Genetic identification of units for conservation in tomato frogs, genus Dyscophus

Dyscophus antongilii and D. guineti are two morphologically very similar microhylid frogs from Madagascar of uncertain taxonomy. D. antongilii is currently included in Appendix I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and its exportation is banned completely. In contrast, D. guineti does not receive any legal protection and it is regularly exported. Field data on ecology and behaviour are to a large extent lacking. Here we report on a genetic survey of D. antongilii and D. guineti using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers. Sequences of a fragment of 501 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from one population of D. antongilii and two populations of D. guineti resulted in a single haplotype network, without haplotype sharing among the populations. However, haplotypes of D.␣guineti were only 1–4 mutational steps from those of D. antongilii, and did not form a clade. The analysis of eight microsatellites newly developed and standardized for D. antongilii revealed an excess of homozygotes and the absence of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The microsatellite data clearly distinguished between D. antongilii and D. guineti, and fixed differences were observed at one locus. Although confirmation of the status of Dyscophus antongilii and D. guineti as separate species requires further data, our study supports the definition of these two taxa as different evolutionary significant units under the adaptive evolutionary conservation concept.     

Egyptian tortoise conservation: A community‐based,field research program developed from a study on a captive population

Local community participation and ex situ conservation has the potential to assist the recovery of the endangered Egyptian tortoise, Testudo kleinmanni. We initiated an in situ community‐based conservation and research program from a captive population of T. kleinmanni. We used a captive population of the Egyptian tortoise to train a member of the local community as a research technician and used his indigenous tracking skills and knowledge of the area to collect activity and dietary data on 28 captive tortoises. We overcame problems with illiteracy by creating a data sheet based on symbols and numbers. This data sheet allowed us to use the indigenous knowledge of various people from the community, and employ them in the future. Our local community approach to data collection, in conjunction with a craft program, made the conservation of the Egyptian tortoise more rewarding to the local community by providing a more sustainable form of income than collecting animals for the pet trade. Our multidimensional approach (local community participation as research technicians, craft program, and trust building) for gaining local support eventually led to the rediscovery of wild Egyptian tortoises in North Sinai, which was significant, as this species was presumed extinct in Egypt. We have now shifted our focus to in situ conservation, using the research and local capacity building template developed from this captive population study. Our template can be used by zoos and conservation organizations with small budgets and collections of native species in natural habitats to create similar captive research programs that can be applied to in situ conservation. Zoo Biol 26:397–406, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Morphometric variation in nearly unstudied populations of the most studied mammal: The non-commensal house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in the Near East and Northern Africa

The phenotypic consequences in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) of the transition from an ordinary field-dwelling rodent to a species that is dependent on human populations was studied by investigating the morphometric variation of non-commensal populations of M. m. domesticus from Syria, Jordan, SW Iran, and Libya and comparing them with that of conspecific commensal populations from Eastern Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria. Commensal populations of M. musculus musculus from the Czech Republic were used as an outgroup. About 849 adult specimens of M. musculus were analysed by multivariate procedures based on standard molar, skull and body measurements. As expected, there was considerable variation among the studied populations and a good correspondence between morphometric and geographic distances. The resulting morphometric tree was consistent with the hypothesis that the original radiation of M. m. domesticus took place somewhere in the Near East. Commensal populations of M. m. domesticus form a single derived branch. Specimens originating from four different sites in eastern Syria showed the greatest similarity to one another and possessed relatively bigger molars than the other studied populations. Commensal populations were characterised by longer tails when compared to non-commensal populations, which suggests an adaptation for living in a more three-dimensionally heterogeneous environment for commensal populations.     

Resolving the Conflicts Between Biodiversity Conservation and Socioeconomic Development in China: Fuzzy Clustering Approach

Resolving the conflicts between biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic development is a global pursuit for the long-run prospects of the human species. Based on Wenchuan County, a typical county in southwestern China, a group of 20 indicators quantifying regional biodiversity and socioeconomic development was established to classify and evaluate the county area spatially. A fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) algorithm was used as the classification method. Three indices including BD, DL and DR characterizing the value of biodiversity, the level and rate of socioeconomic development of the delineated regions were formulated. The results indicated that Wenchuan County was optimally classified into 4 types of regions (region I to IV). The area percentages of the regions vary widely from 4.3 to 65.7%. The sequences of the regions on biodiversity, socioeconomic development level, and socioeconomic development rate were, respectively, IV > II > III > I, I > III > II > IV and III >I >II >IV. The spatial strategy on coordinating biodiversity conservation and regional development is to develop mainly from the east(I, II, III) and to conserve mainly in the west(IV). Eco-industry, such as eco-tourism and eco-agriculture, need to be emphasized in the process of regional development. The quantitative methods used here may have a wide applicability.     

