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Robinson Z, Coombs J, Hudy M, Nislow K, Whiteley A. Estimates of Effective Number of Breeders Identify Drivers of Decline in Mid-Atlantic Brook Trout Populations. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13769. [PMID: 39360186 PMCID: PMC11442137 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13769] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations have experienced marked declines throughout their native range and are presently threatened due to isolation in small habitat fragments, land use changes, and climate change. The existence of numerous, spatially distinct populations poses substantial challenges for monitoring population status (e.g., abundance, recruitment, or occupancy). Genetic monitoring with estimates of effective number of breeders (N b) provides a potentially powerful metric to complement existing population monitoring, assessment, and prioritization. We estimated N b for 71 Brook Trout habitat units in mid-Atlantic region of the United States and obtained a mean N b of 73.2 (range 6.90-493). Our modeling approach tested whether N b estimates were sensitive to differences in habitat size, presence of non-native salmonids, base flow index, temperature, acidic precipitation, and indices of anthropogenic disturbance. We found significant support for three of our hypotheses including the positive influences of available habitat and base flow index and negative effect of temperature. Our results are consistent with presently observed and predicted future impacts of climate change on populations of this cold-water fish. Importantly, these findings support the use of N b in population assessments as an index of relative population status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L. Robinson
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
| | - Jason A. Coombs
- Northeast Fishery CenterUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceLamarPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Keith H. Nislow
- U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research StationUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Andrew R. Whiteley
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMontanaUSA
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2
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Buckley SJ, Brauer CJ, Unmack PJ, Hammer MP, Adams M, Beatty SJ, Morgan DL, Beheregaray LB. Long-term climatic stability drives accumulation and maintenance of divergent freshwater fish lineages in a temperate biodiversity hotspot. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 133:149-159. [PMID: 38918613 PMCID: PMC11349885 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00700-6] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is forecast to drive regional climate disruption and instability across the globe. These impacts are likely to be exacerbated within biodiversity hotspots, both due to the greater potential for species loss but also to the possibility that endemic lineages might not have experienced significant climatic variation in the past, limiting their evolutionary potential to respond to rapid climate change. We assessed the role of climatic stability on the accumulation and persistence of lineages in an obligate freshwater fish group endemic to the southwest Western Australia (SWWA) biodiversity hotspot. Using 19,426 genomic (ddRAD-seq) markers and species distribution modelling, we explored the phylogeographic history of western (Nannoperca vittata) and little (Nannoperca pygmaea) pygmy perches, assessing population divergence and phylogenetic relationships, delimiting species and estimating changes in species distributions from the Pliocene to 2100. We identified two deep phylogroups comprising three divergent clusters, which showed no historical connectivity since the Pliocene. We conservatively suggest these represent three isolated species with additional intraspecific structure within one widespread species. All lineages showed long-term patterns of isolation and persistence owing to climatic stability but with significant range contractions likely under future climate change. Our results highlighted the role of climatic stability in allowing the persistence of isolated lineages in the SWWA. This biodiversity hotspot is under compounding threat from ongoing climate change and habitat modification, which may further threaten previously undetected cryptic diversity across the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean James Buckley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT, 0801, Australia
| | - Mark Adams
- Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Stephen J Beatty
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - David L Morgan
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
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3
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Kennedy BPA, Clemann A, Ma GC. Feline Encounters Down Under: Investigating the Activity of Cats and Native Wildlife at Sydney's North Head. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2485. [PMID: 39272270 PMCID: PMC11394113 DOI: 10.3390/ani14172485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Cats (Felis catus) are widespread across Australia, including within natural and protected areas, and in many areas, cats, including owned domestic cats, are not restricted in where or when they can roam. In Australia, cats have contributed to the decline of many native species and continue to be a problem for governments. North Head, Manly, is home to an endangered population of Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) and the only mainland breeding colony of Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) in New South Wales (NSW). Camera traps were installed for a 5-week period across North Head to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of cat activity. As well as capturing instances of cats, the cameras detected native animals such as birds, possums, Long-nosed Bandicoots and other small mammals. An analysis of the camera images showed cats could be found within protected areas of the headland (where cats are prohibited) and along the boundary with the adjacent suburban area of Manly. Cats were mostly detected during the night. There were high occurrences of overlap between cats and Long-nosed Bandicoots (Dhat 0.82), possums (Dhat 0.88) and other small mammals (Dhat 0.67). These findings indicate that cats are active across the Manly headland at the same time as native animals, both within protected areas where cats are prohibited and in adjacent residential areas, and this could have implications for these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke P A Kennedy
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Anna Clemann
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Gemma C Ma
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals New South Wales, Yagoona, NSW 2199, Australia
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
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Engloner AI, Németh K, Bereczki J. The Genetic Diversity of the Macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum in Backwaters Reflects Differences in the Hydrological Connectivity and Water Flow Rate of Habitats. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:2220. [PMID: 39204656 PMCID: PMC11360828 DOI: 10.3390/plants13162220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Macrophytes often live in fluvial backwaters that have a variety of hydrological connections to a main river. Since the ability of these plants to adapt to changing environments may depend on the genetic diversity of the populations, it is important to know whether it can be influenced by habitat characteristics. We examined the microsatellite polymorphism of the submerged macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum from various backwaters and showed that the genetic diversity of this plant clearly reflects habitat hydrological differences. The greatest genetic variability was found in a canal system where constant water flow maintained a direct connection between the habitats and the river. In contrast, an isolated backwater on the protected side of the river had the lowest plant genetic diversity. Oxbows permanently connected to the branch system with static or flowing water, and former river branches temporarily connected to the main bed contained populations with moderately high or low genetic variability. The results demonstrate that habitat fragmentation can be a result not only of the loss of direct water contact, but also of the lack of flowing water. Adverse hydrological changes can reduce the genetic diversity of populations and thus the ability of this macrophyte to adapt to changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila I. Engloner
- HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
- National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Security, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kitti Németh
- HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
- National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Security, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Bereczki
- Molecular Taxonomy Laboratory, Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary
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5
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Riva F, Koper N, Fahrig L. Overcoming confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1411-1424. [PMID: 38477434 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13073] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat loss is widely recognized as a primary environmental concern. By contrast, debates on the effects of habitat fragmentation persist. To facilitate overcoming these debates, here we: (i) review the state of the literature on habitat fragmentation, finding widespread confusion and stigma; (ii) identify consequences of this for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management; and (iii) suggest ways in which research can move forward to resolve these problems. Confusion is evident from the 25 most-cited fragmentation articles published between 2017 and 2021. These articles use five distinct concepts of habitat fragmentation, only one of which clearly distinguishes habitat fragmentation from habitat area and other factors ('fragmentation per se'). Stigmatization is evident from our new findings that fragmentation papers are more charged with negative sentiments when compared to papers from other subfields in the environmental sciences, and that fragmentation papers with more negative sentiments are cited more. While most empirical studies of habitat fragmentation per se find neutral or positive effects on species and biodiversity outcomes, which implies that small habitat patches have a high cumulative value, confusion and stigma in reporting and discussing such results have led to suboptimal habitat protection policy. For example, government agencies, conservation organizations, and land trusts impose minimum habitat patch sizes on habitat protection. Given the high cumulative value of small patches, such policies mean that many opportunities for conservation are being missed. Our review highlights the importance of reducing confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research. To this end, we propose implementing study designs in which multiple sample landscapes are selected across independent gradients of habitat amount and fragmentation, measured as patch density. We show that such designs are possible for forest habitat across Earth's biomes. As such study designs are adopted, and as language becomes more precise, we expect that confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research will dissipate. We also expect important breakthroughs in understanding the situations where effects of habitat fragmentation per se are neutral, positive, or negative, and the reasons for these differences. Ultimately this will improve efficacy of area-based conservation policies, to the benefit of biodiversity and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Riva
- Environmental Geography Department, Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1111, 1081, HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nicola Koper
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, British Columbia, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Lenore Fahrig
- Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
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6
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Masuda T, Shimono Y, Kishi D, Koizumi I. Evaluation of genetic consequences of stocking on the southern-margin populations of white-spotted charr. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70140. [PMID: 39130102 PMCID: PMC11311121 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70140] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Coldwater-adapted freshwater fishes, especially their populations along warm-range margins, are most vulnerable to the climate oscillations associated with global warming. Stocking is a major strategy for avoiding the extinction of these species. However, while stocking can reverse the decline of isolated populations, it may also result in a loss of genetic diversity in the native local population due to the introgressive replacement of hatchery genes. To plan an adequate strategy for conserving locally adapted populations, the genetic impacts of stocking on native lineages should be evaluated from small river branches to wide-ranging drainage areas. We investigated the population genetic structure of white-spotted charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis) within its southern range (Lake Biwa basin, Japan). By applying genome-wide SNP analysis to the population's genetic structure, we assessed the extent of genetic introgression resulting from stocking. White-spotted charr in the Lake Biwa watershed constitutes a distinctive genetic group, within which apparent genetic differentiation was observed. The hatchery-reared fish line commonly used for supplementation stocking in the catchment was discernable from the native population, enabling us to analyze genetic introgression across the entire drainage area. Admixed individuals resulting from hatchery introgression were observed in most of the stocked sites that showed relatively high heterozygosity and nucleotide diversity. However, their genetic differentiation was much lower than that of native populations. The supplementation history as well as the road availability contributed substantially to the introgression of hatchery genes. Populations with the native genetic structure remained in the upstream regions of the tested rivers. However, their heterozygosity and nucleotide diversity were low when compared with that of the populations with hatchery supplementation. Our results shed light on the genetic impacts of stocking on isolated native populations and suggest that conventional supplementation methods cannot preserve a unique biodiversity in the distribution margin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Masuda
- Laboratory of Marine Biology, Division of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of AgricultureSetsunan UniversityHirakata, OsakaJapan
| | - Yoshiko Shimono
- Laboratory of Weed Science, Graduate School of AgricultureKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Daisuke Kishi
- Gero Branch, Gifu Prefectural Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquatic EnvironmentsGifuJapan
| | - Itsuro Koizumi
- Faculty of Environmental Earth ScienceHokkaido UniversitySapporoHokkaidoJapan
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7
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Callaghan CT, Santini L, Spake R, Bowler DE. Population abundance estimates in conservation and biodiversity research. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:515-523. [PMID: 38508923 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.012] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Measuring and tracking biodiversity from local to global scales is challenging due to its multifaceted nature and the range of metrics used to describe spatial and temporal patterns. Abundance can be used to describe how a population changes across space and time, but it can be measured in different ways, with consequences for the interpretation and communication of spatiotemporal patterns. We differentiate between relative and absolute abundance, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each for biodiversity monitoring, conservation, and ecological research. We highlight when absolute abundance can be advantageous and should be prioritized in biodiversity monitoring and research, and conclude by providing avenues for future research directions to better assess the necessity of absolute abundance in biodiversity monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey T Callaghan
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL 33314-7719, USA.
