Résumé
The recognition that landscape features influence the distribution of genetic variability, as well as the intensity and the direction of gene flow, has prompted the development of a new discipline (landscape genetics), which is now well-established within the scientific community. Here, we briefly present the main theoretical aspects that allow using the analysis of genetic variability as surrogates of population dynamics and dispersal. We describe common statistical approaches developed in the context of landscape genetics. Finally, we illustrate the contribution of landscape genetics to better understanding of the dynamics of fluctuating rodent populations and some complex phenomena such as travelling waves. We also document the use of landscape genetics to understand the circulation of rodent-borne pathogens and their distribution within landscapes. This knowledge illustrates the potential contribution of landscape genetics to the understanding the ecological processes occurring within rodent populations at the landscape scale.