1. Urbanization-associated range expansion genetically homogenizes a butterfly species.
- Author
-
Blattner LA, Kulanek D, Ruffener S, Ziegler H, Wymann HP, Wiemers M, Michalik P, and Berner D
- Subjects
- Animals, Biodiversity, Animal Distribution, Genetic Variation, Europe, Ecosystem, Butterflies genetics, Urbanization
- Abstract
Human-induced environmental change and globalization facilitate biological invasions, which can lead to the displacement of native species by non-native ones.
1 , 2 , 3 , 4 Analogously, biodiversity loss may occur within species when habitat modifications facilitate the expansion of a specific population's range, leading to genetic admixture with native local populations. We demonstrate such intraspecific loss in population-level diversity in the Southern Small White (Pieris mannii), an originally sedentary butterfly5 that recently expanded its range across Central Europe due to urbanization.6 , 7 , 8 Using genome-wide markers from historical museum specimens and contemporary samples, we identify a distinct population initiating this expansion and reveal the genetic homogenization of native local populations by admixture with the expansive one. Our study illustrates how human-made environmental change can simultaneously benefit a species by permitting range expansion and drive cryptic biodiversity loss through the genetic homogenization of conspecific populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF