Data from: Describing a developing hybrid zone between red wolves and coyotes in eastern North Carolina, USA

When hybridizing species come into contact, understanding the processes that regulate their interactions can help predict the future outcome of the system. This is especially relevant in conservation situations where human activities can influence hybridization dynamics. We investigated a developing hybrid zone between red wolves and coyotes in North Carolina, USA to elucidate patterns of hybridization in a system heavily managed for preservation of the red wolf genome. Using noninvasive genetic sampling of scat, we surveyed a 2880 km2 region adjacent to the Red Wolf Experimental Population Area (RWEPA). We combined microsatellite genotypes collected from this survey with those from companion studies conducted both within and outside the RWEPA to describe the gradient of red wolf ancestry. A total of 311 individuals were genotyped at 17 loci and red wolf ancestry decreased along an east–west gradient across the RWEPA. No red wolves were found outside the RWEPA, yet half of individuals found within this area were coyotes. Hybrids composed only 4% of individuals within this landscape despite co-occurrence of the two species throughout the RWEPA. The low proportion of hybrids suggests that a combination of active management and natural isolating mechanisms may be limiting intermixing within this hybrid system.当杂交物种发生接触时，解析调控其相互作用的过程，有助于预测该杂交系统的未来演化结局。这在人类活动能够影响杂交动态的保护场景中尤为关键。本研究针对美国北卡罗来纳州境内红狼（red wolf）与郊狼（coyote）间正在形成的杂交带展开调查，旨在阐明该受严格管理以保护红狼基因组的杂交系统中的杂交模式。本研究通过粪便非侵入性遗传采样方法，对毗邻红狼实验种群区（Red Wolf Experimental Population Area, RWEPA）的2880平方千米区域开展了调查。我们将本次调查获得的微卫星（microsatellite）基因型数据，与在RWEPA内外开展的配套研究所得数据进行整合，以刻画红狼血统占比的梯度分布特征。本研究共对311个个体的17个基因座（loci）进行了基因分型，结果显示RWEPA范围内红狼血统占比呈现自东向西递减的梯度特征。在RWEPA边界之外未发现红狼个体，但该区域内近半数个体为郊狼；尽管红狼与郊狼在RWEPA全境均有共存，但该区域内杂交个体仅占总个体数的4%。杂交个体的低占比表明，主动管理与自然隔离机制的共同作用，可能限制了该杂交系统内的基因交流。