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Breininger DR, Stolen ED, Carter GM, Legare SA, Payne WV, Breininger DJ, Lyon JE, Schumann CD, Hunt DK. Territory and population attributes affect Florida scrub-jay fecundity in fire-adapted ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9704. [PMID: 36687801 PMCID: PMC9841125 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fecundity, the number of young produced by a breeding pair during a breeding season, is a primary component in evolutionary and ecological theory and applications. Fecundity can be influenced by many environmental factors and requires long-term study due to the range of variation in ecosystem dynamics. Fecundity data often include a large proportion of zeros when many pairs fail to produce any young during a breeding season due to nest failure or when all young die independently after fledging. We conducted color banding and monthly censuses of Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) across 31 years, 15 populations, and 761 territories along central Florida's Atlantic coast. We quantified how fecundity (juveniles/pair-year) was influenced by habitat quality, presence/absence of nonbreeders, population density, breeder experience, and rainfall, with a zero-inflated Bayesian hierarchical model including both a Bernoulli (e.g., brood success) and a Poisson (counts of young) submodel, and random effects for year, population, and territory. The results identified the importance of increasing "strong" quality habitat, which was a mid-successional state related to fire frequency and extent, because strong territories, and the proportion of strong territories in the overall population, influenced fecundity of breeding pairs. Populations subject to supplementary feeding also had greater fecundity. Territory size, population density, breeder experience, and rainfall surprisingly had no or small effects. Different mechanisms appeared to cause annual variation in fecundity, as estimates of random effects were not correlated between the success and count submodels. The increased fecundity for pairs with nonbreeders, compared to pairs without, identified empirical research needed to understand how the proportion of low-quality habitats influences population recovery and sustainability, because dispersal into low-quality habitats can drain nonbreeders from strong territories and decrease overall fecundity. We also describe how long-term study resulted in reversals in our understanding because of complications involving habitat quality, sociobiology, and population density.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R. Breininger
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | - Eric D. Stolen
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | - Geoffrey M. Carter
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | - Stephanie A. Legare
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | - William V. Payne
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | | | - James E. Lyon
- Merritt Island National Wildlife RefugeTitusvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Chris D. Schumann
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
| | - Danny K. Hunt
- Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, NEM‐022Kennedy Space CenterFloridaUSA
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2
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Fu H, Xu J, Zhang H, García Molinos J, Zhang M, Klaar M, Brown LE. A meta-analysis of environmental responses to freshwater ecosystem restoration in China (1987-2018). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120589. [PMID: 36336182 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how abiotic and biotic components respond to aquatic ecosystem restoration is pivotal for sustainable development in the face of economic development and global environmental change. However, the post-restoration monitoring and evaluation of aquatic ecosystems across large spatial and temporal scales is underfunded or not well documented, especially outside of Europe and North America. We present a meta-analysis of abiotic and biotic indices to quantify post-restoration (2 months-13 years) effects from reported aquatic restoration projects throughout the China-mainland, incorporating 39 lentic and 36 lotic ecosystems. Decreases in dissolved nutrients (total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus) post-restoration were rapid, but tended to slow down after about 9.3 years. Response ratios summarizing biodiversity responses (incorporating phytoplankton, invertebrates, vascular plants, fish and birds) typically lagged behind abiotic changes, suggesting longer timescales are needed for biotic indices to recover. Time since restoration interacted with lentic project size showing that, even with the same proportional efforts of restoration, larger lentic ecosystems responded much more slowly than smaller ones. Spatial heterogeneity, reflecting the effects of different restoration approaches (e.g., sewage interception, polluted sediment dredging, artificial wetlands, etc.), had a significantly stronger effect on biotic than abiotic indices, particularly in rivers compared to standing waters. This reflects the complexity of fluvial ecosystem dynamics and hints at a limitation in the reinstatement of ecological processes in these systems to overcome issues such as dispersal limitations. Overall, the different timelines and processes by which abiotic and biotic indices recover after restoration should be taken into account when defining restoration targets and monitoring programs. Our study illustrates the value of long-term aquatic ecosystem monitoring, especially in China given the scale and magnitude of ongoing restoration investments in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Fu
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; School of Geography and Water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Jun Xu
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China.
| | - Huan Zhang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China.
| | | | - Min Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Centre of Hubei Province, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Megan Klaar
- School of Geography and Water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Lee E Brown
- School of Geography and Water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
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3
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Hefty KL, Koprowski JL. Multiscale effects of habitat loss and degradation on occurrence and landscape connectivity of a threatened subspecies. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kira L. Hefty
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Arizona Tucson Arizona USA
| | - John L. Koprowski
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
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4
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Kudla N, McCluskey EM, Lulla V, Grundel R, Moore JA. Intact landscape promotes gene flow and low genetic structuring in the threatened Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6276-6288. [PMID: 34141217 PMCID: PMC8207425 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic structuring of wild populations is dependent on environmental, ecological, and life-history factors. The specific role environmental context plays in genetic structuring is important to conservation practitioners working with rare species across areas with varying degrees of fragmentation. We investigated fine-scale genetic patterns of the federally threatened Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) on a relatively undisturbed island in northern Michigan, USA. This species often persists in habitat islands throughout much of its distribution due to extensive habitat loss and distance-limited dispersal. We found that the entire island population exhibited weak genetic structuring with spatially segregated variation in effective migration and genetic diversity. The low level of genetic structuring contrasts with previous studies in the southern part of the species' range at comparable fine scales (~7 km), in which much higher levels of structuring were documented. The island population's genetic structuring more closely resembles that of populations from Ontario, Canada, that occupy similarly intact habitats. Intrapopulation variation in effective migration and genetic diversity likely corresponds to the presence of large inland lakes acting as barriers and more human activity in the southern portion of the island. The observed genetic structuring in this intact landscape suggests that the Eastern Massasauga is capable of sufficient interpatch movements to reduce overall genetic structuring and colonize new habitats. Landscape mosaics with multiple habitat patches and localized barriers (e.g., large water bodies or roads) will promote gene flow and natural colonization for this declining species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Kudla
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMIUSA
| | | | - Vijay Lulla
- Department of GeographyIUPUIIndianapolis, INUSA
| | - Ralph Grundel
- Great Lakes Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyChestertonINUSA
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5
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Miller KE, Risch R, Garcia J. Long-Distance Dispersal in a Sedentary Species, Aphelocoma coerulescens (Florida Scrub-Jay), in Northern Florida. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karl E. Miller
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32601
| | | | - Jay Garcia
- Ocala National Forest, Umatilla, FL 32784
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6
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Miller KE, Shea CP. Characterizing suitable habitat for the largest remaining population of the threatened Florida scrub-jay Aphelocoma coerulescens. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Cousseau L, Hammers M, Van de Loock D, Apfelbeck B, Githiru M, Matthysen E, Lens L. Habitat fragmentation shapes natal dispersal and sociality in an Afrotropical cooperative breeder. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202428. [PMID: 33323076 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It remains poorly understood how effects of anthropogenic activity, such as large-scale habitat fragmentation, impact sociality in animals. In cooperatively breeding species, groups are mostly formed through delayed offspring dispersal, and habitat fragmentation can affect this process in two opposite directions. Increased habitat isolation may increase dispersal costs, promoting delayed dispersal. Alternatively, reduced patch size and quality may decrease benefits of philopatry, promoting dispersal. Here, we test both predictions in a cooperatively breeding bird (placid greenbul, Phyllastrephus placidus) from an Afrotropical cloud forest archipelago. Males born in fragmented forest dispersed about 1 year earlier than those born in continuous forest. Contrary to females, males also started to reproduce earlier and mostly settled within their natal patch. Females only rarely delayed their dispersal for more than 1 year, both in fragmented and continuous forests. Our results suggest that early male dispersal and reproduction is jointly driven by a decrease in the value of the natal territory and an increase in local breeding opportunities in fragmented forest. While plasticity in dispersal strategies of cooperative breeders in response to anthropogenic change is believed to optimize reproduction-survival trade-offs, to what extent it shapes the ability of species to respond to rapid environmental change remains to be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Cousseau
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dries Van de Loock
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Beate Apfelbeck
- Evolutionary Zoology Group, Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mwangi Githiru
- Department of Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.,Wildlife Works, PO Box 310-80300, Voi, Kenya
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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8
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Cox JA, Engstrom RT, Breininger DR, Hewett Ragheb EL. Interpreting Smoke Signals: Fire Ecology and Land Management for Four Federally Listed Birds. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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9
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Limited dispersal by large juvenile males leads to kin-structured neighborhoods in the black-crested titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02844-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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10
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Suh YH, Pesendorfer MB, Tringali A, Bowman R, Fitzpatrick JW. Investigating social and environmental predictors of natal dispersal in a cooperative breeding bird. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Natal dispersal is a crucial life-history trait that affects both individual fitness and population structure, yet drivers of variation in dispersal probability and distance are difficult to study in wild populations. In cooperatively breeding species, individuals typically delay dispersal beyond their first breeding season and remain on the natal territory as nonbreeders, which prolongs social dynamics that can affect dispersal decisions. Using a 35-year data set covering almost 600 dispersal events in the cooperatively breeding Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), we examined the environmental and social parameters that predict dispersal probability over time and distance. In both sexes, dispersal probability increased with age, which, in turn, was negatively correlated with dispersal distance. In males, individuals occupying low-quality natal territories and living with a stepfather had an increased probability of dispersal. Older and more dominant males were more likely to inherit their natal territory. In females, which generally disperse earlier and farther than males, socially subordinate jays dispersed farther than dominant ones. Overall, jays that delayed dispersal the longest were more likely to attain breeding status near their natal territory, which was previously found to be associated with increased survival and lifetime fitness. Our results suggest that social dynamics and environmental factors on the natal territory affect delayed dispersal patterns differently for the two sexes in this cooperative breeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Ha Suh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - Mario B Pesendorfer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Wien, Austria
| | - Angela Tringali
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - Reed Bowman
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - John W Fitzpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
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11
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Robertson EP, Fletcher RJ, Austin JD. The number of breeders explains genetic connectivity in an endangered bird. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2746-2756. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen P. Robertson
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Robert J. Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - James D. Austin
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
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12
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Isolating the roles of movement and reproduction on effective connectivity alters conservation priorities for an endangered bird. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:8591-8596. [PMID: 30082379 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1800183115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Movement is important for ecological and evolutionary theory as well as connectivity conservation, which is increasingly critical for species responding to environmental change. Key ecological and evolutionary outcomes of movement, such as population growth and gene flow, require effective dispersal: movement that is followed by successful reproduction. However, the relative roles of movement and postmovement reproduction for effective dispersal and connectivity remain unclear. Here we isolate the contributions of movement and immigrant reproduction to effective dispersal and connectivity across the entire breeding range of an endangered raptor, the snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus). To do so, we unite mark-resight data on movement and reproduction across 9 years and 27 breeding patches with an integrated model that decomposes effective dispersal into its hierarchical levels of movement, postmovement breeding attempt, and postmovement reproductive success. We found that immigrant reproduction limits effective dispersal more than movement for this endangered species, demonstrating that even highly mobile species may have limited effective connectivity due to reduced immigrant reproduction. We found different environmental limitations for the reproductive component of effective dispersal compared with movement, indicating that different conservation strategies may be needed when promoting effective dispersal rather than movement alone. We also demonstrate that considering immigrant reproduction, rather than movement alone, alters which patches are the most essential for connectivity, thereby changing conservation priorities. These results challenge the assumption that understanding movement alone is sufficient to infer connectivity and highlight that connectivity conservation may require not only fostering movement but also successful reproduction of immigrants.
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13
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Genetic diversity, effective population size, and structure among black bear populations in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA. CONSERV GENET 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-018-1075-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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14
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15
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Cosgrove AJ, McWhorter TJ, Maron M. Consequences of impediments to animal movements at different scales: A conceptual framework and review. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anita J. Cosgrove
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Qld Australia
| | - Todd J. McWhorter
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Qld Australia
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16
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Botero-Delgadillo E, Quirici V, Poblete Y, Cuevas É, Kuhn S, Girg A, Teltscher K, Poulin E, Kempenaers B, Vásquez RA. Variation in fine-scale genetic structure and local dispersal patterns between peripheral populations of a South American passerine bird. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8363-8378. [PMID: 29075455 PMCID: PMC5648682 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of suitable habitat influences natal and breeding dispersal at small spatial scales, resulting in strong microgeographic genetic structure. Although environmental variation can promote interpopulation differences in dispersal behavior and local spatial patterns, the effects of distinct ecological conditions on within‐species variation in dispersal strategies and in fine‐scale genetic structure remain poorly understood. We studied local dispersal and fine‐scale genetic structure in the thorn‐tailed rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda), a South American bird that breeds along a wide latitudinal gradient. We combine capture‐mark‐recapture data from eight breeding seasons and molecular genetics to compare two peripheral populations with contrasting environments in Chile: Navarino Island, a continuous and low density habitat, and Fray Jorge National Park, a fragmented, densely populated and more stressful environment. Natal dispersal showed no sex bias in Navarino but was