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5,538 results for “Population data”
Data from: Population structure and history of the Welsh sheep breeds determined by whole genome genotyping
Background: One of the most economically important areas within the Welsh agricultural sector is sheep farming, contributing around £230 million to the UK economy annually. Phenotypic selection over several centuries has generated a number of native sheep breeds, which are presumably adapted to the diverse and challenging landscape of Wales. Little is known about the history, genetic diversity and relationships of these breeds with other European breeds. We genotyped 353 individuals from 18 native Welsh sheep breeds using the Illumina OvineSNP50 array and characterised the genetic structure of these breeds. Our genotyping data were then combined with, and compared to, those from a set of 74 worldwide breeds, previously collected during the International Sheep Genome Consortium HapMap project. Results: Model based clustering of the Welsh and European breeds indicated shared ancestry. This finding was supported by multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS), which revealed separation of the European, African and Asian breeds. As expected, the commercial Texel and Merino breeds appeared to have extensive co-ancestry with most European breeds. Consistently high levels of haplotype sharing were observed between native Welsh and other European breeds. The Welsh breeds did not, however, form a genetically homogeneous group, with pairwise FST between breeds averaging 0.107 and ranging between 0.020 and 0.201. Four subpopulations were identified within the 18 native breeds, with high homogeneity observed amongst the majority of mountain breeds. Recent effective population sizes estimated from linkage disequilibrium ranged from 88 to 825. Conclusions: Welsh breeds are highly diverse with low to moderate effective population sizes and form at least four distinct genetic groups. Our data suggest common ancestry between the native Welsh and European breeds. These findings provide the basis for future genome-wide association studies and a first step towards developing genomics assisted breeding strategies in the UK.
Data from: Conflicting selection on the timing of germination in a natural population of Arabidopsis thaliana
The timing of germination is a key life-history trait that may strongly influence plant fitness and that sets the stage for selection on traits expressed later in the life cycle. In seasonal environments, the period favourable for germination and the total length of the growing season are limited. The optimal timing of germination may therefore be governed by conflicting selection through survival and fecundity. We conducted a field experiment to examine the effects of timing of germination on survival, fecundity and overall fitness in a natural population of the annual herb Arabidopsis thaliana in north-central Sweden. Seedlings were transplanted at three different times in late summer and in autumn covering the period of seed germination in the study population. Early germination was associated with low seedling survival, but also with high survival and fecundity among established plants. The advantages of germinating early more than balanced the disadvantage and selection favoured early germination. The results suggest that low survival among early germinating seeds is the main force opposing the evolution of earlier germination and that the optimal timing of germination should vary in space and time as a function of the direction and strength of selection acting during different life-history stages.
Data from: Stock enhancement or sea ranching? Insights from monitoring the genetic diversity, relatedness and effective size in a seeded great scallop population (Pecten maximus)
The mass release of hatchery-propagated stocks raises numerous questions concerning its efficiency in terms of local recruitment and effect on the genetic diversity of wild populations. A seeding program, consisting of mass release of hatchery-produced juveniles in the local naturally occurring population of great scallops (Pecten maximus L.), was initiated in the early 1980s in the Bay of Brest (France). The present study aims at evaluating whether this seeding program leads to actual population enhancement, with detectable effects on genetic diversity and effective population size, or consists of sea ranching with limited genetic consequences on the wild stock. To address this question, microsatellite-based genetic monitoring of three hatchery-born and naturally recruited populations was conducted over a 5-year period. Results showed a limited reduction in allelic richness but a strong alteration of allelic frequencies in hatchery populations, while genetic diversity appeared very stable over time in the wild populations. A temporal increase in relatedness was observed in both cultured stock and wild populations. Effective population size (Ne) estimates were low and variable in the wild population. Moreover, the application of the Ryman-Laikre model suggested a high contribution of hatchery-born scallops to the reproductive output of the wild population. Overall, the data suggest that the main objective of the seeding program, which is stock enhancement, is fulfilled. Moreover, gene flow from surrounding populations and/or the reproductive input of undetected sub-populations within the bay may buffer the Ryman-Laikre effect and ensure the retention of the local genetic variability.
Data from: Modeling effects of environmental change on wolf population dynamics, trait evolution, and life history
Environmental change has been observed to generate simultaneous responses in population dynamics, life history, gene frequencies, and morphology in a number of species. But how common are such eco-evolutionary responses to environmental change likely to be? Are they inevitable, or do they require a specific type of change? Can we accurately predict eco-evolutionary responses? We address these questions using theory and data from the study of Yellowstone wolves. We show that environmental change is expected to generate eco-evolutionary change, that changes in the average environment will affect wolves to a greater extent than changes in how variable it is, and that accurate prediction of the consequences of environmental change will probably prove elusive.
Data from: Morphological variation as a tool for monitoring bird populations: a review
This paper shows how our knowledge of the evolution, ecology and conservation of birds can be improved through the analysis of external morphological traits. After giving a short history of morphological studies of birds, we discuss the pros and cons of such data in exploring within-species variation and describe the main patterns and hypotheses related to the factors affecting bird size and shape. We describe the usefulness of external measurements (including body mass and feather morphology) of live birds for inferring population differentiation or intraspecific variation in body condition. Bird morphology monitoring is conceptually similar to other programs aimed at recording the distribution of species and their habitats. However, it has one additional advantage: the same data used to describe variation can be used to infer the processes underlying observed changes by testing geographical or ecomorphological predictions. Morphological approaches may be implemented in the context of national ringing schemes, in which thousands of birds are measured each year. They may be particularly illustrative in bird species with populations distributed between regions of contrasting ecology, or wherever man-made environmental stressors affect bird populations.
Data from: Closing the gap: avian lineage splits at a young, narrow seaway imply a protracted history of mixed population response
The evolutionary significance of spatial habitat gaps has been well recognized since Alfred Russel Wallace compared the faunas of Bali and Lombok. Gaps between islands influence population structuring of some species, and flightless birds are expected to show strong partitioning even where habitat gaps are narrow. We examined the population structure of the most numerous living flightless land bird in New Zealand, Weka (Gallirallus australis). We surveyed Weka and their feather lice in native and introduced populations using genetic data gathered from DNA sequences of mitochondrial genes and nuclear β-fibrinogen and five microsatellite loci. We found low genetic diversity among extant Weka population samples. Two genetic clusters were evident in the mtDNA from Weka and their lice, but partitioning at nuclear loci was less abrupt. Many formerly recognized subspecies/species were not supported; instead, we infer one subspecies for each of the two main New Zealand islands. Although currently range restricted, North Island Weka have higher mtDNA diversity than the more wide-ranging southern Weka. Mismatch and neutrality statistics indicate North Island Weka experienced rapid and recent population reduction, while South Island Weka display the signature of recent expansion. Similar haplotype data from a widespread flying relative of Weka and other New Zealand birds revealed instances of North Island—South Island partitioning associated with a narrow habitat gap (Cook Strait). However, contrasting patterns indicate priority effects and other ecological factors have a strong influence on spatial exchange at this scale.
Data from: The walk is never random: subtle landscape effects shape gene flow in a continuous white-tailed deer population in the Midwestern United States
One of the pervasive challenges in landscape genetics is detecting gene flow patterns within continuous populations of highly mobile wildlife. Understanding population genetic structure within a continuous population can give insights into social structure, movement across the landscape and contact between populations, which influence ecological interactions, reproductive dynamics, or pathogen transmission. We investigated the genetic structure of a large population of deer spanning the area of Wisconsin and Illinois, USA, affected by chronic wasting disease. We combined multi-scale investigation, landscape genetic techniques and spatial statistical modeling to address the complex questions of landscape factors influencing population structure. We sampled over 2,000 deer and used spatial autocorrelation and a spatial principal components analysis to describe the population genetic structure. We evaluated landscape effects on this pattern using a spatial auto-regressive model within a model selection framework to test alternative hypotheses about gene flow. We found high levels of genetic connectivity, with gradients of variation across the large continuous population of white-tailed deer. At the fine scale, spatial clustering of related animals was correlated with the amount and arrangement of forested habitat. At the broader scale, impediments to dispersal were important to shaping genetic connectivity within the population. We found significant barrier effects of individual state and interstate highways and rivers. Our results offer an important understanding of deer biology and movement that will help inform the management of this species in an area where over-abundance and disease spread are primary concerns.
Data from: The sensitivity of seabird populations to density-dependence, environmental stochasticity and anthropogenic mortality
1.The balance between economic growth and wildlife conservation is a priority for many governments. Enhancing realism in assessment of population‐level impacts of anthropogenic mortality can help achieve this balance. Population Viability Analysis (PVA) is commonly applied to investigate population vulnerability, but outcomes of PVA are sensitive to formulations of density‐dependence, environmental stochasticity and life‐history. Current practice in marine assessments is to use precautionary models that assume no compensation from density‐dependence or rescue‐effects via "re‐seeding" from other colonies. However, if we could empirically quantify regulatory population processes, the responses of populations to additional anthropogenic mortality may be assessed with more realism in PVA. 2. Using Bayesian state‐space models fitted to population time‐series from three sympatric seabird populations, selected for varied life histories, we inferred the extent to which their dynamics are driven by environmental stochasticity and density‐dependence. 3. Based on these inferences, we conducted an exhaustive PVA across credible parameterisations for intrinsic and extrinsic population regulation, simulated as a closed and re‐seeded system. Scenarios of anthropogenic mortality, along a sliding scale of precaution, were applied both proportionally and as a fixed quota using Potential Biological Removal (PBR). 4. Baseline results from fitting revealed clear environmental regulation in two of our three species. Crucially, we found that for our empirically derived, realistic model parameterisations there are risks of decline to real populations even under very precautionary mortality scenarios. We find that PBR is dubious in application as a sustainable tool for population assessment when we account for regulation. Closed versus re‐seeded models showed a large divergence in outcomes, with sharper declines in closed simulations. Fixed‐quota mortality typically induced greater population declines comparative to proportional mortality, subject to regulation and re‐seeding. 5. Synthesis and applications: Practitioners using arbitrary formulations of population regulation risk over‐precaution (economic constraint) or under‐precaution (endangering populations). The demands of increased economic development and preservation of wildlife require that methodologies apply techniques that confer reality and rigour to assessment. The current practice of employing models lacking density‐dependence and empirical environmental information imposes limitations in the efficacy of estimating impacts. Here, we provide a method to quantify the conditions that predominantly regulate a population and exacerbate the risk of decline from anthropogenic mortality. It is in the interests of both developers and conservationists to apply methods in population impact assessments that capture realism in the processes driving population dynamics.
Data from: Parallel tagged next-generation sequencing on pooled samples – a new approach for population genetics in ecology and conservation
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) on pooled samples has already been broadly applied in human medical diagnostics and plant and animal breeding. However, thus far it has been only sparingly employed in ecology and conservation, where it may serve as a useful diagnostic tool for rapid assessment of species genetic diversity and structure at the population level. Here we undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the accuracy, practicality and limitations of parallel tagged amplicon NGS on pooled population samples for estimating species population diversity and structure. We obtained 16S and Cyt b data from 20 populations of Leiopelma hochstetteri, a frog species of conservation concern in New Zealand, using two approaches – parallel tagged NGS on pooled population samples and individual Sanger sequenced samples. Data from each approach were then used to estimate two standard population genetic parameters, nucleotide diversity (π) and population differentiation (FST), that enable population genetic inference in a species conservation context. We found a positive correlation between our two approaches for population genetic estimates, showing that the pooled population NGS approach is a reliable, rapid and appropriate method for population genetic inference in an ecological and conservation context. Our experimental design also allowed us to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the pooled population NGS approach and outline some guidelines and suggestions that might be considered when planning future projects.
Data from: Cleaner fish escape salmon farms and hybridize with local wrasse populations
The genetic impact of farmed fish escaping aquaculture is a highly debated issue. However, non-target species, such as cleaner fish used to remove sea lice from farmed fish, are rarely considered. Here we report that wild corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops), which are transported long distances to be used as cleaner fish in salmon farms, escape and hybridize with local populations. Recently, increasing numbers of corkwing wrasse have been reported in Flatanger in Norway, north of its described distribution range, an area heavily relying on import of cleaner fish from Skagerrak. Using genetic markers identified with 2bRAD sequencing, we show that, although the Flatanger population largely is a result of a northwards range expansion, there is also evidence of considerable gene flow from southern populations in Skagerrak and Kattegat. Out of 40 corkwing wrasses sampled in Flatanger, we discovered two individuals with clear southern genotypes, one first generation hybrid, and twelve potential second-generation hybrids. In summary, we provide evidence that corkwing wrasse escape from fish farms and hybridize with local populations at the leading edge of an ongoing range expansion. Although the magnitude and significance of escapees warrants further investigation, these results should be taken in consideration in the use of translocated cleaner fish.
Data from: Creating new evolutionary pathways through bio-invasion: the population genetics of brushtail possums in New Zealand
Rapid increases in global trade and human movement have created novel mixtures of organisms bringing with them the potential to rapidly accelerate the evolution of new forms. The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), introduced into New Zealand from Australia in the 19th Century, is one such species having been sourced from multiple populations in its native range. Here, we combine microsatellite DNA and GIS-based spatial data to show that T.vulpecula originating from at least two different Australian locations exhibit a population structure that is commensurate with their introduction history and which cannot be explained by landscape features alone. Most importantly, we identify a hybrid zone between the two subspecies which appears to function as a barrier to dispersal. When combined with previous genetic, morphological and captive studies, our data suggest that assortative mating between the two subspecies may operate at a behavioural or species recognition level rather than through fertilization, genetic incompatibility, or developmental inhibition. Nevertheless, hybridization between the two subspecies of possum clearly occurs, creating the opportunity for novel genetic combinations that would not occur in their natural ranges and which is especially likely given that multiple contact zones occur in New Zealand. This discovery has implications for wildlife management in New Zealand because multiple contact zones are likely to influence the dispersal patterns of possums and because differential susceptibility to baiting with sodium fluoroacetate between possums of different origins, may promote novel genetic forms.
Data from: Prevalence characteristics of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in the Taizhou area, China: a cross-sectional study of 37 967 women from the general population
Objectives: High-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPVs) are highly prevalent worldwide, and HPV genotypes differ between geographical regions; however, sexually transmitted HPV may lead to cervical carcinogenesis. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence characteristics of cervical HPV genotypes in Taizhou, Southeast China. Setting and participants: A population-based sample of 37 967 eligible women (median age: 41.6; range: 15–90 years) visiting the Taizhou ENZE Medical Center in Taizhou (2012–2016) was analysed. HPV genotyping was performed on the collected specimens using a GP5+/bioGP6+-PCR/MPG assay by Luminex 200, which simultaneously identifies 27 different HPV genotypes and the β-globin gene (internal control). Results: The overall HPV infection rate was 22.8% in the Taizhou-based population, and the prevalence of high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV and mixed high-risk and low-risk HPV infection was 14.2%, 5.7% and 3.0%, respectively. The most prevalent genotypes were HPV52 (19.7%), 16 (11.9%), 58 (11.5%), 39 (7.2%), 18 (6.6%) and 56 (5.6%). The rate of multiple-type HPV infection was 5.7% in the whole population, and the HPV52+58, HPV16+52 and HPV16+18 mixed genotypes were most common in women with multiple infections. The age-specific HPV prevalence showed a bimodal curve, with a first peak below the age of 21 years (41.6%), followed by a second peak in the age group of 56–60 years (28.5%). Moreover, the HPV infection rate differed significantly between the outpatient and physical examination groups (24.0% vs 19.5%, p<0.0001). Further data comparisons showed that the distribution of HPV genotypes varied markedly between the two groups. Conclusions: Data from this study could be valuable for HPV-based cervical cancer screening efforts in certain areas, support the local vaccination programme in the Taizhou region and facilitate future diagnosis and treatment of HPV diseases.
Data from: Genetic variation and evolution of secondary compounds in native and introduced populations of the invasive plant Melaleuca quinquenervia
We examined multivariate evolution of 20 leaf terpenoids in the invasive plant Melaleuca quinquenervia in a common garden experiment. While most compounds, including 1,8-Cineole and Viridiflorol, were reduced in home compared with invaded range genotypes, consistent with an evolutionary decrease in defense, one compound (E-Nerolidol) was greater in invaded than home range genotypes. Nerolidol was negatively genetically correlated with Cineole and Viridiflorol, and the increase in this compound in the new range may have been driven by this negative correlation. There was positive selection on all three focal compounds, and a loss of genetic variation in introduced range genotypes. Selection skewers analysis predicted an increase in Cineole and Viridiflorol and a decrease or no change in Nerolidol, in direct contrast to the observed changes in the new range. This discrepancy could be due to differences in patterns of selection, genetic correlations or the herbivore communities in the home versus introduced ranges. While evolutionary changes in most compounds were consistent with the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability Hypothesis, changes in other compounds as well as selection patterns were not, indicating that it is important to understand selection and the nature of genetic correlations to predict evolutionary change in invasive species.
