Population genetics of the olive-winged bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus) in a tropical urban-fragmented landscape

Abstract

With increasing urbanization, urban-fragmented landscapes are becoming more and more prevalent worldwide. Such fragmentation may lead to small, isolated populations that face great threats from genetic factors that affect even avian species with high dispersal propensities. Yet few studies have investigated the population genetics of species living within urban-fragmented landscapes in the Old World tropics, in spite of the high levels of deforestation and fragmentation within this region. We investigated the evolutionary history and population genetics of the olive-winged bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus) in Singapore, a highly urbanized island which retains <5% of its original forest cover in fragments. Combining our own collected and sequenced samples with those from the literature, we conducted phylogenetic and population genetic analyses. We revealed high genetic diversity, evidence for population expansion, and potential presence of pronounced gene flow across the population in Singapore. This suggests increased chances of long-term persistence for the olive-winged bulbul and the ecosystem services it provides within this landscape. We investigated the evolutionary history and population genetics of a tropical frugivore-the olive-winged bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus)-in an urban-fragmented landscape. Our analyses revealed high genetic diversity, evidence of population expansion, and potential presence of pronounced gene flow across the population in Singapore. This suggests increased chances of its long-term persistence within this landscape. © 2016 Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.