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Informing Wildlife Corridor Creation through Population Genetics of an Arboreal Marsupial in a Fragmented Landscape. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020349. [PMID: 36833276 PMCID: PMC9957349 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation contribute significantly to the decline of arboreal mammal populations. As populations become fragmented and isolated, a reduction in gene flow can result in a loss of genetic diversity and have an overall impact upon long-term persistence. Creating wildlife corridors can mitigate such effects by increasing the movement and dispersal of animals, thus acting to reduce population isolation. To evaluate the success of a corridor, a before-after experimental research framework can be used. Here, we report the genetic diversity and structure of sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) sampling locations within a fragmented landscape prior to the implementation of a wildlife corridor. This study used 5999 genome-wide SNPs from 94 sugar gliders caught from 8 locations in a fragmented landscape in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Overall genetic structure was limited, and gene flow was detected across the landscape. Our findings indicate that the study area contains one large population. A major highway dissecting the landscape did not act as a significant barrier to dispersal, though this may be because of its relatively new presence in the landscape (completed in 2018). Future studies may yet indicate its long-term impact as a barrier to gene flow. Future work should aim to repeat the methods of this study to examine the medium-to-long-term impacts of the wildlife corridor on sugar gliders, as well as examine the genetic structure of other native, specialist species in the landscape.
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Teichroeb JA, Adams FV, Khwaja A, Stapelfeldt K, Stead SM. Tight quarters: ranging and feeding competition in a Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii multilevel society occupying a fragmented habitat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03166-w] [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]
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3
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Nelson HV, Frankham GJ, Leo V, Anson JR, Eldridge MDB, de Bruyn M. Conservation genomics of the ‘Endangered’ long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) population at North Head, Sydney, Australia. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01356-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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4
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Ribeiro SE, de Almeida-Rocha JM, Weber MM, Kajin M, Lorini ML, Cerqueira R. Do anthropogenic matrix and life-history traits structure small mammal populations? A meta-analytical approach. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01352-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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5
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Klass K, Van Belle S, Campos-Villanueva A, Mercado Malabet F, Estrada A. Effects of variation in forest fragment habitat on black howler monkey demography in the unprotected landscape around Palenque National Park, Mexico. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9694. [PMID: 32864215 PMCID: PMC7425640 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are leading threats to biodiversity today, and primates are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat disturbance. However, few studies have examined how differential effects of variation in forest fragment characteristics on males and females in a primate population may affect demography and population persistence. We quantified the effects of variation in forest fragment characteristics on the within-fragment demography of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) in forest fragments around Palenque National Park, Mexico, and how these effects differed between adult males and females. We quantified forest loss in the landscape between 2000 and 2017, and used a redundancy analysis to examine the effects of 15 variables quantifying fragment dimensions, forest composition and physical structure, and isolation on fragment population size and density, the proportion of adult males and females in the fragment population, and the mean number of adult males and females per group in 34 fragments (N = 393 monkeys). We hypothesized that (i) population size is positively correlated with fragment area, while population density is negatively correlated, and (ii) the composition of fragment populations results from differential effects of fragment variables on adult males and females. Forest cover decreased by 23.3% from 2000 to 2017. Our results showed a significant effect of fragment variables on population demography in fragments, accounting for 0.69 of the variance in the demographic response variables. Population size increased with fragment area and connectivity, while density decreased. Larger, less isolated fragments with better connectivity, characteristics indicative of abundant secondary growth, and those with more diverse vegetation but lower Simpson’s evenness indices tended to have more adult females per group and a higher proportion of adult females in the population. In contrast, fragments that were largely similar in characteristics of forest composition and structure, but that were more isolated from nearby fragments, had more adult males per group and a higher proportion of adult males. These results may stem from black howler females preferentially remaining in natal groups and fragments when possible, and dispersing shorter distances when they disperse, while males may be more likely to disperse between fragments, traveling longer distances through the matrix to more isolated fragments. These differential effects on males and females have important conservation implications: if females are more abundant in larger, less isolated fragments, while males are more abundant in more isolated fragments, then to effectively conserve this population, both landscape connectivity and fragment areas should be maintained and increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Klass
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Alejandro Estrada
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Valladares-Gómez A, Celis-Diez JL, Sepúlveda-Rodríguez C, Inostroza-Michael O, Hernández CE, Palma RE. Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Migration Scenarios of the Marsupial "Monito del Monte" in South-Central Chile. J Hered 2020; 110:651-661. [PMID: 31420661 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we quantified the 3 pivotal genetic processes (i.e., genetic diversity, spatial genetic structuring, and migration) necessary for a better biological understanding and management of the singular "living-fossil" and near-threatened mouse opossum marsupial Dromiciops gliroides, the "Monito del Monte," in south-central Chile. We used 11 microsatellite loci to genotype 47 individuals distributed on the mainland and northern Chiloé Island. Allelic richness, observed and expected heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficient, and levels of genetic differentiation were estimated. The genetic structure was assessed based on Bayesian clustering methods. In addition, potential migration scenarios were evaluated based on a coalescent theory framework and Bayesian approach to parameter estimations. Microsatellites revealed moderate to high levels of genetic diversity across sampled localities. Moreover, such molecular markers suggested that at least 2 consistent genetic clusters could be identified along the D. gliroides distribution ("Northern" and "Southern" cluster). However, general levels of genetic differentiation observed among localities and between the 2 genetic clusters were relatively low. Migration analyses showed that the most likely routes of migration of D. gliroides occurred 1) from the Southern cluster to the Northern cluster and 2) from the Mainland to Chiloé Island. Our results could represent critical information for future conservation programs and for a recent proposal about the taxonomic status of this unique mouse opossum marsupial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valladares-Gómez
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan L Celis-Diez
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4-D, Quillota, Chile
| | - Constanza Sepúlveda-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar Inostroza-Michael
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Filoinformática, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ocenográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Cristián E Hernández
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Filoinformática, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ocenográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - R Eduardo Palma
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
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Vera NS, Chiappero MB, Priotto JW, Sommaro LV, Steinmann AR, Gardenal CN. Genetic structure of populations of the Pampean grassland mouse, Akodon azarae, in an agroecosystem under intensive management. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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8
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Fontúrbel FE, Bruford MW, Salazar DA, Cortés-Miranda J, Vega-Retter C. The hidden costs of living in a transformed habitat: Ecological and evolutionary consequences in a tripartite mutualistic system with a keystone mistletoe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:2740-2748. [PMID: 30463128 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Land use change is one of the most important anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity loss. Nevertheless, the ecological and evolutionary consequences of habitat transformation remain less understood than those from habitat fragmentation. Transformed habitats are structurally simpler, altering species composition and their ecological interactions, potentially compromising gene flow and genetic diversity. We focused on a tripartite mutualistic system composed of a mistletoe (Tristerix corymbosus), its pollinator (Sephanoides sephaniodes) and its seed disperser (Dromiciops gliroides) to assess changes in their ecological and evolutionary dynamics as a result of habitat transformation. We used eight microsatellite markers to compare genetic diversity, relatedness and gene flow among five mistletoe groups inhabiting native and transformed habitats (abandoned Eucalyptus globulus plantations). We found that these groups were genetically structured, with greater allelic richness and genetic diversity in their native habitat. Also, we found higher relatedness among mistletoe individuals in transformed habitats, which varied as a function of the geographic distance among plants, probably as a result of larger resource availability, which influenced mutualist visitation rates. We did not find differences in the current migration patterns, which suggests that Tristerix corymbosus may be resilient to habitat transformation. Yet, its highly specialized interactions along with changes in its spatial configuration depict a more complex scenario, which probably impose a cost in terms of lower genetic diversity and increased relatedness that might compromise its long-term viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco E Fontúrbel
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile
| | - Michael W Bruford
- School of Biosciences and Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3BA, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela A Salazar
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa 7800024, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Cortés-Miranda
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa 7800024, Santiago, Chile
| | - Caren Vega-Retter
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa 7800024, Santiago, Chile.
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Srbek-Araujo AC, Alvarenga ADC, Bertoldi AT. Do we underestimate the impact of roads on arboreal animals? Roadkill as an important threat to Chaetomys subspinosus (Mammalia: Rodentia). BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2017-0511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract: The Thin-spined Porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) is a medium-sized and mainly arboreal rodent, endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and threatened with extinction. Habitat loss, hunting, forest fires, agriculture and livestock are threats identified for the species. Here we raise the alert to the impact of roads on remaining populations of C. subspinosus based on roadkill records from the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Mortality due to roadkill is likely to impact C. subspinosus in different regions of the state, and is a widespread problem, not unique to a single location or population. The pattern of roadkills in the studied regions suggest that the species is more susceptible to collisions with vehicles in the breeding period. Additionally, concrete barriers that divide lanes on highways seens to increase the likelihood of roadkill for Thin-spined Porcupines. We recommend that roadkill should be included in the list of threats to C. subspinosus in the Espírito Santo. Mortality due to roadkill is probably relevant also for populations in the states of Bahia and Sergipe, and it should be evaluated locally. The installation of road-crossing structures for wildlife, such as arboreal overpasses, is recommended on roads crossing or close to protected areas with C. subspinosus presence in Espírito Santo and elsewhere.
