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Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998)
Thesis (PhD (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2016.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1867613624856477696 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Bloomer, Paulette |
| author_browse | Bloomer, Paulette |
| author_facet | Bloomer, Paulette |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Thesis (PhD (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2016. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/109998 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:39:06.697Z |
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| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/109998 Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) Bloomer, Paulette ilewigs@yahoo.com Hansson, Bengt Abalaka, Jacinta Rock firefinch Microsatellites Nuclear sequences Population genetics Phylogeograpghy Thesis (PhD (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2016. The recent expansion of the human population results in fragmentation and loss of suitable habitat for many species, posing a major threat to biodiversity. Fragmentation reduces connectivity between populations and the remaining populations are more prone to inbreeding and genetic drift, both of which result in loss of genetic variation. Genetic variation is ultimately necessary for adaptation to changing environments. Therefore, assessing the genetic variation and differentiation of populations are important means to determine status of species in general, and among species occurring in fragmented and human influenced habitat in particular. With the use of genetic markers, genetic variation and population fragmentation v can be estimated and the rate of dispersal inferred. Conservation genetics has thus become an important component in conservation decision-making. The Rock Firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis) is a recently described estrildid finch with a restricted range in parts of Nigeria and Cameroon. It is a habitat specialist, with strong preference for rocky habitats, hence has a naturally patchy distribution. This species is under pressure from the human population expansion. Moreover, the Rock Firefinch is the specific host to an obligate brood parasite, the Jos Plateau Indigobird (Vidua maryae). The small range of both species makes an assessment of the genetic status of the Rock Firefinch an urgent matter. In this thesis, I used molecular markers (microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear sequences) to infer population structure, gene flow and phylogeography of the Rock Firefinch, and to compare the species’ level of genetic variation to a widespread sister species. This is the first population genetics study of the Rock Firefinch, and therefore suitable molecular markers had to be identified. I detected twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci that were used to assess the genetic status of populations in the core area in Nigeria, and then also over a larger range in Nigeria and Cameroon. I found similar levels of heterozygosity (HE) and low to moderate inbreeding coefficients (FIS) across the studied populations. All populations were genetically differentiated from each other, although population farthest from the core of the species' distribution (Jos Plateau) – in particular the Cameroonian population – was also the most differentiated, based on pairwise FST and Dest values. This pattern was also supported by other analyses, including genetic clustering analysis. Several results in this study suggest that there existed historical gene flow between the Nigerian populations, and between Nigeria and Cameroon, whereas tests for recent migration revealed recently restricted gene flow. Phylogeographic analysis of mtDNA sequences revealed significant genetic differentiation between Nigeria and Cameroon. Further analysis traced the time these vi populations diverged to 35,000 years ago. Finally, a comparison between the Rock Firefinch and a closely related species, the Red-billed Firefinch (L. senegala), unexpectedly detected similar levels of nucleotide diversity in the two species, which indicates similar long-term effective population sizes despite the extreme difference in current population sizes. My results indicate that Rock Firefinch populations are genetically differentiated and experience low to moderate levels of gene flow, which may be linked to recent urban development. This necessitates further genetic monitoring of the species to understand the progression and implications of the genetic effects recorded in this study. My results are also valuable in the context of other range-restricted species occupying naturally or humanimpacted fragmented habitats. Genetics PhD (Genetics) 2026-05-15T17:26:00Z 2026-05-15T17:26:00Z 18/01/12 2016 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109998 en application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Rock firefinch Microsatellites Nuclear sequences Population genetics Phylogeograpghy Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title | Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title_full | Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title_fullStr | Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title_short | Population structure and conservation genetics of the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis (Payne 1998) |
| title_sort | population structure and conservation genetics of the rock firefinch lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis payne 1998 |
| topic | Rock firefinch Microsatellites Nuclear sequences Population genetics Phylogeograpghy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109998 |