Domestic Dog Introgression in Australian Dingoes: Environmental Drivers and Evolutionary Consequences

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Genetics
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Introgressive hybridization between wild and domestic animals is common but poorly understood.
• Dingo-dog hybridization in Australia threatens dingo genetic integrity and local adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate environmental drivers of dingo-dog hybridization.
• Analyze genetic structure and introgression patterns in dingo populations.
• Identify genomic regions affected by introgression and selection.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed high-density SNP array data from 390 dingoes and 396 domestic dogs.
• Employed local ancestry inference and genome-environment association analyses.
• Assessed climatic variables and Human Footprint Index as predictors of introgression.

Main Results:

• Dingo populations exhibit regional genetic structure, distinct from domestic dogs.
• Dog introgression in dingoes varies geographically, influenced by climate and human footprint.
• Identified introgressed genomic regions, including one with an olfactory receptor gene under positive selection, suggesting adaptive introgression.
• Detected regions under purifying selection against maladaptive variants.

Conclusions:

• Dingo-dog hybridization is complex, shaped by environmental factors and human influence.
• Adaptive introgression occurs in dingoes, particularly in response to environmental pressures.
• Conservation strategies must account for hybridization dynamics and evolutionary potential in modified landscapes.