Abstract
The Kaka (Nestor meridionalis) is a threatened, endemic forest parrot of New Zealand with a fragmented distribution. We present data from eight microsatellite DNA loci for 126 Kaka from nine locations along the length of New Zealand. The observed patterns of variation reveal little population structure in Kaka, despite substantial levels of genetic variation. Our estimate of RST over all populations is low (0.04) and a hierarchical analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) shows that most allelic variation (93.7%) is within populations rather than divided among them. Further, most inter-population genetic differentiation is attributed to the divergence of the possibly bottlenecked Kapiti Island population from all other populations surveyed. This overall homogeneity probably reflects historic population structure and is being maintained by the ongoing dispersal of individuals between populations. Conservation management of Kaka should reflect this New Zealand-wide gene flow, although special consideration may be given to Kapiti Island.
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