Abstract
Contemporary evolution through human-induced hybridization occurs throughout the taxonomic range. Formerly allopatric species appear especially susceptible to hybridization. Consequently, hybridization is expected to be more common in regions with recent sympatry owing to human activity than in areas of historical range overlap. Coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray wolves (C. lupus) are historically sympatric in western North America. Following European settlement gray wolf range contracted, whereas coyote range expanded to include eastern North America. Furthermore, wolves with New World (NW) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes now extend from Manitoba to Québec in Canada and hybridize with gray wolves and coyotes. Using mtDNA and 12 microsatellite markers, we evaluated levels of wolf-coyote hybridization in regions where coyotes were present (the Canadian Prairies, n = 109 samples) and absent historically (Québec, n = 154). Wolves with NW mtDNA extended from central Saskatchewan (51°N, 69°W) to northeastern Québec (54°N, 108°W). On the Prairies, 6.3% of coyotes and 9.2% of wolves had genetic profiles suggesting wolf-coyote hybridization. In contrast, 12.6% of coyotes and 37.4% of wolves in Québec had profiles indicating hybrid origin. Wolves with NW and Old World (C. lupus) mtDNA appear to form integrated populations in both regions. Our results suggest that hybridization is more frequent in historically allopatric populations. Range shifts, now expected across taxa following climate change and other human influence on the environment, might therefore promote contemporary evolution by hybridization.
Highlights
Landscape changes such as urbanization and agricultural development can cause rapid directional selection within species (Reznick et al 2008) and hybridization because of reduced environmental heterogeneity and collapse of ecological niches (Seehausen et al 2008)
Wolves with New World (NW) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extended from the Manicouagan Reservoir in northeastern Quebec (51°N, 69°W; Fig. S1) to Chitek Lake in central Saskatchewan (54°N, 108°W)
The large male from northeastern Quebec with haplotype C19 extends the range of wolves with NW mtDNA approximately 400 km from the nearest reported location near Lac St-Jean (49°N, 72°W) in east-central Quebec
Summary
Landscape changes such as urbanization and agricultural development can cause rapid directional selection within species (Reznick et al 2008) and hybridization because of reduced environmental heterogeneity and collapse of ecological niches (Seehausen et al 2008). Understanding the probability of, and ability for, adaptation in wildlife populations in response to current landscape changes is increasingly important to preserve the genetic integrity of wild species (Carroll 2008). The cohesion species-concept (Templeton 1989) highlights the shared importance of genetic exchangeability (gene flow) and ecological exchangeability (shared ecological niche) between organisms.
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