The importance of small-island populations for the long-term survival of endangered large-bodied insular mammals.

ABSTRACT: Island populations of large vertebrates have experienced higher extinction rates than mainland populations over long timescales due to demographic stochasticity, genetic drift, and inbreeding. While being more susceptible to extinction and as such potentially targeted for conservation interventions such as genetic rescue, small-island populations can experience relatively less anthropogenic habitat degradation than those on larger islands. Here, we determine the consequences and conservation implications of long-term isolation and recent human activities on genetic diversity of island populations of two forest-dependent mammals endemic to the Wallacea archipelago: the anoa (Bubalus spp.) and babirusa (Babyrousa spp.). Using genomic analyses and habitat suitability models, we

SUBMITTER: Aninta SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12232422 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature