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1.
The population genetic structure of an invasive species in Spain, the American mink (Mustela vison), was investigated using microsatellite DNA markers. This semi-aquatic carnivore, originating from North America, was imported into Europe for fur farming since the beginning of the 20th century. Due to massive escapes, farm damages, deliberate releases and/or accidents, feral mink populations were established in the aquatic ecosystems of many European countries, including Spain. We genotyped 155 American mink originating from the Spanish regions Basque Country, Catalonia, Castilla-Leon, Aragon, Valencia and Galicia using 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci to highlight population genetic structure, distribution and dispersal. M. vison populations in Spain appear differentiated and not yet connected by gene flow. Bayesian clustering analyses and spatial analyses of molecular variance detected four inferred clusters, overall coinciding with the sampled geographical localities. Preliminary testing shows moderate to large estimated effective population sizes. Molecular analyses result useful to provide baseline data for further research on the evolution of invasive mink populations, as well as support local management strategies and indirectly benefit the conservation of threatened species in Spain, such as the endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola), and the polecat (Mustela putorius), which share the habitat with the American mink. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Xavier Domingo-Roura.  相似文献   

2.
The European minkMustela lutreola Linnaeus, 1761 and the European polecatMustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758 are related species sympatric in southwestern France. The European mink is rapidly disappearing whereas the polecat maintains good populations. Seasonal habitat use of both species was compared in the Landes de Gascogne region to identify if some vulnerability factors of the European mink were associated with habitats occupied by this mustelid. Potential habitats were mapped using a satellite picture and 12 main types of habitats were defined. Animal locations were recorded by radiotracking 9 European mink and 14 polecats from March 1996 to August 1999. Resting animals were located by triangulation, and, when possible, resting places were described. Animals in activity were tracked by continuous monitoring. Data collected revealed a strong preference of European mink for flooded habitats, particularly open marshes, flooded woodlands and moorlands. They seldom left the corridor of the riparian forest and their resting places were mainly in flooded environments, above ground (under herbs or bushes) or in cavities between tree roots. European polecats were less tightly linked to wetlands. Most of their locations were in the pine forests outside the valleys and their resting places were mainly in burrows. The strong specialisation of European mink in aquatic habitats is probably one of the main reasons for its decline because wetlands suffer drastic damages throughout all of its range. Maintaining adequate water levels is crucial for satisfying habitat requirements of mink.  相似文献   

3.
Owing to the rapid decline of the European mink (Mustela lutreola) in France, a national conservation action plan has been initiated, in which scientific research to improve understanding of the causes of the decline is one of the primary objectives. In order to investigate the possible role of Aleutian disease parvovirus (ADV) in decline of the species, a serologic survey was conducted from March 1996 to March 2002 in 420 free-ranging individuals of six species of small carnivores distributed in eight departments of southwestern France. Antibodies to ADV were detected in 17 of 75 American mink (Mustela vison), 12 of 99 European mink, 16 of 145 polecats (Mustela putorius), four of 17 stone martens (Martes foina), one of 16 pine martens (Martes martes), and three of 68 common genets (Genetta genetta). Seroprevalence was significantly higher in American mink than in other species. Seropositive individuals with gamma globulin levels >20% were observed in four European mink, four American mink, two stone martens, and one pine marten. Geographic distribution of positive animals indicates the virus has spread to all areas where European mink are found. Furthermore, a trend of increasing prevalence seems to appear in Mustela sp. sympatric with American mink. Although further investigations are necessary to evaluate the role of ADV in decline of European mink, evidence of the virus in the wild at the levels found in our study has implications for conservation of this species.  相似文献   

4.
Surgical embryo transfer of farmed European polecat (Mustela putorius) was investigated as part of an ex situ preservation project. The long-term objective of the project is to develop effective technology for ex situ conservation of the European mink (Mustela lutreola), which is a highly endangered aboriginal European species. Twenty European polecat females, which served as a model species for the European mink, were humanely killed 4-9 days after first mating and embryos were recovered from oviducts and uteri. Donor-recipient pairs (n = 16) were generated by mating the donors (n = 20) once a day for 2 consecutive days with fertile males and by mating the corresponding recipients (n = 16) on the same days with vasectomized males. An embryo recovery rate of 70% (200 recovered embryos/284 corpora lutea) was achieved from 20 donors. Morulae and blastocysts were recovered between Days 5 and 9 after first mating and were regarded as the best developmental stages for uterine embryo transfer. A total of 172 embryos were transferred surgically under general anaesthesia into the ovarian third of the left uterine horn of 16 recipients with a thin glass capillary. Eleven recipients (69%) produced 72 pups equivalent to an average success rate of 42% (72 pups/172 transferred embryos). The average litter size was 4.5 (range 0-9). These results with this model species, farmed European polecat, demonstrate the potential of embryo transfer as an effective method for the preservation of the endangered European mink (M. lutreola). These species are closely related and have a similar reproductive physiology. However, success of applying embryo transfer in conserving European mink is still dependent on further studies both into its reproductive physiology and developing of improved flushing techniques for anaesthetized donors and the successful transfer of frozen-thawed embryos.  相似文献   

5.
American mink Mustela vison , originally bred in fur farms, have become established in areas occupied by native endangered Southern river otter Lontra provocax , in Patagonia. In accordance with European experience, this biological invasion in South America raises questions about the interaction between invasive mink and native otter, from the viewpoints of both community assembly and conservation. We set out (1) to find which aspects of habitat structure were related to the distribution of signs of both this invasive species and Southern river otter Lontra provocax , in Argentinean Patagonia and their most common prey and (2) to test general predictions of niche partitioning between these two species. Based on surveys of 447 of 600 m transects for otter and mink scats/footprints along the waterside of lakes and rivers in the Andean Patagonian region, we compared diet composition (from scat analysis) and micro-habitat preferences (from field signs) of the two species. Otters were more specialist than mink in habitat use and diet. Mink used different habitats in other river basins where otters were absent. Where they occurred together in the basin of the Limay River, the distributions of their signs were similar, and mink diet was more similar to that of otters. There was no detectable difference in otter diet before and after mink arrival in the Limay basin. Contrary to the prediction of niche partitioning, and to the findings of European studies, resource use by mink was more similar to that of otters where the species occurred sympatrically than where they were allopatric.  相似文献   

