Conservation Genetics Taylor Edwards University of Arizona Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory 1 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 Nucleus The structural and functional variety of life Chromosome forms at genetic, population, community, and ecosystem levels. (Sandlund et al. 1992) DNA Nucleotide 2 Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data Themes addressed by Conservation Geneticists Taxonomy / phylogenetics Identifying species and populations Assessment of diversity Microsatellites (DNA fingerprinting) 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 12, 2003 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 2000, not long after being outfitted with a radio transmitter to track her movements…. 3 Isolation by Distance Genetic Distance (Fst) Distance Genetic Geographic Distance (km) (Mantel test; r = 0.554, p = 0.030) The genetic evidence suggests that Absolute number of migrants Sonoran Desert Tortoises occur as a exchanged per generation between “Metapopulation” populations Method: Slatkin’s M = 2.9 (minimum) Private allele method = 5.5 Gene flow occurred historically at a rate greater than one migrant per generation 4 I-17 Phoenix I-10 Phoenix I-8 Tucson Tucson I-10 = Interstate = Tortoise Population = Tortoise Population I-19 I-17 I-10 Phoenix Phoenix I-8 Tucson Tucson I-10 = Road = Interstate = Urban buffer = Tortoise Population I-19 = Tortoise Population G. agassizii Habitat Preferences Arizona 5 mtDNA Sequence Alignment Gopherus agassizii 9 6 9 MtDNA 8 6 Haplotype 7 1 3 1 1 5 10 1 5 3 1 1 Distribution 4 1 2 2 4 1 1 1 5 Mojave 3 Haplogroup A 1 1 2 Mojave 2 Haplogroup B Sonoran 1 Haplogroup 1 1 3 Sonoran 2 Haplogroup B 1 1 2 Sinaloan 2 1 1 Haplogroup 3 3 Lamb et al. 1989 Population Assignment Tests # of # correctly % correctly Sample Group Samples assigned assigned Western Mojave 164 139 84.8 Central Mojave 97 66 68.0 Southern Mojave 198 118 59.6 Northeastern Mojave 60 49 81.7 Eastern Mojave 31 17 54.8 Northern Colorado 18 13 72.2 Eastern Colorado 37 33 89.2 Upper Virgin River 23 22 95.7 Sonoran Genotype Revised Recovery Units N UT NV UT Upper Virgin MtDNA Haplotype suggested for the Mojave V River Northeastern Population of the Eastern 15 9 Mojave 6 Mojave St. George Distribution 1St. George Desert Tortoise Central 1 sample 1 sample groups Las Vegas Mojave groups Las Vegas potential recovery unit Western 4 11 8 recovery unit boundaries Mojave 1 3 5 1 1 7 6 9 boundaries AZ 6 2 12 (USFWS 1994) 1 AZ 8 1 Colorado River 3 1 6 9 13 1 4 Norther Haplogroup A Colorado River Southern 2 1 1 7 n 1 2 10 Mojave 10 Los Angeles Colorad Haplogroup B 1 3 1 o Los Angeles 14 6 Eastern 5 N 1 CA Colorado CA MX 0 100 km N 0 100 km MX 6 Locations of captive and NV translocated tortoises UT Mojave Desert ? St. George ~1940-1983 Las Vegas ? 1997-2004 Barstow Represents >1,000 Needles documented releases!Los Angeles AZ ? Colorado Desert CA 0 100 km MX TheN genetic affects of translocated tortoises are observed in our data UT How well can predict the geographic origins Geographic assignment of NV Upper Virgin of an unknown tortoise? the confiscated tortoise River Northeastern 15 Mojave St. George Eastern Mojave Las Vegas Western Mojave sample groups 1 11 4 5 1 recovery unit 3 boundaries Colorado River ? 2 (USFWS, 1994) 12 AZ 8 6 9 13 7 10 Los Angeles Northern Colorado 14 Eastern Colorado CA N 0 100 km MX There is a difference between the legal Biological Boundaries of definition of a “Mojave Desert Tortoise”, Southwestern Deserts and the biological definition! UTAH NEVADA MOJAVE St. George DESERT CALIFORNIA Las Vegas ARIZONA Barstow 71% Sonoran Genotype Needles SONORAN Los Angeles DESERT COLORADO DESERT 76% Mojave Genotype 0 100 km MX N 7 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 GOFL2167 GOFL0C7A GOFL3854 GOFL350E GOFL4429 0.06 0.05 GOFL524B GOFL6043 0.22 GOFL0329 GOFL5E7B 0.24 GOFL1D79 0.06 0.16 GOFL383B GOFL7532 0.06 GOFL5C78 0.13 GOFL220D GOFL0E69 Using genetics to track invasive species 8 Florida Water Snake The individuals collected in California are genetically Nerodia fasciata pictiventris 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 Declining Amphibian Populations Live frogs are easily sampled with a buccal swab kit African Clawed Frog DNA testing at the UofA is used to Xenopus Laevis identify presence of Chytidiomycosis in tissue sample collected in the field A B C D E ~300 bp ~150 bp 10 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 11 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 23 - JUNE 28 2009 • Open to Undergraduate, Graduate and Non- degree Students • Take a five week expedition into Namibia’s extraordinary Namib Desert • Experience real field research in Africa • Earn direct University of Arizona credit www.studyabroad.arizona.edu APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT The Office of Study Abroad & Student Exchange (520) 626-9211 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Dr. Hans-Werner Herrmann, [email protected] or Taylor Edwards, [email protected] 12.