Herbivore corridors sustain genetic footprint in plant populations: a case for Spanish drove roads.

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem productivity mediated by direct human impact. Its consequences include genetic depauperation, comprising phenomena such as inbreeding depression or reduction in genetic diversity. While the capacity of wild and domestic herbivores to sustain long-distance seed dispersal has been proven, the impact of herbivore corridors in plant population genetics remains to be observed. We conducted this study in the Conquense Drove Road in Spain, where sustained use by livestock over centuries has involved transhumant herds passing twice a year en route to winter and summer pastures. We compared genetic diversity and inbreeding coefficients of Plantago lagopus populations along the drove road with popu

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Fernandez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6637930 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature