Conservation Genetics (intro)

1. Conservation Genetics (intro) BCB 341: Principles of Conservation Biology Lecturer: James Reeler Material by: Sam Hopkins

2. What is conservation genetics? • Conservation genetics includes: • Study of inbreeding in small populations • Study of spatial patterns of genetic variation • Study of gene flow • Study of hybridisation • Study of systematics • Can start to describe the future of an endangered species • Can involve endangered taxa but often just species that will show us how something works • Genetics alone will not conserve species

3. What is conservation genetics? • Conservation genetics allows conservationists to make informed decisions • Conservation genetics not always the answer • Its expensive • Time consuming • Interpretation is personal

4. Conserving Humpback Whales 1 • Depleted by hunting • Small populations survive in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Southern Oceans • Separation between populations in different oceanic basins • Separation between populations in the same oceanic basin • Geographic variation studied by looking at the mitochondrial DNA • This study gives information on the Humpback but also may give insight into other species with high dispersal abilities, large distributions and social behaviours

5. Using genetics to identify commercial products from endangered species • Molecular genetics can identify species that are endangered and protected but still being bought and sold • Often the products on the market cannot be identified by sight but can be identified using genetics • E.g.. Ivory, horn, shell, meat, feathers, dried leaves • An example of this is seen in the Whale market • The international whaling commission allows a certain amount of whaling for scientific research • These Whales can then be sold to consumers • Often species and geographical source can be identified • Genetics can tell if the products on the market are caught legally or illegally

6. Using genetics to identify commercial products from endangered species 2 • Shaving brushes made from Badger hair • Meant to be made from the Hog Badgers (Arctonyx colaris) hair which is an invasive species in Europe • Using molecular genetics the hair of four brushes was found to be from the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) which is a protected species

7. The Cats 3 • 37 out of 38 species in the felid group are endangered or threatened • Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) have less genomic variation than other cats • The Cheetah’s ancestors underwent a severe reduction in numbers and inbreeding possibly several times or over a long period of time • The Florida Panther has the least genetic variation of any puma sub-species • All these species give us an incite into what happens when genetic diversity decreases which can be put to use in other endangered species

8. The Dogs 4 • The Simien Jackal (Canis simensis) is probably the most endangered canid • There are fewer than 500 individuals left and they are in isolated populations • Restricted to the Ethiopian highlands • Habitat loss and fragmentation has restricted the Simien Jackal still more • In one study on the population from the Bale Mountain National Park there was only one mitochondrial genotype found • Another problem is their ability to hybridise with domestic dogs

9. The Dogs 4 • The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) • Was found in the south central United States • Extinct in the wild since 1975 • Single captive population • The origins of the species are questionable • Genetic tests have assisted in making decisions when considering re-introductions

10. The Birds 5 • The Island of Guam had the brown tree snake introduced and the native species of birds have been in trouble ever since • The Guam Rail (Rallus owstoni) and the Micronesian Kingfisher (Halcyon cinnamomina) are extinct in the wild • Genetic analysis has helped to manage matings by looking at relatedness among the captive birds • The results show low genetic diversity but none of this has been lost since the species have been taken into captivity

11. Marine Turtles 6 • There are seven species alive today and all are endangered or threatened • Molecular genetics has helped establish some natural history and evolution that is beneficial to conservation efforts • As with the Whales discussed earlier Green, Loggerhead and Hawksbill turtles return to the same rookery (egg laying site) • Using genetic analysis this has been shown to be the turtles returning to their beach of birth

12. Endemic plants 7 • Spreading Avens (Geum radiatum) is a perennial herb that is found only on a few mountain tops in North Carolina and Tennessee • In 1991 there were 16 populations • Now there are 11 • Extinction is being caused by human trampling • Four of the other populations are declining • The government want to restore the numbers of the plant in one of the declining populations, genetic analysis will help with the answer

13. Pelagic Fish 8 • The Billfish group contains Swordfish, Marlins, Sailfish and Spearfish • These fish are commercially exploited and their numbers have decreased • It was not known if these animals were moving about the sea as distinct populations or whether they were a continuous population • Molecular genetics have been used to find some answers • The Striped and Blue Marlin both show within ocean population differences even though they travel great distances • This should shape future conservation plans

14. Komodo Dragons 9 • Large reptile • Endemic to 5 islands in South East Indonesia • Threatened by habitat destruction and competition by humans • Genetic diversity of five populations on four of the islands studied • Island of Komodo had the greatest diversity • Island of Komodo has been separated from other land masses for the longest period • Makes Komodo population important to conserve

15. Corroboree Frogs 10 • Restricted range in Southern Highlands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital territory • Three geographically isolated populations • Snowy Mountains • Fiery Range • Brindabella Range • Snowy mountain population has decreased heterozygosity and an absence of rare alleles • May cause the population to struggle to respond to climate change

16. References • Baker, C. S. and Palumbi, S. R.(1996) Population structure, Molecular systematics and forensic identification of Whales and Dolphins. In Conservation Genetics: Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J..pp 10-41 • Domingo- Roura, X. et al. (2006). Badger hair in shaving brushes comes from protected Eurasian Badgers. Biological Conservation128: 425-430 • O’Brian, S. J. (1996) Conservation Genetics of the Felidae In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J. pp50-71 • Wayne, R. K. (1996)Conservation Genetics of the Canidae. In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J. pp 75-112 • Haig, S. M. and Avise, J. C. (1996) Avian Conservation Genetics. In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J..pp 160-184

17. References • Bowen, B. W. and Avise, J. C. (1996) Conservation genetics of marine turtles. In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J..pp 190-230 • Hamrick, J. L. and Godt, M. J. W. (1996) Conservation genetics of endemic plant species. In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J..pp 281-302 • Graves, J. E. (1996) Conservation Genetics of Fishes in the Pelagic Marine Realm. In Conservation Genetics, Case Histories From Nature eds. Avise, J. C. and Hamrick, J..pp 335-362 • Ciofi, et al. (1999). Genetic divergence and units for conservation in the Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis. Proceeding of the Royal Society of London B. 266: 2269-2274 • Osborne, W. S. and Norman, J. A. (1991). Conservation Denetics of Corroboree frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree More (Anura: Myobatrachidad): Population sub-division and genetic divergence. Australian Journal of Zoology 39: 285-297