An evaluation of freshwater monitoring programs in ILTER nodes and mountain national parks: identifying key variables to monitor global change effects

Este artículo contiene 30 páginas, 6 tablas, 4 figuras.Identifying and quantifying global change impacts on biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems is critical to promote an effective adaptation that increases the success of conservation strategies. To achieve this goal, global and regional assessment efforts require certain degree of harmonization on local monitoring programs to establish relevant comparisons at different spatio-temporal scales. Otherwise, the lack of harmonization might hinder the detection and assessment on the effects of human impacts. In this work we have compiled information on freshwater monitoring programs located in areas of intensive research and conservation interest: International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER) nodes and mountain National Parks. We aimed at evaluating the quality and robustness of these programs to assess the impact of global change, addressing from the worldwide to the European and Spanish national scale. Results highlighted that freshwater monitoring programs lack a common strategy to monitor these ecosystems. Even at the continental and national scales, contrasting strategies and level of detail have been historically applied. Water quality, habitat and biodiversity are more commonly monitored than community structure and ecosystem functioning. Monitoring efforts on the Spanish Mountain National parks indicated differences on the targeted aquatic ecosystems. Rivers and lakes received a higher attention, while mires were rarely considered. Our results provide evidence that greater efforts should be directed towards constructing a coordinated strategy to monitor freshwater ecosystems at national, continental, and global scales. This strategy should involve a shared backbone of biophysical and biogeochemical variables for each habitat type on agreed protocols that are implemented across regions and administrative borders. Achieving this will support a substantial advance on the ecological research to further delineate proper conservation strategies to face the challenges imposed by global change.This study was carried out with the financial support of the EU LIFE programme, as part of the project LIFE-DIVAQUA (Proyecto LIFE18 NAT/ES/000121).Peer reviewe

Molecular analysis for hybrid detection between European mink (Mustela lutreola) and polecat (Mustela putorius)

peer reviewe

Evidence of a fine-scale genetic structure for the endangered Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in the French Pyrenees

Times Cited: 0Gillet, F. Garrido, M. T. Cabria Blanc, F. Fournier-Chambrillon, C. Nemoz, M. Sourp, E. Vial-Novella, C. Zardoya, R. Aulagnier, S. Michaux, J. R.Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Midi-Pyrenees (CEN-MP) [LIFE13NAT/FR/000092]; European Union Funding Network (ERDF); European Union Funding Network (LIFE+); Agence de l'eau Adour-Garonne; Agence de l'eau Rhone-Mediterranee-Corse; DREAL Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees, and Languedoc-Roussillon; Conseil Regional Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc-Roussillon; Conseil General des Pyrenees-Atlantiques, de l'Aude et des Pyrenees-Orientales; EDF; SHEM; Patagonia; Parc National des Pyrenees; ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie); ANRT (CIFRE) [2011/1571]We thank the following people who collected tissue samples: EDF agents, Pyrenees National Park agents, M. Bayon, A. Bertrand, J.-P. Besson, J.-P. Quere, A. Charbonnel, F. Elzear, L. Fabre, P. Fantin, B. Le Roux, V. Lacaze, M. Lagardere, F. Lasserre, B. Le Corre, M. Mas, P. Maunas, G. Nogue, F. Prud'Homme, T. Quintilla, B. Salmeron, T. Tico, S. Torreilles, and S. Vernet. We also thank representatives of the following organizations who collected feces samples: Association des Naturalistes de l'Ariege, Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels d'Aquitaine, Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Midi-Pyrenees, Federation Aude Claire, Federation des Reserves Naturelles Catalanes, Groupe de Recherche et d'Etude pour la Gestion de l'Environnement, Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Office National des Forets, and Parc National des Pyrenees. This study is part of the "Plan National d'Actions en faveur du Desman des Pyrenees" and the LIFE+ Desman project (LIFE13NAT/FR/000092) which are coordinated by the Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Midi-Pyrenees (CEN-MP) and financially supported by the following structures: European Union Funding Network (ERDF and LIFE+), Agence de l'eau Adour-Garonne, Agence de l'eau Rhone-Mediterranee-Corse, DREAL Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees, and Languedoc-Roussillon, Conseil Regional Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc-Roussillon, Conseil General des Pyrenees-Atlantiques, de l'Aude et des Pyrenees-Orientales, EDF, SHEM, Patagonia, Parc National des Pyrenees, and ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie). FG is supported by a French research fellowship provided by ANRT (CIFRE No 2011/1571).01545-1542The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is a small, semiaquatic mammal endemic to the Pyrenean Mountains and the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula where it lives in cold and well-oxygenated flowing mountain streams. This species is currently classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and has been undergoing habitat loss and fragmentation for decades, inevitably impacting its distribution. A recent genetic study, based on mitochondrial and intronic sequences, showed that the genetic variability of the Pyrenean desman is very low in the Pyrenees. In this study, we investigated the potential existence of genetic structure and gene flow at a smaller scale using 24 polymorphic microsatellite loci. As the Pyrenean desman is a very elusive species, we supplemented our tissue sample collection with samples of feces collected in the French range of this species. We successfully identified 70 individuals based on 355 fecal samples. Bayesian analyses revealed 3 genetic and geographic clusters (1 eastern, 1 central, and 1 western, including 3 genetic subclusters), with origins tracing back only 200 years. These clusters were characterized by low levels of genetic diversity and high inbreeding coefficients. Although gene flow among clusters appeared to be limited, populations seem to have exchanged alleles recently. Therefore, connectivity between watersheds should be enhanced to maintain genetic diversity and potentially improve the long-term survival of the Pyrenean desman in France

