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1.
Deosai Plateau in Northern Pakistan was designated a national park to protect the largest remnant population of brown bears in Pakistan. The natural resources of this high elevation (3500-5000 m) park make a significant contribution to the livelihood of local and nomad communities. The present legislation excludes people from a park, which increases conflicts between management and local people. However, a pragmatic approach was adopted to involve people in conservation in Deosai. Community participation, achieved by recognizing rights and introducing incentives, reduced resistance against the conservation efforts, reduced grazing pressure in bear habitat and helped reduce poaching. The size of the brown bear population was set as an indicator of park success, and was monitored annually from 1993 through 2006. We observed a 5% annual growth of the brown bear population, suggesting that the conservation program has been successful due to a successful cooperation between an NGO, people, and the park management.The increase of the bear population is significant, because we observed an extremely low reproductive rate, due to late age of first reproduction (8.25 years), a long reproductive interval (5.7 years), and a small litter size (1.33). The reproductive rate of the Deosai population is the lowest yet documented for brown bear populations. Poor habitat quality, low quality food, high seasonality, and extreme weather conditions in the Himalaya probably explain the poor reproductive performance. Considering such low reproduction and known exchange of individuals with neighboring populations, we believe that the observed growth was a sum of reproduction and immigration. Brown bears are declining throughout South Asia and often have low-productive rates. Therefore, conservation efforts for brown bears in this region must target reducing human-caused mortalities, particularly of adult females. Involvement of people can increase efficiency in conservation, in addition to reducing cost and conflicts.  相似文献   

2.
Estimates of population size and density are essential for successful management and conservation of any species. Although there are a variety of methods available for estimating abundance and density of populations, most studies rely on only one estimator and very few studies have compared and critically evaluated the adequacy and the cost of these methods. We used the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in south-central Sweden to compare the performance of three different methods of estimating population size, including methods based on conventional field data as well as on non-invasive genetic data. The method based on observations of females with cubs underestimated the true population size, as the estimates were below the number of unique genotypes determined from faecal data inside the study area. The best traditional method was based on observations of bears from a helicopter. The genetic method using the closed population MARK estimator, as recommended in a previous study, seemed to perform the best. We conclude that approximately 223 (188-282) bears were present in our 7328 km2 study area during 2001 and 2002 and suggest that this hunted brown bear population has been relatively stable for about ten years. The non-invasive genetic method was less expensive than the most reliable traditional field method (a CMR method based on observations of bears from a helicopter), and preferable from an ethical point of view. We recommend that future studies using non-invasive genetic methods based on collected faecal samples should aim at collecting 2.5-3 times the number of faecal samples as the “assumed” number of animals.  相似文献   

3.
Public attitudes towards brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovenia   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  
In northern Slovenia a radical change in brown bear (Ursus arctos) management - from a policy of bear suppression to a policy of bear protection - resulted in a sharp increase in sheep predation by bears. In the bear core area in southern Slovenia, on the other hand, bears have always been present, cause little damage and are an important game species. This zoned management provided a quasi “natural experiment” to compare attitudes and knowledge between two areas of different bear history, management and damage level. Using a questionnaire survey we sampled 924 locals and 177 hunters in the two areas. Contrary to our expectation, we documented a very positive attitude towards bears, in both study areas and for both target groups. Apparently, regional differences in the damage level per se and the status as a game species are not the driving force shaping attitudes towards bears in Slovenia. The key factor in predicting the attitude towards bears was the perception of how harmful the bears are. Knowledge and socio-demographic factors were only of minor importance. Even though attitude towards bears was positive, support of the present policy of bear expansion was low.  相似文献   

4.
Forest managers are increasingly considering historic patterns of natural forest disturbance as a model for forest harvesting and as a coarse-filter ecosystem management tool. We evaluated the long-term (100-year) persistence of a grizzly bear population in Alberta, Canada using forest simulations and habitat modelling. Even with harvesting the same volume of timber, natural disturbance-based forestry resulted in a larger human footprint than traditional two-pass forestry with road densities reaching 1.39 km/km2 or more than three times baseline conditions and suggested maximum levels of security for grizzly bears. Because bears favour young forests and edges where food resources are plentiful, a future shift to young forests and more edge habitat resulted in a 20% projected increase in habitat quality and a 10% projected increase in potential carrying capacity. Human-caused mortality risk, however, offset any projected gains in habitat and carrying capacity resulting in the loss of all secure, unprotected territories, regardless of forest harvest method, within the first 20-30 years of simulation. We suggest that natural disturbance-based forestry is an ill-suited management tool for sustaining declining populations of grizzly bears. A management model that explicitly considers road access is more likely to improve grizzly bear population persistence than changing the size of clear-cuts. In fact, large clear cuts might be counter productive for bears since a diversity of habitats within each bear’s home range is more likely to buffer against future uncertainties.  相似文献   

5.
The primary habitat for polar bears is sea ice, yet unlike most of the high Arctic, Hudson Bay undergoes a summer ice-free period that forces all bears ashore until ice forms again in fall. Polar bear populations in the greater Hudson Bay region have been placed in four management units based primarily on data from tag returns from harvested animals, capture-recapture studies, and conventional and satellite telemetry. Our results indicate that there is a high level of gene flow among management units observed using 26 microsatellite loci and analysis of genetic profiles of 377 polar bears. However, individual-based Bayesian analysis identified population genetic structuring into three clusters and significant FST differentiation. Specifically, our data suggest differentiation of polar bears sampled from islands in James Bay. These results were in spite of the extensive dispersal capabilities of polar bears that could homogenize the population. Mapping of high-ancestry individuals suggests that two of the three clusters have foci in southern Hudson Bay and may be a result of predictable annual freeze-thaw patterns that are maintaining breeding ‘groups’. Predicted changes in the distribution and duration of sea ice in Hudson Bay suggest that gene flow among these clusters may be reduced in the future.  相似文献   

6.
Concern has been expressed over the status of the bottlenose dolphin population that uses the Moray Firth and adjacent waters in NE Scotland. Consequently, part of this population's range has been proposed as a Special Area of Conservation. Efforts to manage and monitor the status of this population require information on the level of genetic diversity within the population and its genetic relatedness to neighbouring populations to appropriately designate units for management and monitoring. Here we examine mitochondrial genetic diversity within the NE Scotland population, and compare this to other regions around the UK and Ireland. Sequence analysis of 549bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region identified eight unique haplotypes in a sample of 29 individuals. Analysis of molecular variance suggests that the Moray Firth population is genetically more closely related to Welsh animals than to its nearest neighbour population in west Scotland. Furthermore, measures of within-population genetic diversity were markedly lower in the Moray Firth than any other sampled region. The low levels of mtDNA genetic variability observed and its apparent geographic isolation provide further support for the precautionary approach currently being applied to the management of this population, despite the lack of direct evidence of harm.  相似文献   

7.
Wild crop relatives are unique genetic resources for crop adaptation. Increasing pressure from agriculture threatens these populations both by reducing their habitats and by creating opportunities for wild-cultivated hybridization. In this study, we assessed the diversity of 38 wild pearl millet populations covering the whole known distribution of the species in Africa, which extends from Senegal to Sudan. Using genetic analyses of 10 cultivated varieties as control, we demonstrate the high diversity harbored by these wild populations. Diversity patterns suggest a diversity hot-spot in the southern part of the wild population’s range. However, this high wild genetic diversity could partly be explained by introgression from cultivated varieties. Such introgression is widespread in the Sahel. We validate the impact of cultivated introgression on the diversity of the wild population using a genetic introgression model. The introgression distorts the real assessment of the diversity of the wild population, and the burden of this gene flow compromises the long term survival of the wild populations’ original genome. Our study also questions the long term survival of the crop’s wild relatives.  相似文献   

8.
According to the Habitats Directive of the European Union, a favorable conservation status for the brown bear (Ursus arctos) should be targeted at the population level in large contiguous habitats such as the Alps, the largest mountain range in Europe. However, in most of the Alps brown bears are extinct and habitat suitability in these areas is often questionable. For this paper, radio-tracking data from four projects with 42 individual bears was compiled to assess habitat suitability. Discrete-choice models with random bear effects were fitted and compared to results obtained from compositional analysis and logistic regression. Sound definition of the available area in the discrete-choice model turned out to be essential. Brown bears showed a preference for forested and steep habitats and an avoidance of roads.Results from the three approaches were used to predict habitat suitability across the entire range of the Eastern Alps. Minimum potential population size was projected based on observed densities in Trentino and Central Austria, and ranged from 1228 to 1625 individuals, with 518–686 mature bears. This would satisfy a favorable conservation status. The developed methodology also has wide applicability to quantification of habitat suitability and potential population size in other cases where species are at risk.  相似文献   

9.
The Ljubljana-Razdrto highway and the parallel Ljubljana-Trieste railway cut through critical brown bear (Ursus arctos) habitat in south-central Slovenia. These high speed, high volume traffic axes are located close to the main dispersal corridor for bears from the Dinaric Mountain range into the Alps. We analyzed radiotracking data of 15 individual bears that lived within 10 km of the highway, compared transportation related and overall known bear mortality, and analyzed the spatial distribution of bear-vehicle accidents. The highway posed a home range boundary to resident bears, but was not an absolute barrier. Transportation-related mortality was high in the vicinity of the highway and railway, and averaged 31% of the total known local mortality from 1992 to 1999. At present the detrimental impact of transportation routes on the bear population in Slovenia is modest due to the high density of bears and the low density of highways—but new highways are planned or already under construction. Managers have to be aware that, due to bears large home ranges and long dispersal distances, a single highway affects bears from a huge area—emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and a landscape approach in highway planning.  相似文献   

10.
Large carnivores, such as brown bears, are focal species for conservation efforts. Historically, brown bears were persecuted in Europe for centuries before their gradual elimination from much of Western Europe. In contrast, large carnivore populations in North America were eradicated within two centuries in the east and within a few decades in the west. After a change towards conservation-oriented management in the 20th century, many bear populations are again increasing on both continents. Europe is seemingly less suited (i.e. higher human densities, greater habitat alteration and landscape fragmentation) than in North America, however bears seem to respond faster to conservation measures in Europe. We analyzed ecological and historical factors that may affect differences in reproductive allocation (mean litter size in relation to mean adult female body mass) and help explain why different brown bear populations react differently to conservation measures. The results indicated that mean litter size increased significantly with mean adult female body mass and a long persecution history. Our results suggest that high and long-term rates of nonselective harvesting can change life-history traits of large mammals, as has also been shown by modeling, but only has been documented for morphological traits. Incidentally, this “ghost of persecution past” may have helped some brown bear populations to be more productive and therefore to respond more positively to protective management policies than populations with short exploitation histories.  相似文献   

11.
Populations of oriental white-backed vultures (Gyps bengalensis) in south Asia have declined over 95% since the mid-1990s due to feeding on livestock carcasses that had been treated with diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical that is fatal to Gyps vultures. To prevent extinction, captive breeding efforts have been initiated; however, given the overall decline, it is not known to what extent levels of genetic diversity currently exist in the remaining populations. Here we document temporal genetic diversity levels during the 2000-2006 interval for the last remaining breeding colony of oriental white-backed vultures in Pakistan, and show with simulations that a much larger captive population size is required than currently maintained to prevent further loss of genetic diversity. Before this species is extinct in the wild, it is crucial that additional individuals are included in the captive population.  相似文献   

12.
Populations of threatened taxa in captivity within their natural ranges can make important contributions to conservation, but these may be compromised by the inappropriate application of population management goals developed in other contexts. We conducted demographic, genetic, and population viability analyses on the captive population of Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) in Venezuela to investigate the management of within-range captive populations in general, and to better integrate this population into the conservation of Andean bears in particular. We found that although the present population is very small and not internally self-sustaining, incorporation of confiscated wild individuals has resulted in a low average number of generations in captivity and low inbreeding, with moderate gene diversity and a high probability of future population persistence. However, past imports from extra-range populations have been from over-represented lineages of unknown origin, which have mixed with under-represented Venezuelan ones, reducing the future value of the Venezuelan population as a source for founder stock. Our analyses indicate that the rate of incorporation of wild recruits is a major factor influencing proxy measures of conservation value, and distinguishing within- from extra-range populations. This implies that, contrary to conventional wisdom, internal self-sustainability can be a misguided goal in within-range populations, which furthermore may not be suitable destinations for surplus animals from captive populations elsewhere.  相似文献   

13.
We investigated the brown bear habitat suitability in an 8000 km2 study area encompassing Abruzzo, Latium, and Molise regions in central-southern Italy. Based on long-term field surveys and published records, we classified bear habitat as occupied or unoccupied in 92 out of 320 sample squares (5 × 5 km). For each sample square 36 habitat variables were measured from topographic maps and Corine land-cover III level digital maps. The influence of habitat features on bear presence was investigated by multivariate and one-way analyses of variance and by logistic regression analysis. The logistic model correctly classified 95.5% of sample squares of bear presence and 93.8% of those where bears were absent. Average altitude, deciduous woodlands and ecotone length, showed a positive relationship with bear presence, whereas vineyard-olive groves and shrublands were negatively correlated with bear presence. No specific land management guidelines or strategies exist for bear conservation in central Italy, based on knowledge of habitat-population relationships. The landscape scale habitat model we developed could be useful to predict bear occurrence, to identify critical areas for a brown bear conservation strategy, and to enhance the arrangement of the protected areas network for the conservation of this species.  相似文献   

14.
Populations of rare or elusive large mammals are difficult to monitor, because they usually are secretive, solitary, occur at low densities, and have large home ranges. The global trend of generally decreasing large carnivore populations necessitates new, feasible, reliable, and cost-effective monitoring methods. We evaluate an index method developed for monitoring populations of moose (Alces alces) based on voluntarily and systematically collected observations from hunters, corrected for effort, for use in monitoring populations of large carnivores in Sweden. For our evaluation, we used independent estimates of minimum brown bear (Ursus arctos) densities from DNA-based scat surveys and brown bear distribution from mandatory reports from successful bear hunters. We verified that the index correctly reflected bear distribution. We also found strong linear relationships between the indices and the independent density estimates for bears at the scale of local management units (about 1000-2000 km2) in all three regional study areas (adjusted R2 = 0.88-0.60). Our results suggest that systematic, effort-corrected reports of observed animals can be an alternative and accurate monitoring method for the conservation and management of large mammals occurring over large areas when large numbers of willing volunteers are available (effort >30,000 h).  相似文献   

15.
Animal relocations have become a common tool in nature conservation, but the genetic consequences of such projects have rarely been studied in insects. As both natural and artificial formation of new populations may lead to genetic drift (founder effect), decreased genetic diversity and increased rates of inbreeding, genetic analyses can provide valuable information to evaluate the success of a relocation project. The field cricket (Gryllus campestris) has been subjected to reintroduction and translocation projects in England and northern Germany. Here, we present a microsatellite study on the population genetics of one recently established population of this species in comparison with several older populations and some recently colonized sites. Our results show that the translocation did not result in a significant loss of genetic diversity, when compared to source and other natural populations suggesting that translocation of a high number of nymphs from different subpopulations may be a suitable method to decrease the loss of genetic diversity and reduce the risk of inbreeding. Furthermore, the translocation had no negative effect on the source population, which reached a new maximum population size in 2006. An assignment test showed that individuals from the translocated population (F4 generation) were still assigned to the source populations, whereas two young subpopulations that originated by natural colonization from the central population about ten years ago already formed separate genetic clusters. As the strong fragmentation of G. campestris populations in northern Germany hampers natural colonization of newly created potential habitats, translocation projects seem to be an appropriate method to preserve this species.  相似文献   

16.
The arctic fox population in Fennoscandia is on the verge of going extinct after not being able to recover from a severe bottleneck at the end of the 19th century. The Siberian arctic fox population, on the other hand, is large and unthreatened. In order to resolve questions regarding gene flow between, and genetic variation within the populations, a 294 bp long part of the mitochondrial hypervariable region 1 was sequenced. This was done for 17 Swedish, 15 Siberian and two farmed foxes. Twelve variable nucleotide sites were observed, which resulted in 10 different haplotypes. Three haplotypes were found in Sweden and seven haplotypes were found in Siberia. An analysis of molecular variance showed a weak, but significant, differentiation between the populations. No difference in haplotype diversity was found between the populations. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three Swedish haplotypes were not monophyletic compared to the Siberian haplotypes. These results indicate a certain amount of gene flow between the two populations, both before and after the bottleneck. Restocking the Fennoscandian population with arctic foxes from Siberia might therefore be a viable option.  相似文献   

17.
Anthropogenic habitat fragmentation poses a serious threat to conservation of large carnivores, due to their extensive movements and potential conflicts with humans. We studied the population ecology of Florida black bears (Ursus americanus floridanus) for 6 years in two study areas in north-central Florida: Ocala National Forest (ONF), a contiguous forested habitat, and an adjacent residential community of Lynne, a fragmented habitat with substantial human activities. We estimated age-specific survival and fecundity rates of bears using data from radio-collared bears, and parameterized and analyzed stage-structured matrix population models for the two study sites and also for data pooled from both sites. Annual survival rates of adult females were lower in Lynne (0.776 ± 0.074) than in ONF (0.966 ± 0.023). While cub survival rates were higher in Lynne (0.507 ± 0.135) than in ONF (0.282 ± 0.109), the rates at both sites were substantially lower than those reported for other black bear populations. Age-specific fecundities did not vary between sites. The asymptotic population growth rate for ONF was greater than one, whereas that for Lynne was less than one. Our results suggest that anthropogenic influences (primarily road density and vehicular traffic, through their effect on adult survival) can substantially affect the population dynamics of Florida black bears and other large carnivores with large home ranges. We recommend efforts such as constructing highway underpasses, which could reduce road-related mortalities, to ensure long-term persistence of Florida black bears facing threats from rapidly increasing human influences.  相似文献   

