1
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Mussmann SM, Wilson WD. Development of eighteen novel microsatellite loci for Masked Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus ridgwayi. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:210. [PMID: 38270754 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09094-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Masked Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi) is a critically-endangered New World quail species endemic to Sonoran Desert grasslands of North America. It suffered severe population declines during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with its persistence now reliant upon a captive breeding program that requires careful genetic management to maintain extant genetic diversity. Although nuclear microsatellite DNA markers existed for the closely related Northern Bobwhite (C. virginianus), none were available for Masked Bobwhite to inform necessary management decisions. METHODS AND RESULTS Paired-end Illumina© sequencing was conducted to screen the Masked Bobwhite genome for microsatellite loci. We identified 18 loci exhibiting high polymorphism and limited deviations from genetic equilibrium expectations. These loci were amplified in 78 individuals. Familial relationships were reconstructed via sibship methods and compared to manually-curated pedigree data. Thirteen of fifteen full-sibling groups in the pedigree were exactly reconstructed (86.6%). Three other full-sibling groups partially matched pedigree relationships with high statistical confidence, and likely represented pedigree inaccuracies. Four additional full-sibling pairs were identified with low statistical confidence and likely resulted from analytical artifacts. CONCLUSIONS The novel microsatellite loci accurately reconstructed parent-offspring and sibling relationships. These loci will be useful for guiding genetic management decisions and identifying pedigree inaccuracies in the captive breeding program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Mussmann
- Southwestern Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 7116 Hatchery Rd., Dexter, NM, 88230, USA.
- Abernathy Fish Technology Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1440 Abernathy Creek Rd., Longview, WA, 98632, USA.
| | - Wade D Wilson
- Southwestern Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 7116 Hatchery Rd., Dexter, NM, 88230, USA
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2
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Cooke BJ. Forest Landscape Effects on Dispersal of Spruce Budworm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens, 1865) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) and Forest Tent Caterpillar Malacosoma disstria Hübner, 1820 (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae) Female Moths in Alberta, Canada. INSECTS 2022; 13:1013. [PMID: 36354835 PMCID: PMC9698417 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Leaf-rollers and tent caterpillars, the families Torticidae and Lasiocampidae, represent a significant component of the Lepidoptera, and are well-represented in the forest insect pest literature of North America. Two species in particular-spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) and forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hbn.)-are the most significant pests of the Pinaceae and Salicacae, respectively, in the boreal forest of Canada, each exhibiting periodic outbreaks of tremendous extent. Dispersal is thought to play a critical role in the triggering of population eruptions and in the synchronization of outbreak cycling, but formal studies of dispersal, in particular studies of long-range dispersal by egg-bearing adult females, are rare. Here, it is shown in two independent studies that adult females of both species tend to disperse away from sparse or defoliated forest, and toward intact or undefoliated forest, suggesting that long-range dispersal during an outbreak peak is adaptive to the species and an important factor in their population dynamics, and hence their evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry J Cooke
- Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A2E5, Canada
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3
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Analysis of genome and methylation changes in Chinese indigenous chickens over time provides insight into species conservation. Commun Biol 2022; 5:952. [PMID: 36097156 PMCID: PMC9467985 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03907-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation of natural resources is a vital and challenging task. Numerous animal genetic resources have been effectively conserved worldwide. However, the effectiveness of conservation programmes and the variation information of species have rarely been evaluated. Here, we performed whole-genome and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of 90 Chinese indigenous chickens, which belonged to the Tibetan, Wenchang and Bian chicken breeds, and have been conserved under different conservation programmes. We observed that low genetic diversity and high DNA methylation variation occurs during ex situ in vivo conservation, while higher genetic diversity and differentiation occurs during in situ conservation. Further analyses revealed that most DNA methylation signatures are unique within ex situ in vivo conservation. Moreover, a high proportion of differentially methylated regions is found in genomic selection regions, suggesting a link between the effects of genomic variation and DNA methylation. Altogether our findings provide valuable information about genetic and DNA methylation variations during different conservation programmes, and hold practical relevance for species conservation. Comparisons of genomic and methylomic changes during the conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in China provide insight into conservation programmes for these breeds and their adaptations to unique environments.