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Moska M, Mucha A, Wierzbicki H. Genetic differentiation of the edible dormouse (
Glis glis
) in the Polish Sudetens: the current status of an endangered species. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Moska
- Department of Genetics Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Wroclaw Poland
| | - A. Mucha
- Department of Genetics Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Wroclaw Poland
| | - H. Wierzbicki
- Department of Genetics Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Wroclaw Poland
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Goldingay RL, Carthew SM, Daniel M. Characteristics of the den trees of the yellow-bellied glider in western Victoria. AUST J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/zo18028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Effective management of tree-hollow-dependent wildlife is enhanced by detailed knowledge of the trees used for shelter and breeding. We describe the characteristics of 52 den trees and hollows (cavities) used by the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) in the south-west of its geographic range. We compared the following attributes of den trees to reference trees: tree height, diameter at breast height, hollow entrance height, hollow entrance diameter, cavity diameter, cavity depth, cavity roof height and cavity wall thickness. Dens and reference trees showed a highly significant multivariate difference (P<0.001), with these variables explaining 64% of the variance. Univariate analyses revealed that hollow entrance height was significantly different between den trees (9.0±0.5m) and reference trees (5.5±0.3m). While not significant, den trees tended to have narrower hollow entrances, deeper cavities and thinner walls than reference trees; cavities used by yellow-bellied gliders, on average, measured 36.8cm deep and 18.0cm in diameter, and had entrances 10.6cm in diameter. These observations should assist forest management for this species.
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12
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Balazote Oliver A, Amico GC, Rivarola MD, Morales JM. Population dynamics of Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheriidae) in an austral temperate forest. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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13
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Molloy SW, Davis RA. Resilience to agricultural habitat fragmentation in an arboreal marsupial. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/am16012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The impact of habitat fragmentation on arboreal mammals is poorly understood and potentially greater than for ground-dwelling mammals. We investigated the influence of landscape fragmentation on a generalist arboreal marsupial, the koomal (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus), a geographically isolated subspecies of the common brushtail possum endemic to south-western Australia. Since European settlement this taxon has undergone a significant reduction in range and population. We describe a year-long trapping study, incorporating radio-tracking, of a koomal population in a fragmented agricultural landscape to determine how agriculture and habitat fragmentation affect populations. In all, 61 free-ranging individuals were captured. Mark–recapture modelling estimated the population of 28.8 per trapping event with a total population size of 69 individuals having been present in the test landscape during the course of the study. Population demographics were comparable with populations found in relatively continuous landscapes. Mean home-range size was 8.8 ha of remnant vegetation for males and 7.9 ha for females. Home ranges usually incorporated several patches. Utilisation of shrublands, wetlands, and areas infested with Phytophthora dieback was not observed. Individuals required access to a selection of suitable denning trees and distances between patches <100 m did not appear to impair movement, with gaps <400 m regularly crossed.
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Bani L, Orioli V, Pisa G, Fagiani S, Dondina O, Fabbri E, Randi E, Sozio G, Mortelliti A. Population genetic structure and sex-biased dispersal of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) in a continuous and in a fragmented landscape in central Italy. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0898-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Yeatman GJ, Wayne AF, Mills HR, Prince J. Temporal Patterns in the Abundance of a Critically Endangered Marsupial Relates to Disturbance by Roads and Agriculture. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160790. [PMID: 27501320 PMCID: PMC4976897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate how landscape disturbance associated with roads, agriculture and forestry influenced temporal patterns in woylie (Bettongia penicillata) abundance before, during and after periods of rapid population change. Data were collected from an area of approximately 140,000 ha of forest within the Upper Warren region in south-western Australia. Woylie abundance was measured using cage trapping at 22 grid and five transect locations with varying degrees of landscape disturbance between 1994 and 2012. We found evidence that the distribution and abundance of woylies over time appears to be related to the degree of fragmentation by roads and proximity to agriculture. Sites furthest from agriculture supported a greater abundance of woylies and had slower rates of population decline. Sites with fewer roads had a greater abundance of woylies generally and a greater rate of increase in abundance after the implementation of invasive predator control. The results of this study suggest that landscape disturbance is less important at peak population densities, but during times of environmental and population change, sites less dissected by roads and agriculture better support woylie populations. This may be due to the role these factors play in increasing the vulnerability of woylies to introduced predators, population fragmentation, weed species invasion, mortality from road collisions or a reduction in available habitat. Strategies that reduce the impact of disturbance on woylie populations could include the rationalisation of forest tracks and consolidation of contiguous habitat through the acquisition of private property. Reducing the impact of disturbance in the Upper Warren region could improve the resilience of this critically important woylie population during future environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina J. Yeatman
- School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Adrian F. Wayne
- Department of Parks and Wildlife, Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Harriet R. Mills
- School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jane Prince
- School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Li Y, Cooper SJB, Lancaster ML, Packer JG, Carthew SM. Comparative Population Genetic Structure of the Endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus, in Fragmented Landscapes of Southern Australia. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152850. [PMID: 27096952 PMCID: PMC4838232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic connectivity is a key factor for maintaining the persistence of populations in fragmented landscapes. In highly modified landscapes such us peri-urban areas, organisms’ dispersal among fragmented habitat patches can be reduced due to the surrounding matrix, leading to subsequent decreased gene flow and increased potential extinction risk in isolated sub-populations. However, few studies have compared within species how dispersal/gene flow varies between regions and among different forms of matrix that might be encountered. In the current study, we investigated gene flow and dispersal in an endangered marsupial, the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in a heavily modified peri-urban landscape in South Australia, Australia. We used 14 microsatellite markers to genotype 254 individuals which were sampled from 15 sites. Analyses revealed significant genetic structure. Our analyses also indicated that dispersal was mostly limited to neighbouring sites. Comparisons of these results with analyses of a different population of the same species revealed that gene flow/dispersal was more limited in this peri-urban landscape than in a pine plantation landscape approximately 400 km to the south-east. These findings increase our understanding of how the nature of fragmentation can lead to profound differences in levels of genetic connectivity among populations of the same species.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Li
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730030, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Steven J. B. Cooper
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Melanie L. Lancaster
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Jasmin G. Packer
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Susan M. Carthew
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, 0909, Australia
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Yokochi K, Kennington WJ, Bencini R. An Endangered Arboreal Specialist, the Western Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis), Shows a Greater Genetic Divergence across a Narrow Artificial Waterway than a Major Road. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146167. [PMID: 26784921 PMCID: PMC4718518 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The fragmentation of habitats by roads and other artificial linear structures can have a profound effect on the movement of arboreal species due to their strong fidelity to canopies. Here, we used 12 microsatellite DNA loci to investigate the fine-scale spatial genetic structure and the effects of a major road and a narrow artificial waterway on a population of the endangered western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) in Busselton, Western Australia. Using spatial autocorrelation analysis, we found positive genetic structure in continuous habitat over distances up to 600 m. These patterns are consistent with the sedentary nature of P. occidentalis and highlight their vulnerability to the effects of habitat fragmentation. Pairwise relatedness values and Bayesian cluster analysis also revealed significant genetic divergences across an artificial waterway, suggesting that it was a barrier to gene flow. By contrast, no genetic divergences were detected across the major road. While studies often focus on roads when assessing the effects of artificial linear structures on wildlife, this study provides an example of an often overlooked artificial linear structure other than a road that has a significant impact on wildlife dispersal leading to genetic subdivision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Yokochi
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Winn Jason Kennington
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Roberta Bencini
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Dudaniec RY, Worthington Wilmer J, Hanson JO, Warren M, Bell S, Rhodes JR. Dealing with uncertainty in landscape genetic resistance models: a case of three co-occurring marsupials. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:470-86. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Revised: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | | | - Jeffrey O. Hanson
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Matthew Warren
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Sarah Bell
- School of Biomedical Sciences; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Jonathan R. Rhodes
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
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Fontúrbel FE, Candia AB, Malebrán J, Salazar DA, González-Browne C, Medel R. Meta-analysis of anthropogenic habitat disturbance effects on animal-mediated seed dispersal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:3951-3960. [PMID: 26149368 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat disturbance is a strong biodiversity change driver that compromises not only the species persistence but also the ecological interactions in which they are involved. Even though seed dispersal is a key interaction involved in the recruitment of many tree species and in consequence critical for biodiversity maintenance, studies assessing the effect of different anthropogenic disturbance drivers on this interaction have not been performed under a meta-analytical framework. We assessed the way habitat fragmentation and degradation processes affect species diversity (abundance and species richness) and interaction rates (i.e., fruit removal and visitation rates) of different groups of seed-disperser species at a global scale. We obtained 163 case studies from 37 articles. Results indicate that habitat degradation had a negative effect on seed-disperser animal diversity, whereas habitat fragmentation had a negative effect on interaction rates. Birds and insects were more sensitive in terms of their diversity, whereas mammals showed a negative effect on interaction rates. Regarding habitat, both fragmentation and degradation had a negative effect on seed-disperser animal diversity only in temperate habitats, and negative effects on interaction rates in tropical and temperate habitats. Our results indicate that the impact of human disturbance on seed-disperser species and interactions is not homogeneous. On the contrary, the magnitude of effects seems to be dependent on the type of disturbance, taxonomic group under assessment, and geographical region where the human impact occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco E Fontúrbel
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
| | - Alina B Candia
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
| | - Javiera Malebrán
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
| | - Daniela A Salazar
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
| | - Catalina González-Browne
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Medel
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, 7800024, Chile
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20
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Tulloch AIT, Barnes MD, Ringma J, Fuller RA, Watson JEM. Understanding the importance of small patches of habitat for conservation. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha I. T. Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Canberra ACT 2602 Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
| | - Megan D. Barnes
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Jeremy Ringma
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Richard A. Fuller
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - James E. M. Watson
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; Bronx NY 10460 USA
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21
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Napolitano C, Díaz D, Sanderson J, Johnson WE, Ritland K, Ritland CE, Poulin E. Reduced Genetic Diversity and Increased Dispersal in Guigna (Leopardus guigna) in Chilean Fragmented Landscapes. J Hered 2015; 106 Suppl 1:522-36. [PMID: 26245787 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Landscape fragmentation is often a major cause of species extinction as it can affect a wide variety of ecological processes. The impact of fragmentation varies among species depending on many factors, including their life-history traits and dispersal abilities. Felids are one of the groups most threatened by fragmented landscapes because of their large home ranges, territorial behavior, and low population densities. Here, we model the impacts of habitat fragmentation on patterns of genetic diversity in the guigna (Leopardus guigna), a small felid that is closely associated with the heavily human-impacted temperate rainforests of southern South America. We assessed genetic variation in 1798 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequences, 15 microsatellite loci, and 2 sex chromosome genes and estimated genetic diversity, kinship, inbreeding, and dispersal in 38 individuals from landscapes with differing degrees of fragmentation on Chiloé Island in southern Chile. Increased fragmentation was associated with reduced genetic diversity, but not with increased kinship or inbreeding. However, in fragmented landscapes, there was a weaker negative correlation between pairwise kinship and geographic distance, suggesting increased dispersal distances. These results highlight the importance of biological corridors to maximize connectivity in fragmented landscapes and contribute to our understanding of the broader genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation, especially for forest-specialist carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Napolitano
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland).
| | - Diego Díaz
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
| | - Jim Sanderson
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
| | - Warren E Johnson
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
| | - Kermit Ritland
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
| | - Carol E Ritland
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
| | - Elie Poulin
- From the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Napolitano and Poulin); Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Díaz); Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Campbell, CA (Sanderson); Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA (Johnson); and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (K. Ritland and CE. Ritland)
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Malekian M, Cooper SJB, Saint KM, Lancaster ML, Taylor AC, Carthew SM. Effects of landscape matrix on population connectivity of an arboreal mammal, Petaurus breviceps. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:3939-53. [PMID: 26442617 PMCID: PMC4588655 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation is considered a threat to biodiversity as it can create small, isolated populations that are at increased risk of extinction. Tree‐dependent species are predicted to be highly sensitive to forest and woodland loss and fragmentation, but few studies have tested the influence of different types of landscape matrix on gene flow and population structure of arboreal species. Here, we examine the effects of landscape matrix on population structure of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) in a fragmented landscape in southeastern South Australia. We collected 250 individuals across 12 native Eucalyptus forest remnants surrounded by cleared agricultural land or exotic Pinus radiata plantations and a large continuous eucalypt forest. Fifteen microsatellite loci were genotyped and analyzed to infer levels of population differentiation and dispersal. Genetic differentiation among most forest patches was evident. We found evidence for female philopatry and restricted dispersal distances for females relative to males, suggesting there is male‐biased dispersal. Among the environmental variables, spatial variables including geographic location, minimum distance to neighboring patch, and degree of isolation were the most important in explaining genetic variation. The permeability of a cleared agricultural matrix to dispersing gliders was significantly higher than that of a pine matrix, with the gliders dispersing shorter distances across the latter. Our results added to previous findings for other species of restricted dispersal and connectivity due to habitat fragmentation in the same region, providing valuable information for the development of strategies to improve the connectivity of populations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Malekian
- Department of Natural Resources Isfahan University of Technology Isfahan 84156-83111 Iran ; School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Australia ; Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
| | - Steven J B Cooper
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Australia ; Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Australia ; Evolutionary Biology Unit South Australian Museum Adelaide SA 5000 Australia
| | - Kathleen M Saint
- Evolutionary Biology Unit South Australian Museum Adelaide SA 5000 Australia
| | | | - Andrea C Taylor
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Susan M Carthew
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005 Australia ; Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT 0909 Australia
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23
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Yokochi K, Chambers BK, Bencini R. An artificial waterway and road restrict movements and alter home ranges of endangered arboreal marsupial. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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24
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Yokochi K, Bencini R. A remarkably quick habituation and high use of a rope bridge by an endangered marsupial, the western ringtail possum. NATURE CONSERVATION 2015. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.11.4385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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25
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Li Y, Lancaster ML, Cooper SJB, Taylor AC, Carthew SM. Population structure and gene flow in the endangered southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus) across a fragmented landscape. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0661-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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26
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Abstract
Plant-animal interactions are a key component for biodiversity maintenance, but they are currently threatened by human activities. Habitat fragmentation might alter ecological interactions due to demographic changes, spatial discontinuities, and edge effects. Also, there are less evident effects of habitat fragmentation that potentially alter selective forces and compromise the fitness of the interacting species. Changes in the mutualistic and antagonistic interactions in fragmented habitats could significantly influence the plant reproductive output and the fauna assemblage associated with. Fragmented habitats may trigger contemporary evolution processes and open new evolutionary opportunities. Interacting parties with a diffuse and asymmetric relationship are less susceptible to local extinction but more prone to evolve towards new interactions or autonomy. However, highly specialized mutualisms are likely to disappear. On the other hand, ecological interactions may mutually modulate their response in fragmented habitats, especially when antagonistic interactions disrupt mutualistic ones. Ecoevolutionary issues of habitat fragmentation have been little explored, but the empiric evidence available suggests that the complex modification of ecological interactions in fragmented habitats might lead to nonanalogous communities on the long term.
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27
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How forest marsupials are affected by habitat degradation and fragmentation? A meta-analysis. Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:599-602. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1193-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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28
