Genetic connectivity of wolverines in western North America

Casey C. Day; Erin L. Landguth; Michael A. Sawaya; Anthony P. Clevenger; Robert A. Long; Zachary Holden; Jocelyn R. Akins; Robert B. Anderson; Keith B. Aubry; Mirjam Barrueto; Nichole L. Bjornlie; Jeffrey P. Copeland; Jason T. Fisher; Anne Forshner; Justin A. Gude; Doris Hausleitner; Nichole A. Heim; Kimberly S. Heinemeyer; Anne Hubbs; Robert M. Inman; Scott Jackson; Michael Jokinen; Nathan P. Kluge; Andrea Kortello; Deborah L. Lacroix; Luke Lamar; Lisa I Larson; Jeffrey C. Lewis; Dave Lockman; Michael K. Lucid; Paula MacKay; Audrey J. Magoun; Michelle L. McLellan; Katie Moriarty; Cory E. Mosby; Garth Mowat; Clifford G. Nietvelt; David Paetkau; Eric C. Palm; Kylie J. S. Paul; Kristine L. Pilgrim; Catherine M. Raley; Michael K. Schwartz; Matthew A. Scrafford; John R. Squires; Zachary J. Walker; John S. Waller; Richard D. Weir; Katherine Zeller

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-77956-9

Treesearch

Genetic connectivity of wolverines in western North America

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Casey C. Day, Erin L. Landguth, Michael A. Sawaya, Anthony P. Clevenger, Robert A. Long, Zachary Holden, Jocelyn R. Akins, Robert B. Anderson, Keith B. Aubry, Mirjam Barrueto, Nichole L. Bjornlie, Jeffrey P. Copeland, Jason T. Fisher, Anne Forshner, Justin A. Gude, Doris Hausleitner, Nichole A. Heim, Kimberly S. Heinemeyer, Anne Hubbs, Robert M. Inman, Scott Jackson, Michael Jokinen, Nathan P. Kluge, Andrea Kortello, Deborah L. Lacroix, Luke Lamar, Lisa I Larson, Jeffrey C. Lewis, Dave Lockman, Michael K. Lucid, Paula MacKay, Audrey J. Magoun, Michelle L. McLellan, Katie Moriarty, Cory E. Mosby, Garth Mowat, Clifford G. Nietvelt, David Paetkau, Eric C. Palm, Kylie J. S. Paul, Kristine L. Pilgrim, Catherine M. Raley, Michael K. Schwartz, Matthew A. Scrafford, John R. Squires, Zachary J. Walker, John S. Waller, Richard D. Weir, Katherine Zeller

Year:

2024

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-77956-9

Source:

Genetic connectivity of wolverines in western North America. Scientific Reports. 14: 28248.

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Abstract

Wolverine distribution contracted along the southern periphery of its range in North America during the 19th and 20th centuries due primarily to human influences. This history, along with low densities, sensitivity to climate change, and concerns about connectivity among fragmented habitats spurred the recent US federal listing of threatened status and special concern status in Canada. To help inform large scale landscape connectivity, we collected 882 genetic samples genotyped at 19 microsatellite loci. We employed multiple statistical models to assess the landscape factors (terrain complexity, human disturbance, forest configuration, and climate) associated with wolverine genetic connectivity across 2.2 million km2 of southwestern Canada and the northwestern contiguous United States. Genetic similarity (positive spatial autocorrelation) of wolverines was detected up to 555 km and a high-to-low gradient of genetic diversity occurred from north-to-south. Landscape genetics analyses confirmed that wolverine genetic connectivity has been negatively influenced by human disturbance at broad scales and positively influenced by forest cover and snow persistence at fine- and broad–scales, respectively. This information applied across large landscapes can be used to guide management actions with the goal of maintaining or restoring population connectivity.

Keywords

genetic connectivity, wolverines, management, population

Citation

Day, Casey C.; Landguth, Erin L.; Sawaya, Michael A.; Clevenger, Anthony P.; Long, Robert A.; Holden, Zachary A.; Akins, Jocelyn R.; Anderson, Robert B.; Aubry, Keith B.; Barrueto, Mirjam; Bjornlie, Nichole L.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Fisher, Jason T.; Forshner, Anne; Gude, Justin A.; Hausleitner, Doris; Heim, Nichole A.; Heinemeyer, Kimberly S.; Hubbs, Anne; Inman, Robert M.; Jackson, Scott; Jokinen, Michael; Kluge, Nathan P.; Kortello, Andrea; Lacroix, Deborah L.; Lamar, Luke; Larson, Lisa I.; Lewis, Jeffrey C.; Lockman, Dave; Lucid, Michael K.; MacKay, Paula; Magoun, Audrey J.; McLellan, Michelle L.; Moriarty, Katie M.; Mosby, Cory E.; Mowat, Garth; Nietvelt, Clifford G.; Paetkau, David; Palm, Eric C.; Paul, Kylie J. S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Raley, Catherine M.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Scrafford, Matthew A.; Squires, John R.; Walker, Zachary J.; Waller, John S.; Weir, Richard D.; Zeller, Katherine A. 2024. Genetic connectivity of wolverines in western North America. Scientific Reports. 14: 28248.