Graduation Date
Fall 2016
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Natural Resources, option Wildlife
Committee Chair Name
William "Tim" Bean
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Andrew Kinziger
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Daniel Barton
Third Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Abstract
Movement ecology and dispersal are important aspects of species’ life histories that can inform conservation and management. Dispersal is often cryptic and difficult to detect, but recent advances genetic technology and applications have provided new approaches to identifying and describing dispersal patterns. Giant kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ingens) are an endangered heteromyid that appear to persist in small subpopulations in a heterogeneous environment of their northern range, the Ciervo-Panoche Natural Area, California. Previous work suggested high levels of genetic diversity between populations with genetic distances not being correlated to geographic distances. Here, I identified landscape population structure through clustering programs STRUCTURE and TESS, as well as a Moran Eigenvector Map. I identified straight-line geographic distance between related individuals using the program COLONY. Finally, I evaluated parameterization and combinations of hypothesized costs created from precipitation, slope, vegetation, and roads for Isolation by Resistance and least cost path using mantel and partial mantel tests. TESS and STRUCTURE identified 3-4 subpopulations, but this structure is most likely due to Isolation by Distance effects. I identified a full-sibling pair 5.52km apart. The best model suggested that straight-line geographic distance as well as slopes greater than 10 degrees negatively influenced dispersal. Conservation and de-listing of giant kangaroo rats will be dependent on habitat protection and creation rather than corridor protection.
Citation Style
Journal of Molecular Ecology
Recommended Citation
Alexander, Nathan, "Genetic structure and connectivity of the endangered Giant Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ingens) in a heterogeneous environment" (2016). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 13.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/13