1
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Lamka GF, Willoughby JR. Habitat remediation followed by managed connectivity reduces unwanted changes in evolutionary trajectory of high extirpation risk populations. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304276. [PMID: 38814889 PMCID: PMC11139274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
As we continue to convert green spaces into roadways and buildings, connectivity between populations and biodiversity will continue to decline. In threatened and endangered species, this trend is particularly concerning because the cessation of immigration can cause increased inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity, leading to lower adaptability and higher extirpation probabilities in these populations. Unfortunately, monitoring changes in genetic diversity from management actions such as assisted migration and predicting the extent of introduced genetic variation that is needed to prevent extirpation is difficult and costly in situ. Therefore, we designed an agent-based model to link population-wide genetic variability and the influx of unique alleles via immigration to population stability and extirpation outcomes. These models showed that management of connectivity can be critical in restoring at-risk populations and reducing the effects of inbreeding depression. However, the rescued populations were more similar to the migrant source population (average FST range 0.05-0.10) compared to the historical recipient population (average FST range 0.23-0.37). This means that these management actions not only recovered the populations from the effects of inbreeding depression, but they did so in a way that changed the evolutionary trajectory that was predicted and expected for these populations prior to the population crash. This change was most extreme in populations with the smallest population sizes, which are representative of critically endangered species that could reasonably be considered candidates for restored connectivity or translocation strategies. Understanding how these at-risk populations change in response to varying management interventions has broad implications for the long-term adaptability of these populations and can improve future efforts for protecting locally adapted allele complexes when connectivity is restored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina F. Lamka
- College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Janna R. Willoughby
- College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
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2
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Gross IP, Wilson AE, Wolak ME. The fitness consequences of wildlife conservation translocations: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:348-371. [PMID: 37844577 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocation is a common strategy to offset mounting rates of population declines through the transfer of captive- or wild-origin organisms into areas where conspecific populations are imperilled or completely extirpated. Translocations that supplement existing populations are referred to as reinforcements and can be conducted using captive-origin animals [ex situ reinforcement (ESR)] or wild-origin animals without any captive ancestry [in situ reinforcement (ISR)]. These programs have been criticized for low success rates and husbandry practices that produce individuals with genetic and performance deficits, but the post-release performance of captive-origin or wild-origin translocated groups has not been systematically reviewed to quantify success relative to wild-resident control groups. To assess the disparity in post-release performance of translocated organisms relative to wild-resident conspecifics and examine the association of performance disparity with organismal and methodological factors across studies, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 821 performance comparisons from 171 studies representing nine animal classes (101 species). We found that translocated organisms have 64% decreased odds of out-performing their wild-resident counterparts, supporting claims of systemic issues hampering conservation translocations. To help identify translocation practices that could maximize program success in the future, we further quantified the impact of broad organismal and methodological factors on the disparity between translocated and wild-resident conspecific performance. Pre-release animal enrichment significantly reduced performance disparities, whereas our results suggest no overall effects of taxonomic group, sex, captive generation time, or the type of fitness surrogate measured. This work is the most comprehensive systematic review to date of animal conservation translocations in which wild conspecifics were used as comparators, thereby facilitating an evaluation of the overall impact of this conservation strategy and identifying specific actions to increase success. Our review highlights the need for conservation managers to include both sympatric and allopatric wild-reference groups to ensure the post-release performance of translocated animals can be evaluated. Further, our analyses identify pre-release animal enrichment as a particular strategy for improving the outcomes of animal conservation translocations, and demonstrate how meta-analysis can be used to identify implementation choices that maximize translocated animal contributions to recipient population growth and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwo P Gross
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Alan E Wilson
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, 382 Mell Street, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Matthew E Wolak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
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3
