Publication details
Myšice temnopásá ve střední Evropě – populační genetika na okraji areálu přistěhovalce poslední doby ledové
| Title in English | The Striped Field Mouse in Central Europe – Population Genetics at the Edge of the Range of a Post-Ice Age Immigrant |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The current distribution of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) in Central Europe is the result of expansion from Asia during the Late Pleistocene and subsequent Holocene spread into more open habitats, driven by climate changes and anthropogenic environmental modifications. The rapid spread of this species continues in many parts of Europe today and brings negative consequences for native small mammal communities, such as increased competition and the risk of disease transmission, some of which may affect humans. The relatively recent colonization of Europe is associated with low genetic variability, which complicates the study of population structure. To overcome this challenge, a comprehensive dataset of several thousand SNPs across the genome was generated using ddRAD sequencing from 261 individuals across 110 locations in nine European countries. The results of the genetic analysis show a generally weak population structure across the Central European region, yet it is still possible to detect differences between populations distributed north and south of roughly the Western Carpathians. A particularly distinct and relatively limited population occurs in southern Moravia. The data suggest contact between individuals from the northern and southern parts of Central Europe, particularly in the region of Slovakia. In contrast, the southern Moravian population, which is expanding southward, remains isolated from the advancing expansion wave of mice from southwestern Slovakia. This represents the most comprehensive picture to date of the genetic structure of Central European populations of the striped field mouse, providing a more detailed insight into the spread of this non-native species over the last tens of thousands of years, considering the complexity of historical climate and habitat changes. At the same time, it may serve as a model for biogeographic studies of dynamic range boundary shifts and relevant microevolutionary mechanisms. |