Data from: Deciphering the fine-structure of tribal admixture in the Bedouin population using genomic data
The Bedouin Israeli population is highly inbred and structured with a very high prevalence of recessive diseases. Many studies in the past two decades focused on linkage analysis in large, multiple consanguineous pedigrees of this population. The advent of high-throughput technologies motivated researchers to search for rare variants shared between smaller pedigrees, integrating data from clinically similar yet seemingly non-related sporadic cases. However, such analyses are challenging because, without pedigree data, there is no prior knowledge regarding possible relatedness between the sporadic cases. Here, we describe models and techniques for the study of relationships between pedigrees and use them for the inference of tribal co-ancestry, delineating the complex social interactions between different tribes in the Negev Bedouins of southern Israel. Through our analysis, we differentiate between tribes that share many yet small genomic segments because of co-ancestry versus tribes that share larger segments because of recent admixture. The emergent pattern is well correlated with the prevalence of rare mutations in the different tribes. Tribes that do not intermarry, mostly because of social restrictions, hold private mutations, whereas tribes that do intermarry demonstrate a genetic flow of mutations between them. Thus, social structure within an inbred community can be delineated through genomic data, with implications to genetic counseling and genetic mapping.
Data from: An integrated framework to identify wildlife populations under threat from climate change
Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity that will produce a range of new selection pressures. Understanding species responses to climate change requires an interdisciplinary perspective, combining ecological, molecular and environmental approaches. We propose an applied integrated framework to identify populations under threat from climate change based on their extent of exposure, inherent sensitivity due to adaptive and neutral genetic variation and range shift potential. We consider intraspecific vulnerability and population-level responses, an important but often neglected conservation research priority. We demonstrate how this framework can be applied to vertebrates with limited dispersal abilities using empirical data for the bat Plecotus austriacus. We use ecological niche modelling and environmental dissimilarity analysis to locate areas at high risk of exposure to future changes. Combining outlier tests with genotype-environment association analysis we identify potential climate-adaptive SNPs in our genomic dataset and differences in the frequency of adaptive and neutral variation between populations. We assess landscape connectivity and show that changing environmental suitability may limit the future movement of individuals, thus affecting both the ability of populations to shift their distribution to climatically suitable areas and the probability of evolutionary rescue through the spread of adaptive genetic variation among populations. Therefore a better understanding of movement ecology and landscape connectivity is needed for predicting population persistence under climate change. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating genomic data to determine sensitivity, adaptive potential and range shift potential, instead of relying solely on exposure to guide species vulnerability assessments and conservation planning.
Data from: Pedigree-based inbreeding coefficient explains more variation in fitness than heterozygosity at 160 microsatellites in a wild bird population
Although the pedigree-based inbreeding coefficient F predicts the expected proportion of an individual's genome that is identical-by-descent (IBD), heterozygosity at genetic markers captures Mendelian sampling variation and thereby provides an estimate of realized IBD. Realized IBD should hence explain more variation in fitness than their pedigree-based expectations, but how many markers are required to achieve this in practice remains poorly understood. We use extensive pedigree and life-history data from an island population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to show that the number of genetic markers and pedigree depth affected the explanatory power of heterozygosity and F, respectively, but that heterozygosity measured at 160 microsatellites did not explain more variation in fitness than F. This is in contrast with other studies that found heterozygosity based on far fewer markers to explain more variation in fitness than F. Thus, the relative performance of marker- and pedigree-based estimates of IBD depends on the quality of the pedigree, the number, variability and location of the markers employed, and the species-specific recombination landscape, and expectations based on detailed and deep pedigrees remain valuable until we can routinely afford genotyping hundreds of phenotyped wild individuals of genetic non-model species for thousands of genetic markers.
Data from: Do island plant populations really have lower genetic variation than mainland populations? Effects of selection and distribution range on genetic diversity estimates
Ecological and evolutionary studies largely assume that island populations display low levels of neutral genetic variation. However, this notion has only been formally tested in a few cases involving plant taxa, and the confounding effect of selection on genetic diversity (GD) estimates based on putatively neutral markers has typically been overlooked. Here, we generated nuclear microsatellite and plastid DNA sequence data in Periploca laevigata, a plant taxon with an island-mainland distribution area, to (i) investigate whether selection affects GD estimates of populations across contrasting habitats and (ii) test the long-standing idea that island populations have lower GD than their mainland counterparts. Plastid data showed that colonization of the Canary Islands promoted strong lineage divergence within P. laevigata, which was accompanied by selective sweeps at several nuclear microsatellite loci. Inclusion of loci affected by strong divergent selection produced a significant downward bias in the GD estimates of the mainland lineage, but such underestimates were substantial (>14%) only when more than one loci under selection were included in the computations. When loci affected by selection were removed, we did not find evidence that insular Periploca populations have less GD than their mainland counterparts. The analysis of data obtained from a comprehensive literature survey reinforced this result, as overall comparisons of GD estimates between island and mainland populations were not significant across plant taxa (N=66), with the only exception of island endemics with narrow distributions. This study suggests that identification and removal of markers potentially affected by selection should be routinely implemented in estimates of GD, particularly if different lineages are compared. Furthermore, it provides compelling evidence that the expectation of low GD cannot be generalized to island plant populations.
