Figure 1 - uploaded by Stefano Anile
Content may be subject to copyright.
Sampling locations of European and Sardinian wildcats (Felis silvestris) used in this study. The gray areas indicate the approximate wildcat distribution ranges in Italy. Each symbol represents a population. Acronyms indicate the sampled regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FR) in the eastern Alps; Tuscany (TU), Lazio (LA), Marche (MA), Umbria (UM), and Abruzzo (AB) in the central peninsula; Campania (CA); Basilicata (BA) in the southern peninsula; Sicily (SI); Sardinia (SA). The question mark indicates the probably extinct wildcat population in the western Alps – Ligurian Apennines.
Source publication
Severe climatic changes during the Pleistocene shaped the distributions of temperate-adapted species. These species survived glaciations in classical south-ern refuges with more temperate climates, as well as in western and eastern peripheral Alpine temperate areas. We hypothesized that the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) populations...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... currently hosts at least three geographically distinct populations of the European wildcat ( Fig. 1), which might represent the living remnants of Pleistocene refugial populations: (1) wildcats in the eastern Italian Alps (Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto), which are pre- sumably connected with neighbor populations in Slovenia and Croatia (Lapini 1989(Lapini , 2006); (2) a widespread popu- lation network that is distributed across the ...
Context 2
... female, that were genetically identified in other studies ( Pierpaoli et al. 2003;Lecis et al. 2006) and reanalyzed here. The European wildcats were opportunistically col- lected from found-dead or trapped animals in the eastern Italian Alps (n = 78), central (n = 132) and southern (n = 11) Italian peninsula, and on the island of Sicily (n = 14; Fig. 1). Climate and habitat types in the Alps and in peninsular Apennines are different, with prevailing coniferous forests and snowy late autumn-winter-spring seasons in the first and broad-leaved forests, shorter snowy winter, in the second (Bransford 2009). The islands of Sicily and Sardinia have typical Mediterranean climate with mild ...
Context 3
... in the Alps and Apennines are at least 550 km distant. Ancient deforestation (beginning before the Roman times; Wil- liams 2006) has continued and extended intensively for about three millennia, and recent heavy urbanization in Table 1. Subspecies, sampling location, and sample size of genotyped cats (Felis silvestris) used in this study (see Fig. 1 and text for ...
Context 4
... was run first to estimate the optimal number of subpopulations (with K from 1 to 10). Then, the spatial structure was obtained by five replicated runs, with the previous parameter values and optimal K = 5 (see Results and Figure S1E). The level of uncertainty of spatial coordinates was set to 1.4 km, based on estimates of the average wildcat home ranges in the Apennines, Maremma, and Sicily (ca. ...
Context 5
... highest values of DK and DF ST were obtained in STRUCTURE with K = 2 in both the European (set A) and Sardinian (set B) wildcats (Table S2 and Figure S1). Domestic cats (77 individuals with Q I = 0.980 and The F ST and R ST values were obtained over all loci with GENEPOP and FSTAT, respectively. ...
Context 6
... pattern of population substructuring was confirmed using Hubisz et al. (2009) sampling location model ( Fig. 2A; Table S3). GENELAND clustering (with the "F" model) splits the European wildcats in set D into five clusters (K = 5; see Figure S1E) including wildcats from (1) eastern Alps, (2) Mediterranean areas of Tuscany and Lazio Maremma, (3) central peninsular Apennines, (4) southern peninsular Apennines, and (5) Sicily ( Figure S2). GENELAND analyses performed with only the Italian peninsular wild- cats confirmed the existence of two clusters roughly sepa- rated by the Apennines ridge, namely grouping: (1) the European wildcat sampled from Tuscany and Lazio Mare- mma, on the western side of the ridge; and (2) the Euro- pean wildcats from the Apennines (Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche, and Abruzzo regions; Fig. 2B). ...