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Dayan DI, Sard NM, Johnson MA, Fitzpatrick CK, Couture R, O'Malley KG. A single generation in the wild increases fitness for descendants of hatchery-origin Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13678. [PMID: 38617826 PMCID: PMC11009425 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Reintroduction is an important tool for the recovery of imperiled species. For threatened Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) species, hatchery-origin (HOR) individuals from a nearby source are often used to reestablish populations in vacant, historically occupied habitat. However, this approach is challenged by the relatively low reproductive success that HOR Pacific salmonids experience when they spawn in the wild, relative to their natural-origin (NOR) counterparts. In this study, we used genetic parentage analysis to compare the reproductive success of three groups of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) reintroduced above Cougar Dam on the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon: HOR Chinook salmon from an integrated stock; first-generation, wild-born descendants (hereafter F 1s) of Chinook salmon produced at the same hatchery; and NOR Chinook salmon that are presumed to have been produced below the dam, on the mainstem McKenzie River, or elsewhere and volitionally entered a trap below Cougar Dam. We found that F 1s produced nearly as many adult offspring as NORs, and 1.8-fold more adult offspring than HORs. This result suggests that, for the South Fork McKenzie reintroduction program, a single generation in the wild increases fitness for the descendants of HOR Chinook salmon. Although these results are encouraging, care must be taken before extrapolating our results to other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David I. Dayan
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
| | - Nicholas M. Sard
- Department of Biological SciencesState University of New York‐OswegoOswegoNew YorkUSA
| | - Marc A. Johnson
- Native Fish Conservation and Recovery, Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeSalemOregonUSA
| | - Cristín K. Fitzpatrick
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
| | - Ryan Couture
- Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Kathleen G. O'Malley
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
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Abdulmalik-Labe OP, Eduardo AJL, Quilang JP. Genetic diversity and divergence among native and translocated populations of the golden flathead goby Glossogobius aureus (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) in Philippine lakes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293076. [PMID: 38096142 PMCID: PMC10721109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The golden flathead goby Glossogobius aureus is a native species in the Philippines, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and many other countries in Asia. In the Philippines, it is an important food fish as it is commonly caught in major lakes. In this study, a total of 307 specimens morphologically identified as G. aureus were sampled from nine major lakes in the Philippines and were sequenced for their mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene. Two hundred sixty of the 307 cyt b sequences had sequence similarities of ≥ 99% with G. aureus reference sequence in GenBank, while the remaining 47 (all from Lake Lanao) had sequence similarities of only 95% and were thus designated as Glossogobius cf. aureus and treated as a separate population. The sequences were then analyzed to examine the pattern of genetic diversity, relatedness, divergence, and demographic history among native and translocated populations of the species. Twenty-nine haplotypes were recovered, of which four haplotypes were shared among three to seven populations. Only one haplotype each was found in the native population in Lake Buhi and translocated population in Lake Paoay. Low haplotype and low nucleotide diversities were found for the populations in Laguna de Bay, Lanao, Bato, Buhi, Paoay, and Sebu lakes, which indicate founder event for the introduced populations in Lanao, Paoay, and Sebu lakes and recent genetic bottleneck for the native populations in Laguna de Bay, Bato, and Buhi. In contrast, high haplotype but low nucleotide diversities were found for the native populations of Taal, Naujan, and Buluan lakes, signifying a recent bottleneck followed by population expansion. Pairwise FST values showed generally large (FST = 0.168-0.249) to very large (FST = 0.302-1.000) genetic divergence between populations except between Laguna de Bay and Lake Bato, Laguna de Bay and Lake Buhi, and Lake Bato and Lake Buhi populations, which showed nonsignificant genetic differentiation. Lake Buluan and Lake Sebu populations showed moderate genetic differentiation (FST = 0.098). Neutrality tests showed significant negative Tajima's D and Fu's FS values only for the population from Laguna de Bay, which suggests that the population is undergoing expansion. These results are important for establishing scientifically sound strategies for effective conservation and sustainable exploitation of G. aureus in the Philippines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onaya P. Abdulmalik-Labe
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
- Biology Department, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Mindanao State University, Marawi City, Philippines
| | - Andrew Jason L. Eduardo
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Jonas P. Quilang
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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5
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Onley IR, White LC, Moseby KE, Copley P, Cowen S. Disproportionate admixture improves reintroduction outcomes despite the use of low‐diversity source populations: population viability analysis for a translocation of the greater stick‐nest rat. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12812] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- I. R. Onley
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), School of Biological Sciences University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - L. C. White
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - K. E. Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - P. Copley
- South Australian Department for Environment and Water Adelaide SA Australia
| | - S. Cowen
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kensington WA Australia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
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6
