Genetic diversity of mammalsin Europe and conservation

Jan Zima

Institute of Vertebrate Biology , Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicKvetna 8, CZ-60365 Brno, Czech Republicjzima@brno.cas.cz

European Platform on Biodiversity Research Strategy Meeting"World Biodiversity and European Taxonomy. Strategie s in Taxonomy: Research in a Changing World"Průhonice, Czech Republic, May 2009

Talk Outline

� Fauna of European mammals� Diversity and taxonomy of the European mammalian

biota� Sources and origins of the diversity� Phylogeographic studies� Northern and cryptic refugia� Revealing traces of introduction attempts� Hybridization and hybrid zones� Conservation implications

260TOTAL

8Carnivora(Pinnipedia)

26Carnivora(Fissipedia)

33Cetacea

16Artiodactyla

42Chiroptera

36Eulipotyphla

8Lagomorpha

91Rodentia

number ofspecies

taxon

European Mammal Assessment2007

Mammalian species richness in Europe(native species only)

250TOTAL

25Carnivora

26Artiodactyla

42Chiroptera

39Eulipotyphla

1Primates

106Rodentia

10Lagomorpha

1Diprotodontia

number ofspecies

taxon

Mammalian species richness in Europe(introduced species included, cetaceans excluded)

Aulagnier et al.: Guide des mammifères d’Europe, 2008

Mammalian distribution mapping in Europe

Species diversity of European mammals

Mitchell-Jones et al. 1999, Academic Press

European Mammal Assessment2007

All vertebrates

Mammals Species richness of themammals and vertebratesin the Czech Republic(no. of species)

►

Krojerová-Prokešová et al. 2008: Folia Zool.

Biodiversity hotspots and endemism in Europe

Williams 1999 European Mammal Assessment2007

• 219 autochthonous species• 31 introduced species• 33 strictly marine species (cetaceans)

• 45 species differentiated recently

Mammalian species richness in Europe

Karyotypic races in the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)

Zima et al. 1992; Puerma et al. 2008, Genetica

54

Karyotypic races in the European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus

X Y

X Y

○ 54-chromosome race

● 52-chromosome race

Macholán et al. 2001: J. Zool.

Karyotypic races in the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

Zima et al. 1997, Folia Zool.

50- chromosome race from central Europe

Type localities of the karyotypic races of the common shrew

(Sorex araneus)

Zima et al. 1996, Hereditas; Wójcik et al. 2003, Mammalia

The karyotype of the Drnholec race

Distribution of cryptic species from the common vole group

M. arvalis M. obscurus

M. levis

Microtus arvalis

Traditional view of glacial refugia situatedin the Mediterranean area

Bilton et al. 1998: Proc. R. Soc B

Alternative views of glacial refugia and postglacial colonizationMediterranean Europe as an area of endemism for small mammals ratherthan source for nortwards postglacial colonization

Bilton et al. 1998: Proc. R. Soc B

BiltonBilton et alet al.. 1998, 1998, ProcProc. R. Soc. B;. R. Soc. B;DeffontaineDeffontaine et al. 2005et al. 2005, Mol. , Mol. EcolEcol..

Originally identified phylogeographic clades in bank voles

W Balkan /W Balkan /Central EuropeanCentral European

CarpathianCarpathian

EasternEastern

E E BalkanBalkan

New data: Maximum likelihood tree ofCentral and South-eastern European populations of bank voles

Carpathian

Carpathianss

Balkans

Balkans

AlpsAlps

Kotlík et al. 2006, PNAS

0,000

0,005

0,010

0,015

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

t = t = tt ** uu

Mar

gina

l Pos

terio

rM

argi

nal P

oste

rior

Pro

babi

lity

Pro

babi

lity 2.12.1 (1.5(1.5--2.9) 2.9) kyky

Estimates of the divergence timeIsolation with migration model, Bayesian coalescent method (MCMC)

