Amphibian Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Moving from Technology to Application

Clulow, John; Upton, Rose; Trudeau, Vance L.; Clulow, Simon

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-23633-5_14

Cited by 34 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 224 publications

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“…Recent advances in cryobiology could allow this technology to be incorporated across existing amphibian captive breeding programmes with minimal added costs (Clulow et al, 2019). Effective assisted reproduction and biobanking protocols may not exist for many threatened amphibian species due to a lack of species-specific knowledge in the fundamental reproductive sciences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Life-history traits (fecundity, iteroparity and fast life histories (Bloxam & Tonge, 1995); advances in sperm-cryopreservation, cryobiology and assisted reproduction, and low ex-situ holding costs (Conde et al, 2015) make amphibians ideal for demonstrating the value of the biobanking approach in practice. We have presented the Oregon spotted frog as a model of cost-benefit across programme economic costs against genetic benefits, but there are a large range of amphibian species that could be candidates for this approach in practice (Clulow & Clulow, 2016;Clulow et al, 2014Clulow et al, , 2019. The integration of biobanking technology into captive breeding programmes should be tested widely in practice because the potential conservation benefits are enormous.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet despite this, there are almost no examples of the use of biobanking technologies to achieve these outcomes in animal conservation, despite a growing infrastructure network for wildlife biobanks themselves (Comizzoli, 2015;Monfort, 2014). To date, there have been no cases of biobanking programmes leading to measurable in situ conservation outcomes for amphibian species and the technology thus remains a neglected tool for amphibian conservation despite being readily available (Clulow et al, 2019;Monfort, 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Integrating biobanking minimises inbreeding and produces significant cost benefits for a threatened frog captive breeding programme

Howell

Frankham

Rodger

et al. 2020

CONSERVATION LETTERS

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Captive breeding is an integral part of global conservation efforts despite high costs and adverse genetic effects associated with unavoidably small population sizes. Supplementing captive-bred populations with biobanked founder sperm to restore genetic diversity offers a solution to colony size, costs and inbreeding, yet is rarely done, partly due to a lack of concrete examples or awareness amongst the conservation community of the huge potential benefits. We present a model system of the cost and genetic benefits achieved by incorporating biobanking into captive breeding of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa). Backcrossing with frozen sperm every generation resulted in very large reductions in required programme expenditure compared to traditional captive breeding. This model supports the view that integration of biobanking into captive breeding would make longstanding and previously unachievable genetic diversity retention targets feasible (90% source population heterozygosity for a minimum of 100 years) at much reduced costs. This study suggests that the credibility of captive breeding as a conservation strategy would be enhanced by integrating genome storage and assisted breeding to produce far larger numbers of animals of higher genetic quality. This innovation would justify increased public and agency support for captive breeding.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integrating biobanking minimises inbreeding and produces significant cost benefits for a threatened frog captive breeding programme

Howell

Frankham

Rodger

et al. 2020

CONSERVATION LETTERS

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“…Ex situ conservation tools, particularly captive breeding and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are becoming increasingly important for amphibian species recovery (Bishop et al 2012;Kouba et al 2012;Clulow and Clulow 2016;Browne et al 2019;Clulow et al 2019). Australian animals face significant in situ declines across multiple taxa due to expanding and persistent anthropogenic threats, policy failings and funding neglect (Woinarski et al 2017;Howell and Rodger 2018;Wintle et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Howell et al (2020) proposed that amphibians are an ideal taxon to demonstrate the synergies and benefits of biobanking in captive breeding due to a combination of ideal life history traits (e.g. minimal post-fertilisation parental support, short generation length and high fecundity; Bloxam and Tonge 1995), comparatively low ex situ holding costs for individual animals (Conde et al 2015) and recent advances in the underlying reproductive sciences in amphibians (Kouba and Vance 2009;Kouba et al 2013;Clulow et al 2014Clulow et al , 2018bClulow et al , 2019Clulow and Clulow 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating biobanking could produce significant cost benefits and minimise inbreeding for Australian amphibian captive breeding programs

Howell

Mawson

Frankham

et al. 2021

Reprod. Fertil. Dev.

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Captive breeding is an important tool for amphibian conservation despite high economic costs and deleterious genetic effects of sustained captivity and unavoidably small colony sizes. Integration of biobanking and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) could provide solutions to these challenges, but is rarely used due to lack of recognition of the potential benefits and clear policy direction. Here we present compelling genetic and economic arguments to integrate biobanking and ARTs into captive breeding programs using modelled captive populations of two Australian threatened frogs, namely the orange-bellied frog Geocrinia vitellina and the white bellied frog Geocrinia alba. Back-crossing with frozen founder spermatozoa using ARTs every generation minimises rates of inbreeding and provides considerable reductions in colony size and program costs compared with conventional captive management. Biobanking could allow captive institutions to meet or exceed longstanding genetic retention targets (90% of source population heterozygosity over 100 years). We provide a broad policy direction that could make biobanking technology a practical reality across Australia's ex situ management of amphibians in current and future holdings. Incorporating biobanking technology widely across this network could deliver outcomes by maintaining high levels of source population genetic diversity and freeing economic resources to develop ex situ programs for a greater number of threatened amphibian species.

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Rearing density and food variety impact growth, development, and survival of larvae in the declining amphibian, Pseudacris maculata

Ethier,

Worth,

Mazerolle

et al. 2024

Zoo Biology

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Boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata Agassiz 1850) are a widespread amphibian in North America, but several populations are in decline. Specifically, we are developing captive breeding and reintroduction methods for the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence–Canadian Shield population. Here we present the effects of tadpole density, food variety, and addition of supplemental minerals to rearing water on the growth, development, and survival during the larval and metamorph/juvenile stages. We conducted two experiments using a factorial design. We found that low tadpole density (1 vs. 2 tadpoles/L) and high food variety (five food items vs. three food items) significantly increased tadpole body length and Gosner stage after 2 weeks (p < .001), increased survival to metamorphosis (p < .001), decreased time to metamorphosis (p < .001), and increased weight after metamorphosis (p < .001). On average, tadpoles in the high density/low food treatment, compared to the low density/high food, were 25% smaller after 2 weeks, had 3.9× lower survival to metamorphosis, took 1.25× longer to reach metamorphosis, and weighed 1.5× less after metamorphosis. In contrast, neither density (0.5 vs. 1 tadpole/L) nor mineral supplemented water affected growth and development, but tadpole survival was higher at 1 tadpole/L. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of rearing boreal chorus frogs in captivity and provide guidelines for rearing this and similar species in a laboratory environment.

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Amphibian Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Moving from Technology to Application

Cited by 34 publications

References 224 publications

Integrating biobanking minimises inbreeding and produces significant cost benefits for a threatened frog captive breeding programme

Integrating biobanking minimises inbreeding and produces significant cost benefits for a threatened frog captive breeding programme

Integrating biobanking could produce significant cost benefits and minimise inbreeding for Australian amphibian captive breeding programs

Rearing density and food variety impact growth, development, and survival of larvae in the declining amphibian, Pseudacris maculata

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