Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus)
Among felids worldwide, only 6 of 38 species have stable or increasing populations, and most felid species are threatened by anthropogenic influences, especially habitat loss and fragmentation. We documented changes in genetic diversity in an isolated, reintroduced population of bobcats on Cumberlan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942100007X |
| _version_ | 1818329407833505792 |
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| author | Cassandra M. Miller-Butterworth Duane R. Diefenbach Jessie E. Edson Leslie A. Hansen James D. Jordan Tess M. Gingery Amy L. Russell |
| author_facet | Cassandra M. Miller-Butterworth Duane R. Diefenbach Jessie E. Edson Leslie A. Hansen James D. Jordan Tess M. Gingery Amy L. Russell |
| author_sort | Cassandra M. Miller-Butterworth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Among felids worldwide, only 6 of 38 species have stable or increasing populations, and most felid species are threatened by anthropogenic influences, especially habitat loss and fragmentation. We documented changes in genetic diversity in an isolated, reintroduced population of bobcats on Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, compared to another bobcat population on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA, that was naturally established and experiences limited immigration from the mainland. The CUIS population declined from 32 reintroduced bobcats in 1989 to 10–24 individuals during 2012–2019, and observed heterozygosity declined from 0.742 to 0.634 (SD = 0.240). Observed heterozygosity of bobcats on Kiawah was 0.699 (SD = 0.153). We estimated that one bobcat immigrated to Kiawah Island every 5.3 years. We compared the predictions of a novel population viability analysis (PVA) to empirical estimates of abundance and genetic diversity on CUIS and used our PVA to identify management actions that are likely to support long-term viability. Mean heterozygosity from the PVA (0.588, SD = 0.065) was within 1 standard deviation of the empirical estimate. The PVA estimated the population would decline following population restoration due to loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding depression. Translocations of one female every four years would stabilize allele heterozygosity similar to the Kiawah Island population, but even translocations of two females every two years would not restore heterozygosity to founder levels. The PVA predicted no management action would result in a one in five probability of extinction within 50 years of reintroduction, but all translocation strategies nearly eliminated extinction risk through 100 years. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:47:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19df78141c1e4b55a77ff72dccb83fba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:47:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-19df78141c1e4b55a77ff72dccb83fba2022-12-21T23:45:26ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942021-04-0126e01457Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus)Cassandra M. Miller-Butterworth0Duane R. Diefenbach1Jessie E. Edson2Leslie A. Hansen3James D. Jordan4Tess M. Gingery5Amy L. Russell6Penn State Beaver, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA, 15061, USA; Corresponding author.U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USAPennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USALos Alamos National Laboratory, MS J978, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USATown of Kiawah Island, 4475 Betsy Kerrison Pkwy, Kiawah Island, SC, 29455, USAPennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USADepartment of Biology, Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401, USAAmong felids worldwide, only 6 of 38 species have stable or increasing populations, and most felid species are threatened by anthropogenic influences, especially habitat loss and fragmentation. We documented changes in genetic diversity in an isolated, reintroduced population of bobcats on Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, compared to another bobcat population on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA, that was naturally established and experiences limited immigration from the mainland. The CUIS population declined from 32 reintroduced bobcats in 1989 to 10–24 individuals during 2012–2019, and observed heterozygosity declined from 0.742 to 0.634 (SD = 0.240). Observed heterozygosity of bobcats on Kiawah was 0.699 (SD = 0.153). We estimated that one bobcat immigrated to Kiawah Island every 5.3 years. We compared the predictions of a novel population viability analysis (PVA) to empirical estimates of abundance and genetic diversity on CUIS and used our PVA to identify management actions that are likely to support long-term viability. Mean heterozygosity from the PVA (0.588, SD = 0.065) was within 1 standard deviation of the empirical estimate. The PVA estimated the population would decline following population restoration due to loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding depression. Translocations of one female every four years would stabilize allele heterozygosity similar to the Kiawah Island population, but even translocations of two females every two years would not restore heterozygosity to founder levels. The PVA predicted no management action would result in a one in five probability of extinction within 50 years of reintroduction, but all translocation strategies nearly eliminated extinction risk through 100 years.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942100007XGenetic managementInbreeding depressionPopulation viabilityReintroductionTranslocation |
| spellingShingle | Cassandra M. Miller-Butterworth Duane R. Diefenbach Jessie E. Edson Leslie A. Hansen James D. Jordan Tess M. Gingery Amy L. Russell Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) Global Ecology and Conservation Genetic management Inbreeding depression Population viability Reintroduction Translocation |
| title | Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) |
| title_full | Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) |
| title_fullStr | Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) |
| title_short | Demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus) |
| title_sort | demographic changes and loss of genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats lynx rufus |
| topic | Genetic management Inbreeding depression Population viability Reintroduction Translocation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942100007X |
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