Genetic differentiation among populations of the beetle Bolitophagus reticulatus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in a fragmented and a continuous landscape

The effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic differentiation among local populations of the fungivorous beetle Bolitophagus reticulatus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was studied in two contrasting landscapes: one heavily fragmented with forest fragments of variable size surrounded by inhabitable agricultural fields, the other an old forest providing a continuous habitat. The genetic structure of the beetle within each of the two contrasting areas was investigated by means of protein electrophoresis, screening four polymorphic loci in 20 populations from each area. In both areas there were significant genetic differences among local populations, but on average differentiation in the fragmented area was three times greater than in the continuous one, strongly indicating a genetic isolation effect of habitat fragmentation. These genetic results are in accordance with previous studies on dispersal in this species.