TY  - GEN
A1  - Plath, Martin
A1  - Hermann, Bernd
A1  - Schröder, Christine
A1  - Riesch, Rüdiger
A1  - Tobler, Michael
A1  - García de León, Francisco J.
A1  - Schlupp, Ingo
A1  - Tiedemann, Ralph
T1  - Locally adapted fish populations maintain small-scale genetic differentiation despite perturbation by a catastrophic flood event
N2  - Background: Local adaptation to divergent environmental conditions can promote population genetic differentiation even in the absence of geographic barriers and hence, lead to speciation. Perturbations by catastrophic events, however, can distort such parapatric ecological speciation processes. Here, we asked whether an exceptionally strong flood led to homogenization of gene pools among locally adapted populations of the Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae) in the Cueva del Azufre system in southern Mexico, where two strong environmental selection factors (darkness within caves and/or presence of toxic H2S in sulfidic springs) drive the diversification of P. mexicana. Nine nuclear microsatellites as well as heritable female life history traits (both as a proxy for quantitative genetics and for trait divergence) were used as markers to compare genetic differentiation, genetic diversity, and especially population mixing (immigration and emigration) before and after the flood. Results: Habitat type (i.e., non-sulfidic surface, sulfidic surface, or sulfidic cave), but not geographic distance was the major predictor of genetic differentiation. Before and after the flood, each habitat type harbored a genetically distinct population. Only a weak signal of individual dislocation among ecologically divergent habitat types was uncovered (with the exception of slightly increased dislocation from the Cueva del Azufre into the sulfidic creek, El Azufre). By contrast, several lines of evidence are indicative of increased flood-induced dislocation within the same habitat type, e.g., between different cave chambers of the Cueva del Azufre. Conclusions: The virtual absence of individual dislocation among ecologically different habitat types indicates strong natural selection against migrants. Thus, our current study exemplifies that ecological speciation in this and other systems, in which extreme environmental factors drive speciation, may be little affected by temporary perturbations, as adaptations to physico-chemical stressors may directly affect the survival probability in divergent habitat types.
T3  - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 162 
Y1  - 2010
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-48599
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ziege, Madlen
A1  - Hermann, Bernd Timo
A1  - Kriesten, Stefanie
A1  - Merker, Stefan
A1  - Ullmann, Wiebke
A1  - Streit, Bruno
A1  - Wenninger, Sandra
A1  - Plath, Martin
T1  - Ranging behavior of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in urban and suburban landscapes
JF  - Mammal research / Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences
N2  - Various mammals, particularly carnivores, reportedly establish smaller home ranges in urban compared with rural areas. This may be because urban environments provide optimal resources within a small area, negating the requirement to range further, or because habitat fragmentation constrains ranging behavior. Comparable information on urban populations of herbivorous mammalian species (such as European rabbits) is scarce. To fill this knowledge gap, we radio-tracked 13 individuals (seven females and six males) equipped with radio collars in a suburban and an urban study site in the city of Frankfurt am Main in Germany during the reproductive season (March to September) of 2012. The study sites differed in levels of habitat fragmentation. We report the smallest home ranges ever described for this species, with mean 95% minimum convex polygons (MCPs) covering 0.50 ha, while no consistent differences between sites were uncovered. We occasionally tracked individuals crossing streets underground (in burrows), suggesting that streets may restrict the ranging behavior of rabbits-and possibly other burrowing species-to a much lesser extent than previously thought. We conclude that heterogeneous landscape structures, made up of a diverse mosaic of buildings, parks, and gardens, provide sufficient food and shelter in close proximity to burrows at both study sites. Therefore, our data support the hypothesis that optimal resources constrain ranges in this case rather than habitat fragmentation.
KW  - Habitat fragmentation
KW  - Home range
KW  - Urbanization
KW  - Urban ecology
KW  - Minimum convex polygons (MCPs)
Y1  - 2020
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-020-00490-2
SN  - 2199-2401
SN  - 2199-241X
VL  - 65
IS  - 3
SP  - 607
EP  - 614
PB  - Springer
CY  - Heidelberg
ER  -