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rebecca Spake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Diana E Bowler
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
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8
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Kim KR, Sung MS, Hwang Y, Jeong JH, Yu JN. Assessment of the Genetic Diversity and Structure of the Korean Endemic Freshwater Fish Microphysogobio longidorsalis (Gobioninae) Using Microsatellite Markers: A First Glance from Population Genetics. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:69. [PMID: 38254959 PMCID: PMC10815670 DOI: 10.3390/genes15010069] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Microphysogobio longidorsalis is endemic to South Korea and inhabits small areas of the Namhangang, Bukhangang, and Imjingang Rivers in the Hangang River water system. Endemic species usually are more vulnerable than species with a wide distribution. Notably, there is a lack of basic conservation data for M. longidorsalis. We analyzed 19 microsatellite loci in six populations of M. longidorsalis in South Korea to characterize their population structure and genetic diversity. The genetic diversity of the microsatellites was 0.741-0.779, which is lower than that of other freshwater fishes. The pairwise genetic differentiation of microsatellite (FST) values ranged from 0.007 to 0.041, suggesting low genetic differentiation between the populations. The Jojongicheon stream population (CP) had an effective population size of <100. Therefore, conservation efforts are required to prevent inbreeding depression in M. longidorsalis. Discriminant analysis of principal components showed that the Hangang River water system would be a single management unit (MU). Our findings provide fundamental genetic insights for the formulation of conservation strategies for M. longidorsalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Rae Kim
- Animal & Plant Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242, Republic of Korea; (K.-R.K.); (Y.H.); (J.H.J.)
| | - Mu-Sung Sung
- Muldeuli Research, Icheon 12607, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yujin Hwang
- Animal & Plant Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242, Republic of Korea; (K.-R.K.); (Y.H.); (J.H.J.)
| | - Ju Hui Jeong
- Animal & Plant Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242, Republic of Korea; (K.-R.K.); (Y.H.); (J.H.J.)
| | - Jeong-Nam Yu
- Animal & Plant Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242, Republic of Korea; (K.-R.K.); (Y.H.); (J.H.J.)
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9
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Baldan D, Cunillera-Montcusí D, Funk A, Piniewski M, Cañedo-Argüelles M, Hein T. The effects of longitudinal fragmentation on riverine beta diversity are modulated by fragmentation intensity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166703. [PMID: 37683866 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The loss of longitudinal connectivity affects river systems globally, being one of the leading causes of the freshwater biodiversity crisis. Barriers alter the dispersal of aquatic organisms and limit the exchange of species between local communities, disrupting metacommunity dynamics. However, the interplay between connectivity losses due to dams and other drivers of metacommunity structure, such as the configuration of the river network, needs to be explored. In this paper, we analyzed the response of fish communities to the network position and the fragmentation induced by dams while controlling for human pressures and environmental gradients. We studied three large European catchments covering a fragmentation gradient: Upper Danube (Austrian section), Ebro (Spain), and Odra/Oder (Poland). We quantified fragmentation through reach-scaled connectivity indices that account for the position of barriers along the dendritic network and the dispersal capacity of the organisms. We used generalized linear models to explain species richness and Local Contributions to Beta Diversity (LCBD) and multilinear regressions on the distance matrix to describe Beta Diversity and its Replacement and Richness Difference components. Results show that species richness was not affected by fragmentation. Network centrality metrics were relevant drivers of beta diversity for catchments with lower fragmentation (Ebro, Odra), and fragmentation indices were strong beta diversity predictors for the catchment with higher fragmentation (Danube). We conclude that in highly fragmented catchments, the effects of network centrality/isolation on biodiversity could be masked by the effects of dam fragmentation. In such catchments, metapopulation and metacommunity dynamics can be strongly altered by barriers, and the restoration of longitudinal connectivity (i.e. the natural centrality/isolation gradient) is urgent to prevent local extinctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Baldan
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Reaserch (ISPRA), Campo S. Provolo, 4665, 30122 Venezia, Italy; National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy.
