title: Nuclear and mitochondrial genetic structure in the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) - implications for future reintroductions.
abstract: Many reintroduction projects for conservation fail, and there are a large number of factors that may contribute to failure. Genetic analysis can be used to help stack the odds of a reintroduction in favour of success, by conducting assessment of source populations to evaluate the possibility of inbreeding and outbreeding depression and by conducting postrelease monitoring. In this study, we use a panel of 306 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers and 487-489 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA control region sequence data to examine 321 individuals from possible source populations of the Eurasian beaver for a reintroduction to Scotland. We use this information to reassess the phylogenetic history of the Eurasian beavers, to examine the genetic legacy of past reintroductions on the Eurasian landmass and to assess the future power of the genetic markers to conduct ongoing monitoring via parentage analysis and individual identification. We demonstrate the capacity of medium density genetic data (hundreds of SNPs) to provide information suitable for applied conservation and discuss the difficulty of balancing the need for high genetic diversity against phylogenetic best fit when choosing source population(s) for reintroduction.
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Senn
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Ogden
authors: Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany.
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Frosch
authors: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Alena
authors: A
authors: Syrůčková
authors: WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Roisin
authors: R
authors: Campbell-Palmer
authors: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Munclinger
authors: Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ Halle, Germany.
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Durka
authors: Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany.
authors: Robert H S
authors: RH
authors: Kraus
authors: Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur Farming, Russian Academy of Sciences Kirov, Russia.
authors: Alexander P
authors: AP
authors: Saveljev
authors: Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Gelnhausen, Germany.
authors: Carsten
authors: C
authors: Nowak
authors: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Institut für Biologie Bereich Zoologie/Molekulare Ökologie Hoher Weg 4 Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors: Annegret
authors: A
authors: Stubbe
authors: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Institut für Biologie Domplatz 4 Halle/Saale, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Stubbe
authors: Conservation Genetics Unit, Institute of Botany (Bat. 22), University of Liège (Sart Tilman) Liège, Belgium.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Michaux
authors: Voronezh State Biosphere Reserve Voronezh, Russia.
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Lavrov
authors: Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
authors: Ravchig
authors: R
authors: Samiya
authors: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Alius
authors: A
authors: Ulevicius
authors: Telemark University College, Department of Environmental Sciences Telemark, Norway.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Rosell
keywords: applied conservation genetics; ascertainment bias; conservation genomics; evolutionarily significant unit; inbreeding depression; outbreeding depression; population augmentation