Article (Scientific journals)
The genetic legacy of multiple beaver reintroductions in central Europe
Frosch, C.; Kraus, R. H. S.; Angst, C. et al.
2014In PLoS ONE, 9 (5)
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Keywords :
Belgium; Castor fiber; Europe; Germany; Luxembourg; North America; Switzerland
Abstract :
[en] The comeback of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) throughout western and central Europe is considered a major conservation success. Traditionally, several subspecies are recognised by morphology and mitochondrial haplotype, each linked to a relict population. During various reintroduction programs in the 20th century, beavers from multiple source localities were released and now form viable populations. These programs differed in their reintroduction strategies, i.e., using pure subspecies vs. mixed source populations. This inhomogeneity in management actions generated ongoing debates regarding the origin of present beaver populations and appropriate management plans for the future. By sequencing of the mitochondrial control region and microsatellite genotyping of 235 beaver individuals from five selected regions in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium we show that beavers from at least four source origins currently form admixed, genetically diverse populations that spread across the study region. While regional occurrences of invasive North American beavers (n = 20) were found, all but one C. fiber bore the mitochondrial haplotype of the autochthonous western Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). Considering this, as well as the viability of admixed populations and the fact that the fusion of different lineages is already progressing in all studied regions, we argue that admixture between different beaver source populations should be generally accepted. © 2014 Frosch et al.
Disciplines :
Zoology
Author, co-author :
Frosch, C.;  Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute, Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany
Kraus, R. H. S.;  Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute, Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany
Angst, C.;  Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune (CSCF), Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Allgöwer, R.;  Büro für Ökosystemforschung, Mühlacker, Germany
Michaux, Johan  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Génétique et physiologie des microalgues
Teubner, J.;  Naturschutzstation Zippelsförde, Zippelsförde, Germany
Nowak, C.;  Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute, Natural History Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Title :
The genetic legacy of multiple beaver reintroductions in central Europe
Publication date :
2014
Journal title :
PLoS ONE
eISSN :
1932-6203
Publisher :
Public Library of Science
Volume :
9
Issue :
5
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 19 November 2014

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