Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Connectivity and Genetic Diversity in an Endemic and an Invasive Rodent in Northwestern Madagascar.

ABSTRACT: Habitat loss and fragmentation are of concern to conservation biologists worldwide. However, not all organisms are affected equally by these processes; thus, it is important to study the effects of living in fragmented habitats on species that differ in lifestyle and habitat requirements. In this study, we examined the dispersal and connectivity patterns of rodents, one endemic (Eliurus myoxinus) and one invasive (Rattus rattus), in two landscapes containing forest fragments and adjacent continuous forest patches in northwestern Madagascar. We generated genetic (RADseq) data for 66 E. myoxinus and 81 R. rattus individuals to evaluate differences in genetic diversity as well as inbreeding and connectivity in two landscapes. We found higher levels of inbreeding an

SUBMITTER: Ramsay MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10378931 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature