Small edge populations at risk: Genetic diversity of the green lizard (Lacerta viridis viridis) in Germany and implications for conservation management
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Edge and central populations can show great differences regarding their genetic variation and thereby also in their probability of extinction. This fact might be of great importance for the conservation strategies of endangered species. In this study we examine the level of microsatellite variability within three threatened edge populations of the green lizard subspecies Lacerta viridis viridis (Laur.) in Brandenburg (Germany) and compare the observed variation to other edge and central populations within the northern species range. We demonstrate that the northernmost edge populations contain less genetic variation in comparison to the central population. However, there were no observable significant differences to the other edge population included in this study. Surprisingly, we observed a high genetic differentiation in a small geographical range between the three endangered populations in Brandenburg, which can be explained by processes like fragmentation, isolation, genetic drift and small individual numbers within these populations. We also detected unique genetic variants (alleles), which only occurred in these populations, despite a low overall genetic variation. This study demonstrates the potential of fast evolving markers assessing the genetic status of endangered populations with a high resolution. It also illustrates the need for a comparative analysis of different regions within the species range, achieving a more exact interpretation of the genetic variation in endangered populations. This will aid future management decisions in the conservation of genetic diversity in threatened species.
Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 555-563 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Conservation Genetics |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2007 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
ORCID | /0000-0002-9301-1803/work/161409802 |
---|
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Genetic variation, Isolated population, Lacerta viridis, Microsatellites