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Assessing Climate Adaptation Among Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) Populations at the Trailing Edge
Tanya M Lama1,2, Blair P Bentley1, Warren E Johnson3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA.
Molecular Ecology
|June 19, 2026
Summary
Canada lynx populations face climate change risks. Genomic analysis reveals adaptive genes and identifies populations in Newfoundland and Quebec at high risk of maladaptation.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Genomics
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Anthropogenic climate change forces species to acclimate, shift distribution, or adapt.
- Range-edge populations face thermal stress near their physiological limits.
- Genomic approaches quantify adaptive capacity for conservation planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- Characterize Canada lynx population genomic structure.
- Identify putatively adaptive loci and genes.
- Assess climate change-driven risks and adaptive potential.
Main Methods:
- Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of Canada lynx.
- Genotype-environment association analyses.
- Biogeographical barrier identification.
Main Results:
- Detected genetic breaks at the St. Lawrence River and Strait of Belle Isle.
- Identified 759 putatively adaptive loci in 329 genes, linked to temperature and photoreception.
- Found low standing variation in Maine, suggesting potential fixation of adaptive alleles.
- Identified 10 candidate genes for idiopathic epilepsy in lynx.
- Genomic offset indicates high maladaptation risk for lynx in Western Newfoundland and Gaspé Peninsula.
Conclusions:
- Range-edge populations are vital reservoirs of adaptive variation but vulnerable to climate change.
- Genomic insights are crucial for prioritizing conservation actions for Canada lynx.
- Specific genes may explain epilepsy in captive lynx populations.
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