Similar publications
Understanding genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation is crucial for the management and conservation of wildlife populations, especially in case of species sensitive to environmental changes and landscape alteration. In Central Europe, the Alps are the core area of black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) distribution. There, black grouse dispersal is li...
Prioritizing and making efficient conservation plans for threatened populations requires information at both evolutionary and ecological timescales. Nevertheless, few studies integrate multidisciplinary approaches, mainly because of the difficulty for conservationists to assess simultaneously the evolutionary and ecological status of populations. H...
The fields of conservation genetics and genetic epidemiology share many parallel questions. Hence, methodologies can be adapted from the former to the latter. Three applications of population genetics are presented to further our understanding of Ascaris epidemiology. (1) I address if Ascaris infections in humans and pigs constitute a single popula...
Background:
The mechanisms that underlie the diversification of tropical animals remain poorly understood, but new approaches that combine geo-spatial modeling with spatially explicit genetic data are providing fresh insights on this topic. Data about the diversification of tropical mammals remain particularly sparse, and vanishingly few opportunit...
Electronic supplemeMigration is essential for maintaining genetic diversity among populations, and pumas (Puma concolor) provide an excellent model for studying the genetic impacts of migrants on populations isolated by increasing human development. In densely populated southern California, USA, puma populations on the east and west side of interst...
Citations
... In Italy, the European wildcat population consists of distinct, genetically differentiated subpopulations (Mattucci et al. 2013), whose distribution mainly includes Eastern Alps, the Italian mainland, and Sicily. In recent times, the European wildcat in Italy has been recovering and expanding its distribution range both in the Apennines-northwardand in the Eastern Alps area-westward (Velli et al. 2021;Catello et al. 2021b;Spada et al. 2022). ...
... DNA extraction was performed using the Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit (Qiagen Inc, Hilden, Germany) modifying the manufacturer's instructions with an initial overnight digestion at 56 °C with Protease K and ATL lysis buffer, and a final elution in 100 µL of the 10 µM AE buffer. Ten unlinked feline autosomal microsatellites (Fca08, Fca26, Fca43, Fca58, Fca77, Fca88, Fca96, Fca126, Fca132, Fca149;Menotti-Raymond and O'Brien 1995;Menotti-Raymond et al. 1997) were amplified following the PCR conditions described in Mattucci et al. (2013). PCR products were analyzed in an ABI 3130 XL (Applied Biosystems Inc.) automated sequencer, and allele sizes were determined with GENEMAPPER 4.0 (Applied Biosystems Inc.). ...
... STRU CTU RE was run with five repetitions of 5 × 10 5 iterations following a burn-in period of 5 × 10 4 iterations, using the Admixture and Independent Allele Frequencies models, and assuming K = 2 (Oliveira et al. 2008). As reference parental populations 10-STR genotypes of 48 unrelated European wildcats, representative of the species distribution range in the central Apennines, and 65 free-ranging domestic cats from the ISPRA Felis database (Mattucci et al. 2013) were selected. According to previous studies (Randi 2008;Oliveira et al. 2008), we chose the proportion of membership qi ≥ 0.80 to assign the unknown individual genotypes to wild or domestic cluster. ...
Acquiring up-to-date information on the distribution of a species is an issue of paramount importance to set up proper conservation strategies and to assess its conservation status over time. The European wildcat has recently expanded its distribution in different parts of its range in Italy, including the Northern Apennines area. The current study represents the first wildcat systematic monitoring in the central part of Northern Apennines. Non-invasive genetic sampling—based both on valerian and catnip lures—was applied, integrated with camera trapping within two Regional Parks. This approach is needed in order to obtain hair samples to be genetically analyzed, since cross-breeding with domestic cats can make wildcat identification based only on coat characteristics misleading. Videos obtained from camera traps allowed the identification of several individuals (image capture rate of 1.04/100 trap-nights), including at least one female. Hair samples were only collected in April–May using catnip as an attractant, whereas the valerian-based solution used did not yield the expected results (i.e., attracting wildcats and stimulating their rubbing behavior to allow hair collection). These results allowed for the first time the genetic confirmation of a pure wildcat in the study area. Domestic cat presence (image capture rate of 1.4/100 trap-nights) was also assessed in the same locations, posing a possible threat for wildcat conservation at the expanding margin of its distribution. Our findings confirm the effectiveness of the integration of multiple monitoring techniques for wildcat detection and highlight the need for a continued monitoring of the species, especially in newly colonized areas.
