International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 74-82 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 79 5.4 Balance between gene flow and local adaptation among populations The evolution of ducks is shaped by dynamic interaction between gene flow and local adaptation. While gene flow can contribute new genetic variation and retard divergence at neutral sites, strong local selection for hypoxia tolerance or immunity, for instance, can maintain adaptive differentiation even under some gene flow (Graham and McCracken, 2019; Lavretsky et al., 2021). In other cases, gene flow then and now has resulted in hybrid speciation and adaptive transfer of alleles between species, such as in the case of sea ducks (Lavretsky et al., 2021). Natural barriers and ecological specialisation are commonly the constraints to gene flow, resulting in marked population structure and evolutionary independence (Peters et al., 2016; Lavretsky et al., 2021). 6 Applications of Phylogeny-Based Ecological Models and Methods 6.1 Population geographic modeling integrating genetic and distribution data Combination of phylogenetics with environment and geospatial data makes the geographic models of the population more precise. Adding phylogeny to models enhances ecological parameter prediction, such as species presence, by the addition of evolutionary relations and environment simultaneously. Addition of phylogenetic topology in logistic models, for example, enhances the prediction of species distribution and ecological response over non-phylogenetic models, illustrating why evolutionary context is crucial to the structure of the population (Morales‐Castilla et al., 2017; Godoy et al., 2018). 6.2 Joint application of phylogeny and gis-based spatial analysis The combination of phylogenetic frameworks and spatial modeling using GIS allows for more powerful species distribution modeling. It leverages both the evolutionary past and the spatial co-presence of closely related species, improving model fit and predictive power, especially for data-poor species. The addition of phylogeny as a substitute for lacking trait data into spatial models has the potential to disentangle contemporary and historical determinants of species distributions and reconcile differences between modern and historical biodiversity patterns (Morales‐Castilla et al., 2017; Li et al., 2020). 6.3 Ecological niche modeling (enm) and paleoclimate simulation for supporting adaptive evolution studies Ecological niche models (ENMs) are increasingly being applied in phylogeographic analysis to model past and future environment tolerances and species' potential range at current and past climates. ENMs reveal profound insights into the effect that climate change through time had upon evolutionary adaptation and genetic diversity. Advances in using ENM output in genetics enable researchers to test hypotheses about the power of the environment in eliciting evolutionary change, in addition to predicting adaptive hot spots or susceptibility hot spots (Wang and Chen, 2024). 6.4 Application prospects of models in duck conservation and genetic resource management Phylogeny-based ecological models have great potential for duck conservation and genetic resource conservation. By integrating evolutionary history, trait data, and location, these models have the potential to advise knowledge on how to conserve genetic diversity, manage population, and predict response to environmental change. They also provide a system for ranking conservation priorities, e.g., unique evolutionary lineages or climate- or habitat-threatened populations, to enable more effective and targeted management action (Li et al., 2020; Lemos-Costa et al., 2023; Lemos-Costa et al., 2024). 7 Concluding Remarks Here, we conduct an integrative study of population structure and adaptation genetics among domesticated and wild ducks (Anas genus) across different climatic regions. On the basis of whole-genome resequencing data, we found extreme genetic divergence among wild species and domestic breeds. Domestic ducks exhibited recognizable genetic clusters, which reflected their corresponding breeding history and selection pressures. This was not found in wild ducks. Conversely, genetic structure was more gradational across wild duck populations, owing to natural dispersal and gene flow. We also identified genomic regions with selection for environmental adaptation, such as genes that regulate thermoregulation, metabolism, and immunity. The findings illustrate the complex interaction between domestication, natural selection, and environmental pressures on duck population genetic structure.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==