Molecular Techniques Applied to Biological Material Grizzly Bear

Molecular Techniques Applied to Biological Material Grizzly Bear Scent Lures Bases: aged cattle blood, fish oil, fatty acid scent (expensive) Musky: beaver castor, skunk essence Intense: butyl mercapto, oleoresin capsicum, shellfish essence, cheese essence, anise oil, Tabasco, liquid smoke / bacon oil, fermented egg essence, garlic, bag balm antiseptic, turpentine Sweet: calamus powder, honey, cherry oil, peppermint oil, lavender, loganberry, banana, almond extract

Gender Identification in Conservation Programs Seychelles warbler Do they adaptively adjust sex ratio? Spix’s Macaw making a love connection ZZ / ZW

Estimating Historical Population Sizes Based on Coalescent Model: Roman and Palumbi (2003) Humpback Whale Fin Whale Minke Whale Today 10, 000 56, 000 149, 000 Historical 240, 000 360, 000 265, 000

Marine Protected Areas: How Big Should They Be? Big enough to allow corridors or stepping-stones for dispersal. Average dispersal distance (determined using molecular markers) MPE

Identifying Units of Conservation Adult Feeding Grounds Rookeries independent units Rookery 1 Rookeries Non-independent units Rookery 2 Rookery 3 Females (mt. DNA lineages) Adult Feeding Grounds Green Turtles

Relationship between population genetic structure and gender specific dispersal and gene flow Female dispersal and gene flow Low Male dispersal and gene flow Low Geographic structure in… mt. DNA-Autosomal genes-Y-linked genes-Demographic autonomy-- High Geographic structure in… mt. DNA-Autosomal genes-Y-linked genes-Demographic autonomy-- High yes yes Geographic structure in… mt. DNA-Autosomal genes-Y-linked genes-Demographic autonomy-- no no *** yes no no yes Geographic structure in… mt. DNA-Autosomal genes-Y-linked genes-Demographic autonomy-- no no

Inferred patterns of female dispersal and matrilineal gene flow may be misleading: Strong geographical matrilineal (mt. DNA) structure may result from density-dependent restrictions on female movement, not historical processes. Geographic populations may persist via continued recruitment from favorable areas (source-sink population structure). Limited structure would be observed, suggesting that local populations colonize easily.

Inferred patterns of female dispersal and matrilineal gene flow may be misleading: Molecular markers may not reveal “true” population genetic structure. Are populations structured because of historical gene flow and genetic drift, or could it be habitat specific natural selection? Larger historical population sizes may give the impression of geographically larger demographic units (it didn’t take much migration between populations), when there is actually very little contemporary gene flow. The details matter: go study your organisms in nature too!