Abstract
Establishing corridors of connecting habitat has become a mainstay conservation strategy to maintain gene flow and facilitate climate‐driven range shifts. Yet, little attention has been given to ascertaining the extent to which corridors will benefit philopatric species, which might exhibit localized adaptation. Measures of genetic connectivity and adaptive genetic variation across species’ ranges can help fill this knowledge gap. Here, we characterized the spatial genetic structure of Cunningham's skink (Egernia cunninghami), a philopatric species distributed along Australia's Great Dividing Range, and assessed evidence of localized adaptation. Analysis of 4,274 SNPs from 94 individuals sampled at four localities spanning 500 km and 4° of latitude revealed strong genetic structuring at neutral loci (mean F ST ± SD = 0.603 ± 0.237) among the localities. Putatively neutral SNPs and those under divergent selection yielded contrasting spatial patterns, with the latter identifying two genetically distinct clusters. Given low genetic connectivity of the four localities, we suggest that the natural movement rate of this species is insufficient to keep pace with spatial shifts to its climate envelope, irrespective of habitat availability. In addition, our finding of localized adaptation highlights the risk of outbreeding depression should the translocation of individuals be adopted as a conservation management strategy.
Highlights
The threat of climate change to global biodiversity is a major focus of conservation-based research and management (Loss, Terwilliger, & Peterson, 2011)
Genome scanning has highlighted the spatial patterns of adaptive genetic variation and local adaptations associated with selection in nonmodel species (Forester et al, 2016; Schweizer et al, 2015)
We tested for deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) at each sampling locality, and computed levels of expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity (Nei, 1987) and inbreeding (FIS) on neutral loci using Arlequin 3.5 (Excoffier & Lischer, 2010), GENEPOP 4.3 (Rousset, 2008), and GenAlEx 6.5 (Peakall & Smouse, 2012)
Summary
The threat of climate change to global biodiversity is a major focus of conservation-based research and management (Loss, Terwilliger, & Peterson, 2011). It is generally agreed that corridors can provide stepping stones of high-quality breeding habitat for philopatric species This should allow them to undertake multigenerational range shifts, with potential for localized gene flow (Hodgson et al, 2009). It is important to identify reproductively isolated and locally adapted populations in order to delineate conservation units for effective management (Moore et al, 2014) In this regard, measures of genetic variation at both neutral and loci associated with adaptation are required. Genome scanning has highlighted the spatial patterns of adaptive genetic variation and local adaptations associated with selection in nonmodel species (Forester et al, 2016; Schweizer et al, 2015) Such knowledge can highlight the potential benefits and risks of enhancing gene flow between populations from dissimilar environments and inform conservation actions under rapid climate change. Lizard capturing and handling followed Macquarie University Animal Ethics Committee recommendations (ARA 2013/015) and was licensed by the Office of Environment & Heritage, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (SL101164)
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