Data from: A genetic discontinuity in moose (Alces alces) in Alaska corresponds with fenced transportation infrastructure

The strength and arrangement of movement barriers can impact the connectivity among habitat patches. Anthropogenic barriers (e.g. roads) are a source of habitat fragmentation that can disrupt these resource networks and can have an influence on the spatial genetic structure of populations. Using microsatellite data, we evaluated whether observed genetic structure of moose (Alces alces) populations were associated with human activities (e.g. roads) in the urban habitat of Anchorage and rural habitat on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. We found evidence of a recent genetic subdivision among moose in Anchorage that corresponds to a major highway and associated infrastructure. This subdivision is most likely due to restrictions in gene flow due to alterations to the highway (e.g. moose-resistant fencing with one-way gates) and a significant increase in traffic volume over the past 30 years; genetic subdivision was not detected on the Kenai Peninsula in an area not bisected by a major highway. This study illustrates that anthropogenic barriers can substructure wildlife populations within a few generations and highlights the value of genetic assessments to determine the effects on connectivity among habitat patches in conjunction with behavioral and ecological data.

运动屏障的强度与布设格局，会对栖息地斑块间的连通性产生影响。人为屏障（anthropogenic barriers，如道路）是引发栖息地破碎化的诱因之一，可破坏此类资源网络，并对种群的空间遗传结构造成影响。本研究借助微卫星（microsatellite）分子标记数据，以阿拉斯加安克雷奇的城市生境与基奈半岛的乡村生境为研究区域，评估了驼鹿（Alces alces）种群的观测遗传结构是否与人类活动（如道路）存在关联。研究结果显示，安克雷奇地区的驼鹿种群近期出现了遗传分化，这与当地一条主要高速公路及其配套基础设施高度吻合。该遗传分化极大概率源于高速公路改造工程（如加装带有单向闸门的防驼鹿围栏）以及过去30年间车流量的显著提升所造成的基因流受限；而在基奈半岛未被主要高速公路横穿的区域，则未检测到遗传分化现象。本研究证实，人为屏障可在短短数代内就对野生动物种群造成遗传结构分化，同时也凸显了结合行为学与生态学数据开展遗传评估，以探明栖息地斑块间连通性影响机制的重要价值。