6.
To investigate the possible role of selected pathogens in the decline of endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) populations and the potential for these pathogens to affect mink survival, a serologic survey was conducted using serum samples collected from March 1996 to March 2003 in eight departments of south-western France. In total, 481 free-ranging individuals of five mustelid species (including the European mink) were tested. Sympatric mustelids can serve as sentinels to determine the presence of antibodies to viruses in the study area that could potentially infect mink. Antibodies to Canine distemper virus (CDV) were detected in all species; 9% of 127 European mink, 20% of 210 polecats (Mustela putorius), 5% of 112 American mink (Mustela vison), 33% of 21 stone marten (Martes foina) and 5% of 20 pine marten (Martes martes). Antibody prevalence was significantly higher in stone marten and polecats, possibly because their ranges overlap more closely with that of domestic species than that of the other species tested. Antibodies to Canine adenovirus were detected in all species but the pine marten; antibody prevalence estimates ranging from 2% to 10%. Antibodies to canine parainfluenza virus were detected in 1% of European mink, 1% of American mink and 5% of tested polecats but were not detected in Martes species. Antibodies to Rabies virus (RV) were detected in three animals, possibly because of interspecies transmission of bat lyssaviruses as the sampling area is considered to be free of RV, or to a lack of test specificity, as antibody titers were low. The high antibody prevalence to potentially lethal CDV suggests that this pathogen could have significant effects on the free-ranging populations and has implications for the conservation efforts for the endangered European mink.  相似文献   

7.
Genetic neighbourhood and effective population size (N e) are critical factors when determining the potential survival of threatened species. Carnivores have intrinsically small effective numbers, because, as top predators, they show low densities. The European mink, Mustela lutreola, is one of the most endangered carnivores in the world and has suffered continual decline and local extinctions. The genetic neighbourhood, area within which adults could randomly mate, averaged N a = 31.7 km diameter, allowing that population size within the neighbourhood area only ranged from N b = 6.1 to 22.8 animals. Although the population size was assessed in one of the main mink populations in the world, this neighbourhood size is far below the values regarded as critical in literature. However, in contrast with recent propositions, the ratio N e /N only ranged between 0.09 and 0.19, estimates close to the average recognised by Frankham [(1995) Genetic Research 66: 95–107] for wildlife populations. In the context of the challenge to conserve this endangered carnivore, the studied neighbourhood provided crucial information suggesting both a low neighbourhood size and severe disturbance of breeding exchanges, emphasising the dramatically threatened status of the European mink.  相似文献   

8.
The aim of this study was to investigate the adaptations of protein metabolism to seasonal fasting in an actively wintering boreal carnivore. Fifty farm-bred male American minks Mustela vison were divided into a fed control group and four experimental groups fasted for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days. The responses of nitrogen metabolism to wintertime food deprivation were determined by measuring the rate of weight loss, the tissue total protein concentrations and the plasma amino acid, urea, ammonia, uric acid and total protein levels. The mink has relatively poor adaptations to food deprivation, as it is not able to prolong phase II of fasting with fat as the major metabolic fuel. Instead, the species has to derive a part of its energy requirements from the breakdown of body proteins. The end product of protein catabolism—urea— accumulates in its circulation, and the mink may not be able to recycle urea-N. Although the mink can still have a high body fat percent at the end of the 7-day fast, it appears to enter phase III of fasting with stimulated proteolysis during this period.  相似文献   

9.
The European mink Mustela lutreola is regarded as one of the most endangered mammals in the world. We chose to characterize microsatellite loci in order to investigate the pattern of decline of this species. We used primer pairs developed for a related species Mustela vison to genotype individual of Mustela lutreola. Out of 19 primer pairs used 8 were useful for our purpose. The conservation of primer sequence point out the problem of neutrality of some microsatellite loci as this conservation could be related to strong selection pressure on those loci. Finally we present the first data allowing an estimation of heterozygosity of French population of European mink.  相似文献   

10.
The European mink is a critically endangered mustelid species of conservation concern throughout Europe. Several conservation interventions have been implemented in recent years, supported by both national and European governments. However, knowledge about the natural history of the European mink is scarce and localized to a few specific areas. From 2007 to 2009, we studied mink activity patterns, home range sizes, and macrohabitats of mink home ranges based on 28 radio-tracked European mink (10 adult females, 11 adult males, 3 young females, and 4 young males) in the Foral Community of Navarre (northern Spain), in the Arga and Aragón rivers. We also provide insights on the spatial organization of the species. European mink presented a stable, mainly nocturnal and crepuscular activity pattern and required between 15 and 75 ha of fluvial habitats to establish their home ranges, which were also quite stable throughout the year. There were great differences between adult females and adult males, the latter having home ranges five times larger. In addition, whereas adult females mainly settled in lagoons and small tributaries, males also used to a large extent the main river sections. European mink presented a polygynous mating system, where males were territorial and encompassed several female home ranges within their home ranges. Lagoons and similar structures should be preserved and favored in management strategies, and tributaries maintained in good condition, as female requirements should be prioritized in plans to improve the general habitat quality for the species. Any conservation plan aimed at the improvement or recovery of European mink populations through habitat management should consider management blocks of at least 15 ha per each potential breeding female.  相似文献   

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