Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representa...Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representation of the source population（s） and their long-term viability should also be considered. The woylie Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi has been subject to more formal translocations for conservation than any other marsupial that, up until recently, has resulted in one of the most suc- cessful species recoveries in Australia. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to assess the genetic outcomes of trans- located woylie populations. These populations have lost genetic variability, differentiated fxom their source population and the supplementation program on two island populations appears to have failed. We discuss the conservation implications that our re- suits have for managing threatened species, outline some general recommendations for the management of present and future translocations and discuss the appropriate sampling design for the establishment of new populations or captive breeding programs that may mitigate the genetic ＇erosion＇ seen in our study species. This research provides some practical outcomes and a pragmatic understanding of translocation biology. The findings are directly applicable to other translocation programs .展开更多
Insular populations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stochastic events, epidemics, and loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding and genetic drift. The development of successful man- agement options wil...Insular populations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stochastic events, epidemics, and loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding and genetic drift. The development of successful man- agement options will require accurate baseline data, establishment of clear objectives, and finally monitoring and implementation of corrective measures, if and when required. This study assessed management options for the genetic rehabilitation of highly inbred woylies obtained from wildlife rehabilitation centers. The study generated genetic data for the woylie Bettongia penicillata from a conservation reserve and calculated measures of genetic diversity and individual relatedness. These data were fed into a population viability analysis （PVA） to test genetic outcomes in relation to different management actions. We demonstrated that a careful selection of the founder cohort produced a population with an expected heterozygosity of -70% for a window of approximately 10 years. A proposal to increase the size of the reserve available to the colony was shown to almost double the time at which the colony would retain heterozygosity levels of≥70%. Additionally, developing a regular program of supplementation of unrelated woylies would result in a further improvement in their genetic value. This study demonstrated how the application of molecular techniques in combination with PVA can be beneficial for the management of rehabilitated wildlife otherwise considered of little conservation value. This approach can be applied to the management of breeding programs, but also to small, closed populations such as those found on islands, fenced enclosures, insurance populations, and in zoological collections.展开更多
文摘Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representation of the source population（s） and their long-term viability should also be considered. The woylie Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi has been subject to more formal translocations for conservation than any other marsupial that, up until recently, has resulted in one of the most suc- cessful species recoveries in Australia. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to assess the genetic outcomes of trans- located woylie populations. These populations have lost genetic variability, differentiated fxom their source population and the supplementation program on two island populations appears to have failed. We discuss the conservation implications that our re- suits have for managing threatened species, outline some general recommendations for the management of present and future translocations and discuss the appropriate sampling design for the establishment of new populations or captive breeding programs that may mitigate the genetic ＇erosion＇ seen in our study species. This research provides some practical outcomes and a pragmatic understanding of translocation biology. The findings are directly applicable to other translocation programs .
文摘Insular populations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stochastic events, epidemics, and loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding and genetic drift. The development of successful man- agement options will require accurate baseline data, establishment of clear objectives, and finally monitoring and implementation of corrective measures, if and when required. This study assessed management options for the genetic rehabilitation of highly inbred woylies obtained from wildlife rehabilitation centers. The study generated genetic data for the woylie Bettongia penicillata from a conservation reserve and calculated measures of genetic diversity and individual relatedness. These data were fed into a population viability analysis （PVA） to test genetic outcomes in relation to different management actions. We demonstrated that a careful selection of the founder cohort produced a population with an expected heterozygosity of -70% for a window of approximately 10 years. A proposal to increase the size of the reserve available to the colony was shown to almost double the time at which the colony would retain heterozygosity levels of≥70%. Additionally, developing a regular program of supplementation of unrelated woylies would result in a further improvement in their genetic value. This study demonstrated how the application of molecular techniques in combination with PVA can be beneficial for the management of rehabilitated wildlife otherwise considered of little conservation value. This approach can be applied to the management of breeding programs, but also to small, closed populations such as those found on islands, fenced enclosures, insurance populations, and in zoological collections.
