Investigation of the genetic diversity of the black grouse population in the Lüneburg Heath

Project description

After significant declines in the 20th century, the black grouse is now found only in the Lüneburg Heath in the North German Lowlands. The population is divided into five sub-populations across military training areas and the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve, and has been monitored since 1995 through annual synchronised counts. During this period, the population size fluctuated between 100 and 270 birds. The isolation of this remnant population in particular poses a significant risk due to the species’ relatively low mobility. The NLWKN points out that the populations in Lower Saxony are effectively isolated due to the great distance from other Central European populations. The spatial distance between the five subpopulations also raises the question of whether sufficient genetic exchange is still taking place.
The aim of this study is therefore to provide a comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity of the black grouse in the Lüneburg Heath. It is being carried out jointly by the ITAW and the Institute for Animal Genomics at TiHo. The study aims to shed light on the diversification and potential future development of the black grouse population in the five core habitats. The study uses faecal samples, collected by dedicated volunteers in the areas where the species occurs. The planned sequencing method will enable a comprehensive analysis of diversity, inbreeding and - provided there is a sufficient number of samples from different individuals - the kinship structure within the subpopulations. The study also aims to monitor how the population has developed over recent years.
The results are expected to make a significant contribution to answering the practical question of whether the population requires artificial support - for example, through assisted migration of native birds, the translocation of black grouse from other populations, or the release of captive-bred birds - or whether the population is viable in the long term even without external ‘genetic refreshment’. For this reason, the study is to be carried out in close consultation with the stakeholders involved in the ‘Lüneburg Heath Black Grouse Action Plan’, and the results are ultimately to be incorporated into this plan.