No evident spatial genetic structuring in the rapidly declining Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa in the Netherlands

With 40% of the European Black-tailed Godwit population breeding in The Netherlands, this country harbours internationally significant numbers of this species. However, ongoing agricultural intensification has resulted in the fragmentation of the population and drastic population declines since 1967...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Conservation Genetics
Main Authors: Trimbos, Krijn B., Musters, C. J. M., Verkuil, Yvonne I., Kentie, Rosemarie, Piersma, Theunis, de Snoo, Geert R.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Genetic differentiation
Genetic diversity
Gene flow
Habitat fragmentation
Microsatellites
Negative population trends
POPULATION-GENETICS
SOFTWARE
MARKERS
MANAGEMENT
REGRESSION
DIVERSITY
PROGRAM
TESTS
DNA
black-tailed godwit
Limosa limosa
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11370/a96e5f2e-badf-4094-a1ff-ca429655738b
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a96e5f2e-badf-4094-a1ff-ca429655738b
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0167-8
https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6762177/2011ConservGenetTrimbos.pdf
Description
Summary:With 40% of the European Black-tailed Godwit population breeding in The Netherlands, this country harbours internationally significant numbers of this species. However, ongoing agricultural intensification has resulted in the fragmentation of the population and drastic population declines since 1967. By establishing genetic diversity, genetic differentiation and gene flow on the basis of 12 microsatellites, we investigated whether the population genetic structure of the Dutch Black-tailed Godwit bears the marks of these changes. Genetic diversity appeared to be moderate, and Bayesian model-based analysis of individual genotypes revealed no clustering in the Dutch populations. This was supported by pairwise F(ST) values and AMOVA, which indicated no differentiation among the nine breeding areas. Gene flow estimates were larger than "one migrant per generation" between sample locations, and no isolation by distance was demonstrated. Our results indicate the maintenance of moderate levels of genetic diversity and genetic connectivity between breeding sites throughout the Dutch Black-tailed Godwit breeding population. We suggest that the Dutch Black-tailed Godwit breeding areas should be managed as a single panmictic unit, much as it is presently done.

Similar Items