Fine-scale genetic structure and dispersal in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) within Alberta, Canada

Although mammals are typically characterized by male-biased dispersal, field studies of lynx conflict as to whether dispersal is male-biased or lacks sex-bias. To resolve this issue we dissect fine-scale genetic structure and analyze dispersal in regard to gender using 19 microsatellite loci, teemed with extensive sampling (n = 272 adults) of Canada lynx ( Lynx canadensis Kerr, 1792) throughout Alberta. The level of genetic variation was high (mean He = 71.6%), as reported in previous genetic studies of lynx. No significant barriers to gene flow were detected within Alberta’s lynx population. Despite several reports of long-distance movements in lynx, we observed a slight significant negative correlation between pairwise relatedness values and geographic distance (rM = –0.025, P = 0.048), indicating a decrease in relatedness between individuals as their sampling distance increases. When the same analysis was performed separately on sexes, the slopes of the individual regressions did not differ significantly between males and females (P = 0.708). Our molecular results suggest a lack of sex-biased dispersal in Canada lynx, similar to reports on other lynx species.

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A Review of the Canada Lynx, Lynx canadensis, in Canada

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v117i3.738 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 117 (3) ◽

pp. 360 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Kim G. Poole

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Output ◽

Field Studies ◽

Adult Survival ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

The Past ◽

Snowshoe Hares ◽

Dispersal Distances ◽

Southern Fringe

The Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is the most common and widespread member of the cat family in Canada. Lynx are distributed throughout forested regions of Canada and Alaska and into portions of the northern contiguous United States, closely paralleling the range of its primary prey, the Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus). They are most common in the boreal, sub-boreal and western montane forests, preferring older regenerating forests (>20 years) and generally avoiding younger stands, and occupy roughly 95% of their former range in Canada. Lynx population size fluctuates 3–17 fold over an 8–11 year cycle, tracking the abundance of Snowshoe Hares with a 1–2 year lag. During increasing and high hare abundance, lynx have high reproductive output and high kit and adult survival. The decline phase is characterized by reproductive failure, increased natural mortality, and high rates of dispersal. Dispersal distances of over 1000 km have been recorded. During the cyclic low, kit recruitment essentially fails for 2–3 years, and is followed by several years of modest reproductive output. Reproductive parameters in southern lynx populations appear similar to those found during the cyclic low and early increase phase in more northern populations. Trapping is a significant source of mortality in some areas. Field studies have documented from 2–45 lynx/100 km2 at various times in the cycle and in various habitats. Although the amplitude of the cyclic fluctuations in lynx numbers may have decreased somewhat in recent decades, there is no evidence to suggest a significant decline in numbers in Canada. Lynx are managed as a furbearer in Canada, with harvest regulated primarily by seasons, quotas, and closures. The harvest over the past decade has declined concurrent with declining pelt prices, and is currently a fraction of historic levels. Lynx are fully protected in less than 2–3% of their range in Canada. There is no evidence to suggest that overall lynx numbers or distribution across Canada have declined significantly over the past two decades, although loss of habitat through increased urbanization and development and forestry is likely affecting lynx populations along the southern fringe of its range. Its high potential to increase in numbers and propensity to disperse long distances suggest that the species is relatively resilient to localized perturbations and reductions, given time and removal of the factors that cause the initial decrease. Lowered lynx harvests, coupled with a greater awareness of the need for proactive lynx management, suggests that the overall future of lynx in Canada is secure.

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Behavioural interactions among Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) during pre-estrous

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v135i2.2563 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 135 (2) ◽

pp. 181-185

Author(s):

Theodore N. Bailey ◽

Brian N. Bailey

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Adult Male ◽

Scent Marking ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Limited Information ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Long Distance ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

In The Wild ◽

Behavioural Interactions

Information is lacking on the behaviour of free-roaming Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) during the breeding season, likely because they are rarely observed in the wild. Other wild solitary felid males compete with each other to mate with promiscuous females. However, the behavioural context or sequence of this competition among wild male Canada Lynx remains unreported. We describe the behaviour of three adult wild lynx during the breeding season. We observed the first two lynx together; an adult male and an inferred adult female remained together non agonistically for nearly 2 h before they were interrupted by another adult male. Our observation of interaction between the two males includes agonistic behaviours, vocalizations, scent marking, fighting, and a long-distance (1.7-km) expulsion of the intruding male lynx by the first male. These observations add to the limited information available on the social ecology of lynx during the breeding season.

