Demographic status of Komodo dragons populations in Komodo National Park

Purwandana, Deni; Ariefiandy, Achmad; Imansyah, M. Jeri; Rudiharto, Heru; Seno, Aganto; Ciofi, Claudio; Fordham, Damien A.; Jessop, Tim S.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2014.01.017

Cited by 40 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Vegetation communities in Komodo National Park vary in complexity and structure – from diverse and closed quasi‐cloud forest, through open deciduous forest, to savannah grassland (Auffenberg , Ariefiandy et al ). Komodo dragons use open deciduous forest and closed riparian forest in preference to open savannah woodland or savannah grassland vegetation communities (Purwandana et al ). Relatively closed and complex forest vegetation communities contain a greater diversity, abundance and size range of prey, and can thus be utilized by all Komodo dragon size classes (Imansyah et al ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We undertook a large‐scale field study to estimate spatial variation in apparent survival rates between and within Komodo dragon island populations in Komodo National Park – the largest and best‐resourced protected area within the distribution of Komodo dragons. However, the range in recent estimates of population change and abundance suggests that the vital rates of Komodo dragons vary between island populations (Purwandana et al ). Dispersal of Komodo dragons between and within islands is extremely low (Jessop et al ) and individuals in adjacent valleys within islands are phenotypically distinct (Jessop et al ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research has shown that spatial variation in prey availability has important implications for Komodo dragon body size and population density (Jessop et al , , Laver et al , Purwandana et al ). Komodo dragon populations also show substantial variation in their population genetics (e.g.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Evaluating environmental, demographic and genetic effects on population‐level survival in an island endemic

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The population dynamics of island species are considered particularly sensitive to variation in environmental, demographic and/or genetic processes. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the relative importance of these processes for key vital rates in island endemics. We integrated the results of long‐term capture–mark–recapture analysis, prey surveys, habitat quality assessments and molecular analysis to determine the causes of variation in the survival rates of Komodo dragons Varanus komodoensis at 10 sites on four islands in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Using open population capture–mark–recapture methods, we ranked competing models that considered environmental, ecological, genetic and demographic effects on site‐specific Komodo dragon survival rates. Site‐specific survival rates ranged from 0.49 (95% CI: 0.33–0.68) to 0.92 (0.79–0.97) in the 10 study sites. The three highest‐ranked models (i.e. ΔQAICc < 2) explained ∼70% of variation in Komodo dragon survival rates and identified interactions between inbreeding coefficients, prey biomass density and habitat quality as important explanatory variables. There was evidence of additive effects from ecological and genetic (e.g. inbreeding) processes affecting Komodo dragon survival rates. Our results indicate that maintaining high ungulate prey biomass and habitat quality would enhance the persistence of Komodo dragon populations. Assisted gene flow may also increase the genetic and demographic viability of the smaller Komodo dragon populations.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Evaluating environmental, demographic and genetic effects on population‐level survival in an island endemic

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN, 2012], V. komodoensis is a keystone and umbrella species for the Monsoon forest ecosystem [Mills et al, 1993;Roberge and Angelstam, 2004] and plays an important role in the Lesser Sunda ecotourism development. A number of studies have been conducted on the population ecology, genetics, physiology, microbiology, management, and conservation of both captive and wild populations [e.g., Auffenberg, 1981;Ciofi et al, 1999;Montgomery et al, 2002;Murphy et al, 2002;Ciofi and de Boer, 2004;Watts et al, 2006;Ciofi et al, 2007;Jessop et al, 2007;Fry et al, 2009;Laver et al, 2012;Purwandana et al, 2014Purwandana et al, , 2015Ariefiandy et al, 2015;Bishop et al, 2017]. However, information on cytogenetics and genomics of this species is limited.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolating Chromosomes of the Komodo Dragon: New Tools for Comparative Mapping and Sequence Assembly

Iannucci

Altmanová

Ciofi

et al. 2019

Cytogenet Genome Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We developed new tools to build a high-quality chromosomal map of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) available for cross-species phylogenomic analyses. First, we isolated chromosomes by flow sorting and determined the chromosome content of each flow karyotype peak by FISH. We then isolated additional Komodo dragon chromosomes by microdissection and amplified chromosome-specific DNA pools. The chromosome-specific DNA pools can be sequenced, assembled, and mapped by next-generation sequencing technology. The chromosome-specific paint probes can be used to investigate karyotype evolution through cross-species chromosome painting. Overall, the set of chromosome-specific DNA pools of V. komodoensis provides new tools for detailed phylogenomic analyses of Varanidae and squamates in general.

show abstract

“…Similar to studies on other large varanid lizards (e.g., Komodo dragons [Varanus komodoensis]), we advocate undertaking an extensive mark-recapture study that would permit estimates of recruitment, survival, and population growth (i.e., measures of fitness and population-level adaptation; Jessop et al 2007;Purwandana et al 2014). Then, using an information-theoretic approach, we could compete different models that evaluate the effects of habitat-based (e.g., fox management, habitat quality, prey availability) and individualbased (e.g., body condition, basal and acute stress GC levels [total and free measures]) phenotypic parameters on the estimates of lizard immunocompetence, fecundity, recruitment, survival, and population growth (Sinervo and Licht 1991;Berger et al 2005;Blas et al 2007;Malisch et al 2009;Anson et al 2014;Patterson et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Introduced Competitor Elevates Corticosterone Responses of a Native Lizard (Varanus varius)

Jessop¹,

Anson²,

Narayan³

et al. 2015

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Glucocorticoid hormone profiles are increasingly used as physiological markers to infer the strength of species interactions that can influence fitness and ensuing population dynamics of animals. Here we investigated two aims. First, we measured the effect of a 90-min capture stress protocol on the plasma corticosterone responses of a large native Australian lizard, the lace monitor (Varanus varius). Second, we compared the basal and postcapture stress corticosterone responses of lace monitors in habitats where they were exposed to high or low densities of the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), an introduced competitor. Lace monitors responded to the capture stress protocol by significantly increasing plasma levels of corticosterone above basal at 45- and 90-min-postcapture blood-sampling intervals. In habitats with high fox densities, lace monitors produced a significantly greater basal and capture-stress-induced corticosterone response compared to individuals in low-fox density habitat. A significant interaction among fox density, time postcapture, and body condition was also found to influence plasma corticosterone values. These results suggest competition with red fox, perhaps via nutritional stress and increased hypersensitivity of the adrenocortical axis in lizards. At present, without further research, we do not understand whether such responses mediate lizard fitness or whether they have adaptive or maladaptive consequences for lizard populations in response to red fox competition. Nevertheless, our results help broaden understanding of the physiological implications arising from species interactions and specifically how introduced competitors could mediate diverse impacts on native biodiversity.

show abstract

Demographic status of Komodo dragons populations in Komodo National Park

Cited by 40 publications

References 33 publications

Evaluating environmental, demographic and genetic effects on population‐level survival in an island endemic

Evaluating environmental, demographic and genetic effects on population‐level survival in an island endemic

Isolating Chromosomes of the Komodo Dragon: New Tools for Comparative Mapping and Sequence Assembly

An Introduced Competitor Elevates Corticosterone Responses of a Native Lizard (Varanus varius)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About