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Fietz J, Tomiuk J, Loeschcke V, Weis-Dootz T, Segelbacher G. Genetic consequences of forest fragmentation for a highly specialized arboreal mammal--the edible dormouse. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88092. [PMID: 24505390 PMCID: PMC3913767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation represent the most serious extinction threats for many species and have been demonstrated to be especially detrimental for mammals. Particularly, highly specialized species with low dispersal abilities will encounter a high risk of extinction in fragmented landscapes. Here we studied the edible dormouse (Glis glis), a small arboreal mammal that is distributed throughout Central Europe, where forests are mostly fragmented at different spatial scales. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic population structures using the example of edible dormouse populations inhabiting forest fragments in south western Germany. We genotyped 380 adult individuals captured between 2001 and 2009 in four different forest fragments and one large continuous forest using 14 species-specific microsatellites. We hypothesised, that populations in small forest patches have a lower genetic diversity and are more isolated compared to populations living in continuous forests. In accordance with our expectations we found that dormice inhabiting forest fragments were isolated from each other. Furthermore, their genetic population structure was more unstable over the study period than in the large continuous forest. Even though we could not detect lower genetic variability within individuals inhabiting forest fragments, strong genetic isolation and an overall high risk to mate with close relatives might be precursors to a reduced genetic variability and the onset of inbreeding depression. Results of this study highlight that connectivity among habitat fragments can already be strongly hampered before genetic erosion within small and isolated populations becomes evident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Fietz
- Animal Husbandry and Animal Breeding, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jürgen Tomiuk
- Department of Biosciences, Integrative Ecology and Evolution, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Volker Loeschcke
- Department of Biosciences, Integrative Ecology and Evolution, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tanja Weis-Dootz
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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29
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Molecular detection of intra-population structure in a threatened potoroid, Potorous tridactylus: conservation management and sampling implications. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-013-0560-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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30
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Goldingay RL, Harrisson KA, Taylor AC, Ball TM, Sharpe DJ, Taylor BD. Fine-scale genetic response to landscape change in a gliding mammal. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80383. [PMID: 24386079 PMCID: PMC3873248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how populations respond to habitat loss is central to conserving biodiversity. Population genetic approaches enable the identification of the symptoms of population disruption in advance of population collapse. However, the spatio-temporal scales at which population disruption occurs are still too poorly known to effectively conserve biodiversity in the face of human-induced landscape change. We employed microsatellite analysis to examine genetic structure and diversity over small spatial (mostly 1-50 km) and temporal scales (20-50 years) in the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), a gliding mammal that is commonly subjected to a loss of habitat connectivity. We identified genetically differentiated local populations over distances as little as 3 km and within 30 years of landscape change. Genetically isolated local populations experienced the loss of genetic diversity, and significantly increased mean relatedness, which suggests increased inbreeding. Where tree cover remained, genetic differentiation was less evident. This pattern was repeated in two landscapes located 750 km apart. These results lend support to other recent studies that suggest the loss of habitat connectivity can produce fine-scale population genetic change in a range of taxa. This gives rise to the prediction that many other vertebrates will experience similar genetic changes. Our results suggest the future collapse of local populations of this gliding mammal is likely unless habitat connectivity is maintained or restored. Landscape management must occur on a fine-scale to avert the erosion of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross L. Goldingay
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Katherine A. Harrisson
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrea C. Taylor
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tina M. Ball
- Central Queensland University and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Mackay, Queensland, Australia
| | - David J. Sharpe
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brendan D. Taylor
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
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Veale AJ, Edge KA, McMurtrie P, Fewster RM, Clout MN, Gleeson DM. Using genetic techniques to quantify reinvasion, survival andin situbreeding rates during control operations. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:5071-83. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2012] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. J. Veale
- School of Biological Sciences; Tamaki Campus; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
| | - K.-A. Edge
- Department of Conservation Te Anau; PO Box 29 Te Anau 9640 New Zealand
| | - P. McMurtrie
- Department of Conservation Te Anau; PO Box 29 Te Anau 9640 New Zealand
| | - R. M. Fewster
- Department of Statistics; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
| | - M. N. Clout
- School of Biological Sciences; Tamaki Campus; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
| | - D. M. Gleeson
- Institute for Applied Ecology; University of Canberra; Bruce ACT 2601 Australia
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory; Landcare Research; Private Bag 92170 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
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Dudaniec RY, Rhodes JR, Worthington Wilmer J, Lyons M, Lee KE, McAlpine CA, Carrick FN. Using multilevel models to identify drivers of landscape-genetic structure among management areas. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3752-65. [PMID: 23730800 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Landscape genetics offers a powerful approach to understanding species' dispersal patterns. However, a central obstacle is to account for ecological processes operating at multiple spatial scales, while keeping research outcomes applicable to conservation management. We address this challenge by applying a novel multilevel regression approach to model landscape drivers of genetic structure at both the resolution of individuals and at a spatial resolution relevant to management (i.e. local government management areas: LGAs) for the koala (Phascolartos cinereus) in Australia. Our approach allows for the simultaneous incorporation of drivers of landscape-genetic relationships operating at multiple spatial resolutions. Using microsatellite data for 1106 koalas, we show that, at the individual resolution, foliage projective cover (FPC) facilitates high gene flow (i.e. low resistance) until it falls below approximately 30%. Out of six additional land-cover variables, only highways and freeways further explained genetic distance after accounting for the effect of FPC. At the LGA resolution, there was significant variation in isolation-by-resistance (IBR) relationships in terms of their slopes and intercepts. This was predominantly explained by the average resistance distance among LGAs, with a weaker effect of historical forest cover. Rates of recent landscape change did not further explain variation in IBR relationships among LGAs. By using a novel multilevel model, we disentangle the effect of landscape resistance on gene flow at the fine resolution (i.e. among individuals) from effects occurring at coarser resolutions (i.e. among LGAs). This has important implications for our ability to identify appropriate scale-dependent management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Y Dudaniec
