Gene flow between two thick-billed grasswren subspecies with low dispersal creates a genomic pattern of isolation-by-distance

ContextIn the era of the Anthropocene, habitat loss and environmental change threaten the persistence of many species. Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) is a useful molecular tool for understanding how patterns of gene flow are associated with contemporary habitat distributions that may be affected by environmental change. Two parapatric subspecies of the threatened thick-billed grasswren (TBGW; Amytornis modestus) more frequently occur in different plant communities. As such, a preference for plant community type could reduce subspecific introgression and increase genetic diversity at the parapatric boundary. AimsWe aimed to measure gene flow within and among two TBGW subspecies and tested whether divergent genomic markers were associated with plant community type. MethodsWe sequenced 118 individuals from either of the two TBGW subspecies or in the region of parapatry and identified 7583 SNPs through ddRADseq. Key resultsWe found evidence of asymmetric gene flow and a genomic pattern of isolation-by-distance. There were sixteen genomic outliers correlated with plant community type (regardless of location). ConclusionsThese findings show that plant community type does not prevent introgression in one subspecies (A. m. raglessi), but low dispersal and habitat heterogeneity could contribute to the maintenance of distinct subspecific morphotypes. Local adaptation in different plant community types could also provide a mechanism for future divergence. ImplicationsWe suggest subspecific introgression could increase genetic variation and the adaptive potential of the species, facilitating species persistence under conditions of climate change. Introgression between grasswren subspeciesCharacterising gene flow facilitates conservation management. This study used genomic markers to measure gene flow between thick-billed grasswren subspecies and found results that support taxonomic identification of the two subspecies and suggests grasswrens have low dispersal and may benefit from increased genetic diversity. Recognition of models of divergence with gene flow will be necessary for future conservation management.