female‐biased in the more dense population in Fray Jorge. In the latter, male movements were restricted, and some birds seemed to skip breeding in their first year, suggesting habitat saturation. Breeding dispersal was limited in both populations, with males being more philopatric than females. Spatial genetic autocorrelation analyzes using 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci confirmed the observed dispersal patterns: a fine‐scale genetic structure was only detectable for males in Fray Jorge for distances up to 450 m. Furthermore, two‐dimensional autocorrelation analyzes and estimates of genetic relatedness indicated that related males tended to be spatially clustered in this population. Our study shows evidence for context‐dependent variation in natal dispersal and corresponding local genetic structure in peripheral populations of this bird. It seems likely that the costs of dispersal are higher in the fragmented and higher density environment in Fray Jorge, particularly for males. The observed differences in microgeographic genetic structure for rayaditos might reflect the genetic consequences of population‐specific responses to contrasting environmental pressures near the range limits of its distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Botero-Delgadillo
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile.,SELVA: Research for conservation in the Neotropics Bogotá Colombia
| | - Verónica Quirici
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago Chile.,Centro de Investigación Para la Sustentabilidad Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago Chile
| | - Yanina Poblete
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile.,Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Universidad de las Américas Santiago Chile
| | - Élfego Cuevas
- Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago Chile
| | - Sylvia Kuhn
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Plank Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Alexander Girg
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Plank Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Kim Teltscher
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Plank Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Elie Poulin
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Plank Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Rodrigo A Vásquez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
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17
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Deconstructing isolation-by-distance: The genomic consequences of limited dispersal. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006911. [PMID: 28771477 PMCID: PMC5542401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographically limited dispersal can shape genetic population structure and result in a correlation between genetic and geographic distance, commonly called isolation-by-distance. Despite the prevalence of isolation-by-distance in nature, to date few studies have empirically demonstrated the processes that generate this pattern, largely because few populations have direct measures of individual dispersal and pedigree information. Intensive, long-term demographic studies and exhaustive genomic surveys in the Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the influence of dispersal on genetic structure. Here, we used a panel of genome-wide SNPs and extensive pedigree information to explore the role of limited dispersal in shaping patterns of isolation-by-distance in both sexes, and at an exceedingly fine spatial scale (within ~10 km). Isolation-by-distance patterns were stronger in male-male and male-female comparisons than in female-female comparisons, consistent with observed differences in dispersal propensity between the sexes. Using the pedigree, we demonstrated how various genealogical relationships contribute to fine-scale isolation-by-distance. Simulations using field-observed distributions of male and female natal dispersal distances showed good agreement with the distribution of geographic distances between breeding individuals of different pedigree relationship classes. Furthermore, we built coalescent simulations parameterized by the observed dispersal curve, population density, and immigration rate, and showed how incorporating these extensions to Malécot’s theory of isolation-by-distance allows us to accurately reconstruct observed sex-specific isolation-by-distance patterns in autosomal and Z-linked SNPs. Therefore, patterns of fine-scale isolation-by-distance in the Florida Scrub-Jay can be well understood as a result of limited dispersal over contemporary timescales. Dispersal is a fundamental component of the life history of most organisms and therefore influences many biological processes. Dispersal is particularly important in creating genetic structure on the landscape. We often observe a pattern of decreased genetic relatedness between individuals as geographic distances increases, or isolation-by-distance. This pattern is particularly pronounced in organisms with extremely short dispersal distances. Despite the ubiquity of isolation-by-distance patterns in nature, there are few examples that explicitly demonstrate how limited dispersal influences spatial genetic structure. Here we investigate the processes that result in spatial genetic structure using the Florida Scrub-Jay, a bird with extremely limited dispersal behavior and extensive genome-wide data. We take advantage of the long-term monitoring of a contiguous population of Florida Scrub-Jays, which has resulted in a detailed pedigree and measurements of dispersal for hundreds of individuals. We show how limited dispersal results in close genealogical relatives living closer together geographically, which generates a strong pattern of isolation-by-distance at an extremely small spatial scale (<10 km) in just a few generations. Given the detailed dispersal, pedigree, and genomic data, we can achieve a fairly complete understanding of how dispersal shapes patterns of genetic diversity over short spatial scales.
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18
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Langin KM, Sillett TS, Funk WC, Morrison SA, Ghalambor CK. Partial support for the central-marginal hypothesis within a population: reduced genetic diversity but not increased differentiation at the range edge of an island endemic bird. Heredity (Edinb) 2017; 119:8-15. [PMID: 28327578 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2017.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale population comparisons have contributed to our understanding of the evolution of geographic range limits and species boundaries, as well as the conservation value of populations at range margins. The central-marginal hypothesis (CMH) predicts a decline in genetic diversity and an increase in genetic differentiation toward the periphery of species' ranges due to spatial variation in genetic drift and gene flow. Empirical studies on a diverse array of taxa have demonstrated support for the CMH. However, nearly all such studies come from widely distributed species, and have not considered if the same processes can be scaled down to single populations. Here, we test the CMH on a species composed of a single population: the Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma insularis), endemic to a 250 km2 island. We examined microsatellite data from a quarter of the total population and found that homozygosity increased toward the island's periphery. However, peripheral portions of the island did not exhibit higher genetic differentiation. Simulations revealed that highly localized dispersal and small total population size, but not spatial variation in population density, were critical for generating fine-scale variation in homozygosity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that microevolutionary processes driving spatial variation in genetic diversity among populations can also be important for generating spatial variation in genetic diversity within populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Langin
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - T S Sillett
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - W C Funk
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - C K Ghalambor
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Chen N, Cosgrove EJ, Bowman R, Fitzpatrick JW, Clark AG. Genomic Consequences of Population Decline in the Endangered Florida Scrub-Jay. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2974-2979. [PMID: 27746026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.08.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the population genetic consequences of declining population size is important for conserving the many species worldwide facing severe decline [1]. Thorough empirical studies on the impacts of population reduction at a genome-wide scale in the wild are scarce because they demand huge field and laboratory investments [1, 2]. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of gene flow in introducing genetic variation to small populations [3], but few have documented both genetic and fitness consequences of decreased immigration through time in a natural population [4-6]. Here we assess temporal variation in gene flow, inbreeding, and fitness using longitudinal genomic, demographic, and phenotypic data from a long-studied population of federally Threatened Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). We exhaustively sampled and genotyped the study population over two decades, providing one of the most detailed longitudinal investigations of genetics in a wild animal population to date. Immigrants were less heterozygous than residents but still introduced genetic variation into our study population. Owing to regional population declines, immigration into the study population declined from 1995-2013, resulting in increased levels of inbreeding and reduced fitness via inbreeding depression, even as the population remained demographically stable. Our results show that, contrary to conventional wisdom, small peripheral populations that already have undergone a genetic bottleneck may play a vital role in preserving genetic diversity of larger and seemingly stable populations. These findings underscore the importance of investing in the persistence of small populations and maintaining population connectivity in conservation of fragmented species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Chen
- Center for Population Biology and Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
| | - Elissa J Cosgrove
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Reed Bowman
- Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL 33960, USA
| | - John W Fitzpatrick
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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20
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21
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Kvistad L, Ingwersen D, Pavlova A, Bull JK, Sunnucks P. Very Low Population Structure in a Highly Mobile and Wide-Ranging Endangered Bird Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143746. [PMID: 26649426 PMCID: PMC4674126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss of biodiversity following fragmentation and degradation of habitat is a major issue in conservation biology. As competition for resources increases following habitat loss and fragmentation, severe population declines may occur even in common, highly mobile species; such demographic decline may cause changes within the population structure of the species. The regent honeyeater, Anthochaera phrygia, is a highly nomadic woodland bird once common in its native southeast Australia. It has experienced a sharp decline in abundance since the late 1970s, following clearing of large areas of its preferred habitat, box-ironbark woodland, within the last 200 years. A captive breeding program has been established as part of efforts to restore this species. This study used genetic data to examine the range-wide population structure of regent honeyeaters, including spatial structure, its change through time, sex differences in philopatry and mobility, and genetic differences between the captive and wild populations. There was low genetic differentiation between birds captured in different geographic areas. Despite the recent demographic decline, low spatial structure appears to have some temporal consistency. Both sexes appear to be highly mobile, and there does not seem to be significant genetic differentiation between the captive and wild populations. We conclude that management efforts for survival of this species, including habitat protection, restoration, and release of captive-bred birds into the wild, can treat the species as effectively a single genetic population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynna Kvistad
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - James K. Bull
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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22
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Athrey G, Lance RF, Leberg PL. Using Genealogical Mapping and Genetic Neighborhood Sizes to Quantify Dispersal Distances in the Neotropical Passerine, the Black-Capped Vireo. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140115. [PMID: 26461257 PMCID: PMC4603878 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is a key demographic process, ultimately responsible for genetic connectivity among populations. Despite its importance, quantifying dispersal within and between populations has proven difficult for many taxa. Even in passerines, which are among the most intensely studied, individual movement and its relation to gene flow remains poorly understood. In this study we used two parallel genetic approaches to quantify natal dispersal distances in a Neotropical migratory passerine, the black-capped vireo. First, we employed a strategy of sampling evenly across the landscape coupled with parentage assignment to map the genealogical relationships of individuals across the landscape, and estimate dispersal distances; next, we calculated Wright’s neighborhood size to estimate gene dispersal distances. We found that a high percentage of captured individuals were assigned at short distances within the natal population, and males were assigned to the natal population more often than females, confirming sex-biased dispersal. Parentage-based dispersal estimates averaged 2400m, whereas gene dispersal estimates indicated dispersal distances ranging from 1600–4200 m. Our study was successful in quantifying natal dispersal distances, linking individual movement to gene dispersal distances, while also providing a detailed look into the dispersal biology of Neotropical passerines. The high-resolution information was obtained with much reduced effort (sampling only 20% of breeding population) compared to mark-resight approaches, demonstrating the potential applicability of parentage-based approaches for quantifying dispersal in other vagile passerine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giridhar Athrey
- Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University, 2472 TAMU, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Faculty of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 42451, Lafayette, LA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Richard F. Lance
- Environmental Laboratory, USACE, Vicksburg, MS, United States of America
| | - Paul L. Leberg
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 42451, Lafayette, LA, United States of America
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23
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Vardakis M, Goos P, Adriaensen F, Matthysen E. Discrete choice modelling of natal dispersal: ‘Choosing’ where to breed from a finite set of available areas. Methods Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michalis Vardakis
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Universiteit Antwerpen Groenenborgerlaan 171 B‐2020 Antwerpen Belgium
| | - Peter Goos
- Department Engineering Management Universiteit Antwerpen Antwerpen Belgium
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Flanders Belgium
| | - Frank Adriaensen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Universiteit Antwerpen Groenenborgerlaan 171 B‐2020 Antwerpen Belgium
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Universiteit Antwerpen Groenenborgerlaan 171 B‐2020 Antwerpen Belgium
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24
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Langin KM, Sillett TS, Funk WC, Morrison SA, Desrosiers MA, Ghalambor CK. Islands within an island: repeated adaptive divergence in a single population. Evolution 2015; 69:653-65. [PMID: 25645813 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Physical barriers to gene flow were once viewed as prerequisites for adaptive evolutionary divergence. However, a growing body of theoretical and empirical work suggests that divergence can proceed within a single population. Here we document genetic structure and spatially replicated patterns of phenotypic divergence within a bird species endemic to 250 km(2) Santa Cruz Island, California, USA. Island scrub-jays (Aphelocoma insularis) in three separate stands of pine habitat had longer, shallower bills than jays in oak habitat, a pattern that mirrors adaptive differences between allopatric populations of the species' mainland congener. Variation in both bill measurements was heritable, and island scrub-jays mated nonrandomly with respect to bill morphology. The population was not panmictic; instead, we found a continuous pattern of isolation by distance across the east-west axis of the island, as well as a subtle genetic discontinuity across the boundary between the largest pine stand and adjacent oak habitat. The ecological factors that appear to have facilitated adaptive differentiation at such a fine scale--environmental heterogeneity and localized dispersal--are ubiquitous in nature. These findings support recent arguments that microgeographic patterns of adaptive divergence may be more common than currently appreciated, even in mobile taxonomic groups like birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Langin
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523; Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523; Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526.
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25
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Origins and genetic diversity among Atlantic salmon recolonizing upstream areas of a large South European river following restoration of connectivity and stocking. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0602-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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26
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Harrisson KA, Pavlova A, Amos JN, Radford JQ, Sunnucks P. Does reduced mobility through fragmented landscapes explain patch extinction patterns for three honeyeaters? J Anim Ecol 2014; 83:616-27. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Harrisson
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University, Melbourne; Clayton Campus; Melbourne 3800 Vic. Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University, Melbourne; Clayton Campus; Melbourne 3800 Vic. Australia
| | - J. Nevil Amos
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University, Melbourne; Clayton Campus; Melbourne 3800 Vic. Australia
| | - James Q. Radford
- Landscape Ecology Research Group; School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; 221 Burwood Hwy Burwood Vic. 3125 Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University, Melbourne; Clayton Campus; Melbourne 3800 Vic. Australia
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27
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Skroblin A, Cockburn A, Legge S. The population genetics of the western purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus coronatus), a declining riparian passerine. AUST J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1071/zo13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigate the population genetic structure of the declining western subspecies of the purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus coronatus) in order to guide conservation management recommendations for this riparian habitat specialist. Our analysis of multilocus microsatellite data, from 79 individuals sampled from across the species’ range, indicates that M. c. coronatus occurs as genetically differentiated subpopulations that correspond to catchment boundaries or expansive gaps in habitat along waterways. The genetic similarity of large populations of fairy-wrens on four catchments (Fitzroy, Durack, Drysdale and Victoria) indicates widespread recent gene flow, whereas the high genetic distinctiveness of the Bindoola and Isdell catchments may reflect the current geographic isolation of these smaller populations. Genetic differentiation of these smaller geographically isolated populations affirms the negative effect that habitat degradation and fragmentation can have on population connectivity. A regional-scale approach to conservation with a focus on preventing degradation and enhancing connectivity may be critical to safeguard the persistence of M. c. coronatus subpopulations.
