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Genetic diversity of native and introduced populations of the invasive house crow (Corvus splendens) in Asia and Africa

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Abstract

The common house crow (Corvus splendens) is one of the best known and most wide spread species of the family Corvidae. It is a successful invasive species able to exploit urban environments, well removed from its natural distribution. It is considered a pest as it attains high population densities, can cause serious economic losses and has many adverse effects on native fauna and flora, including predation, competitive displacement and disease transmission. Little genetic research on the house crow has been undertaken so we have only a limited understanding of its natural genetic population structure and invasion history. In this study, we employ microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers to assess genetic diversity, phylogeography and population structure of C. splendens within its native range represented by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and introduced range represented by Malaysia, Singapore, Kenya and South Africa. We found high levels of genetic diversity in some of the invasive populations for which multiple invasions are proposed. The lowest genetic diversity was found for the intentionally introduced population in Selangor, Malaysia. Sri Lanka is a possible source population for Malaysia Selangor consistent with a documented introduction over 100 years ago, with port cities within the introduced range revealing possible presence of migrants from other unsampled locations. We demonstrate the power of the approach of using multiple molecular markers to untangle patterns of invasion, provide insights into population structure and phylogeographic relationships and illustrate how historical processes may have contributed to making this species such a successful invader.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority Singapore, Subang Jaya Council, University of Colombo, University of Dhaka, Mr Mfundo Tafeni from the Environmental Resource Management Department in Cape Town, Mr Duncan Mitchell from Kenya and the Assistant Veterinary Officer, Meor Amri Md. Noor from the Penang Council for providing some of the samples used in this project. We also thank Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture at the University of Malaya for providing us access to their laboratory equipment, and the Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility for generating part of data used in this project. We are also extremely grateful to Dr Colin Ryall, The Persistence and Adaptation Research Team (PART), Dr Alexandra Pavlova and Prof. Paul Sunnucks for their help in parts of this study. Funding for this study was provided by the Monash University Malaysia School of Science and Monash University Malaysia Tropical Medicine and Biology Multidisciplinary Platform.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Urszula Krzemińska, Robyn Wilson, Beng Kah Song, Christopher M. Austin & Sadequr Rahman

  2. Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Urszula Krzemińska, Robyn Wilson, Beng Kah Song, Christopher M. Austin & Sadequr Rahman

  3. Avian Evolution Node, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Sampath Seneviratne

  4. Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Sharif Akhteruzzaman

  5. Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Warsaw, Poland

    Joanna Gruszczyńska & Wiesław Świderek

  6. Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Teh Ser Huy

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  1. Urszula Krzemińska
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  2. Robyn Wilson
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  3. Beng Kah Song
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  6. Joanna Gruszczyńska
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  7. Wiesław Świderek
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  8. Teh Ser Huy
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  9. Christopher M. Austin
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  10. Sadequr Rahman
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Correspondence to Urszula Krzemińska.

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Funding for this study was provided by the Monash University Malaysia School of Science and Monash University Malaysia Tropical Medicine and Biology Multidisciplinary Platform. Samples in Sri Lanka were collected under the research permit granted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka (Permit no. WL/3/2/41/14). The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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Krzemińska, U., Wilson, R., Song, B.K. et al. Genetic diversity of native and introduced populations of the invasive house crow (Corvus splendens) in Asia and Africa. Biol Invasions 18, 1867–1881 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1130-5

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