A review of the Leon springs pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus) long‐term conservation strategy and response to habitat restoration

Abstract

Choosing an optimal strategy to sustain imperilled wild populations is challenging, and many methods may be implemented before reaching an effective strategy. A review of previous conservation efforts used to maintain an endangered desert pupfish (Cyprinidon bovinus) are presented here. Conservation strategies for C. bovinus have included removal of fish hybridizing with a non‐native species, reintroduction of captive‐bred C. bovinus into their historic range, and habitat restoration and expansion. In general, these methods have successfully increased the C. bovinus population over a 15‐year period, with habitat expansion appearing to be the most critical intervention method. Habitat restorations that increased the available breeding habitat for C. bovinus and the total number of breeding males were also associated with a downward trend in individual male reproductive behaviour. Since habitat expansion resulted in unexpected consequences for reproductive ecology, it emphasizes the importance not only of monitoring species abundance but also of evaluating individual reproductive behaviour when implementing conservation strategies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid genetic and morphologic divergence between captive and wild populations of the endangered Leon Springs pupfish, Cyprinodon bovinus

“…Estimated effective population size ( N e ) of the wild population was nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that of the captive one (28 vs. 231), and the wild population has experienced large size fluctuations as estimated from field counts of territorial males (reviewed by Black et al . ). Nevertheless, the wild population has retained remarkably high levels of expected heterozygosity and allelic richness and exhibits only a slightly reduced number of private alleles (87 at DY vs. 107 at SNARRC).…”

“…Itzkowitz, personal communication), and by the beginning of this study, C. bovinus had disappeared entirely from the lower watercourse (Black et al . ). This startling decline precipitated habitat restoration projects (e.g.…”

“…, ; Black et al . ). Recent counts at Diamond‐Y Spring have rebounded to 20 territorial males (Black et al .…”

“…Recent counts at Diamond‐Y Spring have rebounded to 20 territorial males (Black et al . ) with qualitative estimates of ~250 individuals (all sexes and ages) based on intensive, but nonquantitative, video recording and visual observations (A. Black, personal observation).…”

Genetic diversity of a Daugava basin brown trout (Salmo trutta) brood stock

“…Anderson et al, 2013;Black et al, 2016;Hundt et al, 2015;Saura and Faria, 2011), which aims at directly increasing population size. In the ideal case, specimen for supportive breeding originate from the threatened population itself to take into account possible local adaptions and best conserve the global genetic diversity of species (e.g.…”