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28
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Goldingay RL, Harrisson KA, Taylor AC, Ball TM, Sharpe DJ, Taylor BD. Fine-scale genetic response to landscape change in a gliding mammal. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80383. [PMID: 24386079 PMCID: PMC3873248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how populations respond to habitat loss is central to conserving biodiversity. Population genetic approaches enable the identification of the symptoms of population disruption in advance of population collapse. However, the spatio-temporal scales at which population disruption occurs are still too poorly known to effectively conserve biodiversity in the face of human-induced landscape change. We employed microsatellite analysis to examine genetic structure and diversity over small spatial (mostly 1-50 km) and temporal scales (20-50 years) in the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), a gliding mammal that is commonly subjected to a loss of habitat connectivity. We identified genetically differentiated local populations over distances as little as 3 km and within 30 years of landscape change. Genetically isolated local populations experienced the loss of genetic diversity, and significantly increased mean relatedness, which suggests increased inbreeding. Where tree cover remained, genetic differentiation was less evident. This pattern was repeated in two landscapes located 750 km apart. These results lend support to other recent studies that suggest the loss of habitat connectivity can produce fine-scale population genetic change in a range of taxa. This gives rise to the prediction that many other vertebrates will experience similar genetic changes. Our results suggest the future collapse of local populations of this gliding mammal is likely unless habitat connectivity is maintained or restored. Landscape management must occur on a fine-scale to avert the erosion of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross L. Goldingay
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Katherine A. Harrisson
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrea C. Taylor
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tina M. Ball
- Central Queensland University and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Mackay, Queensland, Australia
| | - David J. Sharpe
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brendan D. Taylor
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
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29
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Griesser M, Halvarsson P, Sahlman T, Ekman J. What are the strengths and limitations of direct and indirect assessment of dispersal? Insights from a long-term field study in a group-living bird species. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1663-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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30
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Breininger DR, Stolen ED, Carter GM, Oddy DM, Legare SA. Quantifying how territory quality and sociobiology affect recruitment to inform fire management. Anim Conserv 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. R. Breininger
- NASA Ecological Programs; InoMedic Health Applications; Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - E. D. Stolen
- NASA Ecological Programs; InoMedic Health Applications; Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - G. M. Carter
- NASA Ecological Programs; InoMedic Health Applications; Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - D. M. Oddy
- NASA Ecological Programs; InoMedic Health Applications; Kennedy Space Center FL USA
| | - S. A. Legare
- NASA Ecological Programs; InoMedic Health Applications; Kennedy Space Center FL USA
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31
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Harrisson KA, Pavlova A, Amos JN, Takeuchi N, Lill A, Radford JQ, Sunnucks P. Disrupted fine-scale population processes in fragmented landscapes despite large-scale genetic connectivity for a widespread and common cooperative breeder: the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus). J Anim Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Harrisson
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - J. Nevil Amos
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Naoko Takeuchi
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - Alan Lill
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
| | - James Q. Radford
- Landscape Ecology Research Group; School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; 221 Burwood Hwy; Burwood; Vic; 3125; Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity; Monash University; Clayton Campus; Melbourne; Vic; 3800; Australia
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33
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Unraveling natural versus anthropogenic effects on genetic diversity within the southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris). CONSERV GENET 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-012-0417-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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34
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Alda F, García J, García JT, Suárez-Seoane S. Local genetic structure on breeding grounds of a long-distance migrant passerine: the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) in Spain. J Hered 2012; 104:36-46. [PMID: 23008445 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/ess071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Breeding site fidelity can be determined by environmental features, which depending on their heterogeneous distribution may shape the genetic landscape of a population. We used 10 microsatellite loci to study the genetic variation of 83 bluethroats (Luscinia svecica azuricollis) across 14 localities within the Spanish breeding population and assess the relative influence of different habitat characteristics (physiography and vegetation) on genetic differentiation. Based on the genetic variation of this population, we identified 3 geographically consistent genetic clusters that on average showed a higher genetic differentiation than among other north European populations, even those belonging to different subspecies. The inferred genetic clusters occurred in geographic areas that significantly differed in elevation. The highest genetic differentiation was observed between sites at different mountain ranges, as well as between the highest altitude sites in the northeastern locale, whereas vegetation type did not explain a significant percentage of genetic variation. The lack of correlation between geographic and genetic distances suggests that this pattern of genetic structure cannot be explained as a consequence of isolation by distance. Finally, we discuss the importance of preserving areas encompassing high environmental and genetic variation as a means of preserving evolutionary processes and adaptive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Alda
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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35
