Biosphere Conservation , Vol. 17 (2005), No. 1, pp. 1-10
1 Department of Biology, International Christian University, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8585 Japan
2 Lab. of Landscape Architecture and Conservation, Graduate School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531 Japan
ABSTRACT. Genetic variation between endangered populations and neighboring populations in urban area of the Japanese clouded salamander Hynobius nebulosus was evaluated using an inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR)-PCR assay. An SSR primer gave rise to 24 amplification products all of which were polymorphic. Mean heterozygosity per locus within populations ranged from 0.28 to 0.30. An AMOVA test revealed that 85% of total genetic variation was attributable to the differences among individuals within populations, and 15% was attributable to the difference among populations (ΦST = 0.15). A random permutation test concluded that the genetic differentiation among populations is significant. Pairwise ΦST between populations ranged from 0.09 to 0.21, all statistically significant. The pairwise ΦST was correlated with the genetic distance between populations. A bootstrapped neighbor-joining tree based on Nei's distances between populations clustered two populations at minimum geographical interval into the same clade. The Nei's distances were also correlated significantly with the geographical distances.
Key words: genetic diversity, population structure, population management, conservation biology, amphibian