Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

High mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity in one of the world’s most endangered seabirds, the Chatham Island Taiko (Pterodroma magentae)

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Conservation Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Interpreting the levels of genetic diversity in organisms with diverse life and population histories can be difficult. The processes and mechanisms regulating this diversity are complex and still poorly understood. However, endangered species typically have low genetic variation as a consequence of the effects of genetic drift in small populations. In this study we examine genetic variation in the critically endangered Chatham Island Taiko (Tchaik, Pterodroma magentae), one of the world’s rarest seabirds. The Taiko has a very small population size of between 120 and 150 individuals, including just 8–15 breeding pairs. We report surprisingly high mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity in this critically endangered long-lived species. We hypothesise that the present Taiko population has retained a significant proportion of its past genetic diversity. However, it is also possible that undiscovered birds are breeding in unknown areas, which could increase the population size estimate. Importantly, from a conservation perspective, we show that the high level of variation is unlikely to be maintained in the future since chicks currently being born have only a limited number of the mitochondrial DNA haplotypes found in adults. Reduced genetic variation will mean that our ability to infer past events and the population history of Taiko using genetics could soon be lost and the power to determine, for example, parentage and other close order relationships will be diminished. Therefore, the maintenance of genetic diversity in future generations is an important consideration for conservation management of the Taiko.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abbott C, Double MC, Trueman JWH et al (2005) An unusual source of apparent mitochondrial heteroplasmy: duplicate mitochondrial control regions in Thalassarche albatrosses. Mol Ecol 14:3605–3613

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aikman H, Davis A, Miskelly C et al (2001) Chatham Island Taiko recovery plan 2001–2011. Threatened species recovery plan 36. Department of Conservation NZ, Wellington http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/TSRP36.pdf

  • Alderman R, Double MC, Valencia J, Gales RP (2005) Genetic affinities of newly sampled populations of Wandering and Black-browed Albatross. Emu 105:169–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allendorf FW, Luikart G (2007) Conservation and the genetics of populations. Blackwell, Maden

    Google Scholar 

  • Amos W, Balmford A (2001) When does conservation genetics matter? Heredity 87:257–265

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ardern SL, Lambert DM (1997) Is the Black Robin in genetic peril? Mol Ecol 6:21–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asai S, Yamamoto Y, Yamagishi S (2006) Genetic diversity and extent of gene flow in the endangered Japanese population of Hodgson’s Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus nipalensis. Bird Conserv Int 16:113–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin JJ, Carter RE, Parkin DT (1993) Genetic evidence for extra-pair fertilisations in socially monogamous Short-tailed Shearwaters, Puffinus tenuirostris (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae), using DNA fingerprinting. Aust J Zool 41:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avise JC (2004) Molecular markers, natural history, and evolution, 2nd edn. Sinauer Associates, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Avise JC, Nelson WS, Bowen BW, Walker D (2000) Phylogeography of colonially nesting seabirds, with special reference to global matrilineal patterns in the Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata). Mol Ecol 9:1783–1792

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bazin E, Glemin S, Galtier N (2006) Population size does not influence mitochondrial genetic diversity in animals. Science 312:570–572

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Begg A (1977) Development of the Otonga land block, southwest coast, Chatham Islands. In: Working papers in anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, Maori studies. Anthropology Department, University of Auckland, Auckland

  • Brooke MDL, Rowe G (1996) Behavioural and molecular evidence for specific status of light and dark morphs of the Herald Petrel Pterodroma heraldica. Ibis 138:420–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burg TM, Croxall JP (2001) Global relationships amongst Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses: analysis of population structure using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites. Mol Ecol 10:2647–2660

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cagnon C, Lauga B, Hemery G, Mouches C (2004) Phylogeographic differentiation of Storm Petrels (Hydrobates pelagicus) based on cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA variation. Mar Biol 145:1257–1264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crockett DE (1994) Rediscovery of Chatham Island Taiko Pterodroma magentae. Notornis (Supplement) 41:49–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellegren H (1991) Fingerprinting birds’ DNA with a synthetic polynucleotide probe (TG) n . Auk 108:956–981

    Google Scholar 

  • Excoffier L, Laval G, Schneider S (2005) Arlequin ver 3.0: an integrated software package for population genetics data analysis. Evol Bioinform Online 1:47–50

