Genetic structure and connectivity of Rattus norvegicus between farms in central Argentina

VIDELA, IGNACIO M.; LOVERA, ROSARIO; HASSON, ESTEBAN; CONFALONIERI, VIVIANA A.; CAVIA, REGINO

Encuentro; 100th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists Virtual; 2021

Rattus norvegicus is an important farm pest in rural landscapes. However, its ability to disperse across this and other landscapes is little known. Dispersion capacity was inferred using a RAD-seq approach applied on 93 individuals captured in 16 farms in a 562000 ha rural landscape of central Argentina. A matrix of 484 SNPs was obtained and used for population and individual-based genetic analyses. High levels of gene flow were observed without a clear structuring in farm clusters but with a pattern of isolation by distance in at least one direction. This information helps us to understand why is this species difficult to control when actions are conducted individually by farmers. This will be useful to design prevention and control programs for this pest.