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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STEPHENS HELENC, SCHMUKI CHRISTINA, BURRIDGE CHRISTOPHERP, O'REILLY-WAPSTRA JULIANNEM. Habitat fragmentation in forests affects relatedness and spatial genetic structure of a native rodent,Rattus lutreolus. AUSTRAL ECOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Harrisson KA, Pavlova A, Amos JN, Takeuchi N, Lill A, Radford JQ, Sunnucks P. Disrupted fine-scale population processes in fragmented landscapes despite large-scale genetic connectivity for a widespread and common cooperative breeder: the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus). J Anim Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Harrisson
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - J. Nevil Amos
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Naoko Takeuchi
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Alan Lill
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - James Q. Radford
- Landscape Ecology Research Group; School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; 221 Burwood Hwy; Burwood; Vic; 3125; Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
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Pérez-Espona S, McLeod JE, Franks NR. Landscape genetics of a top neotropical predator. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:5969-85. [PMID: 23110496 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2010] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation as a consequence of human activities is a worldwide phenomenon and one of the major threats to global biodiversity. Habitat loss and fragmentation is particularly a concern in the biodiverse tropics, where deforestation is occurring at unprecedented rates. Although insects are one of the most diverse and functionally important groups in tropical ecosystems, the quantitative effect of landscape features on their gene flow remains unknown. Here, we used a robust landscape genetics approach to quantify the effect of ten landscape features (deforestation, mature forests, other forest types, the River Chagres, streams, stream banks, roads, sea, lakes and swamps) and interactions between them, on the gene flow of a neotropical forest keystone species, the army ant Eciton burchellii. The influence of landscape on E. burchellii's gene flow reflected the different dispersal capability of its sexes; aerial for males and pedestrian for females, and the different depths of population history inferred from microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. In contrast to the gene flow-facilitating effect of mature forests, deforested areas were found to be strong barriers for E. burchellii's gene flow. Other forest types were found to be gene flow facilitators but only when interacting with mature secondary forests, therefore indicating the importance of mature forests for the survival of E. burchelii and its associate species. The River Chagres was identified as a major historical gene flow barrier for E. burchellii, suggesting that an important loss of connectivity may occur because of large artificial waterways such as the Panama Canal.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Pérez-Espona
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK.
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36
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Behavioral responses of native prey to disparate predators: naiveté and predator recognition. Oecologia 2012; 171:367-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2424-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Habitat connectivity, more than species’ biology, influences genetic differentiation in a habitat specialist, the short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis). CONSERV GENET 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-012-0342-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Degree of landscape fragmentation influences genetic isolation among populations of a gliding mammal. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26651. [PMID: 22053200 PMCID: PMC3203874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Forests and woodlands are under continuing pressure from urban and agricultural development. Tree-dependent mammals that rarely venture to the ground are likely to be highly sensitive to forest fragmentation. The Australian squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) provides an excellent case study to examine genetic (functional) connectivity among populations. It has an extensive range that occurs in a wide band along the east coast. However, its forest and woodland habitat has become greatly reduced in area and is severely fragmented within the southern inland part of the species' range, where it is recognised as threatened. Within central and northern coastal regions, habitat is much more intact and we thus hypothesise that genetic connectivity will be greater in this region than in the south. To test this we employed microsatellite analysis in a molecular population biology approach. Most sampling locations in the highly modified south showed signatures of genetic isolation. In contrast, a high level of genetic connectivity was inferred among most sampled populations in the more intact habitat of the coastal region, with samples collected 1400 km apart having similar genetic cluster membership. Nonetheless, some coastal populations associated with urbanisation and agriculture are genetically isolated, suggesting the historic pattern observed in the south is emerging on the coast. Our study demonstrates that massive landscape changes following European settlement have had substantial impacts on levels of connectivity among squirrel glider populations, as predicted on the basis of the species' ecology. This suggests that landscape planning and management in the south should be focused on restoring habitat connectivity where feasible, while along the coast, existing habitat connectivity must be maintained and recent losses restored. Molecular population biology approaches provide a ready means for identifying fragmentation effects on a species at multiple scales. Such studies are required to examine the generality of our findings for other tree-dependent species.
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