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| Conservation Genome Resource Bank (CGRB; www.cgrb.org) for Korean Wildlife |
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| Genome resource samples of wild animals, particularly those of endangered mammalian and avian species, are very difficult to collect. In Korea, many of these animals such as tigers, leopards, bears, wolves, foxes, gorals, and river otters, are either already extinct, long before the Korean biologists had the opportunity to study them, or are near extinction. Therefore, proposal for a systematic collection and preservation of genetic samples of these precious animals was adopted by Korea Science & Engineering Foundation (KOSEF). As an outcome, Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife (CGRB; www.cgrb.org) was established in 2002 at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University as one of the Special Research Materials Bank supported by the Scientific and Research Infrastructure Building Program of KOSEF. CGRB operates in collaboration with Seoul Grand Park Zoo managed by Seoul Metropolitan Government, and has offices and laboratories at both Seoul National University and Seoul Grand Park, where duplicate samples are maintained, thereby assuring a long-term, safe preservation of the samples. Thus, CGRB is the first example of the collaborative scientific infrastructure program between university and zoo in Korea. The genome resource samples to be collected are tissues, blood, DNA, somatic and germ cells, and semen from mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles including endangered species of Korea. CGRB collects genetic samples with the help from field wildlife researchers, wildlife rescue NGOs and veterinarians, zoos, animal hospitals, and wildlife?related government organizations Conservation genetics is becoming more and more an important part of the conservation biology. Definition of management units within species may be aided through genetic studies on the taxonomy of the endangered species or population. In addition, researches on genetic diversity of wildlife help to identify genetically deteriorated populations and to establish better management plans for the conservation and recovery of the endangered populations. However, researches in this discipline require genetic samples from endangered species, necessitating the application of Genome Resource Bank as an essential tool of conservation genetics. The semen, eggs, embryos, and cells preserved in CGRB may be used to assist in the reproduction of endangered species at zoos or those of the wild populations. Cryopreserved semen could be easily transported between zoos and fragmented habitats for artificial insemination to help prevent inbreeding in small populations. Because wildlife health is highly intertwined with those of the livestock and human, comprising parts of the whole ecological health system, wildlife disease research using samples preserved in CGRB may also serve both the health and welfare of human and livestock. |
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| The Role of Genetics and Genetic Resource Bank in Wildlife Conservation | |
| Conservation Genome Resource Bank (CGRB) for Korean Wildlife, Seoul National University Hang Lee |
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| Conservation biology, aimed at reversing or reducing the rate of species extinction and conserving biodiversity, has two distinctive characteristics; the first being that it is a time?limited science, and the second that it is a truly multidisciplinary science. Therefore, at times practitioners of conservation biology have to take actions without sufficient information and should work together with scientists and experts in various fields, bureaucrats, local people, and parties directly involved. Recently, conservation genetics, which applies genetic principles and techniques towards solving the crisis of global decline in biodiversity, has emerged as an important part of conservation biology. There are basically five fields in which genetics may contribute to the conservation of species. First, knowledge and studies on genetics can reduce the extinction risk by providing appropriate population management program to minimize inbreeding depression and decrease of genetic diversity. Many small, endangered wild or captive populations in ex situ conservation centers such as zoos frequently show higher levels of inbreeding and lower genetic diversity. Inbreeding decreases reproductive and survival rates, thereby resulting in direct increases in the extinction risk. Decreased genetic diversity also reduces the ability of a population to adapt to environmental changes, thus decreasing its long?term survival rate. A well known example of a population with reduced survival rate caused by decreases in inbreeding and genetic diversity is the case of Florida panther population. Research on this endangered population revealed deleterious effects of inbreeding depression such as reductions in the quantity and quality of sperm (O'Brien et al., 1990). Based on these results, the conservation authorities were able to overcome the adverse effects of inbreeding by introducing individuals from the genetically related Texas population. Even though a systematic study has not yet been performed, Asiatic black bear population in Jirisan, Korea is presumed to be suffering from inbreeding depression, because the population size is estimated to be less than five or six individuals. Twenty years henceforth, the persistence probability of the Jirisan population is less than 50%, as revealed through a simulation analysis at the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) workshop held in 2001, sponsored by Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) of IUCN/SSC (Lee et al., 2001). On the basis of the PHVA results, the Korean Ministry of Environment and National Parks Authority are promoting a project aimed at reintroducing genetically close individuals to the original bear population of Jirisan. Second, genetic marker analysis would allow identification of populations with genetic health problems by comparing genetic diversities of different populations. Population structure and gene flow among populations could