Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies
A key aspect in the conservation of endangered populations is understanding patterns of genetic variation and structure, which can provide managers with critical information to support evidence-based status assessments and management strategies. This is especially important for species with small wi...
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doaj-10088cb851e8479f88cb96843f9436662021-08-26T13:40:57ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182021-08-011338638610.3390/d13080386Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation StrategiesCarlos I. Campos0Melinda A. Martinez1Daniel Acosta2Jose A. Diaz-Luque3Igor Berkunsky4Nadine L. Lamberski5Javier Cruz-Nieto6Michael A. Russello7Timothy F. Wright8Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USADepartment of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USADepartment of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USAFundación CLB (FPCILB), Estación Argentina, Calle Fermín Rivero 3460, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, BoliviaInstituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustenable, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil 7000, ArgentinaSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, CA 92027, USAOrganización Vida Silvestre A.C. (OVIS), San Pedro Garza Garciá 66260, MexicoDepartment of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, CanadaDepartment of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USAA key aspect in the conservation of endangered populations is understanding patterns of genetic variation and structure, which can provide managers with critical information to support evidence-based status assessments and management strategies. This is especially important for species with small wild and larger captive populations, as found in many endangered parrots. We used genotypic data to assess genetic variation and structure in wild and captive populations of two endangered parrots, the blue-throated macaw, <i>Ara glaucogularis</i>, of Bolivia, and the thick-billed parrot, <i>Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha</i>, of Mexico. In the blue-throated macaw, we found evidence of weak genetic differentiation between wild northern and southern subpopulations, and between wild and captive populations. In the thick-billed parrot we found no signal of differentiation between the Madera and Tutuaca breeding colonies or between wild and captive populations. Similar levels of genetic diversity were detected in the wild and captive populations of both species, with private alleles detected in captivity in both, and in the wild in the thick-billed parrot. We found genetic signatures of a bottleneck in the northern blue-throated macaw subpopulation, but no such signal was identified in any other subpopulation of either species. Our results suggest both species could potentially benefit from reintroduction of genetic variation found in captivity, and emphasize the need for genetic management of captive populations.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/8/386genetic diversitydemographic historypopulation structurecaptive breedingblue-throated macawthick-billed parrot |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Carlos I. Campos Melinda A. Martinez Daniel Acosta Jose A. Diaz-Luque Igor Berkunsky Nadine L. Lamberski Javier Cruz-Nieto Michael A. Russello Timothy F. Wright |
spellingShingle |
Carlos I. Campos Melinda A. Martinez Daniel Acosta Jose A. Diaz-Luque Igor Berkunsky Nadine L. Lamberski Javier Cruz-Nieto Michael A. Russello Timothy F. Wright Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies Diversity genetic diversity demographic history population structure captive breeding blue-throated macaw thick-billed parrot |
author_facet |
Carlos I. Campos Melinda A. Martinez Daniel Acosta Jose A. Diaz-Luque Igor Berkunsky Nadine L. Lamberski Javier Cruz-Nieto Michael A. Russello Timothy F. Wright |
author_sort |
Carlos I. Campos |
title |
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies |
title_short |
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies |
title_full |
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies |
title_fullStr |
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies |
title_full_unstemmed |
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Two Endangered Neotropical Parrots Inform <i>In Situ</i> and <i>Ex Situ</i> Conservation Strategies |
title_sort |
genetic diversity and population structure of two endangered neotropical parrots inform <i>in situ</i> and <i>ex situ</i> conservation strategies |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Diversity |
issn |
1424-2818 |
publishDate |
2021-08-01 |
description |
A key aspect in the conservation of endangered populations is understanding patterns of genetic variation and structure, which can provide managers with critical information to support evidence-based status assessments and management strategies. This is especially important for species with small wild and larger captive populations, as found in many endangered parrots. We used genotypic data to assess genetic variation and structure in wild and captive populations of two endangered parrots, the blue-throated macaw, <i>Ara glaucogularis</i>, of Bolivia, and the thick-billed parrot, <i>Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha</i>, of Mexico. In the blue-throated macaw, we found evidence of weak genetic differentiation between wild northern and southern subpopulations, and between wild and captive populations. In the thick-billed parrot we found no signal of differentiation between the Madera and Tutuaca breeding colonies or between wild and captive populations. Similar levels of genetic diversity were detected in the wild and captive populations of both species, with private alleles detected in captivity in both, and in the wild in the thick-billed parrot. We found genetic signatures of a bottleneck in the northern blue-throated macaw subpopulation, but no such signal was identified in any other subpopulation of either species. Our results suggest both species could potentially benefit from reintroduction of genetic variation found in captivity, and emphasize the need for genetic management of captive populations. |
topic |
genetic diversity demographic history population structure captive breeding blue-throated macaw thick-billed parrot |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/8/386 |
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