High Genetic Diversity of an Invasive Alien Species: Comparison between Fur-Farmed and Feral American Mink (

摘要

The American mink (Neovison vison) is one of the best-known and most widespread invasive species in China and worldwide. To investigate the genetic characteristics and increase comprehension of the invasiveness process for this species, we compared the genetic characteristics of farmed and feral populations in northeastern China using mitochondrial DNA sequences and microsatellite loci. We found a relatively high diversity among the feral populations that was as high as that of the farmed mink. This demonstrated that high genetic diversity promotes the invasiveness and rapid evolution in the wild.