Meeting Abstract
At a time when biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, it is encouraging that the technology and data afforded to conservation biologists continues to increase. Assessment of fine scale shifts in species distributions and the processes of dispersal and gene flow are made possible by the availability of multilocus molecular markers. Herein, genetic variation was assessed in two species of kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ordii and D. elator) to identify such patterns. Of the two kangaroo rat species we examined, D. elator is endemic to Texas, and is a soil specialist whose population is likely declining due to land use change. Demographic differences influenced by population size are expected to be reflected in the genome of each species. We compared the genetic variability of 59 individuals from eight counties in Texas using a variant of restriction-site associated DNA marker sequencing (RAD-Seq). Individuals were assigned to population clusters using STRUCTURE. Landscape complexity was characterized using a series of models to identify potential barriers to gene flow. Our results suggest that despite differences in ecology, behavior and evolutionary history between these two species, their gene flow response to the complex landscape of the Texas Rolling Plains is similar. Furthermore, we propose that we can evaluate barriers to connectivity in a threatened kangaroo rat species using a more widespread surrogate. Such an approach will provide biologists the unique opportunity to test hypotheses that otherwise may be unfeasible with small, threatened populations and can enable the development of conservation strategies and investigative frameworks that better manage and conserve imperiled species, such as the Texas kangaroo rat.
