Small Populations

Question 1

Case study: Hawaii Tree Snail

Answer 1

40 species, all occupy their own niche, unknown if species are in decline, only found on specific fungi, only found higher 1300ft, have live young but low fecundity and slow maturation

Question 2

Threats

Answer 2

Habitat fragmentation
High HD of habitat - converted to lowland shrubbery
AS, giant land snail (introduced for biocontrol), Jacksons Chameleon

Question 3

Genetics of small populations

Answer 3

Less resilient to external pressures, due to lack of genetic diversity
High heterozygosity prevents genetic drift

Question 4

Heterozygosity equation

Answer 4

H= 1 - 1/[2Ne]

Ne is the effective population size

Question 5

Issues with Heterozygosity equation

Answer 5

Not all members contribute to breeding

Question 6

Conservation of Hawaii Tree Snails

Answer 6

Have attempted ex-situ approach (reintroduction)
Easily reproduced populations in labs but lacked persistence in these conditions
Some species were just unsuccessful in labs, likely to be due to wrong environmental conditions as there was no significant difference in heterozygosity

Question 7

Issues with the conservation of Hawaii Tree Snails

Answer 7

Need to avoid genetic bottlenecks or founder effect.

Question 8

In situ conservation of Hawaii Tree Snails

Answer 8

Put barriers up to prevent invasive species, however, need a successful population to start with