Greater sage-grouse genetic connectivity is essential to the species persistence across the Great Northern landscape; without such connectivity the greater sage-grouse may suffer the same fate as many other related species of grouse, which disappeared from the middle and eastern portion of the United States due to loss of habitat coupled with inbreeding depression. To prevent isolation in the face of energy development and other landscape changes it is essential that we evaluate both fine-scale connectivity and assign relative importance to different leks (breeding populations) on the landscape. This massive task cannot be accomplished with existing tools and maps; fortunately, advanced molecular genomic analyses and high resolution mapping are now feasible. We propose to further develop and apply these next-generation genomic tools using our state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Montana and Utah State University to examine an unprecedented number of leks and provide fine-scale, high resolution connectivity maps for guiding conservation actions.
FY2012Objectives:
Provide data that will aide in decision support for sage-grouse conservation and inventory the current state of connectivity for sage-grouseDevelop genotyping by sequencing (GBS) genetic analysis on 10,000 feather samples for use in greater sage-grouse connectivity analysesCreate and verify high resolution genetic connectivity maps based on the quantifiable genetic metricGBS will also allow us to identify genes which code for disease resistance and adaptive selection, such that consideration of adaptive differences can be used in management of subpopulations
