GENETIC DIVERSITY OF EUROPEAN TREE FROGS (HYLA ARBOREA GROUP): A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Amphibian populations are increasingly threatened by global change and the study of their genetic diversity is a major conservation priority. Western palearctic tree frog species of the Hyla arborea group are commonly distributed across Europe and the Middle East and many have declining populations. We performed a systematic review based on “The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines to gain insight into the genetic diversity of H. arborea group. Sixteen published studies were included in the final qualitative analysis. While the genetic diversity of H. arborea group species was widely variable, it could often be explained by phylogeographic history. Populations in Western and Northern Europe had lower genetic diversity linked mainly to postglacial population expansions, with some populations also affected by habitat fragmentation. However, important regions of high genetic diversity were found in the Balkan peninsula for H. arborea sensu stricto and around the Black Sea for H. orientalis. Genetic diversity of H. molleri, H. savignyi, H. meridionalis, H. felixarabica, H. intermedia, H. sarda has been investigated only across extensive phylogeographical studies, while data regarding their genetic diversity at the local level are missing. A database that gathers information on the studies carried out with the Hyla arborea species group could help the work of future ecological and genetic studies. The aim of this review is to identify knowledge gaps about the genetic diversity of the H. arborea group that require further investigation of and illustrate how filling these gaps might translate into future conservation efforts.