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Article
Genetic Diversity of Florida Scrub Lizards (Sceloporus woodi/) Varies with Wildfire History
Journal of Herpetology
  • Katherine Miller, Dartmouth College
  • David Tevs, Georgia Southern University
  • Lance D McBrayer, Georgia Southern University
  • Faith Loggins, Georgia Southern University
  • Emma Simpson, Georgia Southern University
  • Kyle G. Ashton, Archbold Biological Station
  • Earl D. McCoy, University of South Florida
  • Henry R. Mushinsky, University of South Florida
  • Aaron W. Schrey, Georgia Southern University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-4-2023
DOI
10.1670/21-053
Abstract

Fire shapes habitats and therefore influences the genetic characteristics of populations. Florida scrub is a fire-dependent habitat with several precinctive species, including Florida Scrub Lizards (Sceloporus woodi). Fire history of scrub patches could affect the movement patterns of Florida Scrub Lizards, thereby altering the genetic characteristics of local populations. We characterized the effect of time since fire (TSF) on genetic diversity and differentiation at 6 microsatellite loci in the Florida Scrub Lizard (n = 413) collected from 17 sites in Highlands County, Florida. Private allelic richness was positively correlated with TSF (r = 0.56, P = 0.009). In sites with a TSF of 3–17 yr, TSF was negatively correlated with expected heterozygosity (r = -0.90, P = 0.009), inbreeding (r = -0.77, P = 0.04), allelic richness (r = -0.79, P = 0.03), and private allelic richness (r = -0.80, P = 0.03); TSF was positively correlated with mean pairwise relatedness (r = 0.85, P = 0.02). Therefore, a consequence of TSF is short-term change to local population genetics that is likely precipitated by responses of Florida Scrub Lizards to habitat modification. At a TSF of >20 yr, TSF and genetic diversity were not correlated, indicating that factors other than fire shape genetic diversity in long-unburned locations. We detected genetic differentiation using Bayesian clustering and estimates of F-statistics. Our results highlight the importance of consistent fire regimes in the Florida scrub on the genetic diversity of Florida Scrub Lizards. The presence of Florida Scrub Lizard populations in long-unburned sites, however, warrants further investigation.

Comments

Georgia Southern University faculty members, Lance D. McBrayer and Aaron Schrey co-authored Genetic Diversity of Florida Scrub Lizards (Sceloporus woodi) Varies with Wildfire History.

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Citation Information
Katherine Miller, David Tevs, Lance D McBrayer, Faith Loggins, et al.. "Genetic Diversity of Florida Scrub Lizards (Sceloporus woodi/) Varies with Wildfire History" Journal of Herpetology Vol. 57 Iss. 1 (2023) p. 116 - 124
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/lance-mcbrayer/137/