Genetic structure of fragmented southern populations of African Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)

dc.contributor.authorSmitz, Nathalie
dc.contributor.authorCornelis, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorChardonnet, Philippe
dc.contributor.authorCaron, Alexandre
dc.contributor.authorDe Garine-Wichatitsky, Michel
dc.contributor.authorJori, Ferran J.
dc.contributor.authorMouton, Alice
dc.contributor.authorLatinne, Alice
dc.contributor.authorPigneur, Lise-Marie
dc.contributor.authorMelletti, Mario
dc.contributor.authorKanapeckas, Kimberly L.
dc.contributor.authorMarescaux, Jonathan
dc.contributor.authorPereira, Carlos Lopes
dc.contributor.authorMichaux, Johan
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-20T06:39:54Z
dc.date.available2015-05-20T06:39:54Z
dc.date.issued2014-11-01
dc.descriptionWe are especially thankful to all the institutions that participated in the sample collection: UP-MRI and State Vets (D. Cooper, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) partners based in Botswana, CIRAD and RP-PCP partners based in Zimbabwe, and the Fondation Internationale pour la Gestion de la Faune (IGF, France). We would also like to thank S. Le Bel, C. Foggin, R. Bengis, M. Hofmeyr, N. Owen-Smith and A. Marchal for providing supplementary specific information about buffalo demographic parameters. Furthermore, we would like to thank Pim Van Hooft (University of Wageningen, The Netherlands) for his deep knowledge and support in reconstructing the male haplogroup network.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: African wildlife experienced a reduction in population size and geographical distribution over the last millennium, particularly since the 19th century as a result of human demographic expansion, wildlife overexploitation, habitat degradation and cattle-borne diseases. In many areas, ungulate populations are now largely confined within a network of loosely connected protected areas. These metapopulations face gene flow restriction and run the risk of genetic diversity erosion. In this context, we assessed the “genetic health” of free ranging southern African Cape buffalo populations (S.c. caffer) and investigated the origins of their current genetic structure. The analyses were based on 264 samples from 6 southern African countries that were genotyped for 14 autosomal and 3 Y-chromosomal microsatellites. RESULTS: The analyses differentiated three significant genetic clusters, hereafter referred to as Northern (N), Central (C) and Southern (S) clusters. The results suggest that splitting of the N and C clusters occurred around 6000 to 8400 years ago. Both N and C clusters displayed high genetic diversity (mean allelic richness (Ar) of 7.217, average genetic diversity over loci of 0.594, mean private alleles (Pa) of 11), low differentiation, and an absence of an inbreeding depression signal (mean FIS = 0.037). The third (S) cluster, a tiny population enclosed within a small isolated protected area, likely originated from a more recent isolation and experienced genetic drift (FIS = 0.062, mean Ar = 6.160, Pa = 2). This study also highlighted the impact of translocations between clusters on the genetic structure of several African buffalo populations. Lower differentiation estimates were observed between C and N sampling localities that experienced translocation over the last century. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that the current genetic structure of southern African Cape buffalo populations results from both ancient and recent processes. The splitting time of N and C clusters suggests that the current pattern results from human-induced factors and/or from the aridification process that occurred during the Holocene period. The more recent S cluster genetic drift probably results of processes that occurred over the last centuries (habitat fragmentation, diseases). Management practices of African buffalo populations should consider the micro-evolutionary changes highlighted in the present study.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2015en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThis study was supported by research grants from the Belgian Fond National pour la Recherche Scientifique (FRS-FNRS) provided to J.R. Michaux (A5/ 5-MCF/BIC-11561) and N.M.R. Smitz (F3/5/5-MCF/ROI/BC-20.003)en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/14/203en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSmitz et al.: Genetic structure of fragmented southern populations of African Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer). BMC Evolutionary Biology 2014 14:203.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1471-2148
dc.identifier.other10.1186/s12862-014-0203-2
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/45180
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Centralen_ZA
dc.rights© 2014 Smitz et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.en_ZA
dc.subjectSyncerus caffer cafferen_ZA
dc.subjectPopulation geneticsen_ZA
dc.subjectGenetic structureen_ZA
dc.subjectTranslocationen_ZA
dc.subjectSouthern Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectConservation implicationsen_ZA
dc.titleGenetic structure of fragmented southern populations of African Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)en_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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