Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications
Abstract Populations of Eurasian otters Lutra lutra, one of the most widely distributed apex predators in Eurasia, have been depleted mainly since the 1950s. However, a lack of information about their genomic diversity and how they are organized geographically in East Asia severely impedes our abili...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Applications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13630 |
| _version_ | 1797334859400609792 |
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| author | Shou‐Hsien Li Chia‐fen Yeh Nian‐Hong Jang‐Liaw Shih‐Wei Chang Yu‐Hsiu Lin Cheng‐En Tsai Chi‐Cheng Chiu Chien‐Wen Chen Hui‐Ru Ke Qiaoyun Wang Yiwei Lu Kaidan Zheng Pengfei Fan Lu Zhang Yang Liu |
| author_facet | Shou‐Hsien Li Chia‐fen Yeh Nian‐Hong Jang‐Liaw Shih‐Wei Chang Yu‐Hsiu Lin Cheng‐En Tsai Chi‐Cheng Chiu Chien‐Wen Chen Hui‐Ru Ke Qiaoyun Wang Yiwei Lu Kaidan Zheng Pengfei Fan Lu Zhang Yang Liu |
| author_sort | Shou‐Hsien Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Populations of Eurasian otters Lutra lutra, one of the most widely distributed apex predators in Eurasia, have been depleted mainly since the 1950s. However, a lack of information about their genomic diversity and how they are organized geographically in East Asia severely impedes our ability to monitor and conserve them in particular management units. Here, we re‐sequenced and analyzed 20 otter genomes spanning continental East Asia, including a population at Kinmen, a small island off the Fujian coast, China. The otters form three genetic clusters (one of L. l. lutra in the north and two of L. l. chinensis in the south), which have diverged in the Holocene. These three clusters should be recognized as three conservation management units to monitor and manage independently. The heterozygosity of the East Asian otters is as low as that of the threatened carnivores sequenced. Historical effective population size trajectories inferred from genomic variations suggest that their low genomic diversity could be partially attributed to changes in the climate since the mid‐Pleistocene and anthropogenic intervention since the Holocene. However, no evidence of genetic erosion, mutation load, or high level of inbreeding was detected in the presumably isolated Kinmen Island population. Any future in situ conservation efforts should consider this information for the conservation management units. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:28:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57e7d43207d94480b65da3b37b38c626 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-4571 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:28:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Applications |
| spelling | doaj.art-57e7d43207d94480b65da3b37b38c6262024-02-02T04:15:45ZengWileyEvolutionary Applications1752-45712024-01-01171n/an/a10.1111/eva.13630Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implicationsShou‐Hsien Li0Chia‐fen Yeh1Nian‐Hong Jang‐Liaw2Shih‐Wei Chang3Yu‐Hsiu Lin4Cheng‐En Tsai5Chi‐Cheng Chiu6Chien‐Wen Chen7Hui‐Ru Ke8Qiaoyun Wang9Yiwei Lu10Kaidan Zheng11Pengfei Fan12Lu Zhang13Yang Liu14School of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei TaiwanSchool of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei TaiwanConservation and Research Center Taipei Zoo, Taipei TaiwanDivision of Zoology Endemic Species Research Institute Nantou TaiwanDivision of Zoology Endemic Species Research Institute Nantou TaiwanSchool of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei TaiwanSchool of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei TaiwanGenomics BioSci & Tech Co., Ltd. New Taipei City TaiwanGenomics BioSci & Tech Co., Ltd. New Taipei City TaiwanState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaZhejiang Museum of Natural History Zhejiang Biodiversity Research Center Hangzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaAbstract Populations of Eurasian otters Lutra lutra, one of the most widely distributed apex predators in Eurasia, have been depleted mainly since the 1950s. However, a lack of information about their genomic diversity and how they are organized geographically in East Asia severely impedes our ability to monitor and conserve them in particular management units. Here, we re‐sequenced and analyzed 20 otter genomes spanning continental East Asia, including a population at Kinmen, a small island off the Fujian coast, China. The otters form three genetic clusters (one of L. l. lutra in the north and two of L. l. chinensis in the south), which have diverged in the Holocene. These three clusters should be recognized as three conservation management units to monitor and manage independently. The heterozygosity of the East Asian otters is as low as that of the threatened carnivores sequenced. Historical effective population size trajectories inferred from genomic variations suggest that their low genomic diversity could be partially attributed to changes in the climate since the mid‐Pleistocene and anthropogenic intervention since the Holocene. However, no evidence of genetic erosion, mutation load, or high level of inbreeding was detected in the presumably isolated Kinmen Island population. Any future in situ conservation efforts should consider this information for the conservation management units.https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13630conservation genomicLutra lutrapopulation genetics – empiricalwildlife management |
| spellingShingle | Shou‐Hsien Li Chia‐fen Yeh Nian‐Hong Jang‐Liaw Shih‐Wei Chang Yu‐Hsiu Lin Cheng‐En Tsai Chi‐Cheng Chiu Chien‐Wen Chen Hui‐Ru Ke Qiaoyun Wang Yiwei Lu Kaidan Zheng Pengfei Fan Lu Zhang Yang Liu Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications Evolutionary Applications conservation genomic Lutra lutra population genetics – empirical wildlife management |
| title | Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| title_full | Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| title_fullStr | Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| title_short | Low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of East Asian Eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| title_sort | low but highly geographically structured genomic diversity of east asian eurasian otters and its conservation implications |
| topic | conservation genomic Lutra lutra population genetics – empirical wildlife management |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13630 |
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