ABSTRACT Reductions in genetic diversity and genetic connectivity have been documented in some predatory bird species in response to anthropogenic habitat fragmentation. The Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) is the most common and widely-distributed owl in Australia but declines in abundance have been observed across its range. We used polymorphic microsatellite loci to investigate landscape-scale patterns of genetic variation and spatial genetic structure in boobooks from a variety of fragmented landscape types and relatively undisturbed landscape types across Western Australia. The maximum distance between collection locations of genetic samples was 1391 km. Indirect estimates of connectivity inferred from these genetic data were complemented by direct estimates of post-breeding dispersal of juvenile boobooks gathered from banding data resulting from this and other studies across Australia. We found high genetic diversity in microsatellite markers, weak spatial genetic structuring and no evidence of genetic erosion associated with inbreeding in heavily fragmented landscapes. Bayesian modelling, spatial autocorrelation analysis and principal coordinates analysis suggested a single large panmictic population across all areas sampled. Within the heavily fragmented landscape of an extensive urban area, band re-sightings and recoveries substantiate the considerable capacity of juvenile boobooks to disperse across areas far greater than the distance between patches. We hypothesise that the genetic homogeneity observed in this species is a consequence of long-distance dispersal capacity in addition to their ability as habitat and dietary generalists to make use of highly altered habitats.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚最常见的猫头鹰广泛的遗传连通性，尽管栖息地广泛破碎

摘要 一些掠食性鸟类因人为栖息地破碎化而导致遗传多样性和遗传连通性的减少。Southern Boobook（Ninox boobook）是澳大利亚最常见和分布最广泛的猫头鹰，但在其范围内观察到数量下降。我们使用多态性微卫星位点来研究来自西澳大利亚各种破碎景观类型和相对未受干扰的景观类型的手册中遗传变异和空间遗传结构的景观尺度模式。遗传样本采集地点之间的最大距离为1391公里。从这些遗传数据推断出的连通性的间接估计得到了对从澳大利亚这项研究和其他研究产生的带状数据收集的幼年书本的繁殖后传播的直接估计的补充。我们发现微卫星标记的遗传多样性很高，空间遗传结构较弱，并且没有证据表明在严重破碎的景观中与近交相关的遗传侵蚀。贝叶斯建模、空间自相关分析和主坐标分析表明，所有采样区域都存在单一的大型瘟疫群体。在广阔的城市地区的严重支离破碎的景观中，乐队的重新瞄准和回收证实了少年书的相当大的能力，可以分散在远大于斑块之间距离的区域。