Non invasive methods for genetic analysis applied to ecological and behavioral studies in Latino-America

Abstract

-Documenting the presence and abundance of the neotropical mammals is the first step for understanding their population ecology, behavior and genetic dynamics in designing conservation plans. The combination of field research with molecular genetics techniques are new tools that provide valuable biological information avoiding the disturbance in the ecosystems, trying to minimize the human impact in the process to gather biological information. The objective of this paper is to review the available non invasive sampling techniques that have been used in Neotropical mammal studies to apply to determine the presence and abundance, population structure, sex ratio, taxonomic diagnostic using mitochondrial markers, and assessing genetic variability using nuclear markers. There are a wide range of non invasive sampling techniques used to determine the species identification that inhabit an area such as searching for tracks, feces, and carcasses. Other useful equipment is the camera traps that can generate an image bank that can be valuable to assess species presence and abundance by morphology. With recent advances in molecular biology, it is now possible to use the trace amounts of DNA in feces and amplify it to analyze the species diversity in an area, and the genetic variability at intraspecific level. This is particularly helpful in cases of sympatric and cryptic species in which morphology failed to diagnose the taxonomic status of several species of brocket deer of the genus Mazama.

Aportes de la genética de la conservación al estudio de los mamíferos neotropicales: revisión y análisis crítico

“…Las técnicas no invasivas de muestreo genético se utilizan para realizar diversos estudios en distintas especies de mamíferos neotropicales (González and Barbanti Duarte 2007;RuizGarcía et al 2007;Trinca et al 2013;Rodgers and Janečka 2013;Grattarola et al 2015;Byrne et al 2015;Trigila et al 2016). Particularmente, para los mamíferos se han realizado distintos esfuerzos por optimizar la obtención de ADN a partir de pelos y heces.…”

Amplifiability of mitochondrial, microsatellite and amelogenin DNA loci from fecal samples of red brocket deer Mazama americana (Cetartiodactyla, Cervidae)

“…However, for deeper and more reliable studies, it is necessary to identify individual animals, which is not possible through photographs, footprints and simple observation of feces (Vogliotti et al, 2010). One method that can be used is genetic analysis of the DNA contained in feces (Albaugh et al, 1992;Sidransky et al, 1992;Kohn and Wayne, 1997;Gonzalez and Duarte, 2007;Gonzalez and Garcia, 2010).…”

“…Feces collection and analysis is an important source of information concerning wild animals, providing information ranging from genetics to endocrinology, which has served as the basis for several ecological and genetic studies (Pereira et al, 2005(Pereira et al, , 2006Gonzalez and Duarte, 2007;Gonzalez et al, 2009;Versiani et al, 2009;Christofoletti et al, 2010). For a detailed population study using DNA contained in feces, it is necessary to accurately obtain certain data, such as to which species the sample belongs and individual identification of the animal and its sex.…”

“…For a detailed population study using DNA contained in feces, it is necessary to accurately obtain certain data, such as to which species the sample belongs and individual identification of the animal and its sex. To achieve this, specific markers are used to determine specific data (Gonzalez and Duarte, 2007): amplification of the cytochrome b gene, followed by RFLP is used for species identification (Gonzalez et al, 2009); microsatellite markers are used for individual identification (Kohn et al, 1999), and amplification of the amelogenin gene is used to determine sex (Ennis and Gallagher, 1994;Yamauchi et al, 2000).…”

Feeding ecology of Ozotoceros bezoarticus: conservation implicationsin Uruguay

“…However, fecal analysis is widely used for describing diets of wild and domestic herbivores (TODD & HANSEN, 1973). It is often the only practical method available, particularly with some rare or endangered wild herbivores on which collecting ruminal samples is not possible (GONZÁLEZ & DUARTE, 2007). HOFMANN & STEWART (1972) classified mammalian herbivores, along a continuum according to which plant type they prefer, as: bulk and roughage feeders or grazers, that select diets containing < 25% browse; concentrate selectors or browsers, that select diets containing at least 75% fruits, dicotyledonous foliage, and tree and shrub stems and foliage; or intermediate or mixed feeders, that select both grasses and browses.…”