Population Viability Analysis and Genetic Diversity of the Endangered Red DeerCervus elaphusPopulation from Mesola, Italy

Abstract

The Mesola red deer Cervus elaphus in the Po delta are the only native red deer population on the Italian mainland and have been the focus of conservationists and wildlife biologists for some time. In our study, we present a genetic analysis of 25 Mesola red deer on the basis of 20 polymorphic microsatellite loci, aiming at estimating the population's genetic diversity and at providing information for a future genetic screening. In addition, we carried out a population viability analysis (PVA) with demographic and life‐history data available from a long‐term population survey, simulating different management scenarios. Genetic diversity was very low compared to the rest of Europe (observed and expected heterozygosity 0.50 and 0.61, respectively), and an overall excess of homozygosity was indicative of inbreeding. Calculations of the probability of identity and genotype mismatch frequencies suggested that between five and seven highly informative loci were sufficient to resolve individuals with reasonable certainty. The PVA yielded a generally poor outlook, but at the same time, it showed that management measures already taken significantly increased population viability. A sensitivity analysis revealed that inbreeding depression and possible catastrophes had a huge impact on the population's prospects. However, the establishment of two subpopulations and successful attempts at reducing the consequences of catastrophic events were able to significantly mitigate the harmful effects of both inbreeding and environmental stochasticity. These results, in particular the splitting of the population, may be of general interest to conservationists dealing with unique threatened populations.

Minimum viable population size for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) using an individual-based model of demographics and genetics

“…Further, many analyses have used only the default values provided in VORTEX because of the lack of empirical measurements of inbreeding depression (Marshall and Edwards-Jones 1998). In contrast, a few studies have explored a higher level of inbreeding depression using VORTEX to look at extinction risks (O'Grady et al 2006) and management scenarios (Zachos et al 2009). …”

Spring spotlight counts provide reliable indices to track changes in population size of mountain‐dwelling red deer Cervus elaphus

“…Queste caratteristiche sono tipiche di popolazioni adattate ad ambienti poco produttivi. È stata inoltre riscontrata l'esistenza di un genotipo mitocondriale unico, con una sequenza significativamente diversa da quelle delle altre popolazioni, a testimonianza della particolare identità genetica del Cervo della Mesola (Lorenzini et al, 2005;Zachos et al, 2009). La consistenza attuale della popolazione è di circa 200 individui.…”

Phylogeography, population genetics and conservation of the European red deer Cervus elaphus

“…Unlike Tyrrhenian and Barbary red deer, the Mesola red deer, which harbours a unique mtDNA haplotype, is not acknowledged taxonomically but formally assigned to C. e. hippelaphus . It is the last autochthonous Italian red deer population (all other ‘Italian’ red deer were either translocated or immigrated; Zachos et al. 2009).…”