| | - David Cunillera-Montcusí
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Ambiental, Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó s/n, Maldonado, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Funk
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Meta Ecosystem Dynamics in Riverine Landscapes, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; WasserCluster Lunz - Biologische Station, Dr. Carl-Kupelwieser-Prom. 5, 3293 Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Mikołaj Piniewski
- Department of Hydrology, Meteorology and Water Management, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Carrer de Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas Hein
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Meta Ecosystem Dynamics in Riverine Landscapes, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; WasserCluster Lunz - Biologische Station, Dr. Carl-Kupelwieser-Prom. 5, 3293 Lunz am See, Austria.
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10
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Hill P, Dickman CR, Dinnage R, Duncan RP, Edwards SV, Greenville A, Sarre SD, Stringer EJ, Wardle GM, Gruber B. Episodic population fragmentation and gene flow reveal a trade-off between heterozygosity and allelic richness. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6766-6776. [PMID: 37873908 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
In episodic environments like deserts, populations of some animal species exhibit irregular fluctuations such that populations are alternately large and connected or small and isolated. Such dynamics are typically driven by periodic resource pulses due, for example, to large but infrequent rainfall events. The repeated population bottlenecks resulting from fragmentation should lower genetic diversity over time, yet species undergoing these fluctuations appear to maintain high levels of genetic diversity. To resolve this apparent paradox, we simulated a metapopulation of constant size undergoing repeat episodes of fragmentation and change in gene flow to mimic outcomes experienced by mammals in an Australian desert. We show that episodic fragmentation and gene flow have contrasting effects on two measures of genetic diversity: heterozygosity and allelic richness. Specifically, fragmentation into many, small subpopulations, coupled with periods of infrequent gene flow, preserves allelic richness at the expense of heterozygosity. In contrast, fragmentation into a few, large subpopulations maintains heterozygosity at the expense of allelic richness. The strength of the trade-off between heterozygosity and allelic richness depends on the amount of gene flow and the frequency of gene flow events. Our results imply that the type of genetic diversity maintained among species living in strongly fluctuating environments will depend on the way populations fragment, with our results highlighting different mechanisms for maintaining allelic richness and heterozygosity in small, fragmented populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta Hill
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Chris R Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Russell Dinnage
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Richard P Duncan
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aaron Greenville
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen D Sarre
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Emily J Stringer
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Glenda M Wardle
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bernd Gruber
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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11
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Jossie E, Seaborn T, Baxter CV, Burnham M. Using social-ecological models to explore stream connectivity outcomes for stakeholders and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2915. [PMID: 37635644 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing interest in conservation and re-establishment of ecological connectivity, few studies have explored its context-specific social-ecological outcomes. We aimed to explore social and ecological outcomes to changing stream connectivity for both stakeholders and native fish species impacted by habitat fragmentation and nonnative species. We (1) investigated stakeholder perceptions of the drivers and outcomes of stream connectivity, and (2) evaluated the effects of stakeholder-identified connectivity and nonnative species scenarios on Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) populations. Our study was conducted in the Teton River, Idaho, USA. We integrated two modeling approaches, mental modeling and individual-based ecological modeling, to explore social-ecological outcomes for stakeholders and YCT populations. Aggregation of mental models revealed an emergent pattern of increasing complexity as more types of stakeholders were considered, as well as gaps and linkages among different stakeholder knowledge areas. These results highlight the importance of knowledge sharing among stakeholders when making decisions about connectivity. Additionally, the results from the individual-based models suggested that the potential for a large, migratory life history form of YCT, in addition to self-preference mating where they overlap with rainbow trout, had the strongest effects on outcomes for YCT. Exploring social and ecological drivers and outcomes to changing connectivity is useful for anticipating and adapting to unintended outcomes, as well as making decisions for desirable outcomes. The results from this study can contribute to the management dialogue surrounding stream connectivity in the Teton River, as well as to our understanding of connectivity conservation and its outcomes more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Jossie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | - Travis Seaborn
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Colden V Baxter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | - Morey Burnham
- Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
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Howard-McCombe J, Jamieson A, Carmagnini A, Russo IRM, Ghazali M, Campbell R, Driscoll C, Murphy WJ, Nowak C, O'Connor T, Tomsett L, Lyons LA, Muñoz-Fuentes V, Bruford MW, Kitchener AC, Larson G, Frantz L, Senn H, Lawson DJ, Beaumont MA. Genetic swamping of the critically endangered Scottish wildcat was recent and accelerated by disease. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4761-4769.e5. [PMID: 37935118 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.026] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The European wildcat population in Scotland is considered critically endangered as a result of hybridization with introduced domestic cats,1,2 though the time frame over which this gene flow has taken place is unknown. Here, using genome data from modern, museum, and ancient samples, we reconstructed the trajectory and dated the decline of the local wildcat population from viable to severely hybridized. We demonstrate that although domestic cats have been present in Britain for over 2,000 years,3 the onset of hybridization was only within the last 70 years. Our analyses reveal that the domestic ancestry present in modern wildcats is markedly over-represented in many parts of the genome, including the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). We hypothesize that introgression provides wildcats with protection against diseases harbored and introduced by domestic cats, and that this selection contributes to maladaptive genetic swamping through linkage drag. Using the case of the Scottish wildcat, we demonstrate the importance of local ancestry estimates to both understand the impacts of hybridization in wild populations and support conservation efforts to mitigate the consequences of anthropogenic and environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Howard-McCombe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK; RZSS WildGenes Laboratory, Conservation Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, UK.
