Blanchong Julie A, Samuel Michael D, Scribner Kim T, Weckworth Byron V, Langenberg Julia A, Filcek Kristine B
Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Biol Lett. 2008 Feb 23;4(1):130-3. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0523.
Predicting the spread of wildlife disease is critical for identifying populations at risk, targeting surveillance and designing proactive management programmes. We used a landscape genetics approach to identify landscape features that influenced gene flow and the distribution of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wisconsin white-tailed deer. CWD prevalence was negatively correlated with genetic differentiation of study area deer from deer in the area of disease origin (core-area). Genetic differentiation was greatest, and CWD prevalence lowest, in areas separated from the core-area by the Wisconsin River, indicating that this river reduced deer gene flow and probably disease spread. Features of the landscape that influence host dispersal and spatial patterns of disease can be identified based on host spatial genetic structure. Landscape genetics may be used to predict high-risk populations based on their genetic connection to infected populations and to target disease surveillance, control and preventative activities.
预测野生动物疾病的传播对于识别濒危种群、确定监测目标以及设计积极的管理方案至关重要。我们采用景观遗传学方法来确定影响威斯康星州白尾鹿基因流动和慢性消耗病（CWD）分布的景观特征。CWD患病率与研究区域鹿与疾病起源地区（核心区域）鹿的遗传分化呈负相关。在被威斯康星河与核心区域隔开的地区，遗传分化最大，CWD患病率最低，这表明这条河减少了鹿的基因流动，可能也减少了疾病传播。基于宿主空间遗传结构，可以识别影响宿主扩散和疾病空间模式的景观特征。景观遗传学可用于根据高危种群与感染种群的遗传联系来预测高危种群，并确定疾病监测、控制和预防活动的目标。
