TY - JOUR

T1 - Introgression and disruption of migration routes have shaped the genetic integrity of wildebeest populations

AU - Liu, Xiaodong

AU - Lin, Long

AU - Sinding, Mikkel Holger S.

AU - Bertola, Laura D.

AU - Hanghøj, Kristian

AU - Quinn, Liam

AU - Garcia-Erill, Genís

AU - Rasmussen, Malthe Sebro

AU - Schubert, Mikkel

AU - Pečnerová, Patrícia

AU - Balboa, Renzo F.

AU - Li, Zilong

AU - Heaton, Michael P.

AU - Smith, Timothy P.L.

AU - Pinto, Rui Resende

AU - Wang, Xi

AU - Kuja, Josiah

AU - Brüniche-Olsen, Anna

AU - Meisner, Jonas

AU - Santander, Cindy G.

AU - Ogutu, Joseph O.

AU - Masembe, Charles

AU - da Fonseca, Rute R.

AU - Muwanika, Vincent

AU - Siegismund, Hans R.

AU - Albrechtsen, Anders

AU - Moltke, Ida

AU - Heller, Rasmus

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a keystone species in savanna ecosystems from southern to eastern Africa, and is well known for its spectacular migrations and locally extreme abundance. In contrast, the black wildebeest (C. gnou) is endemic to southern Africa, barely escaped extinction in the 1900s and is feared to be in danger of genetic swamping from the blue wildebeest. Despite the ecological importance of the wildebeest, there is a lack of understanding of how its unique migratory ecology has affected its gene flow, genetic structure and phylogeography. Here, we analyze whole genomes from 121 blue and 22 black wildebeest across the genus’ range. We find discrete genetic structure consistent with the morphologically defined subspecies. Unexpectedly, our analyses reveal no signs of recent interspecific admixture, but rather a late Pleistocene introgression of black wildebeest into the southern blue wildebeest populations. Finally, we find that migratory blue wildebeest populations exhibit a combination of long-range panmixia, higher genetic diversity and lower inbreeding levels compared to neighboring populations whose migration has recently been disrupted. These findings provide crucial insights into the evolutionary history of the wildebeest, and tangible genetic evidence for the negative effects of anthropogenic activities on highly migratory ungulates.

AB - The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a keystone species in savanna ecosystems from southern to eastern Africa, and is well known for its spectacular migrations and locally extreme abundance. In contrast, the black wildebeest (C. gnou) is endemic to southern Africa, barely escaped extinction in the 1900s and is feared to be in danger of genetic swamping from the blue wildebeest. Despite the ecological importance of the wildebeest, there is a lack of understanding of how its unique migratory ecology has affected its gene flow, genetic structure and phylogeography. Here, we analyze whole genomes from 121 blue and 22 black wildebeest across the genus’ range. We find discrete genetic structure consistent with the morphologically defined subspecies. Unexpectedly, our analyses reveal no signs of recent interspecific admixture, but rather a late Pleistocene introgression of black wildebeest into the southern blue wildebeest populations. Finally, we find that migratory blue wildebeest populations exhibit a combination of long-range panmixia, higher genetic diversity and lower inbreeding levels compared to neighboring populations whose migration has recently been disrupted. These findings provide crucial insights into the evolutionary history of the wildebeest, and tangible genetic evidence for the negative effects of anthropogenic activities on highly migratory ungulates.

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-024-47015-y

DO - 10.1038/s41467-024-47015-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38609362

AN - SCOPUS:85190273859

VL - 15

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

SN - 2041-1723

IS - 1

M1 - 2921

ER -