Multi-species genetic patterns in a modified temperate forest from central Mexico.

Deforestation and land use changes are major drivers of biodiversity decline. At the genetic level, these human activities restrict gene flow and increase the effects of genetic drift and inbreeding, reducing a populations' capacity to respond and adapt to changing environments. We produced novel genomic data (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms [SNPs]) for treefrogs (Dryophytes eximius), jewel scarabs (Chrysina adelaida), and myxomycetes (Hemitrichia calyculata), co-distributed across a highly modified temperate forest in central Mexico to assess their population genetic patterns. Given their limited dispersal, we expected an isolation by distance (IBD) pattern and high genetic differentiation in D. eximius and C. adelaida , while no genetic structure or IBD was expected in H. calyculata due to its potential long-distance dispersal. As predicted, we found high genetic differentiation but only in D. eximius , with high genetic diversity observed in more disturbed habitats. However, an absence of genetic structure and high diversity were detected in C. adelaida and H. calyculata , suggesting high gene flow across the study area, an unexpected result for C. adelaida. Altogether, our findings provide multi-species genetic insights and underscore the importance of species-specific ecological traits for implementing management and conservation strategies in landscapes currently experiencing extensive habitat modification by human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]