Data from: Gene flow from domesticated escapes alters the life history of wild Atlantic salmon

Interbreeding between domesticated and wild animals occurs in several species. This gene flow has long been anticipated to induce genetic changes in life-history traits of wild populations, thereby influencing population dynamics and viability. Here, we show that individuals with high levels of introgression (domesticated ancestry) have altered age and size at maturation in 62 wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar populations, including seven ancestral populations to breeding lines of the domesticated salmon. This study documents widespread changes to life-history traits in wild animal populations following gene flow from selectively bred, domesticated conspecifics. The continued high abundance of escaped, domesticated Atlantic salmon thus threatens wild Atlantic salmon populations by inducing genetic changes in fitness-related traits. Our results represent key evidence and a timely warning concerning the potential ecological impacts of the globally increasing use of domesticated animals.

多个物种中均存在驯养动物与野生动物的杂交现象。长期以来，学界普遍认为此类基因流（gene flow）会引发野生种群生活史性状（life-history traits）的遗传改变，进而影响种群动态与存活能力。本研究显示，在62个野生大西洋鲑（Salmo salar）种群（其中包含7个作为驯养大西洋鲑育种品系祖先的种群）中，携带高水平基因渐渗（introgression，即拥有驯养血统）的个体，其成熟年龄与成熟体型均发生了改变。本研究记录了在经选育的驯养同种个体的基因流作用下，野生动物种群生活史性状出现的广泛变化。持续大量逃逸的驯养大西洋鲑，可通过诱导与适合度相关的性状（fitness-related traits）发生遗传改变，对野生大西洋鲑种群构成威胁。本研究结果为全球范围内日益增多的驯养动物应用所可能带来的生态影响，提供了关键证据与及时警示。