Incorporating molecular genetic data into management decisions would provide fisheries managers with new tools to identify the magnitude of population structure, metapopulation dynamics, at risk populations, and possible genetic interactions between species, so that management strategies could be tailored to better support long-term viability of species and populations. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) are two closely related anadromous clupeid fishes native to the Atlantic coast of North America. Current management strategies for these two species, collectively known as river herring, take no account of stock structure or even the distinction between the two species. Using 12 neutral microsatellite loci, I examined at multiple spatial scales the patterns of population structure and genetic differentiation for river herring, with particular reference to comparisons of population structure in the U.S., where extensive stocking has occurred, and Canada, where there has been no stocking. Results suggested strong population structure within the Canadian portion of the range and weaker population structure in the U.S. portion. Highly significant genetic isolation by distance (IBD) for parts of the range unaffected by stocking provided evidence of natal homing and limited dispersal. The differing IBD results obtained in three Canadian regions may reflect differences in historical biogeographical factors and contemporary dispersal patterns among regions. Very weak differentiation and an absence of significant IBD for American stocked populations provided evidence that stocking has reduced genetic differentiation between populations in the U.S. portion of the range, except for two divergent stocked populations that appeared to have resisted homogenization. Evidence of recent population bottlenecks were identified in both U.S. and Canadian populations. The genetic structure of Blueback Herring populations appeared to be similar to that seen in Alewife. When sampled in the same river, Alewife and Blueback Herring were strongly differentiated, although hybrids of the two species were detected. Evidence of genetic impacts of stocking, regional variation in patterns of population structure and complex genetic interactions between the species suggest that current management strategies should be re-evaluated.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:17:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RodrigoFS_DISSERT.pdf: 1032742 bytes, checksum: 297b239b5ca1673f55e18c42d7327117 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-28 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Copernicia prunifera (Arecaceae), popularmente conhecida como carna?ba, ? nativa da regi?o nordeste do Brasil, com ocorr?ncia ao longo das margens de rios e ?reas alagadi?as. Por ser vers?til em rela??o ?s formas de usos, essa palmeira ficou conhecida como ?rvore da vida , sendo o p? cer?fero o principal produto extra?do da C. prunifera. Este estudo teve como objetivos investigar aspectos etnoecol?gicos e etnobot?nicos da C. prunifera em uma comunidade extrativista, selecionar primers ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) para estudos de gen?tica de popula??es, e estudar a diversidade e a estrutura gen?tica de uma popula??o natural no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Foram entrevistados 11 moradores considerados informantes-chaves na regi?o de Ipangua?u/RN, onde 73% dos informantes relataram a ocorr?ncia de um morfotipo diferente de carna?ba, conhecida como carna?ba branca . Dos entrevistados, 82% afirmaram que a esp?cie possui dispers?o realizada por morcegos. Na etnobot?nica, o p? cer?fero foi citado por todos como o produto mais importante extra?do da C. prunifera e a folha a parte mais usada (45%), seguida dos frutos (29%), caule e raiz (ambas com 13%). Na sele??o de primers ISSR, dos 17 que foram testados, 12 amplificaram o DNA e, destes, sete foram selecionados para caracterizar a estrutura gen?tica de 37 indiv?duos remanescentes. O primer que obteve a maior porcentagem de locos polim?rficos (LP%) foi UBC 841 (16,36%), j? o primer que teve a menor LP% foi UBC 827 (8,18%). No estudo de diversidade e estrutura gen?tica dos indiv?duos de uma popula??o natural (regenerantes = 62, jovens = 20, adultos = 19) foram utilizados sete iniciadores ISSR que permitiram a visualiza??o de 93 locos, com 100% de polimorfismo. Os regenerantes foram os que mais se destacaram em rela??o ? diversidade gen?tica (He = 0,411 e Ho = 0,599), seguido pelos jovens (He = 0,394 e Ho = 0,579) e adultos (He = 0,267 e Ho = 0,427). A AMOVA mostrou que a maior varia??o gen?tica ocorre dentro dos est?gios de vida (93,42%) quando comparado entre eles (6,58%). O dendograma (UPGMA), com base na identidade gen?tica de Nei, mostrou maior semelhan?a genot?pica entre os jovens e regenerantes (0,979). No teste de hip?tese para o gargalo gen?tico (bottleneck) foi observado elevado n?mero de locos com excesso de heterozigosidade para os dois modelos utilizados (IAM = 92 e SMM = 91), indicando redu??o do tamanho efetivo populacional. Todos os est?gios de desenvolvimento apresentaram estrutura??o gen?tica espacial (EGE), com valores de coancestrias positivos e significativos, sendo os valores de Sp de 0,04 para os regenerantes, 0,093 para os jovens, 0,15 para os adultos e 0,53 para a popula??o geral. Essa EGE ocorre, provavelmente, devido ? dispers?o restrita de sementes

