Genetic Pool Information Reflects Highly Suitable Areas: The Case of Two Parapatric Endangered Species of Tuco-tucos (Rodentia: Ctenomiydae)

Abstract

Conservation of small mammals requires knowledge of the genetically and ecologically meaningful spatial scales at which species respond to habitat modifications. Conservation strategies can be improved through the use of ecological niche models and genetic data to classify areas of high environmental suitability. In this study, we applied a Maxent model integrated with genetic information (nucleotide diversity, haplotype diversity and Fu's Fs neutrality tests) to evaluate potential genetic pool populations with highly suitable areas for two parapatric endangered species of tuco-tucos (Ctenomys minutus and C. lami). Our results demonstrated that both species were largely influenced by vegetation and soil variables at a landscape scale and inhabit a highly specific niche. Ctenomys minutus was also influenced by the variable altitude; the species was associated with low altitudes (sea level). Our model of genetic data associated with environmental suitability indicate that the genetic pool data were associated with highly suitable areas for C. minutus. This pattern was not evident for C. lami, but this outcome could be a consequence of the restricted range of the species. The preservation of species requires not only detailed knowledge of their natural history and genetic structure but also information on the availability of suitable areas where species can survive, and such knowledge can aid significantly in conservation planning. This finding reinforces the use of these two techniques for planning conservation actions.

Influences of landscape characteristics and historical barriers on the population genetic structure in the endangered sand-dune subterranean rodent Ctenomys australis

“…It should be noted that other species of subterranean rodents distributed at similar spatial scales to C. australis, or even smaller, have also revealed the importance of landscape characteristics such as the habitat availability (Sato et al 2014;Kierepka et al 2016;Biello et al 2018;Visser et al 2018). Our results also agreed with those published by Galiano et al (2014) in C. minutus (a species with a linear coastal geographic distribution of 300 km on the southeastern of Brazil) and Mora et al (2017) in C. "chasiquensis" (with a distribution of 100 km in central Argentina) using microsatellite loci. These authors observed that those tuco-tucos distributed in areas with higher habitat availability were associated to greater genetic diversity.…”

Sharing the Space: Distribution, Habitat Segregation and Delimitation of a New Sympatric Area of Subterranean Rodents

“…minutus . Between the characteristics of the vegetation, grass cover appears to be the most important variable for both species, probably related to the fact that grasses are the major food source for both species [ 15 , 36 , 37 ]. Additionally, Lopes et al [ 36 ] demonstrated that thirteen plant families, mainly represented by grasses, were identified in the diet of C .…”

Can the environment influence species home‐range size? A case study on Ctenomys minutus (Rodentia, Ctenomyidae)

“…Species usually use habitats with similar soil characteristics and availability of resources (Lacey et al ., ). However, some species are found in habitats with sharp differences in resource availability and soil characteristics, as is the case for Ctenomys minutus Nehring, 1887 (Galiano, Bernardo‐Silva & Freitas, ; Galiano, Kubiak & Freitas, ; Kubiak, Galiano & Freitas, ; Galiano et al ., ). This species has solitary habits and its distribution is restricted to the coastal plains of southern Brazil, where populations occur along a linear extension of approximately 500 km (Freitas, ; Freygang, Marinho & Freitas, 2004).…”