Post on 31-Dec-2015
New Tools for Wildlife Research
DNA: The Future of Wildlife & Fish Conservation in the 21st CenturyDr. Christopher Kyle, Associate Professor, Forensic Science Department
Genomic Tools• Next generation sequencing (NGS)-
masses of data generated time/cost effectively
• Revolutionizing understanding of our natural world-personalized human medicine-beginning to extend to wildlife research
• Move from correlative genetic patterns to causative relationships between genes and environment
Genome Sequencing-reveals unique cod immune system-sequence of extinct woolly mammoth
Transcriptome-tame and aggressive silver fox
Mutation Analysis-differential methylation of brain DNA in queens and workers
-easier to put puzzle togetherSMRT Sequencing
Adaptation to Wildlife Disease• Climatic changes altering disease
mechanisms, introducing new diseases and disease vectors
• Capacity for species to respond/adapt to rapid changes in environment?
• Assist in developing management/ surveillance strategies for disease
Raccoon Rabies
-Recent rapid spread of disease (0-60 years)
-Few barriers to dispersal
-Much genetic variation at immune genes, more in south
-Only weak patterns suggesting adaptation to disease
-Recent rapid spread of disease (0-60 years)
-Few barriers to dispersal
-Much genetic variation at immune genes, more in south
-Only weak patterns suggesting adaptation to disease
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD)• viral disease of white-tailed deer, transmitted by midges
that are expanding range northwards each year
• clinical signs highly variable in nature and severity.
EHD up to 2003
Implications?• Understand capacity for species to adapt
to changes to environment
• Refines disease control strategies
• Provide information for predictive, NOT responsive actions
• Technology rapidly expanding, need for human resources to generate, analyze and interpret these data
• Transferable/marketable skills-industry-medicine-conservation
• Attract/keep highly trained individuals with permanent well-paid positions
• Infrastructure – with funding for upkeep and personnel
• University support for wildlife genetic initiatives to promote leadership in field
• Continue to build on strong, successful OMNR collaborations
Needs for Success?