Preserving connectivity in the core of a species' range is crucial for long-term persistence. However, a combination of ecological characteristics, social behavior, and landscape features can reduce connectivity among wildlife populations and lead to genetic structure. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), for example, exhibit fluctuating herd dynamics and variable seasonal migration strategies, but GPS tracking studies show that landscape features such as highways impede their movements, leading to conflicting hypotheses about expected levels of genetic structure. Given that pronghorn populations declined significantly in the early 1900s, have only partially recovered, and are experiencing modern threats from landscape modification, conserving connectivity among populations is important for their long-term persistence in North America. To assess the genetic structure and diversity of pronghorn in the core of their range, we genotyped 4,949 genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 11 microsatellites from 398 individuals throughout the state of Wyoming. We found no evidence of genetic subdivision and minimal evidence of isolation by distance despite a range that spans hundreds of kilometers, multiple mountain ranges, and three interstate highways. In addition, a rare variant analysis using putatively recent mutations found no genetic division between pronghorn on either side of a major highway corridor. Although we found no evidence that barriers to daily and seasonal movements of pronghorn impede gene flow, we suggest periodic monitoring of genetic structure and diversity as a part of management strategies to identify changes in connectivity.

中文翻译：

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叉角羚种群基因组学显示其范围核心的连通性

保持物种范围核心的连通性对于长期持久性至关重要。然而，生态特征、社会行为和景观特征的结合会降低野生动物种群之间的连通性并导致遗传结构。例如，叉角羚（Antilocapra americana）表现出波动的种群动态和可变的季节性迁徙策略，但 GPS 跟踪研究表明，高速公路等景观特征阻碍了它们的运动，导致关于遗传结构预期水平的假设相互矛盾。鉴于叉角羚种群在 1900 年代初期显着下降，仅部分恢复，并且正在经历景观改造带来的现代威胁，因此保持种群之间的连通性对于它们在北美的长期存在非常重要。为了评估叉角羚在其范围核心的遗传结构和多样性，我们对来自怀俄明州 398 个个体的 4,949 个全基因组单核苷酸多态性和 11 个微卫星进行了基因分型。尽管范围跨越数百公里、多座山脉和三个州际公路，但我们没有发现遗传细分的证据和距离隔离的最小证据。此外，使用推定的近期突变进行的罕见变异分析发现，主要公路走廊两侧的叉角羚之间没有遗传划分。虽然我们没有发现任何证据表明叉角羚的日常和季节性运动障碍会阻碍基因流动，但我们建议定期监测遗传结构和多样性，作为识别连通性变化的管理策略的一部分。