Data for: Desert landscape features influencing the microgeographic genetic structure of Nelson’s pocket mouse Chaetodipus nelsoni

Elucidating the factors that drive the genetic patterns of natural
populations is key in evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation.
Hence, it is crucial to understand the role that environmental features
play in species' genetic diversity and structure. Landscape genetics
measures functional connectivity and evaluates the effects of landscape
composition, configuration, and heterogeneity on microevolutionary
processes. Deserts constitute one of the world’s most widespread biomes
and exhibit a striking heterogeneity of microhabitats, yet few landscape
genetics studies have been performed with rodents in deserts. We evaluated
the relationship between landscape and functional connectivity, at a
microgeographic scale, of the Nelson’s pocket mouse Chaetodipus nelsoni in
the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve (Chihuahuan desert). We used
single-nucleotide polymorphisms and characterized the landscape based on
on-site environmental data and from Landsat satellite images. We
identified two distinct genetic clusters shaped by elevation, vegetation,
and soil. The high elevation group showed higher connectivity in the
elevated zones (1250-1350 m), with scarce vegetation and predominantly
rocky soils; whereas that of the Low elevation group was at <1200
m, with denser vegetation and sandy soils. These genetic patterns are
likely associated with the species’ locomotion type, feeding strategy, and
building of burrows. Interestingly, we also identified morphological
differences, where hind foot size was significantly smaller in individuals
from High elevation compared to Low elevation, suggesting the possibility
of ecomorphs associated with habitat differences and potential local
adaptation processes, which should be explored further. These findings
improve our understanding of the genetics and ecology of C. nelsoni and
other desert rodents.