Landscape genetic structure of coastal tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei) in protected vs. managed forests
Spear SF and Storfer A. 2008. Landscape genetic structure of coastal tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei) in protected vs. managed forests. Molecular Ecology. 17(21):4642-4656
From the Abstract: "Habitat loss and fragmentation are the leading causes of species' declines and extinctions. A key component of studying populations response to habtat alteration is to understand how fragmentation affects population connectivity in disturbed landscapes. We used landscape genetic analyses to determine how habitat fragmentation due to timber harvest affects genetic population connectivity of the coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei), a forest-dwelling, stream-breeding amphibian. We compared rates of gene flow across old-growth (Olympic National Park) and logged landscapes (Olympic National Forest) and used spatial autoregression to estimate the effect of landscape variables on genetic structure. ... Collectively, this research suggests that absence of forest (whether due to natural or anthropogenic changes) is a key restrictor of genetic connectivity and that intact forested patches in the surrounding environment are necessary for continued gene flow and population connectivity."
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Spear, Stephen; Storfer, Andrew
- Units
- OLYM
- Keywords
- Genetics, Habitat Fragmentation, Old-Growth Forest, Olympic National Park, Tailed frog (Ascaphus truei)