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Population sex ratios: another consideration in the reintroduction - reinforcement debate?

ABSTRACT: Reintroduction or reinforcement (RorR) of wild populations is a common conservation strategy. Many conservation projects involve the release of individuals of poorly studied species. This may lead to inefficient results or negative impacts on the conservation efforts. Here, we provide new insights into the conservation implications and potential consequences of a skew in the sex ratio of released birds and of the number of birds supplemented for the demography of a long-lived dimorphic bird species, the Andean condor (Vulturgryphus). We demonstrate that a RorR conservation program may be less effective in conserving a species if the sex ratios of the releases and the recipient populations are not considered. We also show that releases can reduce population declines but only if carried out over long periods (i.e., several decades). This can mean high costs for release programs and the added challenge of maintaining programs over time. If RorR programs are to be implemented, bearing in mind the importance of properly assessing their effectiveness, we urge conservation researchers and managers to consider the implications of sex ratio biases for wild populations, and particularly for dimorphic species with sexually despotic behaviour.

SUBMITTER: Lambertucci SA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3784389 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Population sex ratios: another consideration in the reintroduction - reinforcement debate?

Lambertucci Sergio A SA Carrete Martina M Speziale Karina L KL Hiraldo Fernando F Donázar José Antonio JA

PloS one 20130926 9

Reintroduction or reinforcement (RorR) of wild populations is a common conservation strategy. Many conservation projects involve the release of individuals of poorly studied species. This may lead to inefficient results or negative impacts on the conservation efforts. Here, we provide new insights into the conservation implications and potential consequences of a skew in the sex ratio of released birds and of the number of birds supplemented for the demography of a long-lived dimorphic bird spec ...[more]

PMID: 24086641

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Project description:The southern Appalachian (SA) is one of the most biodiversity-rich areas in North America and has been considered a refugium for many disjunct plant species, from the last glacial period to the present. Our study focuses on the SA clonal hornwort, Nothoceros aenigmaticus J. C. Villarreal & K. D. McFarland. This hornwort was described from North Carolina and is widespread in the SA, growing on rocks near or submerged in streams in six and one watersheds of the Tennessee (TR) and Alabama (AR) Rivers, respectively. Males and female populations occur in different watersheds, except in the Little Tennessee (TN) River where an isolated male population exists ca. 48 km upstream from the female populations. The sex ratio of 1:0 seems extreme in each population. In this study, we use nuclear and organellar microsatellites from 250 individuals from six watersheds (seven populations) in the SA region and two populations from Mexico (23 individuals). We, then, selected 86 individuals from seven populations and used genotyping by sequencing to sample over 600 bi-allelic markers. Our results suggest that the SA N. aenigmaticus and Mexican plants are a nested within a clade of sexual tropical populations. In the US populations, we confirm an extreme sex ratio and only contiguous US watersheds share genotypes. The phylogenetic analysis of SNP data resolves four clusters: Mexican populations, male plants (Little Pigeon and Pigeon river watersheds) and two clusters of female plants; one from the Little Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers (TR) and the other from the Ocoee (TR) and Coosa (AR) Rivers. All clusters are highly differentiated (Fst values over 0.9). In addition, our individual assignment analyses and PCAs reflect the phylogenetic results grouping the SA samples in three clades and recovering males and female plants with high genetic differentiation (Fst values between 0.5 and 0.9 using microsatellites and bi-allelic markers). Our results point to Pleistocene events shaping the biogeographical pattern seen in US populations. The extreme sex ratio reflects isolation and highlights the high vulnerability of the populations in the SA.

Project description:BackgroundThere are sex differences in addiction behaviors. To develop a pre-clinical animal model to investigate this, the present study examined sex differences in sucrose taking and seeking using Long-Evans rats.MethodsFive experiments were conducted using separate groups of subjects. The first two examined sucrose or saccharin preference in two-bottle home cage choice tests. Experiment three assessed sucrose intake in a binge model with sucrose available in home cage bottles. Experiments four and five utilized operant-based procedures. In experiment four rats responded for sucrose on fixed and progressive ratio (FR, PR) schedules of reinforcement over a range of concentrations of sucrose. A final component of experiment four was measuring seeking in the absence of sucrose challenged with the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390. Experiment five assessed responding for water on FR and PR schedules of reinforcement.ResultsWhen accounting for body weight, female rats consumed more sucrose than water; but there was no sex difference in saccharin preference over a range of saccharin concentrations. When accounting for body weight, females consumed more sucrose than males in the binge model, and only females increased binge intake over 14 days of the study. Females responded at higher rates for sucrose under both FR and PR schedules of reinforcement. Females responded at higher rates in extinction (seeking); SCH23390 reduced sucrose seeking of both females and males. Females responded at higher rates for water on FR and PR schedules than males, although rates of responding were low and decreased over sessions.ConclusionsAcross bottle-choice, binge intake, and operant procedures, female Long-Evans rats consumed more sucrose and responded at higher rates for sucrose. Although females also responded more for water, the vigor of responding did not explain the consistent sex difference in sucrose taking and seeking. The sex difference in sucrose taking was also not explained by sweet preference, as there was no sex difference in saccharin preference. These data provide a pre-clinical model to further evaluate sex differences in addiction behaviors and manipulations designed to reduce them.

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Population sex ratios: another consideration in the reintroduction - reinforcement debate?

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Population sex ratios: another consideration in the reintroduction - reinforcement debate?

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