BMC ecology and evolution最新文献

{"title":"Genetic differentiation of the supralittoral gastropod Tectarius striatus (North Atlantic Archipelagos) and development of new microsatellite resources.","authors":"Frederik Feldmann, Manuel Curto, Livia Sinigaglia, Cátia Alves, Claudia Sacchetti, António Múrias Dos Santos, Patrícia Madeira, Sérgio P Ávila, Harald Meimberg, Lara Baptista","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02545-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02545-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microsatellite markers are invaluable tools for assessing genetic diversity and elucidating population structure across any species. This study reports the development and application of ten novel polymorphic microsatellite loci for Tectarius striatus, a littorinid species native to the shores of Macaronesia, a geographical region that includes the archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira, Selvagens, Canary Islands, and Cabo Verde. These markers together with a portion of the COI gene were used to genotype 65 individuals, using Illumina amplicon -sequencing across five geographically distinct populations. Our analysis shows moderate to high levels of allelic diversity across all populations. Furthermore, microsatellite markers supported genetic structure between a distant population of Cabo Verde Archipelago and the northern Macaronesian archipelagos. Conversely variation of the COI showed high levels of homogeneity across the sampled populations. While the presence of null alleles and moderate levels of missing data at several loci represent challenges to this study, the overall consistency of our results with earlier research underscores the reliability of microsatellite markers for population genetic inference in this marine gastropod. Nevertheless, our findings highlight the need for cautious interpretation of diversity estimates and population structure metrics, particularly when null alleles are frequent, and underscore the value of expanding the panel of available microsatellite markers for Tectarius striatus and related taxa to improve resolution and accuracy for future studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13536543/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148414280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smilodon sabertooth bite marks, new perspectives on prey-predator models in South American Pleistocene.","authors":"Yolanda Fernández-Jalvo, M Dolores Marin-Monfort, Martina Demuro, Gustavo Gómez, Ricardo Bonini, Jonathan Bellinzoni, Sara García-Morato, María A Gutiérrez, Fernando J Fernández, M Teresa Alberdi, Marta Moreno-García, Esperanza Cerdeño, Claudia I Montalvo, Lee J Arnold, Pamela Steffan, Jose L Prado","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02551-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02551-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditionally, saber-toothed cats, particularly species of the genus Smilodon, were considered unable to bite through bones due to the apparent fragility of their teeth. We analyze here megafauna fossil remains of Salto de Piedra palaeontological site (Humid Pampas), one of the few extensively radiometrically dated Pleistocene sites in Argentina and systematically excavated. Salto de Piedra is located near contemporary human occupation sites that have yielded megafauna remains. This spatial and chronological proximity provides an exceptional scenario to compare the prey ranges hunted by humans and by Smilodon.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Here we provide Smilodon populator tooth mark patterning on their megaherbivore preys. Mark morphology demonstrates that Smilodon canines penetrated and processed cortical bone, refuting interpretations that considered them functionally fragile. These tooth marks have been compared with other carnivores and saber-toothed felid fossil sites. This spatial and chronological control provides direct evidence of predatory activity and constrains its temporal span, enabling evaluation of the ecological role of this hypercarnivore.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This extraordinary discovery provides direct evidence of Smilodon 's predation, and confirms that it was an apex predator, focused almost exclusively on megafauna. These tooth marks can be identified and extrapolated to other fossil sites. Furthermore, this diagnostic tooth-mark pattern enables reconstruction of prey preferences. Our results indicate that Smilodon exerted sustained predatory pressure across a broad range of megaherbivores. Despite the spatial proximity and temporal overlap between Smilodon predation (22.2-13.3 ka BP) at Salto de Piedra and human arrival to this area (~ 14 ka BP), no interactions between these two predators has been observed indicating certain avoidance between them. The complex predator-prey trophic interactions during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the Pampas region of South America, support multicausal models, integrating ecological and anthropogenic drivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13548479/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148407532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multivariate assessment of morphological diversity in Moringa oleifera Lam. across agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan.","authors":"Rajpal Choudhary, Vikram Jeet Singh Tanwar, Rohit Jain, Sumita Kachhwaha, Shanker Lal Kothari","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02544-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02544-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the agro-climatic structure of morphological diversity is essential for the effective utilization and improvement of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.), a multipurpose tree species of high nutritional and economic value. The present study aimed to evaluate morphological diversity and phenotypic variation of M. oleifera across ten agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan, India, and to identify key traits and morphotypes relevant for breeding, conservation, and climate-resilient cultivation. A total of 367 accessions were characterized using 17 morphological traits, including eight quantitative and nine qualitative descriptors. Quantitative traits were analyzed using non-parametric statistics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), while qualitative traits were evaluated through Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). An integrated approach using Factor Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD) was employed to assess overall variation, followed by hierarchical and FAMD-based clustering. Correlation analysis was conducted to identify relationships among traits. The results revealed significant variations among agro-climatic zones for all quantitative traits (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.01), with moderate to high effect sizes (ε² = 0.07-0.26). PCA indicated that the first two components explained 56.9% of total variance, primarily driven by stem girth and leaf-related traits. MCA showed that qualitative variation was largely influenced by stem morphology, canopy size, and branching density. FAMD further confirmed the integration of qualitative and quantitative traits, with the first two dimensions explaining 56.4% of total variability. