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Repeated Habitat Disturbances by Fire Decrease Local Effective Population Size.

Aaron W Schrey1, Alexandria K Ragsdale2, Earl D McCoy2

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Fire disturbances significantly impact the genetic diversity and population size of Florida Sand Skinks. Optimal effective population size is linked to longer fire-free intervals, suggesting adaptation to natural fire regimes.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Population genetics
  • Ecology
  • Conservation biology

Background:

  • Effective population size (Ne) is crucial for understanding population genetics and is influenced by habitat characteristics.
  • Habitat fragmentation and disturbance, particularly fire in Florida scrub, can significantly alter gene flow and Ne.
  • The Florida Sand Skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) is a species of conservation concern in a threatened, fragmented habitat.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of fire timing, frequency, and intervals on the effective population size of the Florida Sand Skink.
  • To correlate fire history with population abundance and the ratio of effective population size to census size.
  • To understand how natural fire dynamics influence genetic characteristics in fragmented landscapes.

Main Methods:

  • Microsatellite loci analysis of 604 Florida Sand Skinks across 12 locations.
  • Utilizing detailed fire records from Archbold Biological Station dating back to 1967.
  • Statistical analysis to determine relationships between fire metrics (timing, number, intervals) and population genetic parameters.

Main Results:

  • Effective population size was higher in areas unburned for over 10 years and decreased with increased fire frequency and shorter fire intervals.
  • Population abundance mirrored Ne, increasing with time-since-fire and decreasing with more frequent fires.
  • The ratio of effective population size to census size was higher in recently burned sites, decreasing with longer time since the last fire.

Conclusions:

  • Fire-based habitat disturbances significantly influence the genetic structure and effective population size of local populations.
  • Florida Sand Skinks exhibit adaptation to the natural fire dynamics essential for maintaining Florida scrub ecosystems.
  • Fire management strategies are critical for conserving the genetic health and viability of this species.