ASSESSING SELECTIVE INTROGRESSION OF NONNATIVE RED FOX GENES INTO THE GENOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE NATIVE SACRAMENTO VALLEY RED FOX

Sophie Preckler-Quisquater; University of California, Davis; squisquater@ucdavis.edu; Stacy, Anderson, Michael, Buchalski, Ben, N, Sacks

The Sacramento Valley red fox (SVRF, Vulpes vulpes patwin) is endemic to the northern Central Valley of California, and is considered a State Species of Greatest Conservation Need due to the apparent decline in abundance from historic levels, the recognition of its low genetic effective population size (n=50), and its restricted and sparse distribution. Along with habitat loss, hybridization with nonnative red foxes of captive-bred origin has been identified as one of the most significant threats to the persistence of the SVRF. Through genetic monitoring (2007-2017) and the use of microsatellite markers, we observed low level (neutral) gene flow across a stable zone of hybridization. However, if particular genes are positively selected for across the two populations, they could be transferred at a far greater rate than were observed for neutral genes and become fixed. Possible genes under selection may include those associated with the nonnative population's long history in captivity (e.g. tameness), or those conferring local adaptation in the native SVRF. Selective introgression of nonnative genes could reduce long-term fitness of the SVRF and affect its role in the greater ecological community. Thus, we propose using a genome-wide approach to elucidate potential candidate genes under selection in this system.

Poster Session     Student Paper