Nocturnal and often underwater, many go there whole lives without seeing the mudpuppy salamander. Matt Keevil
B.C. a hot spot for genetic diversity
The northern alligator lizard, found in southern mainland B.C., Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, turned out to be the most genetically distinct of Canada’s reptiles. Mooers also pointed to the second reptile on their list, the northern rubber boa, which can be found across southern B.C. in places such as the Pemberton area and the Sunshine Coast.
Then there are the famous Rocky Mountain and Coastal tailed frogs, and the Coastal giant salamander, number two, three and four on the amphibian list of most genetically isolated Canadian fauna. And, of course, the mountain beaver, added Mooers.
“B.C. actually contains the lion’s share of these most distinct species,” he said.
The Northern alligator lizard seen here in Pemberton, B.C., was found to be the most genetically distinct reptile in Canada. Leslie Anthony
Beyond pure curiosity, asking which species are the most genetically lonely in Canada serves a practical purpose. Evolutionary isolation matters, said Mooers, because in order to preserve the long branches of the tree of life, you need to find its loneliest members occupying the most distant limbs.
“They represent evolution that just isn’t found elsewhere,” he said. “They’re distinctive.”
A new metric for prioritizing protection of wildlife?
In most countries, including Canada, national borders are used to define what species are at-risk and which should be protected under such laws as the Species at Risk Act.
Mooers said his latest research offers another metric to decide which species should be prioritized for conservation.
“A mouse is a mouse is a mouse. But nothing is like a porcupine,” as he put it.
The Northern rubber boa in Kelowna, B.C. Leslie Anthony
Curiously, the research is also helping reignite another hotly contested debate in the world of conservation. A number of the most genetically lonely species in Canada were found to have been introduced from elsewhere — animals like the European hare and horse.
And while many don’t appear to be threatened elsewhere in the world, there may come a time when a species’ invasive presence in Canada represents one of the last places where it is left alive. That possibility — already a reality in other parts of the world — raises questions about what life is most valuable and what species should be protected first.
“We’ve been moving things around forever,” Mooers said of the planet’s fauna. “We should be thinking about this.”
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Publish date : 2024-10-29 12:32:00
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