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Snead AA, Tatarenkov A, Taylor DS, Marson K, Earley RL. Centrality to the metapopulation is more important for population genetic diversity than habitat area or fragmentation. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240158. [PMID: 39044630 PMCID: PMC11267237 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Drift and gene flow affect genetic diversity. Given that the strength of genetic drift increases as population size decreases, management activities have focused on increasing population size through preserving habitats to preserve genetic diversity. Few studies have empirically evaluated the impacts of drift and gene flow on genetic diversity. Kryptolebias marmoratus, henceforth 'rivulus', is a small killifish restricted to fragmented New World mangrove forests with gene flow primarily associated with ocean currents. Rivulus form distinct populations across patches, making them a well-suited system to test the extent to which habitat area, fragmentation and connectivity are associated with genetic diversity. Using over 1000 individuals genotyped at 32 microsatellite loci, high-resolution landcover data and oceanographic simulations with graph theory, we demonstrate that centrality (connectivity) to the metapopulation is more strongly associated with genetic diversity than habitat area or fragmentation. By comparing models with and without centrality standardized by the source population's genetic diversity, our results suggest that metapopulation centrality is critical to genetic diversity regardless of the diversity of adjacent populations. While we find evidence that habitat area and fragmentation are related to genetic diversity, centrality is always a significant predictor with a larger effect than any measure of habitat configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony A. Snead
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 300 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL35487, USA
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY10003, USA
| | - Andrey Tatarenkov
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA92697, USA
| | - D. Scott Taylor
- The Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, Brevard County, Melbourne, FL32904, USA
| | - Kristine Marson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 300 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL35487, USA
| | - Ryan L. Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 300 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL35487, USA
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Asadi Aghbolaghi M, Keyghobadi N, Azarakhsh Z, Dadizadeh M, Asadi Aghbolaghi S, Zamani N. An evaluation of isolation by distance and isolation by resistance on genetic structure of the Persian squirrel ( Sciurus anomalus) in the Zagros forests of Iran. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10225. [PMID: 37408621 PMCID: PMC10318582 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
For the conservation of wild species, it is important to understand how landscape change and land management can affect gene flow and movement. Landscape genetic analyses provide a powerful approach to infer effects of various landscape factors on gene flow, thereby informing conservation actions. The Persian squirrel is a keystone species in the woodlands and oak forests of Western Asia, where it has experienced recent habitat loss and fragmentation. We conducted landscape genetic analyses of individuals sampled in the northern Zagros Mountains of Iran (provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Ilam), focusing on the evaluation of isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by resistance (IBR), using 16 microsatellite markers. The roles of geographical distance and landscape features including roads, rivers, developed areas, farming and agriculture, forests, lakes, plantation forests, rangelands, shrublands, and rocky areas of varying canopy cover, and swamp margins on genetic structure were quantified using individual-based approaches and resistance surface modeling. We found a significant pattern of IBD but only weak support for an effect of forest cover on genetic structure and gene flow. It seems that geographical distance is an important factor limiting the dispersal of the Persian squirrel in this region. The results of the current study inform ongoing conservation programs for the Persian squirrel in the Zagros oak forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Asadi Aghbolaghi
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research InstituteShahid Beheshti UniversityTehranIran
| | - Nusha Keyghobadi
- Department of BiologyThe University of Western OntarioLondonCanada
| | - Zeinab Azarakhsh
- Center of Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth SciencesShahid Beheshti UniversityTehranIran
| | - Marzieh Dadizadeh
- Center of Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth SciencesShahid Beheshti UniversityTehranIran
| | - Shahab Asadi Aghbolaghi
- Department of Education of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province (Ministry of Education)ShahrekordIran
| | - Navid Zamani
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural ResourceUniversity of KurdistanSanandajIran
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Paxton EH, Paxton KL, Kawasaki MT, Gorresen PM, van Rees CB, Underwood JG. Hawaiian waterbird movement across a developed landscape. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eben H. Paxton
- U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center Box 44, Hawaiʻi National Park HI 96718 USA
| | - Kristina L. Paxton
- Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit University of Hawaiʻi Hilo PO Box 44, Hawaiʻi National Park HI 96718 USA
| | - Martha T. Kawasaki
- Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit University of Hawaiʻi Hilo PO Box 44, Hawaiʻi National Park HI 96718 USA
| | - P. Marcos Gorresen
- Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit University of Hawaiʻi Hilo PO Box 44, Hawaiʻi National Park HI 96718 USA
| | - Charles B. van Rees
- Department of Biology Tufts University 200 College Avenue Medford MA 02155 USA
| | - Jared G. Underwood
- Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Honolulu HI 96850 USA
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Wang C, Zhou Y, Zhang H, Li Y, Liu H, Dong B. Study on the rare waterbird habitat networks of a new UNESCO World Natural Heritage site based on scenario simulation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:157058. [PMID: 35780887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As a newly established World Natural Heritage site, the conservation of rare waterbird habitats in the Yancheng coastal wetlands has attracted wide international attention. In view of the importance of this area in international biodiversity conservation and waterbird habitat conservation, the study of the current situation of rare waterbird habitat networks with spatial isolation features of great demonstration significance to improve the habitat conservation quality of the heritage site. Based on the data obtained from habitat suitability assessments of rare waterbirds, this paper used complex network theory, ecological stepping-stone theory and circuit models to analyze the current status and robustness of rare waterbird habitat networks in the Yancheng coastal wetlands. The results showed that the stepping stones of the red-crowned cranes and the Oriental storks were mainly distributed around important habitat areas, including aquaculture ponds and reed marshes, with areas