Data from: Spatial genetic and morphologic structure of wolves and coyotes in relation to environmental heterogeneity in a Canis hybrid zone

Eastern wolves have hybridized extensively with coyotes and gray wolves and are listed as a ‘species of special concern’ in Canada. However, a distinct population of eastern wolves has been identified in Algonquin Provincial Park (APP) in Ontario. Previous Canis studies have not linked genetic analysis with field data to investigate genotype-specific morphology or determine how resident animals of different ancestry are distributed across the landscape in relation to heterogeneous environmental conditions. Accordingly, we studied resident wolves and coyotes in and adjacent to APP to identify distinct Canis types, clarify the occurrence of eastern wolves adjacent to APP, and investigate spatial genetic structure and landscape-genotype associations in the hybrid zone. We documented 3 genetically distinct Canis types that also differed morphologically, corresponding to putative gray wolves, eastern wolves, and coyotes. We also documented a substantial number of hybrid individuals (36%). Breeding eastern wolves were less common outside of APP, but occurred in some unprotected areas. We identified a steep cline extending west from APP where the dominant genotype shifted abruptly from eastern wolves to coyotes and hybrids. The genotypic pattern to the south and northwest was a more complex mosaic of alternating genotypes. We modeled genetic ancestry in response to prey availability and human disturbance and found positive and negative associations between wolf ancestry and 1) moose density and 2) road densities, respectively. Our results clarify the structure of the Canis hybrid zone adjacent to APP and provide unique insight into environmental conditions influencing hybridization dynamics between wolves and coyotes.

东部狼（Eastern wolf）与郊狼及灰狼发生了广泛的杂交事件，目前在加拿大被列为“特别关注物种”。不过，在加拿大安大略省的阿尔贡金省立公园（Algonquin Provincial Park, APP）内已被证实存在一个独特的东部狼种群。此前的犬属（Canis）研究尚未将遗传分析与野外调查数据相结合，既未探究特定基因型对应的形态特征，也未阐明不同遗传祖先的定居个体如何随异质性环境条件在景观中分布。据此，本研究对APP及其周边区域的定居狼与郊狼展开调查，旨在识别不同的犬属类群，厘清APP周边东部狼的分布情况，并探究杂交带内的空间遗传结构与景观-基因型关联。本研究共记录到3个遗传上相互独立且形态上存在差异的犬属类群，分别对应推测的灰狼、东部狼与郊狼；同时还发现了占比达36%的大量杂交个体。繁殖种群的东部狼在APP外围较为少见，但仍在部分未受保护区域有分布。我们发现从APP向西延伸存在一条陡峭的渐变群，该区域内优势基因型由东部狼突然转变为郊狼与杂交个体；而南部与西北部的基因型分布模式则呈现为更为复杂的交替基因型镶嵌格局。本研究以猎物可获得性与人类干扰为自变量，对遗传祖先比例进行建模分析，结果发现狼血统占比分别与1）驼鹿（moose）密度呈正相关，与2）道路密度呈负相关。本研究结果厘清了APP周边犬属杂交带的结构，并为解析影响狼与郊狼杂交动态的环境条件提供了独特视角。