Mixed mating in a multi-origin population suggests high potential for genetic rescue in North Island brown kiwi, Apteryx mantelli

Reinforcement translocations are increasingly utilised in conservation with the goal of achieving genetic rescue. However, concerns regarding undesirable results, such as genetic homogenisation or replacement, are widespread. One factor influencing translocation outcomes is the rate at which the resident and the introduced individuals interbreed. Consequently, post-release mate choice is a key behaviour to consider in conservation planning. Here we studied mating, and its consequences for genomic admixture, in the North Island brown kiwi Apteryx mantelli population on Ponui Island which was founded by two translocation events over 50 years ago. The two source populations used are now recognised as belonging to two separate management units between which birds differ in size and are genetically differentiated. We examined the correlation between male and female morphometrics for 17 known pairs and quantified the relatedness of 20 pairs from this admixed population. In addition, we compar...

为实现遗传拯救（genetic rescue），强化易地保护（reinforcement translocation）正日益广泛应用于物种保护实践。然而，学界对其可能引发的不良后果——如遗传均质化（genetic homogenisation）或遗传替代（genetic replacement）——的担忧普遍存在。影响易地保护成效的关键因素之一，是本地个体与引入个体的杂交速率。因此，放归后的配偶选择行为是保护规划中必须重点考量的内容。本研究以波努伊岛（Ponui Island）的北岛褐几维鸟（Apteryx mantelli）种群为研究对象，探究其交配行为及其对基因组混合（genomic admixture）的影响；该种群于50余年前通过两次易地保护事件建立。本次研究所用的两个源种群，目前被划分为两个独立的管理单元，其个体体型存在显著差异且遗传分化明显。我们针对该混合种群中的17对已知配对，分析了雌雄个体形态计量学指标的相关性，并量化了其中20对个体的亲缘关系。此外，我们还进行了对比……