May 2013,
Volume 15, Issue 5, pp 1101-1112
Abstract
Introduction of
individuals from multiple sources could create opportunities for hybridization
between previously isolated lineages, which may impact on the invasion process.
Identifying the phylogeographic origin of introduced populations is therefore
an important task to further test the causes and consequences of human-mediated
translocations. The common wall lizard (Podarcis
muralis) shows a strong phylogeographic structure as a result of past
isolation in glacial refugia, but it has also been commonly introduced outside
of its native range. Here we analysed 655 base pairs (bp) of the cytochrome b
sequence from 507 individuals from 23 introduced populations of P. muralis in England . We identified 12 unique
haplotypes in the introduced populations that were nested into five native
geographically distinct clades with genetic divergences ranging from 2.1 to
5.7 %. Multiple clade origin was common within populations, with a maximum
of three different haplotype clades being represented within a single
population. The genetic data are consistent with a scenario whereby initial
establishment was a result of translocation of animals from their native range,
whereas more recent establishment (i.e. since the mid-1980s) is the result of
translocations of animals from previously established non-native populations.
However, this requires further study. Overall, our results show that human
introductions have created substantial opportunities for hybridization between
genetically and phenotypically distinct lineages, which may have important
consequences for the establishment success and long-term viability of
introduced wall lizard population
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