GENETIC-STRUCTURE, METAPOPULATION PROCESSES AND EVOLUTION INFLUENCE THE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR 2 ENDANGERED FROG SPECIES

The survival and continued evolution of a species is a pivotal tenet o f conservation biology. Therefore, we need to understand the factors a ffecting survival and evolution of species to conserve them adequately . In this study I use allozyme electrophoresis to investigate the meta population structure and evolutionary processes that operate within th e endangered frog species Geocrinia alba and G. vitellina. Genetically , G. alba and G. vitellina are highly subdivided. A number of intraspe cific genetic groups can be recognised, although even within these gro ups there are significant differences in allele frequencies among popu lations. These differences imply that migration between populations is likely to be extremely restricted if it occurs at all. The intraspeci fic genetic patterns suggest an evolutionary history of population bot tlenecks followed by range expansion. Therefore, in the short term nei ther species exists as a metapopulation. However, at a larger time sca le, migration, extinction and recolonisation may be central to the evo lution and survival of both species. Maintenance of these processes is a challenge to which conservation managers must rise for the criteria of long-term survival and evolution to be met. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.