4-3-Evaluating-Persistence-In-Threatened-Plant-Translocations-Genetic-Diversity-And-Mating
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Science for Saving Species Research findings factsheet Project 4.3 Evaluating persistence in threatened plant translocations: Genetic diversity and mating systems as measures of success In brief Background For the many long-lived threatened plant species targeted Many threatened plant species However, alternative approaches for translocation in Australia, targeted for translocation in such as benchmarking genetic measuring success is challenging. Australia are relatively long-lived. variation and patterns of pollination New approaches to measuring The timeframes over which they in translocated populations can translocation success include may reproduce and recruit can allow for assessments of long- benchmarking genetic variation and provide significant challenges for term persistence and ultimately patterns of pollination. We applied evaluating translocation success. translocation success that are these methods to translocated and Flowering and fruiting may take more timely. years, or even decades for some wild populations of five woody Successful plant translocation species. Translocation success shrubs native to south-west Western requires the establishment of has been measured in many ways, Australia that have a range of populations with: (1) adequate with practitioners commonly using pollinator types. levels of genetic diversity; and demographic measures such as: We found that the genetic diversity (2) in animal pollinated plants a • vegetative growth of individuals of all translocated populations was functional mating system where comparable to or surpassed that • survival of individuals over time pollination tends to occur more of the wild reference populations. • survival of individuals to between different plants, rather Our findings for pollination patterns flowering than self-pollination. were, however, mixed, with • presence of reproductive Evaluating how successfully higher levels of self-pollination structures genetic diversity has been and significantly higher inbreeding • presence/abundance of seeds captured in translocations has estimates in both adults and progeny • presence/abundance of a been recommended for some found for two animal-pollinated second generation time, but not widely undertaken. species. This indicates that while Similarly, assessing patterns of • capacity to successfully genetic diversity can be maintained mating (pollination) in animal- respond to future disturbances or even increased in translocated pollinated plants that will reflect such as fire. populations, long-term persistence pollinator presence, abundance of some translocated species No single measure of translocation and behaviour have generally not may be hampered by increased success will provide certainty to been considered when evaluating inbreeding and genetic erosion declare a population viable and self- translocation success. Both genetic over time if required pollinators are sustaining or provide the foundation variation and patterns of pollination not present in sufficient numbers. for recommending the down-listing can be readily assessed using DNA- We recommend further monitoring, or de-listing of a threatened species; based genetic marker or genomic and that caution be applied when rather, a combination of measures techniques by comparing genetic using only demographic and/or will generally be needed. diversity and mating systems in genetic diversity measures to Traditional approaches using translocated populations to assess translocation success demographic measures remain wild reference populations. of animal-pollinated species. important and necessary. BELOW LEFT (top left, middle, bottom): Acacia cochlocarpa. Image: Andrew Crawford; Lambertia orbifolia SRP. Image: Andrew Crawford; Banksia anatona. Image: Andrew Crawford: RIGHT: Banksia brownii. Image: Anne Cochrane Research aims We aimed to benchmark genetic • Round leaf honeysuckle equivalent to wild populations, and diversity and mating systems Narrikup subspecies whether mating systems or patterns (patterns of pollination) within (Lambertia orbifolia) – of pollination in translocations are translocated and wild populations bird-pollinated equivalent to wild populations. of five long-lived threatened woody • Round leaf honeysuckle Affirmative answers would provide shrub species from south-west evidence of translocation success Scott River Plains subspecies Western Australia that have a range and indicate that sourcing and/or (Lambertia orbifolia) – of pollinator types (see Figure 1). mixing of propagule sources had bird-pollinated These include: been effective when establishing • Cactus dryandra (Banksia • Spiral fruited wattle translocations, and the development anatona) – primarily bird (Acacia cochlocarpa subsp. of functioning mating systems and mammal-pollinated Cochlocarpa) – insect-pollinated and pollinator assemblages. • Feather-leaved banksia (Banksia Specifically, we wanted to know brownii) – primarily bird and whether levels of genetic diversity mammal-pollinated within translocated populations are What we did We investigated genetic diversity and Scientists and management staff of were used either to augment mating systems in six translocated the Western Australian Department current translocations or, in the populations of the four primarily of Biodiversity, Conservation and case of cactus dryandra, feather- bird/mammal pollinated plants Attractions (DBCA) and researchers leaved banksia and both round and genetic diversity in three from Murdoch University and The leaf honeysuckle subspecies, to translocated populations of the University of Western Australia did establish new translocations. insect-pollinated spiral fruited the sampling of leaf material and We genotyped (characterised wattle, and compared these seed from translocations and wild genetically) adult plants with wild reference populations. populations. Some seed material and seedling progeny from that had been collected some translocations and wild populations The translocated populations were years earlier from both wild and of all five species and subspecies established in areas in south-west translocated populations was stored using highly variable DNA markers Western Australia with similar soil, ex-situ under standard gene-bank called Simple Sequence Repeats habitat and climate to the wild conditions in the DBCA Threatened (SSRs) or microsatellites. These populations, but were outside the Flora Seed Centre. All seed was markers allow the accurate current range of each species/ germinated and then propagated assessment of levels and patterns subspecies. Significantly, a number of under nursery conditions for of genetic diversity within and translocations had been established approximately six months at the between translocated and wild with seed from now-extinct DBCA Botanic Gardens and Parks populations, and also patterns of populations. All translocations Authority nursery. We extracted pollination via paternity analysis had been established for at least DNA from both adult leaf material (mating system analysis), based five years before sampling was and seedlings. Importantly, once on genetic variation in the carried out from 2012 to 2017. sampled for DNA, seedlings seedling progeny. Lambertia orbifolia SRP. Image: Andrew Crawford Key findings Genetic assessment of translocated Alternatively, where the translocated positive outcome for persistence of populations of all five plants found population was established by all the translocations, our findings that their genetic diversity was mixing seed from multiple source for the mating system and patterns comparable to or surpassed that populations (feather-leaved banksia, of pollination were varied. All four of the wild reference populations. Narrikup subspecies of round leaf species we investigated had mating honeysuckle), genetic diversity systems combining outcrossing Two propagule sourcing strategies was comparable to or higher (pollination between different plants) had been used when establishing than that of source populations and “selfing” (self-pollination) in the different translocations: taking of known high diversity and, as varied proportions among species seed from a single large source expected, higher than that of and among populations. population; or mixing seed from smaller source populations. In this two or more usually smaller case, strategic mixing of source The mating system in four of populations. Our findings indicated populations to maximise genetic the species is predominantly by that in those cases where the diversity was seen to be effective. bird pollination and, in the case translocation was established For example, genetic analysis of the two Banksia species from a single source population demonstrates that the mixing of (cactus dryandra and feather- (spiral fruited wattle, cactus two different source populations to leaved banksia) also pollination dryandra and the Scott River establish two translocations in the by honey possums and other Plains subspecies of round leaf Narrikup subspecies of round leaf mammal species, and probably honeysuckle) the seed sourcing honeysuckle has resulted in genetic insects. If mating systems were strategies captured adequate representation from both source comparable between translocated genetic diversity. Our results populations, with an overall increase and wild populations, we could also indicated that the source in genetic variation compared to the be confident that the translocation populations themselves for these individual populations (see Figure 2). is functioning