1. Geographical Distribution of Mauremys sinensis , Mauremys reevesii , and Their Hybrids in South Korea.
- Author
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Baek, Hae-Jun, Cheong, Eujin, Kim, Youngha, Koo, Kyo Soung, Kim, Su-Hwan, Park, Chang-Deuk, and Yoon, Ju-Duk
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INTRODUCED species , *NATIVE species , *NUMBERS of species , *WILDLIFE conservation , *GENETIC variation - Abstract
Simple Summary: The global economic cost of managing invasive species exceeded $423 billion annually in 2019 and has increased at least fourfold every decade since 1970. In South Korea, the annual damage caused by invasive species is estimated to be between $93 million and $51.68 million. South Korea is vulnerable to invasive species and the cost of invasive species is estimated to be the highest among other countries, indicating the need for policy measures and responses. Most of the invasive reptiles in South Korea are introduced and released by humans. The hybridization of the Chinese striped-necked turtle Mauremys sinensis and Reeves' turtle M. reevesii identified in the current study is also suspected to have been introduced from captivity into the wild, raising alarm bells. This suggests that the introduction of hybrids into the wild could pose a serious problem for biodiversity, especially for the M. reevesii, as it could undermine the genetic diversity of the population. Public awareness and education are needed to preserve South Korea's biodiversity, and efforts must be made to reduce the number of exotic reptiles introduced into the wild. The Chinese striped-necked turtle Mauremys sinensis, introduced into South Korea presumably in 2012, is considered an invasive alien species owing to its devastating impact, including hybridization with the native protected species Reeves' turtle M. reevesii. Recently, the presence of M. sinensis has been confirmed throughout the country, and several sympatric areas with M. reevesii have been reported. Thus, field surveys were conducted at 47 sites across M. sinensis and M. reevesii habitats in South Korea to determine the extent of hybridization. Five sympatric sites were confirmed, and hybrid individuals were identified at four sites. Genetic analyses (COI and R35) of two individuals from Jeju Island confirmed maternal M. reevesii and paternal M. sinensis lineages. Hybridization presumably does not occur under natural conditions, and the hybrids likely originated from captive breeding. This study identifies for the first time the habitats of M. sinensis and its hybrids in the wild of South Korea. The management measures proposed in the current study could be of value for the conservation of the native species; however, our study did not include reproductive monitoring, and there is a need for such surveys as well as for systematic management of non-native turtles introduced into South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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