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Genetic structure and dispersal patterns of the invasive psocid Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) in Australian grain storage systems

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485309990538 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 100 (5) ◽

pp. 521-527 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K.M. Mikac ◽

N.N. FitzSimmons

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Isolation By Distance ◽

Geographic Distance ◽

Allelic Diversity ◽

Mantel Test ◽

Null Alleles ◽

Dispersal Patterns ◽

Long Distance ◽

Population Comparisons ◽

Low Levels

AbstractMicrosatellite markers were used to investigate the genetic structure among invasive L. decolor populations from Australia and a single international population from Kansas, USA to determine patterns of dispersal. Six variable microsatellites displayed an average of 2.5–4.2 alleles per locus per population. Observed (HO) heterozygosity ranged from 0.12–0.65 per locus within populations; but, in 13 of 36 tests, HO was less than expected. Despite low levels of allelic diversity, genetic structure estimated as θ was significant for all pairwise comparisons between populations (θ=0.05–0.23). Due to suspected null alleles at four loci, ENA (excluding null alleles) corrected FST estimates were calculated overall and for pairwise population comparisons. The ENA-corrected FST values (0.02–0.10) revealed significant overall genetic structure, but none of the pairwise values were significantly different from zero. A Mantel test of isolation by distance indicated no relationship between genetic structure and geographic distance among all populations (r2=0.12, P=0.18) and for Australian populations only (r2=0.19, P=0.44), suggesting that IBD does not describe the pattern of gene flow among populations. This study supports a hypothesis of long distance dispersal by L. decolor at moderate to potentially high levels.

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Spatio-temporal responses of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) to silvicultural treatments in the Northern Rockies, U.S.

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2018.04.018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 422 ◽

pp. 114-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joseph D. Holbrook ◽

John R. Squires ◽

Barry Bollenbacher ◽

Russ Graham ◽

Lucretia E. Olson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Silvicultural Treatments ◽

Northern Rockies ◽

Spatio Temporal

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A LONGEVITY RECORD FOR CANADA LYNX, LYNX CANADENSIS, IN WESTERN MONTANA

Western North American Naturalist ◽

10.3398/1527-0904(2006)66[535:alrfcl]2.0.co;2 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 535-536 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jay A. Kolbe ◽

John R. Squires

Keyword(s):

Western Montana ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx

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Behavioural responses of lynx to declining snowshoe hare abundance

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z85-421 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 63 (12) ◽

pp. 2817-2824 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Richard M. P. Ward ◽

Charles J. Krebs

Keyword(s):

Home Range Size ◽

High Rate ◽

Snowshoe Hare ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Long Distance ◽

Behavioural Responses ◽

Straight Line ◽

Daily Travel

The behavioural responses of lynx (Lynx canadensis) to declines in snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) abundance were examined in the southwestern Yukon. Between April 1982 and June 1984, 11 lynx were radio tagged and monitored in and near the Kluane Game Sanctuary. Lynx home range size increased from 13.2 to 39.2 km2 concurrent with a decline in snowshoe hare abundance from 14.7 to 0.2 hares/ha. Below about 0.5 hares/ha, several lynx abandoned their home ranges and became nomadic, although they remained within the general study area. Lynx concentrated their foraging efforts in areas of relatively high snowshoe hare abundance and abandoned these areas after hares declined. Straight-line daily travel distance remained constant at 2.2−2.7 km/day above 1.0 hare/ha. Below 1.0 hares/ha, straight-line daily travel distances increased rapidly, reaching 5.5 km/day at 0.2 hares/ha. Three of seven radio-tagged lynx dispersed 250 km or more from the study area during the 1982 period of rapid hare decline. No similar long-distance emigrations were recorded after hare densities stabilized at less than 1.0 hares/ha. Trapping mortality was responsible for the loss of seven of nine radio-tagged lynx that travelled outside the game sanctuary. One lynx probably starved during the winter or spring of 1984. The high rate of trapping mortality outside the game sanctuary suggests that refugia in wilderness areas are important in maintaining lynx populations during periods of low recruitment.

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56 EFFECTS OF PHYLOGENIC GENERA OF RECIPIENT CYTOPLASTS ON DEVELOPMENT AND VIABILITY OF CANADA LYNX (LYNX CANADENSIS) CLONED EMBRYOS

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rdv22n1ab56 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 186 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. C. Gómez ◽

J. I. Lyons ◽

C. E. Pope ◽

M. Biancardi ◽

C. Dumas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Somatic Cell ◽

Donor Cell ◽

Domestic Cat ◽

Developmental Competence ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Phylogenetic Distance ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Gestational Length ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Oocyte Donor

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis; CL) once occupied 16 states in the Unites States of America, but small populations remain in only 3 states. Interspecies-somatic cell nuclear transfer (Is-SCNT) offers the possibility of preventing their extinction; however, developmental constraints on Is-SCNT embryos are proportional to the phylogenetic distance between the donor cell and the recipient oocyte. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy may be involved in nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibilities, thus inhibiting development of cloned embryos at the time of genomic activation. Minimizing the phylogenetic distance between the donor cell and recipient oocyte may enhance development of clone embryos. Caracal (Caracal caracal) may be suitable as an oocyte donor for SCNT and a recipient of CL cloned embryos because caracals hybridize with other felid species and share physical characteristics with the lynx family, marked by being previously classified in the lynx genera and having similar gestational length. To ensure compatibilities between the donor nuclei of the CL and the mitochondria of recipient oocytes, we (1) compared in vitro development of CL cloned embryos reconstructed with domestic cat (Felis catus; DSH) or caracal cytoplasts, (2) examined the mtDNA genotypes in CL cloned embryos, and (3) evaluated in vivo developmental competence of CL cloned embryos after transfer into caracal recipients. A total of 160 and 217 preovulatory oocytes were collected by laparoscopy from gonadotropin-treated caracals (n = 8) and DSH (n = 10) and used as recipient cytoplasts for reconstructing CL embryos. Results indicated that the phylogenetic genera of recipient cytoplasts did not affect embryo cleavage at Day 2 (caracal 50/55, 91% v. DSH 63/65, 97%), but development of CL cloned embryos to the blastocyst stage was higher when caracal oocytes were used as recipient cytoplasts (15/50; 30%) than with DSH cytoplasts (9/63, 14%; P < 0.05). The extent of mtDNA homoplasmy or heteroplasmy in CL cloned embryos was calculated by the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) derived from the DSH or caracal oocyte donors and from the somatic cell donor CL. DNA was isolated from 25 and 35 CL cloned embryos reconstructed with caracal or DSH cytoplasts, respectively. All amplified products after PCR were sequenced and SNP analyzed. All CL embryos reconstructed with DSH cytoplasts were homoplasmic, carrying mtDNA only from the DSH oocyte donor (n = 35; SNP DSH = 2-6). Embryos reconstructed with caracal cytoplasts were homoplasmic for CL mtDNA (n = 9; SNPCL = 10-12) or heteroplasmic (caracal × CL, n = 17; SNPCL = 7-9; SNP caracal = 2-3). A total of 69 (mean = 34.5 ± 4.9 per caracal) and 70 (mean = 35.0 ± 9.8 per caracal) CL cloned embryos reconstructed with caracal and DSH cytoplasts, respectively, were transferred into 4 caracal recipients; however, no pregnancies were established. In summary, Is-SCNT between 2 phylogenetically closer species favors retention of the donor’s mitochondria, which might lead to a better nucleo-cytoplasmic interaction for reprogramming of donor nucleus.

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Evaluating evolutionary history and adaptive differentiation to identify conservation units of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Global Ecology and Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00708 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. e00708

Author(s):

Melanie B. Prentice ◽

Jeff Bowman ◽

Dennis L. Murray ◽

Cornelya FC. Klütsch ◽

Kamal Khidas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary History ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Conservation Units ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Adaptive Differentiation

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Latitudinal gradient in cortisol concentrations in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is not explained by diet

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2018-0204 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (8) ◽

pp. 748-753

Author(s):

C.M. Burstahler ◽

C.V. Terwissen ◽

J.D. Roth

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Food Limitation ◽

Isotope Ratios ◽

Stress Axis ◽

Stable Isotope Ratios ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Alternative Prey ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx

Food limitation is an important stressor for most wildlife, and many specialist consumers will expand their dietary niche to contend with preferred prey limitation. How these dietary responses feed back into stress-axis regulation, however, is unknown. If alternative prey does not sufficiently fill the energetic requirements normally satisfied by preferred resources, then long-term glucocorticoid concentrations could be elevated in individuals consuming alternative prey. We measured cortisol concentrations and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in hair of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis Kerr, 1792) across their distribution to determine the influence of diet on glucocorticoids while controlling for harvest location. We calculated the Euclidean distance between lynx and regional snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777) stable isotope ratios as an index of diet specialization. We found no relationship between this index and cortisol, suggesting that prey types are interchangeable for lynx in terms of long-term stress axis activation. However, lynx cortisol increased significantly towards the northwestern region of lynx distribution, contrasting with our prediction, and highlighting important considerations for future research. This combination of glucocorticoid and diet analyses suggests that dietary plasticity does not necessarily alter an individual’s experience of potential stressors, despite important implications to population and community dynamics.

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