be investigated through population genetic approach, resulting in the better management of fragmented populations. Third, genetics helps to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and to establish management units within species. Accurate classification of endangered species will allow understanding of the species biology and identification of distinct populations that should be managed separately, and, by preventing hybridization among different subspecies or management units, ultimately result in the conservation of populations best adapted to the local ecological conditions. A recent study on the molecular phylogenetics of Korean gorals (Amur gorals) revealed that Korean gorals are most closely related to Russian gorals (Primorsky region), and differ from Chinese gorals and Japanese serows. These results emphasize the importance of conserving Korean and Russian gorals, which are genetically distinct from other gorals. In addition, genetic similarity between Russian and Korean gorals implies that, considering the paucity of research on Korean gorals, the ecological data accumulated on Russian gorals may be directly applied to the conservation planning of Korean gorals (Min et al., 2002). Ideally, individuals chosen for supplementation to the Jirisan bear population should be of the same subspecies or management unit as the original population, and, in this regard, molecular genetic assessment through mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis or nuclear marker analysis could be valuable in identifying candidates for reintroduction. Accurate classification of species and subspecies will prevent confusions in the interpretation and implementation of laws by clearly defining the protected species or subspecies when enacting laws for the protection of endangered species. Fourth, molecular genetic analysis using DNA samples collected through non?invasive methods (hairs or feces) may be applied towards individual identification, sexing, and acquiring information on reproductive structures, population structures, population size, levels of genetic diversity, and home range, which are very important for conservation planning; for example, the size, sex ratio, and home range of endangered brown bear population in Pyrenean mountains determined through the analysis of DNA from scat samples played valuable roles in the formulation of conservation plan for the population (Taberlet et al., 1997). Fifth, molecular genetics may contribute to the implementation of laws for the protection of endangered species. For example, DNA analysis can be applied to determine whether the sources used for Chinese traditional medicine, specimen, and meat products originated from livestock or from endangered species. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNAs have been analyzed to identify the origin and protection status of whale products sold in Japanese and Korean markets (Palumbi and Cipriano, 1998). Genetic samples are essential materials for the study of conservation genetics. However, because the species under study itself is endangered, collection of samples requires broad and persistent efforts. In particular, capturing of medium? to large?sized mammals or birds may be dangerous or difficult to both the animals and researchers. Thus, DNA banks which enable systematical collection, preservation, and distribution of samples for present and future conservation geneticists have been proposed (Ryder et al., 2000). These samples will play a vital role in the studies of conservation genetics, biodiversity, taxonomy, and comparative genomics. Consequently, Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife (CGRB; www.cgrb.org) was established in 2002 at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University as one of the Special Research Materials Bank supported by the Scientific and Research Infrastructure Building Program of Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF). CGRB operates in collaboration with Seoul GrandPark Zoo of Seoul Metropo litan Government, and has dualoffice and laboratory at Seoul National University and Seoul Grand Park, thereby greatly increasing the stabilityof the samples collected. Thus, CGRB is the first example of the collaborative scientific infrastructure program between university and zoo in Korea. The genome resource samples to be collected are tissues, blood, DNA, somatic and germ cells, and semen from mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, including endangered species, in Korea. CGRB collects genetic samples with the help of field wildlife researchers, wildlife rescue NGOs and veterinarians, zoos, animal hospitals, and wildlife?related government organizations. These samples are classified and preserved in deep freezers or liquid nitrogen, and all information on the samples and species is open to interested researchers through webpage DB. In addition, the bank conducts its own conservation genetics research on endangered animal species in Korea. The collected samples may also serve as research materials for wildlife disease studies. Because wildlife health is highly intertwined with those of livestock and human, wildlife disease research using samples preserved in CGRB may also serve health and welfare of human and livestock. The interrelationship of animal, human, and ecological health is symbolized in Figure 1.
Frankham R, Ballou JD, and Briscoe DA. 2002. Introduction to Conservation Genetics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK O'Brien SJ. A role for molecular genetics in biological conservation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1994. 91:5748-5755. O'Brien SJ. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of endangered species. Annu. Rev. Genet. 1994. 28:467-489. O'Brien SJ, Roelke ME, Yuhki N, Richards KW, Johnson WE, Franklin WL, Anderson AE, Bass OLJ, Belden RC and Martenson JS. 1990. Genetic introgression within the Florida panther Felis concolor coryi. Natl. Geogr. Res. 6:485-494. |
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References |
| 1. Asiatic Black Bear PHVA (Population Habitaion Viability Analysis) | |
| 2. Symposium on Cooperation between Korea and Mongolia for Wildlife Conservation | |
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