Evidence of Population Fragmentation of the Western European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus in Urban Landscapes

ABSTRACT Genetic diversity and connectivity are critical for the long‐term viability of wildlife populations but may be compromised in severely fragmented urban environments. Western European hedgehogs ( Erinaceus europaeus ) have undergone severe population declines but appear to thrive in urban environments. However, the species' vulnerability to fragmentation within these landscapes is not well understood. Here, we investigate the genetic structure and connectivity of Western European hedgehogs in Greater London, UK, and surrounding areas using 1413 single nucleotide polymorphisms from targeted sequencing of ultraconserved elements. Across the study region, we found limited genetic structuring except for within Greater London, where one highly urbanised site was clearly differentiated. Individual genetic diversity showed only some evidence of a negative relationship with the proportion of surrounding urban land cover. However, populations within Greater London were found to exhibit lower genetic diversity and higher differentiation in three of four populations investigated compared to four populations from outside the city, consistent with the assumption of greater fragmentation and elevated drift. For hedgehogs within Greater London, landscape connectivity modelling identified that habitat resistance better explained observed genetic differentiation than distance, but this was not seen in suburban hedgehogs separated by agricultural landscapes outside the city. These results present important evidence that hedgehog populations occupying highly urban environments within cities are vulnerable to genetic isolation due to habitat fragmentation, with implications for our understanding of the role of urban environments in supporting hedgehog populations. Moreover, these findings contribute to the broader understanding of the long‐term persistence of native wildlife in these landscapes.