Impact of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and structure of wild boar (Sus scrofa) population in Lithuania

Abstract

The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the most widespread mammal species in Europe. Today wild boar populations are increasing, in both size and distribution range, across most parts of Europe. This species is one of the most popular game animals in Lithuania. The data on genetic diversity and population structure of the wild boar in the Baltic states are still scarce. To characterize the amount of genetic variation and population structure of wild boar, and to assess the impact of habitat fragmentation on the formation of population structure in Lithuania, we genotyped and analyzed 15 microsatellite loci for a total of 96 wild boar specimens from 35 locations. The microsatellite analysis of wild boar indicated high levels of genetic diversity within the population. The Bayesian clustering analysis in STRUCTURE identified 4 genetic clusters among sampled wild boar that could not reveal a clear separation between subpopulations. The Mantel test based on correlation between the pairwise geographic and genetic distances observed across all collection localities revealed a weak but significant correlation.