Conservation genomics of British Columbia caribou

不列颠哥伦比亚驯鹿的保护基因组学

• 批准号: 561434-2020
• 负责人: Poissant, Jocelyn
• 金额: $ 5.37万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=723461
• 关键词: Conservation; genomics; British; Columbia; caribou

The caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a key flagship and umbrella species for biodiversity conservation. Declines in caribou across Canada have resulted in numerous populations being listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern under the Canadian Species at Risk Act. This, combined with high-profile population extirpations, has brought caribou to the center-stage of wildlife conservation. Caribou decline is significant in British Columbia (BC), where the species' Designatable Units (DUs; conservation units below the species level) recognized by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) are considered endangered or of special concern. The BC government and Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) are therefore collaborating and supporting research that will inform recovery strategies. In this project, genomic diversity of BC caribou will be assessed using a new genomic array interrogating ~65,000 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms. The BC government has already collected DNA samples from >800 safely captured caribou, as well as ecological data required to conduct this project, including health, morphology, movement, life history, and demographic information. The project's goals are to 1) assess caribou genomic diversity and population structure across BC to refine DUs boundaries, accounting for ecological and genomic information, as recommended by COSEWIC, 2) identify populations and individuals that should be used to initiate and supplement conservation breeding programs and inform subsequent breeding decisions, and 3) quantify inbreeding and its impacts on populations to guide augmentations. This knowledge will be combined with technology transfer to enable genomic-based management and monitoring of wild and captive caribou. At least two graduate students and one Research Associate will be directly involved. This project will allow for more effective conservation efforts, including refined delineation of conservation units, optimal design and management of conservation breeding programs, evidence-based reintroductions, augmentations and translocations, and long-term monitoring and management.

驯鹿 (Rangifer tarandus) 是生物多样性保护的关键旗舰物种和保护物种。加拿大各地驯鹿数量的减少导致许多驯鹿种群被《加拿大濒危物种法案》列为濒危、受威胁或特别关注的物种。再加上引人注目的种群灭绝，使驯鹿成为野生动物保护的中心舞台。不列颠哥伦比亚省 (BC) 的驯鹿数量大幅减少，加拿大濒危野生动物状况委员会 (COSEWIC) 认定该物种的指定单位（DU；物种级别以下的保护单位）被视为濒临灭绝或受到特别关注。因此，BC 省政府和加拿大环境与气候变化部的加拿大野生动物管理局 (CWS) 正在合作并支持为恢复策略提供信息的研究。在该项目中，BC 驯鹿的基因组多样性将使用新的基因组阵列来评估约 65,000 个单核苷酸多态性。 BC 省政府已经从超过 800 只安全捕获的驯鹿身上收集了 DNA 样本，以及开展该项目所需的生态数据，包括健康、形态、运动、生活史和人口统计信息。该项目的目标是：1) 评估不列颠哥伦比亚省驯鹿基因组多样性和种群结构，以细化 DU 边界，考虑生态和基因组信息，按照 COSEWIC 的建议，2) 确定应用于启动和补充保护育种计划并为后续育种决策提供信息的种群和个体，3) 量化近亲繁殖及其对种群的影响，以指导扩增。这些知识将与技术转让相结合，以实现对野生和圈养驯鹿的基于基因组的管理和监测。至少两名研究生和一名研究员将直接参与。该项目将促进更有效的保护工作，包括精确划分保护单位、优化设计和保护育种计划的管理、基于证据的重新引入、扩大和易地以及长期监测和管理。