Data from: Genetic structure and rabies spread potential in raccoons: the role of landscape barriers and sex-biased dispersal

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Description:

Identifying natural barriers to movements of hosts associated with infectious diseases is essential for developing effective control strategies. Raccoon rabies variant (RRV) is a zoonosis of concern for humans because its main vector, the raccoon (Procyon lotor), is found near residential areas. In Québec, Canada, all cases of RRV found in raccoons since 2006 were detected on the eastern side of the Richelieu River, suggesting that this river acts as a barrier to gene flow and thus, the potential for RRV to spread. The objectives of this study were to characterize the genetic structure of raccoon populations and assess the effect of the Richelieu River on the population structure in southern Québec, Canada. We also evaluated whether RRV spread potential differed between sex and at a larger spatial scale. Our analyses revealed a weak signal of genetic differentiation among individuals located on each side of the Richelieu River. At a larger spatial scale, genetic structuring was weak. Our results suggest that rivers might not always efficiently restrain raccoon movements and spread of RRV. We suggest that the difference in genetic structure found between sexes can be partly explained by male movements during the breeding season in winter, when ice bridges allow passage over most rivers in Québec.

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Author(s):

Côté, Héloïse

Côté, Héloïse

Université de Sherbrooke

, Garant, Dany

Garant, Dany

Université de Sherbrooke

, Robert, Karine

Robert, Karine

Université de Sherbrooke

, Mainguy, Julien

Mainguy, Julien

Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife

, and Pelletier, Fanie

Pelletier, Fanie

Université de Sherbrooke

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Source Repository:

Dryad

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URL:

https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fp659276

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Publication date:

2011-12-20

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Keywords:

Procyon lotor, Disease Biology, and Wildlife Management

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APA Citation:

Côté, H., Garant, D., Robert, K., Mainguy, J., & Pelletier, F. (2011). Data from: Genetic structure and rabies spread potential in raccoons: the role of landscape barriers and sex-biased dispersal [Data set]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fp659276

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