Combining modelling, field data and genetic variation to understand the post-reintroduction population genetics of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia)

The Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) is a Eurasian species which has suffered significant reductions in occurrence and abundance over the past century, particularly across the western side of its range, due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss. This loss has been particularly severe in the UK with extensive localised extinctions. Following sympathetic management, reintroduction was undertaken at four Cumbria (northern UK) sites in 2007 with stock from a captive admixture population descended from Cumbrian and Scottish founders. Annual population monitoring of the reintroductions was undertaken. Nine years post-reintroduction, the level of population genetic variation was assessed using microsatellites. Variation in historical Cumbrian samples was determined using museum samples and Scottish samples from current populations were assayed to characterise natural population variation. Half of the Scottish sites also served as indicators of the alleles present in the founder populations. The genetic contribution of the founder populations allied to population size data allowed patterns of genetic variation to be modelled. Alleles from Cumbrian and Scottish founders are present in the reintroduced populations. The four sites have levels of variation akin to natural populations and exhibit differentiation as predicted by statistical modelling and comparable with natural populations. This suggests that reintroduction following captive breeding can produce self-sustaining populations with natural levels of genetic diversity. These populations appear to be undergoing the same evolutionary dynamics with bottlenecks and drift as natural populations. IMPLICATIONS FOR INSECT CONSERVATION: Reintroduction of captive bred individuals is a viable strategy for producing populations with natural levels of genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics. Hybridisation of populations on the brink of extinction with those thriving can preserve some of the genetic distinctiveness of the declining population.