Endangered Species Research | |
Restoration and intensive management have no effect on evolutionary strategies | |
Thomas Cornulier1  Zbigniew A. Krasiński1  Jerzy Dackiewicz1  Matt W. Hayward1  Rafał Kowalczyk1  Małgorzata Krasińska1  | |
关键词: Body condition; Local resource competition hypothesis; Maternal investment; Reproductive success; Sex ratio manipulation; Trivers-Willard hypothesis; European bison; Ungulates; | |
DOI : 10.3354/esr00371 | |
学科分类:动物科学 | |
来源: Inter-Research | |
【 摘 要 】
ABSTRACT: The European bison Bison bonasus is the largest extant terrestrial mammal on the European continent; however, the species went extinct in the wild in 1919. Restoration started in 1929 in Poland’s Białowiez˙a Primeval Forest using captive individuals sourced from zoological gardens and breeding centres. Of the 7 founders, 2 individuals contributed 85% to the genetic make-up of the lowland line of the species. The Białowiez˙a bison population numbered 820 in 2008, but very low genetic diversity and a high level of management have raised questions as to whether it still conforms to evolutionary predictions. We tested whether the sex ratio of European bison calves conformed to the Trivers-Willard hypothesis at the population level, i.e. whether it became increasingly female-biased as bison condition deteriorated following increased population density. We found that increased population density and reduced female body mass led to increasing female-biased calf sex ratios, whereas mast years (abundant food resources) corresponded to male-biased sex ratios. Despite the high degree of inbreeding and management, European bison are still responding as expected to variations in female body condition; however, the precautionary principle cautions managers of small populations that artificial selection can alter the evolutionary strategy of wildlife even though we did not detect this in theBiałowiez˙a bison population.
【 授权许可】
Unknown
【 预 览 】
Files | Size | Format | View |
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RO201912080708640ZK.pdf | 404KB | download |