1. Species conservation strategies Talbotiella gentii: genetic variation and conservation David Boshier, Daniel Dompreh and Mike Swaine

3. 100km MSD ME WE D SD SM Krobo Worobong Bandai Hills Yongwa Sapawsu Forest Reserves in Ghana and distribution of Talbotiella gentii Dompreh, 2008

4. Records of Talbotiella populations in Ghana Red dots = Extant populations, Yellow dots = Extinct populations.

6. Sapawsu

7. Yogaga Bandai

8. Yongwa

9. Talbotiella gentii 15 of 28 populations now extinct Most of those extinct are outside reserves Threats inside and outside reserves from fires, firewood cutting Populations range in size from 2-500 adult trees

10. 1982 1990 2005 Damage of Talbotiella population at Krobo mountain from fire and fuelwood exploitation over 23 years

11. Aburi Botanical Gardens

12. Conservation alternatives Preservation of actual diversity Conservation of evolutionary potential Mantain options for future generations, while satisfying present needs

14. How big is “big enough”? 50/500 rule (Franklin 1980) 50 - inbreeding depression to acceptable level 500 - sufficient for new variation from mutation to replace that lost by genetic drift effective population size (N e ) more critical than survey numbers (N) - may need 5,000! in trees N e smaller than N due to: overlapping generations, dioecy, asynchronous flowering, fecundity differences between individuals

15. Where should we conserve? In situ - reserve system of undisturbed, protected areas within natural distribution (ecosystem based) Ex situ - artificial maintenance of populations outside natural distribution (species based) In situ Ex situ

16. Conservation of biodiversity in situ : trees as a paradigm Ideal reserve model Emphasis: large, continuous, protected areas Limitations: location, size, security, biology: –movement of animals –extensive distribution of many species –gene flow between populations –upland, non agricultural areas essential but not sufficient

17. Conservation of biodiversity ex situ : methods and limitations Seed banks - problems of regeneration Plantations - changes in gene frequencies, few populations Botanical gardens - deficiencies for gene pool conservation

18. Useful, but resources limit application to few species (usually commercial) Last possibility holding for highly endangered species Complementary to other approaches Conservation of biodiversity ex situ : methods and limitations

20. Bottleneck  genetic drift

21. Table 3 Within population genetic variability in Talbotiella gentii, estimated by percentage of polymorphic loci for 83 RAPDs polymorphic bands (8 primers) PopulationPopulation sizeNo. of samples% polymorphic loci Abiriwapong Botriansa Yongwa Nayom Doorkper Sapawsu Hospital Chalet Ajena Kuwere Krobo Yogoga Hotel Boobohene Oseikrom Senkyeso Kwame Addo >100 2 >100 39 21 >50 2 >50 16 >20 11 27 20 6 2 3 16 2 13 5 8 2 8 6 4 8 5 2 16.3 2.1 13.6 5.2 3.9 8.1 0.8 8.4 4.8 3.1 7.7 7.9 4.4 2.1

22. Figure 3. Effect of geographic distance of pollen source on initial fruit set in Talbotiella gentii

23. Talbotiella gentii each group summarize on wall chart paper or PowerPoint Remember - need a conservation objective - prioritize actions – resources are limited list problems by type - genetic, which pops. too small? which are different? - other types of problems which conservation methods - in situ, ex situ, circa situm? who? will do, what? where? how will you pay for it?