Rise and fall of a wolf population: genetic diversity and structure during recovery, rapid expansion and drastic decline

摘要: The grey wolves (Canis lupus) of Finland have had a varied history, with period rapid population expansion after the mid-1990s followed by decline current census size about 140 wolves. Here, we investigate impact unstable and connectivity on genetic diversity structure in long-term study 298 Finnish born 1995-2009 genotyped for 17 microsatellite loci. During initial recovery prior to expansion, was high (1995-1997: LD-N(e)  = 67.2; H(o)  = 0.749; H(e)  = 0.709) despite small low number breeders (N(c)  < 100; N(b)  < 10) likely reflecting status Russian source population. Surprisingly, observed heterozygosity decreased significantly during (t = -2.643, P = 0.021) result an increase inbreeding (F(IS)  = 0.108 2007-2009) owing degree adjacent wolf (m = 0.016-0.090; F(ST)  = 0.086, P < 0.001) crash 2006. However, growth temporary positive N(e) family lines. This shows that even strong alone might not be adequate retain diversity, especially when accompanied amount subsequent gene flow decline.