Comparative landscape genetic analyses show a Belgian motorway to be a gene flow barrier for red deer (Cervus elaphus), but not wild boars (Sus scrofa)

While motorways are often assumed to influence the movement behaviour of large mammals, there are surprisingly few studies that show an influence of these linear structures on the genetic make-up of wild ungulate populations. Here, we analyse the spatial genetic structure of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) along a stretch of motorway in the Walloon part of Belgium. Altogether 876 red deer were genotyped at 13 microsatellite loci, and 325 wild boars at 14 loci. In the case of the red deer, different genetic clustering tools identified two genetic subpopulations whose borders matched the motorway well. Conversely, no genetic structure was identified in the case of the wild boar. Analysis of isolation-by-distance patterns of pairs of individuals on the same side and on different sides of the motorway also suggested that the road was a barrier to red deer, but not to wild boar movement. While telemetry studies seem to confirm that red deer are more affected by motorway...尽管学界普遍认为高速公路（motorway）会影响大型哺乳动物的移动行为，但鲜有研究证实这类线性人工结构会对野生有蹄类动物种群的遗传组成产生影响。本研究针对比利时瓦隆大区一段高速公路沿线的马鹿（Cervus elaphus）与野猪（Sus scrofa），分析其空间遗传结构（spatial genetic structure）。研究共对876头马鹿进行了13个微卫星位点（microsatellite loci）的基因分型，对325头野猪完成了14个位点的基因分型。针对马鹿群体，不同遗传聚类工具（genetic clustering tools）均鉴定出两个遗传亚种群，二者的种群边界与该高速公路的走向高度契合。与之相反，野猪群体未检测到任何遗传结构。通过对高速公路同侧与异侧个体对的距离隔离模式（isolation-by-distance）进行分析，结果同样显示，该高速公路对马鹿的移动构成阻隔效应，但未对野猪的移动产生影响。尽管无线电遥测研究（telemetry studies）似乎证实马鹿更容易受到高速公路的影响……