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Unintentional Recovery of Parasitic Diversity Following Restoration of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in North-Western Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111433. [PMID: 35681897 PMCID: PMC9179837 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the early sixties, free ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus, L.) were absent in Piedmont. Human-driven translocations and spontaneous migration of red deer from Switzerland and France resulted in the successful redistribution of this wild ungulate. In parallel, host-specific parasites harbored by red deer populations disappeared in the same area until the restoration of red deer in north-western Italy. The parasitic community has been enriched with at least two species-specific taxa, Onchocerca jakutensis and Pharyngomyia picta, suggesting that the recovery of parasitic biodiversity could be included amongst future conservation goals of this intensively managed game. Abstract Red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations in north-western Italy have been remodeled in recent decades. Multiple translocations and the spontaneous migration from Switzerland and France resulted in the successful redistribution of the red deer after human-driven extirpation during the 18th century. The scarcely diverse parasitic community harbored by these cervids has been enriched with two species-specific taxa, Onchocerca jakutensis and Phayigomyia picta, suggesting that the recovery of parasitic biodiversity could be included amongst future conservation goals of this intensively managed game. Nodular onchocercosis was reported in three red deer populations since 2011, while nasal bots were reported since 2018. Hypoderma spp. larvae were identified for the first time in 1989, then a second record was made in 2014 in the province of Biella, where a yearling male in poor condition infested with Hypoderma diana was observed. In the perspective that the restoration of species-specific parasite communities of native mammals in Europe is increasingly perceived as a conservation target, with similar dignity as the conservation of their hosts, baseline data presented in this communication may give new insights for future parasite conservation efforts.
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7
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Fischer JH, Wittmer HU, Kenup CF, Parker KA, Cole R, Debski I, Taylor GA, Ewen JG, Armstrong DP. Predicting harvest impact and establishment success when translocating highly mobile and endangered species. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- JH Fischer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - HU Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand
| | - CF Kenup
- Wildlife Ecology Group Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
| | | | - R Cole
- Murihiku District Office Department of Conservation Invercargill
| | - I Debski
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - GA Taylor
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - JG Ewen
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
| | - DP Armstrong
- Wildlife Ecology Group Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
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8
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Wright AL, Anson JR, Leo V, Wright BR, Newsome TM, Grueber CE. Urban restoration of common species: population genetics of reintroduced native bush rats
Rattus fuscipes
in Sydney, Australia. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. L. Wright
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - J. R. Anson
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy Perth WA Australia
| | - V. Leo
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy Perth WA Australia
| | - B. R. Wright
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
- Sydney School of Veterinary Sciences The University of Sydney Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - T. M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - C. E. Grueber
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
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9
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White SL, Johnson TC, Rash JM, Lubinski BA, Kazyak DC. Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: a case study in brook trout. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L. White
- Akima Systems Engineers, under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
| | - Thomas C. Johnson
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 645 Fish Hatchery Road Marion North Carolina 28752 USA
| | - Jacob M. Rash
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 645 Fish Hatchery Road Marion North Carolina 28752 USA
| | - Barbara A. Lubinski
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
| | - David C. Kazyak
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
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10
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Rayne A, Blair S, Dale M, Flack B, Hollows J, Moraga R, Parata RN, Rupene M, Tamati‐Elliffe P, Wehi PM, Wylie MJ, Steeves TE. Weaving place‐based knowledge for culturally significant species in the age of genomics: Looking to the past to navigate the future. Evol Appl 2022; 15:751-772. [PMID: 35603033 PMCID: PMC9108313 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13367] [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: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Relationships with place provide critical context for characterizing biocultural diversity. Yet, genetic and genomic studies are rarely informed by Indigenous or local knowledge, processes, and practices, including the movement of culturally significant species. Here, we show how place‐based knowledge can better reveal the biocultural complexities of genetic or genomic data derived from culturally significant species. As a case study, we focus on culturally significant southern freshwater kōura (crayfish) in Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu (New Zealand, herein Aotearoa NZ). Our results, based on genotyping‐by‐sequencing markers, reveal strong population genetic structure along with signatures of population admixture in 19 genetically depauperate populations across the east coast of Te Waipounamu. Environment association and differentiation analyses for local adaptation also indicate a role for hydroclimatic variables—including temperature, precipitation, and water flow regimes—in shaping local adaptation in kōura. Through trusted partnerships between community and researchers, weaving genomic markers with place‐based knowledge has both provided invaluable context for the interpretation of data and created opportunities to reconnect people and place. We envisage such trusted partnerships guiding future genomic research for culturally significant species in Aotearoa NZ and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisling Rayne
