Contrasting genomic consequences of anthropogenic reintroduction and natural recolonization in high-arctic wild reindeer.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic reintroduction can supplement natural recolonization in reestablishing a species' distribution and abundance. However, both reintroductions and recolonizations can give rise to founder effects that reduce genetic diversity and increase inbreeding, potentially causing the accumulation of genetic load and reduced fitness. Most current populations of the endemic high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) originate from recent reintroductions or recolonizations following regional extirpations due to past overharvesting. We investigated and compared the genomic consequences of these two paths to reestablishment using whole-genome shotgun sequencing of 100 Svalbard reindeer across their range. We found little admixture between reintroduced and natural po

SUBMITTER: Burnett HA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10519417 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature