Search

Abstract Fifty individuals of the endemic Alpine salamander, Salamandra atra , representing 13 populations throughout the range of the two currently recognized subspecies, atra and aurorae , were examined for sequence variation in a large portion (1050 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. We revealed a large number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes (10). Interpopulation sequence divergence was very low, ranging from 0 to 3.1%. The relationships among haplotypes were poorly resolved. The divergence time estimate between several mtDNA haplotypes suggested a pre-Pleistocene differentiation approximately 3 million years ago. Moreover, the impact of the Pleistocene glaciations on the phylogeographical patterns appears to have been secondary, although a somewhat reduced genetic variability was found in populations living in areas that were directly affected by the glaciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global biodiversity in freshwater and the oceans is declining at high rates. Reliable tools for assessing and monitoring aquatic biodiversity, especially for rare and secretive species, are important for efficient and timely management. Recent advances in DNA sequencing have provided a new tool for species detection from DNA present in the environment. In this study, we tested whether an environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach, using water samples, can be used for addressing significant questions in ecology and conservation. Two key aquatic vertebrate groups were targeted: amphibians and bony fish. The reliability of this method was cautiously validated in silico, in vitro and in situ. When compared with traditional surveys or historical data, eDNA metabarcoding showed a much better detection probability overall. For amphibians, the detection probability with eDNA metabarcoding was 0.97 (CI = 0.90-0.99) vs. 0.58 (CI = 0.50-0.63) for traditional surveys. For fish, in 89% of the studied sites, the number of taxa detected using the eDNA metabarcoding approach was higher or identical to the number detected using traditional methods. We argue that the proposed DNA-based approach has the potential to become the next-generation tool for ecological studies and standardized biodiversity monitoring in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Propagule pressure is considered the main determinant of success of biological invasions: when a large number of individuals are introduced into an area, the species is more likely to establish and become invasive. Nevertheless, precise data on propagule pressure exist only for a small sample of invasive species, usually voluntarily introduced. We studied the invasion of the American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, into Europe, a species that is considered a major cause of decline for native amphibians. For this major invader with scarce historical data, we used population genetics data (a partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene) to infer the invasion history and to estimate the number of founders of non-native populations. Based on differences between populations, at least six independent introductions from the native range occurred in Europe, followed by secondary translocations. Genetic diversity was strongly reduced in non-native populations, indicating a very strong bottleneck during colonization. We used simulations to estimate the precise number of founders and found that most non-native populations derive from less than six females. This capability of invasion from a very small number of propagules challenges usual management strategies; species with such ability should be identified at an early stage of introduction.