Society for Conservation Biology Genetic Analyses Through DNA Fingerprinting of Captive Populations of Hawaiian Geese Author(s): Elizabeth H. Rave, Robert C. Fleischer, Fern Duvall and Jeffrey M. Black Reviewed work(s): Source: Conservation Biology, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Sep., 1994), pp. 744-751 Published by: Blackwell Publishing for Society for Conservation Biology Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2386516 . Accessed: 26/05/2012 08:54 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Blackwell Publishing and Society for Conservation Biology are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Conservation Biology. http://www.jstor.org Genetic Analyses Through DNA Fingerprintingof Captive Populations of Hawaiian Geese ELIZABETHH. RAVE Department of Biology University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND 58202, U.S.A. ROBERT C. FLEISCHER Molecular Genetics Lab National Zoological Park Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC 20008, U.S.A. FERN DUVALL Olinda Endangered Species Captive Propagation Facility 535 Olinda Road Makawao, Maui, HI 96768, U.S.A. JEFFREYM. BLACK The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Gloucester GL2 7BT England Abstract: DNA fingerprinting was used to assess levels of Analisis genetico de poblaciones cautivas de gansos genetic variation in 106 Hawaiian Geese, or Nene (Branta hawaianos usando "fingerprinting"de ADN sandvicensis), from two captive colonies in Hawaii and Slimbridge, England. Mantel tests were used to determine Resumen: Se uso 'fingerprinting" de ADNpara evaluar los differences in mean similarity coefficients obtained from niveles de variacion genetica en 106 gansos Hawaianos o DNA fingerprints between unrelated and related Nene within Nene (Branta sandvicensis), de dos colonias cautivas en Ha- and between captive colonies and to determine whetherped- waii, USAy en Slimbridge, Inglaterra Se usaron tests de Man- igree-based estimates of relatedness correlated with DNA fin- tel para determinar diferencias en los coeficientes de simi- gerprint-based estimates. Between colonies, mean similarity laridad promedio obtenidos a partir de 'fingerprints" de coefficients for unrelated and related Slimbridge Nene were ADN entre Nene emparentados y no emparentados dentro y higher than those for Hawaiian Nene. Within each colony, entre colonias cautivas y para determinar si las estima- related Nene had higher mean similarity coefficients than ciones de parentesco basadas en pedigre se correlacionaban did unrelated Nene. A positive relationship was found be- con estimaciones basadas en 'fingerprint" de ADN. Entre tween coancestry coefficients and similarity coefficients. A colonias, los coeficientes de similaridad promedio para los greater number of founders for the Hawaiian colony con- Nene emparentadosy no emparentados de Slimbridgefueron mayores que para aquellos de Nene de Hawaii. Dentro de Molecular Genetics Send correspondence to Robert C Fleischer, Lab, cada colonia, Nene emparentados tuvieron coeficientes de National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, mas altos no D.C 20008. similaridadpromedio queNene emparentados. Paper submitted March 8, 1993; revised manuscript accepted Sep- Se encontr6 una relacion positiva entre coeficientes de coli- tember 24, 1993. naje y coeficientes de similaridad. Los coeficientes de simi 744 Conservation Biology, Pages 744-751 Volume 8, No. 3, September 1994 Raveet al. DNAFingerprinting of Captive Nene 745 tributed to the lower mean similarity coefficients. As genetic laridad promedio menores para la colonia Hawaiana son variation decreases, difficulty in distinguishing relatedness debidos al mayor numero defundadores en esta colonia La among individuals using DNA fingerprinting may increase. dificultad para distinguir emparentamiento entre indivi- Lower genetic variation also may increase the error in esti- duos usando 'fingerprinting" de ADN podria aumentar a mating the relationship between coancestry and similarity medida que la variabilidad genetica decrece. La menor varia- coefficients. DNA fingerprinting of Nene identified unique bilidad genetica tambien podria incrementar el error en la alleles and can determine optimalpairings between individ- estimacion de la relacion entre los coeficientes de colinajey uals. The calibrated similarity coefficient distributions can de similaridad. El 'fingerprinting" de ADN de Nene identi- help determine the relatedness of individuals in wild popu- fico alelos unicos y puede determinar el apareamiento 6p- lations of Nene. timo entre