Abstract
Anthropogenic activities cause loss and fragmentation of natural habitats and have strong effects on population maintenance by increasing their isolation. Pond ecosystems are scattered waterbodies that can interact as a network connected by dispersal events of freshwater organisms. Identifying local genetic differentiations and understanding how gene flow occurs across these networks is essential to prevent risks associated with environmental perturbations. This study aimed to investigate genetic diversity and structure of Anax imperator Leach, 1815 populations at both regional and European scales using seven microsatellites markers. Seven populations of A. imperator were sampled in northwestern France and four populations were sampled in Italy (Sicily), Czech Republic, Switzerland and United Kingdom (U.K.). French populations presented a low genetic differentiation indicating a high gene flow and confirming dispersal events of this species between ponds at regional scale. No pattern of isolation by distance was found at the European scale. The populations presented a low genetic differentiation and no pattern of isolation by distance, suggesting historical or current movements of individuals. Only the U.K. population presented a significant genetic differentiation from other European populations, suggesting that the English Channel might act as a barrier to gene flow for A. imperator. However, Bayesian analysis showed that some dispersal events could occur between the U.K. and France (Normandy), probably facilitated by prevailing winds.
Highlights
IntroductionMany wildlife populations live in isolated habitat patches and often suffer a loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding [5,6]
Anax imperator populations sampled in the Normandy region in France had a low level of genetic differentiation (i.e., FST -values all below 0.03) compared to previous studies on European odonates at a local or regional scale (i.e., FST up to 0.08, 0.10, 0.24 and 0.28 for Leucorrhinia dubia Vander Linden 1825, Coenagrion scitulum Rambur 1842, C. mercuriale, respectively) [45,82,83,84]
Such results confirm the high mobility of A. imperator [85] and its efficient dispersal between ponds at the regional scale [54]
Summary
Many wildlife populations live in isolated habitat patches and often suffer a loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding [5,6]. Some wide-ranging species with high dispersal capacities can have different genetic diversities at smaller scales [8], while other ones with low dispersal ability can have low genetic differentiation at larger spatial scales [9,10]. The genetic diversity can be constraint by specific habitat requirements that often induce isolation of populations [11,12]. The genetic diversity depends on gene flow that is conditioned by the frequency of dispersal events between populations [13]
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