Evidence for High Levels of Gene Flow in Hedgehogs (<i>Erinaceus europaeus</i>) Across South Wales, UK, Despite Potential Anthropogenic and Natural Barriers to Dispersal.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how landscape connectivity affects gene flow can help to guide the management of animal species of conservation concern. One such species is the West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), which has seen significant declines across its distribution, with the highest rate of declines being reported in rural areas of the UK. The drivers of these declines are not well understood, but anthropogenic changes in the landscape such as modified agricultural practices and increased road traffic have been proposed to play a part. These impacts are likely to fragment populations into smaller sub-populations, leading to genetic differentiation and depletion. Here, we used genetic (microsatellite) and landscape data to investigate the impact of habitat resistance and landscape fea

SUBMITTER: Shove SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11975622 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature