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Comparison of genetic patterns between European and Asian populations of an endangered butterfly species
Author(s) -
Śliwińska Ewa B.,
Martyka Rafał,
Woyciechowski MichaŁ,
Blinov Alexander,
Nowicki Piotr,
Stettmer Christian,
KajzerBonk Joanna,
Witek Magdalena,
Bräu Markus,
Gros Patrick,
MÜhlenberg Michael,
Slowik Jolanta,
Tryjanowski Piotr,
Settele Josef
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
insect conservation and diversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1752-4598
pISSN - 1752-458X
DOI - 10.1111/icad.12440
Subject(s) - habitat fragmentation , endangered species , genetic structure , ecology , biology , butterfly , population , geography , habitat , genetic diversity , zoology , demography , sociology
Less transformed and managed grassland habitats in Asia serve as a good frame of reference for studies on demographics and ecological situations of grassland species in Europe. In this study, using AFLPs (transposon insertion display), we compared the genetic structures of populations of the endangered and highly specialised scarce large blue ( Phengaris teleius , Bergsträsser, 1779) butterfly from Europe (Germany, Poland, and Ukraine) and Asia (Siberia and Mongolia). There are no differences in levels of intra‐population genetic variability between European and Asian P. teleius populations. Nevertheless, we found significantly higher genetic differentiation (wider scattering) among European populations than among Asian populations. All examined Eurasian populations were admixed, except for those from the Bavarian region (Germany) where an atypical genetic structure was observed for P. teleius . Individual membership probabilities to a population were higher and more variable among European populations than among Asian populations. Comparison of genetic spatial structures revealed an isolation‐by‐distance effect in both European and Asian populations. Genetic autocorrelation analysis showed that significant dissimilarity among individuals first appeared at a distance of 1800 km at Asian sites, but at only 400 km at European sites. The observed P. teleius genetic structure reveals substantial differences in the quality of connectivity among European and Asian populations, which favour Asian populations. It suggests that differences between European and Asian P. teleius population genetic structures have the origin in differences in habitat structures, emphasising the impact of habitat fragmentation on animal movement in Europe.