individuos. La distribuci6n calibrada de los coe- ficientes de similaridad puede ayudar a determinar el emparentamiento de individuos en poblaciones salvajes de Nene. Introduction added to Pohakuloa (three of which were of known wild ancestry; Kear & Berger 1980; Duvall, unpublished Severe reductions in a size can result in population's data), whereas only four have been added at Slimbridge and lower variation higher inbreeding genetic (Wright (Kear & Berger 1980). Nei et al. a decrease in fit- 1931; 1975). Subsequently, After a slow start, propagation efforts became success- ness as evidenced lower rates of fecun- may occur, by ful, and in 1960 captive Nene were first released into & Ballou or & Bal- dity (Ralls 1983) survivability (Rails the wild (Kear & Berger 1980). By 1992, 2147 Nene lou & Read 1983; Templeton 1983). Alternatively, from both captive colonies had been released on Ha- retention of variation increase genetic may population waii, Maui, and Kauai (Black et al. 1991; Duvall, unpub- and the for future vigor potential evolutionary adapta- lished data). Although the number of birds on Maui and tion Allendorf & and enhance the (see Leary 1986) may Kauai have remained stable or have increased (Black et chances for successful reintroduction of animals captive al. 1991), self-sustaining wild populations on Hawaii into the wild & Miller For these rea- (Hedrick 1992). have yet to be established (Stone et al. 1983; Scott et al. size reductions and sons, population genetic diversity 1985). Population numbers depend instead on the num- are issues for those who important managers, especially ber of captive birds released (Black et al. 1991; Black & must maintain or increase in small productivity captive Banko 1994). & Soule Schonewald-Cox et populations (Frankel 1981; A low level of genetic variation is a potential factor al. Rails & Ballou Soule The effec- 1983; 1986; 1987). limiting Nene population growth (Kear & Berger 1980; tiveness of DNA in the assessment of fingerprinting ge- Stone et al. 1983). Because few individuals founded netic and relatedness of individuals within diversity both captive flocks, high levels of inbreeding and low has researchers to use this tech- populations prompted genetic diversity would be expected. Although captive in studies nique increasingly population biology (Burke propagation has continued for over 40 years, genetic & Bruford Gilbert et al. Kuhnlein et 1987; 1990, 1991; information on these birds is still unknown. Therefore, al. Reeve et al. Packer et al. & 1990; 1990; 1991; Piper we assessed the genetic diversity and relatedness of in- Rabenold et al. 1992; Triggs 1992). dividuals in two captive Nene populations using DNA The Hawaiian or under- endangered Goose, Nene, fingerprinting. Our goals were (1) to determine differ- went a severe bottleneck the population during early ences in genetic variability between the two captive of this Habitat introduced part century. loss, predators, colonies, (2) to determine differences between related and excessive decimated Nene de- hunting populations, and unrelated individuals within each captive colony, from an estimated birds the late clining 25,000 during and (3) to determine the relationship between pedi- to 17 known indi- eighteenth century (Baldwin 1945) gree-based estimates and DNA fingerprint-based esti- viduals by 1950 (Elder & Woodside 1958). To save the mates of relatedness. species, captive propagation programs were established at the Pohakuloa Endangered Species Facility on Hawaii (currently Olinda on Maui) in 1949 and at The Wildfowl Methods and Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge, England, in 1950 DNA (Kear & Berger 1980). Both colonies began with only Fingerprinting two geese and one gander. Five of these Nene were One to two ml of whole blood were obtained from 29 obtained from a privately owned inbred flock, and one Nene (88% of the flock from 1988 to 1992) at Pohaku- was a wild female sent to Pohakuloa. Since the inception loa, Hawaii, and at the Olinda Endangered Species Cap- of these colonies, 21 additional founders have been tive Propagation Facility, Maui, and from 77 Nene (48% Conservation Biology Volume 8, No. 3, September 1994 746 DNAFingerprinting of Captive Nene Raveet al. of the flock during 1990) at The Wildfowl and Wetlands of similarity coefficients between all pair-wise combina- Trust, Slimbridge, England. For comparisons with a re- tions of birds for the four probe categories and their lated (Quinn et al. 1991) outbred species, whole blood corresponding relatedness or site were compared using also was obtained from