Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii
Habitat fragmentation represents a multifaceted global conservation threat, exerting both direct and indirect effects on individual animals and communities. Reptiles, particularly smaller species with limited migratory abilities, are especially vulnerable to these changes. This study examines how sm...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000533 |
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| author | Cui Yang Yue Qi Jiayuan Guo Liangfei Peng Neng Xiong Wenya Zhang Wei Zhao |
| author_facet | Cui Yang Yue Qi Jiayuan Guo Liangfei Peng Neng Xiong Wenya Zhang Wei Zhao |
| author_sort | Cui Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Habitat fragmentation represents a multifaceted global conservation threat, exerting both direct and indirect effects on individual animals and communities. Reptiles, particularly smaller species with limited migratory abilities, are especially vulnerable to these changes. This study examines how small reptiles adapt their life history strategies in fragmented habitats and determines whether their responses are primarily due to phenotypic plasticity or genetic adaptation. We focused on Phrynocephalus przewalskii, analyzing body size, reproductive strategies, genetic structure, and diversity across three habitats with varying degrees of fragmentation. This study investigated the response of P. przewalskii to varying degrees of habitat fragmentation in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia. The study compared morphological characteristics, reproductive investment, genetic diversity, and fluctuating asymmetry of P. przewalskii individuals from the sampling areas. Results showed that individuals in highly fragmented areas exhibited smaller body size, higher reproductive investment, and lower genetic diversity. Genomic analyses revealed significantly fewer SNPs, INDELs, and SVs in the highly fragmented area compared to others, with the slowest linkage disequilibrium decay rate, indicating strong environmental pressure. Furthermore, individuals in the highly fragmented area had significantly higher fluctuating asymmetry, serve as an important ecological and biological indicator reflecting habitat fragmentation. These findings demonstrated that habitat fragmentation negatively impacts the survival and reproduction of P. przewalskii, reducing its genetic diversity and adaptive potential, and increasing the risk of local extinction. This study provides crucial data for understanding the mechanisms of animal adaptation to fragmented habitats and aids in assessing species extinction risks and developing conservation strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b24310ec58e24217b6c3ccc179ea16ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-b24310ec58e24217b6c3ccc179ea16ba2025-02-12T05:30:04ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01290117717Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskiiCui Yang0Yue Qi1Jiayuan Guo2Liangfei Peng3Neng Xiong4Wenya Zhang5Wei Zhao6Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaGansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaGansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaGansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaGansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaGansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCorresponding author.; Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaHabitat fragmentation represents a multifaceted global conservation threat, exerting both direct and indirect effects on individual animals and communities. Reptiles, particularly smaller species with limited migratory abilities, are especially vulnerable to these changes. This study examines how small reptiles adapt their life history strategies in fragmented habitats and determines whether their responses are primarily due to phenotypic plasticity or genetic adaptation. We focused on Phrynocephalus przewalskii, analyzing body size, reproductive strategies, genetic structure, and diversity across three habitats with varying degrees of fragmentation. This study investigated the response of P. przewalskii to varying degrees of habitat fragmentation in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia. The study compared morphological characteristics, reproductive investment, genetic diversity, and fluctuating asymmetry of P. przewalskii individuals from the sampling areas. Results showed that individuals in highly fragmented areas exhibited smaller body size, higher reproductive investment, and lower genetic diversity. Genomic analyses revealed significantly fewer SNPs, INDELs, and SVs in the highly fragmented area compared to others, with the slowest linkage disequilibrium decay rate, indicating strong environmental pressure. Furthermore, individuals in the highly fragmented area had significantly higher fluctuating asymmetry, serve as an important ecological and biological indicator reflecting habitat fragmentation. These findings demonstrated that habitat fragmentation negatively impacts the survival and reproduction of P. przewalskii, reducing its genetic diversity and adaptive potential, and increasing the risk of local extinction. This study provides crucial data for understanding the mechanisms of animal adaptation to fragmented habitats and aids in assessing species extinction risks and developing conservation strategies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000533Habitat fragmentationPhrynocephalus przewalskiiMorphologyReproductionGenetic diversityFluctuating asymmetry |
| spellingShingle | Cui Yang Yue Qi Jiayuan Guo Liangfei Peng Neng Xiong Wenya Zhang Wei Zhao Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Habitat fragmentation Phrynocephalus przewalskii Morphology Reproduction Genetic diversity Fluctuating asymmetry |
| title | Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| title_full | Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| title_fullStr | Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| title_full_unstemmed | Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| title_short | Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| title_sort | habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles a case study on phrynocephalus przewalskii |
| topic | Habitat fragmentation Phrynocephalus przewalskii Morphology Reproduction Genetic diversity Fluctuating asymmetry |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000533 |
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