<p>Maintaining high genetic diversity within and among wildlife
populations is an important component to the management of threatened species.
Population genomics utilizes recent advancements in high-throughput
next-generation sequencing to obtain genome-wide data that can yield
deeper perspectives on intraspecific genetic variation and elucidate
evolutionary significant units that may require conservation management or
augmentation. The semi-aquatic Blanding’s
Turtle (<i>Emydoidea blandingii</i>)
has experienced drastic population declines in North America due in large part
to anthropogenic activities. This species is listed as threatened or endangered
across most of its range. A population genomic study can help to understand the
status of this species and guide future management practices. Hence, a
population genomic analysis was conducted using 3RAD to discover and analyze
SNPs across the range using samples from Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and
Nova Scotia,. Range-wide analysis used 8,602 SNPs while analysis within
the Great Lakes region used 7,893 SNPs. High amounts of missing data were found
across all individuals and loci. Low levels of genetic variation relative to
other turtle species were detected both across the range and within the Great
Lakes region. Minimal population structure was detected range-wide via
clustering and admixture analyses; however, a signal of population
differentiation was detected among Nebraska, Nova Scotia, and the Great Lakes.
Clustering and differentiation analyses focused on the Great Lakes region found
a signal of population structure and differences between the Lake Michigan and
Lake Erie watershed. These results may prove useful for conservation management
of Blanding’s Turtle populations, particularly related to efforts using
translocation or head-starting practices.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/15062772 |
| Date | 28 July 2021 |
| Creators | Connor Dempsey (11192331) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Rights | CC BY 4.0 |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/POPULATION_GENOMICS_OF_BLANDING_S_TURTLE_ON_A_REGIONAL_SCALE_IN_THE_MIDWEST/15062772 |
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