Eurasian beaver; genetics; invasive species; microsatellites; North American beaver; population structure; Animal Science and Zoology
Abstract :
[en] The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) has been present in Western Europe since 2006. Its occurrence has been recorded in Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) and Wallonia (Belgium). As Castor canadensis is a direct competitor of the Eurasian beaver, it is classified as an invasive species due to ecological niche overlap, with a notably higher reproduction rate. Its colonization is therefore a significant threat for native Eurasian beavers and its populations should be eradicated. The origin of the North American beaver populations in Western Europe is also still unknown. The present study aimed at investigating the genetic structure and the putative origin of C. canadensis individuals collected in Western Europe. To achieve this goal, we compared their genetic characteristics with those of individuals coming from Finland, the USA and from the German zoo of Lünebach (Eifel). Our results revealed that all the individuals sampled in Western Europe show close relationships and belong to the same genetic cluster. Given their genetic link to the Eifel zoo beavers, the hypothesis of this zoo being the origin of wild C. canadensis populations in Western Europe seems the most probable. As no North American beavers have been detected in France, we can also conclude that the eradication measures implemented in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany since 2006 seem to have been relatively efficient, thus preventing the spread of this species to other countries. However, future monitoring still has to be performed in order to confirm the total eradication of this invasive species in Western Europe.
Disciplines :
Zoology
Author, co-author :
Pigneur, Lise-Marie; Université de Liège, Laboratoire de Génétique de la Conservation (GECOLAB), Liège, Belgium
Gailly, Damienâ; Université de Liège, Laboratoire de Génétique de la Conservation (GECOLAB), Liège, Belgium
Manet, Benoitâ; Service Public de Wallonie, Département de l’Etude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole (DEMNA), Gembloux, Belgium
Herr, Janâ; Administration de la nature et des forêts, Arrondissement Sud, Leudelange, Luxembourg
Schley, Laurentâ; Administration de la nature et des forêts, Direction, Diekirch, Luxembourg
Venske, Steffiâ; Biberzentrum Rheinland-Pfalz der GNOR e.V, Mainz, Germany
Bressan, Yoannâ; Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Direction de la recherche et de l’appui scientifique, Montfort, Birieux, France
Michaux, Johan ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Integrative Biological Sciences (InBioS) ; Animal Santé Territoire Risque Environnement-Unité Mixe de Recherche 117 (ASTRE) Univ. Montpellier, Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Montpellier, France
Language :
English
Title :
Origin of the invasive North American beaver (Castor canadensis) sampled in Western Europe
The authors are deeply indebted to all contributors who provided samples from the different regions, and particularly to Joanne C. Crawford and Heikki Henttonen for providing tissue samples from Illinois and Finland, respectively. We also thank all members of the French Beaver Network and their partners for collecting samples in Northern France. M. Eug\u00E8ne is particularly thanked for her participation in the acquisition of the genetic data. Johan Michaux benefited from FRS-FNRS grants (\u201Cdirecteur de recherches\u201D). The genetic analyses were performed using funding from the Service Public de Wallonie, (DEMNA) and the Administration de la nature et des for\u00EAts, Luxembourg.
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