Data from: Using relatedness networks to infer contemporary dispersal: application to the endangered mammal Galemys pyrenaicus

Information about the degree of contemporary dispersal is important when
trying to understand how populations interchange individuals and identify
the specific barriers that prevent these movements. In the case of
endangered species, this can represent crucial information when designing
appropriate strategies that favor natural genetic exchange between
populations. Here we analyze the parentage relationships between
individuals from different localities and use these data to infer
dispersal occurred in recent generations. We applied this approach to the
Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), a semiaquatic and endangered species
endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. We studied this species in four primary
rivers in the Iberian Range, where two ancient mitochondrial lineages are
separated by a strict contact zone but whose populations are more
homogeneous at the genome level, suggesting the existence of complex
dispersal patterns. Using next generation sequencing, we obtained 912 SNPs
from each sample and estimated relatedness values between them. While
relatedness networks were very dense within each river, we found
surprisingly few relationships between individuals from different rivers
despite their close proximity in some cases, indicating that dispersal
between rivers is extremely low compared to dispersal within a single
river. In agreement with this, the degree of inbreeding was exceedingly
high in most individuals. These data show that relatedness information can
be crucial to understand the contemporary dispersal patterns and
conservation status of specific populations of endangered species.