Béatrice Nussberger

Hybridization between wild and domestic animals often results in lower levels of viability and fertility of hybrid offspring and may lead to genetic extinction. The locally endangered European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) does hybridize with the domestic cat. I am interested in the impact of this hybridization on the Wildcats. During my PhD I developed genetic SNP-markers to distinguish between wildcats, domestic cats and their admixed progeny. I then inferred the hybridization rate of wildcats in Switzerland. I am currently still working on this theme, but on a larger scale. My findings should help defining conservation priorities for wildcat populations.

Education and professional positions

• Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Weber D., Keller LF. (2014). Monitoring introgression in European wildcats in the Swiss Jura. Conservation Genetics, 15(5):1219-1230. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0613-0
• Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Camenisch G. (2014). A SNP chip to detect introgression in wildcats allows accurate genotyping of single hairs. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 60(2):405-410. DOI: 10.1007/s10344-014-0806-3
• Nussberger B., Wandeler P., Weber D., Keller LF. (2013). Development of SNP markers identifying European wildcats, domestic cats, and their admixed progeny. Molecular Ecology Resources 13(3): 447-460 . DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12075
• Nussberger B. (2012). Detecting introgression is important for wildcat conservation. Säugetierkundl. Info. 8 (45): 319-328.
• Nussberger B., Weber D., Hefti-Gautschi B., Lüps P. (2007). Neuester Stand des Nachweises und der Verbreitung der Waldkatze (Felis silvestris) in der Schweiz. Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern 64: 67-80.