September 13, 2024
[Press Release] Urbanisation has impacted the population genetic structure of the Eurasian red squirrel in Japan within a short period of 30 years
Release Summary
Urbanization has dramatically increased in these few decades, and wildlife has utilized urban environments as alternative habitats to natural ones. How does urbanization affect wildlife? A research group led by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI found that Eurasian red squirrels have been genetically trapped in urban environments within only 30 years. This study suggests that even wildlife successfully living in an urban environment are strongly affected by urbanization in their genetic structures.
