{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,9]],"date-time":"2026-04-09T09:22:32Z","timestamp":1775726552811,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":73,"publisher":"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences","issue":"35","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,22]],"date-time":"2022-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1661126400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.pnas.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,30]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Biological invasions are a major cause of environmental and economic disruption. While ecological factors are key determinants of their success, the role of genetics has been more challenging to demonstrate. The colonization of Australia by the European rabbit is one of the most iconic and devastating biological invasions in recorded history. Here, we show that despite numerous introductions over a 70-y period, this invasion was triggered by a single release of a few animals that spread thousands of kilometers across the continent. We found genetic support for historical accounts that these were English rabbits imported in 1859 by a settler named Thomas Austin and traced the origin of the invasive population back to his birthplace in England. We also find evidence of additional introductions that established local populations but have not spread geographically. Combining genomic and historical data we show that, contrary to the earlier introductions, which consisted mostly of domestic animals, the invasive rabbits had wild ancestry. In New Zealand and Tasmania, rabbits also became a pest several decades after being introduced. We argue that the common denominator of these invasions was the arrival of a new genotype that was better adapted to the natural environment. These findings demonstrate how the genetic composition of invasive individuals can determine the success of an introduction and provide a mechanism by which multiple introductions can be required for a biological invasion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2122734119","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,22]],"date-time":"2022-08-22T19:14:57Z","timestamp":1661195697000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.cm10313","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":40,"title":["A single introduction of wild rabbits triggered the biological invasion of Australia"],"prefix":"10.1073","volume":"119","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6138-9134","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joel M.","family":"Alves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity, and Land Planning, Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen\u00e9ticos, Vair\u00e3o, 4485-661, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen\u00e9ticos, InBIO Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vair\u00e3o, 4485-661, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, United Kingdom"},{"name":"Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9882-7775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Miguel","family":"Carneiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity, and Land Planning, Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen\u00e9ticos, Vair\u00e3o, 4485-661, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen\u00e9ticos, InBIO Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vair\u00e3o, 4485-661, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jonathan P.","family":"Day","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, United Kingdom"}]},{"given":"John J.","family":"Welch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, United Kingdom"}]},{"given":"Janine A.","family":"Duckworth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Ecology and Management Group, Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand"},{"name":"Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9581-9227","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tarnya E.","family":"Cox","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vertebrate Pests Research Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia"}]},{"given":"Mike","family":"Letnic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth, and Ecological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia"},{"name":"Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth, and Ecological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2971-8406","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tanja","family":"Strive","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia"},{"name":"Health &amp; 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M. Alves Data from \u201cA single introduction of wild rabbits triggered the biological invasion of Australia.\u201d BioProject. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/bioproject\/?term=PRJNA783625. 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