Comparative genetic structure reflects underlying life histories of three sympatric small mammal species in continuous forest of south-eastern Australia

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2007.0030-1299.16087.x Byline: F. J. L. Kraaijeveld-Smit, D. B. Lindenmayer, A. C. Taylor, C. MacGregor, B. Wertheim Abstract: There are strong links between habitat fragmentation, population size and genetic structure. However, to fully understand the long-term effects of fragmentation on population viability, it is necessary to first understand the relationship between life history traits and genetic characteristics in un-fragmented habitats. This is best done through comparing patterns of genetic diversity in sympatric species, since relative data may be maximally informative. We compared genetic structure and diversity among three sympatric small mammals - of which two were marsupial species - over a small spatial scale ( Article History: Manuscript Accepted 8 June 2007 Article note: F. J. L. Kraaijeveld-Smit (f.j.l.kraaijeveld@biology.leidenuniv.nl), Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia and Animal Ecology, IBL, Kaiserstraat 63, Leiden Univ., Postbus 9516, Leiden, the Netherlands. - D. B. Lindenmayer and C. MacGregor, Fenner School for the Environment and Society, The Australian National Univ., Canberra, ACT 2000, Australia. - A. C. Taylor, Australian Centre for Biodiversity: Analysis, Policy and Management, School of Biological Sciences, Monash Univ., Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. - B. Wertheim, Dept of Biology, Univ. College London, Gower Street. London, UK, WC1E 6BT.