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Hohwieler KR, Villiers DL, Cristescu RH, Frere CH. Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast‐developing environment. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Katrin R. Hohwieler
- Global Change Ecology Research Group University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Technology and Engineering Sippy Down Queensland Australia
| | | | - Romane H. Cristescu
- Global Change Ecology Research Group University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Technology and Engineering Sippy Down Queensland Australia
| | - Celine H. Frere
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
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5
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Douglas MR, Mussmann SM, Chafin TK, Anthonysamy WJB, Davis MA, Mulligan MP, Schooley RL, Louis W, Douglas ME. Population connectivity in voles (Microtus sp.) as a gauge for tall grass prairie restoration in midwestern North America. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260344. [PMID: 34882713 PMCID: PMC8659414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological restoration can promote biodiversity conservation in anthropogenically fragmented habitats, but effectiveness of these management efforts need to be statistically validated to determine ’success.’ One such approach is to gauge the extent of recolonization as a measure of landscape permeability and, in turn, population connectivity. In this context, we estimated dispersal and population connectivity in prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster; N = 231) and meadow vole (M. pennsylvanicus; N = 83) within five tall-grass prairie restoration sites embedded within the agricultural matrix of midwestern North America. We predicted that vole dispersal would be constrained by the extent of agricultural land surrounding restored habitat patches, spatially isolating vole populations and resulting in significant genetic structure. We first employed genetic assignment tests based on 15 microsatellite DNA loci to validate field-derived species-designations, then tested reclassified samples with multivariate and Bayesian clustering to assay for spatial and temporal genetic structure. Population connectivity was further evaluated by calculating pairwise FST, then potential demographic effects explored by computing migration rates, effective population size (Ne), and average relatedness (r). Genetic species assignments reclassified 25% of initial field identifications (N = 11 M. ochrogaster; N = 67 M. pennsylvanicus). In M. ochrogaster population connectivity was high across the study area, reflected in little to no spatial or temporal genetic structure. In M. pennsylvanicus genetic structure was detected, but relatedness estimates identified it as kin-clustering instead, underscoring social behavior among populations rather than spatial isolation as the cause. Estimates of Ne and r were stable across years, reflecting high dispersal and demographic resilience. Combined, these metrics suggest the agricultural matrix is highly permeable for voles and does not impede dispersal. High connectivity observed confirms that the restored landscape is productive and permeable for specific management targets such as voles and also demonstrates population genetic assays as a tool to statistically evaluate effectiveness of conservation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlis R. Douglas
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Steven M. Mussmann
- Southwestern Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Dexter, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Tyler K. Chafin
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Mark A. Davis
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, United States of America
| | | | - Robert L. Schooley
- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Wade Louis
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Gibson City, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Douglas
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
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6
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Evaluating the genome-wide impacts of species translocations: the greater prairie-chicken as a case study. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01412-8] [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]
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Applying Population Viability Analysis to Inform Genetic Rescue That Preserves Locally Unique Genetic Variation in a Critically Endangered Mammal. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13080382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Genetic rescue can reduce the extinction risk of inbred populations, but it has the poorly understood risk of ‘genetic swamping’—the replacement of the distinctive variation of the target population. We applied population viability analysis (PVA) to identify translocation rates into the inbred lowland population of Leadbeater’s possum from an outbred highland population that would alleviate inbreeding depression and rapidly reach a target population size (N) while maximising the retention of locally unique neutral genetic variation. Using genomic kinship coefficients to model inbreeding in Vortex, we simulated genetic rescue scenarios that included gene pool mixing with genetically diverse highland possums and increased the N from 35 to 110 within ten years. The PVA predicted that the last remaining population of lowland Leadbeater’s possum will be extinct within 23 years without genetic rescue, and that the carrying capacity at its current range is insufficient to enable recovery, even with genetic rescue. Supplementation rates that rapidly increased population size resulted in higher retention (as opposed to complete loss) of local alleles through alleviation of genetic drift but reduced the frequency of locally unique alleles. Ongoing gene flow and a higher N will facilitate natural selection. Accordingly, we recommend founding a new population of lowland possums in a high-quality habitat, where population growth and natural gene exchange with highland populations are possible. We also recommend ensuring gene flow into the population through natural dispersal and/or frequent translocations of highland individuals. Genetic rescue should be implemented within an adaptive management framework, with post-translocation monitoring data incorporated into the models to make updated predictions.