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Pavlova A, Amos JN, Goretskaia MI, Beme IR, Buchanan KL, Takeuchi N, Radford JQ, Sunnucks P. Genes and song: genetic and social connections in fragmented habitat in a woodland bird with limited dispersal. Ecology 2012; 93:1717-27. [PMID: 22919917 DOI: 10.1890/11-1891.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the processes leading to population declines in fragmented landscapes is essential for successful conservation management. However, isolating the influence of disparate processes, and dispersal in particular, is challenging. The Grey Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla harmonica, is a sedentary woodland-dependent songbird, with learned vocalizations whose incidence in suitable habitat patches falls disproportionally with decline in tree cover in the landscape. Although it has been suggested that gaps in tree cover might act as barriers to its dispersal, the species remains in many remnants of native vegetation in agricultural landscapes, suggesting that it may have responded to habitat removal and fragmentation by maintaining or even increasing dispersal distances. We quantified population connectivity of the Grey Shrike-thrush in a system fragmented over more than 120 years using genetic (microsatellites) and acoustic (song types) data. First, we tested for population genetic and acoustic structure at regional and local scales in search of barriers to dispersal or gene flow and signals of local spatial structuring indicative of restricted dispersal or localized acoustic similarity. Then we tested for effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on genetic and acoustic connectivity by fitting alternative models of mobility (isolation-by-distance [the null model] and reduced and increased movement models) across treeless vs. treed areas. Birds within -5 km of each other had more similar genotypes and song types than those farther away, suggesting that dispersal and song matching are limited in the region. Despite restricted dispersal detected for females (but not males), populations appeared to be connected by gene flow and displayed some cultural (acoustic) connectivity across the region. Fragmentation did not appear to impact greatly the dispersal of the Grey Shrike-thrush: none of the mobility models fit the genetic distances of males, whereas for females, an isolation-by-distance model could not be rejected in favor of the models of reduced or increased movement through treeless gaps. However, dissimilarities of the song types were more consistent with the model of reduced cultural connectivity through treeless areas, suggesting that fragmentation impedes song type sharing in the Grey Shrike-thrush. Our paper demonstrates that habitat fragmentation hinders important population processes in an Australian woodland bird even though its dispersal is not detectably impacted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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36
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Ortego J, Riordan EC, Gugger PF, Sork VL. Influence of environmental heterogeneity on genetic diversity and structure in an endemic southern Californian oak. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:3210-23. [PMID: 22548448 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05591.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how specific environmental factors shape gene flow while disentangling their importance relative to the effects of geographical isolation is a major question in evolutionary biology and a specific goal of landscape genetics. Here, we combine information from nuclear microsatellite markers and ecological niche modelling to study the association between climate and spatial genetic structure and variability in Engelmann oak (Quercus engelmannii), a wind-pollinated species with high potential for gene flow. We first test whether genetic diversity is associated with climatic niche suitability and stability since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Second, we use causal modelling to analyse the potential influence of climatic factors (current and LGM niche suitability) and altitude in the observed patterns of genetic structure. We found that genetic diversity is negatively associated with local climatic stability since the LGM, which may be due to higher immigration rates in unstable patches during favourable climatic periods and/or temporally varying selection. Analyses of spatial genetic structure revealed the presence of three main genetic clusters, a pattern that is mainly driven by two highly differentiated populations located in the northern edge of the species distribution range. After controlling for geographic distance, causal modelling analyses showed that genetic relatedness decreases with the environmental divergence among sampling sites estimated as altitude and current and LGM niche suitability. Natural selection against nonlocal genotypes and/or asynchrony in reproductive phenology may explain this pattern. Overall, this study suggests that local environmental conditions can shape patterns of genetic structure and variability even in species with high potential for gene flow and relatively small distribution ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Ortego
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Box 957239, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7239, USA.
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37
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Woltmann S, Kreiser BR, Sherry TW. Fine-scale genetic population structure of an understory rainforest bird in Costa Rica. CONSERV GENET 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-012-0341-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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38
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Coulon A, Fitzpatrick JW, Bowman R, Lovette IJ. Mind the gap: genetic distance increases with habitat gap size in Florida scrub jays. Biol Lett 2012; 8:582-5. [PMID: 22357936 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat gap size has been negatively linked to movement probability in several species occupying fragmented landscapes. How these effects on movement behaviour in turn affect the genetic structure of fragmented populations at local scales is less well known. We tested, and confirmed, the hypothesis that genetic differentiation among adjacent populations of Florida scrub jays--an endangered bird species with poor dispersal abilities and a high degree of habitat specialization--increases with the width of habitat gaps separating them. This relationship was not an artefact of simple isolation-by-distance, as genetic distance was not correlated with the Euclidean distance between geographical centroids of the adjacent populations. Our results suggest that gap size affects movement behaviour even at remarkably local spatial scales, producing direct consequences on the genetic structure of fragmented populations. This finding shows that conserving genetic continuity for specialist species within fragmented habitat requires maintenance or restoration of preserve networks in which habitat gaps do not exceed a species-specific threshold distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Coulon
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
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39
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Kesler DC, Walters JR. Social composition of destination territories and matrix habitat affect red-cockaded woodpecker dispersal. J Wildl Manage 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Ortego J, Aguirre MP, Cordero PJ. Landscape genetics of a specialized grasshopper inhabiting highly fragmented habitats: a role for spatial scale. DIVERS DISTRIB 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00840.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Garrard GE, McCarthy MA, Vesk PA, Radford JQ, Bennett AF. A predictive model of avian natal dispersal distance provides prior information for investigating response to landscape change. J Anim Ecol 2011; 81:14-23. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01891.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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42
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Ortego J, García-Navas V, Ferrer ES, Sanz JJ. Genetic structure reflects natal dispersal movements at different spatial scales in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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43
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Selective integration advantages when transience is costly: immigration behaviour in an agrobiont spider. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Townsend AK, Bowman R, Fitzpatrick JW, Dent M, Lovette IJ. Genetic monogamy across variable demographic landscapes in cooperatively breeding Florida scrub-jays. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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