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When the shoe doesn’t fit: applying conservation unit concepts to western painted turtles at their northern periphery

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Abstract

As biodiversity continues to be lost at an alarming rate, strategies for prioritizing populations for conservation have become increasingly important. Maintaining intraspecific genetic diversity is of particular importance for preserving evolutionary history and the potential for future adaptation. In order to effectively protect this diversity, units below the species level need to be defined. However, delineation of such units is subject to many challenges, with no one strategy applying universally across taxa. In this study we carried out the first genetic assessment of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) at its northern periphery in British Columbia (BC), Canada, using mitochondrial DNA haplotypic and microsatellite genotypic data to examine population structure and demographic history. We compared the application of evolutionarily significant unit and management unit criteria with Canadian designatable unit guidelines to determine appropriate conservation units. Our results show that BC western painted turtles form a single evolutionarily significant unit, with each occupied site constituting a separate management unit. In contrast, there is evidence for six discrete designatable units. Patterns of genetic variation in BC western painted turtles indicate that the conservation of each region is important to maintaining regional diversity and evolutionary novelty in this widespread species.

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Acknowledgments

The Western Painted Turtle Working Group provided support in identifying sampling sites and collecting samples, particularly Aimee Mitchell, Christian Engelstoft, David Stiles, Deanna Mactavish, Julie Steciw, Kristiina Ovaska, Michelle Evelyn, Nicole Basaraba, Melissa Tesche and Vanessa Kilburn. Anna Hall provided valuable assistance in both the field and laboratory. Carrie Van Dorp, Hunter Le Blanc, Jeanette Madsen, Matt Lemay, and Kelsey Robson also helped with field work. Karen Hodges offered thoughtful comments on a previous draft of the text. This work was funded by a grant from the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund (PG and MR). EJ was supported by a National Science and Engineering Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship.

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  1. Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada

    Evelyn L. Jensen & Michael A. Russello

  2. Ministry of Environment, Station Provincial Government, PO Box 9338, Victoria, BC, V8W 9M1, Canada

    Purnima Govindarajulu

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  1. Evelyn L. Jensen
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  2. Purnima Govindarajulu
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Correspondence to Evelyn L. Jensen.

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Jensen, E.L., Govindarajulu, P. & Russello, M.A. When the shoe doesn’t fit: applying conservation unit concepts to western painted turtles at their northern periphery. Conserv Genet 15, 261–274 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-013-0535-2

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