Dissertation
Assessing fine-scale genetic consequences of anthropogenic pressures to advance conservation management
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00077
Abstract
The fragmentation and destruction of habitat has been identified as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity and has led to fragmented and isolated populations in many species. Such populations experience an increased risk of impaired dispersal opportunities, genetic drift, loss of genetic diversity, and inbreeding. These effects are particularly harmful for threatened species and identifying these, at times cryptic processes is crucial in order to make informed conservation management decisions.
An iconic flagship species that is heavily affected by anthropogenic landscape changes is the koala. Koala populations across the east coast of Australia have experienced severe declines since European settlement with multiple bottleneck events and it is likely that we will see local population extinctions if effective conservation of at-risk populations fails. It is key to identify the knowledge that can be derived from fine-scale genetic data and to understand genetic processes and drivers in such vulnerable populations. This will help to inform on and conserve genetic diversity, which determines a populations’ adaptive evolutionary potential and is therefore crucial for the future survival of these populations and the species as a whole. Here, I non-invasively collected genetic samples (scats) of koalas across Queensland and New South Wales, using specially trained detection dogs. From these scats, I extracted DNA for genotyping of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) which I analysed in my subsequent chapters to answer questions in relation to genetic conservation management.
Details
- Title
- Assessing fine-scale genetic consequences of anthropogenic pressures to advance conservation management
- Authors
- Katrin Hohwieler
- Contributors
- Celine Frere (Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00077
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99553507802621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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