Topographical features and forest cover influence landscape connectivity and gene flow of the Caucasian pit viper, Gloydius caucasicus (Nikolsky, 1916), in Iran

Roya Adavodi; Rasoul Khosravi; Samuel A. Cushman; Mohammad Kaboli

doi:10.1007/s10980-019-00908-6

Treesearch

Topographical features and forest cover influence landscape connectivity and gene flow of the Caucasian pit viper, Gloydius caucasicus (Nikolsky, 1916), in Iran

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Roya Adavodi, Rasoul Khosravi, Samuel A. Cushman, Mohammad Kaboli

Year:

2019

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-019-00908-6

Source:

Landscape Ecology. 34: 2615-2630.

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Abstract

The populations of the Caucasian pit viper are declining and face genetic threats because of habitat fragmentation. Landscape genetics facilitates effective connectivity conservation actions by providing methods to predict factors affecting gene flow. Objectives We described the genetic diversity and structure of Caucasian pit viper populations in Iran. We also adopted an individual-based landscape genetics approach to determine the effects of landscape features on gene flow across the species’ range. Methods We evaluated the degree of genetic structuring using spatial and non-spatial clustering methods. Then, we used restricted multivariate optimization and maximum-likelihood population effects modeling to predict landscape resistance to gene flow. Finally, we compared the predictions based on maximum-likelihood population effects modeling and reciprocal causal modelling in the context of multivariate optimization.

Keywords

Caucasian pit viper, gene flow, landscape genetics, landscape resistance, multivariate optimization

Citation

Adavodi, Roya; Khosravi, Rasoul; Cushman, Samuel A.; Kaboli, Mohammad. 2019. Topographical features and forest cover influence landscape connectivity and gene flow of the Caucasian pit viper, Gloydius caucasicus (Nikolsky, 1916), in Iran. Landscape Ecology. 34: 2615-2630.