The present status and main threats to the future viability of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Pola... more The present status and main threats to the future viability of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Poland were evaluated. The remaining 80- 90 individuals are found only in the Carpathian Mountains and feed on a variety natural foods, but occasionally kill livestock and cause damage to beehives. Several factors including poaching, local development, logging patterns, and increasing tourism may contribute considerably to the reduced viability of the population. Successful bear conservation will require collection of basic ecological data, wider public education, and especially changes in logging patterns and long-term local development plans. The coordination of bear research and joint management of the Carpathian population in the region is urgent. Ursus 10:81-86 Poland has a small brown bear population, whose dis- tribution is limited to the Polish Carpathian Mountains. Although bears are legally protected there, their small numbers (n < 100) and the intensity of development make thei...
ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Noninvasive genetic monitoring of animal populations has become a widely used m... more ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Noninvasive genetic monitoring of animal populations has become a widely used method in animal conservation and wildlife management due to its known advantages in sample availability of endangered or elusive species. A variety of methods have been suggested to overcome the difficulties of collecting reliable genetic data despite poor DNA quality and quantity of samples. We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to quantify DNA contents and preselect extracts suitable for microsatellite genotyping of noninvasive samples from 2 carnivore species, wolf (Canis lupus) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). We tested 2 concentration thresholds for DNA extracts containing either 5 pg/μL or 25 pg/μL at minimum and evaluated the effect of excluding samples from genotyping falling below either of these DNA concentrations. Depending on species and threshold concentration applied, we reduced the genotyping effort by 21% to 47% and genotyping errors by 7% to 45%, yet we could still detect 82% to 99% of available genotypes. Thus, qPCR may potentially reduce genotyping effort and enhance data reliability in noninvasive genetic studies. Genetic laboratories working on noninvasive population genetic studies could transfer this approach to other species, streamline genetic analyses and, thus, more efficiently provide wildlife managers with reliable genetic data of wild populations.
The present status and main threats to the future viability of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Pola... more The present status and main threats to the future viability of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Poland were evaluated. The remaining 80- 90 individuals are found only in the Carpathian Mountains and feed on a variety natural foods, but occasionally kill livestock and cause damage to beehives. Several factors including poaching, local development, logging patterns, and increasing tourism may contribute considerably to the reduced viability of the population. Successful bear conservation will require collection of basic ecological data, wider public education, and especially changes in logging patterns and long-term local development plans. The coordination of bear research and joint management of the Carpathian population in the region is urgent. Ursus 10:81-86 Poland has a small brown bear population, whose dis- tribution is limited to the Polish Carpathian Mountains. Although bears are legally protected there, their small numbers (n < 100) and the intensity of development make thei...
ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Noninvasive genetic monitoring of animal populations has become a widely used m... more ABSTRACT ABSTRACT Noninvasive genetic monitoring of animal populations has become a widely used method in animal conservation and wildlife management due to its known advantages in sample availability of endangered or elusive species. A variety of methods have been suggested to overcome the difficulties of collecting reliable genetic data despite poor DNA quality and quantity of samples. We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to quantify DNA contents and preselect extracts suitable for microsatellite genotyping of noninvasive samples from 2 carnivore species, wolf (Canis lupus) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). We tested 2 concentration thresholds for DNA extracts containing either 5 pg/μL or 25 pg/μL at minimum and evaluated the effect of excluding samples from genotyping falling below either of these DNA concentrations. Depending on species and threshold concentration applied, we reduced the genotyping effort by 21% to 47% and genotyping errors by 7% to 45%, yet we could still detect 82% to 99% of available genotypes. Thus, qPCR may potentially reduce genotyping effort and enhance data reliability in noninvasive genetic studies. Genetic laboratories working on noninvasive population genetic studies could transfer this approach to other species, streamline genetic analyses and, thus, more efficiently provide wildlife managers with reliable genetic data of wild populations.
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Papers by Roman Gula