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Genetic diversity and population structure of the range restricted rock firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis

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Abstract

Understanding the degree of genetic population differentiation is important in conservation genetics for inferring gene flow between populations and for identifying small and isolated threatened populations. We evaluated the genetic variation within and between three populations of the rock firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis), a range restricted firefinch endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon. The populations were closely located (c. 100 km apart) within the species’ core distribution in Central Nigeria. We found that the populations had similar levels of gene diversities (H E ) and low but significant inbreeding coefficients (F IS ). Despite the short distance between populations there was a weak but significant population structure, which indicates that the populations are somewhat isolated and affected by drift within the species’ core distribution in Nigeria. The knowledge of the genetic status of the rock firefinch will serve as a foundation to future studies to help understand population demography and for managing and maintaining viable populations.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grants from the British Ecological Society (to JA), the A. P. Leventis foundation (to JA), Swedish Ornithological Society (to JA), Swedish Research Council (to BH) and EU FP7 (Marie Curie IRSES, project Avian Genomics 295276) (to BH). We also thank the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) for logistical support. Arin Izang was a great assistant during the fieldwork. This is APLORI publication no. 80.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa

    Jacinta Abalaka & Paulette Bloomer

  2. Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden

    Jacinta Abalaka, Noraine S. Hudin & Bengt Hansson

  3. A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Laminga, P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria

    Jacinta Abalaka & Ulf Ottosson

  4. Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

    Noraine S. Hudin

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  1. Jacinta Abalaka
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  2. Noraine S. Hudin
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  3. Ulf Ottosson
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  4. Paulette Bloomer
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  5. Bengt Hansson
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Correspondence to Jacinta Abalaka.

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Abalaka, J., Hudin, N.S., Ottosson, U. et al. Genetic diversity and population structure of the range restricted rock firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis . Conserv Genet 16, 411–418 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-014-0667-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-014-0667-z

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