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friesen VL, Piatt JF, Baker AJ (1996) Evidence from cytochrome b sequences and allozymes for a ‘new’ species of Alcid: the Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix). Condor 98:681–690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goossens B, Chikhi L, Jalil MF, Ancrenaz M, Lackman-Ancrenaz I, Mohamed M, Andau P, Bruford MW (2005) Patterns of genetic diversity and migration in increasingly fragmented and declining Orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus) populations from Sabah, Malaysia. Mol Ecol 14:441–456

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gummer H (2003) Chick translocation as a method of establishing new surface-nesting seabird colonies: a review. DOC Science Internal Series 150 http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/dsis150.pdf

  • Hughes AL, Hughes MAK (2007) Coding sequence polymorphism in avian mitochondrial genomes reflects population histories. Mol Ecol 16:1369–1376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Idaghdour Y, Broderick D, Korrida A, Chbel F (2004) Mitochondrial control region diversity of the Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata complex and genetic structure along the Atlantic seaboard of North Africa. Mol Ecol 13:43–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (The World Conservation Union) (2006) 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. http://www.iucnredlist.org, Cited 13 Nov 2006

  • Kaeuffer R, Coltman DW, Chapuis J-L, Pontier D, Reale D (2007) Unexpected heterozygosity in an island Mouflon population founded by a single pair of individuals. Proc R Soc B 274:527–533

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King M (2000) Moriori a people rediscovered, 2nd edn. Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd, Auckland

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuo C-H, Janzen FJ (2004) Genetic effects of a persistent bottleneck on a natural population of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata). Conserv Genet 5:425–437

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert DM, Millar CD (1995) DNA science and conservation. Pac Conserv Biol 2:21–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence HA, Millar CD, Taylor GA, MacDonald LD, Lambert DM (2007a) Excess of unpaired males in one of the world’s most endangered seabirds, the Chatham Island Taiko (Pterodroma magentae). J Avian Biol (in press)

  • Lawrence HA, Taylor GA, Millar CD, Lambert DM (2007b) Supplementary material for paper “High mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity in one of the world’s most endangered seabirds, the Chatham Island Taiko (Pterodroma magentae)”. http://www.awcmee.massey.ac.nz/project_HLawrence.htm

  • Lippe C, Dumont P, Bernatchez L (2006) High genetic diversity and no inbreeding in the endangered Copper Redhorse, Moxostoma hubbsi (Catostomidae, Pisces): the positive sides of a long generation time. Mol Ecol 15:1769–1780

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall HD, Baker AJ (1997) Structural conservation and variation in the mitochondrial control region of Fringilline finches (Frinfilla spp.) and the Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). Mol Biol Evol 14:173–184

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez-Cruz B, Godoy JA, Negro J (2004) Population genetics after fragmentation: the case of the endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). Mol Ecol 13:2243–2255

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mauk RA, Waite TA, Parker PG (1995) Monogamy in Leach’s Storm-Petrel: DNA-fingerprinting evidence. Auk 112:473–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Millar CD, Anthony I, Lambert DM et al (1994) Patterns of reproductive success determined by DNA fingerprinting in a communally breeding oceanic bird. Biol J Linn Soc 52:31–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moritz C (1994) Applications of mitochondrial DNA analysis in conservation: a critical review. Mol Ecol 3:401–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moum T, Arnason E (2001) Genetic diversity and population history of two related seabird species based on mitochondrial DNA control region sequences. Mol Ecol 10:2463–2478

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mundy NI, Winchell CS, Woodruff DS (1997) Genetic differences between the endangered San Clemente Island Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovvicianus mearnsi and two neighbouring subspecies demonstrated by mtDNA control region and cytochrome b sequence variation. Mol Ecol 6:29–37

