Genetic variation and population structure in the endangered Hermann’s tortoise: the roles of geography and human-mediated processes

The Hermanni’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is an endangered land tortoise distributed in disjoint populations across Mediterranean Europe. We investigated its genetic variation by typing one mitochondrial locus and nine nuclear microsatellites in approximately 300 individuals from 22 localities. Our goal was to understand the relative impact of natural and human-mediated processes in shaping the genetic structure, and to identify the genetic priorities for the conservation of this species. We found that i) all geographic areas are highly differentiated, mainly as a function of their distance but with a clear genetic discontinuity (Fst values larger than 0.4) between the Eastern and the Western subspecies; ii) the contact zone between subspecies is located farthest to the west than previously believed, and it probably coincides with the delta of the largest Italian river; iii) extinction events due to climatic conditions in the Upper Palaeolithic and subsequent human-mediated translocati...赫尔曼陆龟（Testudo hermanni）是一种濒危陆龟，其种群呈离散分布于地中海欧洲地区。本研究通过对采自22个采样点的约300个个体开展1个线粒体位点与9个核微卫星标记的基因分型，解析了该物种的遗传变异特征。本研究旨在明确自然过程与人为活动对塑造其遗传结构的相对影响，并确定该物种保护的遗传优先级。研究结果显示：i）所有地理区域均存在高度遗传分化，分化程度主要随地理距离递增，但东西两个亚种间存在显著遗传间断（固定化指数Fst值大于0.4）；ii）亚种间的接触带较此前认知更偏西，且大概率与意大利最大河流的三角洲区域重合；iii）旧石器时代晚期气候条件引发的灭绝事件及后续人为介导的种群易位...