- University of Canterbury School of Biological Sciences Christchurch New Zealand
| | | | - Matthew Dale
- Waterscape Connections Ltd Dunedin New Zealand
- Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Brendan Flack
- Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki Karitane New Zealand
| | | | - Roger Moraga
- Tea Break Bioinformatics Ltd Palmerston North New Zealand
| | | | - Makarini Rupene
- University of Canterbury Ngāi Tahu Research Centre Christchurch New Zealand
- Environment Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | | | - Priscilla M Wehi
- University of Otago, Centre for Sustainability Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Matthew J Wylie
- Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki Karitane New Zealand
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited Nelson New Zealand
| | - Tammy E Steeves
- University of Canterbury School of Biological Sciences Christchurch New Zealand
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11
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Evans AE, Zimova M, Giery ST, Golden HE, Pastore AL, Nadeau CP, Urban MC. An eco‐evolutionary perspective on the humpty‐dumpty effect and community restoration. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08978] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- Annette E. Evans
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Dept of Environmental Conservation, Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst MA USA
| | | | - Sean T. Giery
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Dept of Biology, The Pennsylvania State Univ. Univ. Park PA USA
| | - Heidi E. Golden
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Golden Ecology LLC Simsbury CT USA
| | - Amanda L. Pastore
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
| | - Christopher P. Nadeau
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Smith Conservation Research Fellow, Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern Univ. Nahant MA USA
| | - Mark C. Urban
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Center of Biological Risks, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
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12
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OUP accepted manuscript. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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13
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Xiao Z, Yang T, Wang S, Wei X, Jiang M. Exploring the origin and genetic representation of ex situ living collections of five endangered tree species established for 20–35 years. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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14
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Mitchell WF, Boulton RL, Sunnucks P, Clarke RH. Are we adequately assessing the demographic impacts of harvesting for wild‐sourced conservation translocations? CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.569] [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)
| | - Rebecca L. Boulton
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - Rohan H. Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
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15
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Crotti M, Yohannes E, Winfield IJ, Lyle AA, Adams CE, Elmer KR. Rapid adaptation through genomic and epigenomic responses following translocations in an endangered salmonid. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2470-2489. [PMID: 34745338 PMCID: PMC8549615 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular mechanisms facilitating adaptation to new environments is a key question in evolutionary biology, especially in the face of current rapid and human-induced changes. Translocations have become an important tool for species conservation, but the attendant small population sizes and new ecological pressures might affect phenotypic and genotypic variation and trajectories dramatically and in unknown ways. In Scotland, the European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) is native to only two lakes and vulnerable to extirpation. Six new refuge populations were established over the last 30 years as a conservation measure. In this study, we examined whether there is a predictable ecological and evolutionary response of these fishes to translocation. We found eco-morphological differences, as functional traits relating to body shape differed between source and refuge populations. Dual isotopic analyses suggested some ecological release, with the diets in refuge populations being more diverse than in source populations. Analyses of up to 9117 genome-mapped SNPs showed that refuge populations had reduced genetic diversity and elevated inbreeding and relatedness relative to source populations, though genomic differentiation was low (F ST = 0.002-0.030). We identified 14 genomic SNPs that showed shared signals of a selective response to translocations, including some located near or within genes involved in the immune system, nervous system and hepatic functions. Analysis of up to 120,897 epigenomic loci identified a component of consistent differential methylation between source and refuge populations. We found that epigenomic variation and genomic variation were associated with morphological variation, but we were not able to infer an effect of population age because the patterns were also linked with the methodology of the translocations. These results show that conservation-driven translocations affect evolutionary potential by impacting eco-morphological, genomic and epigenomic components of diversity, shedding light on acclimation and adaptation process in these contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Crotti
- Institute of BiodiversityAnimal Health & Comparative MedicineCollege of Medical, Veterinary & Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Elizabeth Yohannes
- Limnological InstituteUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Present address:
Max‐Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorAm Obstberg 1D‐78315RadolfzellGermany
- Present address:
