IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Haag, T. | |
| Gen‚tica da conserva‡Æo e ecologia molecular de on‡as-pintadas (_Panthera onca_, Felidae) | |
| 2009 Full Book | |
Several ecological studies have been conducted aiming to aid in the design of effective management and conservation strategies for the jaguar (_Panthera onca_) in different areas throughout its geographic distribution. However, molecular analyses complementary to these ecological approaches are necessary to ensure that these strategies secure the long term viability of this field. The studies presented here aimed to develop methodologies that aid in ecological and genetic studies focusing on the jaguar, which are essential to the conservation of this species, as well as to serve as a basis for in-depth populational analyses employing a molecular genetic perspective. In the first chapter, due to the enormous difficulty in obtaining biological samples of this felid, an approach based on the sequencing of a short segment of a mitochondrial DNA gene (_ATP6_) was developed to accurately identify jaguar faecal samples collected in the field. The results of this study indicated the importance of using a molecular method for the correct identification of faecal samples. In the second chapter, we demonstrated that it is possible to reliably identify the color of a jaguar from faecal DNA by genotyping the molecular polymorphism involved in this coloration variant. Although melanistic individuals are relatively common in some areas of their distribution, so far no scientific study has been conducted addressing this phenotype in the wild. The use of non-invasive sampling is likely one of the few approaches to study natural populations of jaguars exhibiting this characteristic. The third chapter contains the first study involving the structure and connectivity of natural jaguar populations on a regional scale. The study included remnant jaguar populations of the Upper Paran Atlantic Forest Ecoregion. The results indicated loss of genetic variability in recently isolated populations and considerable genetic differentiation among fragments suggesting strong effects of genetic drift induced by the small effective size in each area and increasing isolation among them. At the same time, genetic analyses identified clear evidence of recent demographic connectivity between areas, indicating that gene flow among them should be maintained to ensure the long term viability of these populations. The results will be integrated into the management plan that is being developed for this felid in the Upper Paran Atlantic Forest, supplying data that is important for the development and implementation of urgent efforts to conserve this species in this ecoregion. |
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