| | - Alexandra Jamieson
- The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alberto Carmagnini
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany; School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Muhammad Ghazali
- RZSS WildGenes Laboratory, Conservation Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, UK
| | - Ruairidh Campbell
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK; NatureScot, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW, UK
| | | | - William J Murphy
- Texas A&M University, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Center for Wildlife Genetics, 63571 Weimar, Germany
| | - Terry O'Connor
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
| | - Louise Tomsett
- Mammal Section, Science Department, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Violeta Muñoz-Fuentes
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | - Andrew C Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK; School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
| | - Greger Larson
- The Palaeogenomics & Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Laurent Frantz
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany; School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Helen Senn
- RZSS WildGenes Laboratory, Conservation Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, UK.
| | - Daniel J Lawson
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK.
| | - Mark A Beaumont
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.
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Sun XY, Yuan JJ, Dong ZE. Small population of the largest water strider after the late Pleistocene and the implications for its conservation. Gene 2023; 859:147219. [PMID: 36702394 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Climate oscillation and its synergistic impacts on habitat fragmentation have been identified as threatening the survival of some extant species. However, the mechanisms by which semi-aquatic insects impacted by such events remain poorly understood. Herein, we studied the largest water strider in the world, Gigantometra gigas, to explore the effect of these two factors on its evolutionary history. The sequences of mitogenomic and nrDNA cluster were utilized to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship among G. gigas populations and its demographic history. Mitochondrial genes were separately reconstructed topologies of that populations and detected remarkable differences. We found that G. gigas populations conform to the isolation-by-distance model, and decline occurred at about 120 ka, which was probably influenced by the climate change during the late Pleistocene and eventually maintained a small effective population size (Ne) around 85,717. The populations in Guangdong Province of China are worthy of note in that they exhibit low genetic diversity, a small Ne around 18,899 individuals, and occupy an area with little suitable future habitat for G. gigas. This work recommends that conservation efforts are implemented to ensure the long-term survival of small G. gigas populations, and notes that further evaluation of their extinction risk under the impacts of human activities is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ya Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China.
| | - Juan-Juan Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Zaozhuang University, Shandong 277160, China
| | - Zhuo-Er Dong
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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14
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Gates K, Sandoval-Castillo J, Brauer CJ, Unmack PJ, Laporte M, Bernatchez L, Beheregaray LB. Environmental selection, rather than neutral processes, best explain regional patterns of diversity in a tropical rainforest fish. Heredity (Edinb) 2023:10.1038/s41437-023-00612-x. [PMID: 36997655 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00612-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractTo conserve the high functional and genetic variation in hotspots such as tropical rainforests, it is essential to understand the forces driving and maintaining biodiversity. We asked to what extent environmental gradients and terrain structure affect morphological and genomic variation across the wet tropical distribution of an Australian rainbowfish, Melanotaenia splendida splendida. We used an integrative riverscape genomics and morphometrics framework to assess the influence of these factors on both putative adaptive and non-adaptive spatial divergence. We found that neutral genetic population structure was largely explainable by restricted gene flow among drainages. However, environmental associations revealed that ecological variables had a similar power to explain overall genetic variation, and greater power to explain body shape variation, than the included neutral covariables. Hydrological and thermal variables were the strongest environmental predictors and were correlated with traits previously linked to heritable habitat-associated dimorphism in rainbowfishes. In addition, climate-associated genetic variation was significantly associated with morphology, supporting heritability of shape variation. These results support the inference of evolved functional differences among localities, and the importance of hydroclimate in early stages of diversification. We expect that substantial evolutionary responses will be required in tropical rainforest endemics to mitigate local fitness losses due to changing climates.