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive associations among leaf traits, indicating a coordinated leaf development system. Clustering analysis grouped the accessions into distinct morphotypes, with substantial overlap across agro-climatic zones, suggesting that morphological variation is governed by both environmental factors and inherent genetic diversity. Two major groups identified through FAMD represented broadly adapted and high growth morphotypes. From an applied perspective, accessions with larger canopy and higher leaf area are recommended for biomass-oriented breeding and cultivation in favourable environments, while stable, moderate-growth accessions are suitable for arid and semi-arid regions. The study also highlights leaf traits as reliable selection indices and emphasizes the need for stratified germplasm conservation across agro-climatic zones. This study provides a robust framework for understanding morphological diversity in M. oleifera and offers practical insights for its genetic improvement, conservation and climate-resilient utilization.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13343757/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148388411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Bisphenol A on root development, oxidative stress, and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in transformed root of Daucus carota L.","authors":"M Svriz, E Lanari, N Spinedi, J C Painefilú, S Fracchia, E Aranda, M V Novas, L Dubles, J M Scervino","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02557-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02557-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread contaminant of increasing concern because of its persistence in soils and its ability to interfere with hormonal regulation. Although its harmful effects on plant roots are relatively well described, its impact on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined how different BPA concentrations (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg L^- 1) affect transformed carrot (Daucus carota L.) roots, grown either alone or in association with Rhizophagus irregularis. Root growth stopped completely at the highest concentrations (≥ 50 mg L^- 1), while intermediate levels (10-20 mg L^- 1) reduced root area, length, and branching. At 10 mg L^- 1, roots still developed similarly to controls, but fungal growth outside the roots and spore formation were already reduced. At a concentration of 20 mg L^- 1, the fungus successfully colonized the internal root despite the absence of external hyphae and a marked inhibition of root growth. In both mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal roots, oxidative stress increased at 10-20 mg L^- 1, suggesting that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a central role in mediating the toxic effects of BPA and possibly in signaling stress responses. Altogether, these results show that BPA disrupts the balance of the plant-fungus relationship, limiting fungal development and altering root physiology, even when colonization persists. Considering the ecological role of AMF, our findings underline the need to include these symbiotic fungi in environmental risk assessments and in strategies aimed at restoring soils contaminated with emerging pollutants. Given the scarcity of previous research, our study provides the first direct assessment of this topic, suggesting that our results may help shape future research in this emerging field.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13343917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148378445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary and physiological arguments for the existence of a circalunar clock in humans.","authors":"Charlotte Helfrich-Förster, Thomas A Wehr","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02550-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02550-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Life on Earth evolved in the presence of recurring environmental cycles, namely 12.4-hour tidal cycles, 24-hour day-night cycles, 14.77-day semilunar cycles, 29.5-day lunar cycles, and 1-year annual cycles. In anticipation of predictable conditions associated with these geophysical cycles, organisms have evolved corresponding endogenous time-keeping mechanisms-so-called biological clocks. These clocks oscillate with periods that closely match the periods of the environmental cycles and are therefore called circatidal, circadian, circasemilunar, circalunar, and circannual clocks. While circadian clocks are best studied, and circannual clocks are known to exist in several species, the existence of circatidal, circasemilunar and circalunar clocks is often questioned in terrestrial species. The role of semilunar and lunar rhythms in the reproduction of marine organisms is well known, and they have been shown to rely on circa(semi)lunar clocks in several cases. As life originated in the sea, circa(semi)lunar clocks are likely to be ancient timing mechanisms, which may also be present in terrestrial animals, including humans. Increasing evidence suggests that physiology, metabolism and behaviors including reproduction follow (semi)lunar rhythms in humans and many other animals. Here, we present an overview of (semi)lunar rhythms in animals, with evidence that some of the rhythms are governed by circa(semi)lunar clocks, including those in humans. We compare the properties of circadian clocks with those of circa(semi)lunar clocks, including their entrainment by environmental light cycles - daily light/dark cycles in the former case and monthly full moon/new moon cycles in the latter case, and we examine their putative selective advantages. Finally, we discuss the negative effects of artificial light at night on the entrainment of the putative human circa(semi)lunar clock. Based on all of these observations, we hypothesize that humans possess a circa(semi)lunar clock that was mainly entrained by the environmental moonlight cycles before the introduction of artificial light.