Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie

Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representation of the source population(s) and their long-term viability should also be consi...

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Main Authors: Pacioni, Carlo, Wayne, A., Spencer, P.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22476
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author Pacioni, Carlo
Wayne, A.
Spencer, P.
author_facet Pacioni, Carlo
Wayne, A.
Spencer, P.
author_sort Pacioni, Carlo
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representation of the source population(s) and their long-term viability should also be considered. The woylie Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi has been subject to more formal translocations for conservation than any other marsupial that, up until recently, has resulted in one of the most successful species recoveries in Australia. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to assess the genetic outcomes of translocated woylie populations. These populations have lost genetic variability, differentiated from their source population and the supplementation program on two island populations appears to have failed. We discuss the conservation implications that our results have for managing threatened species, outline some general recommendations for the management of present and future translocations and discuss the appropriate sampling design for the establishment of new populations or captive breeding programs that may mitigate the genetic 'erosion' seen in our study species. This research provides some practical outcomes and a pragmatic understanding of translocation biology. The findings are directly applicable to other translocation programs. © 2013 Current Zoology.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-224762017-01-30T12:31:36Z Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie Pacioni, Carlo Wayne, A. Spencer, P. Translocations are an important conservation strategy for many species. However simply observing demographic growth of a translocated population is not sufficient to infer species recovery. Adequate genetic representation of the source population(s) and their long-term viability should also be considered. The woylie Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi has been subject to more formal translocations for conservation than any other marsupial that, up until recently, has resulted in one of the most successful species recoveries in Australia. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to assess the genetic outcomes of translocated woylie populations. These populations have lost genetic variability, differentiated from their source population and the supplementation program on two island populations appears to have failed. We discuss the conservation implications that our results have for managing threatened species, outline some general recommendations for the management of present and future translocations and discuss the appropriate sampling design for the establishment of new populations or captive breeding programs that may mitigate the genetic 'erosion' seen in our study species. This research provides some practical outcomes and a pragmatic understanding of translocation biology. The findings are directly applicable to other translocation programs. © 2013 Current Zoology. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22476 restricted
spellingShingle Pacioni, Carlo
Wayne, A.
Spencer, P.
Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title_full Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title_fullStr Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title_full_unstemmed Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title_short Genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
title_sort genetic outcomes from the translocations of the critically endangered woylie
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22476