The Consequences of Demographic Reduction and Genetic Depletion in the Endagered Florida Panther

Roelke, Melody; Martenson, Janice; O'Brien, Stephen

The Florida panther has recently suffered severe range and demographic contraction, leaving a remarkably low level of genetic diversity. This exerts a severe fitness cost, manifested by spermatozoal defects, cryptorchidism, cardiac abnormalities and infectious diseases that threaten the survival. of the subspecies. The recent expansive development and spread of human populations has precipitated the highest rate of species extinction since the demise of the dinosaurs [1-4]. Recognizing these events, national and international conventions have been established to identify and conserve endangered species [5-8]. Dwindling populations of endangered species have been suspected to suffer primarily from stochastic demographic factors (such as altered sex ratios and accidental moralities), reproductive decline and disease outbreaks [9-13]. In addition, small populations often undergo inbreeding, despite instinctive avoidance of matings with close relatives. This can result in the expression of rare, normally cryptic deleterious alleles that contribute to developmental, reproductive and immunological impairments [14-22]. Close observation of the extinction process in lost species has been rare, and evidence for the various causal components has been inferential or correlative, so that conclusions as to the causes of species extinction could only be tentative. In this review we summarize previously published and new data about the population genetic variability. reproductive function and physiological fitness of populations of the Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi), a subspecies in imminent danger of extinction, and argue for the relevance of these observations to attempt to conserve the subspecies.

The Consequences of Demographic Reduction and Genetic Depletion in the Endagered Florida Panther

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