Landscape genetics reveals unique and shared effects of urbanization for two sympatric pool-breeding amphibians.

ABSTRACT: Metapopulation-structured species can be negatively affected when landscape fragmentation impairs connectivity. We investigated the effects of urbanization on genetic diversity and gene flow for two sympatric amphibian species, spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus), across a large (>35,000 km2) landscape in Maine, USA, containing numerous natural and anthropogenic gradients. Isolation-by-distance (IBD) patterns differed between the species. Spotted salamanders showed a linear and relatively high variance relationship between genetic and geographic distances (r = .057, p < .001), whereas wood frogs exhibited a strongly nonlinear and lower variance relationship (r = 0.429, p < .001). Scale dependence analysis of IBD found gene flow has its most pred

SUBMITTER: Homola JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6822048 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature