Estimation of the genetic diversity of white-lipped and collared peccaries (Tayassu pecari and Pecari tajacu) from Taboco region (Corguinho, MS)

• Grant number: 11/13960-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Cibele Biondo
• Grantee: Flávia Maria Appolinário da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 07/03392-6 - Effects of the defaunation gradient on plant herbivory, seed predation and dispersal: the Atlantic Rainforest perspective, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Brazilian fauna has been constantly threatened by deforestation and forest fragmentation. Populations become fragmented and it causes impacts on their genetic diversity. As a result of fragmentation process, the population size may become reduced, which is a risk to population survival since small populations or in declining are more susceptible to extinction than large and stable populations. In this work, we will estimate the genetic diversity of collared and white-lipped peccaries (Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari) from Corguinho region (MS), a fragmented area, and compare both species in relation to these parameters. We will extract the DNA and amplify six microsatellite polymorphic loci, developed for white-lipped and tested in collared peccaries, for 72 hair samples from white-lipped and 67 from collared peccaries. Products which successfully amplified will be genotyped on an automated sequencer. With the individuals identified, we will estimate the genetic diversity (number of alleles, allelic richness, expected and observed heterozygosity) and the inbreeding coefficient, FIS, for both species. In addition, we will also verify if the populations have been suffered a recent bottleneck using the tests implemented in the software Bottleneck.