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15
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Deflem IS, Calboli FCF, Christiansen H, Hellemans B, Raeymaekers JAM, Volckaert FAM. Contrasting population genetic responses to migration barriers in two native and an invasive freshwater fish. Evol Appl 2022; 15:2010-2027. [PMID: 36540633 PMCID: PMC9753842 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation impacts the distribution of genetic diversity and population genetic structure. Therefore, protecting the evolutionary potential of species, especially in the context of the current rate of human-induced environmental change, is an important goal. In riverine ecosystems, migration barriers affect the genetic structure of native species, while also influencing the spread of invasive species. In this study, we compare genetic patterns of two native and one highly invasive riverine fish species in a Belgian river basin, namely the native three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and stone loach (Barbatula barbatula), and the non-native and invasive topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva). We aimed to characterize both natural and anthropogenic determinants of genetic diversity and population genetic connectivity. Genetic diversity was highest in topmouth gudgeon, followed by stone loach and three-spined stickleback. The correlation between downstream distance and genetic diversity, a pattern often observed in riverine systems, was only marginally significant in stone loach and three-spined stickleback, while genetic diversity strongly declined with increasing number of barriers in topmouth gudgeon. An Isolation-By-Distance pattern characterizes the population genetic structure of each species. Population differentiation was only associated with migration barriers in the invasive topmouth gudgeon, while genetic composition of all species seemed at least partially determined by the presence of migration barriers. Among the six barrier types considered (watermills, sluices, tunnels, weirs, riverbed obstructions, and others), the presence of watermills was the strongest driver of genetic structure and composition. Our results indicate that conservation and restoration actions, focusing on conserving genetic patterns, cannot be generalized across species. Moreover, measures might target either on restoring connectivity, while risking a rapid spread of the invasive topmouth gudgeon, or not restoring connectivity, while risking native species extinction in upstream populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Io S. Deflem
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary GenomicsKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Federico C. F. Calboli
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary GenomicsKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)JokioinenFinland
| | | | - Bart Hellemans
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary GenomicsKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Joost A. M. Raeymaekers
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary GenomicsKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversityBodøNorway
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16
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Marshall IR, Brauer CJ, Wedderburn SD, Whiterod NS, Hammer MP, Barnes TC, Attard CRM, Möller LM, Beheregaray LB. Longitudinal monitoring of neutral and adaptive genomic diversity in a reintroduction. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13889. [PMID: 35023224 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Restoration programs in the form of ex-situ breeding combined with reintroductions are becoming critical to counteract demographic declines and species losses. Such programs are increasingly using genetic management to improve conservation outcomes. However, the lack of long-term monitoring of genetic indicators following reintroduction prevents assessments of the trajectory and persistence of reintroduced populations. We carried out an extensive monitoring program in the wild for a threatened small-bodied fish (southern pygmy perch, Nannoperca australis) to assess the long-term genomic effects of its captive breeding and reintroduction. The species was rescued prior to its extirpation from the terminal lakes of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin, and then used for genetically informed captive breeding and reintroductions. Subsequent annual or biannual monitoring of abundance, fitness, and occupancy over a period of 11 years, combined with postreintroduction genetic sampling, revealed survival and recruitment of reintroduced fish. Genomic analyses based on data from the original wild rescued, captive born, and reintroduced cohorts revealed low inbreeding and strong maintenance of neutral and candidate adaptive genomic diversity across multiple generations. An increasing trend in the effective population size of the reintroduced population was consistent with field monitoring data in demonstrating successful re-establishment of the species. This provides a rare empirical example that the adaptive potential of a locally extinct population can be maintained during genetically informed ex-situ conservation breeding and reintroduction into the wild. Strategies to improve biodiversity restoration via ex-situ conservation should include genetic-based captive breeding and longitudinal monitoring of standing genomic variation in reintroduced populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imogen R Marshall
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Scotte D Wedderburn
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nick S Whiterod
- Aquasave-Nature Glenelg Trust, Victor Harbor, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Thomas C Barnes
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Catherine R M Attard
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciana M Möller
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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17
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Ecological Integrity Impairment and Habitat Fragmentation for Neotropical Macroinvertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Stream. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070346. [PMID: 35878251 PMCID: PMC9316105 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The Volcán River watershed in the south Pacific of Costa Rica comprises forests, small urban settlements, cattle fields, and intensive agriculture (mostly pineapple and sugarcane). The ecological integrity and quality of its waters was assessed from 2011–2013 and 2018–2019 by means of physical–chemical parameters (pH, conductivity, temperature, DO, DBO, nitrate, total phosphorus, and pesticide residues) and benthic macroinvertebrate (MI) sampling in eight sites (Volcán, Cañas, and Ángel Rivers, and Peje and Maura streams), resulting in high ecological integrity in all sites except the Peje stream, which is polluted with nitrates and pesticides. Only in this stream was there a marked seasonal variation in the abundance of 16 MI families including Leptohyphidae, Leptophlebiidae, Philopotamidae, Glossossomatidae, and Corydalidae, among others, whose presence was limited exclusively to the dry season (December to April), disappearing from the stream in the rainy season, with corresponding peaks in nitrate (max 20.3 mg/L) and pesticides (mainly herbicides and organophosphate insecticides). The characteristics of the watershed, with large areas of forest and excellent water quality, allow for the re-colonization of organisms into the Peje stream; however, those organisms are incapable of development and growth, providing evidence of a contaminant-driven habitat fragmentation in this stream during the rainy season.
