Data from: Beyond population size: Whole-genome data reveal bottleneck legacies in the peninsular Italian wolf

Preserving genetic diversity and adaptive potential while avoiding
inbreeding depression is crucial for the long-term conservation of natural
populations. Despite demographic increases, traces of past bottleneck
events at the genomic level should be carefully considered for population
management. From this perspective, the peninsular Italian wolf is a
paradigmatic case. After being on the brink of extinction in the late
1960s, peninsular Italian wolves rebounded and recolonized most of the
peninsula aided by conservation measures, including habitat and legal
protection. Notwithstanding their demographic recovery, a comprehensive
understanding of the genomic consequences of the historical bottleneck in
Italian wolves is still lacking. To fill this gap, we sequenced whole
genomes of thirteen individuals sampled in the core historical range of
the species in Central Italy to conduct population genomic analyses,
including a comparison with wolves from two highly-inbred wolf populations
(i.e., Scandinavia and Isle Royale). We found that peninsular Italian
wolves, despite their recent recovery, still exhibit relatively low
genetic diversity, a small effective population size, signatures of
inbreeding, and a non-negligible genetic load. Our findings indicate that
the peninsular Italian wolf population is still susceptible to bottleneck
legacies, which could lead to local inbreeding depression in case of
population reduction or fragmentations. This study emphasizes the
importance of considering key genetic parameters to design appropriate
long-term conservation management plans.