Historical range expansion and biological changes ofSus scrofacorresponding to domestication and feralization

摘要

Globally,Sus scrofais one of the most widely recognized species inhabiting earth alongside humans. Known by many names (wild boar, domestic swine, feral pig),S. scrofais both an ecosystem engineer and an important agricultural species. Originating in Southeast Asia 5 million years ago,S. scrofanaturally expanded throughout Eurasia and into North Africa but now inhabits every continent, except Antarctica. The worldwide distribution ofS. scrofacan be attributed largely to human-mediated transport occurring over the course of the past 500 years particularly during the European age of exploration. Biologically, the differences between wild, domestic, and feral populations can be traced to these historical events, which resulted in a marked increase in reproductive rates and growth rates among domestic populations that have generally been shown to regress when these populations become feral. Given the importance of this species ecologically and the great deal of available research describing it, this review summarizes existing literature on the global expansion and corresponding biological changes ofS. scrofawithin a historical and genetic context to allow for better understanding of the species.