Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Science (PhD)
Administrative Home Department
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Advisor 1
Kristin E. Brzeski
Committee Member 1
Stephen M. Techtmann
Committee Member 2
John A. Vucetich
Committee Member 3
Jared D. Wolfe
Abstract
With global biodiversity in decline and many species isolated in fragmented habitats, conservation efforts increasingly rely on natural recolonization and translocation to restore ecosystems. These strategies face challenges such as genetic erosion and habitat limitations, highlighting the need for effective monitoring practices. This research assesses the success of wolf recovery initiatives by examining long-term genetic and genomic health using both traditional and advanced molecular methods. First, we investigated the genetic health of 19 gray wolves (Canis lupus) relocated to Isle Royale National Park to restore ecosystem balance. Initial genetic assessments with microsatellites found that these wolves had genetic diversity metrics similar to other western Great Lakes (WGL) populations. However, wolves from a single translocation source, Michipicoten Island, Ontario, consisted of a family group, raising concerns about the retention of genetic variation. Agent-based models (ABMs) predicted a decline in genetic variation over the next 50 years, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring and possibly further relocations to prevent genetic erosion. Second, we developed a genotyping-in-thousands (GTseq) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel to monitor wolves on Isle Royale post-translocation. Traditional genetic methods for monitoring wildlife like microsatellites often suffer from allelic dropout and genotyping errors. Our findings indicate the GTseq panel contained low genotyping error (0.2%) and the ability to genotype samples with DNA concentrations as low as 0.05ng/μL, enabling reliable individual identification and pedigree reconstruction from noninvasive samples. Further, we found the panel could differentiate gray wolves, eastern wolves (C. lycaon), coyotes (C. latrans), domestic dogs (C. lupus familiaris), and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Given our findings, GTseq offers promise for efficient, long-term genetic monitoring. Third, we implemented the GTseq SNP panel for long-term monitoring of relocation success on Isle Royale. Our results showed increased inbreeding since relocation, though levels remained well below those associated with severe inbreeding depression. The increased inbreeding is mainly driven by a single breeding pair of full siblings translocated from Michipicoten Island, raising questions about the mechanisms that drive kin avoidance in gray wolves when mate selection is limited. Empirically informed ABMs projected that natural migration alone will not counteract inbreeding, emphasizing the importance of periodic translocations to maintain genetic viability. This highlights the value of noninvasive genetic monitoring to inform management decisions. Last, we assessed the success of natural recolonization for gray wolves in the WGL using genomic diversity as an index of adaptive potential. Our findings show that recent gray wolf expansions, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan, have led to decreased genomic diversity compared to Ontario and Minnesota populations. Contrary to expectations, introgression from coyotes and eastern wolves follows a historical pattern rather than being a consequence of recent expansions, with an increase near Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, the primary region for eastern wolves. Temporal analysis suggests that recovery is not associated with a loss of genetic fitness (i.e. deleterious mutations and genomic diversity). This study underscores the importance and application of genetic monitoring to inform management. Strategic translocations, combined with advanced genetic tools like GTseq, will be essential for preserving genetic diversity and ensuring the success of recovery efforts in fragmented and isolated habitats.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Hervey, Samuel D., "A MULTIMOLECULAR PERSPECTIVE ON THE SUCCESS OF WOLF RECOVERY AND RELOCATION", Open Access Dissertation, Michigan Technological University, 2024.
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Evolution Commons, Genetics Commons, Genomics Commons, Molecular Biology Commons