Tracking and tracing central Queensland’s Macroderma – determining the size of the Mount Etna ghost bat population and potential threats

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 243 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Augusteyn ◽  
Jane Hughes ◽  
Graeme Armstrong ◽  
Kathryn Real ◽  
Carlo Pacioni
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Population Bottleneck ◽  
Mount Etna ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Recreational Facilities ◽  
Microsatellite Diversity

The ghost bat, Macroderma gigas, colony at Mount Etna was at the centre of Australia’s longest-running conservation campaign. To protect the colony the Queensland Government removed recreational facilities and gated caves. The size and genetic diversity of the Mount Etna M. gigas population were estimated using cave searches, direct captures and molecular analysis to determine whether these actions have benefitted the species. In addition, telemetry was undertaken and red fox, Vulpes vulpes, scats analysed to identify possible threats. Results suggest that the population has declined by 79% since the late 1990s, has low microsatellite diversity, low effective population size (Ne) and is undergoing a population bottleneck. VHF- and GPS-collared animals were found to forage over agricultural land up to 11.8 km from their daytime roost, suggesting that poor land management and barbed-wire fences could be potential threats. No ghost bat remains were found in fox scats. We recommend that compliance be increased around Johansen’s Cave to reduce disturbance during the maternity season and landholders be encouraged to undertake management that is sympathetic to ghost bats.

scholarly journals Low genetic diversity in the endangered Taxus yunnanensis following a population bottleneck, a low effective population size and increased inbreeding

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. C. Miao ◽  
Z. J. Zhang ◽  
J. R. Su
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Effective Population Size ◽  
Spatial Genetic Structure ◽  
Population Bottleneck ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Taxus Yunnanensis ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity ◽  
Two Populations

Abstract Taxus yunnanensis, which is an endangered tree that is considered valuable because it contains the effective natural anticancer metabolite taxol and heteropolysaccharides, has long suffered from severe habitat fragmentation. In this study, the levels of genetic diversity in two populations of 136 individuals were analyzed based on eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci. Our results suggested that these two populations were characterized by low genetic diversity (NE = 2.303/2.557; HO = 0.168/0.142; HE = 0.453/0.517), a population bottleneck, a low effective population size (Ne = 7/9), a high level of inbreeding (FIS = 0.596/0.702), and a weak, but significant spatial genetic structure (Sp = 0.001, b = −0.001*). Habitat fragmentation, seed shadow overlap and limited seed and pollen dispersal and potential selfing may have contributed to the observed gene tic structure. The results of the present study will enable development of practical conservation measures to effectively conserve the valuable genetic resources of this endangered plant.

scholarly journals A Remarkable Genetic Diversity of Rotavirus A Circulating in Red Fox Population in Croatia

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 485
Author(s):  
Daniel Čolić ◽  
Nina Krešić ◽  
Željko Mihaljević ◽  
Tibor Andreanszky ◽  
Davor Balić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Molecular Epidemiology ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Interspecies Transmission ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Potential Influence ◽  
Rotavirus A ◽  
Animal Farming

Rotaviruses (RV), especially Rotavirus A (RVA), are globally recognized as pathogens causing neonatal diarrhea, but they also affect intensive animal farming. However, the knowledge on their significance in wildlife is rather limited. The aim of the study was to unveil the prevalence, molecular epidemiology, and genetic diversity of RVA strains circulating in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population in Croatia. From 2018 to 2019, 370 fecal samples from fox carcasses hunted for rabies monitoring were collected. All samples were first tested using a VP2 real-time RT-PCR; in the subsequent course, positives were subjected to VP7 and VP4 genotyping. The results revealed an RVA prevalence of 14.9%, while the circulating RVA strains showed a remarkable genetic diversity in terms of 11 G and nine P genotypes, among which one G and three P were tentatively identified as novel. In total, eight genotype combinations were detected: G8P[14], G9P[3], G9P[23], G10P[11], G10P[3], G11P[13], G15P[21], and G?P[?]. The results suggest a complex background of previous interspecies transmission events, shedding new light on the potential influence of foxes in RVA epidemiology. Their role as potential reservoirs of broad range of RVA genotypes, usually considered typical solely of domestic animals and humans, cannot be dismissed.