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munoz-Fuentes V, Green AJ, Negro JJ, Sorenson MD (2005) Population structure and loss of genetic diversity in the endangered White-headed Duck, Oxyura leucocephala. Conserv Genet 6:999–1015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nei M (1987) Molecular evolutionary genetics. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunn GB, Cooper J, Jouventin P (1996) Evolutionary relationships among extant albatrosses (Procellariiformes: Diomedeidae) established from complete cytochrome-B gene sequences. Auk 113:784–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce RL, Wood JJ, Artukhin Y (2002) Mitochondrial DNA suggests high gene flow in Ancient Murrelets. Condor 104:84–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pestano J, Brown RP, Rodriguez F, Moreno A (2000) Mitochondrial DNA control region diversity in the endangered Blue Chaffinch, Fringilla teydea. Mol Ecol 9:1421–1425

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pitra C, Lieckfeldt D, Alonso JC (2000) Population subdivision in Europe’s Great Bustard inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence variation. Mol Ecol 9:1165–1170

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proudfoot GA, Honeycutt RL, Slack RD (2006) Mitochondrial DNA variation and phylogeography of the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum). Conserv Genet 7:1–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roques S, Negro JJ (2005) MtDNA genetic diversity and population history of a dwindling raptorial bird, the Red Kite (Milvus milvus). Biol Conserv 126:41–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T (1989) Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonsthagen SA, Talbot SL, White CM (2004) Gene flow and genetic characterization of Northern Goshawks breeding in Utah. Condor 106:826–836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spielman D, Brook BW, Frankham R (2004) Most species are not driven to extinction before genetic factors impact them. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:15261–15264

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tajima F (1989) Statistical method for testing the neutral mutation hypothesis by DNA polymorphism. Genetics 123:585–595

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whittier JB, Leslie JR DM, Van Den Bussche RA (2006) Genetic variation among subspecies of Least Tern (Sterna antillarum): implications for conservation. Waterbirds 29:176–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung CK-L, Yao C-T, Hsu Y-C (2006) Assessment of the historical population size of an endangered bird, the Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) by analysis of mitochondrial DNA diversity. Anim Conserv 9:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young DL, Allard MW (1997) Conservation genetics of the Plain Pigeon Columba inornata in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Mol Ecol 6:877–879

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang D-X, Hewitt GM (2003) Nuclear DNA analyses in genetic studies of populations: practice, problems and prospects. Mol Ecol 12:563–584

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zink RM, Barrowclough GF, Atwood JL, Blackwell-Rago RC (2000) Genetics, taxonomy, and conservation of the threatened California Gnatcatcher. Conserv Biol 14:1394–1405

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following people: H. Aikman, J. Ballantyne, R. Cotter, D. Crockett, H. Gummer, J. Hay, J. Hiscock, L. Huynen, M. Imber, H. Jewell, P. Johnston, L. MacDonald, C. Miskelly, S. O’Connor, P. Ritchie, P. Scofield, T. Smith, C. Tiller, R. & J. Wasley, N. Whitehead, the Taiko Trust, field volunteers, Department of Conservation (DOC) staff, B. & L. Tuanui, the Seymour, Holmes and Daymond whanau, Hokotehi Moriori Trust, Te Runanga o Wharekauri Rekohu Inc, Ngati Mutunga, and the Chatham Island Conservation Board. We would like to sincerely thank three reviewers for their useful comments that have substantially improved the paper. Financial support was provided by DOC, Allan Wilson Centre (AWC), Massey University and the University of Auckland. H. Lawrence was supported by a Massey University Doctoral scholarship, AWC Scholarship and the Harriette Jenkin’s Award. This research had ethics approval from the Department of Conservation Animal Ethics Committee for sampling from Taiko (AEC 43) and the Institutional Biological Safety Committee of Massey University for cloning (GMO 03/MU/15).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Molecular BioSciences, Massey University, Albany, Private Bag 102904, NSMC, Auckland, New Zealand

    Hayley A. Lawrence & David M. Lambert

  2. Research, Development and Improvement Division, Department of Conservation, Conservation House, 18-32 Manners Street, Wellington, New Zealand

    Graeme A. Taylor

  3. Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand

    Craig D. Millar

Authors
  1. Hayley A. Lawrence
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Graeme A. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Craig D. Millar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David M. Lambert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David M. Lambert.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lawrence, H.A., Taylor, G.A., Millar, C.D. et al. High mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity in one of the world’s most endangered seabirds, the Chatham Island Taiko (Pterodroma magentae). Conserv Genet 9, 1293–1301 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9471-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9471-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation