Habitat predictors of genetic diversity for two sympatric wetland-breeding amphibian species.

摘要: Population genetic diversity is widely accepted as important to the conservation and management of wildlife. However, habitat features may differentially affect evolutionary processes that facilitate population among sympatric species. We measured for two pond-breeding amphibian species (Dwarf salamanders, Eurycea quadridigitata; Southern Leopard frogs, Lithobates sphenocephalus) understand how characteristics spatial scale across a landscape. Samples were collected from wetlands on longleaf pine reserve in Georgia. genotyped microsatellite loci both assess structures determine which most closely associated with observed heterozygosity rarefied allelic richness. Both exhibited significant structure; however, structure frogs was driven primarily by one outlier site. Dwarf salamander richness greater at sites less surrounding road area within 0.5 km more wetland 1.0 2.5 km, 0.5 km. In contrast, neither measure frog any we evaluated. Genetic strongly land cover variables up 2.5 km away breeding wetlands, and/or results suggest minimizing roads buffers be beneficial maintenance diversity. This study suggests patterns differentiation have associations different scales syntopic