Conservation genetic analysis of a Central-European range-margin population of the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina v. variegata)

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic structure and diversity of populations of the yellow-bellied toad in Lower Saxony, Germany. These populations provide a good example of a fragmented distribution of amphibian pioneer species on the outer rim of their occurrence. In total, 150 indi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Conservation genetics Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 557 - 569
Main Authors:	Weihmann, Frank, Weihmann, Silvia, Weihmann, Tom
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2019 Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:	Animal Genetics and Genomics Biodiversity Biomedical and Life Sciences Conservation Conservation Biology/Ecology Ecology Endangered species Evolutionary Biology Genetic analysis Genetic diversity Genetic structure Heterozygosity Life Sciences Microsatellites Migration Plant Genetics and Genomics Population genetics Populations Research Article Subpopulations Toads Translocation Wildlife conservation Species conservation Population structure Population management Microsatellites Population genetics
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Summary:	The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic structure and diversity of populations of the yellow-bellied toad in Lower Saxony, Germany. These populations provide a good example of a fragmented distribution of amphibian pioneer species on the outer rim of their occurrence. In total, 150 individuals from 11 sites were genotyped using ten highly polymorphic microsatellites. The genetic diversity, as measured by allelic richness and heterozygosity, was lower than that of other European amphibian populations; the individuals could be assigned to five genetic clusters. The average genetic differentiation between populations was very high (mean F ST = 0.27) and no migration was detected between the two major populations, which were about 50 km apart. Nonetheless, natural migration as well as translocations between some subpopulations could be detected. In one population, which was introduced in the 1970s, we were able to verify the potential source population of the introduced toads. The results are discussed in light of conservation management strategies applied to this highly endangered species.
ISSN:	1566-0621 1572-9737
DOI:	10.1007/s10592-019-01156-6