Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brereton, James E.

Titel

What is the role of the studbook in zoo and aquarium research?

Ist Teil von

• Zoo biology, 2024-01, Vol.43 (1), p.22-31

Ort / Verlag

United States: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In zoos and aquariums globally, studbooks provide a format by which threatened or important species populations can be carefully managed. These documents can be used to answer complex questions about animal population demographics, animal husbandry, breeding success and mortality. Given the time‐intensive nature of studbook collation, only a subset of all animal species held in zoological facilities are managed using these programs. The purpose of this project was to identify how studbooks are being used by researchers, the topics being investigated, and the taxa being covered. To achieve this, data were collected on the types of research paper being produced using studbook information. A literature search, covering several zoo and aquarium journals, was utilized. Data on the types of studbook available were additionally collected for three international zoo organizations. A Poisson regression was run to determine the predictive power of taxonomic class, animal threat status and studbook type on a studbook featuring in published research. Overall, the study identified that taxonomic class and threat status were significant predictors of the number of published studbook papers, with threatened species being more likely to appear in papers. Additionally, population demography was the most common use of studbook data, followed by genetics and reproduction. Not all taxonomic groups were featured in the literature, with mammals featuring much more frequently than would be expected based on the types of studbook available. Series of animals sitting gathered round a pile of studbooks. Research highlights Studbooks are available for a range of species, though mammal species tend to be featured more in studbooks. Specific taxonomic groups occur more in studbook literature than would be expected based on their presence in terms of global, European, or American studbook availability. There is scope to diversify the types of ways in which studbooks are used for zoological research.