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8
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Undin M, Lockhart PJ, Hills SFK, Armstrong DP, Castro I. Mixed Mating in a Multi-Origin Population Suggests High Potential for Genetic Rescue in North Island Brown Kiwi, Apteryx mantelli. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.702128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reinforcement translocations are increasingly utilised in conservation with the goal of achieving genetic rescue. However, concerns regarding undesirable results, such as genetic homogenisation or replacement, are widespread. One factor influencing translocation outcomes is the rate at which the resident and the introduced individuals interbreed. Consequently, post-release mate choice is a key behaviour to consider in conservation planning. Here we studied mating, and its consequences for genomic admixture, in the North Island brown kiwi Apteryx mantelli population on Ponui Island which was founded by two translocation events over 50 years ago. The two source populations used are now recognised as belonging to two separate management units between which birds differ in size and are genetically differentiated. We examined the correlation between male and female morphometrics for 17 known pairs and quantified the relatedness of 20 pairs from this admixed population. In addition, we compared the genetic similarity and makeup of 106 Ponui Island birds, including 23 known pairs, to birds representing the source populations for the original translocations. We found no evidence for size-assortative mating. On the contrary, genomic SNP data suggested that kiwi of one feather did not flock together, meaning that mate choice resulted in pairing between individuals that were less related than expected by random chance. Furthermore, the birds in the current Ponui Island population were found to fall along a gradient of genomic composition consistent with non-clustered representation of the two parental genomes. These findings indicate potential for successful genetic rescue in future Apteryx reinforcement translocations, a potential that is currently under utilised due to restrictive translocation policies. In light of our findings, we suggest that reconsideration of these policies could render great benefits for the future diversity of this iconic genus in New Zealand.
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De Cahsan B, Westbury MV, Paraskevopoulou S, Drews H, Ott M, Gollmann G, Tiedemann R. Genomic consequences of human-mediated translocations in margin populations of an endangered amphibian. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1623-1634. [PMID: 34178108 PMCID: PMC8210794 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their isolated and often fragmented nature, range margin populations are especially vulnerable to rapid environmental change. To maintain genetic diversity and adaptive potential, gene flow from disjunct populations might therefore be crucial to their survival. Translocations are often proposed as a mitigation strategy to increase genetic diversity in threatened populations. However, this also includes the risk of losing locally adapted alleles through genetic swamping. Human-mediated translocations of southern lineage specimens into northern German populations of the endangered European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina) provide an unexpected experimental set-up to test the genetic consequences of an intraspecific introgression from central population individuals into populations at the species range margin. Here, we utilize complete mitochondrial genomes and transcriptome nuclear data to reveal the full genetic extent of this translocation and the consequences it may have for these populations. We uncover signs of introgression in four out of the five northern populations investigated, including a number of introgressed alleles ubiquitous in all recipient populations, suggesting a possible adaptive advantage. Introgressed alleles dominate at the MTCH2 locus, associated with obesity/fat tissue in humans, and the DSP locus, essential for the proper development of epidermal skin in amphibians. Furthermore, we found loci where local alleles were retained in the introgressed populations, suggesting their relevance for local adaptation. Finally, comparisons of genetic diversity between introgressed and nonintrogressed northern German populations revealed an increase in genetic diversity in all German individuals belonging to introgressed populations, supporting the idea of a beneficial transfer of genetic variation from Austria into North Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binia De Cahsan
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic ZoologyInstitute for Biochemistry and BiologyUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
- GLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Sofia Paraskevopoulou
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic ZoologyInstitute for Biochemistry and BiologyUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
- Unit of ZoologyTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Hauke Drews
- Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig‐HolsteinMolfseeGermany
| | - Moritz Ott
- Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig‐HolsteinMolfseeGermany
| | - Günter Gollmann
- Department of Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Ralph Tiedemann
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic ZoologyInstitute for Biochemistry and BiologyUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
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10
