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The contribution of island populations to in situ genetic conservation

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Abstract

Genetic variation is often lower within island populations, however islands may also harbor divergent genetic variation. The likelihood that insular populations are genetically diverse or divergent should be influenced by island size and isolation. We tested this assumption by comparing patterns of genetic variation across all major island song sparrow populations along the Pacific North American coast. Allelic richness was moderately lowered even on islands which are close to large, potential sources. The most significant differences in allelic richness occurred on very small or highly remote islands. Gene diversity was significantly lower only on remote or very small islands. We found that island populations contribute to regional genetic variation through both the amount of genetic variation and the uniqueness of that variation. The partitioning of this contribution was associated with the size and isolation of the island populations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank S. Wilson, T. Coonan, L. Laughrin, A. Marr, J.M.N Smith, C. Begus, C. Ritland, A. Miscampbell, H. Yeh, W. Easton, J. Hope, M. Sogge, P. Collins and G. Kruger. Site access was provided by the Tsawout and Tseycum Bands, A. and H. Brumbaum, T. and M. Boyle, Parks Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Nature Trust, Powell River Municipality, Sooke Municipal District, and the Nature Conservancy. Site access and additional logistical support was provided by the Channel Island National Park Service and the University of California, Santa Cruz Island Reserve. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from NSERC (PA and AW), University of California Genetic Resources Conservation Program (AW), American Ornithologists Union Bleitz Grant (AW) and the Friends of Ecological Reserves (AW). All work was conducted under permits of the UBC Animal Care Committee, IACUC, Environment Canada, US Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Game, Channel Island National Park Service and the University of California Natural Reserve System. This manuscript benefitted from the thorough comments made by three anonymous reviewers, D. Irwin, E. Taylor, S. Taylor and S. Wilson.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Amy Wilson & P. Arcese

  2. Zoological Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    L. F. Keller

  3. Sutton Avian Research Center, Bartlesville, OK, 74005, USA

    C. L. Pruett

  4. University of Alaska Museum, 907 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

    C. L. Pruett & K. Winker

  5. Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    M. A. Patten

  6. Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Y. Chan

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  1. Amy Wilson
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  2. P. Arcese
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  6. M. A. Patten
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  7. Y. Chan
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Correspondence to Amy Wilson.

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Wilson, A., Arcese, P., Keller, L.F. et al. The contribution of island populations to in situ genetic conservation. Conserv Genet 10, 419–430 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-008-9612-3

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