... Il gatto selvatico europeo (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) è un felino di piccole dimensioni (Figura 4b) presente in Italia peninsulare, Sicilia e Sardegna (Mattucci et al., 2013), assente nell'Appennino settentrionale e nella maggior parte delle Alpi (Boitani et al., 2003). La specie vive in un'ampia varietà di ambienti con predilezione per le foreste di latifoglie (Nowell et al., 2010;Ragni et al., 1981). ...
In Italia sono presenti oltre 700 specie e habitat di interesse comunitario. Per quelli inseriti negli Allegati della Direttiva Habitat è richiesto un notevole sforzo in termini di studio e di monitoraggio, per realizzare un report nazionale ogni sei anni e individuare le più efficaci misure di conservazione. In questo contesto si inserisce il progetto LIFE ESC360 (2018-2022), con l’obiettivo di monitorare specie e habitat di interesse comunitario all’interno di siti della Rete Natura 2000 gestiti dall’Arma dei Carabinieri attraverso il coinvolgimento di volontari di 18-30 anni. Un progetto di citizen science attraverso il quale 345 giovani, coordinati da esperti, hanno applicato protocolli standard di monitoraggio e raccolto dati su ~70 specie o habitat. Tali dati sono stati condivisi con il Network Nazionale della Biodiversità e sono ora consultabili da tutti generando un sostanziale contributo alla conoscenza a livello italiano dello stato di conservazione delle specie e degli habitat protetti.
... In addition, the province is characterized by a large peri-urban area overlapping with a sylvatic environment inhabited by wildcats, suggesting the possible role of these wild felids as reservoirs. Moreover, the Eurasian lynx is present in the region (49,50) and may be involved in parasite circulation, as previously reported (51). ...
Tick-transmitted apicomplexans of the genera Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon affect a wide range of felids worldwide, but little is known about them. Recently, several studies addressed the species circulating in Europe, their distribution, and their hosts. Molecular assays are the method of choice for their detection. Unfortunately, conventional PCRs already described are time- and cost-consuming and specific for either Hepatozoon or Cytauxzoon detection. This study was developed to evaluate (i) the occurrence of Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon in felids using a fast and cost-saving real-time PCR capable of detecting both protozoa simultaneously, (ii) the distribution of Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon species in north-eastern Italy, and (iii) the involvement of other susceptible felid hosts in the same area. An SYBR® Green-based real-time PCR with primers targeting the 18S-rRNA was validated and applied to 237 felid samples, i.e., whole blood from 206 domestic cats and 12 captive exotic felids, and tissues from 19 wildcats. Positive results were obtained by melting temperature curve analysis due to the specific melting peak (i.e., 81°C Cytauxzoon spp.; 78–78.5°C Hepatozoon spp.). Positive samples were subjected to conventional PCR, followed by sequencing for species identification. Phylogenetic analyses were performed to assess relatedness among European isolates. Data on domestic cats (age class, sex, origin, management, and lifestyle) were recorded, and statistical analyses were performed to identify potential risk factors. A total of 31 (15%) domestic cats were positive for Hepatozoon spp. (i.e., 12 for H. felis, 19 for H. silvestris), while six (2.9%) for C. europaeus. The prevalence of Hepatozoon felis was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in domestic cats, while H. silvestris was higher in strays and animals from the Eastern region (i.e., Friuli-Venezia Giulia). Cytauxzoon europaeus was detected only in stray cats from Friuli-Venezia Giulia (province of Trieste). Among captive felids, one tiger was infected with H. felis and another with H. silvestris; eight out of 19 (42%) wildcats were positive for Hepatozoon spp. (i.e., six with H. felis, two with H. silvestris) and four out of 19 (21%) for Cytauxzoon europaeus. Outdoor lifestyle and origin (i.e., Friuli-Venezia Giulia region) were the most relevant risk factors for H. silvestris and C. europeus infections. Conversely, H. felis was most frequently isolated from domestic cats, suggesting different modes of transmission.
... Wildcat distribution extends from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caucasus and from Sicily to Scotland (Nowell and Jackson 1996) with largely fragmented populations at national, regional and local scales. Thus, several wildcat populations are isolated from other populations and hence exposed to extinction risk due to habitat fragmentation Gil-Sanchez et al. 2020), hybridization with domestic cats (Felis catus) (Mattucci et al. 2013(Mattucci et al. , 2016 transmission of pathogens (Millán and Rodríguez 2009), road kills (Klar et al. 2009) and likely inbreeding depression (Lioy et al. 2022). In this context, crucial information to preserve wildcat such as its current distribution and its behavioural ecology are lacking throughout its range, including Italy (Lozano and Malo 2012;Lozano et al. 2013) where national investigations date Stefano Anile advised this work as senior author. ...
... In Italy, three geographically distinct wildcat populations were identified in the Eastern Alps, in Central and Southern Italy, and in Sicily (Mattucci et al. 2013), but this distribution needs to be revised. Indeed, from the early 2000s a northwards expansion was suggested by records in Pesaro Apennines (Ragni 2003;Santolini et al. 2010), Foreste Casentinesi National Park (Agostini et al. 2008) and Mugello (D. Berzi, pers. ...
The European wildcat is an elusive small carnivore species whose distribution, behavioural ecology and interactions with domestic cats are scantly known. However, the use of camera-trapping is steadily increasing in wildlife studies as well as citizen science, with the latter setting the basis for a large source of robust data. Here we provide an overview of our efforts to create an independent network, named Piccoli Fototrappolatori Indipendenti (Little Independent Camera-trappers, hereafter PFI), of citizen scientists who are contributing with the goal of a deeper understanding of wildcat ecology. We engaged 31 volunteers who collected domestic cats, putative hybrids (hereafter hybrids) and wildcats’ detections at 503 locations throughout Italy from 11/04/2006 to 24/10/2022. So far, this dataset hosts 312 images and 1015 videos (1327 detections) which were morphological examined and standardised, leading to 123, 137 and 1016 detections of domestic cats, hybrids and wildcats, respectively. We documented the expansion of the wildcat towards Northern Italy, with the first camera-trapping records from the Western Alps (Val D’Aosta) and from the Northern Apennines (Liguria), as well as the detection of kink-tailed wildcats in new regions. Moreover, we observed behavioural differences among cat types, with domestic cats marking at a lower rate and with hybrids being less elusive than wildcats at night. Further research and efforts are needed to better explore the conservation consequences of our findings, as well as to investigate the full potential of citizen science combined with camera trapping which are promising tools in wildcat conservation.
... Sampled individuals had been previously identified morphologically by collectors according to phenotype, life history traits, and biometric indices [43][44][45]. Samples had also been previously genotyped at 31 microsatellites (STR) loci [25] and genetically classified as domestic (Felis catus), wild (Felis silvestris), or putative wild x domestic admixed cats through Bayesian clustering analyses based on an assignment threshold of posterior probability proportion to belong to the wildcat cluster qi = 0.90 [33] (Supplementary Table S1). According to these criteria, the selected samples were re-classified into 420 European wildcats, 213 domestic cats, and 72 putative admixed individuals (see Mattucci et al. [25] for details about sampling, DNA extraction, genotyping, and assignment methods). ...
Disentangling phylogenetic and phylogeographic patterns is fundamental to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of taxa and assess their actual conservation status. Therefore, in this study, for the first time, the most exhaustive biogeographic history of European wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations was reconstructed by typing 430 European wildcats, 213 domestic cats, and 72 putative admixed individuals, collected across the entire species’ distribution range, at a highly diagnostic portion of the mitochondrial ND5 gene. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses identified two main ND5 lineages (D and W) roughly associated with domestic and wild polymorphisms. Lineage D included all domestic cats, 83.3% of putative admixed individuals, and also 41.4% of wildcats; these latter mostly showed haplotypes belonging to sub-clade Ia, that diverged about 37,700 years ago, long pre-dating any evidence for cat domestication. Lineage W included all the remaining wildcats and putative admixed individuals, spatially clustered into four main geographic groups, which started to diverge about 64,200 years ago, corresponding to (i) the isolated Scottish population, (ii) the Iberian population, (iii) a South-Eastern European cluster, and (iv) a Central European cluster. Our results suggest that the last Pleistocene glacial isolation and subsequent re-expansion from Mediterranean and extra-Mediterranean glacial refugia were pivotal drivers in shaping the extant European wildcat phylogenetic and phylogeographic patterns, which were further modeled by both historical natural gene flow among wild lineages and more recent wild x domestic anthropogenic hybridization, as confirmed by the finding of F. catus/lybica shared haplotypes. The reconstructed evolutionary histories and the wild ancestry contents detected in this study could be used to identify adequate Conservation Units within European wildcat populations and help to design appropriate long-term management actions.
... Preliminary analyses using mitochondrial DNA additionally confirmed the genetic proximity of F. s. lybica Supplementary Figures S11-S12). However, in a previous study using microsatellites markers, Mattucci et al. (2013) detected no admixture between domestic cats and Sardinian wildcats. The intermediate position we observed in the present study may thus result from a sampling bias toward hybrid individuals. ...
In the context of the current extinction crisis, identifying new conservation units is pivotal to the development of sound conservation measures, especially in highly threatened taxa such as felids. Corsican wildcats are known by Corsican people since a very long time but have been little studied. Meaningful information about their phylogenetic position is lacking. We used ddRADseq to genotype phenotypically homogenous Corsican wildcats at 3671 genome-wide SNPs and reported for the first time their genetic identity. We compared this genomic information to domestic cats Felis silvestris catus from Corsica and mainland France, European wildcats F. s. silvestris and Sardinian wildcats F. s. lybica. Our premise was that if the Corsican wildcat, as a phenotypic entity, also represents a genetic entity, it deserves conservation measures and to be recognized as a conservation unit. Corsican wildcats appeared highly genetically differentiated from European wildcats and genetically closer to Sardinian wildcats than to domestic cats. Domestic cats from Corsica and mainland France were closer to each other and Sardinian wildcats were intermediate between Corsican wildcat and domestic cats. This suggested that Corsican wildcats do not belong to the F. s. silvestris or catus lineages. The inclusion of more high-quality Sardinian samples and Near-Eastern mainland F. s. lybica would constitute the next step toward assessing the status of Corsican wildcat as a subspecies and/or evolutionarily significant unit and tracing back wildcat introduction history of in Corsica.
... In this case study, we analysed the DNA contained in the remains of a canid faecal deposition collected in a forested area of central Italy to determine the individual multilocus genetic profiles of both the predator and the prey. In particular, we exploited the availability of reliable forensic genetic protocols [24], well-performing panels of canid [25] and felid [26] unlinked autosomal STRs and robust statistical procedures [21] to genotype non-invasive samples, assess their origin and clarify if they had wild, domestic or admixed ancestry. ...
... Each DNA sample was amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and genotyped through a multiple-tube approach [28] at diagnostic wolf and cat molecular markers. In particular, the diagnostic wolf marker panel included the following: (a) 39 unlinked autosomal microsatellite loci (STRs), discriminating among wolves, dogs, and their first three generations of hybrids [12,17] [26,29,30]. ...
... A similar approach was used for the felid genotype, using as reference parental populations the 29-STR genotypes of 48 unrelated European wildcats, representative of the species distribution range in the central Apennines, and 65 free-ranging domestic cats, selected from the ISPRA Felis database [26]. However, when using another specific molecular marker set, such as the mentioned 29 domestic cat-derived STR panel [26,29,30], simulated genotype analyses suggested the application of different dedicated detection thresholds, assigning the unknown felid genotype to the European wildcat population if its wildcat membership proportion was qi ≥ 0.8, to the domestic cat if qi < 0.2, whereas it was considered as admixed for intermediate (0.2 < qi < 0.799) values [11]. ...
Non-invasive genetic sampling is a practical tool to monitor pivotal ecological parameters and population dynamic patterns of endangered species. It can be particularly suitable when applied to elusive carnivores such as the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), which can live in overlapping ecological contexts and sometimes share their habitats with their domestic free-ranging relatives, increasing the risk of anthropogenic hybridisation. In this case study, we exploited all the ecological and genetic information contained in a single biological canid faecal sample, collected in a forested area of central Italy, to detect any sign of trophic interactions between wolves and European wildcats or their domestic counterparts. Firstly, the faecal finding was morphologically examined, showing the presence of felid hair and claw fragment remains. Subsequently, total genomic DNA contained in the hair and claw samples was extracted and genotyped, through a multiple-tube approach, at canid and felid diagnostic panels of microsatellite loci. Finally, the obtained individual multilocus genotypes were analysed with reference wild and domestic canid and felid populations to assess their correct taxonomic status using Bayesian clustering procedures. Assignment analyses classified the genotype obtained from the endothelial cells present on the hair sample as a wolf with slight signals of dog ancestry, showing a qi = 0.954 (C.I. 0.780–1.000) to the wolf cluster, and the genotype obtained from the claw as a domestic cat, showing a qi = 0.996 (95% C.I. = 0.982–1.000) to the domestic cat cluster. Our results clearly show how a non-invasive multidisciplinary approach allows the cost-effective identification of both prey and predator genetic profiles and their taxonomic status, contributing to the improvement of our knowledge about feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and anthropogenic hybridisation risk in threatened species.
... Hybridization is more frequent in peripheral areas of the distribution, hence hybridization and fragmentation act synergistically (Anile et al. 2019); therefore a better knowledge of isolated wildcat populations is needed. Five different wildcat populations are recognized in Italy (Mattucci et al. 2013), although the recently detected wildcat population in Liguria (Gavagnin et al. 2018) and the one present in Apulia (Ragni 1981), which is isolated from the main distribution range because of human-induced alterations (Cavuta and DiMatteo 2016), were not considered. The wildcat population dwelling in Gargano National Park (hereafter GNP) is unknown and not previously studied, hence the goal of this work was to estimate the population density of wild-living cats (i.e., wildcats and putative hybrids) using camera-trapping. ...
The European wildcat is a small carnivore widespread across Europe and hybridization with the domestic cat is one of the major threats to wildcats. We estimate the population density of wild-living cats (both wildcats and putative hybrids based on pelage) in the Gargano National Park (Southern Italy). We sampled 20 stations for 540 camera days. We obtained 23 images from 17 detections at 10 cameras, and we identified 10 individuals (6 wildcats and 4 putative hybrids). Population density was estimated at 0.34 ± 0.15 SE wild-living cats/km ² . The proportion of putative hybrids indicates an alarming hybridization for this population.
... Indeed, patterns of the temporal behaviour of species may change with habitat, latitude, presence of competitors or mating opportunities (Pearman et al. 2008;Pratas-Santiago et al. 2016;Karanth et al. 2017). Moreover, geographic differences in genetic structure and ethological features (i.e.: valerian lures response) have been reported (Mattucci et al 2013;Velli et al. 2015). Therefore, activity patterns need to be considered in different environmental contexts (e.g. ...
... Currently, some European wildcat populations are locally expanding, partially recovering the species' historical distribution range (Ragni and Mandrici 2003;Steyer et al. 2016;Tormen et al. 2020;Gavagnin 2021). The process of colonization or recolonization exposes wildcats to even greater consequences of direct and indirect anthropogenic threats, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, hybridization with domestic cats and direct persecution (Yamaguchi et al. 2015;Mattucci et al. 2013). Anthropogenic structures and disturbances might also influence the activity patterns of the wildcat (see Anile et al. 2021). ...
The European wildcat is a threatened carnivore, whose ecology is still scarcely studied, especially in Mediterranean areas. In this study, we estimated activity rhythm patterns of this felid, by means of camera-trapping at three spatial scales: (i) whole country (Italy); (ii) biogeographical areas; (iii) latitudinal zones. The activity rhythms patterns were also calculated according to temporal scales: (1) warm semester; (2) cold semester and (3) seasonal scales. Lastly, we also tested whether the effect of moon phases affected the wildcat activity. We conducted the analysis on a total of 975 independent events collected in 2009-2021, from 285 locations, in ~ 65,800 camera days. We showed that the wildcat in Italy exhibits a > 70% nocturnal behaviour, with 20% of diurnal activity, at all spatial scales, and throughout the whole year, with peaks at 10.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. We observed a high overlap of wildcat activity rhythms between different biogeographical and latitudinal zones. The wildcat was mainly active on the darkest nights, reducing its activity in bright moonlight nights. Diurnal activity was greater in the warm months and decreased with the distance from shrubs and woodlands, most likely according to activity rhythms of its main prey, water presence in summer, the care of offspring and the availability of shelter sites. Conversely, the distance to paved roads seems to have no significant effects on diurnal activity, suggesting that, in presence of natural shelters, the wildcat probably may tolerate these infrastructures. We suggested limited plasticity in activity rhythm patterns of the wildcat, emphasizing the importance of dark hours for this species.
... However, to date, while numerous studies have focused on hybridization with domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus, e.g. Beaumont et al. 2001, Oliveira et al. 2008, Hertwig et al. 2009, Devillard et al. 2014, Steyer et al. 2018, Quilodrán et al. 2019, Beugin et al. 2016, only a few have focused on genetic structures and landscape genetic connectivity Hartmann et al. 2013;Mattucci et al. 2013Mattucci et al. , 2016Steyer et al. 2016;Würstlin et al. 2016;Westekemper et al. 2021) and almost none have reported on the French wildcat despite being one of the largest populations in Europe (but see Say et al. 2012). ...
Understanding landscape impacts on gene flow is necessary to plan comprehensive management and conservation strategies of both the species of interest and its habitat. Nevertheless, only a few studies have focused on the landscape genetic connectivity of the European wildcat, an umbrella species whose conservation allows the preservation of numerous other species and habitat types. We applied population and landscape genetics approaches, using genotypes at 30 microsatellites from 232 genetically-identified wildcats to determine if, and how, landscape impacted gene flow throughout France. Analyses were performed independently within two population patches: the historical north-eastern patch and the central patch considered as the colonization front. Our results showed that gene flow occurred at large spatial scales but also revealed significant spatial genetic structures within population patches. In both population patches, arable areas, pastures and permanent grasslands and lowly fragmented forested areas were permeable to gene flow, suggesting that shelters and dietary resources are among the most important parameters for French wildcat landscape connectivity, while distance to forest had no detectable effect. Anthropized areas appeared highly resistant in the north-eastern patch but highly permeable in the central patch, suggesting that different behaviours can be observed according to the demographic context in which populations are found. In line with this hypothesis, spatial distribution of genetic variability seemed uneven in the north-eastern patch and more clinal in the central patch. Overall, our results highlighted that European wildcat might be a habitat generalist species and also the importance of performing spatial replication in landscape genetics studies.
