NatureScot Research Report 1328 - The ecological value of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDSs) in maintaining genetic diversity in urban areas.
Abstract
This report investigates the genetic variation of common frog populations (Rana temporaria) breeding in sustainable urban drainage system (SuDS) ponds in Inverness, comparing them to populations in rural areas. The study aimed to assess whether urban habitats, often fragmented by human development, contribute to genetic erosion or inbreeding in frog populations. Over a four-year period (2015-2019), the research found no significant changes in genetic diversity between urban and rural frog populations, suggesting that the extensive green and blue infrastructure in Inverness helps mitigate isolation effects. The study also revealed that SuDS ponds maintain the same genetic variation as rural ponds, with no signs of inbreeding, although genetic distances were larger between urban populations. The findings suggest that urban environments, when well-connected, can support genetic diversity in wildlife populations.