Familial breast/ovarian cancer and BRCA1/2 genetic screening: the role of immunohistochemistry as an additional method in the selection of patients.

Only 20-25% of families screened for BRCA1/2 mutations are found positive. Because only a positive result is informative, we studied the role of BRCA1/2 immunohistochemistry as an additional method for patient selection. From 53 high-risk-affected probands, 18 (34%) had available paraffin blocks of their tumors and were selected for this study. Mutation screening was done by conformation-sensitive gel electrophoresis and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. For immunohistochemistry, 21 neoplastic specimens (15 breast carcinomas, 5 ovary neoplasms, and 1 rectal adenocarcinoma) were analyzed with BRCA1 (monoclonal antibody, Ab-1, oncogene) and BRCA2 (polyclonal antibody, Ab-2, oncogene) antibodies. Absence of the BRCA1 protein was confirmed in negative tumors by Western blotting. Seven patients were positive for BRCA1/2 mutations: 5 for BRCA1 and 2 for BRCA2. Four out of five positive patients had tumors negative for BRCA1 immunostaining, and the remaining 13 BRCA1-negative patients had positive BRCA1 immunostaining in all tumor samples. Sensitivity to predict for BRCA1 mutation carriers was 80%, and specificity was 100%, with a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 93%. This correlation was statistically significant (p=0.001). No correlation was observed for BRCA2. If larger studies confirm these results, high-risk patients with BRCA1-negative tumors should be screened first for this gene.     

A conserved sequence in caveolin-1 is both necessary and sufficient for caveolin polarity and cell directional migration

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) plays an important role in the organization of signaling molecules involved in a variety of signaling pathways, including those mediating cell motility. Here we show that amino acids K47-K57 of Cav-1 are a highly conserved sequence in Cav-1 and Cav-3 proteins, and that expression of either K47-K57 deletion Cav-1 mutant or wild-type Cav-2 that lacks this sequence exhibits a non-polarized distribution pattern. Expression of K47-K57 in Cav-2 leads to Cav-2 polarity, suggesting that expression of K47-K57 is sufficient to direct caveolin polarity. Importantly, we show that expression of this sequence is both necessary and sufficient to promote cell directional migration. Thus, our results support the conclusion that Cav-1 polarity is critical for cell directional migration.     

Determinants of Land Degradation and Fragmentation in Semiarid Vegetation at Landscape Scale

The objective of this paper was to investigate the sensitivity to degradation of semiarid plant communities in terms of plant cover and fragmentation, quantifying relationships between landscape characteristic (physical, socio-economical and historical) and vegetation degradation. The degradation of vegetation was measured as the degree of coverage of the two dominant vegetation types (i.e. tall arid brush and tall grass steppe), while fragmentation was measured as patch size and isolation. Data were obtained using GIS tools, and analyzed by logistic regression and linear multivariate regression. Results showed denser coverage at more elevated, gradual slopes that were not sea-oriented. Historical elements of the landscape had a significant effect on current natural vegetation. According to the fragmentation patterns, the vegetation is in fairly good condition (medium coverage had the largest patches but dense coverage was less isolated) but attention must be given to preserve vegetation, due to the relationships between fragmentation and human activities. Moreover, the protection plan under way in the area appeared to favour denser vegetation cover, while human activities had a measurable effect on vegetation degradation.     

Microsatellites from the vairone Leuciscus souffia (Pisces: Cyprinidae) and their application to closely related species

Eleven microsatellites were isolated from the vairone Leuciscus souffia (Risso 1826), an endangered fish that inhabits river systems in and around the Alps in Europe. The level of genetic diversity was assessed in 29 individuals of the subspecies L. s. souffia, and their variability was further estimated in seven individuals of a different subspecies, L. s. muticellus. Eight of these microsatellite loci were also applied to seven closely related cyprinid species. Availability of the reported microsatellite loci will facilitate the investigation of population genetic structure of these species with applications for the development of conservation strategies and phylogeographical approaches.