IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Janecka, J.E.; Tewes, M.E.; Laack, L.L.; Grassman Jr., L.I.; Haines, A.M.; Honeycutt, R.L. | |
| Small effective population sizes of two remnant ocelot populations (_Leopardus pardalis albescens_) in the United States | |
| 2008 Conservation Genetics (9): 869-878 | |
Threatened populations are vulnerable to the effects of genetic drift and inbreeding, particularly when gene flow is low and the effective population size is small. Estimates of effective population size (Ne) provide important information on the status of endangered populations that have experienced severe fragmentation and serve as indicators of genetic viability. Genetic data from microsatellite loci were used to estimate Ne for the 2 remaining populations of the endangered ocelot (_Leopardus pardalis albescens_) occurring in the United States. Several methods were used to calculate Ne, resulting in estimates ranging from Ne = 8.0 (95% CI: 3.2-23.1) to 13.9 (95% CI: 7.7-25.1) for the population located at the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge in Cameron County, Texas. The ocelot population in Willacy County, Texas, had Ne estimates of 2.9 (95% CI: 1.7-5.6) and 3.1 (95% CI: 1.9-13.5), respectively. Estimates of Ne in both populations were below the critical value recommended for short-term viability. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |