Genetic adaptation to urban living: molecular DNA analyses of wild boar populations in Budapest and surrounding area

Studies of wild boar, Sus scrofa Linnaeus 1758, in urban and suburban areas of Budapest, Hungary, have indicated that these populations do not have continuous contact. Based on the assumption that the city has a discrete population, we hypothesized that the urban wild boar would differ genetically from those in suburban areas. Analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data using the GeneSeek Genomic Profiler (GGP) Porcine 50 K system (Neogen, Scotland, UK) differentiated three populations: Buda (B) from the Western bank of the Danube; Buda Surrounding (BS); and Valkó (V) from the Eastern bank of the Danube. The coefficient of genetic differentiation (FST) for the B and BS populations was low. The inbreeding coefficients of the populations BS and V were close to zero, while population B had a high positive value reflecting the influence of founders and the inbreeding of the continuous urban population. The genome regions that were most differentiated between the B and BS populations were analyzed based on the FST values of the SNP markers using a mixed linear multi-locus model and BayeScan software. The most differentiated marker, WU_10.2_18_56278226, was found on chromosome 18. The surrounding region contained several candidate genes that could play important roles in adaptations related to human-induced stress. Two of these, encoding the adenylate cyclase 1 (ADCY1) and inhibin beta A chain precursor (INHBA) genes, were sequenced. While IHBA gene did not display variation, the allele distribution of the ADCY1 gene in the B population was significantly different from that of the BS population supporting the parapatric differentiation of wild boar.

An update on the distribution of the coypu, Myocastor coypus, in Asia and Africa through published literature, citizen-science and online platforms

The coypu, Myocastor coypus, has been introduced worldwide for fur farming and is widely recognized as one of the most invasive alien mammals of the world, affecting natural ecosystems, crops and possibly human health. Here we present a comprehensive up-to-date review of its distribution and status in Asia and Africa. Using a multi-source approach, we collected occurrences from published literature as well as from online biodiversity platforms (e.g. GBIF, iNaturalist), video sharing platforms, and local experts. Additionally, we used an ensemble modelling approach to predict the climatic suitability across Africa and Asia. We present an updated distribution map, including a total of 1506 spatially explicit records from 1973 to 2021, covering 1 African and 16 Asian countries. We find evidence for current populations in Kenya and five new countries since the last review of (Carter and Leonard, Wildl Soc Bull 30:162–175, 2002): Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, and identify main clusters of coypu occurrence in Western (including Transcaucasia) and East Asia. We show that warm temperate and Mediterranean areas on both continents are predicted to be climatically suitable for the coypu and highlight not only areas of possible spread, but also potential data gaps, i.e. with high suitability and low availability of concrete information (e.g. China, Southern Russia). We emphasize the importance of citizen involvement and the urgency for coypu-targeted studies in data-poor regions to obtain a clear picture of the geographical distribution and to better address management strategies.

A simple tool for linking photo-identification with multimedia data to track mammal behaviour

Identifying individual animals is critical to describe demographic and behavioural patterns, and to investigate the ecological and evolutionary underpinnings of these patterns. The traditional non-invasive method of individual identification in mammals—comparison of photographed natural marks—has been improved by coupling other sampling methods, such as recording overhead video, audio and other multimedia data. However, aligning, linking and syncing these multimedia data streams are persistent challenges. Here, we provide computational tools to streamline the integration of multiple techniques to identify individual free-ranging mammals when tracking their behaviour in the wild. We developed an open-source R package for organizing multimedia data and for simplifying their processing a posteriori—“MAMMals: Managing Animal MultiMedia: Align, Link, Sync”. The package contains functions to (i) align and link the individual data from photographs to videos, audio recordings and other text data sources (e.g. GPS locations) from which metadata can be accessed; and (ii) synchronize and extract the useful multimedia (e.g. videos with audios) containing photo-identified individuals. To illustrate how these tools can facilitate linking photo-identification and video behavioural sampling in situ, we simultaneously collected photos and videos of bottlenose dolphins using off-the-shelf cameras and drones, then merged these data to track the foraging behaviour of individuals and groups. We hope our simple tools encourage future work that extend and generalize the links between multiple sampling platforms of free-ranging mammals, thereby improving the raw material needed for generating new insights in mammalian population and behavioural ecology.