of 1275.68 hm2 and 1247.74 hm2, respectively, while the stepping stones of Saunders's gulls were mainly distributed within the Tiaozini habitat site, with an area of 1180.76 hm2. The stability and connectivity of the habitat networks of red-crowned cranes and Oriental storks in the northern habitat area were better. At the Tiaozini habitat site, there was spatial isolation and low connectivity among the habitats and stepping stones of Saunders's gulls. In the optimal protection scenario, the stability and connectivity of the habitat network structure of red-crowned cranes and Oriental storks were the best, and the networks tended to exhibit assortativity. In the random destruction scenario, the connectivity of the habitat networks of Saunders's gulls was the lowest, and the network structure was the most fragile. Finally, the optimization and restoration patterns of habitat network based on improving the support capacity of important habitat nodes and the enhancement of the stability and connectivity of the stepping-stone networks were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- School of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
| | - Yong Zhou
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- School of Urban and Planning, Yancheng Teacher's University, Yancheng 224007, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hongyu Liu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Bin Dong
- School of Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
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Gormally BMG, van Rees CB, Bowers E, Reed JM, Romero LM. Feather corticosterone does not correlate with environmental stressors or body condition in an endangered waterbird. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa125. [PMID: 33425358 PMCID: PMC7772616 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Physiological metrics are becoming popular tools for assessing individual condition and population health to inform wildlife management and conservation decisions. Corticosterone assays can provide information on how animals cope with individual and habitat-level stressors, and the recent development of feather assays is an exciting innovation that could yield important insights for conservation of wild birds. Due to the widespread enthusiasm for feather corticosterone as a potential bioindicator, studies are needed to assess the ability of this technique to detect meaningful differences in physiological stress across a variety of stressor types and intensities. We examined feather corticosterone from 144 individuals among the 13 known breeding populations of Hawaiian gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), an endangered waterbird, on the island of O'ahu. These ecologically independent subpopulations are known to have low genetic connectivity and movement rates and differ largely across a number of important conditions, including level of predator management, human disturbance, proximity to urban development and conspecific population density. This system is well suited for assessing the performance of feather corticosterone as a bioindicator of different known habitat-level threats common to this and many other conservation-reliant species. We found no statistically significant relationship between feather corticosterone and level of predator control, level of human disturbance, gallinule population density, percent urban cover or body condition across all sites despite the substantial difference in stressor magnitude in our dataset. We did find that gallinules in habitats with larger population densities were in worse body condition. These findings suggest that feather corticosterone is not a consistent indicator of anthropogenic impacts on populations. Furthermore, they suggest that feather corticosterone may be a poor bioindicator of known habitat-level threats for Hawaiian gallinules and that it should be used with caution in other avian taxa of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna M G Gormally
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Current Address: Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Charles B van Rees
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Current Address: Flathead Lake Biological Station and Department of Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, Polson, MT, USA
| | - Emily Bowers
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - J Michael Reed
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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Grummer JA, Beheregaray LB, Bernatchez L, Hand BK, Luikart G, Narum SR, Taylor EB. Aquatic Landscape Genomics and Environmental Effects on Genetic Variation. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:641-654. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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van Rees CB, Reed JM, Wilson RE, Underwood JG, Sonsthagen SA. Landscape genetics identifies streams and drainage infrastructure as dispersal corridors for an endangered wetland bird. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:8328-8343. [PMID: 30250706 PMCID: PMC6145004 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic alterations to landscape structure and composition can have significant impacts on biodiversity, potentially leading to species extinctions. Population‐level impacts of landscape change are mediated by animal behaviors, in particular dispersal behavior. Little is known about the dispersal habits of rails (Rallidae) due to their cryptic behavior and tendency to occupy densely vegetated habitats. The effects of landscape structure on the movement behavior of waterbirds in general are poorly studied due to their reputation for having high dispersal abilities. We used a landscape genetic approach to test hypotheses of landscape effects on dispersal behavior of the Hawaiian gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), an endangered subspecies endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. We created a suite of alternative resistance surfaces representing biologically plausible a priori hypotheses of how gallinules might navigate the landscape matrix and ranked these surfaces by their ability to explain observed patterns in genetic distance among 12 populations on the island of O`ahu. We modeled effective distance among wetland locations on all surfaces using both cumulative least‐cost‐path and resistance‐distance approaches and evaluated relative model performance using Mantel tests, a causal modeling approach, and the mixed‐model maximum‐likelihood population‐effects framework. Across all genetic markers, simulation methods, and model comparison metrics, surfaces that treated linear water features like streams, ditches, and canals as corridors for gallinule movement outperformed all other models. This is the first landscape genetic study on the movement behavior of any waterbird species to our knowledge. Our results indicate that lotic water features, including drainage infrastructure previously thought to be of minimal habitat value, contribute to habitat connectivity in this listed subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J Michael Reed
- Department of Biology Tufts University Medford Massachusetts
| | - Robert E Wilson
- U. S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Anchorage Alaska
| | - Jared G Underwood
- Pacific Reefs National Wildlife Refuge Complex U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Honolulu Hawaii.,Present address: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Fremont California
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