title: Founder event and its effect on genetic variation in translocated populations of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus).
abstract: Establishing translocated populations is a common process to preserve and maintain genetic diversity of threatened species. In 2001, three translocated populations of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) were established in the Czech Republic, founded by either adult or juvenile individuals from three particular source populations. We assessed genetic diversity at seven microsatellite loci after one decade (assumed three generations) from establishment. Although the translocated populations exhibited a slight but non-significant reduction in genetic diversity (A R = 2.2-5.0; H O = 0.11-0.31), the most striking result was generally very low genetic diversity in source populations (A R = 3.0-5.3; H O = 0.15-0.38). Similarly, a high degree of inbreeding (F IS = 0.36-0.60) demonstrates the nature of source populations, already affected by isolation and small size. In spite of that, based on the results of this study, the establishment of new translocated noble crayfish populations was successful, since there is no significant decline in genetic variability and all populations are still viable. Although source populations did not exhibit high genetic diversity, their distinctiveness makes them possible to use for conservation purposes. Continued monitoring is necessary to track the long-term progress of the translocation program, including other parameters describing the state of the population, such as the occurrence and frequency of diseases or morphological changes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic. blaha@frov.jcu.cz.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3597-6604
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bláha
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre ASCR, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Žurovcová
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Antonín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouba
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomáš
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Policar
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kozák
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000235:genetics*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018153:Czech Republic; D005260:Female; D018703:Founder Effect; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D007178:Inbreeding; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D011156:Population Density; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
keywords: Bottleneck; Conservation; Homozygote excess; Microsatellites