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18
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Buckley SJ, Brauer CJ, Unmack PJ, Hammer MP, Beheregaray LB. Variation in intraspecific demography drives localised concordance but species-wide discordance in response to past climatic change. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:35. [PMID: 35317750 PMCID: PMC8941757 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-01990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding how species biology may facilitate resilience to climate change remains a critical factor in detecting and protecting species at risk of extinction. Many studies have focused on the role of particular ecological traits in driving species responses, but less so on demographic history and levels of standing genetic variation. Additionally, spatial variation in the interaction of demographic and adaptive factors may further complicate prediction of species responses to environmental change. We used environmental and genomic datasets to reconstruct the phylogeographic histories of two ecologically similar and largely co-distributed freshwater fishes, the southern (Nannoperca australis) and Yarra (N. obscura) pygmy perches, to assess the degree of concordance in their responses to Plio-Pleistocene climatic changes. We described contemporary genetic diversity, phylogenetic histories, demographic histories, and historical species distributions across both species, and statistically evaluated the degree of concordance in co-occurring populations. RESULTS Marked differences in contemporary genetic diversity, historical distribution changes and historical migration were observed across the species, with a distinct lack of genetic diversity and historical range expansion suggested for N. obscura. Although several co-occurring populations within a shared climatic refugium demonstrated concordant demographic histories, idiosyncratic population size changes were found at the range edges of the more spatially restricted species. Discordant responses between species were associated with low standing genetic variation in peripheral populations. This might have hindered adaptive potential, as documented in recent demographic declines and population extinctions for the two species. CONCLUSION Our results highlight both the role of spatial scale in the degree of concordance in species responses to climate change, and the importance of standing genetic variation in facilitating range shifts. Even when ecological traits are similar between species, long-term genetic diversity and historical population demography may lead to discordant responses to ongoing and future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean James Buckley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Chris J Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT, 0801, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
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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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20
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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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21
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Is it best to add native shrubs to a coastal sage scrub restoration project as seeds or as seedlings? PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262410. [PMID: 35134054 PMCID: PMC8824352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262410] [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: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological restoration frequently involves the addition of native plants, but the effectiveness (in terms of plant growth, plant survival, and cost) of using seeds versus container plants has not been studied in many plant communities. It is also not known if plant success would vary by species or based on functional traits. To answer these questions, we added several shrub species to a coastal sage scrub restoration site as seeds or as seedlings in a randomized block design. We measured percent cover, density, species richness, size, survival, and costs. Over the two years of the study, shrubs added to the site as seeds grew more and continued to have greater density than plants added from containers. Seeded plots also had greater native species richness than planted plots. However, shrubs from containers had higher survival rates, and percent cover was comparable between the planted and seeded treatments. Responses varied by species depending on functional traits, with deep-rooted evergreen species establishing better from container plants. Our cost analysis showed that it is more expensive to use container plants than seed, with most of the costs attributed to labor and supplies needed to grow plants. Our measurements of shrub density, survival, species richness, and growth in two years in our experimental plots lead us to conclude that coastal sage scrub restoration with seeds is optimal for increasing density and species richness with limited funds, yet the addition of some species from container plants may be necessary if key species are desired as part of the project objectives.
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22
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Bernaś R, Wąs-Barcz A, Árnyasi M, Dębowski P, Radtke G, Poćwierz-Kotus A, Berrebi P. Evidence of unidirectional gene flow in a fragmented population of Salmo trutta L. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23417. [PMID: 34862454 PMCID: PMC8642411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02975-9] [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: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection, genetic drift, and gene flow affect genetic variation within populations and genetic differences among populations. Both drift and selection tend to decrease variation within populations and increase differences among populations, whereas gene flow increases variation within populations but leads to populations being related. In brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), the most important factor in population fragmentation is disrupted river-segment connectivity. The main goal of the study was to use genetic analysis to estimate the level of gene flow among resident and migratory brown trout in potential hybridization areas located downstream of impassable barriers in one river basin in the southern Baltic Sea region. First, spawning redds were counted in the upper river basin downstream of impassable barriers. Next, samples were collected from juveniles in spawning areas located downstream of barriers and from adults downstream and upstream of barriers. Subsequently, genetic analysis was performed using a panel of 13 microsatellite loci and the Salmo trutta 5 K SNP microarray. The genetic differentiation estimated between the resident form sampled upstream of the barriers and the anadromous specimens downstream of the barriers was high and significant. Analysis revealed that gene flow occurred between the two forms in the hybridization zone investigated and that isolated resident specimens shared spawning grounds with sea trout downstream of the barriers. The brown trout population from the river system investigated was slightly, internally diversified in the area accessible to migration. Simultaneously, the isolated part of the population was very different from that in the rest of the basin. The spawning areas of the anadromous form located downstream of the barriers were in a hybridization zone and gene flow was confirmed to be unidirectional. Although they constituted a small percentage, the genotypes typical upstream of the barriers were admixed downstream of them. The lack of genotypes noted upstream of the barriers among adult anadromous individuals might indicate that migrants of upstream origin and hybrids preferred residency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Bernaś
- Department of Migratory Fishes, Inland Fisheries Institute, Rutki 49, 83-330, Zukowo, Poland.