18.
Severe population declines led to the listing of southern California Rana muscosa (Ranidae) as endangered in 2002. Nine small populations inhabit watersheds in three isolated mountain ranges, the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto. One population from the Dark Canyon tributary in the San Jacinto Mountains has been used to establish a captive breeding population at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Because these populations may still be declining, it is critical to gather information on how genetic variation is structured in these populations and what historical inter-population connectivity existed between populations. Additionally, it is not clear whether these populations are rapidly losing genetic diversity due to population bottlenecks. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite data, we examine patterns of genetic variation in southern California and one of the last remaining populations of R. muscosa in the southern Sierra Nevada. We find low levels of genetic variation within each population and evidence of genetic bottlenecks. Additionally, substantial population structure is evident, suggesting a high degree of historical isolation within and between mountain ranges. Based on estimates from a multi-population isolation with migration analysis, these populations diversified during glacial episodes of the Pleistocene, with little gene flow during population divergence. Our data demonstrate that unique evolutionary lineages of R. muscosa occupy each mountain range in southern California and should be managed separately. The captive breeding program at Dark Canyon is promising, although mitigating the loss of neutral genetic diversity relative to the natural population might require additional breeding frogs.  相似文献   

19.
Knowledge of the genetic and demographic consequences of rarity is crucial when evaluating the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on population viability, and for creating management plans in rare plant species. Reduction in population size and in the number of populations can lead to decreased genetic diversity and increased inbreeding. Genetic diversity is often correlated with fitness and is frequently used to identify populations of greatest conservation concern, or those that may be good candidates for ex situ conservation programs. However, an association between these factors is not always clear, and crossing studies evaluating whether there is phenotypic differentiation among populations in fitness related traits can inform managers of suffering populations or good sources for ex situ materials. Crossing studies can also evaluate the potential for genetic rescue to boost fitness in suffering populations. To address these questions, we conducted two generations of controlled crosses between populations of the extremely rare and fragmented sunflower, Helianthus verticillatus. We measured achene viability, germination, survival, and pollen viability (F1 only) in 176 F1 and 159 F2 families. The populations were differentiated with respect to phenotypic fitness measures with one population having significantly lower achene viability and germination. Also, the potential for genetic rescue was observed as gene flow into the less fit population resulted in higher fitness measures in both the F1 and F2. Results are discussed with respect to the importance of combining genetic marker data with crosses and the implications for conservation in disjunct populations of rare species.  相似文献   

20.
The Qinling Mountains form the geo-ecological boundary between subtropical and warm-temperate zones in China and represent the northern boundary for the range of native Actinidia chinensis. To protect, explore and make use of natural resources more effectively, factors influencing genetic diversity of species must be determined. Whether the complex demography of the Qinling Mountains significantly influences gene flow of Actinidia species remains unknown. We assessed genetic diversity and structure of A. chinensis populations in the Qinling Mountains using genomic- and EST-SSR markers. We also conducted barrier analysis to detect genetic discontinuity and isolated pools within structured populations. A total of 179 alleles were detected in six natural A. chinensis populations with an average of 14.9 alleles per locus. Overall, genetic differentiation among A. chinensis populations was low but was stronger than that of populations on either the northern or southern slopes. Analysis of molecular variance showed that 25.97% of the total variance occurred among populations, whereas 74.03% of the total variance occurred within populations. The strongest gene flow occurred between the PX population on the southern slope and the LX population on the northern slope. A UPGMA dendrogram revealed that LX and PX populations were clustered together in one group. The other populations were clustered into another group. A Mantel test revealed no significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances. Clear genetic structure was revealed, and four geographic barriers were identified within and among five areas located in the western, central and eastern Qinling Mountains. Gene flow among populations was restricted by the primary ridges of the Qinling Mountains extending west to east, with branches advancing north to south.  相似文献   

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