Conservation genetics of the Critically Endangered Saint Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops Cope 1863)

Hurtado, Luis A.; Santamaría, Carlos; Fitzgerald, Lee A.

doi:10.1007/s10592-012-0316-3

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…The lower bounds and point estimates of N e of both the eastern and western populations of M. pallidus are well below 500 (Franklin 1980); the western population even has an upper bound below 500 (Table 3). While these estimates may seem low, similar results have been found in other terrestrial vertebrates, some of whom are endangered (Nunney 1993;Nunney and Campbell 1993;Frankham 1995;Phillipsen et al 2011;Hurtado et al 2012). Additionally, the small N e of the western population is consistent with results from this study and a previous study using mtDNA, both indicating a recent population contraction (Light et al 2013).…”

Section: Megacephalussupporting

confidence: 90%

Populations at risk: conservation genetics of kangaroo mice (Microdipodops) of the Great Basin Desert

Andersen

Portnoy

Hafner

et al. 2013

Ecology and Evolution

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The Great Basin Desert of western North America has experienced frequent habitat alterations due to a complex biogeographic history and recent anthropogenic impacts, with the more recent alterations likely resulting in the decline of native fauna and flora. Dark (Microdipodops megacephalus) and pallid (M. pallidus) kangaroo mice are ecological specialists found within the Great Basin Desert and are potentially ideal organisms for assessing ecosystem health and inferring the biogeographic history of this vulnerable region. Herein, newly acquired nuclear-encoded microsatellite loci were utilized to assess patterns of variation within and among spatially discrete groups of kangaroo mice and to evaluate gene flow, demographic trends, and genetic integrity. Results confirm that there are at least three genetically distinct units within M. megacephalus and two such units within M. pallidus. The three units of M. megacephalus appear to have different demographic histories, with effectively no gene flow among them since their divergence. Similarly, the two units of M. pallidus also appear to have experienced different demographic histories, with effectively no gene exchange. Contemporary effective population sizes of all groups within Microdipodops appear to be low (<500), suggesting that each genetic lineage may have difficulty coping with changing environmental pressures and hence may be at risk of extirpation. Results of this study indicate that each Microdipodops group should be recognized, and therefore managed, as a separate unit in an effort to conserve these highly specialized taxa that contribute to the diversity of the Great Basin Desert ecosystem.

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Section: Megacephalussupporting

confidence: 90%

Populations at risk: conservation genetics of kangaroo mice (Microdipodops) of the Great Basin Desert

Andersen

Portnoy

Hafner

et al. 2013

Ecology and Evolution

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“…The St. Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops Cope 1863), endemic to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands was extirpated from the main island due to mongoose predation, an invasive species established on St. Croix in 1884 (Seaman andRandall 1962, Philibosian andRuibal 1971). Small populations of the St. Croix ground lizard persisted offshore of St. Croix on 1.2-ha Protestant Cay and 5.2-ha Green Cay, and introduced to a 7.5-ha dredge-spoil island Ruth Cay in 1990(Hurtado et al 2012. Fifty-seven animals from the Green Cay population were introduced to 71-ha Buck Island in 2008 and began reproducing almost immediately, and a new population was successfully established on that island Fitzgerald 2011, Fitzgerald et al 2015).…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispersal and population state of an endangered island lizard following a conservation translocation

Angeli

Lundgren

Pollock

et al. 2018

Ecological Applications

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Population size is widely used as a unit of ecological analysis, yet to estimate population size requires accounting for observed and latent heterogeneity influencing dispersion of individuals across landscapes. In newly established populations, such as when animals are translocated for conservation, dispersal and availability of resources influence patterns of abundance. We developed a process to estimate population size using N-mixture models and spatial models for newly established and dispersing populations. We used our approach to estimate the population size of critically endangered St. Croix ground lizards (Ameiva polops) five years after translocation of 57 individuals to Buck Island, an offshore island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. Estimates of population size incorporated abiotic variables, dispersal limits, and operative environmental temperature available to the lizards to account for low species detection. Operative environmental temperature and distance from the translocation site were always important in fitting the N-mixture model indicating effects of dispersal and species biology on estimates of population size. We found that the population is increasing its range across the island by 5-10% every six months. We spatially interpolated site-specific abundance from the N-mixture model to the entire island, and we estimated 1,473 (95% CI, 940-1,802) St. Croix ground lizards on Buck Island in 2013 corresponding to survey results. This represents a 26-fold increase since the translocation. We predicted the future dispersal of the lizards to all habitats on Buck Island, with the potential for the population to increase by another five times in the future. Incorporating biologically relevant covariates as explicit parameters in population models can improve predictions of population size and the future spread of species introduced to new localities.

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“…Ten A. polops from Protestant Cay were released onto Ruth Cay in 1990 (Knowles ; McNair & Mackay ), and an additional lizard from Green Cay was released there in 1995 (Knowles ). Recent genetic analyses indicate the Ruth Cay population does not contain alleles from the Green Cay stock (Hurtado et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of successful establishment and post‐translocation dispersal of a new population of the critically endangered St. Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops)

Fitzgerald

Treglia

Angeli

et al. 2015

Restoration Ecology

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Translocation to areas free of exotic predators, habitat degradation, or disease may be the most viable restoration option for many endangered species. We report on a successful translocation of the critically endangered St. Croix ground lizard, Ameiva polops, extirpated from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean, by predation from introduced mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus). We translocated 57 adult A. polops from Green Cay to Buck Island in May 2008. We placed 4 females and 3 males each in eight, 100 m 2 , enclosures on Buck Island for 71 days, then the enclosures were opened. During the enclosure period, 20 individuals were identified and 32 others were seen. The average number sighted per survey was only 5.28 (range = 2-10). One hatchling was sighted in an enclosure, indicating a translocated female successfully nested. Body condition of the translocated individuals increased significantly by the end of the enclosure period. Population monitoring surveys at 61 sites across Buck Island showed that 5 years after the initial translocation in June 2013, the new population had grown to an estimated 1,473 individuals and occupied 58.9% of the island. We attribute eradication of mongoose, life history of the species, large propagule size, condition of habitat, soft-release, use of adults, interagency collaboration, and systematic assessment as primary factors that facilitated this successful translocation. Our findings provide meaningful insights on factors that enhance the potential for successful translocations, and point to new strategies aimed at restoring populations of endangered reptiles in their native ranges.

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Conservation genetics of the Critically Endangered Saint Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops Cope 1863)

Abstract: The Saint Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops)

Cited by 11 publications

References 50 publications

Populations at risk: conservation genetics of kangaroo mice (Microdipodops) of the Great Basin Desert

Populations at risk: conservation genetics of kangaroo mice (Microdipodops) of the Great Basin Desert

Dispersal and population state of an endangered island lizard following a conservation translocation

Determinants of successful establishment and post‐translocation dispersal of a new population of the critically endangered St. Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops)

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