An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran
Abstract For the conservation of wild species, it is important to understand how landscape change and land management can affect gene flow and movement. Landscape genetic analyses provide a powerful approach to infer effects of various landscape factors on gene flow, thereby informing conservation a...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10225 |
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| author | Marzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi Nusha Keyghobadi Zeinab Azarakhsh Marzieh Dadizadeh Shahab Asadi Aghbolaghi Navid Zamani |
| author_facet | Marzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi Nusha Keyghobadi Zeinab Azarakhsh Marzieh Dadizadeh Shahab Asadi Aghbolaghi Navid Zamani |
| author_sort | Marzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract For the conservation of wild species, it is important to understand how landscape change and land management can affect gene flow and movement. Landscape genetic analyses provide a powerful approach to infer effects of various landscape factors on gene flow, thereby informing conservation actions. The Persian squirrel is a keystone species in the woodlands and oak forests of Western Asia, where it has experienced recent habitat loss and fragmentation. We conducted landscape genetic analyses of individuals sampled in the northern Zagros Mountains of Iran (provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Ilam), focusing on the evaluation of isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by resistance (IBR), using 16 microsatellite markers. The roles of geographical distance and landscape features including roads, rivers, developed areas, farming and agriculture, forests, lakes, plantation forests, rangelands, shrublands, and rocky areas of varying canopy cover, and swamp margins on genetic structure were quantified using individual‐based approaches and resistance surface modeling. We found a significant pattern of IBD but only weak support for an effect of forest cover on genetic structure and gene flow. It seems that geographical distance is an important factor limiting the dispersal of the Persian squirrel in this region. The results of the current study inform ongoing conservation programs for the Persian squirrel in the Zagros oak forest. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7b7639d8d0344f6bf01dfd20e393b32 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7b7639d8d0344f6bf01dfd20e393b322025-08-20T02:56:31ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-07-01137n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10225An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of IranMarzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi0Nusha Keyghobadi1Zeinab Azarakhsh2Marzieh Dadizadeh3Shahab Asadi Aghbolaghi4Navid Zamani5Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute Shahid Beheshti University Tehran IranDepartment of Biology The University of Western Ontario London CanadaCenter of Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences Shahid Beheshti University Tehran IranCenter of Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences Shahid Beheshti University Tehran IranDepartment of Education of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province (Ministry of Education) Shahrekord IranDepartment of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resource University of Kurdistan Sanandaj IranAbstract For the conservation of wild species, it is important to understand how landscape change and land management can affect gene flow and movement. Landscape genetic analyses provide a powerful approach to infer effects of various landscape factors on gene flow, thereby informing conservation actions. The Persian squirrel is a keystone species in the woodlands and oak forests of Western Asia, where it has experienced recent habitat loss and fragmentation. We conducted landscape genetic analyses of individuals sampled in the northern Zagros Mountains of Iran (provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Ilam), focusing on the evaluation of isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by resistance (IBR), using 16 microsatellite markers. The roles of geographical distance and landscape features including roads, rivers, developed areas, farming and agriculture, forests, lakes, plantation forests, rangelands, shrublands, and rocky areas of varying canopy cover, and swamp margins on genetic structure were quantified using individual‐based approaches and resistance surface modeling. We found a significant pattern of IBD but only weak support for an effect of forest cover on genetic structure and gene flow. It seems that geographical distance is an important factor limiting the dispersal of the Persian squirrel in this region. The results of the current study inform ongoing conservation programs for the Persian squirrel in the Zagros oak forest.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10225IBD and IBRlandscape geneticSciurus anomalusZagros forest |
| spellingShingle | Marzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi Nusha Keyghobadi Zeinab Azarakhsh Marzieh Dadizadeh Shahab Asadi Aghbolaghi Navid Zamani An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran Ecology and Evolution IBD and IBR landscape genetic Sciurus anomalus Zagros forest |
| title | An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran |
| title_full | An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran |
| title_fullStr | An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran |
| title_short | An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran |
| title_sort | evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the persian squirrel sciurus anomalus in the zagros forests of iran |
| topic | IBD and IBR landscape genetic Sciurus anomalus Zagros forest |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10225 |
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