BACKGROUND Connectivity among jaguar (Panthera onca) populations will ensure natural gene flow and the long-term survival of the species throughout its range. Jaguar conservation efforts have focused primarily on connecting suitable habitat in a broad-scale. Accelerated habitat reduction, human-wildlife conflict, limited funding, and the complexity of jaguar behaviour have proven challenging to maintain connectivity between populations effectively. Here, we used non-invasive genetic sampling and individual-based conservation genetic analyses to assess genetic diversity and levels of genetic connectivity between individuals in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and the Maya Forest Corridor. We used expert knowledge and scientific literature to develop models of landscape permeability based on circuit theory with fine-scale landscape features as ecosystem types, distance to human settlements and roads to predict the most probable jaguar movement across central Belize. RESULTS We used 12 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci to identify 50 individual jaguars. We detected high levels of genetic diversity across loci (HE = 0.61, HO = 0.55, and NA = 9.33). Using Bayesian clustering and multivariate models to assess gene flow and genetic structure, we identified one single group of jaguars (K = 1). We identified critical areas for jaguar movement that fall outside the boundaries of current protected areas in central Belize. We detected two main areas of high landscape permeability in a stretch of approximately 18 km between Sittee River Forest Reserve and Manatee Forest Reserve that may increase functional connectivity and facilitate jaguar dispersal from and to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Our analysis provides important insights on fine-scale genetic and landscape connectivity of jaguars in central Belize, an area of conservation concern. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study demonstrate high levels of relatively recent gene flow for jaguars between two study sites in central Belize. Our landscape analysis detected corridors of expected jaguar movement between the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and the Maya Forest Corridor. We highlight the importance of maintaining already established corridors and consolidating new areas that further promote jaguar movement across suitable habitat beyond the boundaries of currently protected areas. Continued conservation efforts within identified corridors will further maintain and increase genetic connectivity in central Belize.

中文翻译：

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伯利兹中部美洲虎（Panthera onca）保护的种群遗传结构和栖息地连通性。

背景技术美洲虎（Panthera onca）种群之间的连通性将确保自然基因流动和该物种在其分布范围内的长期生存。美洲虎保护工作主要集中在大范围内连接合适的栖息地。栖息地的加速减少、人类与野生动物的冲突、有限的资金以及美洲豹行为的复杂性已经证明有效维持种群之间的联系具有挑战性。在这里，我们使用非侵入性基因采样和基于个体的保护遗传分析来评估鸡冠盆地野生动物保护区和玛雅森林走廊个体之间的遗传多样性和遗传连通性水平。我们利用专业知识和科学文献，开发了基于回路理论的景观渗透性模型，以生态系统类型、距人类住区的距离和道路等精细景观特征为基础，预测美洲虎在伯利兹中部最有可能的活动。结果 我们使用 12 个高度多态性的微卫星位点来鉴定 50 只美洲虎个体。我们检测到跨位点的高水平遗传多样性（HE = 0.61、HO = 0.55 和 NA = 9.33）。使用贝叶斯聚类和多变量模型来评估基因流和遗传结构，我们确定了一组美洲虎 (K = 1)。我们确定了美洲虎活动的关键区域，这些区域位于伯利兹中部当前保护区的边界之外。我们在 Sittee River 森林保护区和 Manatee 森林保护区之间约 18 公里的范围内发现了两个具有高景观渗透性的主要区域，这可能会增加功能连通性并促进美洲虎在 Cockscomb Basin 野生动物保护区之间的扩散。我们的分析为伯利兹中部（一个受保护的地区）美洲虎的精细遗传和景观连通性提供了重要见解。结论 我们的研究结果表明，伯利兹中部两个研究地点之间美洲虎相对较新的基因流水平较高。我们的景观分析发现了鸡冠盆地野生动物保护区和玛雅森林走廊之间预期美洲虎活动的走廊。我们强调维护已建立的走廊和巩固新区域的重要性，以进一步促进美洲豹在当前保护区边界之外的合适栖息地移动。在已确定的走廊内继续开展保护工作将进一步维持和增强伯利兹中部的遗传连通性。