Conservation genetics of the endangered Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas spp.) in Northwestern Africa

Abstract

Large mammals are seriously threatened in North Africa, with emblematic cases of extinction reported during the twentieth century. The Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) is an endangered species whose populations drastically declined in the last few decades. In this work we applied both invasive and non-invasive molecular methods to document for the first time patterns of genetic diversity and population structure of G. dorcas in its northwestern range, using 13 microsatellite loci and a 716 bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA in seven populations (one wild, four semi-captive and two captive). Genetic diversity at both mtDNA and nuclear markers showed a clear dichotomy among G. dorcas populations. While the wild population and the captive population maintained in Almeria (Spain) exhibited appreciable levels of diversity, all five captive and semi-captive populations across Morocco were fixed for a single mtDNA haplotype and showed low values of nuclear diversity. The allele frequency spectrum analysis of these five populations revealed profiles expected under a bottleneck scenario, but statistical tests performed to investigate this situation were not significant. Genetic differentiation measured by summary statistics (F ST and D est ) and population structure revealed by Bayesian clustering analysis suggest that the Sidi Chiker Reserve, in the northern plains of Morocco, may harbour the last individuals belonging to G. d. massaesyla, while individuals from the El Kheng Reserve exhibited a moderate degree of differentiation and could not be unambiguously associated with one of the two remaining putative subspecies. These data should be taken into consideration in order to implement a conservation action plan for G. dorcas in Morocco.

Differentiation of North African foxes and population genetic dynamics in the desert—insights into the evolutionary history of two sister taxa, Vulpes rueppellii and Vulpes vulpes

“…However, most studies have focused on smallsized, non-volant vertebrates with relatively low dispersal capacity (Boratyński et al 2012;Dobigny et al 2013;Guiller et al 2001;Metallinou et al 2012;Sousa et al 2011), while still very little is known about larger and more vagile species, for which barrier effects may be less pronounced. Of the few existing studies on large and medium size mammals, some show very little to no genetic structure (Bärmann et al 2013;Gaubert et al 2012;Lerp et al 2011), while others exhibit distinct mitochondrial lineages that co-occur throughout North Africa (Gaubert et al 2009(Gaubert et al , 2011Godinho et al 2012;Trucchi and Sbordoni 2009).…”

Estimates of direct and indirect effects for early juvenile survival in captive populations maintained for conservation purposes: the case of Cuvier's gazelle

“…; Godinho et al. ) even though they could be poor predictors of genetic diversity in many population scenarios (Hansson and Westerberg ).…”

A morphometric and genetic framework for the genusGazellade Blainville, 1816 (Ruminantia: Bovidae) with special focus on Arabian and Levantine mountain gazelles

“…Lerp et al . () showed that there is no evidence for geographical subspecies within G. dorcas Linnaeus, 1758, except that G. saudiya Carruthers and Schwartz, 1936, G. d. pelzelni Kohl, 1886, and G. d. massaesyla Cabrera, 1928 might form distinct (sub)species as they seem to comprise monophyletic groups within G. dorcas (Hammond et al ., ; Lerp et al ., ; Godinho et al ., ). To evaluate the new taxonomy by Groves & Grubb () and to reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus Gazella , studies like these are needed for other gazelle species as well.…”

“…In the last decade, several such studies have been conducted on gazelles: Wacher et al (2011) and Hassanin et al (2012) have confirmed that G. marica Thomas, 1897 and G. subgutturosa are two separate species; and Wronski et al (2010) and Lerp et al (2013) found two reciprocally monophyletic clades within G. gazella that could be treated as distinct species. Lerp et al (2011) showed that there is no evidence for geographical subspecies within G. dorcas Linnaeus, 1758, except that G. saudiya Carruthers and Schwartz, 1936, G. d. pelzelni Kohl, 1886, and G. d. massaesyla Cabrera, 1928 might form distinct (sub)species as they seem to comprise monophyletic groups within G. dorcas (Hammond et al, 2000;Lerp et al, 2011;Godinho et al, 2012). To evaluate the new taxonomy by Groves & Grubb (2011) and to reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus Gazella, studies like these are needed for other gazelle species as well.…”