Data from: The influence of the arid Andean high plateau on the phylogeography and population genetics of guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in South America

A comprehensive study of the phylogeography and population genetics of the largest wild artiodactyl in the arid and cold-temperate South American environments, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), was conducted to detail patterns of molecular genetic structure related with phylogeographic history, barriers to gene flow, to describe and contrast the evolutionary history and patterns of gene flow among populations. Analyses of 514 bp of mtDNA sequence and 14 biparentally-inherited microsatellite markers of 314 individuals from 17 localities throughout their current distribution across Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile confirm the well-defined genetic differentiation and subspecies designation of populations geographically separated to the northwest (L. g. cacsilensis) and southeast (L. g. guanicoe) of the central Andes plateau. However, these populations are not completely isolated, as shown by admixture prevalent throughout a limited contact zone and a strong signal of expansion from north-to-south in the beginning of Holocene. Microsatellite analyses differentiated 3 northwestern and 4-5 southeastern populations, suggesting patterns of genetic contact among these populations, and identified possible genetic refuges and source-sink patterns of gene flow at historical and recent time scales. These results confirm that conservation and management of guanaco should be implemented with an understanding of local population dynamics while considering the preservation of broader adaptive variation and evolutionary processes.本研究针对干旱与寒温带南美生境中体型最大的野生偶蹄目动物——原驼（Lama guanicoe），开展了一项综合性系统地理学（phylogeography）与种群遗传学（population genetics）研究，旨在阐明与系统地理历史、基因流屏障相关的分子遗传结构模式，并描述与对比不同种群间的演化历史与基因流模式。研究对覆盖其当前分布范围（秘鲁、玻利维亚、阿根廷与智利）的17个采样点的314个个体，进行了514 bp线粒体DNA（mtDNA）序列与14个双亲遗传微卫星标记（microsatellite markers）分析，结果证实安第斯高原中部以北（L. g. cacsilensis）与以南（L. g. guanicoe）的地理分隔种群具有明确的遗传分化与亚种分类地位。然而，这些种群并未完全隔离：有限的接触带内普遍存在遗传混合现象，且全新世早期存在显著的北向南种群扩张信号。微卫星标记分析进一步区分出3个西北种群与4-5个东南种群，提示这些种群间存在遗传接触模式，并识别出历史与近现代时间尺度上可能存在的遗传避难所及基因流源-汇（source-sink）格局。本研究结果证实，在开展原驼的保护与管理工作时，应在理解局域种群动态的基础上，同时兼顾更广范围的适应性变异与演化过程的保护。