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13330455/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148364500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of area closure on woody species diversity and soil physicochemical properties: evidence from Hulberag District, Central Ethiopia.","authors":"Alewiya Hassen, Hamdu Mohammed, Alamudin Kufa, Temam Kemal","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02552-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02552-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Land degradation is a threat to global ecosystems and livelihoods of billions of people. Nearly 85% of Ethiopia's land is degraded, costing more than USD 4.3 billion per year. Area closures for excluding human and livestock disturbances have been widely adopted as a restoration strategy for degraded lands to enable natural regeneration. However, integrated ecological and socio-economic assessments are scarce in the Siltie Zone of Central Ethiopia and evidence-based interventions are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comparative study design was used in the study area of Hulberag District, to assess 14-years-long area closures and adjacent open grazing lands. Data collection comprised vegetation surveys, physicochemical analyses of soils at different soil depths and household questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's HSD tests to compare land-use types and topographic positions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Area closures significantly improved ecosystem metrics. Woody species richness increased by 200%, stem density increased by 154%, and Shannon diversity was significantly higher than in open grazing lands. Soil organic carbon increased by 50%, available phosphorus by 33%, and cation exchange capacity by 25%. Bulk density decreased by 19%, indicating reduced soil compaction and improved soil quality. The greatest improvements occurred on lower slopes. Surveys revealed strong community support, with 79.8% of respondents identifying livestock fodder as the primary benefit and 53.1% associating area closures with increased crop yields through improved erosion control.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Area closure represents an effective, low-cost intervention for restoring degraded semi-arid ecosystems in Ethiopia, promoting native woody vegetation recovery and enhancing soil fertility while providing tangible livelihood benefits. For long-term success, adaptive co-management frameworks that integrate clear resource-use guidelines, equitable benefit-sharing, and alignment with broader watershed conservation strategies are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13360210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148364451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gastrointestinal microbiota of sympatric pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) and stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) indicate trade-off associated with evolutionary stomach loss.","authors":"Ralf F Schneider, Jule Peter, Nils Newrzella, Silke-Mareike Marten, Isabel Tanger, Olivia Roth","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02546-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02546-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Animal gastrointestinal tracts generally evolved towards a diverse and spatially structured organ system for efficient food digestion. In it, food is chemically broken down and bacterial load reduced by gastric acid in the stomach, acting as a \"gatekeeper\" for microbes entering the intestines where chyme nutrients and water are absorbed. The natural microbiota across gastrointestinal tract zones support digestion, compete with ingested pathogens and acts itself as an immune stimulus. Despite its important role, several lineages of fish, such as pipefishes, have secondarily lost their stomach and evolved agastric digestion, with unknown consequences to their intestines' microbiomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Here, we test how stomach loss might affect the microbiome by investigating the fore-, mid- and hindgut's autochthonous microbiota of the Baltic Sea broadnosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle, and comparing it to the stomach, fore- and hindgut's autochthonous microbiota of the sympatric and ecologically similar three-spine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. Using 16S-rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR, we show that microbial abundance is high in the stomach, accompanied by high alpha diversity, but low in the intestine of G. aculeatus, although microbial diversity remains at intermediate levels - a pattern almost inversed in S. typhle. G. aculeatus' stomach has the most distinct microbiota across gastrointestinal zones; however, this species' intestines' microbes are also found in S. typhle. In contrast, the pipefish's hindgut is the most distinct zone, and many microbes shared across its whole intestine are not found in the G. aculeatus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data supports the notion of the stomach and its distinct microbiome being an immunological gatekeeper for the gut, but also suggests that S. typhle might benefit from the additional microbes as many indicator taxa are suspected to act as mutualistic symbionts. Stomach-loss may therefore be a trade-off between improved chemical digestion capabilities and an immunological gate-keeper vs. improved microbial digestion and increased immune stimulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13344009/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148364484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"De novo genome assemblies of threatened Asian hornbills (Bucerotidae) reveal declining population trajectories during the late Pleistocene.","authors":"Pooja Yashwant Pawar, Gopi Krishnan, Rohit Naniwadekar, Jahnavi Joshi","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02547-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02547-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Asian hornbills are flagship species of the wet tropics that face significant threats from hunting, habitat loss, and fragmentation. Despite being conservation flagships, whole genome information is available for only two of the 32 Asian hornbill species. In this study, we provide the first de novo genome assemblies for four hornbill species (Bucerotidae) in Asia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used a combination of long-read and short-read sequencing data to assemble and annotate de novo hybrid genomes of four species of hornbills. We also assembled and compared mitochondrial genomes of these species. Using a comparative genomics approach, we performed orthology assignment and gene evolution analyses to identify unique gene families in Asian hornbills, gene families that showed significant expansion, their functions and structural variation. Furthermore, using the Pairwise Sequentially Markov Coalescent (PSMC) method, we reconstructed demographic histories of hornbill species to examine changes in their population trajectories in the past.