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Ribeiro SE, de Almeida-Rocha JM, Weber MM, Kajin M, Lorini ML, Cerqueira R. Do anthropogenic matrix and life-history traits structure small mammal populations? A meta-analytical approach. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01352-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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11
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Lazenby KD, Coates PS, O’Neil ST, Kohl MT, Dahlgren DK. Nesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage-grouse in North Dakota, USA. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2741-2760. [PMID: 33767833 PMCID: PMC7981223 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human enterprise has led to large-scale changes in landscapes and altered wildlife population distribution and abundance, necessitating efficient and effective conservation strategies for impacted species. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a widespread sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligate species that has experienced population declines since the mid-1900s resulting from habitat loss and expansion of anthropogenic features into sagebrush ecosystems. Habitat loss is especially evident in North Dakota, USA, on the northeastern fringe of sage-grouse' distribution, where a remnant population remains despite recent development of energy-related infrastructure. Resource managers in this region have determined a need to augment sage-grouse populations using translocation techniques that can be important management tools for countering species decline from range contraction. Although translocations are a common tool for wildlife management, very little research has evaluated habitat following translocation, to track individual behaviors such as habitat selection and fidelity to the release site, which can help inform habitat requirements to guide selection of future release sites. We provide an example where locations from previously released radio-marked sage-grouse are used in a resource selection function framework to evaluate habitat selection following translocation and identify areas of seasonal habitat to inform habitat management and potential restoration needs. We also evaluated possible changes in seasonal habitat since the late 1980s using spatial data provided by the Rangeland Analysis Platform coupled with resource selection modeling results. Our results serve as critical baseline information for habitat used by translocated individuals across life stages in this study area, and will inform future evaluations of population performance and potential for long-term recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kade D. Lazenby
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - Peter S. Coates
- Western Ecological Research CenterDixon Field StationU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | - Shawn T. O’Neil
- Western Ecological Research CenterDixon Field StationU.S. Geological SurveyDixonCAUSA
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
| | - David K. Dahlgren
- Department of Wildland ResourcesJack H. Berryman InstituteS. J. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
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Martin BT, Douglas MR, Chafin TK, Placyk JS, Birkhead RD, Phillips CA, Douglas ME. Contrasting signatures of introgression in North American box turtle (
Terrapene
spp.) contact zones. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4186-4202. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley T. Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Marlis R. Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Tyler K. Chafin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - John S. Placyk
- Department of Biology University of Texas Tyler TX USA
- Science Division Trinity Valley Community College Athens TX USA
| | | | - Christopher A. Phillips
- Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Champaign IL USA
| | - Michael E. Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
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13
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Douglas MR, Anthonysamy WJB, Mussmann SM, Davis MA, Louis W, Douglas ME. Multi-targeted management of upland game birds at the agroecosystem interface in midwestern North America. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230735. [PMID: 32339176 PMCID: PMC7185590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its imperative, biodiversity conservation is chronically underfunded, a deficiency that often forces management agencies to prioritize. Single-species recovery thus becomes a focus (often with socio-political implications), whereas a more economical approach would be the transition to multi-targeted management (= MTM). This challenge is best represented in Midwestern North America where biodiversity has been impacted by 300+ years of chronic anthropogenic disturbance such that native tall-grass prairie is now supplanted by an agroecosystem. Here, we develop an MTM with a population genetic metric to collaboratively manage three Illinois upland gamebirds: common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus; pheasant), northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus; quail), and threatened-endangered (T&E) greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus; prairie chicken). We first genotyped our study pheasant at 19 microsatellite DNA loci and identified three captive breeding stocks (N = 143; IL Department of Natural Resources) as being significantly bottlenecked, with relatedness >1st-cousin (μR = 0.158). 