Climate warming, in particular in island environments, where opportunities for species to disperse are limited, may become a serious threat to cold adapted alpine species. In order to understand how alpine species may respond to a warming world, we need to understand the drivers that have shaped their habitat specialisation and the evolutionary adaptations that allow them to utilize alpine habitats. The endemic, endangered New Zealand kea (Nestor notabilis) is considered the only alpine parrot in the world. As a species commonly found in the alpine zone it may be highly susceptible to climate warming. But is it a true alpine specialist? Is its evolution driven by adaptation to the alpine zone, or is the kea an open habitat generalist that simply uses the alpine zone to, for example, avoid lower lying anthropogenic landscapes?We use whole genome data of the kea and its close, forest adapted sister species, the kākā (Nestor meridionalis) to reconstruct the evolutionary history of both species and identify the functional genomic differences that underlie their habitat specialisations. Our analyses do not identify major functional genomic differences between kea and kākā in pathways associated with high-altitude. Rather, we found evidence that selective pressures on adaptations commonly found in alpine species are present in both Nestor species, suggesting that selection for alpine adaptations has not driven their divergence. Strongly divergent demographic responses to past climate warming between the species nevertheless highlight potential future threats to kea survival in a warming world.

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Microsatellites from the genome and the transcriptome of the tetraploid Adriatic sturgeon, Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte, 1836) and cross-species applicability to the diploid beluga sturgeon, Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758) Summary Ninety-five microsatellite loci were isolated from the output of two Next Generation Sequencing projects: a genomic Illumina RADSeq and a transcriptomic Roche 454 cDNA sequencing of the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii). From a total of 7697 loci identified, 72 were characterized and 57 were polymorphic in the tetraploid A. naccarii, providing new markers suitable for parental allocations to be performed for future conservation actions. Loci isolated from the transcriptome showed a higher level of polymorphism, which could be related to the different sequencing approaches used. Notably, a higher rate of duplication was observed in the transcribed loci, pointing to a preferential retention of sequences with a functional role after whole genome duplications occurred in sturgeons. Cross-species amplification of these markers was also assessed in the diploid beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), with the aim of setting up a panel of markers to be applied in future conservation programmes regarding this species. Materials and MethodsMicrosatellite loci were independently identified in two NGS outputs as described above. Regarding the genomic loci U.S.

The biological changes that have occurred in Aotearoa New Zealand following human settlement are well documented with almost all ecosystems and taxa having been negatively impacted. Against this background of loss there have been remarkable advances in conservation management, particularly in the large-scale eradication and control of exotic mammalian pests. In 2016, the New Zealand Government announced Predator Free 2050, an ambitious project to eradicate introduced predators in Aotearoa New Zealand by 2050. Here, we discuss conservation translocations in the context of Predator Free 2050 aspirations. Our review draws together knowledge from Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich history of translocations and outlines a framework to support translocation decision making in the predator-free era. Predator Free 2050 aspirations encompass an ongoing question in conservation management; should we focus on maintaining small protected populations, because this seems generally easier and currently achievable, or on reversing declines in the large mainland areas that contain most of our biodiversity, a much harder challenge largely reliant on the continued use of aerially applied toxins? We focus on successfully establishing small translocated populations because they will provide the source populations for colonisation of a predator-free landscape. We define a successful translocation as one that meets a clear set of fundamental objectives defined a priori. If translocation objectives are clearly defined all subsequent decisions about factors that influence conservation translocation outcomes (e.g. the cultural and social setting, pest thresholds, habitat quality, genetic management) will be easier. Therefore, we encourage careful thinking in formulating conservation translocation objectives that align with aspirations for a predator-free Aotearoa NZ. We discourage a focus on any single element of planning and rather encourage all people involved in conservation translocations, particularly decision makers, to explicitly recognise the multiple values-based objectives associated with conservation translocations.

1AbstractGenetic swamping resulting from interspecific hybridisation can increase extinction risk for threatened species. The development of high-throughput and reduced-representation genomic sequencing and analyses to generate large numbers of high resolution genomic markers has the potential to reveal introgression previously undetected using small numbers of genetic markers. However, few studies to date have implemented genomic tools to assess the impacts of interspecific hybridisation in threatened species. Here we investigate the utility of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to detect introgression resulting from past interspecific hybridisation in one of the world’s rarest birds. Anthropogenic impacts have resulted in hybridisation and subsequent backcrossing of the critically endangered Aotearoa New Zealand endemic kakī (black stilts; Himantopus novaezelandiae) with the non-threatened self-introduced congeneric poaka (Aotearoa New Zealand population of pied stilts, Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus), yet genetic analyses with a limited set of microsatellite markers revealed no evidence of introgression of poaka genetic material in kakī, excluding one individual. We use genomic data for ~63% of the wild adult kakī population to reassess the extent of introgression resulting from hybridisation between kakī and poaka. Consistent with previous genetic analyses, we detected no introgression from poaka into kakī. These collective results indicate that, for kakī, existing microsatellite markers provide a robust, cost-effective approach to detect cryptic hybrids. Further, for well-differentiated species, the use of genomic markers may not be required to detect admixed individuals.