9623466 Corbin The effects of habitat destruction are a central concern for the conservation of natural communities and populations. One aspect of habitat destruction, fragmentation, is predicted to reduce the size of impacted populations, decrease the number of populations, and cause populations to become isolated from one another, genetically. Together, these effects increase the probability of local and regional extinction. Work funded in this award will address the effects of habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of the prairie beetle (Chrysochus auratus) a resident of prairie fragments in western Minnesota. The tallgrass prairie ecosystem of the United States has experienced massive alteration. In Minnesota, less than 0.1% of the original tallgrass prairie remains, mostly as small isolated preserves. The degree of population interaction and the overall pattern of movement of individuals among local populations and prairie fragments will be examined by genetically characterizing each local population. In so doing, the connectedness of fragmented beetle populations can be ascertained. These data will indicate the degree to which local populations function as a single genetic and demographic unit, a primary conceptual issue in conservation biology. Also, the relative importance of particular prairie remnants and local populations to the overall population structure among and within preserves will be examined. Documenting these patterns and the processes that underlie them is crucial for understanding the effects of habitat fragmentation and effective management of fragmented habitat.
