{"id":278100,"date":"2021-09-10T09:42:16","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T09:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciblogs.co.nz\/?p=278100"},"modified":"2022-08-17T21:21:04","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T21:21:04","slug":"resolving-a-genetic-mash-up-reconstructing-an-accurate-evolutionary-history-of-kakariki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/2021\/09\/10\/resolving-a-genetic-mash-up-reconstructing-an-accurate-evolutionary-history-of-kakariki\/","title":{"rendered":"Resolving a genetic mash-up: reconstructing an accurate evolutionary history of k\u0101k\u0101riki"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prioritising species conservation and over-stretched government funding is built upon an accurate understanding of evolutionary relationships and taxonomy. But what if that evolutionary history is wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n

More importantly, what are the consequences for endangered biodiversity as conservation funding and resources are re-assigned? Numerous examples have come to light in recent years where genetic techniques have shown previously recognised endangered or threatened birds do not exist, such as the Cape Verde kite<\/a> which was formally considered to be the world\u2019s rarest feathered predator.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
One of these birds is not like the other: Once thought of as just a red-crowned parakeet, the Norfolk Island lineage<\/a> is a species in its own right.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Aotearoa New Zealand as elsewhere, a change in taxonomic status can become an emotional issue. For instance, on a recent ecotour of Akaroa Harbour with the family, our tour guide excitedly told us about conservation efforts to save Canterbury\u2019s endangered koror\u0101 white-flippered penguin. Recent research<\/a> by DNA detectives has shown this local variant is simply a colour morph of the widespread koror\u0101 little-blue penguin. It can take time for people to accept changes such as this for something considered their own.<\/p>\n

The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai<\/a> does not have enough government funding to save all our unique taonga species from extinction. K\u0101k\u0101riki<\/a> (Cyanoramphus<\/em> parakeets) are one of our iconic avian groups and are spread throughout the New Zealand region, including the far-flung Rangit\u0101hua Kermadec, sub-Antarctic and R\u0113kohu Chatham Islands. While some k\u0101k\u0101riki are of less conservation concern, k\u0101k\u0101riki karaka the orange-fronted parakeet<\/a> (C. malherbi<\/em>) is nationally critical and the subject of intense conservation efforts as highlighted in the recent Fight for the Wild<\/a> documentary. There have been years of heated debate as to its taxonomic status: was it a distinct species<\/a> or just a colour morph<\/a> of k\u0101k\u0101riki kowhai the yellow-crowned parakeet<\/a> (C. auriceps<\/em>)? Likewise, the nationally endangered Forbes\u2019 parakeet<\/a> (C. forbesi<\/em>) would have become extinct through hybridisation with the Chatham Islands red-crowned parakeet<\/a> (C. novaezelandiae chathamensis<\/em>) was it not for the efforts of the Department of Conservation.<\/p>\n

The whakapapa and taxonomy (the science of naming biodiversity) of k\u0101k\u0101riki were seemingly resolved<\/a> over 20 years ago using the fast-evolving mitochondrial DNA control region. This work established, for example, that k\u0101k\u0101riki originated in New Caledonia around 2.3 million years ago (the closest relatives<\/a> of k\u0101k\u0101riki are the Horned<\/a> and Ouv\u00e9a<\/a>\u00a0parakeets Eunymphicus<\/em> spp.) and radiated into Aotearoa and the surrounding islands only 450,000-600,000 years ago \u2013 just the blink of a geological eye. Forbes\u2019 and orange-fronted parakeets were shown to be distinct from the yellow-crowned parakeet, and several insular island populations of k\u0101k\u0101riki whero the red-crowned parakeet<\/a> (nominate C. novaezelandiae<\/em>) were actually distinct species (e.g. Norfolk Island parakeet<\/a> C. cookii<\/em>). My own research<\/a> into the k\u0101k\u0101riki on the sub-Antarctic Motu Maha Auckland Islands has also contributed to our understanding of the evolutionary history of this remarkable group.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Historical treasure: Rowley Taylor’s notebooks are still a very useful scientific resource today.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019m sitting in the lounge of the late Rowley Taylor (who passed away just before the current COVID19 lockdown) with Bruce Thomas. Rowley and Bruce are famous in New Zealand conservation circles as having pioneered rat eradication on islands, getting rid of these pests<\/a> from the rugged K\u0101 Huruhuru-o-koekoe\u0101 Breaksea Island at the mouth of Te Puaitaha Dusky Sound in Te Rua o te Moko Fiordland in the face of stiff opposition from the newly formed Department of Conservation. I was doing my Masters at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington on k\u0101k\u0101riki and Bruce had taken me to meet Rowley as he had done some of the pioneering work on k\u0101k\u0101riki evolutionary relationships<\/a>. Over numerous memorable visits and countless cups of strong tea, we\u2019d talk about k\u0101k\u0101riki, my observations of them on field trips to the Kermadec and sub-Antarctic islands, and what I\u2019d found in museum basements around Aotearoa. Rowley\u2019s knowledge was phenomenal, built up over years of field research and observation. He\u2019d disappear into his office and come out with historical papers (including many in French or German), notebooks (which are amongst some of the most treasured scientific possessions I still use today), and even the odd pickled k\u0101k\u0101riki, in answer to my many questions.<\/p>\n