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2017-04-27T16:45:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Julio Cesar Vieira de Oliveira.pdf: 395321 bytes, checksum: a34f589acec4510829a48b5feb811c24 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-27T16:45:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Julio Cesar Vieira de Oliveira.pdf: 395321 bytes, checksum: a34f589acec4510829a48b5feb811c24 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-11-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / They were appraised 187 animals of Moxotó breed raised on Paraíba, Pernambuco and Mossoró-RN State, and 46 Serpentina goats in Portugal with the objective of verify the genetic relationship among Moxotó herds and those ones with the Serpentina breed. 25 microsatellit was used and, all were shown polimorphyc and good equilibrium levels once 60% of the markers are presented in equilibrium within of herd. The marker MAF209 show monomorphyc for the populations of Mossoró-RN, Taperóa-PB and Serra-Talahda-PE, and show 3 aleles in herd of Ibimirim - PE and Serpentina. Among the studied flocks, the one of the Serpentine breed was it that show larger consanguinity levels, with high value of FIS for 9 of the studied locos, soon afterwards Mossoró-RN and Ibimirim-PE, for 8 locos Taperoá-PB and Serra-Talhada-PE, for 7 of the investigated locos. The flocks of Mosoró-RN, Taperoá-PB, Ibimirim-PE and Serpentina for they presented levels signficant (p <0,05) for heterozygots deficit demonstrate for the high and positive value FIS. The Fst values confirmed a larger genetic distance among Moxotó goats on Serra-Talhada-PE and Serpentina breed from Portugal (0,275). The molecular variance analysis showed that 10,48% of the observed genetic variation is due to differences inter-groups, indicating that exist sub-division in Moxotó breed probable due to lack of gene flow in the breed. Theanimals studied were assigned probabilistically through Bayesian inference to one or more populations using the Structure program. Four populations were suggested (K=4), so that the sub division was more strong in the herds located in Mossoró-RN State. The detection of sub-division in the Moxotó breed in sub-populations shows the necessity of a conservation program to promote gene flow among them and to increase the global genetic diversity in the breed. / Foram avaliados 187 caprinos da raça Moxotó, dos estados da Paraíba, Pernambuco e Rio Grande do Norte, e 46 animais da raça Serpentina de Portugal com a finalidade de verificar a relação genética existente entre os rebanhos de cada Estado e também com a raça Serpentina. Utilizou-se 25 microssatélites e, todos mostraram-se polimórficos apresentdando bons níveis de equilíbrio, uma vez que, 60 % dos marcadores apresentaramse em equilíbrio dentro de rebanho. O marcaor MAF209 apresentou-se monomórfico para as populações de Mossoró-RN, Taperóa-PB e Serra-Talahda-PE e apresentou 3 alelos nos rebanhos de Ibimirim –PE e Serpentina-POR. Dentre os rebanhos estudados, o da raça Serpentina foi o que a presentou maiores níveis de consaguinidade, com valores elavados de FIS para 9 dos locos estudados, em seguida Mossoró-RN e Ibimirim-PE, para 8 locos Tapero´s-PB e Serra Talhada, para 7 dos locos investigados. Os rebanhos de Mosoró-RN, Taperoá-PB, Ibimirim-PE e Serpentina-POR apresentaram níveis signficativos (p<0,05) para déficite de heterozigotos indicados pelo alto e positivos valor FIS. Os Valores de Fst obtido confirmaram maior distância genética entre os caprinos Moxotó de Serra Talhada e Serpentina de Portugal (0,275). A Análise Molecular de Variância mostrou que 10,48%(P<0,001) da variação genética existente ocorre devido diferenças inter-grupos, o que indica a existência de sub-populações dentro da raça Moxotó. Os animais amostrados foram designados probabilisticamente por meio de inferência Bayesiana, a uma ou mais populações por meio do programa Structure. Quatro populações foram sugeridas (K=4), de forma que a sub divisão foi mais acentuada nos rebanhos do município de Mossoró, no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. A detecção de divisão da raça em sub-populações demonstra a necessidade de definição de um programa de conservação para promover fluxo gênico entre elas e aumentar a diversidade genética global da raça.

