title: Genetic Signatures of Demographic Changes in an Avian Top Predator during the Last Century: Bottlenecks and Expansions of the Eurasian Eagle Owl in the Iberian Peninsula.
abstract: The study of the demographic history of species can help to understand the negative impact of recent population declines in organisms of conservation concern. Here, we use neutral molecular markers to explore the genetic consequences of the recent population decline and posterior recovery of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) in the Iberian Peninsula. During the last century, the species was the object of extermination programs, suffering direct persecution by hunters until the 70's. Moreover, during the last decades the eagle owl was severely impacted by increased mortality due to electrocution and the decline of its main prey species, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In recent times, the decrease of direct persecution and the implementation of some conservation schemes have allowed the species' demographic recovery. Yet, it remains unknown to which extent the past population decline and the later expansion have influenced the current species' pattern of genetic diversity. We used eight microsatellite markers to genotype 235 eagle owls from ten Spanish subpopulations and analyse the presence of genetic signatures attributable to the recent population fluctuations experienced by the species. We found moderate levels of differentiation among the studied subpopulations and Bayesian analyses revealed the existence of three genetic clusters that grouped subpopulations from central, south-western and south-eastern Spain. The observed genetic structure could have resulted from recent human-induced population fragmentation, a patchy distribution of prey populations and/or the philopatric behaviour and habitat selection of the species. We detected an old population bottleneck, which occurred approximately 10,000 years ago, and significant signatures of recent demographic expansions. However, we did not find genetic signatures for a recent bottleneck, which may indicate that population declines were not severe enough to leave detectable signals on the species genetic makeup or that such signals have been eroded by the rapid demographic recovery experienced by the species in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Graciá
authors.affiliation: Genetic and Cultural Biodiversity Group, Hunting Resources Research Institute, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortego
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pérez-García
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural History, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Metapopulation Research Group, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Research Unit of Biodiversity, UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA, Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain.
authors.forename: María del Mar
authors.initials: Mdel M
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Biodiversity, UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA, Oviedo University, Campus de Mieres, Mieres, Spain; Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Penteriani
authors.affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Almodóvar
authors.affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botella
authors.affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Zapata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D014644:Genetic Variation; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D013030:Spain; D020305:Strigiformes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*