Pleistocene climate change impacted entire ecosystems throughout the world. In the northern hemisphere, the distribution of Arctic species expanded during glacial periods, while more temperate and mesic species contracted into climatic refugia, where isolation drove genetic divergence. Cycles of local cooling and warming in the Sahara region of northern Africa caused repeated contractions and expansions of savannah-like environments which connected mesic species isolated in refugia during interglacial times, possibly driving population expansions and contractions; divergence and geneflow in the associated fauna. Here, we use whole genome sequences of African golden wolves (Canis lupaster), a generalist mesopredator with a wide distribution in northern Africa to estimate their demographic history and past episodes of geneflow. We detect a correlation between divergence times and cycles of increased aridity-associated Pleistocene glacial cycles. A complex demographic history with responses to local climate change in different lineages was found, including a relict lineage north of the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco that has been isolated for more than 18,000 years, possibly a distinct ecotype.

中文翻译：

---

更新世气候波动推动了非洲金狼（Canis lupaster）的人口统计历史

更新世气候变化影响了全世界的整个生态系统。在北半球，北极物种的分布在冰河时期扩大，而更多的温带和中海物种则收缩到气候避难所，隔离推动了遗传分化。北非撒哈拉地区的局部冷却和变暖循环导致类似热带草原的环境反复收缩和扩张，这些环境将间冰期隔离在避难所中的mesic物种连接起来，可能推动人口扩张和收缩；相关动物群的分歧和基因流动。在这里，我们使用非洲金狼（Canis lupaster ）的全基因组序列)，一个在北非广泛分布的多面手中捕食者，用于估计他们的人口历史和过去的基因流事件。我们检测到发散时间与干旱相关更新世冰川周期增加的周期之间的相关性。发现了不同血统对当地气候变化做出反应的复杂人口历史，包括摩洛哥高阿特拉斯山脉以北的一个遗存血统，该血统已被隔离超过 18,000 年，可能是一种独特的生态型。