Objective
Research objectives and content
In conservation biology, genetic and demographic structure of populations are assumed to be key factors affecting long term population persistence probabilities. In metapopulations, local extinction of demes by stochastic demographic processes has to be balanced by colonisation from other demes to avoid global extinction. Intuitively, such demographic equilibrium systems of metapopulations will reach a state of desequilibrium if properly disturbed. In NE Scotland, water voles Arvicola terrestris are already local extinct from areas along main stem of rivers inhabited by the American mink. The American mink has expanded over large areas in Britain since escapes from farms in the 1960s. Water voles retreat as the mink expand, and there is no coexistence of the two species in NE Scotland. The objective of this study is to see how metapopulations fragmented due to mink predation are influenced. Metapopulations along the river Ythan that have been influenced by mink since 1970 are compared by metapopulations in the headwaters of Dee not yet influenced by mink. Exhaustive trapping of animals followed by analyses of gene variability (using already developed genetic markers) within and between metapopulations from both systems will allow us to identify at which scale effective dispersal operates in equilibrium metapopulations, and assess the impact of recent desequilibrium on the genetic structure.
Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact)
The applicant Dr. Jon Aars will benefit from expanded knowledge on methodology in molecular genetics and in analytical population genetics. The results from the project will become available through publications by the research group.
Links with industry / industrial relevance (22)
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology molecular genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
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Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
AB9 2TN Aberdeen
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.