Status assessment of Eurasian lynx in Latvia linking genetics and demography—a growing population or a source–sink process?

• DOI: 10.1007/s13364-016-0279-8
• Publication Date: 2016-05-14T16:09:49Z
• Authors: Guna Bagrade; Dainis Edgars Ruņģis; Aivars Ornicāns; Jurģis Šuba; Agrita Žunna; Samantha Jane How...; Mārtiņš Lūkins; Agnese Gailīte; Alda Stepanova; Gundega Done; Anita Gaile; Krišs Bitenieks; Līga Mihailova; Jānis Baumanis; Jānis Ozoliņš
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences

The Eurasian lynx is managed as a game species in Latvia. A variety of demographic parameters were used to assess the current status of the Latvian lynx population and recruitment after annual harvest. Population age–gender structure and female prenatal fecundity were determined in 530 legally hunted animals over a 9-year period. Average prenatal fecundity was 3.2 ± 0.1, and evidence of reproduction was found in 87 % of the examined adult females. We found a disproportionally low number of 1- and 2-year-old lynx in the hunting bags and therefore constructed an age–gender pyramid, adjusting the survival curves to the proportions of the remaining age classes. Two hundred and eighty-eight tissue samples were analysed using 12 autosomal microsatellite loci. Groups of related individuals were identified using a group approach and supported by pairwise relationship analysis. Thirteen potential maternal–offspring relationship groups and 30 related groups of lynx individuals based on potential full-sib and half-sib relationships between the individuals within the research period were identified. Evidence from this study shows that the population is not only stable but also likely growing and that there currently appear to be no barriers preventing gene flow. We can conclude that, in general, the lynx population was sustainably maintained. The previous harvest intensity has not obstructed the conservation aim for lynx in Latvia, which is to maintain the population as stable or growing. Combining demographic and molecular analyses, this study reveals relevant reference indices that can be used in future monitoring of the lynx population in Latvia.