International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 74-82 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 74 Case Study Open Access Population Structure and Genetic Adaptation of Domestic and Wild Ducks Across Different Climatic Regions XianLi 1, QibinXu2 1 Tropical Animal Resources Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China 2 Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: qibin.wu@hitar.org International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.2 doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0008 Received: 09 Feb., 2025 Accepted: 12 Mar., 2025 Published: 24 Mar., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Li and Xu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li X., and Xu Q.B., 2025, Population structure and genetic adaptation of domestic and wild ducks across different climatic regions, International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 15(2): 74-82 (doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0008) Abstract Having a perception of how domestic and wild ducks (Anas genus) adapt to climatic zones is extremely significant to evolutionary biology as well as conservation of species. In the present work, the study examines systematically the population structure and genetic adaptation of ducks common in tropical, temperate, and cold regions. By integrating mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships, estimated the times of lineage divergence, and compared genetic lineage diversity in domestic duck breeds and their wild relatives. The findings revealed clear genetic structuring across populations from different geographic regions, which reflects previous domestication events as well as ongoing gene flow. In addition, we identified genomic signatures of environmental adaptation, which comprised functional genes known to play roles in thermoregulation, metabolism, and immune response. Ecological niche modeling and spatial analysis based on GIS also evidenced that the genetic differentiation patterns are influenced by geographical discontinuity and climatic heterogeneity. The study bears witness to the evolutionary flexibility of ducks and establishes the value of molecular ecology for biodiversity conservation and adaptive management, and offers a scientific basis for the sustainable use and conservation of waterfowl resources under global climate change. Keywords Population structure; Genetic adaptation; Ducks (Anas genus); Phylogeography; Climate-driven evolution 1 Introduction Anas ducks are typical waterbirds with broad range variation in aquatic habitats, ranging from freshwater marshes and lakes to beaches. They are typical of their active migratory pattern, sexual dimorphism, and adaptive feeding, for example, dabbling. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is particularly regarded as the ancestor of the majority of domesticated ducks. Genomic studies in recent decades have illustrated immense genetic diversity among Anas species and populations. Whole-genome resequencing and SNP-based methods revealed extensive genetic differentiation between domestic and wild ducks, as well as among populations of wild ducks from various climatic regions (Wolc et al., 2024). They highlight the evolutionary potential and conservation value of genetic diversity in ducks, especially under continued environmental stress and domestication bottlenecks. Ducks play a significant ecological role in wetland ecosystems by being involved in nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, and management of aquatic plants and invertebrates. They help maintain the health and richness of wetlands that are widely recognized as significant habitats for numerous species. Ducks are economically important as a source of meat, eggs, and feathers in much of Asia and elsewhere, especially in Asia where rice-duck farming systems are common (Veeramani et al., 2021). Not only are ducks a source of agricultural products, but with enhanced pest control, natural fertilization of the soil, and reduced chemical input usage, they enhance sustainable agriculture. Understanding the ecological functions and economic importance of ducks constitutes a strong rationale for conserving both wild and domestic stocks as well as for studying their adaptability to diverse habitats (De et al., 2021; Adeola et al., 2022). Population composition and genetic adaptation in ducks are relevant to examine to determine how the bird developed over varied environments and is going to respond to impending climatic change. Population composition reflects previous dispersal, isolation, and gene flow, while genetic adaptation suggests selective
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