scholarly journals Molecular evolutionary consequences of island colonisation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer James ◽  
Robert Lanfear ◽  
Adam Eyre-Walker
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Bottleneck ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
Population Bottlenecks ◽  
Adaptive Potential ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Island Species ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Evolutionary Consequences ◽  
The Relationship

Island endemics are likely to experience population bottlenecks; they also have restricted ranges. Therefore we expect island species to have small effective population sizes (Ne) and reduced genetic diversity compared to their mainland counterparts. As a consequence, island species may have inefficient selection and reduced adaptive potential. We used both polymorphisms and substitutions to address these predictions, improving on the approach of recent studies that only used substitution data. This allowed us to directly test the assumption that island species have small values of Ne. We found that island species had significantly less genetic diversity than mainland species; however, this pattern could be attributed to a subset of island species that had undergone a recent population bottleneck. When these species were excluded from the analysis, island and mainland species had similar levels of genetic diversity, despite island species occupying considerably smaller areas than their mainland counterparts. We also found no overall difference between island and mainland species in terms of effectiveness of selection or mutation rate. Our evidence suggests that island colonisation has no lasting impact on molecular evolution. This surprising result highlights gaps in our knowledge of the relationship between census and effective population size.

scholarly journals Pedigree analysis of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrycja Grzybek ◽  
Piotr Przysiecki ◽  
Andrzej Filistowicz ◽  
Jan Dobrzański ◽  
Tomasz Szwaczkowski
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Genome Equivalent ◽  
Effective Number ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Pedigree Structure ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Loss Of Genetic Diversity ◽  
Inbreeding Level

AbstractFur animal breeding has a long history. In many countries several fur animal species (including the red fox) have been recognized as livestock. The aim of this study was to estimate the pedigree parameters in the population of red fox on a Polish breeding farm. The data set consisted of information on 39 434 individuals, including 18 697 females and 20 004 males (733 animals were of unknown sex), from the years 1956–2016. The following pedigree parameters were estimated: average number of discrete generation equivalents, individual inbreeding coefficient, total and effective number of founders, effective population size, average relationship, founder genome equivalent, effective number of non-founders, and genetic diversity coefficient. The population size changed in successive years. The average inbreeding level was 5.34% for the population as a whole, and 6.04% for the inbred population. The estimated effective number of founders of the population was 84.18. The founder genome equivalent, which indicates the anticipated loss of genetic diversity caused by genetic drift, reached 9.59 in 2016 from an initial value of 34.22 in 1956. The loss of genetic diversity caused by the unequal contribution of the founder alleles did not change significantly over the years. Generally, the results indicate the good pedigree structure (including pedigree completeness) of the population studied. This implies reliable estimation of the inbreeding level, as one of the most important parameters in the genetic improvement programme.

Genetic Diversity of MHC Class II DRB1 Exon 2 in the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) on Hokkaido, Japan

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosuke Amaike ◽  
Yoshinori Nishita ◽  
Kohji Uraguchi ◽  
Ryuichi Masuda
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Mhc Class Ii ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Exon 2

Primary osteoblast culture from red fox (Vulpes Vulpes)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Pedro Perpetuo ◽  
Alessandro Felder ◽  
Andrew Pitsillides ◽  
Michael Doube ◽  
Isabel Orriss
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Primary Osteoblast ◽  
Osteoblast Culture

Evolutionary genetics of small populations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Frankham ◽  
Jonathan D. Ballou ◽  
Katherine Ralls ◽  
Mark D. B. Eldridge ◽  
Michele R. Dudash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Evolutionary Genetics ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Genetic Management ◽  
Evolutionary Genetic ◽  
Loss Of Genetic Diversity ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Genetic management of fragmented populations involves the application of evolutionary genetic theory and knowledge to alleviate problems due to inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity in small population fragments. Populations evolve through the effects of mutation, natural selection, chance (genetic drift) and gene flow (migration). Large outbreeding, sexually reproducing populations typically contain substantial genetic diversity, while small populations typically contain reduced levels. Genetic impacts of small population size on inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity and population differentiation are determined by the genetically effective population size, which is usually much smaller than the number of individuals.

scholarly journals Small rodent cycles influence interactions among predators in a boreal forest ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-593
Author(s):  
Rocío Cano-Martínez ◽  
David Carricondo-Sanchez ◽  
Olivier Devineau ◽  
Morten Odden
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Small Rodent ◽  
Generalist Predator ◽  
Pine Marten ◽  
Mustela Nivalis ◽  
Rodent Abundance

AbstractCyclic fluctuations of prey have profound effects on the functioning of ecosystems, for example, by changing the dynamics, behavior, and intraguild interactions of predators. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rodent cyclic fluctuations in the interspecific interactions of a guild of small- and medium-sized predators: red fox (Vulpes vulpes), pine marten (Martes martes), and weasels (Mustela erminea and Mustela nivalis) in the boreal ecosystem. We analyzed eight years (2007–2014) of snow tracking data from southeastern Norway using structural equation models to assess hypothesized networks of causal relationships. Our results show that fluctuations in rodent abundance alter the strength of predator’s interactions, as well as the effect of determinant environmental variables. Pine marten and weasel abundances were positively associated with rodent population growth rate, but not red fox abundance. All predators were positively associated with each other; however, the association between red fox and the other predators weakened when rodents increased. Rodent fluctuations had variable effects on the habitat use of the predators. The presence of agricultural land was important for all predators, but this importance weakened for the mustelids as rodent abundance increased. We discuss the shifting role of interference and exploitative competition as possible mechanisms behind these patterns. Overall, we highlight the importance of accounting for the dynamics of prey resources when studying interspecific interactions among predators. Additionally, we demonstrate the importance of monitoring the predator populations in order to anticipate undesirable outcomes such as increased generalist predator abundances to the detriment of specialists.

scholarly journals Trends in genetic diversity and the effect of inbreeding in American Angus cattle under genomic selection

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel A. Lozada-Soto ◽  
Christian Maltecca ◽  
Duc Lu ◽  
Stephen Miller ◽  
John B. Cole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Genomic Selection ◽  
Inbreeding Depression ◽  
Growth Traits ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Angus Cattle ◽  
Genomic Inbreeding ◽  
Chromosome Segments ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background While the adoption of genomic evaluations in livestock has increased genetic gain rates, its effects on genetic diversity and accumulation of inbreeding have raised concerns in cattle populations. Increased inbreeding may affect fitness and decrease the mean performance for economically important traits, such as fertility and growth in beef cattle, with the age of inbreeding having a possible effect on the magnitude of inbreeding depression. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in genetic diversity as a result of the implementation of genomic selection in Angus cattle and quantify potential inbreeding depression effects of total pedigree and genomic inbreeding, and also to investigate the impact of recent and ancient inbreeding. Results We found that the yearly rate of inbreeding accumulation remained similar in sires and decreased significantly in dams since the implementation of genomic selection. Other measures such as effective population size and the effective number of chromosome segments show little evidence of a detrimental effect of using genomic selection strategies on the genetic diversity of beef cattle. We also quantified pedigree and genomic inbreeding depression for fertility and growth. While inbreeding did not affect fertility, an increase in pedigree or genomic inbreeding was associated with decreased birth weight, weaning weight, and post-weaning gain in both sexes. We also measured the impact of the age of inbreeding and found that recent inbreeding had a larger depressive effect on growth than ancient inbreeding. Conclusions In this study, we sought to quantify and understand the possible consequences of genomic selection on the genetic diversity of American Angus cattle. In both sires and dams, we found that, generally, genomic selection resulted in decreased rates of pedigree and genomic inbreeding accumulation and increased or sustained effective population sizes and number of independently segregating chromosome segments. We also found significant depressive effects of inbreeding accumulation on economically important growth traits, particularly with genomic and recent inbreeding.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document