Transcript BCB341_Chapter8_conservation_genetics

FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Conservation Genetics
Rich Knight,
Biodiversity & Conservation Biology
UWC
knight.rich[at]gmail.com
What is conservation genetics?

Conservation genetics includes:

Study of inbreeding in small populations
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Study of spatial patterns of genetic variation
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Study of gene flow
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Study of hybridisation
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Study of systematics
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Can start to describe the future of an endangered
species
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Can involve endangered taxa but often just species that will
show us how something works

Genetics alone will not conserve species
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
Conserving Humpback Whales 1
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Depleted by hunting
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Small populations survive in the
North Atlantic, North Pacific and
Southern Oceans
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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
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
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Often the products on the market cannot be identified by
sight but can be identified using genetics
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E.g.. Ivory, horn, shell, meat, feathers, dried leaves
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An example of this is seen in the Whale market
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The international whaling commission allows a certain
amount of whaling for scientific research
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These Whales can then be sold to consumers
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Often species and geographical source can be
identified
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Genetics can tell if the products on the market are
caught legally or illegally
Using genetics to identify commercial
products from endangered species 2

Shaving brushes made from Badger
hair
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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
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
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The Florida Panther has the least genetic variation of any
puma sub-species
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All these species give us an incite into what happens when
genetic diversity decreases which can be put to use in
other endangered species
The Dogs 4
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The Simien Jackal (Canis simensis)
is probably the most endangered
canid
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There are fewer than 500 individuals
left and they are in isolated populations
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Restricted to the Ethiopian highlands
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Habitat loss and fragmentation has restricted the Simien
Jackal still more
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In one study on the population from the Bale Mountain
National Park there was only one mitochondrial genotype
found
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Another problem is their ability to hybridise with domestic
dogs
The Dogs 4
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The Red Wolf
(Canis rufus)
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Was found in the south
central United States

Extinct in the wild since
1975
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Single captive
population
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The origins of the species
are questionable

Genetic tests have assisted in making decisions when
considering re-introductions
The Birds 5
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The Island of Guam had the
brown tree snake introduced and
the native species of birds have
been in trouble ever since
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The Guam Rail (Rallus owstoni)
and the Micronesian Kingfisher
(Halcyon cinnamomina) are
extinct in the wild
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Genetic analysis has helped to
manage matings by looking at
relatedness among the captive
birds
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The results show low genetic
diversity but none of this has
been lost since the species have
been taken into captivity
Marine Turtles 6
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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
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As with the Whales discussed earlier Green, Loggerhead
and Hawksbill turtles return to the same rookery (egg laying
site)
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Using genetic analysis this has been shown to be the
turtles returning to their beach of birth
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
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Now there are 11

Extinction is being caused by
human trampling
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Four of the other populations are
declining
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The government want to restore
the numbers of the plant in one of
the declining populations, genetic
analysis will help with the answer
Pelagic Fish 8
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The Billfish group contains Swordfish,
Marlins, Sailfish and Spearfish
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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
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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
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This should shape future
conservation plans
Komodo Dragons 9
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Large reptile
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Endemic to 5 islands in South
East Indonesia
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Threatened by habitat
destruction and competition
by humans
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Genetic diversity of five
populations on four of the
islands studied
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Island of Komodo had the greatest diversity
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Island of Komodo has been separated from other land
masses for the longest period
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Makes Komodo population important to conserve
Corroboree Frogs 10
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Restricted range in Southern
Highlands of New South Wales and
the Australian Capital territory
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Three geographically isolated populations
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Snowy Mountains
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Fiery Range
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Brindabella Range
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Snowy mountain population has decreased heterozygosity
and an absence of rare alleles
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May cause the population to struggle to respond to climate
change
References
1. 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
2. Domingo- Roura, X. et al. (2006). Radger hair in shaving brushes
comes from protected Eurasian Badgers. Biological Conservation 128:
425-430
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
References
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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