'Wild' (non-stocked) pheasant [N = 543; 14 Pheasant-Habitat-Areas (PHAs)] were also bottlenecked, significantly interrelated (μR = 0.150) and differentiated (μFST = 0.047), yet distinct from propagation stock. PHAs that encompassed significantly with larger areas also reflected greater effective population sizes (μNE = 43; P<0.007). We juxtaposed these data against previously published results for prairie chicken and quail, and found population genetic structure driven by drift, habitat/climate impacts, and gender-biased selection via hunter-harvest. Each species (hunter-harvested or T&E) is independently managed, yet their composite population genetic baseline provides the quantitative criteria needed for an upland game bird MTM. Its implementation would require agricultural plots to be rehabilitated/reclaimed using a land-sharing/sparing portfolio that differs markedly from the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), where sequestered land decreases as agricultural prices escalate. Cost-savings for an MTM would accrue by synchronizing single-species management with a dwindling hunter-harvest program, and by eliminating propagation/stocking programs. This would sustain not only native grasslands and their resident species, but also accelerate conservation at the wildlife-agroecosystem interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlis R. Douglas
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
| | | | - Steven M. Mussmann
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Davis
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Wade Louis
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Gibson City, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Douglas
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
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14
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Kirchman JJ, Ross AM, Johnson G. Historical decline of genetic diversity in a range-periphery population of Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) inhabiting the Adirondack Mountains. CONSERV GENET 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01246-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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Drought-induced Suppression of Female Fecundity in a Capital Breeder. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15499. [PMID: 31664072 PMCID: PMC6820553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51810-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced global climate change is exerting increasingly strong selective pressures on a myriad of fitness traits that affect organisms. These traits, in turn, are influenced by a variety of environmental parameters such as temperature and precipitation, particularly in ectothermic taxa such as amphibians and reptiles. Over the past several decades, severe and prolonged episodes of drought are becoming commonplace throughout North America. Documentation of responses to this environmental crisis, however, is often incomplete, particularly in cryptic species. Here, we investigated reproduction in a population of pitviper snakes (copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix), a live-bearing capital breeder. This population experienced a severe drought from 2012 through 2016. We tested whether declines in number of progeny were linked to this drought. Decline in total number offspring was significant, but offspring length and mass were unaffected. Reproductive output was positively impacted by precipitation and negatively impacted by high temperatures. We hypothesized that severe declines of prey species (e.g., cicada, amphibians, and small mammals) reduced energy acquisition during drought, negatively impacting reproductive output of the snakes. Support for this view was found using the periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.) as a proxy for prey availability. Various climate simulations, including our own qualitative analysis, predict that drought events will continue unabated throughout the geographic distribution of copperheads which suggests that long-term monitoring of populations are needed to better understand geographic variation in drought resilience and cascading impacts of drought phenomena on ecosystem function.
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Mathur S, Tomeček JM, Heniff A, Luna R, DeWoody JA. Evidence of genetic erosion in a peripheral population of a North American game bird: the Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae). CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01218-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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17
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Mussmann SM, Douglas MR, Chafin TK, Douglas ME. BA3‐SNPs: Contemporary migration reconfigured in BayesAss for next‐generation sequence data. Methods Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Mussmann
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas
| | - Marlis R. Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas
| | - Tyler K. Chafin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas
| | - Michael E. Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas
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18
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Baker SJ, Anthonysamy WJB, Davis MA, Dreslik MJ, Douglas MR, Douglas ME, Phillips CA. Temporal Patterns of Genetic Diversity in an Imperiled Population of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus). COPEIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1643/cg-17-682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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