Data from: Climate-related adaptive genetic variation and population structure in natural stands of Norway spruce in the South-Eastern Alps
Forest trees dominate many Alpine landscapes that are currently exposed to changing climate. Norway spruce is one of the most important conifer species of the Italian Alps, and natural populations are found across steep environmental gradients with large differences in temperature and moisture availability. This study seeks to determine and quantify patterns of genetic diversity in natural populations toward understanding adaptive responses to changing climate. Across the Italian species range, 24 natural stands were sampled with a major focus on the Eastern Italian Alps. Sampled trees were genotyped for 384 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 285 genes. A wide array of potential candidate genes was tested for correlation with climatic parameters. To minimize false-positive association between genotype and climate, population structure was investigated. Pairwise F ST estimates between sampled populations ranged between 0.000 and 0.075, with the highest values involving the two disjoint populations, Valdieri, on the western Italian Alps, and Campolino, the most southern population on the Apennines. Despite considerable genetic admixture among populations, both Bayesian and multivariate approach identified four genetic clusters. Selection scans revealed five F ST outliers, and the environmental association analysis detected ten SNPs associated to one or more climatic variables. Overall, 13 potentially adaptive loci were identified, three of which have been reported in a previous study on the same species conducted on a broader geographical scale. In our study, precipitation, more than temperature, was often associated with genotype; therefore, it appears as the most important environmental variable associated with the high sensitivity of Norway spruce to soil water supply. These findings provide relevant information for understanding and quantifying climate change effects on this species and its ability to genetically adapt.
Data from: Differentiation of movement behavior in an adaptively diverging salamander population
Dispersal is considered to be a species-specific trait, but intraspecific variation can be high. However, when and how this complex trait starts to differentiate during the divergence of species/lineages is unknown. Here, we studied the differentiation of movement behavior in a large salamander (Salamandra salamandra) population, in which individual adaptations to different habitat conditions drive the genetic divergence of this population into two subpopulations. In this system, salamanders have adapted to the deposition and development of their larvae in ephemeral ponds versus small first order streams. In general, the pond habitat is characterized as a spatially and temporally highly unpredictable habitat, while streams provide more stable and predictable conditions for the development of larvae. We analyzed the fine scale genetic distribution of larvae, and explored whether the adaptation to different larval habitat conditions has in turn also affected dispersal strategies and home range size of adult salamanders. Based on the genetic assignment of adult individuals to their respective larval habitat type, we show that pond-adapted salamanders occupied larger home ranges, displayed long distance dispersal and had a higher variability of movement types than the stream-adapted individuals. We argue that the differentiation of phenotypically plastic traits such as dispersal and movement characteristics can be a crucial component in the course of adaptation to new habitat conditions, thereby promoting the genetic divergence of populations.
Data from: Specific MHC class I supertype associated with parasite infection and colour morph in a wild lizard population
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a large gene family that plays a central role in the immune system of all jawed vertebrates. Non-avian reptiles are under-represented within the MHC literature and little is understood regarding the mechanisms maintaining MHC diversity in this vertebrate group. Here, we examined the relative roles of parasite-mediated selection and sexual selection in maintaining MHC class I diversity of a colour polymorphic lizard. We discovered evidence for parasite-mediated selection acting via rare-allele advantage or fluctuating selection as ectoparasite load was significantly lower in the presence of a specific MHC supertype (functional clustering of alleles); supertype four. Based on comparisons between ectoparasite prevalence and load, and assessment of the impact of ectoparasite load on host fitness, we suggest that supertype four confers quantitative resistance to ticks or an intracellular tick-borne parasite. We found no evidence for MHC-associated mating in terms of pair genetic distance, number of alleles or specific supertypes . An association was uncovered between supertype four and male throat colour morph. However, it is unlikely that male throat colouration acts as a signal of MHC genotype to conspecifics because we found no evidence to suggest that male throat colouration predicts male mating status. Overall, our results suggest that parasite-mediated selection plays a role in maintaining MHC diversity in this population via rare allele advantage and/or fluctuating selection. Further work is required to determine whether sexual selection also plays a role in maintaining MHC diversity in agamid lizards.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.