Human impact on the recent population history of the elusive European wildcat inferred from whole genome data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The extent and impact of evolutionary change occurring in natural populations in response to rapid anthropogenic impact is still poorly understood on the genome-wide level. Here, we explore the genetic structure, demographic history, population differentiation, and domestic introgression based on whole genome data of the endangered European wildcat in Germany, to assess potential genomic consequences of the species' recent spread across human-dominated cultural landscapes.

Results

Reconstruction of demographic history and introgression rates based on 47 wildcat and 37 domestic cat genomes suggested late introgression between wild and domestic cat, coinciding with the introduction of domestic cat during the Roman period, but overall relatively low rates of hybridiz

SUBMITTER: Nieto-Blazquez ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9578205 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature