Tian Xinmin, Shi Lanying, Bai Xiaozhen, Wang Ze
College of Life Science and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, 157000, China.
Open Life Sci. 2025 Jul 8;20(1):20251128. doi: 10.1515/biol-2025-1128. eCollection 2025.
The Siberian flying squirrel () is an arboreal, nocturnal, and gliding rodent. It is crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and the dispersal of forest seeds. In Northeast China, the number of Siberian flying squirrels is decreasing and their habitats are shrinking due to logging and habitat loss. To make more targeted and effective measures to protect and manage the population, there is an urgent need to study the genetic changes in the population, particularly looking at genetic diversity and gene flow. In this study, we collected hair samples from 91 Siberian flying squirrels in a way that did not harm them. Then, we analyzed the DNA in these samples, specifically using cytochrome and microsatellite loci, and examined the genetic diversity and population structure of flying squirrels living in the northern Changbai Mountains of Northeast China. The results indicated that the genetic diversity in the populations was high. However, a high proportion of rare haplotypes and a low frequency of alleles indicated that the genetic diversity might decline in the future. There were significantly low to moderate levels of genetic differentiation among the four populations. According to our STRUCTURE analysis, the four geographical populations belonged to three genetic clusters (Fangzheng, Bin County, and Weihe-Muling). The isolation by distance model could not effectively explain the current pattern of the population genetic structure. The haplotype network showed no clear phylogeographic pattern among the four geographic populations, indicating that the geographic barriers between the flying squirrels might have formed only recently. To better protect the Siberian flying squirrels, conservation methods should be further improved. For example, habitat restoration and ecological corridor construction should be carried out to increase gene exchange and help the population recover and grow faster.
西伯利亚飞鼠（）是一种树栖、夜行且会滑翔的啮齿动物。它对于维持生态系统平衡和森林种子传播至关重要。在中国东北地区，由于伐木和栖息地丧失，西伯利亚飞鼠的数量正在减少，其栖息地也在萎缩。为了制定更具针对性和有效性的措施来保护和管理该种群，迫切需要研究种群的遗传变化，特别是关注遗传多样性和基因流动。在本研究中，我们以不伤害它们的方式从91只西伯利亚飞鼠身上采集了毛发样本。然后，我们分析了这些样本中的DNA，具体使用细胞色素和微卫星位点，并研究了生活在中国东北长白山北部的飞鼠的遗传多样性和种群结构。结果表明，种群中的遗传多样性较高。然而，高比例的稀有单倍型和低频率的等位基因表明遗传多样性未来可能会下降。四个种群之间的遗传分化水平显著低至中等。根据我们的STRUCTURE分析，四个地理种群属于三个遗传簇（方正、宾县和苇河—穆棱）。距离隔离模型无法有效解释当前的种群遗传结构模式。单倍型网络显示四个地理种群之间没有明显的系统发育地理模式，这表明飞鼠之间的地理障碍可能是最近才形成的。为了更好地保护西伯利亚飞鼠，应进一步改进保护方法。例如，应进行栖息地恢复和生态走廊建设，以增加基因交流，帮助种群更快地恢复和增长。
