Genetic Criteria for Reserve Selection
This aim of this project is to use genetic data to find better ways of selecting areas for reserves such as National Parks. To this end, we're looking at the genetics of a number different lizard species in Northern NSW.
The importance of conserving the genetic component of biodiversity for the long-term evolutionary potential of a species is widely recognised. Natural reserves have a major role to play in this conservation. The selection of areas for inclusion in the reserve system is based, in both the national and state biodiversity strategies, on the principles of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness. How genetic data may be used with these principles to rank different geographic areas is, however, unclear. The long-term aim of this project is to formulate guidelines for the use of genetic data in reserve selection by testing the utility of ranking metrics for geographically isolated populations of reptiles. The project is concentrated on the northwestern slopes and tablelands of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, which is one of the most heavily modified regions in the country.
Three large-scale field trips have resulted in over 1,400 specimens of some twenty nominal species. Many specimens held in the Museum's frozen tissue collection are also being used. Methods include *protein electrophoresis, *SSCP screening of Cytochrome-b haplotypes and *DNA sequencing of the same.
The project is funded by the NSW Government Policy Enhancement Programme, through the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research
Project leader
Dr Don Colgan
Project officer
Denis O'Meally
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