TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding Historical Demographic Processes to Inform Contemporary Conservation of an Arid zone Specialist
T2 - The Yellow-Footed Rock-Wallaby
AU - Potter, Sally
AU - Neaves, Linda E.
AU - Lethbridge, Mark
AU - Eldridge, Mark D.B.
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - Little genetic research has been undertaken on mammals across the vast expanse of the arid biome in Australia, despite continuing species decline and need for conservation management. Here, we evaluate the contemporary and historical genetic connectivity of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogalexanthopusxanthopus, a threatened macropodid which inhabits rocky outcrops across the disconnected mountain range systems of the southern arid biome. We use 17 microsatellite loci together with mitochondrial control region data to determine the genetic diversity of populations and the evolutionary processes shaping contemporary population dynamics on which to base conservation recommendations. Our results indicate the highly fragmented populations have reduced diversity and limited contemporary gene flow, with most populations having been through population bottlenecks. Despite limited contemporary gene flow, the phylogeographic relationships of the mitochondrial control region indicate a lack of structure and suggests greater historical connectivity. This is an emerging outcome for mammals across this arid region. On the basis of our results, we recommend augmentation of populations of P. x.xanthopus, mixing populations from disjunct mountain range systems to reduce the chance of continued diversity loss and inbreeding depression, and therefore maximize the potential for populations to adapt and survive into the future.
AB - Little genetic research has been undertaken on mammals across the vast expanse of the arid biome in Australia, despite continuing species decline and need for conservation management. Here, we evaluate the contemporary and historical genetic connectivity of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogalexanthopusxanthopus, a threatened macropodid which inhabits rocky outcrops across the disconnected mountain range systems of the southern arid biome. We use 17 microsatellite loci together with mitochondrial control region data to determine the genetic diversity of populations and the evolutionary processes shaping contemporary population dynamics on which to base conservation recommendations. Our results indicate the highly fragmented populations have reduced diversity and limited contemporary gene flow, with most populations having been through population bottlenecks. Despite limited contemporary gene flow, the phylogeographic relationships of the mitochondrial control region indicate a lack of structure and suggests greater historical connectivity. This is an emerging outcome for mammals across this arid region. On the basis of our results, we recommend augmentation of populations of P. x.xanthopus, mixing populations from disjunct mountain range systems to reduce the chance of continued diversity loss and inbreeding depression, and therefore maximize the potential for populations to adapt and survive into the future.
KW - arid zone
KW - conservation genetics
KW - macropodid
KW - marsupial
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85079045515&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/genes11020154
DO - 10.3390/genes11020154
M3 - Article
C2 - 32023869
AN - SCOPUS:85079045515
SN - 2073-4425
VL - 11
JO - Genes
JF - Genes
IS - 2
M1 - 154
ER -