Ecological traps occur when species choose to settle in lower quality habitats, even if this reduces their survival or productivity. This normally occurs in situations of drastic environmental changes, resulting, for example, from anthropogenic pressures. In the medium and long term, this could mean the extinction of the species. We investigated the dynamics of occurrence and distribution of three canid species (Atelocynus microtis, Cerdocyon thous, and Spheotos venaticus) related to human threats imposed on their habitats in the Amazon Rainforest. We analyzed the possible environmental thresholds for the occurrence of these species and confronted them with the future projections of climatic niches for each one. All three species will be negatively affected by climate change in the future, with losses of up to 91% of the suitable area of occurrence in the Brazilian Amazon. The occurrence of C. thous and S. venaticus has been positively influenced by anthropogenic open areas to the detriment of native environments, suggesting that these species are being attracted by ecological traps, which may put them at risk in the future in the Amazon Region. The A. microtis species is the most dependent on forest habitats, and thus the most significant threat would be forest loss. Using the canid species as a model, we could deeply investigate these ecological effects that can affect a large part of the Amazonian fauna in the current scenario. Considering the high degree of environmental degradation and deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, the theory of ecological traps must be discussed at the same level that habitat loss is considered a decisive criterion of threat to biodiversity.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have numerous advantages over microsatellites, including greater power to infer population structure and history and to detect loci undergoing selection. Here, we conduct the first continental-level SNP study of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) using genotypes from an array of 5441 SNP loci genotyped in 16–30 polar bears sampled in each of 16 geographic regions in Canada and West Greenland. Our study aimed to assess population history and genetic structure and to identify evidence of adaptive loci. Using these data, we confirmed the existence of four broad-scale genetic clusters in North America (FCT = 0.035) and identified nine fine-scale subclusters using more powerful spatial methods. An assessment of historical patterns of migration suggests that polar bears migrated into North America from the Beaufort Sea after the last glacial maximum. Using a conservative approach, we identified 17 loci that may represent adaptive variation, including one SNP in the 3’ untranslated region of PDLIM5 (PDZ And LIM Domain 5), a gene involved in cardiovascular function, which has undergone substantial selection in polar bears since their divergence from brown bears. Outlier loci differentiated the Norwegian Bay genetic cluster more strongly from remaining clusters than did our complete dataset, suggesting possible adaptive differences in the High Arctic. Through careful consideration of SNP loci, sample inclusion, and analytical approaches, we provide a comprehensive picture of polar bear population structure at a continental level. This study provides a model for the analysis of wide-ranging species that can contribute to their conservation and management.