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?