University of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
| | - Ian J. Winfield
- Lake Ecosystems GroupUK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyLancaster Environment CentreBailrigg, LancasterUK
| | - Alex A. Lyle
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural EnvironmentUniversity of GlasgowRowardennanUK
| | - Colin E. Adams
- Institute of BiodiversityAnimal Health & Comparative MedicineCollege of Medical, Veterinary & Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural EnvironmentUniversity of GlasgowRowardennanUK
| | - Kathryn R. Elmer
- Institute of BiodiversityAnimal Health & Comparative MedicineCollege of Medical, Veterinary & Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
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16
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Barbosa S, Andrews KR, Goldberg AR, Gour DS, Hohenlohe PA, Conway CJ, Waits LP. The role of neutral and adaptive genomic variation in population diversification and speciation in two ground squirrel species of conservation concern. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4673-4694. [PMID: 34324748 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the neutral (demographic) and adaptive processes leading to the differentiation of species and populations is a critical component of evolutionary and conservation biology. In this context, recently diverged taxa represent a unique opportunity to study the process of genetic differentiation. Northern and southern Idaho ground squirrels (Urocitellus brunneus - NIDGS, and U. endemicus - SIDGS, respectively) are a recently diverged pair of sister species that have undergone dramatic declines in the last 50 years and are currently found in metapopulations across restricted spatial areas with distinct environmental pressures. Here we genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from buccal swabs with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). With these data we evaluated neutral genetic structure at both theinter- and intraspecific level, and identified putatively adaptive SNPs using population structure outlier detection and genotype-environment association (GEA) analyses. At the interspecific level, we detected a clear separation between NIDGS and SIDGS, and evidence for adaptive differentiation putatively linked to torpor patterns. At the intraspecific level, we found evidence of both neutral and adaptive differentiation. For NIDGS, elevation appears to be the main driver of adaptive differentiation, while neutral variation patterns match and expand information on the low connectivity between some populations identified in previous studies using microsatellite markers. For SIDGS, neutral substructure generally reflected natural geographic barriers, while adaptive variation reflected differences in land cover and temperature, as well as elevation. These results clearly highlight the roles of neutral and adaptive processes for understanding the complexity of the processes leading to species and population differentiation, which can have important conservation implications in susceptible and threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraia Barbosa
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Kimberly R Andrews
- University of Idaho, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Amanda R Goldberg
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Digpal S Gour
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Paul A Hohenlohe
- University of Idaho, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-3051, USA
| | - Courtney J Conway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844-1141, USA
| | - Lisette P Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
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Verdon SJ, Mitchell WF, Clarke MF. Can flexible timing of harvest for translocation reduce the impact on fluctuating source populations? WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextSpecies translocations are used in conservation globally. Although harvest for translocation may have negative impacts on source populations, translocation programs rarely explore ways of minimising those impacts. In fluctuating source populations, harvest timing may affect its impact because population size and trajectory vary among years.
AimsWe explored whether the timing and scale of harvest can be altered to reduce its impact on a fluctuating source population of Mallee Emu-wrens, Stipiturus mallee; an endangered passerine in south-eastern Australia. Mallee Emu-wren populations fluctuate with ~5–10-year drought–rain cycles.
MethodsWe used population viability analysis (PVA) to compare the impact of five harvest scales (no harvest, 100, 200, 300 or 500 individuals) under three population trajectories (increasing, stable or decreasing) and two initial population sizes (our model-based estimate of the population size and the lower 95% confidence interval of that estimate). To generate a model-based estimate of the population size, we surveyed 540 sites (9ha), stratified according to environmental variables known to affect Mallee Emu-wren occurrence. We used an information-theoretic approach with N-mixture models to estimate Mallee Emu-wren density, and extrapolated results over all potential habitat.
Key ResultsWe estimate that in spring 2019, the source population consisted of 6449 individuals, with a minimum of 1923 individuals (lower 95% confidence interval). Of 48 harvest scenarios, only seven showed no impact of harvest within 5 years (15%). Those seven all had increasing population trajectories and carrying capacity set to equal initial population size. Twenty-six populations showed no impact of harvest within 25 years (54%). These were either increasing populations that had reached carrying capacity or decreasing populations nearing extinction.
ConclusionsInitial population size, carrying capacity, harvest scale and population trajectory were all determinants of harvest impact. Given the importance of carrying capacity, further research is required to determine its role in the Mallee Emu-wren source population.
ImplicationsHarvesting Mallee Emu-wrens after high-rainfall years will have the least impact because source populations are likely to be large with increasing trajectories. For fluctuating source populations, flexibility in the timing of harvest can reduce its impact and should be considered during translocation planning.
