Data from: The influence of the arid Andean high plateau on the phylogeography and population genetics of guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in South America

A comprehensive study of the phylogeography and population genetics of the largest wild artiodactyl in the arid and cold-temperate South American environments, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), was conducted to detail patterns of molecular genetic structure related with phylogeographic history, barriers to gene flow, to describe and contrast the evolutionary history and patterns of gene flow among populations. Analyses of 514 bp of mtDNA sequence and 14 biparentally-inherited microsatellite markers of 314 individuals from 17 localities throughout their current distribution across Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile confirm the well-defined genetic differentiation and subspecies designation of populations geographically separated to the northwest (L. g. cacsilensis) and southeast (L. g. guanicoe) of the central Andes plateau. However, these populations are not completely isolated, as shown by admixture prevalent throughout a limited contact zone and a strong signal of expansion from north-to-south in the beginning of Holocene. Microsatellite analyses differentiated 3 northwestern and 4-5 southeastern populations, suggesting patterns of genetic contact among these populations, and identified possible genetic refuges and source-sink patterns of gene flow at historical and recent time scales. These results confirm that conservation and management of guanaco should be implemented with an understanding of local population dynamics while considering the preservation of broader adaptive variation and evolutionary processes.

针对南美干旱与寒温带环境中体型最大的野生偶蹄类动物——原驼（guanaco, Lama guanicoe）开展的一项全面系统地理学（phylogeography）与种群遗传学（population genetics）研究，旨在阐明与系统地理历史相关的分子遗传结构模式、基因流障碍，并描述与对比不同种群间的演化历史与基因流模式。研究对分布于秘鲁、玻利维亚、阿根廷及智利全境17个采样点的314份个体的514bp线粒体DNA（mtDNA）序列以及14个双亲遗传的微卫星标记（microsatellite）进行分析，证实了安第斯高原中部西北侧（L. g. cacsilensis）与东南侧（L. g. guanicoe）地理隔离种群明确的遗传分化及亚种划分。然而这两类种群并非完全隔离：有限接触带内普遍存在遗传混合现象，且全新世早期存在显著的北向南种群扩张信号，这均佐证了这一点。微卫星分析进一步区分出3个西北种群与4-5个东南种群，揭示了这些种群间的遗传接触模式，并在历史与近期时间尺度上识别出潜在的遗传避难所以及基因流的源-汇格局。本研究结果证实，原驼的保护与管理应结合当地种群动态开展，同时需注重保护更广泛的适应性变异与演化过程。