Conservation genomics of British Columbia caribou

驯鹿（Rangifer tarandus）是生物多样性保护的重要旗舰和保护伞物种。加拿大各地驯鹿数量的减少导致许多种群被列为濒危、受威胁或根据《加拿大濒危物种法》特别关注的物种。这一点，加上高调的人口灭绝，使驯鹿的中心阶段的野生动物保护。不列颠哥伦比亚省（BC）的驯鹿数量显著下降，加拿大濒危野生动物状况委员会（COSEWIC）承认该物种的指定单位（DU;物种级别以下的保护单位）被认为是濒危或特别关注。因此，不列颠哥伦比亚省政府和加拿大环境和气候变化部的加拿大野生动物服务局（CWS）正在合作并支持将为恢复战略提供信息的研究。在这个项目中，BC驯鹿的基因组多样性将使用一种新的基因组阵列来评估，该阵列询问了约65，000个单核苷酸多态性。卑诗省政府已经收集了800多只安全捕获的驯鹿的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）评估整个不列颠哥伦比亚省的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，如COSEWIC所建议的那样，2）确定应用于启动和补充保护育种计划的种群和个体，并为随后的育种决策提供信息，以及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。至少有两名研究生和一名研究助理将直接参与。该项目将允许更有效的保护工作，包括保护单元的精细划分，保护育种计划的优化设计和管理，循证再引入，扩增和易位，以及长期监测和管理。

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.