Genetic structure of expanding wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Italy and Croatia, and the early steps of the recolonization of the Eastern Alps

摘要: After centuries of range contraction and demographic declines wolves are now expanding in Europe, colonizing regions from where they have been absent for centuries. Wolf the western Alps originate by expansion Italian population. Vagrant Dinaric-Balkan origins recently observed Eastern Alps. In this study we compared genetic structure wolf populations Italy Croatia, aiming to identify sources ongoing recolonization DNA samples, extracted 282 152 Croatian wolves, were genotyped at 12 autosomal microsatellites (STR), four Y-linked STR hypervariable part mitochondrial control-region (mtDNA CR1). Wolves Croatia underwent recent bottlenecks, but differ diversity population structure. more variable loci (NA = 7.4, HO 0.66, HE 0.72; n 152) than 5.3, 0.57, 0.58; 282). We found CR1) 11 Y-STR haplotypes only one mtDNA CR1 three Italy. subdivided into genetically distinct subpopulations (in Dalmatia, Gorski kotar Lika regions), while not sub-structured. Assignment testing shows that eastern central recolonized dispersing both Dinaric populations. The will predictably continue future new be admixed very with greater opportunities local adaptations survival.