These wonderful visits with Bruce to Rowley\u2019s fulfilled my curiosity as only scientific mentors could and taught me to question everything \u2013 a healthy attitude to have in science. I developed doubts over the reliability of the whakapapa of k\u0101k\u0101riki that had been reconstructed from their genes, and the consequent taxonomy including: did \u2018yellow-crown\u2019 morphology evolve twice in Forbes\u2019 and yellow-crowned parakeets, is Reischek\u2019s parakeet<\/a> (C. hochstetteri<\/em>) on Moutere Mahue Antipodes Island the most closely-related species of the orange-fronted parakeet, and why were there two genetic lineages of New Zealand red-crowned parakeet (C. n. novaezelandiae<\/em>) that were as divergent from each other as other accepted k\u0101k\u0101riki species? I distinctly remember my Masters supervisor Geoff Chambers<\/a> and myself debating my latest doubts based on results from historical k\u0101k\u0101riki museum skins over more tea and biscuits.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The return of the colour morph? One of Aotearoa’s most endangered birds, the orange-fronted parakeet<\/a>, has had a colourful taxonomic history. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Birds, especially parrots, are known to have gene duplications within the mitochondrial genome, including the control region<\/a>. These duplications range from nearly identical to differing from the original sequences by as much as 80%<\/a>. Contrary to previous assertions of a single control region<\/a> in k\u0101k\u0101riki (i.e. no duplication), new preliminary modern and ancient DNA data indicates k\u0101k\u0101riki do in fact have a duplicated control region. The vital questions are, what is the nature of the duplication, how divergent are the two control regions, and has a mix-up of two divergent control regions been used previously to infer k\u0101k\u0101riki evolution and taxonomy? Answering these questions could have serious implications for the conservation management of k\u0101k\u0101riki such as: did k\u0101k\u0101riki originate in New Caledonia, what is the bird we call orange-fronted parakeet in the field (is it a distinct species or a colour morph), and is Forbes\u2019 parakeet a unique species or a subspecies of yellow-crowned parakeet? More disturbingly, were the appropriate k\u0101k\u0101riki hybrids on the Chatham Islands culled to save Forbes\u2019 parakeet? One of the genetic tests<\/a> to determine hybrids was based on the assumption of a single control region. Previous research, including my own<\/a>, interpreted what the strings of the genetic code were telling us about the biological heritage of k\u0101k\u0101riki using the best data available at the time. Our understanding of the natural world changes with new data and this is what\u2019s happening now. That\u2019s science for you.<\/p>\n

Now some 15 years later I\u2019m revisiting these charismatic and chatty taonga that started me on my scientific career<\/a>. With generous funding from the Birds New Zealand Research Fund<\/a> and the New Zealand Parrot Trust<\/a>, our research will characterise the control region duplications within k\u0101k\u0101riki, and use newly developed genomic approaches to reconstruct the accurate whakapapa (and taxonomy) of Cyanoramphus<\/em>, including for living and extinct species that have not been genetically tested. I was just about to ring Bruce and Rowley about this funding when the call came that Rowley had passed away. Our data, combined with external k\u0101k\u0101riki morphology (e.g. colouration) and ecology, will also allow us to determine what role hybridisation has played in the recent evolutionary history of Cyanoramphus<\/em>. To date, conservation management decisions for k\u0101k\u0101riki (and other New Zealand birds) have been based on little genetic data.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Straight through from London<\/a>: Rowley Taylor got to know the curious habits of the Antipodes Island green parakeet<\/a> during his time on this isolated sub-Antarctic island.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This collaborative (including scientists from the Te Whare W\u0101nanga o Ot\u0101go University of Otago<\/a>, Te Kunenga ki P\u016brehuroa Massey University<\/a>, and the team at the British Museum of Natural History led by Alex Bond<\/a> and Martin Stervander<\/a>) and multifaceted approach will provide vital data to help prioritise species conservation funding and inform evidence-based conservation management of these important New Zealand taonga.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sitting on the side of the track on Matiu Somes Island during fieldwork for my Masters watching red-crowned parakeets sliding down the corrugated tin roof of a shed and excitedly chatting away like a bunch of children as I puzzle over their evolution. Maybe now, with memories of enjoyable scientific debates with Rowley coming to mind, we can finally solve the riddle of k\u0101k\u0101riki evolution. This one\u2019s for you Rowley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Prioritising species conservation and over-stretched government funding is built upon an accurate understanding of evolutionary relationships and taxonomy. But what if that evolutionary history is wrong? More importantly, what are the consequences for endangered biodiversity as conservation funding and resources are re-assigned? Numerous examples have come to light in recent years where genetic techniques have … Continue reading “Resolving a genetic mash-up: reconstructing an accurate evolutionary history of k\u0101k\u0101riki”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40066,"featured_media":280635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87395,12254,1],"tags":[87428,531,87494,62,87535,87574],"class_list":["post-278100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment-and-ecology","category-science","category-uncategorized","tag-conservation","tag-evolution","tag-kakariki","tag-new-zealand","tag-parakeet","tag-taxonomy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40066"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=278100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/280635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=278100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=278100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/lost-worlds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=278100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}