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We present hybrid genome assemblies for Great Hornbill (B. bicornis - GH), Rufous-necked Hornbill (A. nipalensis- RNH), Malabar Pied Hornbill (A. coronatus- MPH) and Wreathed Hornbill (R. undulatus- WH). The genome sizes of these hornbills range from 1.1 Gb to 1.3 Gb, with over 95.9% completeness and gene prediction BUSCO. We reported 10,525 orthogroups shared among four Asian hornbill species and identified significant expansion in gene families associated with structural keratin development in Asian hornbills compared to their ancestors. We also provide annotated mitogenomes for each of these species. Furthermore, we found that the WH, a more abundant, widely distributed, and migratory species, showed a higher Ne than the other three hornbill species. However, an overall decline in Ne for all species was recorded during the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We present the first-ever, high-quality reference genomes for the threatened hornbill species from Asia. Hornbills have shown significant expansion in genes involved in structural keratin development. Our results indicate that Pleistocene climatic fluctuations have led to dramatic population declines in all four species. We believe that this study provides robust genomic resources to support future comparative and conservation genomics efforts for hornbills.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13321546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148355020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective population size and N_e/N ratio for two populations of Northern chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) on the edge of the species' distribution range.","authors":"Susanne Jacobs, Hendrik Edelhoff, Cornelia Ebert, Wibke Peters","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02543-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02543-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Effective population size (N_e) is a fundamental parameter in conservation genetics, providing relevant information on the adaptability and long-term viability of populations. In contrast, wildlife management strategies, particularly for hunted species, often rely on estimates of abundance (N) without incorporating genetic data. Accounting for N_e in wildlife management concepts could add important information on population viability, especially for species that are regulated mainly by humans. The iconic mountain dwelling chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is widespread throughout the Alps, and many populations are influenced by human activities, including hunting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We derived N_e using genetic data from 16 microsatellite loci for two chamois populations in the Bavarian Alps, Germany. Estimates of N based on Bayesian spatial capture-recapture (SCR) from a previous study allowed us to calculate the N_e/N ratio. N_e values per generation in the two study areas were 514 (CI 342-949) and 179 (CI 129-266). Estimated median N_e/N ratios were similar in both study areas but had large confidence intervals: 0.56 (CI 0.34-0.96) and 0.58 (CI 0.39-0.88). Confidence intervals of N_e estimates varied between the two study areas, and sample size had a substantial influence on the precision of the estimates, as expected from previous studies. We discuss the challenges in obtaining robust N_e/N estimates, which are crucial when N_e and N are applied for conservation purposes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>N_e/N ratios were similar between the two study areas, but confidence intervals were wide, reflecting substantial uncertainty. Even with extensive data, accurately estimating these ratios remains challenging, highlighting potential limitations for their use in population monitoring and management.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13310441/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148341571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High connectivity and genetic diversity in the Endangered endemic white-spotted sand bass 'camotillo' (Paralabrax albomaculatus) within the Galápagos Marine Reserve.","authors":"Sarah M Griffiths, Alicia C Bertolotti, Pelayo Salinas-de-León, Rebecca Morris, N Kobun Truelove, Stephen Box, Richard F Preziosi","doi":"10.1186/s12862-026-02512-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12862-026-02512-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Paralabrax albomaculatus, known as the camotillo or white-spotted sand bass, is a finfish endemic to the Galápagos Islands. An important species in the artisanal fishery, P. albomaculatus has undergone heavy population declines in recent decades, and is categorised as Endangered by the IUCN. Despite its socio-economic importance and endemic status, nothing is currently known about the population structure of the species, impeding evidence-based fisheries management. In this study, we use microsatellite markers to investigate its population structure and genetic diversity over the east, south and west of the Galápagos archipelago.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found evidence of high connectivity across the archipelago, with the species constituting a single population. We also found that genetic diversity was high, despite fishing pressure and recorded ongoing population declines.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results suggest that P. albomaculatus should be managed as a single fishery stock across the Galápagos. As a single-population species and fishery, managers should also be aware that P. albomaculatus is inherently vulnerable to perturbation as recruitment from other populations is not possible in the event of population decline. However, high genetic diversity gives cause for cautious optimism regarding the genetic capacity for resilience of the population to novel environmental stressors. These results should aid in the implementation of a species-specific management plan for this Galápagos endemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":93910,"journal":{"name":"BMC ecology and evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13573344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148280337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}