What is conservation genetics? Conservation Genetics. Are genetics important in conservation? Inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity

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1 What is conservation genetics? B242 Evolutionary Genetics Conservation Genetics Kanchon Dasmahapatra Conservation genetics is the application of genetics to preserve species as dynamic entities capable of coping with environmental change. (Frankham et al An Introduction to Conservation Genetics) Are genetics important in conservation? Human factors habitat destruction and hunting Environmental stochasticity fires, harsh winters, climate change (non-anthropogenic) Inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity Areas we will look at Inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity 2. Genetics and taxonomy in conservation Inbreeding depression Inbreeding depression in zoos Inbreeding depression is the reduced fitness in offspring produced by incestuous matings. Examples of inbreeding depression mostly from laboratory situations inbreeding depression in species of conservation interest from zoos Mortality in captive bred animals. Proportion surviving Non-inbred Inbred 0.0 Indian elephant zebra pygmy hippo muntjac Eld's deer Pere David's deer reindeer giraffe kudu sitatunga sable oryx wildebeest dik-dik Dorcas gazelle Japanese serow (Ralls et al Science 206: ) 1

2 Inbreeding depression in the wild Very few good examples coz... Mandarte Island song sparrow (Keller, L. F. et al Nature 372: ) Genetic diversity, population size and inbreeding Low genetic diversity caused by Inbreeding AND/ OR Genetic drift in a small population Drift in small populations The extinction vortex Ht = H0 1 H t = heterozygosity after t generations H 0 = initial heterozygosity N E = effective population size 1 2N E t N E usually much smaller than actual population size fluctuating population size skewed sex ratio reproductive skew age structure Genetic diversity and fitness Glanville fritillary Wolves Wolf population recovery estimated population size no. of breeding packs Vila, C. et al Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 270: individual heterozygosity year 2

3 Florida panther Genetic diversity and fitness Glanville fritillary Wolves Current distribution In 1991 population was only 30 individuals Kinked tails, cardiac defects, poor semen quality, undescended testis, many infectious diseases 8 females introduced from Texas In 2004 population had increased to 87 and distribution had increased Hybrid kittens show 3 time higher survivorship Florida panther The cheetah story Species, subspecies and genetic distances Genetics and taxonomy in conservation Subspecies Red deer Ground squirrels Drosophilia willistoni Species Galapagos finches Ground squirrels Anolis lizards Genera Galapagos finches Birds (Parulidae) Fish (Scaenidae) Genetic Distance Tuataras DNA barcoding S. p. punctatus What is DNA barcoding? Identification of species using DNA sequences Specifically using ~650bp of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene S. p. western Consortium for the Barcode of Life S. guntheri Daugherty, C. M. et al Nature 347:

4 DNA barcoding Relies on Interspecific variation >> intraspecific variation (Whinnett, A. et al Proc. R. Soc. B 272: ) Hebert, P. D. N. et al Nature 347: DNA barcoding the good and the bad Advantages No taxonomic knowledge required Discovery of cryptic species Potentially very fast Disadvantages (Whinnett, A. et al Proc. R. Soc. B 272: ) Forensic applications Based on mitochondrial DNA not nuclear DNA Need laboratory equipment Can t distinguish species in rapidly evolving taxa May be little or no difference between intra and interspecific genetic variation Detecting illegal whaling DNA can be amplified from tiny bits of tissue hair, faeces, museum samples Tracking individuals Identifying species (Baker, C. S. et al Mol. Ecol. 5: ) 4

5 Major areas in conservation genetics Inbreeding depression Loss of genetic diversity Population fragmentation Genetic drift Deleterious mutations Genetic adaptation to captivity Resolving taxonomic uncertainties Defining management units Forensic applications Understanding species biology Outbreeding depression Points to take away Some controversy over the importance of genetic factors in conservation Genetic factors important in small populations REMEMBER that human factors are by far more important Many uses of molecular tools in conservation taxonomic uses understanding species biology population structure etc. 5