Using genetic variation to infer associations with climate in the common frog, Rana temporaria

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Conservation Genetics

Background:

• Climate change impacts species distribution and persistence.
• Molecular markers can infer historical and contemporary population responses to climate.
• Understanding gene flow is crucial for predicting species' vulnerability to environmental change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To predict the environmental change response of Rana temporaria in Scotland.
• To infer historical and contemporary gene flow patterns in relation to thermal conditions.
• To assess the potential for Rana temporaria persistence under climate change.

Main Methods:

• Mitochondrial DNA sequencing to infer European colonization patterns.
• Microsatellite analysis to assess fine-scale genetic variation.
• Correlation of genetic data with altitudinal temperature gradients in Scotland.

Main Results:

• Scottish Rana temporaria samples clustered with Western European haplotypes, showing low mitochondrial variation.
• No significant population structure was detected along altitudinal temperature gradients (average FST=0.02).
• High levels of genetic diversity were observed across all sites, irrespective of temperature.

Conclusions:

• The panmictic population structure of Rana temporaria in Scotland suggests resilience to climate change.
• Vulnerability to environmental change can vary significantly within species, even those considered at high risk.
• The findings highlight the importance of fine-scale genetic assessments for conservation planning.