Whole Genomes Inform Genetic Rescue Strategy for Montane Red Foxes in North America

Area of Science:

• Conservation Genetics
• Population Genomics
• Wildlife Ecology

Background:

• Facilitated gene flow is crucial for managing inbreeding depression and preventing extinction in endangered species.
• However, the risk of outbreeding depression often deters its implementation in conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the risks and benefits of using translocations for the recovery of endangered montane red fox (Vulpes vulpes) populations in the western United States.
• To evaluate the potential for inbreeding and outbreeding depression in isolated red fox populations.

Main Methods:

• Genomic sequencing to analyze genetic diversity and inbreeding.
• Climatic niche modeling to understand population connectivity.
• Demographic reconstruction to infer population history and divergence.

Main Results:

• Elevated inbreeding and homozygosity of deleterious alleles were observed in all studied montane red fox populations, particularly those in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges.
• Demographic reconstructions revealed shallow genetic divergences (less than a few thousand years) among these populations.
• Translocations are predicted to enhance population growth by masking deleterious recessive alleles.

Conclusions:

• Genomic data indicate that translocations are likely to benefit endangered montane red fox populations by alleviating inbreeding depression with minimal risk of outbreeding depression.
• These findings provide a genomic-guided framework for red fox recovery and can serve as a model for other data-deficient taxa.