Rewilding and conservation genomics: How developments in (re)colonization ecology and genomics can offer mutual benefits for understanding contemporary evolution

A \u2018rewilding\u2019 process is occurring in Europe and beyond, centered on landscapes reverting from agricultural use to a more natural state. Wild species are arriving by natural or human-mediated range expansion, at times reclaiming ranges from which they were lost centuries ago. Recent colonizers include alien invasives and species expanding their historical distribution without direct human assistance. These events can deepen our understanding of contemporary evolution, including wildlife responses to changing climatic conditions. Rewilding can advance conservation genomics by encouraging study of wildlife in environments where these species represent novel arrivals or return after prolonged absences. Such efforts could facilitate more experimental approaches to research design than that typically feasible for landscape-scale ecological and evolutionary studies. Correspondingly, developments in conservation genomics offer unparalleled means for testing predictions about rewilding, and advancing evolutionary enlightened and proactive conservation planning. In this perspective article, we examine four European carnivore species relevant as case studies of (re)colonization and/or rewilding, and discuss examples of emerging research opportunities in genomics, evolutionary ecology, and human-wildlife relationships

Wolf population genetics in Europe:a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human¿carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the `pre-genomic era¿ and the first insights of the `genomics era¿. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650¿850¿km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850¿km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.Peer Reviewe