Journal
CURRENT ZOOLOGY
Volume 64, Issue 5, Pages 593-601Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox065
Keywords
Bettongia penicillata; conservation genetics; microsatellite loci; rescue centres; Vortex; vortexR
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Insular populations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stochastic events, epidemics, and loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding and genetic drift. The development of successful management options will require accurate baseline data, establishment of clear objectives, and finally monitoring and implementation of corrective measures, if and when required. This study assessed management options for the genetic rehabilitation of highly inbred woylies obtained from wildlife rehabilitation centers. The study generated genetic data for the woylie Bettongia penicillata from a conservation reserve and calculated measures of genetic diversity and individual relatedness. These data were fed into a population viability analysis (PVA) to test genetic outcomes in relation to different management actions. We demonstrated that a careful selection of the founder cohort produced a population with an expected heterozygosity of similar to 70% for a window of approximately 10 years. A proposal to increase the size of the reserve available to the colony was shown to almost double the time at which the colony would retain heterozygosity levels of >= 70%. Additionally, developing a regular program of supplementation of unrelated woylies would result in a further improvement in their genetic value. This study demonstrated how the application of molecular techniques in combination with PVA can be beneficial for the management of rehabilitated wildlife otherwise considered of little conservation value. This approach can be applied to the management of breeding programs, but also to small, closed populations such as those found on islands, fenced enclosures, insurance populations, and in zoological collections.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available