Population genetic structure and history of fragmented remnant populations of the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)

Fenderson, Lindsey E.; Kovach, Adrienne I.; Litvaitis, John A.; Litvaitis, Marian K.

doi:10.1007/s10592-011-0197-x

Cited by 32 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 84 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The New England cottontail has experienced a range‐wide population decline concurrent with regional losses of successional shrublands (i.e., dense woody shrub communities associated with early successional forest regeneration) over the 20th century resulting from reforestation and human development (Litvaitis, ). The species persists within five isolated populations covering less than 14% of its historic range (Fenderson, Kovach, Litvaitis, & Litvaitis, ; Litvaitis et al, ). Efforts to recover New England cottontails are largely dependent on creating and maintaining a network of suitable shrubland patches (Fuller & Tur, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competition alters seasonal resource selection and promotes use of invasive shrubs by an imperiled native cottontail

Cheeseman

Ryan

Whipps

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many ecosystems face multiple invaders, and interactions among invasive and native species may complicate conservation efforts for imperiled species. Examination of fine‐scale resource selection can be used to detect patterns in habitat selection resulting from species interactions and assess the value of specific resources, including invasive plants, to wildlife. We used animal location data with mixed‐effects resource selection models to examine seasonal competitive interactions and species‐specific selection for forage and cover resources by an imperiled native lagomorph, the New England cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis and its nonnative competitor, the eastern cottontail S. floridanus in the eastern Hudson Valley, NY. We found evidence that resource selection by New England cottontails depended on the relative prevalence of eastern cottontails to New England cottontails. Where eastern cottontails were less prevalent New England cottontail selected for resources characteristic of early successional shrublands. Where eastern cottontails were more prevalent, New England cottontails selected for resources characteristic of later successional shrublands. New England cottontail use of certain invasive shrubs depended on the prevalence of eastern cottontails relative to New England cottontails, suggesting response to invasive plants is confounded by interactions with a nonnative competitor. Our results further emphasize the need for conservation efforts to consider invasive management within the ecosystem context. We demonstrate the utility of resource selection studies to assist in this regard by exploring competitive interactions in the absence of removal studies, while simultaneously assessing the impact of habitat components such as invasive vegetation on species of conservation concern. Synthesis and applications Resource selection studies can be directly applied to inform ongoing species conservation where multiple invaders are present or where species interactions influence resource selection. Fine‐scale assessments of resource selection, similar to those presented here, can be used to selectively manage habitat to benefit desired species within the ecosystem context.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competition alters seasonal resource selection and promotes use of invasive shrubs by an imperiled native cottontail

Cheeseman

Ryan

Whipps

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Among island mammals, the Amami rabbit revealed a high level of genetic differentiation at a small geographic scale compared with the nuclear microsatellite findings on the highly mobile Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ; F ST = 0.001–0.189 among populations 10–340 km apart; Jones et al ) and low‐mobility rodents, including the Cozumel harvest mouse ( Reithrodontomys spectabilis ; F ST = 0.099 between populations 3.02 km apart; Espindola et al ) and Coues rice rat ( Oryzomys couesi cozumelae ; F ST = 0.000–0.090 among populations 1.17–26.19 km apart; Vega et al ). Such small‐scale differentiation was not detected in other genetic studies in Leporidae species with nuclear microsatellite data, including the snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ; F ST = 0.000–0.243 among populations 3–140 km apart; Burton et al ), pygmy rabbit ( Brachylagus idahoensis ; F ST = 0.005–0.138 among populations 0.5–32 km apart; Estes Zumpf et al ), New England cottontail ( Sylvilagus transitionalis ; F ST = 0.0343 between populations 44 km apart; Fenderson et al ), and mountain hare ( Lepus timidus hibernicus ; F ST = 0.000–0.116 among populations within 200 km; Hamill et al ), or with mitochondrial data for pygmy rabbit ( F ST = 0.000–0.488 among populations 0.5–32 km apart; Estes Zumpf et al ). Long‐term isolation of the Amami rabbit population on Tokunoshima Island since the Pleistocene without any immigration from other islands may have caused this unique genetic structure, which directly reflects the dispersal of the species and the effect of human activities on the island.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Historical and recent impacts on genetic structure of an island rabbit

Ando

Tsuda²,

Kaneko

et al. 2018

J Wildl Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Population fragmentation can reduce genetic diversity and increase the extinction risk of island endemic mammals, especially those with low dispersal ability. However, the intra‐island genetic structure and demographic history of mammals have not yet been well evaluated, especially on small geographic scales. We performed a genetic analysis of isolated island populations of the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) on Tokunoshima Island using mitochondrial D‐loop region sequences and 8 nuclear microsatellite markers. Using data from fecal samples, we detected 2 genetic groups that corresponded with the northern and southern forested areas of the island based on the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. We detected some admixture between the 2 groups in the nuclear genomes but did not detect gene flow between the 2 groups in the mitochondrial genomes. Although genetic diversity was higher in the southern population than in the northern population, the fixation index showed higher levels of inbreeding in the southern area with a signal of a recent bottleneck. We inferred the divergence time between the northern and southern groups (∼4,320 years ago) using approximate Bayesian computations. These genetic structure patterns may have been generated by a combination of the demographic history of the species in relation to the geology of the island, human activities in the stone age, deforestation due to sugar plantations (beginning approximately 300 years ago), and recent human activities. This study highlights the importance of considering genetic structure in relation to complex factors within a single‐island habitat for appropriate genetic management of endemic mammals on islands. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

show abstract

“…; Fenderson et al. ). However, human activities can also positively affect gene flow by creating corridors associated with roads (Crispo et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Effects of structural connectivity on fine scale population genetic structure of muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus

Laurence

Smith²,

Schulte‐Hostedde

2013

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In heterogeneous landscapes, physical barriers and loss of structural connectivity have been shown to reduce gene flow and therefore lead to population structuring. In this study, we assessed the influence of landscape features on population genetic structure and gene flow of a semiaquatic species, the muskrat. A total of 97 muskrats were sampled from three watersheds near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. We estimated population genetic structure using 11 microsatellite loci and identified a single genetic cluster and no genetic differences were found among the watersheds as a result of high levels of gene flow. At finer scales, we assessed the correlation between individual pairwise genetic distances and Euclidean distance as well as different models of least cost path (LCP). We used a range of cost values for the landscape types in order to build our LCP models. We found a positive relationship between genetic distance and least cost distance when we considered roads as corridors for movements. Open landscapes and urban areas seemed to restrict but not prevent gene flow within the study area. Our study underlines the high-dispersal ability of generalist species in their use of landscape and highlights how landscape features often considered barriers to animal movements are corridors for other species.

show abstract

Population genetic structure and history of fragmented remnant populations of the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)

Cited by 32 publications

References 84 publications

Competition alters seasonal resource selection and promotes use of invasive shrubs by an imperiled native cottontail

Competition alters seasonal resource selection and promotes use of invasive shrubs by an imperiled native cottontail

Historical and recent impacts on genetic structure of an island rabbit

Effects of structural connectivity on fine scale population genetic structure of muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About