Data from: Rapid, pervasive genetic differentiation of urban white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations in New York City

We investigated genetic diversity and structure of urban white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, populations in New York City (NYC) using variation at 18 microsatellite loci. White-footed mice are "urban adapters" that occur at higher population densities as habitat fragments are reduced in area, but have a limited ability to disperse through urbanized areas. We hypothesized that this combination of traits has produced substantial genetic structure but minimal loss of genetic variation over the last century in NYC. Allelic diversity and heterozygosity in fourteen NYC populations were high, and nearly all of our NYC study sites contained genetically distinct populations of white-footed mice as measured by pairwise FST, assignment tests, and Bayesian clustering analyses performed by Structure and BAPS. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that genetic differences between populations separated by a few km are more significant than differences between prehistorically isolated landmasses (i.e. Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan). Allele size permutation tests and lack of isolation-by-distance indicated that mutation and migration are less important than drift as explanations for structure in urban, fragmented P. leucopus populations. Peromyscus often exhibit little genetic structure over even regional scales, prompting us to conclude that urbanization is a particularly potent driver of genetic differentiation compared to natural fragmentation.本研究针对纽约市（NYC）的白足鼠（Peromyscus leucopus）种群，利用18个微卫星位点（microsatellite loci）的遗传变异数据，探究其遗传多样性与种群遗传结构。白足鼠属于城市适应类群，当生境片段面积缩小时，其种群密度会升高，但在城市化区域内的扩散能力有限。我们提出如下假说：上述性状组合使得纽约市的白足鼠种群在近百年间形成了显著的遗传结构，但遗传多样性并未出现明显流失。对14个纽约市种群的检测结果显示，其等位基因多样性与杂合度均处于较高水平；通过成对固定指数（FST）、个体归属检验以及由Structure与BAPS软件执行的贝叶斯聚类分析评估后发现，几乎所有研究样地内的白足鼠种群均呈现遗传分化特征。分子方差分析（Analysis of molecular variance）结果表明，相隔仅数公里的种群间遗传差异，显著高于史前即已隔离的陆块（即布朗克斯区、皇后区与曼哈顿区）之间的遗传差异。等位基因长度置换检验与未呈现隔离距离（isolation-by-distance）模式的结果显示，相较于遗传漂变，突变与迁移对白足鼠城市片段化种群遗传结构的解释力较弱。通常白足鼠属（Peromyscus）物种即便在区域尺度上也几乎无显著遗传结构，据此我们得出结论：相较于自然生境片段化，城市化是驱动种群遗传分化的尤为强效的驱动因子。