Abstract
Coherent ecological networks (EN) composed of core areas linked by ecological corridors are being developed worldwide with the goal of promoting landscape connectivity and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical assessment of the performance of EN designs is critical to evaluate the utility of these networks to mitigate effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Landscape genetics provides a particularly valuable framework to address the question of functional connectivity by providing a direct means to investigate the effects of landscape structure on gene flow. The goals of this study are (1) to evaluate the landscape features that drive gene flow of an EN target species (European pine marten), and (2) evaluate the optimality of a regional EN design in providing connectivity for this species within the Basque Country (North Spain). Using partial Mantel tests in a reciprocal causal modeling framework we competed 59 alternative models, including isolation by distance and the regional EN. Our analysis indicated that the regional EN was among the most supported resistance models for the pine marten, but was not the best supported model. Gene flow of pine marten in northern Spain is facilitated by natural vegetation, and is resisted by anthropogenic landcover types and roads. Our results suggest that the regional EN design being implemented in the Basque Country will effectively facilitate gene flow of forest dwelling species at regional scale.
Highlights
Long-term biodiversity conservation requires the preservation of ecological and evolutionary processes, such as gene flow, dispersal movements and population range shifts [1]
Non-invasive sample collection and species identification Out of 733 faecal samples collected from the entire study area, 141 were discarded because they were not fresh or because they presumably belong to the same individual. 494 out of 592 analyzed samples were classified as Martes sp. (M. martes and M. foina) based on genetic species identification results
This paper presents a comprehensive individual-based landscape genetic analysis of the European pine marten, and the first formal use of landscape genetics to evaluate the effectiveness of regional ecological networks
Summary
Long-term biodiversity conservation requires the preservation of ecological and evolutionary processes, such as gene flow, dispersal movements and population range shifts [1]. The ability of individuals to move across changing landscapes is crucial for maintaining regional populations [2,3]. The preservation of these processes requires, in turn, that landscape connectivity be preserved, especially when we take into account the synergetic effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change [1]. Connectivity is species-specific and reflects the response of individuals to landscape features and the patterns of dispersal and gene flow that result from these individual responses [5].
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