Publication Date
10-1-2023
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Molecular Ecology
Volume
32
Issue
19
DOI
10.1111/mec.17109
First Page
5228
Last Page
5240
Abstract
The accelerating pace of global biodiversity loss is exacerbated by habitat fragmentation and subsequent inbreeding in small populations. To address this problem, conservation practitioners often turn to assisted breeding programmes with the aim of enhancing genetic diversity in declining populations. Although genomic information is infrequently included in these efforts, it has the potential to significantly enhance the success of such programmes. In this study, we showcase the value of genomic approaches for increasing genetic diversity in assisted breeding efforts, specifically focusing on a highly inbred population of Western burrowing owls. To maximize genetic diversity in the resulting offspring, we begin by creating an optimal pairing decision tree based on sex, kinship and patterns of homozygosity across the genome. To evaluate the effectiveness of our strategy, we compare genetic diversity, brood size and nestling success rates between optimized and non-optimized pairs. Additionally, we leverage recently discovered correlations between telomere length and fitness across species to investigate whether genomic optimization could have long-term fitness benefits. Our results indicate that pairing individuals with contrasting patterns of homozygosity across the genome is an effective way to increase genetic diversity in offspring. Although short-term field-based metrics of success did not differ significantly between optimized and non-optimized pairs, offspring from optimized pairs had significantly longer telomeres, suggesting that genetic optimization can help reduce the risk of inbreeding depression. These findings underscore the importance of genomic tools for informing efforts to preserve the adaptive potential of small, inbred populations at risk of further decline.
Funding Number
14362
Funding Sponsor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Keywords
burrowing owls, captive breeding, conservation breeding, genomics, head-starting, inbreeding, telomere
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Environmental Studies
Recommended Citation
Christen M. Bossu, Marina Rodriguez, Christine Rayne, Debra A. Chromczak, Philip G. Higgins, Lynne A. Trulio, and Kristen C. Ruegg. "Genomic approaches to mitigating genetic diversity loss in declining populations" Molecular Ecology (2023): 5228-5240. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17109
