Genetic analysis of the Siberian flying squirrel population in the northern Changbai Mountains, Northeast China: Insights into population status and conservation

The Siberian flying squirrel (<i>Pteromys volans</i>) is an arboreal, nocturnal, and gliding rodent. It is crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and the dispersal of forest seeds. In Northeast China, the number of Siberian flying squirrels is decreasing and their habitats are shrinking due to logging and habitat loss. To make more targeted and effective measures to protect and manage the population, there is an urgent need to study the genetic changes in the population, particularly looking at genetic diversity and gene flow. In this study, we collected hair samples from 91 Siberian flying squirrels in a way that did not harm them. Then, we analyzed the DNA in these samples, specifically using cytochrome <i>b</i> and microsatellite loci, and examined the genetic diversity and population structure of flying squirrels living in the northern Changbai Mountains of Northeast China. The results indicated that the genetic diversity in the populations was high. However, a high proportion of rare haplotypes and a low frequency of alleles indicated that the genetic diversity might decline in the future. There were significantly low to moderate levels of genetic differentiation among the four populations. According to our STRUCTURE analysis, the four geographical populations belonged to three genetic clusters (Fangzheng, Bin County, and Weihe-Muling). The isolation by distance model could not effectively explain the current pattern of the population genetic structure. The haplotype network showed no clear phylogeographic pattern among the four geographic populations, indicating that the geographic barriers between the flying squirrels might have formed only recently. To better protect the Siberian flying squirrels, conservation methods should be further improved. For example, habitat restoration and ecological corridor construction should be carried out to increase gene exchange and help the population recover and grow faster.