The ranging behaviour, habitat preferences, genetic structure, and demographic parameters of bottlenose dolphins living in the Azores were studied using data collected from 1999 to 2004. Only 44 dolphins out of 966 identified were frequently sighted within and between years and showed strong site fidelity. The remaining individuals were either temporary migrants from within or outside the archipelago, or transients. Estimates of home range size were three times larger than previously reported for this species, possibly as a result of the lower availability of food resources. Mitochondrial DNA sequences showed very high gene and nucleotide diversity. There was no evidence of population structuring within the Azores. The Azorean population was not differentiated from the pelagic population of the Northwest Atlantic, suggesting the "unproductive" waters of the Atlantic do not constitute a barrier to dispersal. Population size, survival and temporary emigration rates were estimated using open-population models and Pollock's robust design. A few hundreds of dolphins occur in the area on a given year, though the majority should use it temporarily, as suggested by the high emigration rates. Bottlenose dolphins preferentially used shallow areas with high bottom relief. Temporal and spatial persistence of dolphin-habitat associations documented in this study further supports the idea of a close relationship between certain bathymetric features and important hydrographic processes and suggests the occurrence of prey aggregations over these areas may be, to some extent, predictable. Several results of this study suggest there are no reasons for concern about the status of this population. Yet, the resident group may be negatively affected by increasing pressure from the whale watching activity. Although the proposed Marine Park constitutes important habitat for resident dolphins, at present, the area is clearly insufficient to satisfy their spatial requirements and its conservation value may be limited.

Species conservation is typically founded upon a range of management strategies, which integrate both biological and socioeconomic data. In this thesis, population genetics, acoustic telemetry, spawning aggregation surveys and stakeholder assessments were used to address key knowledge gaps limiting effective conservation management for critically endangered Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) stocks in The Bahamas. A panel of polymorphic microsatellite markers was optimised to assess the genetic population dynamics of more than 400 Nassau grouper sampled throughout the country. Microsatellite data indicate that contemporary Nassau grouper populations in The Bahamas are predominantly genetically diverse and weakly differentiated, but lack geographic population structure. Assessments of changes in effective population size (Ne) show substantive reductions in Ne within The Bahamas compared to historic values that are likely due to natural disturbances. Evidence for recent bottlenecks occurring in three islands as well as an active spawning site, along with higher inbreeding coefficients in two islands were also found, and can be attributed to more recent anthropogenic activities. Collapse of a historically important Nassau grouper fish spawning aggregation (FSA) was supported by both acoustic telemetry and spawning aggregation survey dives. Restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) of 94 Nassau grouper was used to explore intraspecific population dynamics, loci under selection and patterns of gene flow in The Bahamas. Genomic assessments of diversity were in accord with microsatellite data and examinations of gene flow support higher levels of connectivity in The Bahamas than was previously suggested. The increased resolution gained from assessments of genomic data support intraspecific population structuring that may be driven by differences in gene flow and putative loci under divergent selection. Telemetry data were successfully used to identify the origins of spawning adults, and support demographic connectivity through migrations between an active FSA in the central Bahamas and home reef habitats within the Exumas and a no-take marine protected area. Stakeholder assessments highlight the complexities of fisheries management within The Bahamas, with key stakeholders often exhibiting conflicting opinions regarding the status of Nassau grouper and the efficacy of management options. However, these groups mutually agree upon the need to better manage remaining Nassau grouper stocks within The Bahamas through science-grounded policies. Synthesis of these studies along with a review of fisheries governance in The Bahamas was used to develop a comprehensive national management plan for Nassau grouper to facilitate better conservation for remaining populations of this ecologically important marine species.