Population genetic structure and conservation management of hill pigeons (Columba rupestris) recently endangered in South Korea

© 2022. The Author(s)..

BACKGROUND: Hill pigeons (Columba rupestris) are close to local extinction (ca. less than 100 individuals) in South Korea where a variety of conservation management procedures are urgently required.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at determining the conservation direction of captive propagation and reintroduction of hill pigeons using genetic information based on mitochondrial DNA. We also evaluated the extent of hybridization between hill pigeons and cohabiting domestic pigeons.

METHODS: We used 51 blood samples of hill pigeons from Goheung (GH), Gurye (GR), and Uiryeong (UR), and domestic pigeons cohabiting with hill pigeon populations. Genetic diversity, pairwise Fst, analysis of molecular variance, and haplotype network analysis were used to examine the genetic structure of hill pigeons.

RESULTS: Hill pigeons that inhabited South Korea were not genetically distinct from Mongolian and Russian populations and showed relatively low genetic diversity compared with other endangered species in Columbidae. The GR population that exhibited the largest population size showed lower genetic diversity, compared to the other populations, although the pairwise Fst values of the three populations indicated low genetic differentiation. The GH and GR populations were confirmed to lack hybridization, relatively, whereas the UR population was found to exhibit some degrees of hybridization.

CONCLUSION: To conserve hill pigeons with low genetic diversity and differentiation in South Korea, the conservation process of captive propagation and reintroduction may require artificial gene flows among genetically verified populations in captivity and wildness. The introduction of foreign individuals from surrounding countries is also considered an alternative strategy for maintaining genetic diversity.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:44

Enthalten in:

Genes & genomics - 44(2022), 11 vom: 13. Nov., Seite 1437-1444

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Kim, Jin-Yong [VerfasserIn]
Eo, Soo Hyung [VerfasserIn]
Kang, Seung-Gu [VerfasserIn]
Hwang, Jung Eun [VerfasserIn]
Yeo, Yonggu [VerfasserIn]
Yoon, Jongmin [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Conservation
DNA, Mitochondrial
Domestic pigeon
Hill pigeon
Hybridization
Journal Article
MtDNA
Population genetics
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 18.10.2022

Date Revised 24.10.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1007/s13258-021-01212-x

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM335599540