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  11. No Detectable Effect Of Urbanization On Genetic Drift Or Gene Flow In Specialist Herbivorous Insects Of Milkweed

No detectable effect of urbanization on genetic drift or gene flow in specialist herbivorous insects of milkweed

Lindsay S Miles1,2, Elizabeth J Carlen3,4, Zain Nassrullah1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Plos One
|February 14, 2025

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View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Urbanization does not impact genetic diversity or differentiation in milkweed insects. Historical climate change, not city size or dispersal ability, significantly shaped their populations over millennia.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Urbanization is often linked to population isolation, reduced genetic diversity, and increased genetic differentiation.
  • The impact of urbanization on gene flow and genetic drift may be influenced by species' dispersal abilities.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for conservation in increasingly urbanized landscapes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that urbanization isolates milkweed insect populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing differentiation.
  • To investigate if higher dispersal ability mitigates urbanization's effects on genetic drift and gene flow.
  • To determine if these effects vary with city size.

Main Methods:

  • Collected 383 milkweed insects (monarchs, beetles, weevils) from urban and rural sites in Toronto and surrounding cities.

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  • Utilized ddRADseq to generate Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for population genetic analyses.
  • Quantified genetic diversity (π), genetic differentiation (FST), and demographic history (effective population size).

    • Main Results:

    • Urbanization and dispersal ability did not significantly affect genetic diversity or differentiation across the three insect species.
    • Monarchs exhibited higher genetic diversity (π) than beetles and weevils, but this was not linked to urban vs. rural locations.
    • Genetic differentiation (FST) was generally low, with no consistent urban-rural trends observed.

    Conclusions:

    • Urbanization and dispersal ability appear to have minimal impact on gene flow and genetic drift in these milkweed insect populations.
    • Historical factors, including climate change since the Last Glacial Maximum and large-scale anthropogenic disturbance, have had a more significant influence on population demography.
    • Long-term historical processes, both natural and anthropogenic, are critical for understanding population genetics in urbanized environments.