Abstract
Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) are among the few remaining ancestors of an extant domesticated livestock species, the domestic chicken, that still occur in the wild. Little is known about genetic diversity, population structure, and demography of wild Red Junglefowl in their natural habitats. Extinction threats from habitat loss or genetic alteration from domestic introgression exacerbate further the conservation status of this progenitor species. In a previous study, we reported extraordinary adaptive genetic variation in the MHC B-locus in wild Red Junglefowl and no evidence of allelic introgression between wild and domestic chickens was observed. In this study, we characterized spatial genetic variation and population structure in naturally occurring populations of Red Junglefowl in their core distribution range in South Central Vietnam. A sample of 212 Red Junglefowl was obtained from geographically and ecologically diverse habitats across an area of 250 × 350 km. We used amplified fragment-length polymorphism markers obtained from 431 loci to determine whether genetic diversity and population structure varies. We found that Red Junglefowl are widely distributed but form small and isolated populations. Strong spatial genetic patterns occur at both local and regional scales. At local scale, population stratification can be identified to approximately 5 km. At regional scale, we identified distinct populations of Red Junglefowl in the southern lowlands, northern highlands, and eastern coastal portions of the study area. Both local and long-distance genetic patterns observed in wild Red Junglefowl may reflect the species’ ground-dwelling and territorial characteristics, including dispersal barriers imposed by the Annamite Mountain Range. Spatially explicit analyses with neutral genetic markers can be highly informative and here elevates the conservation profile of the wild ancestors of domesticated chickens.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 6575-6588 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Ecology and Evolution |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 13 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2018 |
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Keywords
- AFLP
- Bayesian cluster analysis
- dispersal
- gene flow
- population structure
- Red Junglefowl
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
Cite this
Genetic structure in Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) populations : Strong spatial patterns in the wild ancestors of domestic chickens in a core distribution range. / Nguyen-Phuc, Hoa; Berres, Mark E.
In: Ecology and Evolution, Vol. 8, No. 13, 07.2018, p. 6575-6588.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic structure in Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) populations
T2 - Strong spatial patterns in the wild ancestors of domestic chickens in a core distribution range
AU - Nguyen-Phuc, Hoa
AU - Berres, Mark E.
PY - 2018/7
Y1 - 2018/7
N2 - Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) are among the few remaining ancestors of an extant domesticated livestock species, the domestic chicken, that still occur in the wild. Little is known about genetic diversity, population structure, and demography of wild Red Junglefowl in their natural habitats. Extinction threats from habitat loss or genetic alteration from domestic introgression exacerbate further the conservation status of this progenitor species. In a previous study, we reported extraordinary adaptive genetic variation in the MHC B-locus in wild Red Junglefowl and no evidence of allelic introgression between wild and domestic chickens was observed. In this study, we characterized spatial genetic variation and population structure in naturally occurring populations of Red Junglefowl in their core distribution range in South Central Vietnam. A sample of 212 Red Junglefowl was obtained from geographically and ecologically diverse habitats across an area of 250 × 350 km. We used amplified fragment-length polymorphism markers obtained from 431 loci to determine whether genetic diversity and population structure varies. We found that Red Junglefowl are widely distributed but form small and isolated populations. Strong spatial genetic patterns occur at both local and regional scales. At local scale, population stratification can be identified to approximately 5 km. At regional scale, we identified distinct populations of Red Junglefowl in the southern lowlands, northern highlands, and eastern coastal portions of the study area. Both local and long-distance genetic patterns observed in wild Red Junglefowl may reflect the species’ ground-dwelling and territorial characteristics, including dispersal barriers imposed by the Annamite Mountain Range. Spatially explicit analyses with neutral genetic markers can be highly informative and here elevates the conservation profile of the wild ancestors of domesticated chickens.
AB - Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) are among the few remaining ancestors of an extant domesticated livestock species, the domestic chicken, that still occur in the wild. Little is known about genetic diversity, population structure, and demography of wild Red Junglefowl in their natural habitats. Extinction threats from habitat loss or genetic alteration from domestic introgression exacerbate further the conservation status of this progenitor species. In a previous study, we reported extraordinary adaptive genetic variation in the MHC B-locus in wild Red Junglefowl and no evidence of allelic introgression between wild and domestic chickens was observed. In this study, we characterized spatial genetic variation and population structure in naturally occurring populations of Red Junglefowl in their core distribution range in South Central Vietnam. A sample of 212 Red Junglefowl was obtained from geographically and ecologically diverse habitats across an area of 250 × 350 km. We used amplified fragment-length polymorphism markers obtained from 431 loci to determine whether genetic diversity and population structure varies. We found that Red Junglefowl are widely distributed but form small and isolated populations. Strong spatial genetic patterns occur at both local and regional scales. At local scale, population stratification can be identified to approximately 5 km. At regional scale, we identified distinct populations of Red Junglefowl in the southern lowlands, northern highlands, and eastern coastal portions of the study area. Both local and long-distance genetic patterns observed in wild Red Junglefowl may reflect the species’ ground-dwelling and territorial characteristics, including dispersal barriers imposed by the Annamite Mountain Range. Spatially explicit analyses with neutral genetic markers can be highly informative and here elevates the conservation profile of the wild ancestors of domesticated chickens.
KW - AFLP
KW - Bayesian cluster analysis
KW - dispersal
KW - gene flow
KW - population structure
KW - Red Junglefowl
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050232263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85050232263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ece3.4139
DO - 10.1002/ece3.4139
M3 - Article
C2 - 30038758
AN - SCOPUS:85050232263
VL - 8
SP - 6575
EP - 6588
JO - Ecology and Evolution
JF - Ecology and Evolution
SN - 2045-7758
IS - 13
ER -