Assessing climate adaptation among Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) populations at the trailing edge

Abstract

Species must acclimate, shift their distributions, or adapt in place in response to anthropogenic climate change. Populations at low-latitude trailing edges of species distributions typically experience thermal conditions closest to the upper limit of their thermoregulatory capacity. Landscape and functional genomic approaches provide quantitative measures of risk and adaptive capacity which can inform and prioritize conservation actions. Using low-coverage whole genomes from Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), we characterized population genomic structure and identified putatively adaptive loci using genotype-environment association analyses across the eastern extent of their distribution. We detected genetic breaks across two previously identified biogeographical barriers, the St. Lawrence River and the Strait of Belle Isle, and found relatively high genome-wide diversity in the Maine population at the southern trailing edge, suggesting a reservoir of warm-adapted variation. We identified 759 loci from 329 genes as putatively adaptive, many associated with temperature during warm and dry periods, and functionally enriched in photoreception, circadian entrainment, and temperature regulation. We identified ten putatively adaptive genes linked to epilepsy, presenting candidate genes underlying reports of idiopathic epilepsy in captive populations of closely related lynx species (L. lynx and L. pardinus). Genetic offset showed lynx in Western Newfoundland, and the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec are at the greatest risk of maladaptation under future conditions. If gene flow allows, introgression of climate-adapted loci from the trailing-edge may benefit regional populations under future climates. Together, these findings demonstrate the conservation value of locally adapted range-edge populations.