| title_sort | genetic population structure of wild pigs in southern texas |
| topic | wild pig genetic population structure invasive species <i>Sus scrofa</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/168 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johannadelgadoacevedo geneticpopulationstructureofwildpigsinsoutherntexas AT angelinezamorano geneticpopulationstructureofwildpigsinsoutherntexas AT randywdeyoung geneticpopulationstructureofwildpigsinsoutherntexas AT tyleracampbell geneticpopulationstructureofwildpigsinsoutherntexas |