Data from: Habitat use, but not gene flow, is influenced by human activities in two ecotypes of Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)

Understanding the ecological, behavioral and evolutionary response of organisms to changing environments is of primary importance in a human-altered world. It is crucial to elucidate how human activities alter gene flow and what are the consequences for the genetic structure of a species. We studied two lineages of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) throughout the contact zone between mesic and arid ecozones in the Middle East to evaluate the species' response to the growing proportion of human-altered habitats in the desert. We integrated population genetics, morphometrics and movement ecology to analyze population structure, morphological variation and habitat use from GPS- or radio-tagged individuals from both desert and Mediterranean areas. We classified the spatial distribution and environmental stratification by describing physical-geographical conditions and land cover. We analyzed this information to estimate patch occupancy and used an isolation by resistance approach to model gene flow patterns. Our results suggest that lineages from desert and Mediterranean habitats, despite their admixture, are isolated by environment and by adaptation supporting their classification as ecotypes. We found a positive effect of human-altered habitats on patch occupancy and habitat use of fruit bats by increasing the availability of roosting and foraging areas. While this commensalism promotes the distribution of fruit bats throughout the Middle East, gene flow between colonies has not been altered by human activities. This discrepancy between habitat use and gene flow patterns may, therefore, be explained by the breeding system of the species and modifications of natal dispersal patterns.在人类活动显著改造的当今世界，探究生物对环境变化的生态、行为与演化响应具有核心重要性。阐明人类活动如何改变物种的基因流，以及由此对物种遗传结构造成的影响，亦是关键研究课题。我们以中东湿润与干旱生态区交界带为研究区域，针对埃及果蝠（Rousettus aegyptiacus）的两个演化支系展开研究，以评估该物种对沙漠中人类改造生境占比不断提升的响应。我们整合种群遗传学、形态测量学与运动生态学方法，对来自沙漠与地中海区域的、经GPS或无线电标记的个体展开分析，以解析其种群结构、形态变异与生境利用模式。我们通过描述自然地理条件与土地覆被类型，对空间分布与环境分层进行分类。基于上述信息，我们开展斑块占有率估算，并采用抗性隔离（isolation by resistance）方法构建基因流模式模型。研究结果显示，尽管沙漠与地中海生境的果蝠演化支系存在基因混合，但二者仍因环境与适应性差异形成隔离，这一发现支持将其划分为生态型的分类方案。我们发现，人类改造生境通过增加蝙蝠的栖息与觅食场所供给，对果蝠的斑块占有率与生境利用产生了正向影响。尽管这种偏利共生关系促进了果蝠在中东地区的分布，但人类活动并未改变不同蝠群间的基因流水平。因此，生境利用与基因流模式间的这种不一致性，可通过该物种的繁殖系统以及出生扩散模式的改变加以解释。