Data from: The impact of translocations on neutral and functional genetic diversity within and among populations of the Seychelles warbler

Translocations are an increasingly common tool in conservation. The maintenance of genetic diversity through translocation is critical for both the short and long term persistence of populations and species. However, the relative spatio-temporal impacts of translocations on neutral and functional genetic diversity and how this affects genetic structure among the conserved populations overall has received little investigation. We compared the impact of translocating different numbers of founders on both microsatellite and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I diversity over a 23-year period in the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). We found low and stable microsatellite and MHC diversity in the source population and evidence for only a limited loss of either type of diversity in the four new populations. However, we found evidence of significant, but low to moderate, genetic differentiation between populations with those populations established with fewer founders clustered separately. Stochastic genetic capture (as opposed to subsequent drift) was the main determinant of translocated population diversity. Further, a strong correlation between microsatellite and MHC differentiation suggested that neutral processes outweighed selection in shaping MHC diversity in the new populations. These data provide important insights into how to optimise the use of translocation as a conservation tool.

物种易地移殖（translocation）是当前保护工作中愈发常用的手段。通过易地移殖维持遗传多样性，对于种群与物种的短期及长期存续均至关重要。然而，现有研究极少关注易地移殖对中性遗传多样性与功能遗传多样性的相对时空影响，以及此类影响如何整体塑造保育种群间的遗传结构。本研究以塞舌尔苇莺（Acrocephalus sechellensis）为研究对象，对比了23年间使用不同数量奠基者个体进行易地移殖，对微卫星（microsatellite）与主要组织相容性复合体I类（major histocompatibility complex class I，MHC）多样性的影响。研究发现，源种群的微卫星与MHC多样性水平较低且维持稳定，四个新建种群仅出现两种遗传多样性类型的小幅流失。但同时发现，种群间存在显著但程度为低至中等的遗传分化，且使用较少奠基者建立的种群会单独聚为一类。随机遗传捕获（stochastic genetic capture，而非后续发生的遗传漂变）是决定移殖种群遗传多样性水平的主要因素。此外，微卫星与MHC遗传分化间存在显著相关性，这表明在新建种群的MHC多样性塑造过程中，中性过程的作用强于选择作用。本研究数据为如何优化易地移殖这一保护手段的应用提供了重要参考。