Abstract
The lake minnow (Eupallasella percnurus) is critically endangered. In this paper we characterize the genetic properties of this fish over its range of occurrence in Poland and propose the use of this knowledge in its active protection. Twelve populations of lake minnow from across its range in Poland were investigated. 13 microsatellite loci were investigated to evaluate genetic variation and distance among populations. The magnitude of the genetic bottleneck or founder effects was investigated. In the studied populations, the allelic diversity and heterozygosity showed that genetic variation in this species is low. At most loci, only 2–3 alleles per population were detected. The average number of alleles detected across all loci was 35, and ranged from 24 to 53. The average observed heterozygosity (Ho) across all investigated loci was 0.38 (range 0.21–0.59); the average expected heterozygosity (He) was 0.36 (range 0.18–0.55). The populations remained in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The average Garza-Williamson M index value for all populations was low (0.47), suggesting a reduction in genetic variation due to a founder effect or a genetic bottleneck. Genetic distance among populations was high or very high (FST range: 0.20–0.64; δμ2 range: 1.32–16.98); this was likely a consequence of low gene flow among isolated populations, a founder effect or other genetic bottleneck, and strong genetic drift. The large genetic differences among the investigated lake minnow populations are likely to also exist among other populations of this species, and knowledge of these differences should inform active protection programs based on translocation of wild or cultivated fish of this species. The method presented here can potentially be applied to any population of lake minnows or closely related species.
Highlights
The lake minnow, Eupallasella percnurus (Pallas, 1814), is a tiny cyprinid fish species that is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, from Poland in the west, throughoutPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0168191 December 22, 2016Genetic Diversity of Lake Minnow—Implications for ConservationNorthern Asia, and to the Pacific coast in the east [1], [2]
The method presented here uses the polymorphism of microsatellite DNA markers as a precise tool for evaluation of the genetic differences between individuals as well as between populations and stocks [27], [10], [28]
This method could potentially be used around the world with Eupallasella percnurus and closely related species
Summary
Northern Asia, and to the Pacific coast in the east [1], [2] This species is not considered to be endangered globally [3], in Poland it is one of the rarest and the most imperiled freshwater fish species. This is due to the specificity of the lake minnow’s habitats, which are very small and shallow water bodies primarily of anthropogenic origin, such as former peat or clay excavations. Lake minnows are believed to be present at about 160 sites in Poland, at least 75% of which are in danger of being destroyed [4] For these reasons, the lake minnow is listed as critically endangered in the Polish Red Book of Endangered Animals. This species is under strict protection and considered to require active protection measures, and it is a priority species within the European Ecological Natura 2000 Network [5]
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