Vrnili smo se z dopusta

International audienceThe Pyrenean desman is a vulnerable mammal species endemic to Pyrenees and the northern Iberian Peninsula. The presence of this elusive species can he most easily detected by sampling its faeces. However, these faecal samples can be confused with those of other vertebrate species living in the same habitats. This study provides two easy and reliable methods tor the identification of the Pyrenean desman faeces based on genetic analyses. The first one consists of a nested PCR and sequencing of a mitochondrial cytochrome b fragment, and the second one is an enzymatic digestion with endonucleases AluI and Sau3AI. The restriction patterns given by the two enzymes were found suitable for the successful discrimination of the Pyrenean desman from the other species based on species-specific sequence variations

Development of non invasive genetic identification methods for the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) and first study of its genetic structure in France

The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is probably one of the most threatened European mammal species. This small insectivorous and semi-aquatic species is endemic to the Pyrenean Mountains and of the north of the Iberic Peninsula. Many biologic aspects of this species are currently suffering from a major lack of information, particularly those concerning its genetics. Therefore the implementation of conservative efforts for the Pyrenean desman remains extremely difficult. In order to improve the knowledge of this vulnerable species and notably, to better understand its distribution area, the first aim of our research was to develop non invasive genetic identification methods based on faeces. The second aim was to have a first look at the phylogeographic structure of the Pyrenean desman. The identification methods were developed on the basis of the sequencing of a small mitochondrial DNA (cyt b) fragment as well as a RFLP method. These approaches led to the identification of the Pyrenean desman and to the differentiation of the latter from two other species living in the same type of habitat, the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) and the water shrew (Neomys fodiens). Two haplotypes were found in the studied Pyrenean populations but no phylogeographic structure could be established. A dozen of microsatellites markers were also developed during this work and 5 of these were found to be polymorphic. The results of this preliminary work tend to show a low genetic diversity for the Pyrenean desman but this result needs to be confirmed in the future with a more extended and complete study

Data from: Bayesian analysis of hybridization and introgression between the endangered european mink (Mustela lutreola) and the polecat (Mustela putorius)

Human-mediated global change will probably increase the rates of natural hybridization and genetic introgression between closely related species, and this will have major implications for conservation of the taxa involved. In this study, we analyse both mitochondrial and nuclear data to characterize ongoing hybridization and genetic introgression between two sympatric sister species of mustelids, the endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) and the more abundant polecat (M. putorius). A total of 317 European mink, 114 polecats and 15 putative hybrid individuals were collected from different localities in Europe and genotyped with 13 microsatellite nuclear markers. Recently developed Bayesian methods for assigning individuals to populations and identifying admixture proportions were applied to the genetic data. To identify the direction of hybridization, we additionally sequenced mtDNA and Y chromosomes from 78 individuals and 29 males respectively. We found that both hybridization and genetic introgression occurred at low levels (3% and 0.9% respectively) and indicated that hybridization is asymmetric, as only pure polecat males mate with pure European mink females. Furthermore, backcrossing and genetic introgression was detected only from female first-generation (F1) hybrids of European mink to polecats. This latter result implies that Haldane’s rule may apply. Our results suggest that hybridization and genetic introgression between the two species should be considered a rather uncommon event. However, the current low densities of European mink might be changing this trend

Development of noninvasive genetic identification methods and polymorphic microsatellites for the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)

The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is probably one of the most threatened European mammal species. This small insectivorous and semi-aquatic species is endemic to the Pyrenean Mountains and of the north of the Iberic Peninsula. Many biologic aspects of this species are currently suffering from a major lack of information, particularly those concerning its genetics. Therefore the implementation of conservative efforts for the Pyrenean Desman remains extremely difficult. In order to improve the knowledge of this vulnerable species and notably, to better understand its distribution area, the first aim of our research was to develop non invasive genetic identification methods based on faeces. The second aim was the development of several polymorphic microsatellites markers in order to have a first look at the genetic structure of the Pyrenean Desman in its French distribution area. The identification methods were developed on the basis of the sequencing of a small mitochondrial DNA (cyt b) fragment as well as a RFLP method. These approaches led to the identification of the Pyrenean desman and to the differentiation of the latter from two other species living in the same type of habitat, the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) and the water shrew (Neomys fodiens). More than fifteen polymorphic microsatellites markers could be found for the Pyrenean Desman and their genotyping revealed a low number of alleles per locus (two to five). The results of this preliminary work tend to show a low genetic diversity for the Pyrenean Desman but this result needs to be confirmed in the future with a more extended and complete study

data file DRYAD

This file contains the final DNA sequence assembly. DNA sequences: Genbank accession numbers, FJ556592 (Mlh-DDX3Y5); FJ556591 (Mph-DDX3Y5); FJ556593-FJ556597 (mtDNA haplotypes: Mlh1-Mlh17, Mustela lutreola; Mph25-Mph28, Mustela putorius); FJ589734 (mtDNA haplotype for Mustela sibirica); FJ589735 (mtDNA haplotype for Neovison vison)