| | - Anna Wąs-Barcz
- Department of Fisheries Resources, National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kołłątaja 1, 81-332, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Mariann Árnyasi
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Piotr Dębowski
- Department of Migratory Fishes, Inland Fisheries Institute, Rutki 49, 83-330, Zukowo, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Radtke
- Department of Migratory Fishes, Inland Fisheries Institute, Rutki 49, 83-330, Zukowo, Poland
| | - Anita Poćwierz-Kotus
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland
| | - Patrick Berrebi
- Genome-Recherche and Diagnostic, 697 avenue de Lunel, 34400, Saint-Just, France
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Pal S, Paul S. Linking hydrological security and landscape insecurity in the moribund deltaic wetland of India using tree-based hybrid ensemble method in python. ECOL INFORM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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24
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Gehri RR, Gruenthal K, Larson WA. It's complicated: Heterogeneous patterns of genetic structure in five fish species from a fragmented river suggest multiple processes can drive differentiation. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2079-2097. [PMID: 34429750 PMCID: PMC8372089 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13268] [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: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragmentation of river systems by dams can have substantial genetic impacts on fish populations. However, genetic structure can exist naturally at small scales through processes other than isolation by physical barriers. We sampled individuals from five native fish species with varying life histories above and below a dam in the lower Boardman River, Michigan, USA, and used RADseq to investigate processes influencing genetic structure in this system. Species assessed were white sucker Catostomus commersonii, yellow perch Perca flavescens, walleye Sander vitreus, smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, and rock bass Ambloplites rupestris. We detected significant differentiation within each species, but patterns of population structure varied substantially. Interestingly, genetic structure did not appear to be solely the result of fragmentation by the dam. While genetic structure in yellow perch and walleye generally coincided with "above dam" and "below dam" sampling locations, samples from our other three species did not. Specifically, samples from rock bass, smallmouth bass, and, to a much lesser extent, white sucker, aligned with a putative Great Lakes (GL) group that contained mostly individuals sampled below the dam and a putative Boardman River (BR) group that contained individuals sampled both above and below the dam, with some evidence of admixture among groups. We hypothesize that the GL and BR groups formed prior to dam construction and our samples largely represent a mixed stock that was sampled sympatrically outside of the spawning season. Support for this hypothesis is especially strong in smallmouth bass, where GL fish were 151 mm smaller than BR fish on average, suggesting a potential ontogenetic habitat shift of young GL fish into the lower river for feeding and/or refuge. Our study illuminates the complex dynamics shaping genetic structure in fragmented river systems and indicates that conclusions drawn for a single species cannot be generalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R. Gehri
- Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research UnitCollege of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin‐Stevens PointStevens PointWIUSA
| | - Kristen Gruenthal
- Office of Applied ScienceWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesCollege of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin‐Stevens PointStevens PointWIUSA
- Alaska Department of Fish and GameGene Conservation LaboratoryJuneauAKUSA
| | - Wesley A. Larson
- U.S. Geological SurveyWisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research UnitCollege of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin‐Stevens PointStevens PointWIUSA
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries ServiceAlaska Fisheries Science CenterAuke Bay LaboratoriesJuneauAKUSA
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Buckley SJ, Brauer C, Unmack PJ, Hammer MP, Beheregaray LB. The roles of aridification and sea level changes in the diversification and persistence of freshwater fish lineages. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4866-4883. [PMID: 34265125 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While the influence of Pleistocene climatic changes on divergence and speciation has been well-documented across the globe, complex spatial interactions between hydrology and eustatics over longer timeframes may also determine species evolutionary trajectories. Within the Australian continent, glacial cycles were not associated with changes in ice cover and instead largely resulted in fluctuations from moist to arid conditions across the landscape. We investigated the role of hydrological and coastal topographic changes brought about by Plio-Pleistocene climatic changes on the biogeographic history of a small Australian freshwater fish, the southern pygmy perch Nannoperca australis. Using 7958 ddRAD-seq (double digest restriction-site associated DNA) loci and 45,104 filtered SNPs, we combined phylogenetic, coalescent and species distribution analyses to assess the various roles of aridification, sea level and tectonics and associated biogeographic changes across southeast Australia. Sea-level changes since the Pliocene and reduction or disappearance of large waterbodies throughout the Pleistocene were determining factors in strong divergence across the clade, including the initial formation and maintenance of a cryptic species, N. 'flindersi'. Isolated climatic refugia and fragmentation due to lack of connected waterways maintained the identity and divergence of inter- and intraspecific lineages. Our historical findings suggest that predicted increases in aridification and sea level due to anthropogenic climate change might result in markedly different demographic impacts, both spatially and across different landscape types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean James Buckley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Chris Brauer
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Peter J Unmack
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Michael P Hammer
- Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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