Functional assessment of urban ecological networks based on movement and genetic diversity of Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis)

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06105
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39070:Landscape science-related
• Research Institution: Iwate University
• Principal Investigator: Harashina Koji 岩手大学, 農学部, 准教授 (40396411)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 出口 善隆 岩手大学, 農学部, 准教授 (40344626)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: エコロジカルネットワーク / 都市緑地 / コリドー / ニホンリス / 遺伝的多様性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Japanese squirrels inhabiting patchy urban woodlands in Morioka City were tracked and genetically analyzed to clarify their actual movements between woodlands and their genetic diversity. We radio-tracked 25 squirrels and found 204 inter-woodland movements, with roadside trees functioning as corridors, but very few migrations beyond the arterial road. Inter-woodland movement frequency decreased during the open canopy period, which is the mating season for this species, suggesting that natal dispersal by sub-adults contributes more to genetic exchange than movement by adult males which has a higher frequency of the movement. Genetic analysis of the captured 36 individuals showed that genetic exchange was relatively high in the study area, but only one stand group, isolated by distance, was not genetically related to the other stands.

Free Research Field

緑地環境学，地域生態管理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

都市における生物多様性保全を目的としたエコロジカルネットワークの形成に関する議論は，主に都市緑地や生物相の空間分布に基づいて行われてきたが，動物個体の移動やその結果としての遺伝的多様性といった機能面からの評価はされてこなかった。本研究は，実証的なデータに基づいて動物の移動経路を明らかにした上で，生息地間の連結性がどの程度なら遺伝的多様性が保たれるかを明らかにした点において，エコロジカルネットワーク形成に資する学術的意義および社会的意義を有すると考える。