Human impacts on isolation and diversity of wildlife populations

人类对野生动物种群隔离和多样性的影响

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05286
• 负责人: Musiani, Marco
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=744800
• 关键词: Human; impacts; isolation; diversity; wildlife

The links between habitat fragmentation (e.g. good habitat remaining in fragments), population isolation and decrease in size, loss of genetic diversity and extirpation of populations are foundational for ecological theory. However, only recently have some empirical studies emerged unequivocally indicating the lasting impacts of habitat fragmentation through effects on genetic diversity of populations in particular -the focus of my research program. Owing to decreased movement between fragments (lack of connectivity) and fewer individuals in fragments, populations could become genetically isolated -which is known to influence risk of extirpation. My research program investigates population connectivity, genetic isolation, genetic diversity and abundance of three species, with different habitat requirements, roles in the food web and conservation statuses: wolves (a habitat-generalist), wolverines (a habitat-specialist species of conservation concern) and caribou (a threatened habitat-specialist, and prey of wolves). Fragmentation would be particularly consequential in species of conservation concern or threatened, such as wolverines and caribou, where populations have reduced sizes. However, species of large terrestrial mammals are highly mobile and long-range dispersers, which provide connectivity. I will determine habitat selection for the three study species and evaluate lack of critical habitat between ranges. My focus on habitat is fundamental from a conservation biology point of view, as the conditions that I will describe could be managed to achieve environmental sustainability. Connectivity could be re-established by improving habitat between fragments. In the environment between fragments, the outcome of predation might be impacted by human features. Caribou populations in western Canada seem to experience genetic isolation, owing to (a) poor habitat between fragments and (b) wolf predation risk over the landscape between fragments (wolves are abundant and use roads to predate more efficiently). Other species (e.g. wolverines) are also sensitive to human impacts, and may also be limited by wolves if these occur at high densities. I will further investigate if wolf-caribou relationships influence genetic isolation of caribou, and if these mechanisms are broadly transferable to other interacting organisms (if the relationships are hypothesized), for example to wolves and wolverines. Overall, my research program investigates habitat alterations and their effects on genetic isolation, despite high dispersal abilities of species, and also advances science (and its application towards conservation) by uniquely evaluating responses and interactions among species, as these interactions may contribute to isolation. My research program has immediate applications for conservation of threatened terrestrial species, where populations have reduced sizes and are becoming genetically isolated, and habitat could be restored to allow for connectivity.

栖息地碎片化(例如，良好的栖息地残存在碎片中)、种群隔离与大小减少、遗传多样性丧失与种群灭绝之间的联系是生态学理论的基础。然而，直到最近才出现了一些实证研究，明确表明栖息地碎片化通过对种群遗传多样性的影响而产生的持久影响--这是我的研究计划的重点。由于碎片之间的移动减少(缺乏连通性)和碎片中的个体较少，种群可能在基因上被隔离--这已知会影响灭绝的风险。我的研究项目调查了三个物种的种群连通性、遗传隔离、遗传多样性和丰度，这些物种具有不同的栖息地要求、在食物网络中的角色和保护状态：狼(栖息地通才)、狼獾(一种栖息地专家物种，受到保护关注)和驯鹿(受威胁的栖息地专家，狼的猎物)。对于受到保护关注或受威胁的物种，如狼獾和驯鹿，碎片化将产生特别严重的后果，因为这些物种的数量已经减少。然而，大型陆生哺乳动物的物种具有高度的流动性和远距离的分散性，这提供了连接。我将确定三个研究物种的栖息地选择，并评估范围之间缺乏关键栖息地。从保护生物学的角度来看，我对栖息地的关注是根本的，因为我将描述的条件可以设法实现环境的可持续性。通过改善碎片之间的栖息地，可以重新建立连接。在碎片之间的环境中，捕食的结果可能会受到人类特征的影响。加拿大西部的驯鹿种群似乎经历了遗传隔离，原因是(A)碎片之间的栖息地很差，(B)碎片之间的地形上有狼捕食的风险(狼很多，而且更有效地使用道路捕食)。其他物种(如狼獾)也对人类的影响很敏感，如果人类的影响密度很高，也可能受到狼的限制。我将进一步调查狼和驯鹿的关系是否会影响驯鹿的遗传隔离，以及这些机制是否可以广泛地转移到其他相互作用的生物上(如果这种关系是假设的)，例如狼和狼獾。总体而言，我的研究项目调查了栖息地的变化及其对遗传隔离的影响，尽管物种的传播能力很高，但我的研究计划还通过独特地评估物种之间的反应和相互作用来推动科学(及其在保护方面的应用)，因为这些相互作用可能有助于隔离。我的研究项目立即应用于保护受威胁的陆地物种，这些物种的种群规模已经缩小，并在基因上变得孤立，栖息地可以恢复，以实现连接。