Genetic structure of Phoxinus bigerri (Cyprinidae) is shaped by historical isolation and contemporary fragmentation

Genetic structure of Phoxinus bigerri (Cyprinidae) is shaped by historical isolation and contemporary fragmentation | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 May 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Genetic structure of Phoxinus bigerri (Cyprinidae) is shaped by historical isolation and contemporary fragmentation Authors : Jon Garrastatxu 0000-0002-8344-6483 [email protected] , Maite Arroita [email protected] , Simon Blanchet 0000-0002-3843-589X [email protected] , Arturo Elosegi [email protected] , Jerome G. Prunier 0000-0003-4110-2567 [email protected] , and Aitor Larrañaga [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003057/v1 20 views 13 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to freshwater biodiversity, and in river networks it arises both from the intrinsic dendritic structure of drainage systems and from anthropogenic barriers that disrupt longitudinal connectivity, yet disentangling the relative contributions of these natural and human-driven processes remains challenging. We assessed how historical catchment isolation and contemporary river fragmentation jointly shape the genetic structure of a low-dispersal freshwater fish, the Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri), across northern Spain by genotyping 281 individuals from five independent catchments at 26 microsatellite loci and analysing genetic structure at regional and within-catchment scales using STRUCTURE. The effects of fragmentation metrics on pairwise genetic differentiation were quantified with Maximum Likelihood Population Effects mixed models, and demographic histories were reconstructed using BOTTLENECK and DIYABC-RF. Strong genetic differentiation among catchments reflected long-term drainage isolation, while pronounced substructure within several catchments indicated restricted contemporary connectivity. Among fragmentation metrics, the number of barriers between river reaches emerged as the strongest predictor of genetic differentiation, whereas cumulative barrier height and geographic distance showed weaker effects. Demographic analyses revealed signatures of recent bottlenecks, likely dating to the post-medieval period and coinciding with intensified human modification of river systems. Together, these findings indicate that contemporary river fragmentation has amplified historical patterns of genetic isolation, highlighting the pervasive impact of barriers on connectivity and providing insights relevant for the conservation and management of fragmented freshwater ecosystems. Supplementary Material File (supplementary material.docx) supplementary material Download 3.93 MB File (supplementarymaterial_a.xlsx) supplementarymaterial_a Download 100.73 KB File (supplementarymaterial_b.xlsx) supplementarymaterial_b Download 40.30 KB File (supplementarymaterial_c.xlsx) supplementarymaterial_c Download 38.77 KB File (0448e831-ccde-4ffd-9432-08ecd065abf0.pdf) 0448e831-ccde-4ffd-9432-08ecd065abf0 Download 3.89 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 May 2026 Collection Ecology and Evolution Authors Affiliations Jon Garrastatxu 0000-0002-8344-6483 [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Maite Arroita [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Simon Blanchet 0000-0002-3843-589X [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Arturo Elosegi [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Jerome G. Prunier 0000-0003-4110-2567 [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Aitor Larrañaga [email protected] Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Spain, 48940 View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 20 views 13 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Jon Garrastatxu, Maite Arroita, Simon Blanchet, et al. Genetic structure of Phoxinus bigerri (Cyprinidae) is shaped by historical isolation and contemporary fragmentation. Authorea . 12 May 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003057/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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