Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment

Katrin Hohwieler; Deidre de Villiers; Romane Cristescu; Celine Frere

doi:10.1111/csp2.12738

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Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment

Journal article

Open access

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Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment

Katrin Hohwieler, Deidre de Villiers, Romane Cristescu and Celine Frere

Conservation Science and Practice, Vol.4(7), pp.1-17

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12738

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Abstract

conservation

conservation genetics

conservation management

genetic erosion

habitat fragmentation

loala

noninvasive sampling

Fragmentation of habitat is a major threat across a wide range of taxa. Subsequent effects include reduced population sizes and isolation of populations. Both can have detrimental consequences for populations as they increase the risk of genetic erosion. While it is critical to prevent and, if required, reverse genetic erosion, we often lack adequate data to assess whether and how much genetic erosion has occurred. Here, we present a genetic monitoring study where we investigated changes in genetic diversity and genetic patterns in a threatened, specialist mammal, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Our study population inhabits an increasingly fragmented landscape and has experienced a sharp decline in population size within the past three decades. We used 1038 single nucleotide polymorphic loci (SNPs) to compare measures of genetic diversity between samples collected in 2018 and in 2006 (two generations prior) and investigated simultaneous changes in the environment. We found a decline in both heterozygosity and effective population size (Ne), and an increase in sub-structuring, average relatedness, and inbreeding (FIS) alongside an increasingly threatening and more fragmented environment. Given the extent of genetic erosion in only two generations, we urge consideration for the implementation of mitigation measures for this population and for threatened populations in similar conditions. Our study further emphasizes the importance of effective management of at-risk populations including monitoring of genetic erosion.

Details

Title: Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment
Authors: Katrin Hohwieler (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Deidre de Villiers (Author) - Endeavour Veterinary Ecology Pty Ltd
Romane Cristescu (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Celine Frere (Author) - The University of Queensland
Publication details: Conservation Science and Practice, Vol.4(7), pp.1-17
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Date published: 2022
DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12738
ISSN: 2578-4854
Copyright note: © 2022 The Authors. Conservation Science and Practice published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99646279002621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Biodiversity Conservation