Kotlík et al. 2006, PNAS

Riss glacialRiss glacial WWüürm glacialrm glacial

LGM

LGM

HoloceneHoloceneRiss / WRiss / W üürmrminterglacialinterglacial

Estimates of the divergence timeRange of rodent molecular clocks: 3.6% to 13% sequence divergence / MY/ MY

Kotlík et al. 2006, PNAS

ML estimateML estimate90% HPD90% HPD

The height of the last glaciation in Europe

Tatra pine vole, Microtus tatricus:the only mammal endemic to the Carpathian Mountains

Martínková et al. 2003, 2004, Folia Zool.

Distribution of chromosome diploid number amongEuropean pine voles (subgen.Terricola)

Phylogenetic relationships among voles of the genus Microtus, the position of theTerricola clade, and phylogenetic relationships of M. tatricus and M. bavaricus

Jaarola et al. 2004, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.,Martínková et al. 2007, Folia Zool.

Distribution of the pine vole species endemic to the Alps

↓

↑↑↑↑↑

↑

↓

M. bavaricus

M. liechtensteini

Spitzenberger 2001

M. multiplex -liechtensteini

Phylogenetic position of the Bavarian pine vole and its karyotype (2n=46)

Martínková et al. 2007 Folia Zool.

Genetic structure and evidence for recent populationdecline in Eurasian otter

Hájková et al. 2006, J. Zool.

The hybrid zone between Mus musculus and M. domesticusin Europe

Macholán et al. 2007 Evolution

-musculus

Clines in the hybrid zone and frequency discontinuities for various genetic markers

Phylogeographic studies of mammals in tropical regions

A

B

C2

C1

D

Phylogenetic relationships within populations of a rodentgenus Praomys in western Africa

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

Clade A

Clade B

Clade C1

Clade C2

Clade D

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

Geographic distribution of the clades

Possible phylogeographic scenario Outgroup

Benin

C319

východní klád

západní klád B

západní klád A

Clade AClade B

Clade C1/C2

Clade D(separated to twonot supportedsubclades by Senegal river)

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

The lenght of branches is proportional to the number of mutationsThe size of circeles is proportional to the number of individuals with respective haplotype

13

4

7

10

5

4

h1 à h25

h27 à h44

h48 à h58

h26

h45

h46h47

4

H59 à h172

h59 à h80

Median Joining Network of haplotypesfound in Praomys rostratus in western Africa

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

Khoneyayérendé

Distribution of haplotypelineages ofPreaomys rostratusin western Africa

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

Possible taxonomic changes resulting from combinedmolecular analyses of mtDNA and microsatellites:possible discovery of a new species and invalidation of P. derooiweak congruence between both the sets of data

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

Factorial axis 1

Fac

toria

l axi

s 2

mtDNA P. derooi

mtDNA P. sp. n.

mtDNA = P. sp. n., microsatellites (+ phenotype, habitat etc.) = P. derooi

„P. derooi“

„P. sp.n.“

Nicolas et al. 2008, Mol. Ecol.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• Even in the well-studied groups as mammals, the taxonomy is still in progress and many changes are steadily introduced.

• The current concepts of the species are not always sufficient torecognize reliably the species status. Well-supported phylogeneticlineages should be handled as valid species. Forget the subspecies?

• Support should be given to conservation genetic research.• Conservation of sites of high scientific interest such as cryptic

refugia or hybrid zones should be considered seriously.• Experience gained in European research should be applied in other

regions and training capacities should be provided to local students.• Conservation legislation should not generate administrative

obstacles preventing to perform the research work effectively.

Acknowledgements

Josef BryjaJeremy B. SearlePetra HájkováNatalia MartínkováPetr KotlíkMaarit JaarolaJaroslav PiálekFriederike SpitzenbergerMiloš MacholánAdam KonečnýDavid BiltonBoris KryštufekAnthony Mitchell-Jones…and many others