Using population genetics and scent deposits to inform recovery strategies for a threatened UK mammal

水鼠（Arvicola amphibius）是英国本土三种田鼠中最大的一种，也是英国数量下降最快的哺乳动物之一，在短短10年（2006-2015年）内急剧下降了30%。种群碎片化侵蚀了遗传变异并增加了近亲繁殖，这进一步威胁到种群的长期持久性。作为优先保护物种，了解当地水田鼠种群的遗传状况和独特性至关重要，这有助于实施适当和强有力的恢复策略。与柴郡野生动物基金会合作的这个项目将；a)评估柴郡剩余水田鼠种群的遗传变异性和近交程度；b)测试亲缘关系和近交对生殖成熟、生存和生产力的负面影响，同时考虑田鼠的社会反应和性反应；c)与英国其他地区相比，建立柴郡水田鼠的遗传独特性。从脆弱的种群中获得这些信息是一个巨大的挑战，需要一系列非侵入性方法（利用粪便和气味沉积物）来最大限度地减少干扰，并允许英国保护组织可靠地复制。地下水田鼠（Arvicola amphibius）是英国本土三种田鼠中最大的一种。虽然曾经很常见，但它们在英国94%的旧址已经消失了。它们是英国数量下降最快的哺乳动物之一，在短短10年（2006-2015年）内急剧下降了30%，是优先保护的物种。栖息地的丧失和入侵的美国水貂的捕食是主要原因，需要紧急的保护措施来阻止下降并帮助种群恢复。不断增加的种群碎片化侵蚀了遗传变异，导致了小种群的近亲繁殖。重新引入、增加种群数量以及改善种群内部和种群之间栖息地的连通性是帮助恢复的潜在策略。然而，了解当地种群的遗传状况和独特性对于设计适当的恢复策略至关重要，同时也要考虑田鼠的社会和性反应。从脆弱种群中获取信息是一项重大挑战，需要开发非侵入性方法，以尽量减少干扰。田鼠用于交流的粪便和其他沉积物为获得基因型和表型信息提供了极好的机会，迄今为止，这些信息很少被探索。该项目将主要关注柴郡的水田鼠，在过去的20年里，那里有可靠的调查数据。主要目的：1)评估剩余群体的遗传变异和近交程度。2)检验亲缘性和近交对生殖成熟、生存和生产力的负面影响。3)建立柴郡水田鼠与英国其他地区相比的遗传独特性。4)开发技术，可靠地从粪便和其他田鼠沉积物中非侵入性地恢复基因型和表型信息。新颖性和及时性根据强有力的科学数据，英国各地迫切需要积极保护水鼠。将实地研究与前沿分子方法相结合，旨在大幅提高可用于指导保护规划的信息水平，并将直接提供给柴郡野生动物基金会的水鼠恢复计划。

Water voles (Arvicola amphibius) are the largest of Britain's three native vole species, and one of the UK's fastest declining mammals, with a dramatic 30% decline in just 10 years (2006-2015). Population fragmentation erodes genetic variability and increases inbreeding, which further threaten long term population persistence. As a priority conservation species, it is vital to understand genetic status and distinctiveness of local water vole populations, allowing implementation of appropriate and robust recovery strategies.This project, working alongside Cheshire Wildlife Trust will; a) Assess genetic variability and degree of inbreeding within remnant water vole populations in Cheshire b) Test the negative impact of relatedness and inbreeding on reproductive maturation, survival and productivity, while also taking vole social and sexual responses into account, and c) Establish the genetic distinctiveness of Cheshire water voles compared to other regions around the UK.Gaining this information from fragile populations presents a substantial challenge, requiring a range of non-invasive approaches (utilising faeces and scent deposits) to minimise disturbance and allow reliable replication for UK conservation organisations. BackgroundWater voles (Arvicola amphibius) are the largest of Britain's three native vole species. Although once common, they have disappeared from 94% of their former sites across the UK. One of the UK's fastest declining mammals, with a dramatic 30% decline in just 10 years (2006-2015), they are a priority conservation species. Habitat loss and predation by invasive American mink are the major causes, requiring urgent conservation efforts to both stop the decline and help populations recover.Increasing population fragmentation erodes genetic variability, leading to inbreeding within small remnant populations. Reintroductions, population augmentation and improved habitat connectivity within and between populations are potential strategies to aid recovery. However, understanding genetic status and distinctiveness of local populations is essential to design appropriate recovery strategies, while also taking vole social and sexual responses into account. Gaining information from fragile populations presents a substantial challenge, requiring the development of non-invasive approaches that minimise disturbance. Faeces and other deposits that voles use for communication provide an excellent opportunity to gain genotypic and phenotypic information that, so far, has been little explored.ObjectivesThis project will focus primarily on water voles in Cheshire, where reliable survey data are available from the past 20 years. Key aims:1) Assess genetic variability and degree of inbreeding within remnant populations.2) Test the negative impact of relatedness and inbreeding on reproductive maturation, survival and productivity.3) Establish the genetic distinctiveness of Cheshire water voles compared to other regions around the UK.4) Develop techniques to reliably recover genotypic and phenotypic information non-invasively from faeces and other vole deposits.Novelty & TimelinessThere is an urgent need for active conservation of water voles across the UK, informed by strong scientific data. Combining field studies with cutting edge molecular approaches aims to substantially improve the level of information available to guide conservation planning, and will feed directly into Cheshire Wildlife Trust's water vole recovery plan.