Deciphering genetic mate choice: Not so simple in group‐housed conservation breeding programs

Preserving breed uniqueness and purity is vitally important in developing conservation/breeding programs for a germplasm collection of rare and endangered chicken breeds. The present study was aimed at analyzing SNP genetic variability of 21 small local and imported purebred and F1 crossbred populations and identifying crossbreeding events via whole-genome evaluation of runs of homozygosity (ROH). The admixture models more efficiently reflected population structure, pinpointing crossbreeding events in the presence of ancestral populations but not in their absence. Multidimensional scaling and FST-based analyses did not discriminate properly between purebred populations and F1 crossbreds, especially when comparing related breeds. When applying the ROH-based approach, more and longer ROHs were revealed in purebred individuals/populations, suggesting this as an effective implement in genome-wide analysis of germplasm breed purity.

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Disentangling the mechanisms of mate choice in a captive koala population

10.7287/peerj.preprints.3487v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Parice A Brandies ◽

Catherine E Grueber ◽

Jamie A Ivy ◽

Carolyn J Hogg ◽

Professor K Belov

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Female Choice ◽

Mating Success ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Genetic Determinants ◽

Term Survival ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Captive Populations ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Captive Breeding Programs

Successful captive breeding programs are crucial to the long-term survival of threatened species. However, pair incompatibility limits sustainability of many captive populations. Understanding whether the drivers of this incompatibility are behavioural or genetic, or a combination of both, is crucial to improving breeding programs. We used twenty-eight years of pairing data from the San Diego Zoo koala colony, plus genetic analyses using both MHC-linked and non-MHC-linked microsatellite markers, to show that both behavioural and genetic determinants can influence mating success. Male age was reconfirmed to be a contributing factor to the likelihood of a pair copulating. Familiarity was also reconfirmed to increase the probability of a successful copulation. Our data provided evidence that females select mates based on MHC and genome-wide similarity. Male heterozygosity at class II MHC loci influenced both pre- and post-copulatory female choice. Genome-wide similarity and similarity at the MHCII DAB locus were also found to influence female choice at the post-copulatory level. Finally, certain MHC-linked alleles were associated with increased or decreased mating success. We predict that utilising a variety of behavioural and MHC-dependent mate choice mechanisms improves female fitness through increased reproductive success. This study highlights the complexity of mate choice mechanisms within a species and the importance of ascertaining mate choice mechanisms to improve the success of captive breeding programs.

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Zoos through the Lens of the IUCN Red List: A Global Metapopulation Approach to Support Conservation Breeding Programs

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0080311 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. e80311 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Dalia A. Conde ◽

Fernando Colchero ◽

Markus Gusset ◽

Paul Pearce-Kelly ◽

Onnie Byers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Iucn Red List ◽

Red List ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Conservation Breeding

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Free mate choice enhances conservation breeding in the endangered giant panda

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/ncomms10125 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Meghan S. Martin-Wintle ◽

David Shepherdson ◽

Guiquan Zhang ◽

Hemin Zhang ◽

Desheng Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Giant Panda ◽

Conservation Breeding

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Can conservation-breeding programmes be improved by incorporating mate choice?

International Zoo Yearbook ◽

10.1111/j.1748-1090.2010.00123.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 203-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

C. S. ASA ◽

K. TRAYLOR-HOLZER ◽

R. C. LACY

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Breeding Programmes ◽

Conservation Breeding

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Biology and Captive Breeding of the Amazonian Milk Frog, Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Goeldi 1907)

Reptiles & Amphibians ◽

10.17161/randa.v22i2.14047 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 68-75

Author(s):

Fabien Mignet

Keyword(s):

Immune Function ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Biological Traits ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

General Welfare ◽

In Captivity ◽

Private Contributions ◽

Conservation Breeding

Although the Amazonian Milk Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) is commonly bred in captivity in zoological institutions worldwide, very little information regarding these undertakings has been published. Here, I report my experience with the successful breeding of T. resinifictrix at the Touroparc Zoo. I highlight some fundamental biological traits in order to fulfill the requirements for captive breeding and to ensure the general welfare of these frogs. The aim is to provide guidelines that may be used by zoos, aquariums, and other facilities as well as private contributions to conservation breeding programs for endangered anurans with requirements similar to those of T. resinifictrix. In general, this species is easy to keep in captivity. Larvae are easy to produce and raise with very low mortality rates. They usually metamorphose at six to ten weeks. However, newly metamorphosed frogs are fragile and require more attention. Several pathogens are known to affect the health of amphibians, and stress can play an important role in immune function.

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Disentangling the mechanisms of mate choice in a captive koala population

10.7287/peerj.preprints.3487 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Parice A Brandies ◽

Catherine E Grueber ◽

Jamie A Ivy ◽

Carolyn J Hogg ◽

Professor K Belov

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Female Choice ◽

Mating Success ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Genetic Determinants ◽

Term Survival ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Captive Populations ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Captive Breeding Programs

Successful captive breeding programs are crucial to the long-term survival of threatened species. However, pair incompatibility limits sustainability of many captive populations. Understanding whether the drivers of this incompatibility are behavioural or genetic, or a combination of both, is crucial to improving breeding programs. We used twenty-eight years of pairing data from the San Diego Zoo koala colony, plus genetic analyses using both MHC-linked and non-MHC-linked microsatellite markers, to show that both behavioural and genetic determinants can influence mating success. Male age was reconfirmed to be a contributing factor to the likelihood of a pair copulating. Familiarity was also reconfirmed to increase the probability of a successful copulation. Our data provided evidence that females select mates based on MHC and genome-wide similarity. Male heterozygosity at class II MHC loci influenced both pre- and post-copulatory female choice. Genome-wide similarity and similarity at the MHCII DAB locus were also found to influence female choice at the post-copulatory level. Finally, certain MHC-linked alleles were associated with increased or decreased mating success. We predict that utilising a variety of behavioural and MHC-dependent mate choice mechanisms improves female fitness through increased reproductive success. This study highlights the complexity of mate choice mechanisms within a species and the importance of ascertaining mate choice mechanisms to improve the success of captive breeding programs.

