Abstract
The ability to accurately determine the original source of invading species offers several powerful applications in invasive species ecology and management and may enable important information on the invading species in its native habitat. Lake Storsjoen in South-Central Norway was recently found to have been subjected to an illegal translocation of the European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus). The main aim of this study was to infer the most likely source (s) of the invading smelt by using microsatellite markers, and subsequently to infer its introduction history. The results indicated that the smelt is most likely a result of introduction from the large Lake Mjosa, and that the translocated smelt comprise a large number of individuals. The smelt in Lake Storsjoen showed no significant genetic bottleneck effect. However, a corresponding significant test for a recent population expansion indicates that the smelt has had a high reproductive success and population growth in its new environment. The results from this study illustrate the usefulness of applying multilocus genetic markers for inferring origin of translocated populations, demographic events and introduction histories comprising an effective tool for assessment of invasive species.
Highlights
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.Identifying the source of invaders is a valuable tool in fauna crime and wildlife forensics, e.g. knowledge of possible introduction routes to reduce further introductions (Geller et al 2010)
The results indicated that the smelt is most likely a result of introduction from the large Lake Mjøsa, and that the translocated smelt comprise a large number of individuals
The results from this study illustrate the usefulness of applying multilocus genetic markers for inferring origin of translocated populations, demographic events and introduction histories comprising an effective tool for assessment of invasive species
Summary
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10592-015-0724-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.Identifying the source of invaders is a valuable tool in fauna crime and wildlife forensics, e.g. knowledge of possible introduction routes to reduce further introductions (Geller et al 2010). Bayesian inference methods utilizing e.g. microsatellites provide an effective tool for natural scientists (Beaumont et al 2002; Stauffer, 2008; Stephens and Balding 2009) allowing for statistical genetic assignment and identification of a given individual to Conserv Genet (2015) 16:1085–1098 putative source populations (Pearse and Crandall 2004). Such methods are useful in identifying indigenous and introduced individuals (Primmer et al 2000), and have been extensively used in a number of convictions, e.g. regarding illegal salmon fishing and trade (Withler et al 2004). In our study, only a marginal difference in private allelic richness was discovered between the different lakes, and a post hoc Kruskal–Wallis test revealed no statistical difference between the Lake Storsjøen smelt, and the most likely source population
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