Conservation Genetics. Taylor Edwards University of Arizona Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory

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1 Conservation Genetics Taylor Edwards University of Arizona Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory

2 Conservation Biology The goal is to provide principles and tools for preserving biodiversity Conservation Biology is an Ethics driven science Emphasis is placed on the intrinsic value of species, biodiversity, and communities It is necessarily multidisciplinary Biodiversity The structural and functional variety of life forms at genetic, population, community, and ecosystem levels. (Sandlund et al. 99) Nucleus Chromosome DNA Nucleotide

3 Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data Microsatellites (DNA fingerprinting) Themes addressed by Conservation Geneticists Taxonomy / phylogenetics Identifying species and populations Assessment of diversity Captive Breeding / Reintroduction Vouchering Identifying bottlenecks Forensics Do Sonoran Desert tortoises cross valley floors? Thelma's mad dash A radio-tagged desert tortoise takes off on a wild trek that leaves her trackers stunned. Tucson Citizen, May, 003 Thelma didn't exactly run away from home. For one thing, she's hardly a child - one estimate puts her age at about 30. For another, her pace was far from sizzling. After all, desert tortoises aren't known for their speed. But what she lacked in tempo, she made up for in determination. Thelma - her name was inspired by the wanderings of the famous movie duo Thelma and Louise - left Saguaro National Park's east unit in the fall of 000, not long after being outfitted with a radio transmitter to track her movements. 3

4 Isolation by Distance Genetic Distance (Fst) Geographic Distance (km) (Mantel test; r = 0.554, p = 0.030) Absolute number of migrants exchanged per generation between populations Method: Slatkin s M =.9 (minimum) Private allele method = 5.5 The genetic evidence suggests that Sonoran Desert Tortoises occur as a Metapopulation Gene flow occurred historically at a rate greater than one migrant per generation 4

5 I-7 Phoenix I-0 Phoenix I-8 Tucson Tucson I-0 = Tortoise Population = Interstate = Tortoise Population I-9 I-7 I-0 Phoenix Phoenix I-8 Tucson I-0 Tucson = Road = Interstate = Tortoise Population I-9 = Urban buffer = Tortoise Population G. agassizii Habitat Preferences Arizona 5

6 mtdna Sequence Alignment Gopherus agassizii MtDNA Haplotype Distribution Haplogroup A Haplogroup B Sonoran Haplogroup Sonoran Haplogroup B Sinaloan Haplogroup Lamb et al. 989 Population Assignment Tests Sonoran Genotype Sample Group Western Central Southern Northeastern Eastern Northern Colorado Eastern Colorado Upper Virgin River # of Samples # correctly assigned % correctly assigned Revised Recovery Units suggested for the Population of the Desert Tortoise sample groups potential recovery unit boundaries N Southern Western 0 00 km Eastern Central N V Northeastern 7 Los Angeles CA MX 0 Las Vegas 3 4 Colorado River UT Upper Virgin River 5 St. George AZ Norther n Colorad o Eastern Colorado MtDNA Haplotype Distribution sample groups recovery unit boundaries (USFWS 994) Haplogroup A Haplogroup B Los Angeles N 0 00 km MX NV Las Vegas CA Colorado River UT 9 6 St. George AZ 6

7 Locations of captive and translocated tortoises NV UT Desert? St. George ~ ? Barstow Las Vegas Represents >,000 documented releases! Needles Los Angeles AZ? Colorado Desert CA The genetic 0 00 affects km of MX translocated N tortoises are observed in our data How well can predict the geographic origins of an unknown tortoise?? Geographic assignment of the confiscated tortoise sample groups Eastern Western NV Northeastern Las Vegas UT Upper Virgin River 5 St. George recovery unit boundaries (USFWS, 994) Colorado River AZ Los Angeles 7 0 Northern Colorado 4 N 0 00 km CA Eastern Colorado MX Biological Boundaries of Southwestern Deserts Los Angeles NEVADA MOJAVE DESERT CALIFORNIA Barstow COLORADO DESERT Las Vegas Needles UTAH St. George ARIZONA 7% Sonoran Genotype SONORAN DESERT 76% Genotype There is a difference between the legal definition of a Desert Tortoise, and the biological definition! N 0 00 km MX 7

8 The Verdict: in the end we felt that a normal JP judge would not be able to appreciate the value of the document. Since there was a probability, however slight, that it could have naturally occurred in NW Arizona, we decided to bring an end to the case. We still feel strongly that the tortoise came from California, so the fact that the tortoises owner was moving back to California was to our favor. The lady plead guilty to our charges and in turn we returned the tortoise to her and notified California Fish and Game that she had the tortoise and was bringing it back to California. -Gene Elms Program Manager Operation Game Thief Photo: Curtis Bjurlin Bolson Tortoise (Gopherus flavamarginalis) Recommendations for captive pairings Female A Males Female B GOFL594F 0.6 GOFL67 GOFL3854 GOFL350E GOFL449 GOFL54B GOFL6043 GOFL039 GOFL5E7B GOFLD79 GOFL383B GOFL753 GOFL5C78 GOFL0D GOFL0E GOFL0C7A Using genetics to track invasive species 8

9 Florida Water Snake Nerodia fasciata pictiventris The individuals collected in California are genetically associated with samples collected from Volusia, Pinellas, and Hillsboro Counties in Florida. Snakes on a Plane? A Southeastern U.S. species considered invasive in California.? Black Spiny-tailed Iguana Ctenosaura similis Ctenosaura spp. Ranges from Northern Mexico and Baja to Panama The Conservation Genetics of Bushmeat: Markets, Traffic, and Population Studies in African Countries The individuals collected in Tucson are genetically related to Ctenosaura hemilopha macrolopha, native to Sonora, Mexico, and Ctenosaura conspicuosa that originated from San Esteban Island, in the Sea of Cortéz. The two species were separated roughly 890 thousand years ago! 9

10 Declining Amphibian Populations Live frogs are easily sampled with a buccal swab kit DNA testing at the UofA is used to identify presence of Chytidiomycosis in tissue sample collected in the field African Clawed Frog Xenopus Laevis A B C D E ~300 bp ~50 bp 0

11 Putting Science into Action The science alone will not change the world Publish Educate Advocate Network Legislate Target politicians, communities, and media Applying Science to Conservation The real threats Overpopulation Poverty Disease Corruption Lack of Understanding/Education 99% of Conservation is a Social Issue

12 A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise. Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac hogl.arl.arizona.edu CONSERVATION BIOLOGY IN NAMIBIA SUMMER SESSION I: MAY 3 - JUNE Open to Undergraduate, Graduate and Nondegree Students Take a five week expedition into Namibia s extraordinary Namib Desert Experience real field research in Africa Earn direct University of Arizona credit APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT The Office of Study Abroad & Student Exchange (50) 66-9 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Dr. Hans-Werner Herrmann, hwh@u.arizona.edu or Taylor Edwards, taylore@u.arizona.edu