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The Role of Reproductive Technologies in Amphibian Conservation Breeding Programs

Annual Review of Animal Biosciences ◽

10.1146/annurev-animal-020518-115056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 499-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Aimee J. Silla ◽

Phillip G. Byrne

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Amphibian Conservation ◽

Genetic Management ◽

Species Extinction ◽

Amphibian Species ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Biodiversity Crisis ◽

Conservation Breeding

Anthropogenic environmental change has led to unprecedented rates of species extinction, presenting a major threat to global biodiversity. Among vertebrates, amphibians have been most severely impacted, with an estimated 41% of species now threatened with extinction. In response to this biodiversity crisis, a moral and ethical obligation exists to implement proactive interventionist conservation actions to assist species recovery and decelerate declines. Conservation breeding programs have been successfully established for several threatened amphibian species globally, aiming to prevent species’ extinction by maintaining genetically representative assurance colonies ex situ while providing individuals for population augmentation, translocation, and reestablishment in situ. Reproductive technologies have enormous potential to enhance the propagation and genetic management of threatened species. In this review, we discuss the role of reproductive technologies in amphibian conservation breeding programs and summarize technological advancements in amphibian hormone therapies, gamete storage, and artificial fertilization.

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The effect of injection and topical application of hCG and GnRH agonist to induce sperm-release in the roseate frog, Geocrinia rosea

Conservation Physiology ◽

10.1093/conphys/coaa104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aimee J Silla ◽

J Dale Roberts ◽

Phillip G Byrne

Keyword(s):

Topical Application ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Sperm Concentration ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Amphibian Conservation ◽

Genetic Management ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Hormone Administration ◽

Applied Dose ◽

Conservation Breeding

Abstract Reproductive technologies may assist amphibian conservation breeding programs (CBPs) to achieve propagation targets and genetic management goals. However, a trial-and-error approach to protocol refinement has led to few amphibian CBPs routinely employing reproductive technologies with predictable outcomes. Additionally, while injections can be safely administered to amphibians, perceived animal welfare risks, such as injury and disease transmission, warrant the development of alternative hormone administration protocols. The present study investigated the spermiation response of roseate frogs, Geocrinia rosea, administered various doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) via subcutaneous injection. This study also quantified the spermiation response of frogs administered both hormones via topical application. Total sperm, sperm concentration and sperm viability were assessed over a 12-h period post hormone administration. Males released sperm in response to the injection of hCG (88–100% response; 5, 10 or 20 IU), but all samples collected from males administered hCG topically (100, 100 + DMSO or 200 IU hCG) were aspermic. In contrast, males consistently released sperm in response to both the injection (100% response; 1, 5 or 10 μg), or topical application (80–100% response; 50, 50 + DMSO or 100 μg) of GnRH-a. Overall, the administration of GnRH-a was more effective at inducing spermiation than hCG. Mean total sperm and sperm concentration were highest in response to the optimal topically applied dose of 100 μg GnRH-a (mean total sperm = 2.44 × 103, sperm concentration = 1.48 × 105 sperm/ml). We provide novel evidence that topical application provides a viable alternative to injection for the administration of GnRH-a to induce spermiation in amphibians.

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Temporal Variation in the Genetic Composition of an Endangered Marsupial Reflects Reintroduction History

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13060257 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 257

Author(s):

Rujiporn Thavornkanlapachai ◽

Harriet R. Mills ◽

Kym Ottewell ◽

J. Anthony Friend ◽

W. Jason Kennington

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Genetic Relatedness ◽

Allelic Diversity ◽

Genetic Composition ◽

Effective Population ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Genetic Changes ◽

Reintroduced Population ◽

Source Populations ◽

Conservation Breeding

The loss of genetic variation and genetic divergence from source populations are common problems for reintroductions that use captive animals or a small number of founders to establish a new population. This study evaluated the genetic changes occurring in a captive and a reintroduced population of the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) that were established from multiple source populations over a twelve-year period, using 21 microsatellite loci. While the levels of genetic variation within the captive and reintroduced populations were relatively stable, and did not differ significantly from the source populations, their effective population size reduced 10–16-fold over the duration of this study. Evidence of some loss of genetic variation in the reintroduced population coincided with genetic bottlenecks that occurred after the population had become established. Detectable changes in the genetic composition of both captive and reintroduced populations were associated with the origins of the individuals introduced to the population. We show that interbreeding between individuals from different source populations lowered the genetic relatedness among the offspring, but this was short-lived. Our study highlights the importance of sourcing founders from multiple locations in conservation breeding programs to avoid inbreeding and maximize allelic diversity. The manipulation of genetic composition in a captive or reintroduced population is possible with careful management of the origins and timings of founder releases.

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