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Genetic variability and the effect of habitat fragmentation in spotted suslik Spermophilus suslicus populations from two different regions

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Abstract

Endangered species worldwide exist in remnant populations, often within fragmented landscapes. Although assessment of genetic diversity in fragmented habitats is very important for conservation purposes, it is usually impossible to evaluate the amount of diversity that has actually been lost. Here, we compared population structure and levels of genetic diversity within populations of spotted suslik Spermophilus suslicus, inhabiting two different parts of the species range characterized by different levels of habitat connectivity. We used microsatellites to analyze 10 critically endangered populations located at the western part of the range, where suslik habitat have been severely devastated due to agriculture industrialization. Their genetic composition was compared with four populations from the eastern part of the range where the species still occupies habitat with reasonable levels of connectivity. In the western region, we detected extreme population structure (F ST = 0.20) and levels of genetic diversity (Allelic richness ranged from 1.45 to 3.07) characteristic for highly endangered populations. Alternatively, in the eastern region we found significantly higher allelic richness (from 5.09 to 5.81) and insignificant population structure (F ST = 0.03). As we identified a strong correlation between genetic and geographic distance and a lack of private alleles in the western region, we conclude that extreme population structure and lower genetic diversity is due to recent habitat loss. Results from this study provide guidelines for conservation and management of this highly endangered species.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research (grant no.: 3P04G00924) and the Polish Ministry of Science (grant no.: N30309031/2938).

We want to acknowledge Dr Vlodimir Lobkov from the Odessa National University, Ukraine for providing samples from the eastern region and to all the people who helped us to collect samples from the western region. We are also grateful to the Association of Zamość Natural Landscape Parks and the Lublin Voivodeship Nature Conservator for their support in our research.

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  1. Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Krakow, Poland

    Aleksandra Biedrzycka & Maciej K. Konopiński

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  1. Aleksandra Biedrzycka
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  2. Maciej K. Konopiński
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Correspondence to Aleksandra Biedrzycka.

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Biedrzycka, A., Konopiński, M.K. Genetic variability and the effect of habitat fragmentation in spotted suslik Spermophilus suslicus populations from two different regions. Conserv Genet 9, 1211–1221 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9442-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9442-8

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