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Wei X, Jiang M. Meta-analysis of genetic representativeness of plant populations under ex situ conservation in contrast to wild source populations. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 35:12-23. [PMID: 32840007 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Ex-situ conservation is widely used to protect wild plant species from extinction. However, it remains unclear how genetic variation of ex-situ plant collections reflects wild source population diversity. Here, we conduct a global meta-analysis of the genetic representativeness of ex-situ populations by comparing genetic diversity (i.e. AR, allelic richness; HE , expected heterozygosity; PPB, percentage polymorphic bands; and SWI, Shannon-Winner index), inbreeding coefficient (FIS ), and genetic differentiation between ex-situ plant collections and their wild source populations. Genetic diversity (i.e., HE , PPB, and SWI) was significantly lower in ex-situ populations than their wild source populations, while genetic differentiation between ex-situ and wild populations (ex-situ-wild FST ), but not that among ex-situ populations, was significantly higher than among wild populations. Outcrossing species, but not those with mixed mating system, had significantly lower genetic diversity in ex-situ populations, and significantly higher ex-situ-wild FST . When the collection size for ex-situ conservation was ≥30 or 50, PPB, HE , and ex-situ-wild FST were not significantly different between ex-situ and wild populations, indicating a relatively high genetic representativeness. Collecting from the entire natural distribution range and mixing collections from different sources could significantly increase the genetic representativeness of ex-situ populations. Type of ex-situ conservation (i.e., planting or seed bank) had no effect on genetic representativeness. The effect size of HE decreased and the effect size of ex-situ-wild FST increased with the duration of ex-situ conservation. Our results suggest that current ex-situ plant collections do not effectively capture the genetic variation of wild populations. Low genetic representativeness of ex-situ populations was caused by both initial incomplete sampling from wild populations and genetic erosion during ex-situ conservation. We emphasize that it is necessary to employ more thorough sampling strategies in future collecting efforts and to add new individuals where needed. Article impact statement: Low genetic representativeness of living plant collections is a worldwide problem in ex situ conservation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzeng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mingxi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Schmidt DA, Govindarajulu P, Larsen KW, Russello MA. Genotyping-in-Thousands by sequencing reveals marked population structure in Western Rattlesnakes to inform conservation status. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7157-7172. [PMID: 32760519 PMCID: PMC7391313 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Delineation of units below the species level is critical for prioritizing conservation actions for species at-risk. Genetic studies play an important role in characterizing patterns of population connectivity and diversity to inform the designation of conservation units, especially for populations that are geographically isolated. The northernmost range margin of Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) occurs in British Columbia, Canada, where it is federally classified as threatened and restricted to five geographic regions. In these areas, Western Rattlesnakes hibernate (den) communally, raising questions about connectivity within and between den complexes. At present, Western Rattlesnake conservation efforts are hindered by a complete lack of information on genetic structure and degree of isolation at multiple scales, from the den to the regional level. To fill this knowledge gap, we used Genotyping-in-Thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) to genotype an optimized panel of 362 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from individual samples (n = 461) collected across the snake's distribution in western Canada and neighboring Washington (USA). Hierarchical STRUCTURE analyses found evidence for population structure within and among the five geographic regions in BC, as well as in Washington. Within these regions, 11 genetically distinct complexes of dens were identified, with some regions having multiple complexes. No significant pattern of isolation-by-distance and generally low levels of migration were detected among den complexes across regions. Additionally, snakes within dens generally were more related than those among den complexes within a region, indicating limited movement. Overall, our results suggest that the single, recognized designatable unit for Western Rattlesnakes in Canada should be re-assessed to proactively focus conservation efforts on preserving total genetic variation detected range-wide. More broadly, our study demonstrates a novel application of GT-seq for investigating patterns of diversity in wild populations at multiple scales to better inform conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A. Schmidt
- Department of BiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaOkanagan CampusKelownaBCCanada
| | - Purnima Govindarajulu
- British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change StrategyVictoriaBCCanada
| | - Karl W. Larsen
- Department of Natural Resource SciencesThompson Rivers UniversityKamloopsBCCanada
| | - Michael A. Russello
- Department of BiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaOkanagan CampusKelownaBCCanada
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