Spatial genetic analysis reveals high connectivity of tiger (Panthera tigris) populations in the Satpura–Maikal landscape of Central India

Ecology and Evolution

Sandeep Sharma²  Trishna Dutta³  Jesús E. Maldonado³  Thomas C. Wood²  Hemendra Singh Panwar¹ 

[1] Peace Institute Charitable Trust, Delhi, India;Environmental Science & Policy Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia;Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia

关键词: Central India;    connectivity;    non‐invasive genetic analysis;    Panthera tigris;    spatial genetics;    tiger;   

DOI  :  10.1002/ece3.432

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Abstract

We investigated the spatial genetic structure of the tiger meta-population in the Satpura–Maikal landscape of central India using population- and individual-based genetic clustering methods on multilocus genotypic data from 273 individuals. The Satpura–Maikal landscape is classified as a global-priority Tiger Conservation Landscape (TCL) due to its potential for providing sufficient habitat that will allow the long-term persistence of tigers. We found that the tiger meta-population in the Satpura–Maikal landscape has high genetic variation and very low genetic subdivision. Individual-based Bayesian clustering algorithms reveal two highly admixed genetic populations. We attribute this to forest connectivity and high gene flow in this landscape. However, deforestation, road widening, and mining may sever this connectivity, impede gene exchange, and further exacerbate the genetic division of tigers in central India.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.